OK, after being on this site for about a month, I have to ask what exactly a "weekly report" is? I looked at one link (beautiful blog, momto2Cs!) and it appears to be just that: a weekly report. Is it to hold ourselves and eachother accountable to stay on track? Is it just to share? Are there certain elements that must be included (I noticed different categories: LA, history, etc.), or does it differ per what each household is doing? Do you have to have a blog to link to to be able to do this? Sorry so many questions! Thanks!

I ordered both of these by Rosemary Sutcliffe from Amazon and did not know that the illustrated versions are no longer being printed (at least this is what my library said). I had to go to my library to check out one of the BSBT that is illustrated by Alan Lee. So much better, and worth it.

I got HST (not the Plus version) on the free download. After spending hours reading about how it works, I still don't use it. I started to, but didn't find some of the features I was looking for. It just seems like if I were to use it, I have to spend countless hours inputting data first. Then, I have to return to the computer to transfer grades, resources used, journal overview of the day, etc. and that would be that much more work. I returned to pen and paper. I have lists and charts stuffed and floating all over the place, but somehow we manage. To find out what lesson we're on, I open up the book and look. At the beginning of the year, I divided up each subject by the # of school days I expect our schoolyear to be and wrote it all down, chart-style, in a notebook. If I need to see if we're still on track I can go to that and calculate what lesson we should be on. I saw a friend's EduTrack program and really loved it. Another friend of mine uses HSTPlus and swears by it. I'd like to have something like these for certain things. The journalling bit would be nice, I don't know that I really have the time though. In case anyone can point me in the right direction, I would like these features: grade reports that allow you to assign greater weight to tests or certain projects, not assume that everything is worth the same %; yearly, quarterly, weekly, and daily breakdowns of lessons plans - for weekly plans I'd like to be able to see each day's list of assignements and what to use for each, quarterly and yearly could be less detailed but w/ options to click on to open up and see more; I would like to have seperate sections for Books ds has Read, Books to Check Out, Books to Buy, Movies to check out/buy, Curriculums to look at, websites (and sections to put those under - games, history, reading, etc.), instead of having to list them all in one lump under 'resources' like in HST. If anyone has any suggestions we're all ears. Is it just the start-up data-entry phase that is so time consuming? Or does it remain that way for regular use?

Gen-Xer here, but I grew up in private schools that used ABeka cursive. Which may be another to look at and see if that's similar to what you're talking about. There's samples on their site under their Writing With Phonics books. I thought Zaner-Bloser is D'Nealian?

Obviously my situation is a little different and these things don't happen to everyone. It was a girl who violated my sons (they were very young, 2 and 4 at the time) in addition to another child who was also a girl. That little girl (the offender) had to have found out about the things she did from somewhere, which leads me to believe she was abused prior to acting out. My sons haven't copied any of that behaviour and don't exhibit any signs of acting out, but after all we've been through I keep my eyes peeled. They have displayed confusion of some things that after talking with them they seem to understand. I wouldn't have caught those things if I weren't right there w/ them though. I wouldn't recommend going about life on such a high level of alert and anxiety over it, if you have no reason to believe anything like this has been introduced in an objectionable way that would confuse things for your kids. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong at all with your proposed arrangement w/ your kids. I think I replied too quickly, straight from my gut, and based on my situation. I still stick by what I said about it's better to be overprotective than to be able to blame yourself for anything - not a good feeling. That might just mean not playing around together while undressed - getting dressed quickly, etc. Do whatever's right for your family in your home, not all kids have had exposure to things to where such a close watch is necessary. As for closet systems, I poured over the many options available and really wanted a nice wooden setup like they have at Lowe's. Money is tight, so I started looking at those white metal wire systems, and even those were too much. The boys' closet is just a regular closet, not a walk-in. So I just got some pre-finished white shelving boards from Lowe's, in different depths, and put them in myself. I put in a 12" deep shelf half the length of the entire closet above the top shelf (the one directly above the hanger rod). Then below the hanger rod I put in 20" deep shelves as follows from top to bottom, spaced evenly apart and allowing the floor to be the bottom shelf for shoes: 1st one half the length of entire closet, 2nd and 3rd ones are 3/4 the length of entire closet, and 4th one is as long as the closet (about 6'). Lowe's sells some sturdy L-brackets that screw into both the shelf and the stud so that if anyone decides it's a good idea to climb, the shelf won't fall on them. I got some white wire baskets that are really big and deep and we just set them on the bottom 2 shelves. All the shelves touch the inside wall of the closet on the left, so that there's room for shirts to hang, then longer things like slacks off to the other side. Here's how it looks, sorta: ______________________________________________ < topshelf 12" ______________________________________________ <other top shelf ______________________________________________ <clotheshangerrod ________________________ room for clothes to <shelf, 20"deep ______________________________________ hang <shelf, 20" deep ________________clothes baskets_________________ <shelf, 20" deep ________________clothes baskets_________________ <shelf, 20" deep ___________________________shoes______________ <floor If anyone can understand that, I applaud you. :D I'm not very good at conveying things like this verbally.

I decided finally to get a double stroller when I was pg w/ dc # 3, and dc # 2 was 18 mos. DH was in the military and we were ETSing back home. He had to take one of the vehicles b/c military will only ship 1. So I was going to be on the plane alone w/ a 2 month old, a 2 yr. old, and a 7 yr. old. I had long layovers and airline changes, so I bought an in-line (not side-by-side) Graco double stroller that the infant seat snaps into just for that trip. I don't think I could have managed the Seattle airport nightmare (NO ONE could tell me where my next airline's terminal was located! Even pilots that I asked in passing by. Info desk was un-manned. Got frisked by security b/c of 'random checks'...). It was worth it. I couldn't have managed that trip w/o it. We used the snap-in carseat and it's base until my littlest one grew out of it, but we didn't use the stroller that much. I resold the whole kit and caboodle for over 1/2 of what I paid for it, b/c it was a model they don't sell up here (bought out of state and then moved here w/ it) in a particular print a local gal was looking for and it was practically new. No guilt here. :)

Due to not having enough rooms in our house (it's small), my ds's share a room. To allow room to play, we removed the dresser and put shelving w/ pull-out bins in the closet and got a bunkbed. However, due to some terrible experiences w/ a family member, and not any mischief by either ds, I am cautious to no end. They are not to play with the door closed, ever. The rule is 1 guy changes clothes at a time with the door closed, and no dilly-dallying around about it. Get changed and get it done, so the other guy can change. They are both boys, and are only 2 yrs. apart, and are still used to taking baths together. After the bad experiences I mentioned before came out into the light, I decided not to take any chances at all, and now I sit there the entire time in the bathroom too if they want to take a "play bath" together. That's what they call it when all the hot wheels, little people, etc. join them in the tub. :) I don't mean to sound all scary, but you can never ever be too careful imo. Better to be overprotective than to ever have yourself to blame for not watching closely enough.

As a child, I can remember my mom having a stock-pile of gifts for me to choose from for friends when an invitation came our way. I happily chose from what was there and never gave it a second thought. After going through a phase w/ my dd where she wanted to go shopping and pick out gifts for friends herself, I implemented my mom's idea in my own home. It was just getting to be too expensive. Homemade gifts are nice and more thoughtful, imo. Another idea is to give a special outing/playdate as a gift. Here's how we do that: I call the birthday child's mom and tell them that my child(ren) wants to take her child to Glow-Putt/swimming/bowling/etc. for their birthday gift, and then we arrange a date that's good for everyone. Then I buy a gift certificate to whatever place is chosen, and/or have my children make a picture of them doing the activity together. The last one my ds7 did was a painting of he and his friend sitting atop a snowy (glittered) sledding hill sipping hot cocoa w/ marshmallows (cotton balls glued on). His friend loved it! They had a blast, and his mom thanked me for not adding to the pile of plastic junk toys. I agree books and art stuff are great ideas too! Thanks for that!

My regulars: Heroes Lost (when it returns) For the kids: Liberty's Kids When I have a moment I catch partial shows on these channels: Animal Planet, HGTV, Discovery Channel, TLC DH got Dish just so he could see the Dodgers play (they don't show them on local channels here), but after almost a year (our 1st) he's ready to call it quits. When SpongeBob is the most innocent thing out of whats playing on any of the 'kids channels', it really makes you stop and rethink it. On the other hand, the nature shows and other learning shows would be missed alot.

This is so good to hear! I joined the co-op but have held back on buying as of yet. Thanks for your help!

Does the REAL Science Earth Sci. take up a whole school year? Do they offer Astronomy too, and if so, could that be done in the same year after Earth Sci? Thanks!

