I used Starting Points with ER when he was a high school senior, and I plan to use it again for EK next year for her senior year. ER read all of the books you listed except Never Before in History (we skipped that section of the book). Also, we had already read the Narnia books, so we discussed them briefly, but we didn't reread them. ER graduated from college last month, and I just now asked him his opinion on these books. He said he only vaguely remembers Know What You Believe, Assumptions, Answers for Difficult Days, and How to Read Slowly, but he LOVED Mere Christianity (so did I) and he also really liked The Deadliest Monster, paired with Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde. He said that he thinks all Christians should read these books.

I couldn't get through any of the books you listed, but some of the movie adaptations were quite good. I've seen The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and A Tale of Two Cities. Far and away, my favorite of the movies was The Scarlet Pimpernel--the one with Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews. Andrews is the perfect Percival Blakeney! Leslie Howard, who played that part in the 1935 version (and who played Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind) a few years later...) eh, not so much. ;) The Man in the Iron Mask is my second-favorite, and the version I liked best was made-for-television (1977) with Richard Chamberlain as Louis/Philippe. I swooned over Richard Chamberlain when I was a teenager. :D

I see "new edition" and "enhanced edition", etc. and I don't know the difference. Is one to be preferred over the other, or does it really matter?

My favorite and both of my dc's favorite was Mrs. Duck's Lovely Day by Vivienne Blake.

:iagree: :D

:iagree:

My youngest will be applying to 2 or 3 Christian colleges in our state.

Yes, I absolutely LOVE it, and I have loved it from the day that I started homeschooling in 1996. In fact, I love it so much that I want to continue even after my last child graduates (my youngest will graduate in 2013), so I have begun to teach other people's children and I'm lining up more students for when the day comes that I'm no longer teaching one of my own. Just a few days ago, my sister approached me about teaching her granddaughter (whom sister & BIL have adopted). They've already made a committment for her to attend 2nd grade at a private Christian school next year, but they want her to come to me beginning in 3rd grade. :)

:iagree:

:iagree: I read the entire speech aloud to my whole family. We applaud that teacher!

i know that it is advisable to start some programs at a lower level than the student's actual grade level if the student is new to that particular program--R&S English, for example. Is this also true for Sadlier-Oxford's Vocabulary Workshop, or should a student just jump in at grade level? Thanks!

FABULOUS speech! He did a great job of encouraging the graduates to live life to the fullest, not just to achieve things, but to get all the good out of life and to make it count.

For the past couple of years, I have alternated science and history/geography. We have school 4 days per week, so we have 2 days of science and 2 days of history/geography. It has worked very nicely for us.

I bought WRTR but it seemed disjointed to me also, and I knew that if I couldn't figure it out, I would never use it. So I also bought the Reading Works manual by Jay Patterson, which lays it all out nicely.

I think I joined that group a LONG time ago but never participated. :blushing: I need to get involved. Thanks! ETA: I just went to the group and posted in the Weigh In thread.

:iagree: Similar situation here.

:iagree: :iagree:

Hmmm... Well... Ooookay then... :confused:

I just wish I'd heard of it sooner!

Praying for you and for your ds. May God grant healing and peace.

:hurray:

:iagree: If a man truly loves the Lord, everything else will fall into place.

Thanks to all! I'm going to get Vocabulary Workshop.

Your post about the elephant's penis was just what I needed today! I just started yesterday with my healthy living plan. I have about 60 lbs. to lose, and I have felt so overwhelmed by that! I don't have a lot of energy and I've felt fat and lazy. :( But I know I MUST do something because I'm afraid that my weight is going to affect my health. I was slim until my mid-30s, and now, at age 51, I am so ashamed that I have gained all this weight that I avoid seeing people I knew years ago and haven't seen in a long time. I don't go to my high school reunions because I would be too embarrassed. I don't even like for dh to see me without my clothes! I don't want to keep feeling that way. I want to feel good about the way I look. As overwhelming as it is right now, I know this is something I have to do. So, thank you, NanceXToo, for the inspiration! I will be posting here periodically for accountability purposes, and I would appreciate any encouragement and of course, everyone's prayers.

Congratulations to you!