This is not curriculum but my Aunt gifted me a book that intertwines Math and Art. It should help with the addition and you could try and make up your own game to use it for subtraction if you like. http://www.amazon.com/Math-terpieces-Art-Problem-Solving-Greg-Tang/dp/0439443881 My son also had an issue with understanding consecutive numbers. I laminated some cards with the numbers 1 thru 45 and made a physical number line outside with a rope. We used clothespins to attach the numbers to the line. Did a few games where I just removed a few numbers at a time and he would have to put them back. Then after he got good at that I would ask for a specific number and he would have to bring it to me. Then once he eventually brought me all of them I gave him the stack and he had to put them all back. Oh I should mention I have colored clothespins so I used a different color for the 10s, 20s, 30s, etc. This activity really helped him. He still forgot every once in awhile but I could simply draw a number line on paper and it would click again. We also have cuisinaire rods and base ten blocks that I let him use from time to time when addition or subtraction is tripping him up. I might also suggest doing Cats over again if Dogs is overwhelming her. We like to do LOF twice before moving on to the next book. My son doesn't mind at all and I think it helps the content sink in a bit better.

We use cursive first. They suggest and support doing a lot of handwriting outside of pencil and paper. Using a finger in a salt box, chalk on the sidewalk, in the air, etc. Its working well for us.

We are having success with Spell to Read and Write (SWR). Its my understanding that it is similar to spalding and WRTR. We tried 100 easy lessons first but despite that fact that it started off well it ended around lesson 30 in tears. SWR takes a lot of prep in the beginning but now its open and go for us.

We live in Germany but are moving to the Charleston area in late summer. I think I have a grasp on the Option 3 business but would love some links or at the very least some names of some support/co-op groups in the local area. I have done as much googling as I can but I know some groups might not be as well advertised on the internet as others. We are Catholic but our homeschooling is secular. We are striving for a classical/LCC style but since my children are young we're mostly just laid back eclectic learners for now focusing mostly on SWR, CF and LOF. Not quite sure where we will end up living but most people have recommended Mt Pleasant so we'll probably be in that area if that matters. I have 3 kids under 7.

I have been patted down by TSA and I find it uncomfortable. I do think the act is similar to what credit carding is. However there is one striking difference in that most TSA agents are trying to do their job and are in no way trying to humiliate passengers. However some of the stories about TSA agents are as disheartening as these 'credit carding' stories. I agree that the pat downs are far too intrusive nowadays. I know now to not wear a bra with an underwire if I want to avoid being felt up by TSA. Just because you had a good experience with TSA does not negate the fact that others haven't. Just as my PS experience was wonderful and void of public humiliation does not mean that every one else was as lucky.

A camera was a must for us since we do a lot of skyping with family and friends. I don't remember if the first generation has any other significant disadvantages.

My youngest is still nursing. A few months ago it was still up to 4 times a day but I have been able to cut it down to just a bedtime feeding. She turns 3 this summer and I really want her to wean before that. She loves her milk though so I may be out of luck. I have nursed in public past 2 years of age and have never had any negative reactions. My mom has made a few comments but I sent her an article on all the benefits of extended nursing and she hasn't said anything since.

We did a trip down the coast a couple of years ago. We stayed at http://www.pelicanshores.com/. It was your typical hotel room but we got one on the first floor so we had a patio with chairs. We were able to put the kids to bed and sit outside for a bit. It was just a stop for us so I don't remember much about it.

Check out http://camelcamelcamel.com/. They track Amazon prices. Just put in the URL of the item you want and it will show you the chart of the price over the past few months or even years. You can also add an extension to your browser so you can see the chart immediately while browsing Amazon. They also have an option of signing up (its free) and have camelcamelcamel email you when the price drops to your desired range.

:grouphug: Friends accept each other, faults and all. I would address the CD to Molly but mail it to your 'friend's address. It will get to her and you'll be done with it. I don't know what to do about the breakfast scenario. If you like the other women there and are strong enough to go then I would. If you want to be done with all of them then I wouldn't worry about what they think when you stop showing up. I am terrible at housework and have no idea why people care what someone else's house looks like. Guess what, children live in my home and you know it the moment you walk in. That's not the only thing that falls behind either. My extra bedroom still has a pile of Xmas stuff because I haven't found time to put it all away (maybe its my ADD who knows?). None of us are perfect. I liked PP's suggestion about finding a local photo club in an effort to find some friends. :grouphug: again. I hope you find a way to get past this and not dwell on it too long.

