I'm really just beginning this with my oldest going into 7th and 3 more behind him. I'm finding that I like it so far, but that could be because of my ds. He has always been independent and likes it when I let him run with things. He's really stepping out in his extracurriculars and searching for his place socially. It hasn't been easy, but it does help me look forward to his adult years (which I will fight tooth and nail) and shows me he'll be okay. My other 3 are SO different so I could be singing a different song next summer.

Have you looked at the Sonlight kit? http://www.sonlight.com/350-15.html. It lists everything included in the kit. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I didn't use AAS but when I did WWE 3&4 with my oldest, I stressed that it wasn't a spelling lesson. He could ask me to write any hard words on the white board so that he could complete the dictation. I wanted him to focus more on the sentence structure. He got plenty of spelling during our SWR time. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Ds12 just finished AOPS PreA and loved it. I think he would be upset if I went with a different program for Algebra so I didn't even think about switching.

Great links! After reading through that whole fence straddler thread, I'm ready to buy about 20 different Algebra texts! Thankfully, my ds12 is a poster boy for AOPS Algebra and can't wait to start it this fall after he finished PreA last month. Ds10 won't be quite so cut and dried so I'm reasearching early. He'll be ready for non-AOPS prealgebra sometime next year, but I'm not sure what to use yet. It doesn't help that I'm an algebra/calculus tutor and love textbooks! OP...I hope you are fairing better.

I also use SSL and then move into the Memoria Press series at 3rd grade. The DVDs for all of the programs have been great and I've been learning along with my boys. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

We use my old phone...a galaxy s5. It does have wifi, but I just put it on their dresser hooked up to a speaker and that does the trick. My library has Overdrive which has been so great for my dc.

I do wake up at 4:45 to work out only because I have to be home before Dh goes to work. However, I've been known to crawl back in bed after my shower. 2 or 3 of my dc wake up around 7 each day. They get breakfast and watch tv until I get up at 7:30. Some days ds10 will bring me coffee in bed. He's going to make a great husband some day! Ds12 wakes up at the crack of 11 unless we wake him up. He complains because his brothers are nearly done with school by then.

I think it looks great too! I had a similar situation with my 3rd child. He has an August bday and was ready for K at newly 5. However, his K did not look like his 2 very advanced brothers' K. It took me awhile to adjust, but he's doing great as a young 2nd grader and even ahead/advanced if I call him a 1st grader (which most boys his age are in our school district). He's learning things so much faster now that he's older and more self-motivated and I'm having FUN teaching him. It took me awhile to get it in my head to let him go at his own pace. Good job recognizing it early! I love your "not feel guilty" list. We did WWE1 this year in 2nd and it was beautiful. So glad I didn't push it a year earlier. Writing was his favorite subject.

Looks like you are right in the US History hole as far as SL goes. Could you work through SOTW for 2-3 years and maybe add in Aus history as a pp mentioned? I wouldn't start Core F until your younger one is at least 10, maybe 11. I wouldn't rush into it with your ds, either. It is a great core, but an older child gets much more out of it. B and/or C wouldn't be too young for your older one if you wanted to do those (though it sounds like you might have already).

My younger 3 are the exact same ages. I don't like to combine, but if I had to, I would combine the 8 & 10 year olds in Core D and do P4/5 + LA K with the 5yo. It is so much harder to combine at younger ages IMHO. I really don't like to start Core A until 1st grade and P4/5 is definitely not enough for a 3rd grader. Combining in the core is unlikely to cause issues as they will still have their own LA, math, spelling, etc. The 10yo old could do the advanced LA, while the 8yo could do regular.

This is basically what I do with my Pre-Ker when he isn't at preschool on Fridays. He can either do school or play, but no screens during school time. Often, he'll choose to play with legos for 3 hours. I'm thrilled with that. Next year, he'll be required to do his lessons, but K at our house only takes 1.5 hrs.

Wow...I haven't posted on this board in ages, but I'm back. With an upcoming 7th grader (how'd that happen) and my 4th coming home for K, I've decided I need to focus on school and this board helps me do that. Updating my signature was a hoot! So in the interest of focus, here's what I have planned for next year: This is my last time through K. I've done it pretty much the same way the last 3 times and am not messing with a sure thing. I LOVE teaching Kinder! Reading: SWR with SL Readers (part of Readers K/1) Writing: Cursive First Math: Finish SM Essential, Start SM1, Miquon Orange Bible/Literature: SL P4/5...last time sniff, sniff. I LOVE this curriculum! Science: SL P4/5 plus listening in to big brother's science Art: AP The Way They See It Extra Curriculars: Soccer

