:iagree:or even better substitute a can of pineapple juice for the lemonade. Yum!

I glanced throught the FLL4 table of contents on Rainbow Resources and didn't see anything that wasn't covered in R&S5 except maybe indirect objects. These might not be covered until R&S 6, or we covered them in 5 and I just don't remember :)

With 5, or even with the 3 I have, if you use HST+ and you don't change curriculum from child to child the reuse is so valuable. Scheduling math for my two boys just involves reusing the lesson plans I already have entered, the same for grammar and writing. The learning curve is fierce, but once you get the hang of it it is a powerful tool.

My DD used Saxon from k - 7/8. She then easily completed Chalkdust Pre-Algebra, Lial's Algebra and Geometry. She scored a 93% on the math portion of her high school entrance exam. The math chair was very impressed with her skills. I attribute much of this to Saxon, as this is not my most mathy child. It was boring at times, but it worked.

I think you could go into R&S 5 without much trouble. I would not start with R&S 6. IMHO it is the biggest leap in the series (5 to 6). The diagramming and concepts are both complex.

I take 2 weeks in the summer and plan out all the lessons for each subject - page numbers, problems etc. Then every two weeks I take an hour on Sunday and place those lessons into a schedule for the next two weeks. For me it is the best of both worlds. All the major planning is done before we start so I can always assess where we are agains the goal, but I have the flexibility to adjust to days off etc. but not putting dates to things too far ahead. I use HST+ for planning so all the lesson plans are entered in the summer and scheduled two weeks at a time. I also do my copying in the summer.

My rising 6th grader just finished his 2nd year of PZ and I cannot say enough good things about it. My other two did well with the traditional spelling workbook, but this DS would ace the spelling tests and continue to have horrible spelling in other contexts. I was at my wits end when I discovered PZ at a homeschool convention. I was desperate for a change and he needed something that would help him become a better speller. I like that it can be done independently, it has built his confidence, the rules help his overall spelling and it doesn't take too long each day. What I don't like - it is expensive which scared me before I knew it worked. We also had a bit of an adjustment in the beginning. The first couple of days when DS did the lesson and had to mark his paper in red he had a bit of panic. He associated the red with "wrong" and got upset when he couldn't spell all the words. Once he got the hang of the program it was fine, but it took a week or so. How effective is it? For my DS it has made an unbelievable difference in his spelling. What he learns now transfers to his writing. He is a MUCH better speller since using PZ. We have used it for 2 years and will use it for 1 or 2 more. This program was the right one for this child. If you have an auditory learner or one who isn't a good fit for a traditional spelling program I highly recommend PZ.

Mine 3 did very well, it is always a confidence booster for me when I receive the results. They always do least well in Social Studies. My youngest asks every year, "why don't they ask us history questions on these tests." Having reviewed the tests I have no concerns at all that they don't know some of the standardized social studies questions.

Another choice is Phonetic Zoo by IEW. It is great for auditory learners and turned my non natural speller into a decent speller. It is done independently via CD. Here's a link http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/phonetic-zoo

Fancy - Lemon chiffon cake Casual - Shortbread cookies and chocolate covered strawberries

I used Covenant Home for one of my kids the first year we homeschooled. We made the decision to homeschool late in the summer and I couldn't swing planning 3 kids worth of subjects in 2 weeks, so I bought Covenant for language arts for the youngest and used it for a year. He was in 1st grade and I found their materials easy to use and effective. The lesson plans are clear as can be, all planned out for you day by day. I didn't use their Bible, math or science plans, but I have a couple of friends who have used those and been happy with them. It was great for what I needed it to do. It is a little workbook heavy which may or may not work for you. I stopped using it after the first year as I wanted everyone to be on a WTM track, but I don't have anything negative to say about it.

I am a fanatic about cleared off counters. The only things that stay out on my counter are the coffee maker which is tucked under the corner cabinet, the antique gumball machine which is on a short counter extension and a small charging station for phones which is on the other end of the kitchen. On my island there is sometimes flowers or a seasonal arrangement with a candle. That is all I can stand to leave out. My KA mixer and breadmaker are in cabinets or the pantry, my tools are in drawers next to the stove. When I am cooking I sit a spoon holder next to the range, but it stays in the drawer the rest of the time. Before I go to bed I like counters cleared. Sometimes people will pile mail or papers on the counter, and it drives me crazy:glare:. Busy counters work for some people, and it doesn't bother me to go in other people's kitchens where they keep things out, but it bothers me in my own kitchen.