Just made my first order last week. Got all the items yesterday. Shipping took exactly one week which is really impressive since I have an APO address here in Germany. If they have a competitive price on something I want I won't hesitate to order again from them. I did laugh when I got the catalog though. I was expecting a pretty magazine with pictures I could browse through of all the wonderful homeschooling options. Instead I got a phonebook. Not sure I am going to read that one.

You have done nothing wrong. From what you have shared I don't think she is even upset with you. I think it sounds like she really is trying to figure out how much she wants to spend on Nut Job. She probably thought nothing of the original price when the shock of the diagnosis was new and she was thinking about preserving memories for her step daughter. Now that she has had more time to think about it she doesn't want to spend that much on Nut Job (who has probably done something stupid since she first asked you to do the session). Your friend shouldn't have sent you the lowball offer but we all make errors in judgement every once in awhile. By next week I bet this will be a non-issue.

I've only started researching curriculum's for next year. I won't even be considering Oak Meadow. Thanks for making my research list just a tiny bit shorter. No matter what their reasoning I don't understand how anyone could treat their customers with such a lack of respect. Seems to me they should have called and asked how they could have further assisted you in picking a grade level since it's obvious you were having trouble settling on one (or two). This way they could have investigated your intentions for all the returns and maintained good customer service.

No problems here either. We had access to it in our last home in WA state. It was the most delicious milk I have ever tasted. I haven't found anything in our new place yet but I hear the next town over has dairy farm and sells both raw milk and raw honey. Unfortunately I don't speak the local language yet so I have been too nervous to go investigate. Hopefully I'll build up the courage soon.

Kinderpack. Its an SSC like an ergo but SO much better. These are sized so be sure to figure out what size you want. There are also two options for infants so read up on that to decide which you would prefer. You should be able to find all that info here. I haven't used a kinderpack with an infant yet since I didn't find it until after my youngest was 18 months. I am definitely getting an infant sized one for the next baby though. I love this carrier so much. I have also owned the Beco, Boba, Angelpack, Mei Tais, and a few slings. I loved my Moby for the itty bitty stage. The extra fabric never bothered me. Mei Tais are also good. My favorite can be found on etsy and is made by Sweet Slings. If you don't know about Mei Tais they are kind of a mix between a wrap and a soft structured carrier.

Don't forget about ROTC programs. Not all ROTC programs cover 100% of tuition but they do usually cover a significant portion. I would encourage my own kids to choose this option over an academy. Military life comes soon enough and plenty of sacrifices will have to be made on their part so I don't see why college life should have to be the first. My DH did ROTC and is now a pilot in the USAF. He also had a great college life with enriching programs like a summer in Russia and a semester in London.

Yes. I will let anyone of my children go to PS if they want to. I think you could very easily let him go but also under the condition that it is a one year deal. After the year you will have a family meeting and discuss how it went and what will work best for the whole family. With this compromise he would get to see what public school was like but it can also be for just a limited time basis if that's what will work best for your family.

If it makes you feel better I can tell you that you are not alone. Back in my high school days I worked as a cashier at Ikea. I am not sure a day went by that I didn't at least have one person in my line tell me how excited they were to be at the store and how long they drove just to come. I think the longest I ever heard of was 9 hours and 2 states away.

I found the original number munchers and its available for free but you need a DOS emulator to use it (which is also free). A google search should pull up a few. If you have a Mac like me then you will need Boxer. I am guilty of downloading it last night and playing a few games. Its still as awesome as I remember.

:iagree:

There has to be a math game out there that is more fun and would still help her practice her tables. I loved number munchers as a kid. It was a DOS game but hopefully somebody has updated it since then.

That is really interesting. Thanks for sharing. This article refers to it as HAMLET(Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumour cells). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100419132403.htm

This makes total sense however the other places I have lived have also dealt with the same issue. My husband is military so we are always moving to other military communities which by nature have people moving in from all over. Although the accent difference is not nearly as prominent so maybe that's the real issue. Not sure that I am above it either since I seem to have developed a distaste for the southern accent. It bothers me in the movies now and it will take me until the end of a film to identify with a character featuring a southern accent.

I have to chuckle every time I see a Phuket restaurant here in Germany even if I do know what they meant. Jamaica-Me-Tan was always a sign that bothered me but at least they spelled it right.

Interesting. I am from outside Chicago originally and when we moved to the FL panhandle I was disappointed to find out that southerners only extended their famous hospitality to other southerners. So in total we have lived in IL, IN, FL, OK, WA and briefly in TX and AL. I am obviously partial to my home in IL but outside of familiarity I would say OK has the kindest people. WA was a close second but its bit more diverse as far as kindness goes because of the larger size in population. FL/AL were by far the least friendly IMHO.