Wow...I haven't posted on this board in ages, but I'm back. With an upcoming 7th grader (how'd that happen) and my 4th coming home for K, I've decided I need to focus on school and this board helps me do that. So in the interest of focus, here's what I have planned for next year: Math: AOPS Alg1 (ch 1-13), AOPS C&P Writing: Finish WWS1/Start WWS2 (we jumped ship from W&R so started mid year) Grammar: Hake 7 Vocab: VfCR A Spelling/Reading Comprehension: Review through SWR History/Lit/Bible: Sonlight Core G Science: Apologia General Science Latin: Finish First Form/ Start Second Form Logic: Fallacy Detective/Thinking Toolbox/Art of Argument (working through summer and into schoolyear) Programming: Finish KidCoder/Start TeenCoder Art: Not sure...I have a lot of stuff and need to use it...might take a class from an artist friend Music: Drum lessons (against my better judgement) ExtraCurric: Boy Scouts, Lacrosse, Soccer, Robotics Club

I had the same issue when looking for our dining room table. I wanted to use it and be comfortable with my dc using it freely. We had a veneer table before and couldn't use it at all (even to play cards) without covering it. I found a distressed solid wood table and love it. It looks beautiful in our house and any love taps just add character. I'm so happy we didn't get another veneer table.

We downloaded the free version on Dh's droid. We have a buying freeze til Christmas so we won't get the full version on my iPad until then. I haven't been able to play it since the boys are monopolizing Dh's phone when he's home. I agree that it is genius. I'm waiting for the stuffed animals and t-shirts. My dc are both Star Wars and Angry Birds obsessed.

I started doing Crossfit at home since Dh is a coach. Well, my dc love to do it and often beat me. I console myself thinking they have ALOT less weight to move around. :D

That is so cool! Congrats! Thanks! It's been weird resting this week, but I pick up my race packet tomorrow morning and have a 7:30ish start Sunday morning. I'm way more excited and less nervous than last year.

I grew up in the PNW and have never heard them called colors. I'll have to pay more attention to what people call them around here. I vaguely remember hearing color crayons when I was little.

I love those threads and post on them according to the ages of my dc. Ie, ds8 is a third grader. I really enjoy seeing the wide range of levels for dc the same age. Since my dc aren't in the same grade level for any subject, I get a lot out of several posters' responses. I don't post on threads where dc older than mine and working on the same level are having difficulties with the material. My experiences with my dc are usually not insightful in that situation. :iagree: There are times when it is beneficial to note that a dc is advanced so the OP can have a frame of reference, but those threads are few and far between.

We do both of our main programs (Singpore PM and Horizons) and 1 pg of CWP everyday. I don't line anything up, just assign the next lesson. I teach Singapore and Horizons is used for review. I also have ds8 do "math journal" twice a week which includes supplements like LOF and Zaccaro.

I've had rapid labors so driving 1.5 hrs to the hospital sounds a bit nerve-wracking to me. If that isn't an issue with you or dh, then the 2nd practice sounds better to me. You might also want to think about the possibility of false labor and what that could entail with a faraway hospital. However, you might explore the third option of finding an OB. After having great CNM experiences with my first two, I was scared when I found out a CNM wasn't an option with my 3rd. However, I found an amazing OB and she delivered my last two boys. She seems more like a CNM with a medical degree :D. Can you ask around? I found mine through a recommendation at DH's work since we were new in town and now half of my church goes to her.

I don't know what you consider a small church, but I consider ours small. We do a play-type thing with the kids in the middle of December. We also don't have the budget (or interest) in doing a big production. A couple of years ago, we started something new. Our children's pastor comes up with a theme and each class does an age appropriate performance. This year, she has the whole thing anchored on the third graders. She wrote a little play (simple...each child-6 of them-have a few lines) about how "it's true" Jesus was born and what joy we can have in that. My classroom (I volunteer to head up the 2/3yo room) are little this year, so we are just going on stage with a banner and will say, "happy birthday, Jesus." Last year, The class makeup was older, so we sang a song. Classes have done a dance number, song with sign language, and verse readings in the past. Then there are always 2 group songs one traditional and one just fun. The idea is for the kids to minister to the congregation. Super low budget, but great. If costumes are needed, they are simple and inexpensive. Most classes have a black, white, denim, khaki, red, or green dress code depending on the class so that the parents don't have to buy new clothes. It all comes together very well and isn't time intensive for the parents or kids. In contrast, Christmas Eve is a candlelight service and we provide a little coloring page and crayons for the kids in service. It has a lot less sermon and more carols than a typical service so the kids usually love it. I hope that helps give you some ideas. Simple and heartfelt can be great.

Isn't it funny how tapering feels like being lazy? I've felt the same way for the last week and a half. I'm sure you won't feel lazy running that 10K, though. :D

No line, here. I walked right in to the voting booth. I went the 2nd week of early voting. I heard there were lines the first few days of early voting. Nothing outrageous, just people wanting to be done. There weren't any lines on election day, either.