I have been homeschooling since 1995, so I guess I'm "seasoned" (and fried :001_smile:). I have two who have graduated and just had the youngest four complete their end of year testing. My two olders have excelled in college math and my youngest four all scored WAY above grade level in math. We use Saxon. I know there a lot of people who don't like it here on the boards, but I have had great success with it. It is the only math program I have ever used with the exception of using R&S up until 4th grade for my oldest two (Saxon did not have grades 1 to 3 at that time). So, there's my 2 cents.

Sorry, I've been away from the computer and just saw your question. I used Opposing Viewpoints in American History all along in our American history course as we got to each "viewpoint." It gives primary source opinions from different statesmen and leaders from American history.

Latin and Spanish for my 3 olders. My youngest three may also add French.

We use Hakim, knowing that we will differ with her much of the time. I liked the discussions we had while reading her books. You might want to look at Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Volumes I and II, to go along with it.

I used History of Us last year for my then 3rd, 4th, and 6th graders. I read them aloud and we discussed as we went. We really enjoyed using them this way. I didn't use any of the guides.

Our B&N just expanded in a new location, and I have another one about 20 minutes away that is only about a year old. We also have a BaM, but I much prefer B&N. I'm on my way there in about 1/2 an hour for some peace & quiet (and a cup of Starbucks). Sorry yours is closing!

I think I was 11 or 12. Both of my dd's were not even a year old.

I'm happy with the results. Next week I think it will be either Aaron or Casey. Those two need to be next.

The ones that come to mind that I have strongly disliked are: 100EZ Lessons RS4K Writing Strands Apologia Elementary Science for the same reasons that the other posters mentioned.

This sounds like me. I hate to bust your bubble Heather, but I have found this to hold true in high school. :001_smile:

Do the student books have the paragraph labs in them or is that only in the teacher's edition? I am using it right now with one of my kids and want to use it with two others, but it would be helpful if they could review their writing assignment in their own book instead of carrying mine off somewhere. :001_smile:

Ours are packed away. My wedding photo - now that is hanging on my bedroom wall. I like to look at those very young people every now and then and remember that is actually us. :001_smile:

I really needed to read that today. Thank you for sharing.

As I posted on the other thread, my schedule is insane and is not what I would choose, but I can't seem to figure out what to cut. :confused: This schedule is for my youngest three. My almost 17yo can cart himself around now! Monday - School, gym, dance, baseball game or practice Tuesday - School, gym, dance, baseball game or practice Wednesday - School, gym, laundry, grocery shopping Thursday - School, gym, dance, guitar, baseball game or practice Friday - School, gym, baseball game or practice Saturday - laundry, yard work, sometimes gym/track (17yo) meets or baseball practice Sunday - Church, rest We have started doing our cleaning in the a.m. before school, a little a day. I am a homebody at heart, so this schedule is hard on me. I am also not as young as I used to be - and feel it. I would love to cut our schedule back, but I don't see how it is possible. My 13yo dd is supposed to add dance to Wednesday afternoons next year, so it just keeps growing.

I feel your pain. We have gymnastics every afternoon for one dd and dance 4 days a week for the other. My 11yo ds has guitar and baseball. My 16yo has own thing going, but thank God he can drive. I am out of the house EVERY day M-F at 2:30. I get home just in time to finish up dinner (which I have started right after lunch), and people trickle in anywhere from 6:30 to 8:00, including dh who has pick up duty. I HATE this schedule, but am at a loss as to what to cut. We have to start school early in the a.m. and I have to move them along with no playing around in order to get school done every day. I am absolutely exhausted.

I am the youngest of 3 and my older sisters are 9 and 12 years older, so I felt kind of like an only. My extended family was very large. My mother was 10 of 11 and my dad was oldest of 9, so I have over 50 first cousins! I think one of the reasons I wanted a big family is because I was so alone much of the time growing up. I didn't want that for my kids.

I haven't found anything already put together. I just put together my own thing for the time period we are studying, i.e. we do jazz when we get to the 20's and 30's in American history. I read them a bio (found somewhere online) and have them listen to the music (also found online).

I used Powerglide with my older two boys, but it really did not get the job done well. With my four youngers, I switched to Rosetta Stone.

We work on our memory work every morning right after we do Bible. They read it the first day, try to say it beginning the second, and so on. It is amazing how fast they can get things memorized. I use a review system, kind of like the Bible one at simplycharlottemason.com, to make sure they review older memory work on a regular basis.

My sons have all been climbers/jumpers. My dh recently built my 11yo ds an "outpost" high in a tree on our property. It's basically just a wooden platform in a tree and it makes me nervous, but I have learned that they WILL climb. :001_smile:

He is out of surgery and everything went well. His unit seems to be taking good care of him. The young man who called me was on his way to pick up his prescriptions. Thank you ladies for your prayers!

Welcome! :seeya:

My 22yo ds who is a Marine is having surgery right now. He is in Japan and I am here in NC. I am having major anxiety about him being without me. There was no possible way for me to be there and he assured me that the people in his unit were going to take good care of him, but I am still pacing the floor. He called me on the way to the hospital and I could tell he was anxious and afraid. The surgery should take about six hours and one of his friends is going to call me when it is over. So, please pray for him or send good thoughts his way - also for this worried mama. Thanks guys.

I have seen that "boy list" before. When we read it, my 16yo immediately wanted to try the clorox and brake fluid. I think what your son did is typical boy behavior. I have four boys and it can get interesting. The book Backyard Ballistics set my third son (mentioned above) on a path that led to a "bomb" he made and set off in our yard that shook our entire house. He also took a dare from a brother and jumped off a cliff. When he came to, all he wanted to know was if his brother got in on video. :001_huh:

I think it hit me two years ago when my oldest turned 22. That was my age when he was born. My youngest is 10 and I realized on her last birthday that I had no children in single digits anymore. I was a young mom with my first two, as I had them at 22 and 24. With my last two I have definitely been the older mom. I had my son at 35 and adopted my daughter at 36. I am much older than most of my younger two's friends' moms. It is actually kind of strange to me, because I don't "feel" old. :001_smile: