My Mom has bought me the TOH yearly cookbook for years... do you remember which year it was listed?

My response would be, "you betcha"... but having said that I have the option of hiring a cleaning lady and don't either. I think my reasoning is two fold. I'm a fairly private person and have high standards when it comes to clean. It seems like each time I've had a maid come in she hasn't scrubbed and polished to my standards... I'd rather do it myself and spend the money on something fun for the family. Besides, my two DC still think it's fun to scrub the floors by hand. May they never think otherwise. Amen.:D

:lol: Yep. I'm in the family too.:D

No kidding, really? Do you use equal parts of vinegar and water?

Lite, of course. :D

Gorilla glue works on everything. Just ask my 5 year old DS.:D

Nursewithgrace wonders what it would be like to refer to herself in the first person. I just caught myself telling my DC, "Mommy said to get in bed, now!":D

In the event that anything like this happens you could always go to base legal. I would imagine they would help with some sort of remuneration on moving expenses incurred. Good luck with your PCS.

We're moving (again) this summer and I don't want to have to haul curriculum from South Korea back to the states. I'll wait until we're settled in our new home before I start buying this year.

Well said.

Er, well.... we started out our homeschooling adventure (this year) studying the Ancients. However, instead of doing year two of SOTW I'm going to transition us into American History next year. We may go back and do "year two" after that. :D I think one of the best things about homeschooling is allowing some of your subjects to truly be delight driven. My DC are interested in Amer. History, so that's the path we're going to take.

Okay... since you've used both... how does TT compare to CLE? I know CLE runs slightly ahead academically. I had heard that TT runs about a year behind. Is this true? What do you like about it? We use CLE here and I love it, but my DD really enjoys working some on the computer so I've considered it in the past just for enjoyments sake.

Wonderful site... thanks again for sharing!

We are loving CLE ... we're finishing up the 3rd grade program (I haven't used 5th grade) but am planning on continuing with CLE. The lessons are in an easy format, run slightly above grade level, is a spiral program and my DD loves it. Minimal teacher prep. CLE offers placement tests if you are unsure of what level to place your 5th grader in. HTH

I voted situational... as this is our first year homeschooling and I thought the school at our current location (Korea) was substandard. Having said that we'll be moving next year, possible to a largecity, not known for their educational standards... so we may continue HS'ing. We won't be able to afford $20,000 a year for private school and I'm not willing to sacrifice my DC's education. I have to admit that we've had a really good school year so far and that I enjoy HS'ing more than I thought I would.

We are using Rod & Staff's 3rd grade science curriculum. They are a Christian series, so it may not be what you're looking for. I know a lot of HS families that have great and wonderful plans for science and then it ends up on the back burner with only a handful of lessons completed each year. The lessons are a bit dry but I have to admit they are getting done... and my DD doesn't complain about them. (She doesn't ask to do it either).:D Having said all of that I am looking at Singapore Science for next year. I haven't used it before so I can't give you any insight into it. If you'd like to take a look at it, just go to the Singapore Math sight and then click on "science" in the left hand column. HTH

:lurk5:

Check out Rod & Staff Spelling. We are using it this year for third grade and love it! There are usually 16 new words listed each week with three "review words". The lessons are divided up into three parts (A, B and C). You can do one section a day or spread the written work out over three days with a fourth day for review and test on the fifth day. Section A is usually a vocabulary type exercise with the spelling list... fill in the blank. Section B is phonics (write the spelling word with /o/ spelled aw type questions. Part C is usually some sort of alphabetical work... listing the words in alphabetical order. My DD likes to do all three sections on Monday, review orally (a la' spelling bee) and then take her written test on Thursday. It's a versatile program, I like the vocabulary review and is pick up and go for me... NO prep work required. Plus, the words really seem to be sticking so it's working!! It's also really inexpensive. I have the TM and use it so I would definitely by both that and the student workbook. HTH

Reading, math, more reading, a little penmanship, more reading....

:lol:

I'm not sure if there's a magical number but for me an age difference greater than 20 years kind of creeps me out a bit. Having said that, my grandmother married a man that was only a few years older than my Dad. He was an awesome GrandDaddy before he passed away several years ago, so I think there are exceptions to be made for the most part. Clear as mud, right?

Thanks everyone! (I loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond too).

I want to be like you when I grow up.:D

put my recipes in page protectors and have them in a three ring binder. It is very easy to add recipe's this way and makes them easy to access. Also, if anything spills on the page while I'm cooking it's easy to clean up.

I love Rod & Staff spelling.