We love these kinds of books as well! Swiss Family Robinson The original Mary Poppins The Story of the Trapp Family Singers (inspiration for Sound of Music) Treasures of the Snow, Patricia St. John Heidi, she's an orphan but it still feels like this category b/c the whole theme is her love and kindness bringing together her estranged grandfather, her friend Clara and her family, her neighbor Peter and his family and others. Swallows and Amazons and Five Little Peppers are favorites and Cheaper by the Dozen is hilarious.

Wow, ladies. My hat is off to you! It's so interesting to read through this thread. I've read through the Bible several times in a year, but 90 days? ;) That's some serious commitment to reading. I love getting the big picture perspective when I read the books through in a year. Can't join y'all b/c I'm already doing other things but I'm enjoying popping in to see how it's going.

Susan, I'd love to see how you tweaked the ideal to fit your family, your kids. You've now graduated three, right? I know I've had to tweak based on what I could do with a big family, on what my kids were doing (debate sucked a few extras like logic for a few years), on what life handed us (hello grief and single parenting) and then on what some of my kids were needing. One needed to be outsourced and I needed to be only the cheerleader. I know you've talked about that. I think this could be done a bit generically without identifying any children or particular problems. But even after homeschooling yourself, teaching and parenting four different kids -- three high school graduation -- has to have caused you to rethink how this looks in the home. I'm all for ideal. That's what I loved about WTM 17 years ago! It was an ideal with meat on the bones that I could start to implement in my home. But how and when and where to tweak when necessary? I know what we did, but I'd sure love to hear what y'all did and I know newer homeschooling parents would benefit from the perspective you now have. And while I'm at it and thinking back over our 17 years of home education so far, thank you for writing and publishing. Thank you all those weekends away from family speaking and thank you for you foresight to create this community which has been an invaluable resource.

Haha! Hey, some days we're doing well to remember their birthdays and all the answers to that stack at the doctor! Just before school started, I took my high schooler in for his sports physical. The doctor was reading over the information sheet and jested with my son that he needed to improve his handwriting. Um . . . I had filled it out! I blushed pretty deeply b/c I knew my handwriting had regressed but didn't know it was that bad! I think it came from filling out form after form for 7 kids. :blush: So now I slow down and make it a point to write legibly at least and nicely if I can!

Well, we started school and life picked up speed so I'm just now getting back to this thread. Thank you for all the great suggestions! Keep em coming if you have a favorite low-cost crowd meal. It is for fall semester, but chili and baked potatoes might work great for next semester. I'll tuck that idea away. I will . . . thanks! Love sloppy joes. I need to find out if they make these for dinner but this is a great meal, especially with comfort food sides. I really like the idea of jambalaya. I always think of it as expensive, but that's only when seafood is added. Plus, every time I've made it, it makes a ton. Yes, yes, this might work really well!

Once a semester, a friend and I cook for two scholarship houses that our kids are in at the university. It's an hour and 1/2 drive, so we usually cook most of it at home and transfer in coolers. We like to make something homemade that they don't usually get. It's a co-op scholarship house where the boys rotate cooking for each other. We like it to be nice but not to break the bank. In the past we've done: *Mexican buffet with crock-pot pork tortillas, toppings, salad, chips, salsa, desserts, iced teas. *Chicken tetrazzini, sides, garlic bread, desserts, tea. *Chicken and broccoli casserole, sides, garlic bread, dessserts, tea. They will often do a ham and frozen lasagna so we haven't done that. Have any great suggestions? For main dishes and desserts?

All my highschoolers have done Apologetics with a trusted friend who has a graduate seminary degree. I also like them to have (but missed it with 1 of mine): statistics and nutrition through dual enrollment.

Well, this thread has been enlightening. My skin isn't terrible but it seems every year I see more need for foundation to even out and cover up as I age. I probably need to do a combination of things here. Consider every post liked. :) I would have run out if I'd started.

Any particular fruit/vegie that would work? I have a juicer, but we really were only successful with juicing carrots.

Noooooo! For a minute there I thought you were going to say no diet coke. :scared: Which I kicked 2 years ago but it sneaks back up every now and again when I'm having a hard day.

Are you using Manuka honey or local honey?

Can you elaborate on the supplements that support collagen?

