Perhaps your memory is combining "Dixie Stampede" with a medieval castle-building project that was taking place near Branson. (Use the search words "medieval castle building project arkansas" to find articles.) I was very excited about the project, but it looks like it lost funding and is on hold. The idea is that craftspeople would build a castle the way it had been done in medieval times. Visitors could watch it grow through the years. I hope someone picks it up. I was really looking forward to going with our family at intervals to watch the progress and learn about the techniques.

I agree with others who have dabbled with part time work as they go along, and increase that focus as the children get older. I was in marketing/communications/publications pre-children. I have been able to freelance some through the years. Now, with my youngest starting her freshman year next year, I find I have more time with more drivers and the children working much more independently of me for schooling. This spring I applied for some online editing and am working with a company editing book manuscripts. One of my friends worked full-time last summer with a temporary company, and really enjoyed it. (Plus, the extra money was wonderful.) They were very pleased with her work, and I imagine will be able to help her find year-around work in three years when she is finished homeschooling. Another friend with two homeschooling high schoolers works mornings for a company that helps elderly people who need some outside help in their homes. My advice is to enjoy your life stage. When the children are more independent of you, start looking around for opportunities that you enjoy, that will help your resume, and that will help you establish new business contacts.

Just wanting to say I sympathise with you! One of my children opted for public high school, and ours only allows five days per year without a doctor's note. Unfortunately, this is my kid that stuggles with asthma and a less robust immune system than the rest of us. I've had to take him to the dr. when we knew it was simply fever/vomiting--nothing medically needed. And have had to send him to school sick (although I will not send him when he is running a fever), or not pick him up when he has texted feeling ill. On another note, our older daughter had a lot of trouble with pms (fainting, vomiting, etc.). A dr. prescribed progesterone cream, and it eradicated all symptoms. (She said dd was estrogen dominant, and often young women don't ovulate and produce progesterone, even after periods start.) Sending best wishes that you find a solution!

We have a 19 yo who said she wanted to be a ballerina at age four. We waited a couple years to start dance lessons to see if she would even still be interested. She was. She moved to Chicago last summer after being accepted into a ballet trainee program and loves her schedule of dancing 30-40 hours a week. My husband always loved music and played drums from a young age. Although not his main profession, he is the worship leader at our church and still writes songs. I always loved to sing and to read. I sing in the worship band and have worked in publishing. I'm still doing freelance editing. So, for our family, it seems at least some of our interests continue.

We have homeschooled in the Kansas City, Mo. area and the eastern Kansas area. Kansas is simpler because we don't have to track hours per subject and location, as I did in Mo. However, as a previous poster mentioned, we are catagorized as "private schools" and there is no homeschool law per se, which I find rather odd. But, since it hasn't caused legal problems for Kansans, we just go with it. Both areas have strong homeschool communities and many opportunities including sports, fine arts competitions, etc. In my opinion, both would be fairly easy to find some land and have livestock. In fact, in Topeka, you can even have chickens in city limits! I don't know about goats. And, eastern Kansas is green and has lots of trees. It looks pretty much the same as the KCMO area.

We haven't done testing since he was in about 7th grade, and I know tests need to be within the last two years to be considered. Our son really isn't sure of his plans, but he will most likely go to technical school or community college. He won't be starting at a four-year college, so that's why I'm questioning whether he needs to take the ACT. I guess it would be more of a "just in case" scenario. Or, maybe I am just feeling insecure about "skipping" that step.

We homeschooled our son through 9th grade, and he is now a junior at our public high school. We have done lots of private testing and intervention through the years (although none of the tests we have had are two years old or newer, so they would not be accepted). His private educational testing showed significant visual processing issues (dyslexia) and mild auditory processing issues. He is also pretty classically ADD, and I'm pretty sure our nurse practitioner would write that diagnosis. My question is, do we need to do private testing or testing through the public schools to get some kind of diagnosis for possible college accomodations? The issue is a bit muddy to me because our son will probably go to a community college or a technical college after high school. Our high school teachers have been very willing to provide accomodations to help our son. (We have an SIP, but not an IEP.) So, I don't really know the advantage of taking in a formal "diagnosis." Thoughts from those who have been there? What is needed? What type of testing is best? Has it worked for you for your student to simply explain LDs and ask for extra help, extensions, etc. without formal testing? BTW, right now our son is sometimes intentionally seated in quieter areas of the room (away from noise sources and chatty friends) and is often given extensions on deadlines. He is also being graded more on content and effort than technicalities like spelling. Also, do you think it's important to take the SAT/ACT? I don't see him going a route where he would need that score to apply. He would probably score a bit above average in most areas and pretty low in math.

I am a long-time lurker, but feel compelled to post in case our experience can be of any help, as our teenage son was headed down a similar path last year. I learned about a genetic mutation that impedes the body's ability to use vitamin B, which can cause all kinds of problems, including depression and bipolar. If you do a search for MTHFR and bipolar you may find more information. We learned that our son has a homogenous mutation (inherited from both parents) on the MTHFR gene. (We did an inexpensive genetic saliva test through 23andme.com) We had a relatively inexpensive ($300) skype consult with a geneticist in Chicago, and started a supplementation protocal in late August (forms of B vitamins he can utilize, as well as some other supplements for other mutations he has, specifically COMT). I would not say this is that "magic pill" that we would all love. But, it has made an incredible difference. He is not cutting or depressed, still working through some anger issues (way milder than previously). He has somewhat better concentration at school, and looks way healthier. The dark circles under his eyes are gone and his skin tone is pink and healthy. (He looked pale before.) He is also sleeping well, whereas before he could not get to sleep at night. This field is rather new, and I will not be offended if it sounds unlikely. I just wanted to share in case our experience can be of any help to you or others.