So, your mom isn't willing to watch them? The town I live in has a "crisis nursery" - basically it's a place you can drop off your kids if you need to for an emergency situation. It's staffed by volunteers primarily.

I thought you were moving to Colorado near family? I know a couple from my church that took their kids to our local crisis nursery when it was time to deliver; not sure if that is an option or your comfort level with that. Are you delivering in a hospital or at home?

I had started south beach just before I got pg with my twins a couple years ago - after I found out I was pregnant (not planned) I pretty much continued eating south beach-ish because I typically have gestational diabetes and south beach works great for that. I didn't limit my portions for the most part and I focused on getting as much protein as I could since it was a twin pregnancy. I didn't really gain weight with the pregnancy until I was 24 weeks or so and at the end (35 weeks) I had gained a total of 12 pounds, so post babies I did net a significant weight loss. That being said, I gained all of it back after the babies were born lol. I'm working on taking it back off now. :)

Well I jumped on the HST wagon as well and I've been playing it since the weekend. There is definitely a learning curve. My question is - are you guys moving lesson plans to the assignment grid for the whole year at once? Or are you doing it week to week? At first I didn't understand why I wouldn't do the whole year at once but then I realized I might be constantly shuffling stuff back and forth if I did it that way. Thoughts?

I would just try and see how it goes. If it's too much you can always alternate the fun stuff by months or quarters to make it easier.

Well, I'm not expert and I've been known to duplicate when I can't decide between 2 curriculums (coughcoughwritingcough). :) Your 10yo is doing FLL and GWG -those are both grammar, do you have a specific reason for doing both? And just because I can't figure it out - what is KHE?

I have used both of these programs. I think FLL is a bit more thorough. When I used it I also was really sure my child had the concepts down because it's not an independent program - I was sitting right there with him doing the lesson together. I switched to GWG when I was on bedrest with my twin pregnancy because I needed something self teaching. I find it to be a good program and I'm actually sticking with it for my younger kids because of the independence factor.

Well it might be a little too much, you should maybe look over your choices and see if any duplicate each other. But it looks like last year wasn't quite enough. I don't see history or science. And some of the things you are adding (picture study and story of the orchestra) don't take too much time and are fun. I think it depends on how organized you are and if you can keep all those balls in the air kwim?

IMO the get ready, get set, go aren't needed if your 4yo is reading cvc, she could do ETC 1. We like the kumon mazes and tracing, the coloring and sticker ones are fun, the folding not so much.

This is what my dh wants me to do instead of doing sunlight 4/5 this year. :glare: I probably will…it's not rocket science, but I'd rather do something that doesn't involve prep. Of any kind. :tongue_smilie:

ok I've read all the replies now so I can respond. I love my ipad and wouldn't even look at other options but we are apple people. The real draw to me with the ipad is that it talks to everything else so well. We have an apple tv device and I can go from looking at photos on my ipad to looking at them on our tv like *that*, I love that I can play music from our ipod touch on the tv the same way - it's all just so integrated. As far as size, I would definitely get the 32GB minimum but I tend to be content heavy as far as photos and stuff go. We have an ipad 1 that is 3g and 64 gig and love it.

Have you done this? I checked out Discovery Education Streaming and it looked like it wouldn't work on my ipad because of the flash issue.

I've been thinking about trying it. I need to use it on a mac though so I have to figure that out. In the past I've been a "do the next thing" kind of HSer, but as the kids are getting older I am feeling the need to schedule more to make sure we complete certain things.

What is Singapore essentials? A math book? ETA: ok found it on rainbow resource, does this come after earlybird or do they not have earlybird anymore?

a leapster would be good for that age

My husband and I always joke about the fact that I have so much on my plate that I can only do two things well at any given time. So homeschool and laundry can be good but that means meals are not. I try to rotate where I'm excelling so no single area falls deeply behind LOL. :D Right now I am excelling in laundry and meals/exercise. :) I am dropping the ball on following up on kids chores and we aren't doing our summer school stuff.

My husband spent time looking at it today, the selection is pretty poor. I would not spend extra for it.

I am exactly the same way, I would always choose potatoes over dessert. :D. I've had to give them up as well.

I think it's just a board feature. I am not sure it is used much. When it was first added I submitted friend requests to some people that I wanted to be able to find easily, because I typically like their posts. I use it for that occasionally, I can easily go to my list of friends to see what this person has been posting or that person etc. I haven't had a lot ( any? ) friend requests so if it used frequently I don't know much about it, lol.

Check out the recipes on Elana's pantry. (google it)

Save the dolls! Save the dolls! :) That is adorable!

I guess I remember that. Vaguely. I am still bothered by lack of legos though! :) And where are their art supplies? :D

When I watch their show, the thing that always bugs me is wondering where are those kids' toys? I mean, they show the whole house and I never see bins of legos or blocks or stuff to play with. Very strange to me. On the whole I enjoy the show when I do watch it (sporadically).

I haven't read through the whole thread but IMO that's a really late bedtime for a 4yo, I'm not surprised he needs a nap. We have kids sharing rooms too and how we handle it is to put the youngers to bed early and let the olders read on my bed until it's time for their "lights out". Then they quietly go in to their own beds and go to sleep. ETA: I have to comment on your 2yo's nap schedule of 10am and 5ish. My twins are 18 months now and *still* have not dropped their morning nap. I'm completely baffled because all 4 of my other kids dropped morning nap at about a year old. I have tried to delay their morning nap but to no end! They will not have it - by 10:30/11 they are so crabby and they literally dive into their cribs. Of course with a nap that early in the day they end up taking a shorter power nap around 4:30 (so very similar to the schedule your 2yo is on). It's the strangest thing to me but it seems to be their internal clock because there's no changing it.

The fat free vegan blog is great! **I am not a vegan but I do hunt out vegan recipes quite a bit as I like our family to eat meat free a couple times a week and I have a son with a severe dairy allergy.