Rosetta Stone REAL Science Odessey I don't mind so much the misses that cost me $50 or less, but it ticks me off that I spent a lot of $ on Rosetta Stone and he's not learning a thing!

Boy, I always thought it was 11 years old but I looked up the CHP website and yes, it is 8 years old.

I would not eat them here...... Or there!

I've been using Maybelline eye products for years and I like them.

I don't know the tone, so I don't know if she's asking in an accusing way, or a curious way or a making conversation way. My mom (a former public school teacher) was very upset when we decided to homeschool. Now, 6 years later, she fully supports it. I refused to get defensive and I talk about all the things we do. I explain our curriculum, etc. No, you don't "owe" her an explanation, but you may want to show her your curriculum, or something. Just a suggestion. Now, I do stick to a pretty strict schedule, but it is not the ps schedule (we do 9 weeks on, 1 week off), so I explained that to her. You probably won't win her over in a conversation, but over time, as you continue in friendly conversations why you are homeschooling, why your kids are getting a better education ( my mom can't argue with the quality of our kids' education ) and they see they are doing fine socially, and as you call attention to what's going on in PS that is negative (yes, in our district kindergarteners do have homework, which my mom is really against, she taught kinder for years) she'll probably come around.

Morning Gals, It is a beautiful Sunday morning. "This is the day that The Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Tress, congratulations. If I had the slightest idea how to do the emoticons, I would insert a big Happy Dance right here! Good job! Today.... ** church. I'm doing children's church today, but otherwise, that's it. ** make dd's birthday cake. I'll freeze it and then frost it on Tuesday, which is her birthday. ** dd has Kingdom Kids rehearsal at 4:00 ** lesson plan for next week ** I will try to take a walk this afternoon I try to make Sundays very low-key. No real jobs.

Well, I tackled a job I didn't intend to and it took me all day. We've been blessed by generous friends who give us their kids gently (and sometimes not so gently ) used clothes. Since we are home 80% of the time, used clothing is fine for most of our life. Anyhow, since it is going to be spring soon, I got out the tubs of girls clothing and found that I hadn't done a great job organizing them, plus we'd gotten some more bags along the way. So.... I spent all day sorting clothing. It was a completely overwhelming job, but I am not complaining, because with 5 kids, it is definitely a blessing to have these clothes. So, I got spring/summer clothes out and ready for the girls and the rest of the clothes sorted by size and put in the attic. Whew!

Dill sounds good! I have two very nice rosemary shrubs in the landscaping already. Best things I ever planted. Great for cooking and for winter bouquets for the table when there's nothing else to pick. I pick a bunch of Rosemary and put it in a jar with some Nandina berries and it's really pretty.

I do like CC and I think the skills it teaches are really good. It seems very solid. It's just.... to me it seems monotonous. The books are plain, no nonsense, no frills. My boys actually haven't complained, but....maybe it's just me. I think it's a good curriculum, but I like a little more creativity and CAP appears to have that. Ugh! I've had this problem between MP and CAP before. I think they have great programs, both of them, but they seem to have different methodologies for achieving the same goal (I used CAP's beginning Greek Pregram, and had bought MP's Greek workbook, and they are as different as night and day) we use MP's Latin Program and the boys are doing well. I'm leaning toward sticking with CC, just because....we've started with it and I prefer to stick with a curriculum unless it really isn't working.

I have been very interested in this thread. My boys (4th grade and 5th grade) are doing Memoria Press's Classical Composition and although I like it (and the price) I think doing Narration next year, which seems very similar to Fable this year, is going to get dry really fast. I have poured over the samples of CAP and it seems a more interesting curriculum and has more variety. I am so tempted to jump ship and go to CAP, but I'm wondering if I should start with Narration with my boys, since they have had a lot of Fables this year and do Fables with my rising third grader. I am also concerned, like other posters, that it's not complete yet. Although I did e-mail them and was assured by Joanne that the next 2 books are slated to come out this spring/early summer. Does anyone have any experience with starting with CC and then going over to CAP?

I'm working on low-carb and exercising (3-4 days a week) and have lost nothing in 2 months. I thought I lost a pund, but my weight actually does fluctuate, so I hadn't lost a thing. I am very discouraged and a little worried. I know it's hormonal, but if I can't lose weight when I try to, then what do I do when I continue to gain, which I have been doing? I've gained about 10 lbs. in the past couple of years. I am not overweight for my height, but I am now at that borderline place, where if I gain a few more pounds then I will be overweight.

Good Morning Girlies! I slept in this morning! Felt good. Except I had one of those crazy dreams. I dreamed my Grandma died. And my grandma actually died about 6 years ago. And I was crying in my dream. Very strange. Anyhow, Tress, hope it's a better feeling day for you! You, too, Jean! As for tackling anything... I have no idea. The rain is gone, but the ground is soggy, so probably no yardwork today. But, I think I will do.... ** laundry ** bake dd1's birthday cake (her birthday is Tuesday) and I might as well bake ds2's birthday cake as well, since his birthday is next Saturday. This is the week of the year that we are inundated with birthday cake! ** work on Children's Church Lent lessons ** perhaps think about what's going in to my herb garden this year. I still have sage, oregano and thyme. Those are perennial. But, I'll need some basil and chives (those were a bust last year) and what else?

Well, we had an interesting afternoon. Thunderstorm rolled through. I'm sure for some of you that is not remarkable, but for us, it is. Very heavy rains, lightening struck a tree in our town and lit it on fire. Or course the rain then put it out, but I saw the pic on FB and then went and drove by on the way home from DS's guitar lessons. So, co-op was canceled, since it was doubtful that the electricity would be in at our venue. I was very glad it was canceled because it is a source of stress and I didn't want to go out in the storm anyhow. So, instead of doing what I wanted and curl up by the fire with a book, I spent the afternoon hiding out in my room watching The Good Wife on my iPad. I cannot read anymore. I cannot concentrate. It drives me crazy.

If you don't mind another question about this book, are all you who are doing this book, doing it with a 7th grader? Or could a 6th grader be successful with it?

I like my first name well enough. It's Kristen. I can't think of a name I'd change it to if given the opportunity, so I'm fine with it. I used to hate it when I was a kid. I preferred to go by Kristi, which is what my parents called me, but then in school I went by Kristen and that was it.

Morning, Girlies! Happy Last Day of February! Well, it's certainly not that cold here, Melissa and Tammy, but it is pouring down rain, so I am not exercising this morning. Very thankful for the rain! Today.... ** school ** co-op ** ds2 guitar lessons That's about it. My baby is working on getting over her cold. I'm glad it's Friday.

Got my order in yesterday. Free shipping and the $10 gift card. Very happy!

** school done ** dd at Kingdom Kids ** wiped down a bunch of things in my kitchen ** dishwasher running I'm getting getting things done today!

The kids have daily chores. They get allowance every other week. The amount depends on their grades for that grading period. One isn't dependent on the other. That's too much bookkeeping for me. If they don't do their chores they don't get to play. Chores are time dependent - cleaning off dinner table, trash, cleaning off lunch table, setting table, etc. so, they get done immediately after or before a meal.

Melissa, that is a pain! It's mid morning! Got Bible, Greek and Language Arts for 2 kids done today. Now they're snacking and outside playing "hockey" with old golf clubs and a whiffle ball.

Good Morning Gals! Got some much needed rain in the night. More expected tonight. praise God! Jean, hope you can get used to the meds and they are effective! Lucky and Melissa - have a good day out. Hope you accomplish much! Lizzie - hope you feel better! Amy - hang in there! Well, today.... just a normal day! We're mostly at home. ** school ** laundry, misc. housework ** dd1 has Kingdom Kids ** finish prep for rocketry class Have a good day, Ladies!

Well, kids are back from Awanas. I sent them all off in the rain without wraps. What a wonderful mom I am! My baby has been coughing her head off. Don't know if it's allergies or a cold. She was coughing so much she threw up. That was kind of gross. But, we got her cleaned up, put some Vic's on her chest and got her in bed. She's still coughing a bit, though. Got my order off for Memoria Press. Free shipping and used my $10 gift card. Woohoo! Kitchen is cleaned up. Gotta get the kids into bed and then I can collapse in a heap. I'm reading "Little Women". I have no idea why. I just got tired of reading everything else I was reading and just picked it up. I like that book! Well, good night all!

I just picked 12 peas from my sorry looking straggly plants! But they are producing, bless their hearts! Since we're in a drought situation here and will probably be rationing water this summer, I can't do any experimental gardening. It'll be strictly tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers and green beans. But I am looking forward to putting it in. Dh will roto-till in a couple of weeks and we'll mix in the compost. We've been composting this plot for the past 10 years and the soil is wonderful. Though we're definitely moving the tomatoes. We've been trying to move them around, but I still think we're not rotating as much as we should. So we'll be planting them in the front yard in the Rose garden.

Because of the spacing of my kids, I've done BJU heritage studies for first grade and then SOTW1 starting in second grade. There is no comparison. Heritage Studies is so boring. It is so simplified (so the kids can read it aloud?) that it is meaningless. We hated it. Sorry! See if you can peruse a textbook and see for yourself, but we don't like it at all.

School is done. We even did Art. We're studying Michaelangelo. We did apple carvings. They turned out weird. Now they have to dry out. It rained this morning, more rain is coming, but it's dry right now, thank goodness and the kids can play outside with their friends. The Done List.... - school - washed my bedding and ds1's bedding and put back on beds - dishwasher running The In Progress List - ds2's bedding - bread is rising The Yet to Do List - pick up house -rocketry stuff - dinner Attitudes and such are good today with the kids. Or as good as can be expected when you have 2 boys as different as night and day who are 9 months apart in age. And you add a sister in there who thinks she's the same age as her brothers and it's a recipe for constant bickering.