I have nothing against the U.S. or Chicago getting the Olympics, but this particular one would have been fraught with fraud and cronyism. President Obama was an embarassment with his pitch. As usual his narcissism was showing. I personally wish he would be quiet. His self obsession and ego are just as bad as all the Bushisms. He has made more speeches than he has days in office. Someone tell him the campaign is over. PLEASE!

We use Netflix to enhance our studies. We love the Natioal Geographic movies, IMAX, Biography, Discovery Channel....you can find a DVD for just about any topic you are studying. Well worth it imo.

Do you have potatoes? You could make Sheppard's Pie. Yummy!

I think he is fine. My two remaining homeschool boys are more playful, childlike and naive than their PS counterparts and I am glad. Kids grow up way too fast and get bullied for not being "cool." I think it is great that your pre-teen is still acting like a pre-teen should!

Amen! May I add that it is these same parents who are in denial about their kids public school? I can't tell you how many times I hear, "Oh my kids school is GREAT! My child has straight A's and the school is just wonderful." Please. When I was a kid only about 20% of students got straight A's and they worked their hiney's off. Today about 80% get straight A's. Talk about disconnect.

This is how many of the PS kids are at the church we just left. We are now at a church where the Pastor is one who is supporting of homeschooling, while not bashing public schools. The church we left had about 80 congregation members who work in our local public schools in some capacity. Even though there are/were about 16 homeschooling families in our small church, the church was generally not supportive of homeschooling or encouraging. They prop up the public school and spout the same "mission field" line. It infuriates me everytime I hear it because I don't know of anyplace in the Bible where Jesus says we need to send the children to do battle. My oldest loved the youth group because he is a very social creature. No matter what I do that boy is a follower and wants to be part of the cool crowd. He went to Wednesday night group for "fun" and not for worship. To hear his side, he says that isn't true, but fruit is the proof and he doesn't have any in that area. He's a hard worker, which he learned by being homeschooled and had that example from my husband and me, but socially and spiritually, we didn't wield enough influence and the peers won out. These kids youth missionary trips were to BEACHES and CAMPGROUNDS. Please. I know the churches think these things are great, but going on a beach trip where praying before meals and having a group bible study at night around a campfire with smores, does not a mission trip make! My 13 yo wants nothing to do with the crazy youth group at the church we just left. He thinks the kids there are "weird"- LOL. He doesn't understand their need to swear, dress crazy and in general, act stupid. He is about to start attending youth group at the new church and so far we have high hopes.

I don't have girls, but I find this over the top. Why in this last decade or so do the "powers that be" think that little children should be exposed to all the worlds ills? I don't understand it. Let the children be children. A lot of children already have some sort of chaos or stress that just comes with life in general or an unhealthy/unstable home life. Why add to it with things like this? It is craziness in my view. The craziness started with the Sesame Street puppet that was HIV positive. Seriously? Come on!

It's a tie between the computer and good books!

I love this idea! Thanks~

Right now we read "God's World News" for teens. We also use the local newspaper, FOXNEWS.com and CNN.com. Sometimes we discuss a story specifically, sometimes we discuss how the use of propaganda affects the facts of the story being told. We sometimes compare two versions of the same story and then try to conclude what the truth might be.

I have High BP and Diabetes, type 2. I went without my BP medicine for over a month and without it I hover at about 153/91. I am back on it and won't go off again. Goto the local Walgreen's and other stores everyday for about a week and record the readings. Don't go to the same machine everyday, alternate. Then take your findings to your doctor. Sometimes it is higher in a doctor's office because people get nervous etc. If you do indeed have High BP you don't want to mess around. I take Cozaar 50 mg. It is expensive, but it is one of the medications that helps protect heart and kidney's and I don't experience side effects. The other one I tried caused me to have coughing fits. Of course that one was the $4 one.

I am reading "Socks" to my 5 year old. When we finish that, we will read "The Tarantula in My Purse."

I graduated in 1989 and I never came up against that either. I am sure there was a gay student or two, but if there was we never heard about it.

Oh please. Yeah, I am sure Jesus would be a liberal Democrat. I can just see him with his Pro-choice sign. I am pretty sure Jesus wouldn't be a politician, nor would he like them. I also don't think he would forcibly take money from one to give to another. Jesus wasn't a politician.

Totally out of line. Many would have us believe this is not indoctrination, but education. Right.

I second Mary Kay. I can't use the Mineral Foundation because it doesn't go with my oily skin, but I LOVE the cream to powder foundation. Great coverage and doesn't feel like I have anything on my face.

I think that is technically correct. You don't indicate the course was AP, but technically if the student passed the AP test they get credit as if they took the AP course.

We're using MOH2 this year because our Winter Promise Quest for the Middle Ages uses it. I really like it and can see using it as a spine and including several of the extras it suggests.

We read that last year and it was as good as I remembered it being when I was a kid. We love that book!

What's on your reading list for your 6th to 8th graders this year? My 8th grader's list: Eagle of the Ninth Masada: The Last Fortress Hostage Lands The Dragon & the Raven Son of Charlemagne Beorn the Proud The Second Mrs. Giaconda Crispin: The Cross of Lead Catherine, Called Birdy Fine Print: Johann Gutenberg Otto of the Silver Hand Adam of the Road Hititte Warrior The Great & Terrible Quest The Mystery of the Roman Ransom Mary, Bloody Mary The Shakespeare Stealer King Arthur Macbeth

Correct. If and when the child passes the AP test then the course on the transcript can be listed as AP because they will have the test score to back it up.

I would add in something about Literary Terms and consider doing one or two less book reports and add two research papers (one each semester) to the Science Course. If you are following Abeka's lesson plans and my memory isn't failing me, I think it covers doing one research project. It has been 4 years and I don't remember. Other than that I think it looks great.

Three envelope chicken breasts in the crockpot with veggies and rice served on the side.

I have graduated one already and he has thanked me for homeschooling him and says he wouldn't change it. My 13 yo ds has zero desire to go to public school and feels bad for two of his formerly homeschooled friends who now are being forced to attend by their father. He gets a daily report from them about how awful it is for them and so he is praying for their father to have a change of heart. I don't think he'll ever ask to go again. He spent K-3rd in private school and enjoyed it because bullying wasn't allowed, classes were small and were only 1 class per grade and they had two recesses per day. He spent 3 months of 4th grade in public school and hated it. He got canker sores from the stress of it, had regular stomach aches, didn't like any of the kids because in his words they were "bad kids." He was the new guy in school, from out of state and the bad ones gravitated towards him, harassed him and then he got in trouble for defending himself. My youngest (5.5) could possibly ask someday, but my answer will be no. God willing and life circumstances depending, we will homeschool all the way through.

We will be going to a Renaissance Faire in late October. Two of my boys need a costume of some sort to wear. We are not a "crafty" family and I do NOT sew. Is there somewhere I can order a costume that won't break the bank?