I've been ordering from RR for 4 years now. I only had 1 book arrive damaged before, but I never complained. I ordered an AAR guide a couple of weeks ago, it arrived damaged, as well as the cards, but the activity book was just fine. I complained because it definitely belonged in the bargain books section. I'm doubtful it happened in shipping. They sent me a new guide. It was the previous edition, different copyright. I complained. They sent me another but its delayed in the mail somewhere, I was supposed to receive it 2 days ago! I had placed another order. They arrived bent up as well. They sent me new ones, they also arrived a bit bent up, specifically one book, equally damaged, but in different ways. My husband said they definitely should have been in the bargain section, hands down. They originally offered me a 25% refund, and I should've taken it. They told me they will have UPS pick up my returns, but I'm rarely home when UPS comes to my neighborhood. I'd rather be given a return label so I can drop it off. I have a big box full to return to them. i feel like I haven't been told clearly how to go about returning. They said to put my credit card info on the packing slip. First of all, I didn't pay by credit card, second of all, if I had, I would likely not list my credit card info on a packing slip. The order number is there, so there is no reason I cannot be refunded. I'm frustrated! I just want to return what I need to return and get the books I need to get and be on my merry homeschool way! I'm upset at myself because the books are replacing ones I sold. I sold the 3 books thinking I wouldn't use them, I sold them in brand spankin' new, perfect condition. I regretted it, so I reordered new ones, but they aren't do new looking.

To be honest, I thought LHFHG was so similar to LHTH. I noticed that before we began our year, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. We made it a few weeks before putting it away. I just sold it this past week. I just didn't care for it.

I think the cons list is inaccurate. This program will help any child read before the 4th grade! Personally, I love AAR 1. I doubt I'll continue to any other level, but that's because my daughter learned to read and is now reading at a 3rd/4th grade level and she's 6 yrs old. She hated most of what we tried before AAR 1. It was just the thing to jumpstart her love for reading. I wish I had used it with my oldest when he was learning to read!

Love ETC and certainly helps with reading/sounding out words!

Nope. He was allowed as a tiny puppy, but we quit that, he's 70 lbs and we barely fit our family on the couch and loveseat. No room for him too! Not to mention, the shedding was insane this summer, it still was everywhere, I cannot imagine how bad it would've been if he was allowed on the couch.

Congrats!! I'm excited for you! I'm due in 2 weeks, and sold baby items before finding out, like our crib. A step family member was so perplexed when I said I wasn't ready for baby, "you didn't keep all of your baby items?!" Nope, I didn't!

Maybe I wouldn't have the "ring of fire." I had heard that your body will push baby out when ready, I was skeptical. With number 3 the nurse had me push a few times so he was crowning, and said she would call the doctor in a moment. I asked DH how quickly she planned on calling the doctor, so he asked and she said in a moment. There was no "moment" as I had little control (I did have the epidural, but I felt him coming right then). The nurse ended up delivering him...after those few initial pushes, I didn't do any work, he just came out. I tore a little with my first baby, but didn't tear at all with my second or third, so hopefully I won't this time!

I think everyone's experience is certainly different. For me, I didn't even feel them put the epidural in. The most I felt was the cold sensation when they began administering it. I was not stuck flat on my back, I was able to be somewhat upright. The epidural never lasted super long at all, I know it wasn't hours after birth. To be honest, typically the process of clean up, pressing my belly, holding baby, nursing for the first time, exhaustion, etc never made me want to hop straight out of the bed anyway. My epidurals have always worn off by the time all that was said and done.

They have found that it's better for the healing process if you tear. I tore with my first, but not with my second or third. With my last birth (3rd) I had that too. I had the epidural, which numbed my belly, but it took forever to get to my groin. The pain that I felt was much worse than the contractions were, and it felt like bones grinding or more like what you said "being torn apart." The epidural did numb that too, but is that what transition feels like?? I really am terrified of the ring of fire, but I guess it would be minor pain in comparison to the pelvis pain.

I have always gone into saying, "I'll avoid epidural" but never actually did. I'm terrified of transition and the possible "ring of fire." I'm due in 3 weeks, but have been overdue with my 3 previous babies, so I don't expect much different. All I know is, I am very afraid of natural birth, I admit it. I also HATE those stupid moniters, and the nurses being obviously irritated if you don't stay in bed enough.

I've never had an unmedicated birth. I've had three inductions and three epidurals. First baby I made it to 2cm, yes, only 2cm, I had been contracting all night because of the cervadil and after they started pitocin the back labor set in. Back labor is painful, labor was "active" for about 11 hrs or so. Second baby, I got the epidural around 5cm, about an hour later my daughter was born, active labor was about 5 hours. For my 3rd, it went a bit like my 2nd, labor was about 5 hours, but I was determined to hold off on the epidural, I made it to 7cm and he was born an hour later. I don't know this time. I feel like I don't have the energy to attempt a natural birth for baby #4! I've always said I'd do it someday, but I'm not sure. I've also always said I'd avoid inductions, but if haven't done that either. My recommendation is to wait until you truly need it. I liked having the freedom to get up and around before getting the epidural, having it for an hour for the last 2 was far better than my first birth, having it for most of the day. I don't regret my epidurals at all.

Love pizza + ranch! Just not the same without it!

I'm in SC as well, I too was bitten by a tick this year, first time ever in my life. A tiny one, and not engorged. I had a red bump, but no bulls eye. Looked like a typical bug bite, but don't recall if it looked like a bee sting, that can vary depending on sensitivity in each person. It's natural for a bug bite to leave a mark, especially one like a tick. You could call your doctor, have it checked go be safe. Lyme disease isn't common here. I forgot to mention it to my OB until 3 months later. I felt silly for it, but I had no reactions or symptoms of Lyme disease. My OB said I'm ok and it's of no cause for concern. But as many have stated, you may want to get checked to be certain, it wouldn't hurt.

I don't know honestly! I love to eat, but I have had the problem of nothing sounding good. I always find something, but not knowing what to eat is so aggrivating!

Thanks! More to ponder. I think I'm leaning towards the infant seat. Just to say though, infant seats aren't safer than convertible car seats, that is, if it properly fits a newborn. We had a Britax Roundabout years ago and while it said 5lbs+ there was no way even my 7 lb baby was going to be able to use it. For babe #3 we used the Combi Coccoro and it was perfect, my 3 yr old still uses it! I'd use it got the newbie, but I ditched the infant insert as I wasn't anticipating passing it down, so we are now in need of another seat, just having trouble figuring out which one!

I'm so torn! I don't know if I should go with the infant seat or convertible for our baby coming in about 5 weeks? I used an infant seat with my first 2 babies, and a convertible with my 3rd. I really don't know which I prefer. I like the infant seat can be taken out if needed, but I also know it's heavy. I typically use a wrap to carry baby, but that's not ideal in all situations. What is your preference?

Oh, I do really enjoy HOD, but the way it is set up, it's not working as well as I had envisioned as written. I already skip things now. For LHFHG, I actually don't like the rhymes, science book, or dramatic play. I don't follow the math schedule, though we do use Singapore. I do like the Bible readings, R&S workbook, History and the Burgess books. While I like the Bible verses, I've been considering combining their Bible time, instead of juggling two different verses, and two different songs. This makes me wonder if I should just ditch the guide and science book, but continue reading the books I do like at our own pace. With Bigger, I like the History, though I'm curious as to why it jumps around. I don't mean between different books, but why does it jump around in one book? Why not read it in the order it's written? I like the notebooking, but I'm not fond of the science experiments, they don't explain the why behind the result. I don't care for the vocabulary, I think it would make a bigger difference if I had my son use words he wants to know from his reading time. However, he has remembered a few of the Bigger vocabulary words, so he is retaining some of them. We're not following the math schedule, R&S English schedule, and we've dropped dictation, and use our own spelling. We use our own Cursive. Basically, we're using the left side of Bigger. I am finding that these are things I can do on my own. It's just branching out to do so that I'm not sure about, especially being 10 weeks into schooling and a baby coming in about 6 weeks! This might not be the best time for me to reevaluate my year. I know of many who have said the same about HOD, it paved their way in doing things on their own. I do love their book options, so really, if I was to ditch it, I'd be ditching the guides.

I'm still struggling with this decision! I just don't know! I know it could be great, but I'm nervous to ditch it, I couldn't wait to get to Bigger, and here I am, wondering if I want to continue!

I believe that Ebola 'could' become a problem anywhere is what I meant in previous posts. In more modern countries, rather than 3rd world countries, it's highly unlikely. Ebola patients don't just drop to the ground, the severity of symptoms varies, as does time period for it to be so bad they cannot stand up. So like any illness that is caught in the same manner as Ebola, can be left undetected for a short time. Person gets up feeling fine, but starts a fever, and assumes they simply have a case of the flu or the stomach bug. We aren't infallible, we have our own diseases that go around person to person because people chose not to stay home from public places when they're not feeling well. Since Ebola is unlikely to become a problem here in the USA, it's likely that IF someone were to have it, it would be easily assumed that it was a typical illness, until it were to get out of control.

Yeah, it's a common question! We've used some of both. I've ultimately decided on standards, but I believe that the biggest differences are after level 2, so you'll be ok having a different edition of 1B!

I definitely don't dispute that, however, it has been shown through this outbreak that it IS easy to spread person to person, if it weren't, people wouldn't be wearing hazmat suits (or the like) to treat these patients. They wouldn't be getting sprayed with bleach upon leaving the treatment area. I do believe many have gotten it from contaminated food, and/or exposure to dead animals, but it is spreading like wildfire, and many articles have conflicting information, like stated by the OP. Some of the articles have been honest in stating they really don't have extensive research on Ebola. I appreciate that honesty, because I do believe that to be true.

We do have better sanitation and facilities to treat patients with infectious diseases. I am not paranoid about Ebola, but I find the topic very interesting. After I had not heard any news about Ebola for a couple of weeks, I went searching for news updates. I was sad to read that there are areas in Africa that are running out, or have run out of supplies, like the gowns, goggles, etc. I also read that there are some locations that are low on IV fluids, or have completely run out. Getting the outbreak under control in those locations, with lack of supplies is nearly impossible. IF the virus was to come here, yes, I believe we would have an easier time treating it, BUT considering less severe viruses make their rounds so easily (like someone mentioned above, stomach bug) I don't imagine Ebola would be any different. I didn't have big concerns about the American workers being flown back here, as 3 people known to have the virus would be easy to contain. If someone had it, not knowing and went to the ER, that's different. Realistically it has the ability to spread like any other "non airborne" virus, and if an outbreak were to happen, I don't believe the USA can handle it as well as they say. Certainly better than Africa, but I think some doctors are overly confident. The procedures in isolation are good, but the more patients taken on, the more room for failure. I am so sad for the locations in Africa battling this disease.

I posted this question months ago when I found out we were expecting #4. I waited until 14 weeks, which is the longest I've ever waited, to attempt to avoid those types of comments! I received good feedback from everyone thankfully, though some family asked about our plans for sterilization, go figure! Congrats on your pregnancy! All babies are a blessing!!

I feel similar about HOD and sometimes I wonder if it's just my pride that's holding me back from dropping it. I like to accelerate in some subjects and I feel like worrying about all the boxes holds us back from moving along in things like math. Not because I'm confined to the guide, but because I feel like the other subjects will make our day so lengthy. I already skip some activities! My son always has his nose in a book. Not only do I have him read the extensions in Bigger, I also have to worry about juggling Storytime in LHFHG for my daughter in Kinder, plus the Storytime for Bigger, plus he reads his own interest books 1+ hrs per day. I feel like our day consists of steps and doesn't flow, no matter how much the different subjects are "connected." But for some reason I'm hanging in there, but I know our next break will probably be some make up for things I've wanted yo cover but just haven't done. I feel in over my head some days doing 2 guides. Also, my other hang up is lugging the guides around. There are questions about the Burgess books in LHFHG...we school upstairs, but read downstairs. I don't lug the guides around, and then forget to use the questions later. It just seems like a lot, it truly does. However...in later years, I feel like I'll need something written for me!

Yes, that's fine.