We are using CLE math and reading and waiting for the LA to arrive. We LOVE it. I feel like he is learning SOOOO much. He adores the reading portion and begs to do more! He tolerates the math (doesn't love it like he does the reading), and his math knowledge has skyrocketed after the use of just one of the lightunits. I'm not sure about the cursive...the CLE yahoo group is very active and VERY helpful. I'd ask on there if you can. FYI: I just looked at the website and it shows 1st Grade LA new editions coming out October 2009. I don't know a whole lot about this other than how pleased we have been so far, but if you have any other questions, please PM me!:001_smile:

Thanks so much, everyone. :) All of your comments make perfect sense and are great reminders to what I already know but don't think about at the end of a long, exhausting day. Thanks for the free therapy! ;)

Yes, we really DID luck out and get a great dog. Just curious, in what way do you feel that I am expecting too much? I'm not really requiring "help" per se, unless they ask to feed her or take her out. Then I let them. I guess I just thought they would be head over heels about her??? I dunno. :tongue_smilie:

*Deep breath* :glare: We (dh and I) had a dog ever since the before the kids were born. This dog was a longhaired chihuahua with some health problems who just kind of laid around and slept. She went to doggie heaven a few months ago and the kids were sad, but instantly wanted to get another dog....SOOOOO, one of their birthday gifts was the promise of going to go get a dog that week. We went to shelters and looked and looked on craigslist until we found just what we wanted. She is such a sweet girl, 9 weeks old, golden lab, cute as all get out. She sleeps quite a few hours of each day, but also likes to play. We have folded her in to the family routine, and tried to make that routine VERY consistent. Bottom line: kids like to help with her (they offer, even), and like to take her to the park, etc, but I don't really think they like her. They don't like that she wants to sit by them and follow them around, etc. She isn't rambunctious or anything, she is happy to sit and watch them play legos or whatever. I just thought they'd be happier???:confused: I have typed all this out and I'm thinking maybe we are all a bit cranky (myself included) because we have all been hit with sickness the past few days. :confused: Today marks a week that we've had her and I can't imagine not having her around now (even though *I* was the one with the panic attacks/eye twitch the day we brought her home), but I think they were happier without a dog.... Do you guys have any thoughts? Should I just lay on the couch and eat popsicles with the kids then make a hot toddy after they're in bed??? Or do you think they are just not dog people??? :bigear:

:iagree: My newest discovery is Little Ceasar's....don't even have to call it in, just swing by on the way home and they have large cheese pizzas hot and waiting for me for $5! :party: Perfect for study of ancient Rome! ;)

I make a batch of this and it gives me a week of lunches for myself: 1 can black beans 1 can corn 1/2 jar salsa some brown rice Don't drain anything, just dump it all in a pan and put it on the stove till the rice is cooked. YUM! I adapted this from Dawn Nest of 3's recipie a while back. I have been indebted to her ever since! :grouphug: Thanks, Dawn!

Yay! We are the proud new family of an adorable lab-mix puppy. :D She is so supercute and very sweet, too.... I've had many dogs in my life, but none where I was "the mom" and in charge of housetraining. :001_huh: What is the hive wisdom on this topic? Also, she is very much a puppy and loves to CHEW...what are some good things I should get for her so she's not chewing on everything that she sees (especially my pants and shoes -- while I'm wearing them!!!). Thanks so much. We're excited about our puppy, and so far she has been very, very good. I just want to get her off to a good start. :001_smile:

Would you choose: Choice A) All homeschoolers, meets 2 times/month plus outing, very few (2 or 3) other boys in your child's level (Tiger Cubs), solid 35 minute commute getting home at 9pm Choice B) Mosty homeschoolers, meets once a month plus outing, not sure how many other Tiger Cubs, close to home Choice B is looking better and better (we started with choice A), but I wanted him to be able to do this more than once a month. He's really loving it so far....my goal for this is not for it to be a "social" thing, per se, but strong friendships would be a great secondary. My brain hurts from thinking about too many things, :tongue_smilie:any thoughts? Thanks!

I'm hoping this is as easy as it sounds, everyone!:001_smile:

We are having a bowling birthday party and most of the guests will be between 4-8. They will be bowling, then having cupcakes....what else can I do to make this cool??? I am usually great at being creative about parties and things and my mind is just fried... I have no ideas! There will be boys and girls at the party and BOTH my children are celebrating a birthday (same exact day, 3 years apart :glare:)... TIA! Melissa

:lurk5:

Well, now that DH and I compared notes as to what I read here and what he heard at work last night, we are needing to go in another direction. :glare: Can I do a virtual primal scream here and get it all out? This birthday is killing me. Last year: Disney World, all inclusive, didn't pay for much of it since a friend is a cast member. Absolutely blissful.....This year, not so much. :001_huh: I was counting on the dog to be the saving grace. I know that every birthday can't be close-to-free-Disney, but man, wouldn't that be great???? :D SOOOOOOOO.....anyone have thoughts on a good dog breed for kids? :D

For Cubbies, it is $7/yr + $7 handbook + $10 uniform. For Sparks, it is $14/yr + $7 handbook + $10 uniform. They are very willing to let you pay just a bit at a time until you cover it all, and the paperwork says several times to let them know if you have a hardship and would still like to attend. PS - The ONLY things we have lost in our recent move are our AWANA vests! Please pray we find them in the next 2 days! :tongue_smilie:

Seriously, I haven't really comitted to this or paid yet. And the kids don't know. Do I keep looking? :confused:

Oh cr*p! :glare: This is not good! This is not what my research showed! :tongue_smilie:

getting a puppy on Wednesday! :001_unsure: The dog we had since before the kiddos were born died a few months ago (old age), and we are suprising the kids with a beagle for their birthday (same birthday, 3 yrs apart!). I'm nuts. I'm scared. Ugh. Any get-ready-for-puppy tips? She is 6 months old, and apparently pretty well potty trained (I'm a skeptic:glare:). THoughts?

I am not "in" Classical Conversations, but I really, really, love the songs that I have heard from them. I am planning on doing Biblioplan History this year (finishing up Rome, moving on after that), and using R.E.A.L. Science Earth/Space....would it benefit me to buy a CD of the songs? What CD do I want? I watched the toddlers during a practicum this summer, and I can still cleary remember the songs we listened to those 3 days months later! :001_huh: They are good! TIA!

Hi, ColleenNC, Are you thinking that I should do the WWE workbook or just "do my own" based on the hardback? I need guidance!!!:tongue_smilie: Thanks!

WOOHOO! Thanks, ladies! My "follower" is looking less lonely! :D

one point for KarenNC!

Thanks, Testimony, for the seal of approval! :D Great suggestions, kindermommy and afeminame. I have looked at several of those options and just can't seem to make up my mind! :tongue_smilie: I do have Drawing with Children, but I just can't wrap my head around how to use it. :confused: Thanks, ladies! Any other thoughts?

Hop on over to my blog, leave a comment, email me something that needs changed (poor grammar/spelling/etc)or a suggestion as to how I can make it better and/or join as a follower and be registered to win your very own copy of The Hidden Art of Homemaking: Ideas for Creating Beauty in Everyday Life by Edith Schaeffer. I'm getting ready to start locally advertising my cakes a bit more and would love some input....I nearly jumped out of my seat the other day when I saw that I had a Real Live Follower looking at my page...but then I see her picture up there and she is lonely. ;) Each comment/suggestion/email/add-as-a-follower is a chance to win. Enter early, enter often! I'll choose a winner on Tuesday - my annivesary! www.yummybunnycakes.blogspot.com :D

Here's what's cookin' for DS for fall: Bible: lots of stuff is covered in Sunday School, AWANA, talks with mom, and BiblioPlan...I am kind of looking for a good devotional for him to read each day Character: Lessons in Responsibility for Boys by Pearables, Cub Scouts, perhaps work on a particular "habit" each month Math: CLE Language Arts: CLE Reading: CLE, doing the lightunits orally in a conversational style History: BiblioPlan -- Ancient Rome, then start Medieval, Renaissance, & Reformation/SOTW AG, narrations, add key events to our timeline Science: R.E.A.L. Science Earth & Space Literature: Compiled Booklists (child would read non-stop if allowed!): lots of books about current history and science topics as well as classics and reading for fun Latin: Minimus (will tie in well with study of ancient Rome, I think) Art: picture study, focus on one composer each term, do I want something else a little more "crafty" or instructional for him as well? Music: Themes to Remember, piano lessons, focus on one composer each term PE: Homeschool PE at local salvation army citadel, stretching each day, outdoor play as often as we can get it Logic: quick brainteaser games, puzzles, etc. to get the brain awake in the morning We also take lots of nature walks/hikes and draw/photograph neat things we find. What am I forgetting here? It seems like a lot when typed out, but we get done quite quickly. We are also going to be using workboxes, so I'm going to try to mix all these things up a bit with extra "fun" ideas. I am very confused as to what to do for writing at this point. I am reading WWE hardback, so maybe that will clear things up for me. If he is doing a history narration 3x a week and doing copywork (I don't know how many times a week) is that enough? Thanks so much for your thoughts!

(Also posted on Cub Scout Social group) My son is about to start tiger scouts, and I am clueless. :001_smile: We're very excited though! :001_smile: Our first adventure is the Raingutter Regatta....do we wear uniform to that? When I'm buying the uniform (i REALLLLLLY want to call it an "outfit" by the way), do I buy the neckerchief and slide, also? Or is that something that is earned? There weren't many specifics for newbies at the meeting I attended. Any advice you have for me would be SO GREAT! A trip to The Shop is happening soon to get said boat kit, handbook, and outfit, oops, uniform...any other not-to-miss-items? Thanks!

Didn't someone have a nifty schedule using RS E/S? I thought I bookmarked it, but can't find it anywhere. :glare: TiA!