We are using this and loving it. Also, I just recently purchased The Green Hour by Todd Christopher. It also has lots of ideas that could be used for Nature Study.

For fine arts we use Harmony Fine Arts and really love it. The program covers art and music is a very simple and clear way. Simple to use, covers lots of ground and my kids enjoy it. Everything I like in a curriculum program.:) In addition we do 2-3 art projects and/or some drawing technique lessons I pull from various sources. I strive to make sure there is plenty of time devoted to hands on process type art (not so much crafts) while my kids are young.

We don't have an end date either. We school year round, work on something until it is done and then move to the next level or program. I wouldn't want to deal with the stress (on me or my son) of trying to cram something in by a certain date. I do have an idea in my head for when I want to start certain things (like Latin) but don't worry about getting a certain piece of our curriculum done by day X. We also don't use terms like 1st grader, 2nd grader etc. There is really no moving up from one grade to another. We take breaks when we want/need (emergency appendectomy anyone?) and usually take an extra day or two off a week during the summer. That is in addition to the fairly regular traveling we do. We get plenty of schooling in throughout the year and it all works out in the end (whenever and wherever that might be).

We school year round. The plan was to do a 3 months on 1 off type thing but it did not end up working. We travel a fair bit and we never seemed to be able to get the traveling to mesh with the planned off month. So we break as needed, usually when traveling as well as a day or two before and after a trip. During the summer months we do 2-3 days a week on regular study and the remaining days are for some of the "fun" things we did not get to during the year and regular summer things. The only problem we have with this is that sometimes it takes us a little longer than I like on re-entry after breaks. But that would likely be the case in any scenario. If we do take an extended break I still have my son do some reading and a little bit of math daily. That's one of the things I love about homeschooling. We have the freedom to customize our schedule to our needs. We could never do the traveling we do on a PS schedule. :auto: