I am so glad you are doing well! My prayers for you that your next surgery is a BREEZE. :grouphug:

We are using Spectrum Geography and Map Skills 5.

We are using Spelling Workout, but I am not sure about the midline. Sorry! Could an option be to get her to use the paper with a midline and just write on the different sheet rather than in the book?

I have a friend who is homeschooling in Africa. She posts with me on another hs board, but if you would like, I would be glad to contact her with your e-mail so the two of you could correspond. :)

Haha...you are preaching to the choir. I just toally overhauled my entire curriculum for next year. We are either going to do SL Core 3 or HOD BHFHG. :)

Thanks Rhonda. I am leaning in that direction too. It is less expensive, still encompasses the whole "literature approach to history" thing, and I actually have some of the books already in what I was planning to use before I got into this frantic search. How are you doing, by the way?! :)

Yep...that is EXACTLY how my kids are. What works for #1 is totally not what #2. I have learned that the hard way. :(

That is just too neat an experience to ever pass up, IMO.

:grouphug: Thank Wendy! That is excellent advice. I totally need to walk away for a bit. I am stressing way too much over something I won't be using until August!

Thank you so much! HOD looks good and utilizes many of the books I already have here. I like that a few readers are involved as well. I am mostly just trying to do History/geog/Science through HOD. I think it looks like such a good fit. I love Sonlight. I don't so much love the price of Sonlight. Considering my entire budget for two kids this year was just over the cost of one core + science from Sonlight...well....

Another question from me: One more thought to consider: Between SL Core 3 and WP, I have chosen SL Core 3. I had also planned to use SL Science 2. THEN...I looked at HOD. I already have several of those books and kind of wonder if doing the history and science together with HOD Bigger Hearts for His Glory wouldn't be better overall with less $ spent. Am I insane?

Yeah, that is my exact position. My younger will definitely be "tagging along" on both Science AND History. The only thing I keep telling myself is that I can supplement with some younger/more age appropriate books and activities for my younger. Also, at age 6, Science and History are not top on the list of importance. However, I do not see this as a plan I can continue as my younger gets older. :(

We used Horizons. Hated it. We used Calvert K. Hated it. We used Singapore Stds. Earlybird B - LOVED it. Now using Singapore 1A, and the love continues. Singapore is one of the rare curricula that works for BOTH of my kids. :)

See, I am one of these that will typically buy used. UNLESS the curriculum publisher puts it into a big "SET" and all but sticks a big red bow on top. Then, I get it in my mind that I need this NEW and I need it NOW. Dh is none so pleased with my impulse buying...hence the reason my credit card was cancelled when I paid it off two months ago. :( I have purchased and sold Spelling Power. Then I re-bought it and we are using it now. I bought Writing Strands, tried to sell it, it didn't sell, I used it again, realized I really DID hate it, and finally sold it. LOL Maybe I can make some money when I sell NOEO Physics in another 3 months!...but then I will inevitably later re-buy it when my younger is in 3rd grade and I have exhausted our interests in Sonlight Science. I am...a....curriculum...junkie.

Andis ACG Super 2- Speed. I use these for my dog (froo froo cocker spaniel who has a little flouffy haircut I have to perfect once a month LOL)...but clippers are clippers, IMO. I LOVE mine and they run like a dream. You can change the blades on them as well and you buy the size you need. Having the ability to change the blade goes a LONG way. Most "cheaper" clippers, you can't do that. I also am not a fan of the little plastic combs that come with the less expensive clippers. Hairdressers, if I am wrong and there is a difference between the clippers I use and human clippers, please correct me. I can't imagine there would be, though. With the ACG, you are paying mostly for the motor and set. The rest is up to you with blades and such. Here is a link to the Andis Website...they sell both human and animal clippers, it appears. http://www.andis.com/USA/whatsNew/

Both together? I would HAVE to win the lottery! LOL Do your kids also like SL 3 the most?

I am not sure. My uncle was hospitalized for a month and almost died after cleaning up bird poo in massive quanities from his flower bed. I am not even sure what he *got* from it...just that it made him very sick. So, I do know that bird poo is not the best thing to play around it. But with just 1 bird and you watching, a good cleaner and some paper towels should take care of any accidents. That said, when I was 6, we had a pet bird (a blue one named J-Bazel). He lived in the house pooped literally all the time and we never got sick. :)

I am just so confused over history this year. Please help me decide... ~I know I want to do a big "living book" type curriculum. WP and Sonlight 3 are my "choose betweens" for now. ~My Kids will be 10 and 6 and working in 5th and 1st/2nd grades. ~I know that I want to do American History and not a combo of World History and American History. ~My older is finishing CHOW, but that is all the History he has really had and we did the book/outlines from Calvert. ~I don't tend to actually DO a lot of complicated projects like cooking and such. I am okay with paper crafts, but they are not really my older ds's *thing.* Younger ds would cut and paste all day if I let him. If I go with Sonlight, I will do core 3 this year, core 4 next year, core 6 (World History) the next year, and core 7 after that. That would give us 2 years of American focus and 2 years of World Focus. If I go with WinterPromise, I am not sure which program to choose...though I am leaning toward American Crossing I since it works with my age range the best. Another fact that keeps hanging me up is that my younger ds will be doing WP LA1, so of course a WP History would be great and tie in nicely for him. My older is not doing WP LA (he is doing CLE), so it doesn't matter much for him. I also feel I should teach "to" my older and let the younger come along for the ride moreso than teaching to the younger, of course. Please help me choose! If I went with WP, would AC1 be the best option? Or what about All American I? Is there a better one for what I am looking for?

Thanks ladies. It does make me feel better to know I am not alone. Now, if I could just win the lottery......

Is it red at all or just sensitive?

I am not sure why I do this to myself...but I always do. *sigh* In December, I had it "all planned out" and started buying curriculum for next fall. I bought lots of great stuff - had a whole box full and was only missing Science and Latin. YAY! Not Yay. In the last week, I have changed my mind and sold almost everything I had chosen. LLATL went out the window for CLE LA (older ds) and WP LA (younger ds). SOTW is headed out the door for Sonlight Core 3. I changed our plan to use NOEO next year for Sonlight Science 2 or 3 (not decided which yet). I sold Homer and Poetry because ds was just....not....thriving. It was too much for him and I *get* that now. We are starting WWE instead. I ditched GWG for both kids....the list goes on. However, now I am sitting here looking at this empty box and realizing I now have few funds and no curriculum. :( I really think I might cry...if only I was naive enough to think that would help. Thanks for letting me vent. :glare:

That just kinda happens to me sometimes. The last one I can remember was on the back of my knee. It went away in several hours. I have no idea what causes it. The only think I can think of is like a blood vessel burst deeper in the skin or maybe just skin irritation - like you scraped up against something and forgot all about it until it got kinda sore. ??

Yep, they will send 2009. :) LOL - We should have a contest...first one to get their Sonlight 2009 Catalog wins! (wait, that wouldn't be fair to those of us on the East coast, would it? LOL)

A little cussin' never hurt anyone! LOL I'm sorry! :grouphug:

I LOVE Twilight - read the whole series cover to cover in 3 days. That said, I would NEVER let my teenage girl read the series. Never. See the movie...maybe.