I consider myself a teacher and homeschooling my children is currently my job. It does intertwine with the stay-at-home mom job, and the homemaker job. They come naturally and would be done whether I "had to" or not, so it doesn't feel like drudgery. But I do work, and don't like it when others imply otherwise. :glare:

before: boy-crazy rainbow-colored hair, one color at a time rebellious skateboarding snowboarding after: Christ-crazy still have some blue streaks in my natural blonde :) smitten (by God, DH, and DC) homeschooling mama skiing

"Would you eat a fungus growing on a tree in your yard?" No, but I'd light it on fire for use as mosquito repellant. :) Alaskan natives use certain fungi that grow on trees this way. I found a large one and set it on a large metal plate on the picnic table this summer. The bugs stayed far away as long as it was lit, and we didn't have to cover ourselves in deet as usual. As for eating mushrooms, I like to err on the side of caution. I do know a family who goes mushroom picking every year in the Alaskan wilderness. They drive about 4 hours away from civilization for this yearly harvest of theirs. I don't really like the taste of mushrooms or the idea of eating fungus. That settles it for me. :)

For foundation, Clinique or Estee Lauder. I've wanted to try some of those mineral lines as well but haven't had the chance to splurge. If you want to read reviews on any given cosmetic product, you can go to www.makeupalley.com and type in the product. You'll be able to see reviews and also what skin type the reviewer has. If the overall tone of the site puts you off, you can ignore it and just stick to using the review feature. :) Have you tried using a primer under your foundation? Urban Decay and Smashbox make good ones. I use Estee's Idealist Pore Minimizing serum for this under my foundation and find that it helps create a barrier so that it doesn't all settle into my pores. Adult acne just stinks, huh?

Late to the party here, but just wanted to share that I agree that you should go with your instinct & what you are most comfortable with. Whether you follow your beautiful chart or other ideas, it sounds like your children will be extremely well equipped for high school science. Just to share, I had a dilemma over splitting my 2 boys up both in history and science or not. They are 2 years apart, K5 and 2nd grade. What I've ended up doing is Life Science and SOTW 1 for both of them, not because I feel the 2 *have* to be done simultaneously, but for ease of teaching and keeping them together in their studies. The Life Science I am doing is based on TWTM, however I wanted more than just "pick 20 animals", etc. So, we are going the route of introducing the ideas of kingdoms, phylum, genre, class, species..., and while covering what characteristics make up each, hitting on a few species in depth. We talk about what other species are part of that group and why, and in our own time we still discuss things that hold their interest. We spent a long time on mammals, and are finally moving on to fish (because we ended mammals w/ water mammals and I want them to see the difference side-by-side). However, they saw an ad for a cruise and asked if we can take one to Antarctica to see the penguins - a discussion of mammals, birds, and fish ensued. Just because you formally "move on" doesn't mean it's over. :) I don't know if I've had anything helpful for you, but even if not, just know that you're not alone :grouphug: in fretting intensely over things like this! I had to make colorful Excel charts just to organize my thoughts over curriculum choices this year! :tongue_smilie: It seems you've come to a conclusion, but I wanted to share for anyone that could benefit. ETA: Holy resources, Batman! Thanks, everyone, for all the links, curriculum/book suggestions, and ideas!

I found a site called Homeschool Buyer's Co-op that allows members (no fee) to purchase items at a discount through group buys. I am reluctant to hand over my cc info. to them though, trusting them to place the order for me (& supposedly tons of others who use this service). It looks legit. Does anyone here know anything about them or have any experience w/ them? Also, this co-op is offering a great deal on Bolden (or Boden?) microscopes. The prices are slashed way below retail, and I've wanted one for a long time now. I'm looking for a good quality one that could last through high school though, not the toy-ish kind packaged as a science instrument sold at WalMart. Is this a good quality brand? Thanks! This forum is the best!

Wow, thanks for all the helpful info and links! I'll get busy researching straight away. It sounds like CM principles would mesh nicely w/ TWTM, is that right? Thanks again!

Can those of you experienced w/ CM methods answer some of my questions? The more I read about CM the more curious I become. I want to just get her 6 books and read them - is this advisable? I've seen guides to her books on Amazon and such, so are any guides needed to understand and apply them? I like the idea of not using much or any "twaddle" in what we take in. I get the general idea, that twaddle = something that won't stretch minds, inspire, give information, etc. Can someone please give me the "CM definition" of this? So that when I look through a book, I'll know whether it's twaddle or not. I know I had another question regarding CM, but I can't remember it right now. Thanks in advance!

:iagree: Anyone who believes otherwise is in for a rude awakening.

