I prefer OPGTR, but my daughter loved 100EZ (I think it was those little cartoons at the end of each lesson that really amused her), so we ended up using 100EZ. If you can find either or both of them at your local library I would try the first few lessons and see how it goes.

I think the soy-free Earth balance tastes better than the other varieties, but that is just my opinion. Butter flavored shortening tastes more like butter to me, but not the healthiest option. If you want something more natural, you can use coconut oil. I don't bother to melt it, I just use it like butter. I typically use almond flour with it, so that might hide the taste more than regular white flour would. Coconut oil is super expensive though, so if you shop at Costco I would try to find it there.

I agree with the others that suggested viola. My oldest did Suzuki violin (mostly because as a non-musician it was my default choice) and then switched to viola later on and she had a lot more opportunities to play in youth orchestras and chamber groups because they always were in need of violists. I would highly recommend finding a teacher that is really a violist, not just a violinist that can play viola as well. There seems to be a type of musician that loves the viola and that really seems to come out in their teaching, at least in our experience. And as a violist, they typically stand out. They are different. Some kids really love that aspect. My youngest dd6 plays the cello, and although started out with Suzuki we could never get a group class to keep going because there weren't enough beginning kids. So we didn't get to experience the real Suzuki method and eventually opted for a traditional teacher. She is really introverted and didn't miss the group experience as much as I did. Also, I think posture wise, it is easier for small children to play the cello than the violin or viola, and it doesn't sound nearly as screechy as those small violins :) We have participated in Suzuki Institute and it was expected that the kids have the pieces memorized, although there were several families that had traditional teachers, they had still worked through the books. I would find out the expectation for the camp or activity and see how welcome they are to non-Suzuki students.

I used to use it quite a bit, but then I had problems with getting books with tons of writing and underlining in them. Really, to the point where it was distracting to use for school purposes. I actually had one member respond to my complaint by stating that her kid used the novel in college, so it was considered a textbook, which is expected to have writing inside. Argh. So frustrating. I also hated having a box of books sitting around hoping that someone might request them. It's a good idea, but I find it easier to just go to the library or bookstore. And I accumulate too much stuff already, so having books waiting to be requested is just another thing taking up space in my cluttered garage. It is easier for me to just donate the ones we no longer need.

Thank you for all the suggestions, they help a lot!

I just found out that there is a new inquiry based private elementary school (supposedly designed specifically for high-ability learners) about 20 minutes from my house. It is offering flexible scheduling, so it's possible for homeschoolers to attend on a part-time basis. And one day a week is designated for field trips. I am thinking this might be a good place to find some peers for my dd6. Of course, things typically sound better on paper than they actually are, but I feel the need to get more information anyway. I am really only familiar with the typical public school model, so I am not sure what to expect from this type of school. I have toured private schools in the past, but they were not inquiry based nor for high-ability learners. Does anyone have suggestions for questions to ask the school? Or things to look for during a tour? Thanks.

Mindbenders were a hit with my dd when she was 5, but I have to warn you, if your kid is good at those type of puzzles, the books don't last long. Places like enchanted learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/logic/puzzles/ and http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Printable_Logic_Puzzles_for_Kids have some easy ones, but they aren't as simple looking as Mindbenders. But then again, they are free.

I am so glad you got a diagnosis. My husband didn't find out until he was 39 and already had substantial bone loss, numerous autoimmune diseases, etc. Our whole family went gluten-free and after several years we have figured out that he feels a lot better grain-free. It is overwhelming at first, but it is so important to not expose him, so I would really try to eat gluten-free as a family. And every Celiac I know feels better dairy-free, so I would probably try that too. I have a gluten-free food blog if you need some recipes pm me and I'll pass the website info to you. In general I would stay away from most the prepackaged gf stuff because it is so expensive, and most of it tastes pretty awful.

Check the current parenting/family type magazines. I saw a $10 off a $30 when I was at a medical office last week, but I can't remember exactly which magazine it was.