We have very similar rules for our 9 and 10 yo boys when they play lacrosse and football. One had to sit out a game a few weeks ago because we got to the arena and he didn't have his jersey. I felt bad for him, but I think it helped, he has been more careful with his gear since then. Ours use their lacrosse gear to play in the neighborhood and the same with their football gloves and balls. We do ask them before we leave the house, do you have your cup, jersey, gloves, pads, helmets, water etc. Are you sure? We give them a bag to keep everything in, we hang the clean jersey back with the rest of the gear for them. IMO if they are going to play, they have to learn to keep track of their gear. We are lucky to have coachs that help enforce this notion. "Boys, it is your responsibility to put your gear back in your bags." I don't think you are asking to much, but boys can be forgetful and some of these sports requires more than just a ball - it can be a pain, but it is a learning experience. Hang in there!

Heidi Secret Garden King Arthur The Door Within Misty of Chincoteague Robin Hood Treasure Island Augustine Comes to Kent Archimedes and the Door of Science Swiss Family Robinson

We have used these and a rolled out piece of homemade playdough http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/abc-mini-cookie-cutter-set/?pkey=ccookie-cutters-pancake-molds The kids would lightly press them into the dough to spell their words then squish it up, reflatten and spell the next word. Not a manipulative, but writing their words on the window or door with a dry erase marker breaks up the doldrums of spelling at our house.

It depends on a couple of factors: the kind of wood, the use of the piece of furniture, what kind of paint you used and personal preference. There is no right or wrong, but I will share what I do. I always finish a distressed piece with poly, even if it is painted. If the piece is pine or another softer wood, the poly helps prevent gauging, marking, water damage and general denting of the piece. If the piece is oak or another harder wood this is less of an issue. For distressed pieces I choose a non glossy poly. For me any piece goi, but the poly still provides a protection. Anything in a child's room, my family room, an often used living area, or really any piece that is not purely decorative, gets a coat or two of poly in my world. Wax does not provide the protective barrier against water and stains that a poly does. Wax will provide some protection against abrasion, but not much against other damage. It will fill in small cracks and voids and give your piece a bit of a shine, but poly is a more permanent protection. Wax can actually be applied over poly if desired. All that said, the other side of the opinion is that wax was used on furniture long before poly was invented. Which brings you back to that bit about no right or wrong answer....

:grouphug::grouphug: So sorry. You and your family remain in our prayers.

That's madness! Prayers and :grouphug:.

That's a great video. I went with some girlfriends to see her in concert. There was not one of the 8 of us who was not in tears laughing at some point. She is hilarious!

We start at 8:45, and I am kind of harsh about it. I am so not a morning person, and I have an early riser, one who would sleep until 10:30 and one somewhere in the middle. I have struggled with the "let them sleep" mindset, but have found when I do I am never finished with school until after dinner. It drives me crazy and makes me crabby. So we get up and get dressed and meet at the school table at 8:45. We aren't always happy, but we almost always make it and get started by 9. It makes the afternoons and evenings much happier for everyone when we can have free time, play with friends in the neighborhood and have time for other things. After reading all the posts this morning about pjs and starting times I am feeling like a mean drill sergeant!

:iagree:These are terrific! There are lots of projects, reading, and everything is so well done. You could string several together or just use one or two for specific time periods she finds interesting. We especially enjoyed the Civil War and 19th Century units. I look forward to doing the WWII next year with my kids.

A bill has been introduced in both houses of congress to address the issue of epi-pen availability in schools. It is called the School Access to Emergency Epinepherine act. You can read the proposed legislation here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s1884is/pdf/BILLS-112s1884is.pdf

There is some free clipart here http://international.phillipmartin.info/index.htm and here is clip art for country flags http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/flagcnty.htm I have also found some nice clips here when we have studied different countries: http://classroomclipart.com/clipart/Countries_and_Cities.htm

:iagree:and I use it in broccoli salad all the time. It is a family favorite.

Love that!