totally tacky. Any mention of gifts anywhere NEAR a wedding invitation is tacky. Gift registration cards tucked into the invitation are tacky too. :ack2: I don't have any problem with the request itself (it's quite practical). However, that is the job of the mother(s), best friend(s), bridesmaid(s), sibling(s). They should pass along the sentiment to anyone *who asks* them, "What would Cheryl and Ethan like for a wedding gift?" THIS is the only appropriate time to ever mention a gift registration or cash preference. *shivers at the tackiness* :scared:

Well, we've used rod and staff through 8th grade so far and plan to use it through 10th grade! I have 2 more kids coming up and plan to continue with rod and staff with them also. :)

Pretty much the same. We usually complete science during the "regular" part of the year, so we do a different type of science over the summer (unit-study style). And we usually finish grammar in the "regular" year, so we focus on creative writing and over the summer. This year they'll be working on a summer report/essay. Math continues on, history continues on, vocabulary/Spelling/reading carry on... Oldest may have a summer job next year, so that will change things a lot for all of us. We may continue with math/literature/history, but leave everything else until fall.

Thanks! I think I've looked at their website so many times, I was overlooking the info I needed! :) Now to decide on the binder vs the individual books...

Do you have to do the books in order? If dd has done the first book (Introduction to Literature) - would it be too great a leap to move next to the 4th book (British Lit)? The 4th book covers most of the books she will be reading next year... so, ideally... but I'm not sure if there is a great leap in complexity between each of the books? :confused:

*she* wants to do TT. :) She loves the computer aspect of it, loves the little buddies.... and she LOVES the instant feedback. She would happily go through TT forever (at least those that have the instant grading), but I'm just not 100% sold on it (but, I'm not 100% sold on any math program, really). She's used TT and Saxon in the past. She's my "zoom" child. She wants to inhale information as quickly as possible, file it away, and move to the next page in the book. The spiral approach is a good one, though, because it forces to her remember that information frequently. I suggested using Saxon Alg I and adding Life of Fred in with it and taking a year or 18 months to go through it, and she went all goggly-eyed on me. So, not a fan of the "spread it out" idea. She'll DO it if it's what I decide, but I'd prefer to do something she's excited about so she will continue to LIKE math... So, thought if we do TT Algebra, then move to Saxon Algebra, she wouldn't feel like she's doing the same thing for 2 years... she'd feel like she finished one text and is moving on to the next. I was just thinking that, since we aren't in a "hurry" to get her to Algebra I through Saxon, maybe TT would be a great way to get started in Algebra... a friendlier approach. She would get the cute, friendly computer program for one year before I move her to stodgy old black & white Saxon. ;) We're going to use the Art Reed videos, but... well ... he's no cartoon owl or cow or penguin... :) She likes the guy's voice on the TT lessons, too. I wish I had more confidence in TT long-term. I have the pre-algebra book and just don't think it has as much info crammed into it as the Saxon. But, she wants to do math first thing in the morning with TT... it's why she started to love math. She is beginning Pre-Algebra *now.* I have the TT and Saxon and we're intending to use the Saxon. But, she's hoping to get to use TT again after the Saxon pre-algebra. :confused: :bigear:

She would complete most of the Saxon 1/2 book between now and end of summer, so that would leave us in limbo for next year. Not wanting to begin Saxon Algebra I... but not wanting to do another year of pre-algebra either. (I didn't state that clearly at all in my OP - was finger-typing on a tiny little screen... lol) I'm not sure where Saxon is on the rigor scale, either. But, it seems solid. I've looked at so many math programs over the years, I'm just ready for "solid." Neither of my older kids balk at the spiral approach and they are both pretty "solid" on their math facts and real-life applications. We used Lial's earlier this year for my oldest, but I started looking ahead at what to use for geometry, and finding options for video/online classes/etc and my head just started spinning. So, we talked and she went back to Saxon midway through this year and is going great so we bought the whole curriculum to take her through her senior year and I have that monkey off my back. If little sis flails around with Saxon, we'll look at other options again. But, for now, Saxon-through-to-the-end is the plan. :D Nothing exciting, but solid (I like this word! :)). As long as the kids aren't balking at the spiral approach & can apply what they've learned in real life situations... I'm going to stay put. :)

My dd (currently in 6th grade) wants to use TT for pre-algebra (which she's about to begin), but I am considering using Saxon pre-algebra with her instead (maybe skipping any sections she fully "gets"), and moving her to TT Algebra I for 7th grade. Then moving over to Saxon Algebra I for 8th grade. It's sounding like a great idea... but am I overlooking anything obvious? I intend for her to use Saxon in high school (it's been a good fit for us in the past and for my older child currently). But, I don't really want her to begin Saxon Alg 1 in 7th grade, either. . . I'm pretty sure she would burn out quickly. :001_smile: So has anyone done two years of algebra using two different texts? (Wasn't sure where to post this, but figured many here are already past Algebra, so would have more insight, having BTDT... :001_smile:

I know I am forgetting something obvious... but it's late, so I have an excuse to be absent-minded. :001_smile: Math: Saxon Algebra II with Art Reed English: Rod & Staff for grammar - looking at possibly using LLfLOTR Literature: She's part of a book club and they'll be reading Beowulf, Le Morte d'Arthur, Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare, and several other books next year. We'll use another lit. curriculum as well, but we haven't yet decided which. Science: Biology - possibly Miller/Levine - possibly one of the Campbells. waiting to get a look at them to browse through and decide History: MOH2 combined with The History of the Medieval World by SWB + Art History (1 smstr)/Music Theory (1 smster) World Geography: --- not sure yet --- Fallacy Detective (1 smstr) Electives: band, French, PE, Girl Scouts

replying to this thread so I can find it later.... interested to read the replies, as I have had similar questions banding around in my head. :)

Vote for David Copperfield... and watch some of the recent movies for the rest. ;) Seriously, Dickens makes for some awesome miniseries. :D Bleak House is amazing.

I didn't read the replies, but here's what works for my older daughter: When she's doing her math, she sets a timer to go off every 10 minutes. She's used to it now, so if she's diligently working, it doesn't disturb or distract her. She just resets it and continues working. If she's in her own world - the timer jolts her out of her reverie and brings her back to the Real World. ;) We've tried many things... but this was the one that finally seemed to help her realize how often she zoned out. She doesn't use the timer as often as she used to, because she's gotten dramatically better about the daydreaming.

Me, personally? No. But, I can see how it would be a valid and positive choice for some families!

lol, the music my kids listen to would probably freak a lot of people out. :toetap05: We're okay with that - but, yes, the kids are encouraged to not sing certain lyrics when they're with their friends... :eek: :laugh:

We're mostly-WTM... but we're modifying a bit because I want to do Medieval/early Ren with all the kids together next year. Here's our current plan (subject to change...): 8th - finishing up modern world history/US history/US geography end of this year, and over the summer, she'll cover Ancient history & lit 9th - Medieval/early Ren & world geography 10th - late Ren/early modern 11th - modern/US history 12th - US government & economics

Yes, sewing. I love it with a passion. But, homeschooling, family obligations, and running children all over town for their social lives impedes upon my own creative time right now. I do look at life as made up of "chapters," though, so I try to not miss it too much and hope to get back to it again very soon. :001_wub:

That kid is one gigantic ball of energy, isn't he? :lol: wow. cute.

lol - I actually fell asleep during the movie. :sleep: Funnily enough, I wasn't the only one - there was a guy halfway across the theater who was snoring three different times during the film. :lol: I didn't get the first one, and this one was even more of a lost cause for me. I don't know what it is... can't put my finger on it... but I just didn't get it! DH said it was pretty good, but he definitely enjoyed it more than I did. *I* was rooting for the bad guy, and especially the sharp shooter dude (whoever he was). They were the only interesting characters to me, lol. DH woke me up (the first time) and I grumbled, "it's just another chase scene - let me sleep through those." He laughed and said that meant i'd probably sleep the rest of the movie and I said that was okay by me. It's likely I'm just not an action-movie person. That must be it, because everyone else I know said they really liked it! :lurk5:

If you buy a Kindle e-book from Amazon, or borrow one from your library, can you download that book onto multiple Kindle devices? Am looking into using the Kindle more for dd, but we often read the same books at the same time, and I'm not terribly keen at the idea of buying two "non-real" copies of a book. :D

I am searching for the ISBN numbers for the Teacher's edition - Miller Levine Biology. Either the dragonfly or the parrot. My Amazon searching isn't finding many options. :( I can find student editions, study guides, etc... but not many TE options. If you have it, please also note which year edition the numbers are for, in case the amazon description doesn't clarify. Thank you so much! We've decided to use this next year for dd, but without a te, I'm useless! Lol

Yawn is right. For the 1st time in memorable history, I'm not making special plans to catch the title game. And, in this house, that is HUGE! We love football!! But that's not a rematch I want to see again. How boring. :glare: Drat Oklahoma State losing to Iowa St. :glare:

Oh. oh my. Surely they were "acting." right? :001_huh: The premise of the show is terrible. Do we really need more freak-show TV? The Duggars wedding was sweet, but I don't understand having to announce to the entire room that This Is My Son's First Kiss. :001_huh: Isn't it just as special if it's just between the two of them instead of sideshow material for the guests? ewwww.

I hear ya! I just recently read an article that stated that Anne was co-writing the next two books with her son. I got the impression she wasn't too happy about it, because she had been trying to finish other long-term projects, but had fallen ill - it seemed she was taking the co-writing on because of how off-kilter those recent Pern books have been. I'd just finished reading his last book and was just agog at how tacky the book was and how he'd taken important Pern lore and just.... tossed it right out the window. Sacrifice her gold dragon, indeed!!! *harumph* (and the dragon agreed with her in the book!! Inconceivable!!) I bet Anne was a feisty, interesting lady. May she R.I.P. And may her son find another day job. ;)

Just saw this. :( Such a legacy she's left! All the future books are left 100% in the hands of her son now. :001_unsure: Off to download some Pern audiobooks to listen to over the next week in remembrance!

Have always done so. Not this year. We received 96% email "Merry Christmas" and a scanned photo attachment as "cards" last year. I give up. :glare: :confused: edited to add: I don't mind an emailed card from local people we see on a regular basis. But really miss getting dozens and dozens of Christmas cards in the mail every Christmas, and lining up the annual family photographs of family and friends we haven't seen in a while. Getting an email with a picture that I'd need to print out myself takes a lot of the "jolly" out of it. ;) Not to mention that I don't check my email when dh and kids are surrounding me at the computer, therefore they didn't get to see most of last years' Christmas pictures from people because I would forget to show them!