My husband has Celiac disease and my daughter, although undiagnosed, is suspected of having it also. She was very lethargic and grumpy before going gluten-free; we started her on a gluten-free diet on a Friday and by Monday she was literally a different kid (she was 2 1/2 years old). Perhaps if she were older it would have taken longer to feel better, I am not sure. We have since discovered she has other food allergies/intolerances, especially dairy. Personally, all the people I know with Celiac can not handle dairy, and it doesn't seem to be a lactose issue, so I would suggest going dairy-free as well. I know it's a huge dietary change, but if it helps, it is so worth it. Good luck.

It sounds like a boy's name to me.

So my husband is in his early 40's and has been suffering from numerous health issues, including fibromyaliga, and was recently diagnosed with chronic myofascial pain syndrome from Mayo (so I guess that means he probably has it?). We live in the beautiful, but very wet and chilly, Pacific Northwest. We are thinking about relocating to a drier warmer climate (possibly Arizona or New Mexico) in hope that he would feel better, but that would involve a huge lifestyle change. Anyone move for similar health reasons and how did it work out?

That's the one we read also.

Due to my husband's health issues and my kids' various allergies, we basically eat Paleo (no grains, refined sugars, dairy, soy, legumes-our kids do eat peanuts though). We've been eating this way for over six months, but we were gluten-free for several years before that. I even have a gluten-free blog. For breakfast we typically eat a lean meat and eggs with a vegetable or two thrown in. I typically make things like crustless quiches with loads of veggies, scrambled eggs with canned salmon, etc. A couple days a week we might make something like Paleo pancakes (with almond flour) or a granola type cereal I make with nuts and dried fruits. For lunch we eat a lot of salads with easy homemade dressings (citrus, olive oil, and a bit of honey), leftover meats, and plenty of fruits and veggies. For dinner we eat stripped down, basic foods. Roast chicken, grilled steaks, hamburgers with no buns and sweet potato fries, stew, salmon, etc. I actually find dinner super easy to cook now. I don't really need recipes. I just make a meat and prepare a veggie or two and fruit for dessert. We do eat a lot more vegetables now! For snacks, we eat a lot of nuts and dried fruits. We have found a few bars, like Lara Bars and Cliff Kit bars that we keep on hand for emergency situations when we might be out and hungry. I replaced all my oils for cooking to olive oil, and all my baking to coconut oil. But honesty we bake a lot less. Almond flour is super expensive, so although you can make cookies and cakes, I don't do it very often. I still use honey and coconut sugar, but not in large quantities. We started this diet as a three month trial and we've stuck with it. We all feel a lot better, but it is expensive.

Jesse, I would look into colleges that you are interested in attending, and see what they accept or recommend. AP courses typically transfers in differently depending on the school and your AP scores. In our experience AP courses were more work and money than just simply taking the class at a community college. It does seem that some colleges quite prefer the AP courses though. If you are trying to build a resume for selective colleges, AP courses might be the way to go.

I went to an ACE school for a few years and I aggree with Annabel Lee completely. If you are looking for something similar, we've found CLE much better.

What about something like Christian Light, at least for language arts? We have only used the younger grades, but they can be done fairly independently and they are in small, consumable workbooks, so you could just do a few pages at a time, taking breaks as needed. My other sugestion would be to get a subscription to Evan Moore's TeacherFilebox. Someone would have to find the worksheets and print them out, but they have all necessary subjects and would cover the basics. Homeschool buyers coop runs deals quite frequently, so it is significantly cheaper than purchasing a bunch of Evan Moore workbooks. They have everything from Lit Pockets to Daily Handwriting on Teacherfilebox and you can search by subject or grade level. I have only used it as supplement to our curriculum, but I think under the circumstances you are describing it would probably work out quite well.

One of my children learned D'Nealian in public school. I thought it looked nice.

We also used Henle for two years, through Kolbe; they have nice lesson plans and tests. My daughter enjoyed it more than her experience with Lone Pine. The only negative thing I remember about it is there is so much war, soldiers, fighting, etc vocabulary.

