I'm 46 too. I clean once a week for about 2 hours without stopping. I have pretty good stamina for my age I think. We hike a lot and are pretty active as a family on a regular basis, so I'm sure that helps.

:iagree: This is what we do, with the exception of writing. We do IEW's Ancient History Writing Lessons four days a week. I have a 4th grader, but it was the same last year.

Congratulations! :party:

I think I would have reacted right then and told her not to do that again. She sounds like she has control issues. :001_smile: It is a little comical though. It reminds me of when my dh and I were dating. We went to church with his mother (who hated me) and I got tickled. The kind of laughing that the more I tried to stop, the more impossible it was. I was trying to stifle it, but the whole pew was shaking. She PINCHED me HARD. That made it worse and I had to get up and leave. I should have had a clue at that point what kind of mil she was going to be. She hasn't changed her mind about me after 30 years.

I haven't read Boy of the Pyramids, but all my dc absolutely loved The Golden Goblet.

I use splashesfromtheriver.com for spelling at that age. I print off the spelling rules for them to keep in their spelling folder and refer to. It's free too, so that's a plus. We do a pre-test and all the exercises, dictation sentences, and then test at the end of the week. I like the fact that the exercises refer them back to the spelling rules.

All my kids learned them in 3rd grade. I used the printable flashcards from donnayoung.org. We drilled daily until they knew them without thinking. I think it's important because it slows them down when doing long division or multiplying by two-digit numbers or more if they don't know them really well.

Our library is about 10 minutes away. I reserve books from other branches often and go about once a week.

I absolutely loved The Help. Growing up in the South in the 60's I could really relate. We had a maid that was more of a mother to me than my mom.

I am reading History of the Medeival World to prepare for next year's history. I am also reading Assasin's Quest by Robin Hobb. What I've read this year so far: The Epic of Gilgamesh The Isolde and Tristan Trilogy by Rosalind Miles The Help Don Quixote Farenheit 451 Assasin's Apprentice Royal Assasin

I take the summer and plan the entire year. I plan by week so that I have all 36 weeks planned out before school starts. On Sundays, I give the kids their schedule for the week. We have a daily schedule that is always the same, except for Fridays. Fridays is art/music, projects, and catch up. If there is anything that hasn't been done for that week it is caught up on Friday. My kids are involved in time intensive activities (for example, my 10yo dd is at gymnastics for 17-20 hours a week). They know if they fall behind activities will go. School comes first. I am diligent to make sure everything for each week is completed. This takes self-discipline on my part. I find if I make my expectations clear and non-negotiable they buckle down and get it done. It is my job to make sure they stay on track and they understand that school gets done no matter what.

Here's a one of ours. It's a part of our property just down the mountain from our house.:

I would say Jr. High. My oldest two, who were very advanced readers, started reading them at 10 and my 23yo re-reads them even now. My third son read a couple in middle school, but didn't like them.

Four of my six walked at 9 months. They were early talkers as well. My oldest dd talked very early and a LOT, but didn't walk until she was 17 months old and never crawled at all. My youngest dd walked at 8 months, but was delayed in her speech. I think it is because her brother, who was 9 months older, talked for her.

We have ice and sleet here in the mountains of WNC. We have a gymnastics meet at Clemson today - a 2 1/2 hour drive this afternoon. I'm not looking forward to traveling in this. We had planned to come home after the meet, but may have to stay over, as they are saying ice/snow tonight. The schools here are closed AGAIN, and they have had so many missed days due to weather that the poor ps kids are going to have to shorten their spring break. We are having a Super Bowl party on Sunday. I hope it has cleared enough that everyone can get here.

This is dh's favorite of all time.

I love Robert Frost. I don't know if it's changed my life, but this quote of his comes to mind very often. In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

I'm very excited to start SWB's History of the Medeival World tomorrow. I'm also reading Assasin's Quest by Robin Hobb. These should be much more enjoyable than Don Quixote. :001_smile:

That's enough reason. Keep her.

Molly - Thanks for specifics. I will keep praying. :grouphug:

No, to be honest, I suffered through it. There were some funny parts that kept me going, but I will never, ever, ever read it again. :001_smile:

I finished Don Quixote!!! Woohoo! You cannot imagine how many times I have gotten through the first two or three chapters of this book and put it down. I don't EVER have to think about it again.

I could have written this.

All of my kids have phones. They have activities that leave them without us for hours at a time. I like the fact that they can call us if they need to. We haven't had any issues with the phones so far. My kids do well on their schoolwork, have good manners, and know their phones are a privilege - not a right. I like knowing that they can get in touch with us if they need to. All their friends have phones as well. Most of my 10yo dd's friends are her gym team who are also away from their parents for hours every day, so that may be why they also have phones at their age.

Yes, my sons that have graduated used Saxon all the way through and both have done great in college math classes. My younger four all use Saxon and will continue all the way through high school.