We have been using it and loving it.

I've posted in the other threads, I believe, but we've become even more relaxed since then... I'll have a seven year old (in October) and a nine year old. LA: BW Quiver of Arrows and Arrows; BW Partnership Writing projects Math: I'll be using Math Mammoth more as a spine this year. I think we'll just do the chapter tests, and do the learning in more fun ways (don't ask me how; I'll be figuring that out as we go along ðŸ˜). Science: Mystery Science History: We'll be focusing on California history, but in a super relaxed way. So local field trips, and living books. And looking up things we're interested in. That's all that will be planned.

It's different almost every year. This year M(8) did tap, gymnastics, and Girl Scouts. j(6) tried karate but ended up quitting in December and did gymnastics. They also each did some monthly classes at our homeschool charter. ETA: I always forget piano. Dh teaches them and I think that's why. We don't do anything in the summer except swim lessons.

I haven't read the whole thread, just the first few replies. I'll be honest. I would love to still be jobless after my kids no longer need me. I wouldn't be calling my husband at work hoping to make him come home though. I would keep myself busy with volunteering, cleaning, organizing, cooking, making homemade gifts, gardening, photography, reading, visiting/helping my parents in their old age, helping others with their kids (occasional babysitting), etc. I feel like I could help a lot of people and take care of all the home stuff (car appointments/plumber appointments, etc.) while Dh is at work, and then we could both have completely free time when he's not. If one partner is working that hard at home while the other partner makes the money, what could be wrong with that? You'd still be contributing to the partnership. Just not monetarily. I don't feel this way because of religion - I'm an atheist.

regular copy work piano reading many good books ETA: We're so close to finishing SotW2 (as a read aloud)!

I was signed up for the free trial through June. I just got an email that said I can get it now through 4/30 for $89, 5/1 through 5/30 for $99, or in June for $129. At least, that's the way I understood it. I'm currently debating whether or not to purchase.

4th grader: - Brave Writer Quiver of Arrows & Arrow guides and Partnership Writing - reading the books that go with the QofA & Arrow guides as read alouds - SotW 3 as a read aloud - reading many, many living history and science books - skipping around through Math Mammoth 4 while playing with manipulatives and games and reading living math books - field trips, experiments, fun activities & games - all supplemented with once a month fun history class at our homeschool charter 1st grader: - Brave Writer Quiver of Arrows & Arrow (adapted to his level) guides - reading the books that go with the Quiver of Arrows & Arrow guides as read alouds - SotW 3 as a read aloud - reading many, many living history and science books - skipping around through Math Mammoth 1 & 2 while playing with manipulatives and games and reading living math books - field trips, experiments, fun activities & games - all supplemented with once a month fun science class at our homeschool charter ETA: They'll make their final decisions regarding extracurriculars in June/July.

I had a Spanish tutor that moved out of state. We continued my lessons for a year using Skype. It was great; sometimes there were technical issues with Skype, but not often. The only reason I stopped was lack of time and money.

For me, what's different between the bullet journal method and other planners is that I can have as much or as little space for each day as I want. Some days I want to journal about the day. Other days I just want write my to do list. I don't plan the next day until the night before. In other planners I've had there's always not enough space or space wasted.

My kids each have their own card and check out whatever they want. I check out on my own card the books that I want us to read for "school." Sometimes I'll use their card if my hold limit has been reached.

We skipped those lessons also. Letters and their sounds were learned more casually and (IMO) a more fun way.

I keep a bullet journal - I love it! I put some homeschool stuff in there, but record what we do each day in a teacher's lesson planner book. Next year I was thinking I'd have a separate bullet journal for homeschooling stuff. Mostly just recording each day's learning (I don't plan much), but also for any journaling re:homeschooling and for keeping track of classes and things. I got a Leuchtterm 1917 with dot grid for 2016. I use black Faber Castell PITT artist pens in M, F, S, and XS and colored Staedtler triplus fineliner in 0.3mm size. I don't doodle much. I've used a couple of simple stickers and a strip of washi tape along the edge of my monthly spread pages so that I can find those pages easily.

Ten minute drive from door to door.

Book #25 :o : The Sculptor by Scott McCloud It's a graphic novel with amazing illustrations about an artist who makes a deal with Death that only gives him 200 days left to live. Very good!

Thank you! Those all look great. There are just so many out there; I felt like I needed some recommendations.

I'm looking for a couple of joke books for my kids for Christmas. Does anyone have any good quality titles to suggest? A little bit of bathroom humor is okay.

Just finished Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I really enjoyed it. I love Bill Bryson!

We paste them to our timeline on the wall in the hallway.

I really used Home Learning Year by Year a lot during that first year. I second the recommendation. The copy work and dictation that we do is all taken from the books we are reading. I'm really into Brave Writer/Julie Bogart right now, but I have yet to purchase any of her products. Her podcasts and periscopes are fascinating me lately. I did really like Treasured Conversations (8filltheheart's curriculum) for a half year grammar program. We use Math Mammoth for math most days. Some days we just find fun stuff to do (usually a game of some sort). We also use www.Matific.com and boring old flashcards. Most of the books on my list I can get at our library. We visit at least once weekly (I have a children's book addiction). I really really don't think it's worth it to buy the RC. At least not for me (atheist liberal :seeya: ). The longer I've been homeschooling, the more I think it's just easier to put together my own stuff using some advice from homeschooling parents I admire.

I haven't read many of the replies. I have looked into RC a few times, but I would never buy it. I don't like the book selection, and the fact that it's 22 CDs?! What attracted me to RC in the first place was the idea of doing the basics like math and writing and then learning everything else through reading (supposedly) really good books. So I made up my own list of great (to me) books that I would like my kids to read. I included the few books from the RC list that I actually like and then a ton of other nonfiction and fiction. We do some form of math every day, some copywork/dictation/freewriting, some Spanish, and then we read. We read a lot, mostly books from the list I made. I also like to throw in fun experiments, documentaries, and outings when I see a book that we've read has sparked an interest in something. What I'm getting at is: if you're attracted to RC but are worried about it being outdated, maybe you can make your own list? There are so many good book lists out there. Check Pinterest. Have your kids do some math and writing everyday, and then read, read, read.

Last night I read Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. It's a nonfiction graphic novel that I got for DD, an admirer of Jane Goodall. I liked it a lot. :-) ETA: I also read Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein because Dd is reading it. Cute book.

We go out about once or twice a month. But about half the time it's with all of our friends. We also have what we call "margarita nights" about once a month. Dh makes amazing margaritas and guacamole. We eat chips, drink our margaritas in fancy margarita glasses, and play Trivial Pursuit. It's something we both love and look forward to.

skeleton and a fairy I will be dressing up as a cat for the party Dh and I will be attending after the kids trick-or-treat (they'll go to their grandparents').

Time spent finding good books and Reading aloud.

I just finished book #21 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I didn't think much of it at the beginning but started liking it more and more the further in I got. Still working on La Casa de los Espíritus! Someday I'll actually finish it...