We are using CLE LA and love it. It is so thorough.....to me. Nobody gripes about doing it either. We have used Growing with Grammar, AOP Lifepacs and SOS.

So we are 8 weeks in and while some things are working great others are not. I am going to let some things go. I think I am stressing so much about high school that it is making things harder than they need to be. I know it is all going to work out. I will have the grace to get through the high school years when I need it. :) So this is how we will finish up this year. 7th-CLE LA & Math, Winning with Writing 7, Apologia General Science, Lightning Lit. 7, MFW ECC geography only also adding in Expedition Earth, SOTW1 beefed up a bit 5th and 3rd-CLE LA & Math, WWW, Apologia Zoo 1, MFW ECC and Expedition Earth for geography only, SOTW and lots of read alouds 1st- CLE LTR, LA & Math, Zoo 1, MFW ECC and EE for geo., SOTW, and lots of reading together K4-MFW K, CLE LTR & Math, Zoo 1, SOTW1, ECC & EE (all at his own pace) I think I finally have a plan that will work and that we are totally excited about. We are going to do a lapbook for Zoo 1. I would love to find some sort of lapbook for SOTW1 similar to those for Zoo 1. We should still finish at the end of July too. I feel so much better letting go of what just wasn't working for us. Thank you for all of your help along the way. :grouphug:

As always, you guys are awesome beyond words. :)

Any ideas?

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I think I keep trying to make things work that just don't work in our house. There are some things like CLE that are just so amazing for us. Then there are others that while I love.....just don't fit. I think I need to just let a few things go and revamp a little.

Are you doing any lapbooks or notebooking as well?

We have used this one. http://www.amazon.com/JOLEES-JJ-C-60842-Jolees-You-Passport/dp/B000XAHJ42/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327277671&sr=8-1

Just wondering if you can do 2 of the elementary books in 1 school year?

Just wondering what other large families are using that is working. This year has been a bit crazy for us schoolwise. I am not sure if we will use the same curriculum for next year or not. So I would love to see what is working in other families. :)

Right now we are attempting to do 3 programs. They aren't huge but it's a little overwhelming to me. We have our 3 oldest using MFW ECC and then they work on their own with CLE for math, reading, la and writing. I am then using MFW 1st for my 1st grader. Then I am using MFW K for our 4 year old. He has begged to do school. I really want to focus on the themes of each program. However trying to do crafts and check out books and what not is kicking my butt. I feel like while I am trying to do too much nothing ends up getting done. Or it is only done halfway. We are great at getting the 3 R's done every day. It is all of the fun stuff we are missing out on. I really want to focus on our countires in ECC but I don't want the little ones to miss out on their programs either. Maybe I am just being a baby and just know this year is going to be exhausting. Any ideas?

I have kids of all ages that could use some help with handwriting. Just wondering what you found that really worked?

I know of Progeny Press but I was wondering what other options there are for literary study guides? I would prefer those that can be downloaded. :)

WOW!!! This is awesome. Thank you sooooooo much :D

Our little girl is turning 1 tomorrow. :001_wub: After 6 kids I am stumped on what to get her. We are trying to focos a little but more towards educational toys this year. Any ideas? She loves books so we will do a few of those.

We have a Half Price Books store on the other side of town. I am really tempted to go check it out. Just wondering if it is any better than buying used books on Amazon?

This year we are doing MFW ECC. We are so excited to be learning so much geography. :) Next year our oldest will be in 8th grade and will go on to MFW high school. I would really like to study the 50 states next so the kids can get a strong handle on that. Would that be ok?

I bet you are doing far better than you think you are. This is a huge, HUGE job. I had to put our kids back a level at times when we switched programs and what not. It can be a scary thing for sure. Then they get caught uo before you know it. It's going to click for you. You added another person into your family in the last 2 years so you are bound to hit some bumps in the road. :grouphug:

Right now we are using My Father's World ECC as our core. Our 3rd, 5th and 7th are using Christian Light Education for LA and Math and Winning with Writing. I am leaning towards Apologia General Science for our 7th grader. Not totally sold but....we are running out of school year. lol

Hi Beth :D a big diaperswappers wave :D Have you looked at Growing with Grammar? It is not very pricey. Each day is 1 page front and back. They also have a writing program which is Winning with Writing. If I don't understand something in math which happens a lot....I go to youtube. :) It's hard when things aren't fitting together very well. :grouphug:

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. You are awesome!!!!

bumping to see if anyone knows;)

I have never used Abeka before so I am not sure how everything works. I am thinking of using it for our 7th grader. Do I need the TM? I would love to know which books I need just to give it a try. :D

OK, I am driving myself crazy trying to figure this out. Our kids are 7th, 5th, 3rd and 1st. I was planning on doing Apologia General Science mainly with our 7th grader but having the 3rd and 5th join in and catch what they can. What do I do in 2 years when my 5th is in 7th? I don't want her to redo this again? I would just love to find a science we could do as a family with several topics we could do over the next few years without repeating. :confused::confused::confused:

I am wanting to pull my hair out trying to find a science that will fit our family. I need something for our middle schooler but would like to include the younger ones too. Has anyone had any success with just doing lapbooks and or unit studies on various topics? I was browing Currclick and there are a lot of lapbooks that look interesting. Just wondering if you have done this and if it worked for you? Thanks for your help :D

I am looking for a science curriculum to do with all of our kids. I was going to use Apologia General for our 7th grader but it just isn't a good fit for us. I really want something we can all do together. Something where we can do reading and then an experiment each week. I don't want to try to piece something together myself because it won't get done. I also don't have a lot of money to spend right now. Science always gets pushed aside in our house. I want something that is interesting but that will get done. Our main focus is world geography this year. I would love to use that to spring from into science but.....I am not that talented. :confused: I need a science that is fun and will get done. :)