Mine is up- have a great day everyone!

I like the program, but my 2nd grader HATED it. Every time she misspelled something, she felt like she was being punished by having to go through all the steps (trace the letter, spell it to yourself, write it out etc.) If she got one wrong she'd just start crying, even though she hardly ever got one wrong. So we switched to Spelling Workout. I will try the program with my ds though when he gets old enough.

We're usually done with lessons/lunch/reading to the 3 y.o. by 1 pm. I try to get everyone, including the baby outside for an hour if it isn't too cold. After that, I try to leave them pretty much on their own if we aren't going out. I had planned to do an afternoon devoted to nature study but that hasn't happened yet, I feel like they need the free time to decompress. During this time, I do household stuff/cooking/play with the baby etc. If there is squabbling or boredom I'll usually say "if you can't get along/entertain yourself, come with me and help with the laundry". They'll usually occupy themselves pretty quick! We do go out somewhere three afternoons also, usually for lessons and other activities.

Ours is up. Thanks for visiting!

Oh I'm liking the sheet protector idea! Thanks!

We used FLL 1 for 1st grade but now in 2nd FLL2 seems a bit much. DD is very bored with it and hates doing the chanting of helping verbs etc. So we are switching to Primary Language Lessons which will hopefully be more interesting to her. I plan to wait another year or 2 for more formal grammar.

I can't figure out how I'm supposed to use these. My dd is almost 8 and in Level C. Every few lessons it tells us to spend 10 minutes doing the practice sheets (way too much time according to her since that would mean doing two or three back to back). Earlier in the book it said to spend five minutes every day on the practice sheets ,which we have been doing sporadically. She doesn't like being timed and doing the chart as suggested. Does anyone else use the practice sheets- how do you do it?

Mine is up.

We're using: Math: Rightstart A- he LOVES this, we do 10 minutes of the lesson, then play a couple of games. Phonics: Ordinary Parent's Guide. He's so so on this but he does it. We also read BOB books. 10 minutes total at most. He reads tons on is own and to his little brother. Handwriting: We do about 1 page of italic handwriting a day. Art: He participates (sometimes) when his sister does Artistic Pursuits. But most of his art involves making Lego sculptures.:)

Ours is up. Have a great weekend...

I still use the McGuffy readers with my almost 8 yo even though she reads way above level b/c I think it's good reading aloud practice. She has gotten better about reading more clearly, loudly, etc. We only do it once a week for 5 min. max.

I've used it with 2 so far and they both picked it up pretty quickly, so quickly that my 5 year old is bored with it. I want him to finish b/c I'll find words here and there that he doesn't know but it can be a struggle to pull him through each day. Unless I tell him he can play on starfall.com afterwards. Then he's thrilled to do it. It's scripted but I personally ignore the script. Both kids loved the little games that pop up occasionally like scavenger hunts and making silly sentences. All in all it's great and easy to use. I definitely recommend getting the set of premade cards to go along with it if they still sell that. Otherwise you have to do quite a bit of writing on index cards.

We just started SOTW 2, which we are using the same way as for first grade- Day 1: I read the chapter, she narrates after each section and I write it down and read it back to her. We do the map work and coloring page and file it in her notebook. If I have go along books ready we start on those. Day 2: We listen to the audio (I use this time to check out the encylopedia we use the Usborne Internet Linked History one so I see if there are any good links to follow). We do some extra readings if we found anything good at the library. We do a project- often that gets pushed to a 3rd day. The projects and coloring pages are dd's favorite parts and she does like doing the notebook and showing it to her dad. We love this program, it's definitely worth the extra time to us.

That's great, can't wait to show dd. Thanks!

I just put ours up.

3 hours for everything, we use a loop plan and just get through what we can in that time. Next day we pick up where we left off in the loop. It takes us about 6 days to get through the whole loop.

Mine (5) loves A to Z mysteries, Secrets of Droon, Secrets of Dripping Fang (the covers can be a bit gruesome, Little Wolf (and the sequels), Berenstain Bears chapter books, and the ZAK files.

I just put one up. Busy week.

We bought the slate, workbook, and wood pieces. Both older kids really liked the wood pieces , they had a lot of fun with that part of it but I don't know how much it actually added to their handwriting. We used the slates to practice each letter before using the workbook and they still use them today to play with.

My dd (7) loves the book More than Moccasins , we use it every year around this time.

I just posted mine, can't resist the baby pictures. Have a great day!

I'll preface by saying I feel overwhelmed all the time and the days I'm able to get it "all" done it's because I ran around like crazy exhausting myself! And even on those days there's still plenty that needs to be done. I take a shower before dh leaves for work, otherwise it would be impossible. I have to get up earlier than him to be able to do this but I normally do anyway. This is also my exercise time. The kids are in charge of feeding the animals (4 cats), making their bed, and doing a chore ( I have a master list they can choose from or I'll name specific things that need to be done). We start lessons at 8:30 and I'm very strict about that, if the kitchen is still a mess so be it- dd can start on something at least. We use a loop plan, like some others here and work for 3 hours only. At 11:30 I stop & read to my 3 yo. This is all subject to the baby and we do have to be very flexible b/c of her but it usually works out. We spend sometime every weekend deciding what to eat for the upcoming week and make a list. Then I know what we're having each night. We do really easy meals and certain days are always the same- Tues. we're out a lot in the afternoon so it's sandwich night for example. I always start prepping dinner at the same time (as long as the kids are cooperative) & they are each assigned a room to tidy up before they can watch a show (their TV time coincides w/dinner prep). I have a washer with a timer and I throw in a load the night before so it'll start before we get up. One of the kids usually switches it over and puts in a second load as their morning chore, but I don't usually get around to folding clothes until after dinner...they each have a basket which I put folded clothes in and then they put them away (not neatly, but away!) Oh and we also each pick up 15 things around the house after lunch. There's 4 of us that can do it, it's quick and helps a lot.

I also have a tireless narrator. If I need her to keep it brief (she is dictating, I'm writing) after she yammers on about something in great detail I'll say "So can I just write xyz..?) And my version is much more concise. I don't do it all the time because I want it to be in her own words but sometimes she goes overboard!

We're using the Getty-Dubay program, I ordered it from Rainbow Resource.

I don't know about SOTW III (only have 1 & 2) but the example narrations given in the first couple volumes are really short, like two sentences tops. I thought we were supposed to be trying to get to the point where they could summarize just briefly? But my daughter (2nd grade) will dictate paragraphs b/c she's not the one writing it (my arm does hurt some days from writing). I also ask her to draw a picture or just make a list of what she finds interesting as alternatives if she is resisting.