I've used everything you mentioned and was paralyzed just like you. I actually didn't make him do any real writing assignments for the past few years because I just couldn't figure out what to make him write. Anyways, I finally bought Brave Writer and BW Help For High School. I sat down, read it, emailed Julie at BW for help and my ds is writing! I was able to put him in a BW online class called Kids Write Intermediate, but it just covers what's in the last couple chapters of BW and the first few in Help For High School. I just needed extra handholding and I wanted feedback from a neutral party. BW really makes a lot of sense if you read it and use it. She also has a section in the back to help schedule writing assignments. You can get back issues of BW's Boomerang which is a months worth of LA and literary analysis from homeschoolbuyerscoop.com, 5 for 24.95. You can download a free issue from the BW website, just make sure you read how to use it because it looks deceptively lacking but it's a great resource. I could never get my head around WWS, Classical Comp, IEW, Writing Strands and so forth. Brave Writer just makes sense to me and has help simplify school and has kept ds from hating writing. What is the Boomerang? The Boomerang is a monthly digital downloadable product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. You may download a sample issue to view (and use!) by clicking on the “Download a Sample†button on the right. It is the indispensable tool for Brave Writer parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context, using copywork and dictation. It is a language arts resource that equips you, the homeschooling parent, to fulfill your best intentions related to: Spelling Punctuation Grammar Literary elements Quality living literature Literary analysis The practices of copywork and dictation teach your children the fundamentals of written communication. These practices naturally facilitate the development of accurate mechanics in the context of quality literature (the best words, in the best style, accurately edited).

I can't say enough about Brave Writer online classes. I thought my ds would never learn to write. We failed with IEW, WWE/WWS and various others until I just gave up. Just for the heck of it I signed him up for Kids Write Intermediate at Brave Writer and he just blossomed! Monday starts his last week in the class and he asked me to sign him up for another! That's a big deal for him. I never knew he had such a great writing voice until Julie at BW gently guided him through the writing process and showed him that writing could be fun and not a chore.

I totally agree with Jennifer! Derek Owens is awesome! My ds used Saxon through 8/7 and barely retained anything. Somehow, the way Derek explains things just clicks with my ds. It's worth every penny.

I agree with the Julies, it's a little light. My son is an avid reader and history buff, so we added Spielvogel's Western Civ.

Well, I ordered from 39dollarglasses! We shall see! I went to America's Best for an eye exam and almost bought glasses. They came to nearly $500!! I just couldn't pay that so I took my rx and left. I got online and checked 39dollar and Warby Parker and ended up with 39dollar because of the frames I liked. I got Varilux hd lenses with Transitions and anti-glare for less than half of the glasses store. I hope I like them!

Derek is very easy going and accommodating. My ds hasn't needed extra help, but I think the way it's all set up has allowed me to look over the notes and and solutions so that I could help him myself.

I never thought of it that way. You may be right.

My dd, K, is divorced from the father. He isn't in the picture at all. K is aware of gdd's jealousy to some degree, but I don't think she understands how bad it is. She doesn't see it like I do because it happens when dd isn't there. My 22 yo dd (her aunt) has been talking to gdd trying to talk to her to understand that she's loved a lot and that it hurts Emma when she gets jealous and angry. It's just a tough situation. I love gdd, but I still have my own kids that I need to take care of. K is overly sensitive to criticism so I hate having to tell her anything negative about her kids. They are good kids and gdd and Emma are best friends, but when that jealousy strikes she just lashes out.

I was going to post about this same issue! Every time I've mailed something media rate I get the third degree. The last time I went the guy was a real jerk! I had a heavy package and I leaned it on the edge of the counter and he said "I didn't call you up here. I'm not taking anyone right now". I really wanted to say, "Hello mister, I don't think you should bite the hand that feeds you." I just said I was sorry and backed up. It's just getting ridiculous at the PO.

I have a granddaughter who is 11, my daughter is 10 and my grandson is 9. I have a really hard time balancing being a mom of a young child and also a grandma. DD is the youngest of 6. My others are 14, 22, 25, 28, and 30. I was never in a position to spoil my older 4 but the younger 2, especially my youngest, I've been able to do a little more for. Things were tough for a long time but the past few years have been a little better financially and we've had a little more discretionary funds. My problem is that my granddaughter is constantly jealous of my daughter. Emma (my dd) is to the point where she hides things that she gets even if she pays for them herself because my grand dd gets so jealous. I just can't buy 3 of everything ( I can't get something for grand dd and not grand ds too) that I get for Emma because I can't afford that. Emma never brags about her stuff and she always shares but grand dd ends up upset. It's never big things either. I do pick up stuff for grand dd and grand ds occasionally, but it doesn't seem to matter she wants what Emma gets. Emma is to the point that she feels guilty when she gets anything from anyone. I don't know what to do.

Wow, great info! Should we try to extend the trip to maybe 8-10 days? I'm starting to think that 5 days isn't enough.

Wow! Thanks for all the info! Nothing about the trip is set in stone yet. It's just my sister and me and we will be there about 5 days so I want to pack in as much as possible. I love ALL foreign countries and their cultures so I want to experience as much as I can. Food, music, sights, museums, etc . The Dead Sea is at the top of my list for sure. I was thinking of staying somewhere that was central to the sights we want to see. I don't know what those sights are yet since we just decided to go last night. (-; I would stay anywhere as long as it's safe and fairly bug free. My sister, who is paying for everything, likes top end hotels. However, she will try anything I want her to, so that's why I'm doing the planning. I am open to ALL suggestions so please give me all ya got! I just can't believe that I'm going to be walking on the same ground as David and Solomon and Herod and Jesus! It's mind boggling to me!

Thanks for the advice. You are so lucky to have lived there for a time! It will just be my sister and myself, no kids. She is paying for me because there is no way I can afford to travel. We will be there for about 5 days and I was thinking of staying in Jerusalem. I don't really know much about Israel and I want to pack as much into these 5 days as I can. Is Tiberius closer to more things?

My sister and I are going to Israel!!!!!! She's always wanted to go so we are!! What are must-not-miss things we should see and do???? There is so much to choose from and I don't want to miss out. We were thinking of staying in either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. I just can't believe it.

Well, I called a piano guy. He says around $95 but he won't know until he gets here.

Oh, another question ... Some places send you right over to their eyewear store after the exam and just assume you are buying glasses from them. How do I just get an exam and rx without buying glasses from them?

I've looked at them. I like that they let you upload a picture so you can try the glasses on.

Also, if I don't like the way glasses feel on my nose, would plastic be better since they don't have those nose feet things?

That's pretty cool, 5 glasses to try!

Great! I'm checking them out right now. Thanks!

Wow! Good deal!

I need glasses. I'm almost 49 and I probably need bifocals. I've gotten glasses twice in the past 10 years or so and the rx has been wrong both times and I end up not wearing them. Also, I hate the way glasses feel on my face. I've tried contacts but they always feel like I have an eyelash in my eye. My eyes are worse now and I keep putting off going to the eye doctor because we don't have vision insurance. What is the cheapest and best way for me to get glasses that work?

Thank you for the information. I really know nothing about pianos. At least I have some idea now!

Well .... Any Ohio people out there know how much piano tuning might be? :confused1:

Can anyone tell me approximately how much tuning would cost for a baby grand piano that hasn't been tuned in over 5 years and has a couple of sticky keys? I just need a ballpark figure because I have no experience with piano tuning. Thanks.