I have found that my kids (now that some are older) retain little to none. However, the reason I continue it is because I could not believe how FUN history was! My school days included history only in high school, and it was as boring as you could possibly make it! I want my kids, if nothing else, to at least get an idea that history is totally fun so that when they get older, they will want to learn more about it and will retain more. My oldest is in high school and, while he doesn't remember anything that we covered in 1-4th grades, he has such a positive view of history that he willingly watches history documentaries and reads about it in his free time. I am seeing the same inclinations with my middle schooler, now, too. If for no other reason, it is worth it for that. Plus, I am learning all the stuff that I didn't learn when I was in school! Hot Lava Mama

First, Happy Birthday. Second, since it was so sucky, perhaps you don't count this one and do a "do-over" next year! Forget this one and the benefit is that you are now "one year younger"! :) Hot Lava Mama

I agree with everyone above. I would love the audio version as well as the transcripts. Most people listen to music when they run, I listen to SWB lectures. Weird. So weird. :) Hot Lava Mama

Awesome! Thanks for the information. I was looking at the Attic beginning TOC and thought the same thing. I appreciate hearing that I was on the right track. Thanks also for the recommendations. I haven't heard of those and will check them out. :) Hot Lava Mama

Ds is 14. Sounds like we could use Lukeion. Thanks! :)

I know EG3 is Koine, but we don't have to stay with that. If ds wanted to continue on with Greek, what would you suggest? Hot Lava Mama

At our house, the EB has promoted my two biggest kids to an unpaid intern position. 500 eggs! Done! (No, not kidding, it really is 500 eggs after 14 years of "collecting eggs" from multiple egg hunts each year. I'm sure if you bribed said olders with candy, they would be willing to help you out of your bind! :) Luckily, the EB has "discovered" that it is much cheaper to fill 500 eggs with pennies (ie: $5.00) rather than expensive candy! Score! Hot Lava Mama

This is fabulous! Thanks! Hot Lava Mama

Kareni was very kind to share a scrubbed version of her homeschool profile (Thanks again, Kareni!). Is anyone else willing to share their version? I am trying to put one together for us and I would love to have several to look at to get a good feel for it. PM me if you are willing to share. :) Hot Lava Mama

Thank you! :) My straining school budget also thanks you! :) Hot Lava Mama

Thank so much for this information. I had a feeling it meant it was going to be more complicated. That link also said that it could ruin the lower ones if it isn't cleaned properly. Sounds like the first one is the ticket. I appreciate that you took time to answer my question! :) Hot Lava Mama

I am trying to figure out which microscope to get for ds in high school for Biology. I need a good quality one that is easy to use. Things to consider: I have some very science-minded kids, so I want one that will give them the detail they like, while others don't like science, so it can't be complicated to use. Also, I have 4 others following him, so I want to only buy "one" for our entire school journey. I was looking at this: http://www.hometrainingtools.com/home-1000x-microscope/p/MI-4100DXL/ but I don't know what this (in red) means: It's a deluxe microscope with a 100x oil immersion objective for 1000x magnification. Is this some special way to prepare the slides? Can I use it with the Rainbow Resource Science Shepard prepared slides? How about this one. Will it work for what I need: http://www.hometrainingtools.com/home-led-microscope/p/MI-4100LST/ Your guidance is appreciated! Hot Lava Mama

Correct. I have heard polls in which people "self describe" themselves (redundant?) as liberal, conservative, or other. Liberals are around 20%, conservatives are around 40%, and other rounds out the mix. You sure wouldn't know that watching "mainstream" (ie: the alphabet channels) media. Hot Lava Mama

I thought her third book was either already out, or will be out soon. Do you know if that is true? If so, her third book would cover the 11th grade, not sure what to do for the 12th grade. Hot Lava Mama

Never heard of it. What is it? Hot Lava Mama

for "Plato-The Republic." I know someone has an awesome assignment for a paper for a 9th grader. Please, your ideas are much appreciated, if not desperately needed! Please. Pretty please. :) Hot Lava Mama

I finally figured out (after 5 kids) that it is much cheaper and easier to put coins in the eggs for an egg hunt! I hated all the candy in the eggs, on top of the candy in the baskets. We have (literally) hundreds of eggs from years and years of accumulating them. $1.00 is 100 pennies! It only cost $5.00 to fill 500 eggs! Try to fill those with candy and you are talking at least $100.00. Plus, the kids love getting the money better than the candy! Ideas for the baskets: Girls: nail polish, hair accessories, notebooks & fun pens or pencils, books, toys like a slinky or yo-yo. Boys: Legos, books & magazines (Horrible Histories, etc.), science kits, sand toys, balls, DS games, food (my oldest is 14, so he is getting some of his favorite stuff like exotic cheese and crackers that we usually can't afford to get, as well as expensive chocolate). Once they get bigger (I have little ones as well as big ones, so they all get baskets), their tastes get more expensive, so we have gone towards food that they really like but we don't get often because of the costs of feeding a large family. I love the Easter baskets, but HATE filling the plastic eggs. Since I now have two olders, they are forced to do that "dirty work" for me! :) Hot Lava Mama

What an awesome idea! Lurking here to get some ideas of maybe doing something like that! :) Hot Lava Mama

Can you tell me the name of the DVD? Thanks! :)

One of my dc is exceptionally "clumsy". He doesn't have good motor control over his whole body. This same child is also in speech therapy and I think it is related. He doesn't have good motor control over his tongue and lips and has to really focus and concentrated to pronounce clearly. Is there anything I can have him do (ie: certain exercises, maybe certain sports?) that would help him learn better motor control in general? Hot Lava Mama

Ds - 9th grade - is starting to work on his first research paper for history. He has jotted down notes (per SWB information in WTM book) and determined he wants to write on the Roman empire. Here is his thesis statement: The Roman Empire was a superpower in its days. What do you think? It seems almost too broad. Can you give any suggestions as to how to improve it? Thanks! Hot Lava Mama

Thanks! That's it! :)

Can someone help us figure out how to get to the answer? Here's the best I can do for a picture: B D A C Imagine there are lines as follows: AB to BC to AC to make a triangle. Then, AD to DC to AC to make a smaller triangle within the bigger one sharing the same bottom line of AC. Given: line AB congruent to line BC, angle DAC congruent to angle BCD, measure of angle B is 50. Find measure of angle ADC. Here is what we figured out: since AB = BC, the triangle is an isosceles, so angles BAC = BCA. Therefore, angle BAD also = to DCA. But we can't go any further. The answer is 115, but we can't figure out how they got there. Anyone a geometry wizard? :) Hot Lava Mama

It seems incredibly expensive for the information it covers. I looked at it and thought, "For a company that preaches financial responsibility, they sure expect me to spend a lot on their course!" I think you can get the same information across in a much cheaper fashion. I think they are overpriced because they can do it right now because of the media attention and his radio show. IMO, not worth it. Hot Lava Mama

I thought I had seen a web site that went with Brinkley's American History book. I know I have been on it and it had a syllabus along with quizzes to do with each chapter, etc. Now I can't find the bookmark. Can anyone help? Hot Lava Mama