What's the best thing you've done that affected your complexion? A product? A diet? A routine?

One of my ds battled it during his spring semester -- he's not quite sure where he picked it up. It was a bear and this is a young, healthy guy. One of his doctors recommended to wash the affected area regularly with surgical soap. Maybe boost his immune system by cutting out white flour products and sugar and (and red meat some say) and eating immune boosting foods.

I'll give you a hug and nod by head in complete understanding. Yes, I'm happy my kids are doing well and pursuing dreams. Yes, I love adult kids. Yes, they are maddening when they talk back. But you get to have both feelings once. You don't have to choose joy that your kids are doing great and wistfulness that their growing up years at home are over. And even if really good, it's different.They'll come home for Christmas, and you'll be exhausted with the cooking and staying up late and doing with them and their youthful energy. But then they say things like "I'm headed home." :confused1: So hugs to you. P.S. Who needs a boo-hoo breakfast when they head to kindy? I say we moms of high school graduates are the ones who need to boo-hoo and atta girl each other on.

Wow! I'm so glad to learn about this book. One of my dc read The White Stag because he was reading through all of the Newberry Medal book, but I haven't read any other books by this author. We need some great read alouds this year! This is going on my to-read list. Thank you Kirsten!

My littles did Circle Time when they were preschool and kindergartners so we don't use that term either. We defaulted with Bible Time ~ because that's when we've always met as a family for Bible study, memory work and general family announcements/organization for the day. I'd probably use Morning Time if we weren't already wedded to our term.

You will get an acerbic reaction about Henty on this board. . . which has interestingly changed over the years. I've read two Henty books and enjoyed the fictional history. I actually think Henty is just too formulaic and for that reason, we only read a few. But yes, know the historic context and the viewpoint of every author.

This is GENIUS! Your house is going to be the go-to for games and parties. :) Haha. . . love it when husbands can see the fix because they're not living it every day.

I've combined quite a bit when we could. My oldest dd and 2nd ds were only 18 months apart so they did quite a few subjects together. Dd was ahead in math, but they both did geometry together one year -- she after Alg. II and he after Alg. I. It worked great! They did Latin and logic together when they were younger, AP English, biology and chemistry together in high school. Ds usually just worked ahead. Combining didn't just save me time. My kids enjoyed the fun of meeting together and doing work together.

I think if it's working right now and you're able to answer his questions and give him guidance, then it's fine. You probably won't have this same schedule as his work increases and as your dds grow. I think my schedule changed every year when my kids were younger, depending on how many were schooling, whether we had a toddler or baby, etc. I used to regularly give spelling words while folding laundry and teach math/grammar while my youngest two played in the bathtub. So, it can work perfectly fine.

My kids always write their goals for the year -- personal, academic and spiritual. We look at them again in January to see how they're doing and then they're filed away in their baby boxes. It's neat to look back over their years of goals as they grew. Maybe some favorites: Favorite food Favorite book/movie/song Favorite subject Favorite activity/sport Best friend Heighth My boys would want their weight . . . they're always trying to gain. :)

The Newberry Medal books are a great list of books to read and many will still be good reads for a 6th grader. I would add: Chronicles of Narnia series Anne of Green Gable and series A Scott O'Dell like Streams to the River, River to the Sea or Island of the Blue Dolphins An Elizabeth George Speare like The Bronze Bow (she has others that are terrific as well) Actually, I think The Bronze Bow is a Newberry Medal winner My dd was also not a bookworm at that age. I started a middle school girls book with a few of her friends and it was a huge help in getting her to love books!

No advice as we used a natural cemetary that doesn't allow cement headstones. I cannot image doing this for a baby. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: to you as you go through this next step.

This would get my vote. It's a quiet island with excellent restaurants and local shops. Captiva Resort has every amenity and Sanibel has wonderful houses and low-story condos. No high rises, no big box stores, no fast food restaurants (except Dairy Queen which came on way back) and no gaudy t-shirt shops. It has great fishing and is well-known for shelling. Across the causeway, you have access to a small city. There's an airport nearby, Naples is a short drive and you could even take a day trip to Everglades National Park. Real Florida at its best. ETA: There are other beautiful Florida beaches but this one will be warm in January. Only place warmer would be the tip of the Keys or PR.