On a thread like this I'll admit, I should have read each and every page before posting. However, I only read to page 4 and saw how many pages were left to go. So, forgive me if this issue has already been brought up, but here goes. As far as I know, and I haven't gone back to listen to the clips to check exact language, Joe didn't say he currently makes $250,000 per year, did he? I thought he wanted to buy the company or move up in it in order to do so, but was dismayed at the idea of moving into Sn. Obama's "upper 5%" tax bracket. Please fill me in on this - did Joe say he does make that much or that he would if he went forward with his career plans? After speaking with 3 friends tonight who work in construction contracting, they said that it would not be hard as a plumber to make that much if you have 6 or 7 large projects going. They cited the long hours plumbers work, often being on-call afterhours. The uproar is that the redistribution of wealth in this manner has never been done in this country before (the US not being socialist and all :tongue_smilie:). People in the U.S. are free to move up the career ladder, get raises, become the manager or president of a company, etc. without their hard-earned $$ being "redistributed". Ideally, we are free to get what we earn - be it a big fat 0 for no work or as much as is possible for ingenuity and effort. Is $250,000 the cap on how 'rich' we're allowed to be under an Obama presidency? My concern is exactly that: putting a 'cap' on capitalism.

:hurray::iagree: It's not "freedom from religion", it's "freedom OF religion". Just another thought (and I'm just using Christianity as the example, but you can apply it to any other religion as well) : How would a non-Christian teacher at a Christian university teach some of the more abstract, intangible things about that faith? Not all courses offered at Christian universities are based purely on studies of the Bible, Biblical or church history, etc. Some courses automatically assume Christian belief. For example, courses titled "Experiencing God; Knowing and Doing the Will of God" or "Growing in Your Relationship with Christ" - how could someone who isn't a Christian teach things like this? For some aspects of faith, there is no go-to manual for a teacher to have studied, enabling him/her to learn it and then turn around and teach it. To pass along certain things pertaining to religious faith it takes more than a teacher can learn from books. It takes belief, passion, committment, and personal experience. Could it really be deemed discriminatory to deny a person a position teaching a class such as the ones I described because they don't subscribe to the very beliefs they are supposed to be conveying? If this sort of legislation was passed, Christian colleges may be forced to hire non- or even anti-Christians. Some may be as extreme as to see it as an opportunity to bring their own anti-Christian personal beliefs or otherwise conflicting agenda into those classes, which would be a disservice to the students who signed up specifically for Christian instruction. There are too many public universities who are indoctrinating students in other beliefs (not just presenting them objectively) to enact this law based on the premise that gov't funding of religious education is wrong. This is a democracy, we have free choice as adults what type of education we'd like, and we the taxpayers should respect this choice of our fellow taxpayers. If gov't funds are kept from students wishing to attend religious universities, I'd think enrollment levels at such schools would drop considerably. College is too expensive, barely affordable for many, even with financial aid. Witholding tax dollars for funding of education based on the offering of additional religious courses is a slippery slope, IMHO. P.S. Atheism and humanism are religions as well. :tongue_smilie:

"Oh, Mary, I thought I'd lost you!" John wept. "Your arm, John!", Mary gasped, seeing his exposed raw wound. "It's okay, love, I'm left-handed", he reassured her. "How did you make it out?" "I just knew I wasn't ready to go, that my time was not up", cried Mary, still wrapped tightly in his arm, "when I launched the floatation vest". John's embrace loosened as he stood back from her. "That thing worked?", he asked, suprised. "John, whatever are you implying? Why wouldn't it have?" said Mary, now thoroughly bewildered. "I'll explain later - right now we have company! RUN!", he hollered as he raced ahead of her, almost dragging her behind him by the hand. "John! Please! I can't keep up!" she cried. On the other side of the world, Braxton and Rain eyed the steel box suspiciously, cautious of what may lie within. They were anxious for answers, but weary of the cost.

I've used Abeka LA and am using FLL now. I think using it all would be fine since they more or less don't cover what the other teaches. This would depend on how much your child is willing to do though. Abeka is heavy on marking vowels, root words, special sounds, etc. FLL is actual grammar - parts of speech, the 4 types of sentences, etc. I'm sure they overlap in part, but IMHO you could just do the Abeka phonics charts so they learn how to spell/read those sounds, do FLL, and then on your own have them mark vowels, root words, and special sounds in whatever text you give them to do that in. You could have them do that with their pages from other work. If I remember correctly, Abeka doesn't start actual parts of speech until 3rd grade. Someone chime in and correct me if that's wrong. HTH!

Some friends of mine named their son Sampson Danger - I didn't know there were others that shared his middle name. Not a bad name, just different. I keep wondering what the inspiration for it was? As for boy names that would sound bad w/ a last name pronounced "Lye-shnur" (but one is even in my family), how about: Lyle, Lloyd, Linus, Leopold, Lucian, Lester... and too bad it's not a girl! Then I'd suggest Letitia Lucretia (not my idea - got it from a baby name book).