I came across this really cool blog with free art lessons. You can search by activity type, grade, season, etc. Being art-challenged myself, it looks like it will be a lifesaver this year! http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/

My oldest daughter played the violin for 4 years and then switched to viola and studying viola her first year of college before changing majors. Her first viola was actually a violin strung like a viola, which they can do for very small violists. I would go to a reputable violin or string shop in your area. There aren't as many violists, so getting a spot in a chamber program or youth orchestra is much less competitive than for the violin. I had her start with violin because I didn't really think about any other string instrument; in hindsight I wish she would have just started on the viola. There was really no benefit, in my opinion, of having her play the violin first. I would only study viola with a teacher that is a professional violist, not a violinist that also teaches viola. There is a big difference in playing style and bowing, at least in our experience with instructors and youth orchestras. Also, violists tend to love the viola and inspire that love in their students in a way a violinist really won't be able to. I think there is huge variety of "Suzuki" teachers out there. Having started both of my children with this method, I am still not sold on it entirely. I think finding a teacher that really connects with your child is the key, not the method. And make sure they can really play well, because you pick up a LOT of the good and bad habits of your music teachers, especially the first one. And playing a string instrument is very challenging. I would make my child commit to a certain amount of time for lessons before quitting ( like 3 years or something). Go into it knowing it takes a lot of time, patience, and money to play really well. Good luck, it is worth all the effort.

I am from Oregon and although I don't know much about their online program, I do know they are one of the smaller, less prestigious state schools and they have some off-campus programs offered around the state (they offer programs outside their main campus in La Grande). Since they cost significantly less than the big ones like Oregon State or University of Oregon, it makes sense that their online programs would be affordable as well. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Did you have more success with the previous teacher? Maybe your child would be more comfortable or have more fun with someone else. My dd6 is high anxiety and if she had a too-serious cello instructor it would be more than she could deal with, for fear that she would disappoint or not play well enough. I guess I would try to have a heart-to-heart with your kid and try to figure out what is going on. Do they not want to play cello? Dislike the teacher? Fear of mistakes? Have trouble hearing negative feedback? Etc. I would think at 8 they could understand that it's a waste of your time and money to have lessons go this way. Personally, I pay a fortune for cello lessons and I couldn't allow 20 minutes to go wasted every week. I do require my kids to take music lessons, but we have allowed a change in instruments or a change in instructors, although my kids have never had issues at lesson, just at home with practicing. Sometimes if it is someone they want to study with or an instrument they really want to lean they will cooperate a lot more. I think the suggestion of having more control over the lesson is interesting and I would discuss that privately with the instructor. Perhaps something as simple as choosing the pieces or having more say in the order of lesson topics would help enough to solve the problem. Good luck!

Did you have more success with the previous teacher? Maybe your child would be more comfortable or have more fun with someone else. My dd6 is high anxiety and if she had a too-serious cello instructor it would be more than she could deal with, for fear that she would disappoint or not play well enough. I guess I would try to have a heart-to-heart with your kid and try to figure out what is going on. Do they not want to play cello? Dislike the teacher? Fear of mistakes? Have trouble hearing negative feedback? Etc. I would think at 8 they could understand that it's a waste of your time and money to have lessons go this way. Personally, I pay a fortune for cello lessons and I couldn't allow 20 minutes to go wasted every week. I do require my kids to take music lessons, but we have allowed a change in instruments or a change in instructors, although my kids have never had issues at lesson, just at home with practicing. Sometimes if it is someone they want to study with or an instrument they really want to lean they will cooperate a lot more. I think the suggestion of having more control over the lesson is interesting and I would discuss that privately with the instructor. Perhaps something as simple as choosing the pieces or having more say in the order of lesson topics would help enough to solve the problem. Good luck!

We tried it after many years of Girl Scouts and we didn't stay. I would say, in our experience, it was a waste or time & money. It was super expensive for what it was, especially considering the minimal expenses Girl Scouts requires. And when we left the troop I tried to donate my books and uniforms to the troop to give future families and they didn't want them for reuse :( I understand that extracurricular activities can get expensive, but I can't see the opportunities AHG offers justify the expense and required fundraising. My 5 yo did enjoy it quite a bit, but she was not upset to leave and has never asked to return. After our experience, I would not recommend AHG.