Yes, DH has a best friend, male. They started going to 2nd grade together and have been friends ever since. DH is also an extrovert, so I think that's part of it. He just likes having friends.

We love MP! I have used Prima Latina, States and Capitals, New American Cursive, Poetry for the Grammar Stage, Storytime Treasures, More Storytime Treasures, several Literature Guides, Intro to Composition, and we plan on using a lot more in the future! Like others, I though the MP guides looked dry and repetitive, but when we started trying them, my DD8 just loved them. She actually asked me, "Mom, can we use more of this brand?" And I was sold. I probably won't use full cores, but we are using more and more and are really enjoying it. We are just about to move into Latina Christiana and she's so excited! The books do follow a repetitive pattern, which I'm sure wouldn't work for every kid, but it works like a charm for mine! She has learned so much, without having to juggle all the bells and whistles of some other programs. As for the amount of writing, I like it. It stretches them. They will write easily and well after a few years of MP.

What is it, Christmas all over again?! I guess I must be the Easter Grinch. We don't do baskets. Like, at all. I might buy half price candy after Easter, though.

Much like Sk8ermaiden, we start with the primers in K4, books 1-3 in K, and 4-wherever in 1st grade. Usually by the end of 1st they're reading on a 2-4th grade level and we don't finish the series. Current 1st grader is in book 5 and is reading really well. I may get book 6 for him, and I may not. It's all review for him at this point.

Per child per year, less than $500. Mind you, my oldest is in 3rd, so I'm sure I'll spend a little more as they grow.

Well, I'm not sure how the French teach cursive :laugh: but check out New American Cursive. It begins in 1st grade, simply and without frills. It teaches the child to first learn to recognize each cursive letter, then trace a large sample with their finger, and then trace it before attempting to write it themselves. At the end of each letter lesson, the child is supposed to draw either a 'letter figure', or a picture of something that begins with each letter. Also, Cheerful Cursive, which teaches reading cursive as well as writing it, but has a gentle grammar component as well. I'm not sure what you mean by body movement, but I know that Handwriting Without Tears uses manipulatives, at least in the beginning. Not sure this was helpful, but hopefully it will give you something to look at.

We have a hundred-year-old farmhouse on 8 acres in a really nice rural community. I love it! The house is understandably in need of some repairs/upgrades, but the space is perfect for us.

:(... I'm so very sorry. Prayers for their comfort and yours. (((Hugs))).

Praying for those sweet boys!

I would try FLL since you already have it. It's night and day different from Hake in Level 2 (FLL has barely any writing, as I recall). If she can memorize her parts of speech and some simple grammar rules, she can be successful in FLL. (Someone remind me...does sentence diagramming begin in FLL2 or 3? I think it was 3.)

Memoria Press has recently added a second schedule for Latin (because they know it's hard!). Their new 3rd-4th grade plans have the student complete Latina Christiana over two years, doing only 15 lessons a year. That gives them twice the time to master the vocabulary and memorize the first two conjugations/declensions. So the plan would be: Prima Latina - 2nd grade Latina Christiana (1st half) - 3rd grade Latina Christiana (2nd half) - 4th grade First Form - 5th grade HTH!

We like Spelling Workout. :) It's my 1st-grader's favorite subject. But we are definite workbook lovers, so YMMV...:D

My Kuerig is my favorite appliance at the moment :D They're not complicated. Buy a box of each kind you want to try, or you can get variety packs on Kuerig.com. The newer machines can make either a single cup or a small carafe. I think the coffee is far superior to drip coffeemakers. I can't go to a restaurant (or even DD) and get a cup of coffee that's equal to my Kuerig. That's how much I like it! They're not hard to clean. The machine comes with clear instructions, and you can also YouTube it and watch it done. I think you should go for it! (But then, I'm clearly biased) ;)

No Santa here. Yet somehow all my kids will be excitedly whispering by 5 or 6, I'm sure. Why wouldn't they be excited? Christmas isn't about Santa, ya know.

No, no, and NO! I'm a country gal. We have 8 acres in a tiny rural town and it's perfect. The kids play outside without me and I don't have to worry. We have 13 chickens and 13 rabbits, one big ol' dog, a cat, several children, two RC airplanes, a barn, a shed...you get the picture. I can't imagine living in close proximity to people and just having no...space. No thanks.

I've only used through level three, but in those levels the spelling lists are in the teacher's manual, not the answer keys. The answer keys only have the answers, while the teachers manuals have the 'extras' like how to teach certain sections, lists of necessary supplies, spelling lists for the quizzes, etc.

(((Hugs))). Sorry you're feeling yucky. I've had many, many sinus infections. Upper molar pain almost always = sinus infection. Also, if the mucous in your nose is greenish or yellowish and thick, that's a good indicator. Hope you feel better soon!

Hi, all. The bigger kids are doing great with school, but my preschooler is struggling seriously with perfectionism. He's a great little guy, but he's definitely the type that falls apart if any little thing goes wrong. He's always been that way. Lucky me, right? He is so excited about doing preschool a few mornings a week, but when we sit down to do it he just can't do it. Coloring is a big no. If he crosses the lines even just a bit, he falls apart. Tracing short lines with a crayon...again he can't take it if the crayon goes off the dotted line at all. So far preschool has looked like me reading out loud to him. :D Is he just not ready? He's almost 4. The other two kids just ate up little activities like this much younger than he is. Even if he is too young, I can't see his perfectionism going away as he grows. How do you teach a kid that it's okay if everything doesn't always come out perfect? Thanks for any insight!

I know, right?! I accomplished nothing -zero- over the weekend. This morning DH took off for work and I am happily creating order out of chaos once again :D Now if only the boys' fevers would go away :(

If you live where it's cold, warm gloves or mittens are great. We like to put magazines in stockings (we don't really buy or subscribe to magazines, so it's kind of a special thing).

Memoria Press lit guides. They're basic, no frills workbooks, but both my 1st grader and 3rd grader like them.

My grown up kitty still does those things. The dryer is especially inviting for him because it's nice and warm. Because there are several people living here who tend to leave the dryer door open, I always check for Riley before I load/start the dryer. :D

OK, stop blaming Aspergers. Seriously. I have Aspergers. I would never treat someone (especially my own daughter!) that way. Aspergers creates a difficulty understanding human emotion, not a convenient excuse to just not care. :(

Ok, so am I the only one thinking that for people who 'don't care about the issue', it sure hasn't taken long to get to 7 pages? Seven! About stupid Starbucks cups!?