We're just about to wrap up Treasured Conversations here (with my 3rd grader) and I'm at a bit of a loss looking for the next thing. This program has been wonderful and a great fit for us, so something that builds on writing in a similar direction would be great! I'd love to hear suggestions from those of you a step or two (or ten) ahead of us. Thanks in advance.

We've just started level 3, and so far so good with retention. It begins so gently that there has only been very basic grammar to retain so far... So- we'll see! We've lived the experience of the program- it's lovely.

Totally agree with Chelli... Kids loved it, and it spurred them on in their interest, so documentaries library books were consumed with enthusiasm. I wish the quality of writing and story was better too...

Since I live less than 30 min. away.... Feels like an easy yes! The only hitch is that I'd just booked a trip with friends for the last weekend in May. So it feels like I've used up my extra time/money for a while. Maybe I can justify one as "mother culture" and the other as "teacher training." ;)

Actually... The loan might only be for locals.... I bookmarked it without looking into details...

I've been curious about the quark chronicles, but no personal experience. It's here: http://barefootmeandering.com/site/quark-chronicles/ There's also a Burgess Plant Book, along the lines of the bird and animal books. The Thorton Burgess Society also has a set of kits that they loan free to educators (including homeschoolers). I haven't tried one myself yet, but it's on my list... http://www.thorntonburgess.org/EducationKits.htm

There are so many days I could have written this post myself. Sigh. Trying to add more breaks in this year so I can bulk cook/purge/boot camp chore train when I start to feel that desperation. But really, feel like there's not much advise here. Just a tired nod from across the Internet....

Such good questions - I hope you do make these questions their own post! I'd love to see others answer! I relate to feeling overwhelmed! There is so much wonderful, beautiful content in the world I'd love them to know by heart.

It's a favorite cornerstone around here too . . . Every day: Bible Memory work Loop: My Book House - I alternate between the nursery rhyme book (2yr old loves it), and the others, working our way through. ELTL Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare Hymn Study Bug of the Week Artist Study Mad Libs Loved it so much that I filled a basket by the couch with our current read aloud books to create a "couch time" after lunch. We aren't as consistent with this yet, but love the looping, and the easy lovely focus on good books. I keep lots of history books related to our current studies, a living science book, a beautiful atlas, and something math-y (a board game, a living book, a set of dice) on hand.

I know it's an old thread at this point . . . and you seem to have clarified your direction for the year. Still - now that I'm in front of a keyboard - chiming in! My kids are only a year older than yours, but wanted to encourage you by mentioning that my extrovert (the older in our case) IS thriving at home. A part of it is that we have a strong community outside the home, and a full day co-op FULL of people. She's also the one that begs for swim lessons, or archery lessons, and the one who reminds me that nature study is more fun with more friends. It's the time to work on her projects though, and dive into things she loves, that has been the key. She adores the rabbit trails and the projects and (especially), the conversations. Those were some solutions here, but I have every confidence that you'll find solutions for your kiddo too. From your past posts, it seems like you're an intuitive, thoughtful and passionate mother. I have no doubts that your homeschool is a rich and beautiful place for all those kids. You'll find ways to inspire and nurture that little guy just like you have for his brother. (My 2nd is my *highly* sensitive type. Serious soft spot for those around here).

These sets have some fantastic titles and gorgeous illustration heavy choices: Early American: http://bfbooks.com/Early-American-History-Primary-Jumbo-Pack Geography through lit. by Holling C Holling: http://bfbooks.com/Geography-Through-Literature-Pack-PB

Adding yet another recommendation forThe Living Memory. We also use and appreciate the Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization from IEW. The kids just absorb it in the car. This past spring I read How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, and in addition to reigniting a love of Shakespeare, it went over some nuts and bolts practices of teaching memory work. Worth the read! Just because I'm having a big memory work nerd moment this year - here's a super inspiring talk on memorization and the soul- in case you're the podcast type. ; ) http://www.bakersfieldconference.org/2013/04/free-download-2012-workshop-session.html

We're about 1/3 through ELTL 2 with my 1st and 2nd graders. We read the lit. selections before bed or during lunch, and do the poem/fable/grammar lesson during morning time. My 2nd grader does the copy work, but my 1st grader is only expected to do picture narration from it a couple of times per week. My first grader is also working through All About Reading 2, and I add my own spelling for both of them . . . though . . . getting tired of winging it and will have to choose something and be done with that. (So with you on hating the tiles in AAS!!!) The 2nd grader is a natural writer, and is constantly cranking out her own poems, plays and fairytales. So we haven't done much formal instruction for writing at all, but am sure we will at some point.

Excited to see what people post . . . This year my girls are running laps around the yard every five math problems or so. They love it and are exhausted (in a good way) by the end of their lessons. This summer at a conference I learned that drinking water lowers cortisol in the blood stream, so now we make sure our water bottles are on hand. We also take breaks after pretty much each subject to play with the 2yr old. Lots of physical/sensory stuff: build a fort (also makes the next lesson more fun, because it happens in a fort), play doh, magnetic sand, chalk drawing, or just tickling a toddler and making him laugh until he can hardly breathe. So good for endorphin levels.

Modcloth.com and Shopruche.com are my fave online clothing destinations.... We'll - those and the sale section of anthropologie.