9:25 to 4:05 here for elementary with 20 minutes for lunch and 20 minutes for recess.

We used to live in Boise and loved it. There are a lot of homeschoolers but I'm not sure whether they are classical or not. Enjoy it there - we'd love to move back!

I don't have a Vitamix but I do have a Blendtec, and they are very comparable. I love it! I initially got it for my son who has a feeding tube, and it blends things finely enough to pass through his tube. But I've actually used it more for me -- it's perfect for smoothies, but it's also helpful for things like mixing eggs for scrambled eggs, batter for pancakes, making peanut butter, soups, hummus, etc. For me, it also replaces a mixer and some functions of a food processor. I'd definitely recommend you check out Blendtec alongside Vitamix.

I'm a Minnesotan and have worked in academia, and I know that Carleton has a very good academic reputation. I don't know anyone who has gone there, so I'm afraid that I can't be of much help, but I do know many people who have gone to St. Olaf and they've loved it. I've also worked with members of St. Olaf's staff on a professional level and they were very good to work with.

I'm not a medical professional, but I do have a son with airway issues and I know a little bit about this kind of stuff. CPAP is a form of respiratory support, but it doesn't actually breathe for her. It just provides positive pressure to keep her airway open. A ventilator would actually breathe for her. If she needs constant CPAP or vent support, they may give her a tracheostomy, or a tube in her neck that gives her a stable airway. That would be the best way to intubate permanently, as you say. Intubating with a breathing tube down the throat or through the nose is typically not done for long periods of time if it can be avoided. My 16 month old son has a trach, and has been on a vent and CPAP during hospitalizations. However, at home, he is not on any form of airway support other than just the trach. The trach is a lifesaver, but it can make home care more complicated. In fact, we have 16 hours a day of nursing care in our home for our son, and I suspect that your mom would get some help, too.

How about kefir? It has several probiotic strains and is tasty, too.

My son is 16 months old and just had his VSD repaired. Surgery went very well and he is recovering nicely.

Thanks for the input. Ideally, I would like to homeschool independently so that I can choose curricula and such. However, my husband is not willing to consider that at this time. The fact that he is willing to pull our son out of the b&m school is a miracle in itself. We will give it a shot, and see how it goes.

We're considering pulling our first grader out of public school. He is just not ready to sit at a desk for 6 hours a day with 30 other kids in the classroom. He's doing very well academically -- but he's just not ready for the full day experience. I'm considering both MN Virtual Academy (K12) and Connections Academy here in Minnesota -- but I am a little concerned about their expectations for class work to take 5-6 hours a day. Surely the first grade curriculum can be done more efficiently one-on-one than in a class of 30 students. I have no problem filling that amount of time with educational pursuits like nature walks, museum visits and field trips - but I am not interested in him sitting at a desk at home for the same amount of time he'd be in a desk at school. Does the first grade curriculum really take that long at either of these schools? Or can it be done more quickly, giving more time for educationally appropriate but more active pursuits? Any and all advice appreciated!