My daughter is 7 and really loves the BW freewrites! She enjoys knowing that other kids are wtiting at the same time and we keep it super lowkey. I would do what BW calls Jot it Down with your 9 year olds story. Basically, he talks and you write. Get as much of it down as you can and then talk it up! Tell the family about it, ask him to read it at dinner, brag to the grandparents, whatever you think will be exciting to him. We started jotting down this past summer and almost immediately my daughter started writing more in her play and free time. It has been a really simple and amazing game changer!!

If you need encouragement for the Bravewriter "lifestyle" you should check out Julie on periscope. She is wonderful!! You can find all the old scopes at katch.me. Look for the enchanted homeschool one to start with.

Oh and one more thing. Since I only wash my hair every other day then I give myself the treat of a morning bath after my workout a few days a week! It feels very idulgent and special so that helps me get up and get moving.

I just did my seventh week in a row of exercising daily!! I am not an exercise person but really wanted to lose some wright and feel healthier so I committed to daily exercise and actually did it. I get up at 5:05 and do a thirty minute workout, followed by some quiet time/reading/coffee and then get myself dressed for the day. Which means I am almost always dressed and ready for our day when my kids wake up now. It feels great! I do all kinds of things to make it go well though. I leave my clothes on a chair in my room, get the mat and weights and even my shoes ready. I even cue up the dvd b/c I don't want to have to make any decisions in the morning or I will probably talk myself out of it!

We are using SYSthis year for my second grader. She has gone most of the way through the OPGTR over the past few years and was a terrible speller last year. However, we are on week 7 of SYS and I have seen a ton of improvement in her ability! Its hard to gauge how much of that has to do with her age and reading skills, but I will take it. It is also fun for her, easy for all of us, and reinforces her reading and handwriting skills as well. The only change that we have made is that we do a little test each week. It just makes me feel better and she likes the fun paper she gets to use, so win, win. I think you could use the words each week to focus on phonics sounds as well. But, if you know there is something you want to use later it might be better to just use that all along.

Great job! I am in week 3 and loving it. I kind of hate working out and these don't drive me crazy at all. The second day I did it I had trouble sitting on the toilet! It was pretty comical. But it is a tiny bit easier now and I really love writing out a meal plan each week. Just a tip-buy the really big bag of epson salts and try to soak in the tub for fifteen minutes. That has cut down on my discomfort a little.

We love easywdw also!! It made our park days so simple.

We are trying quiver this year! I heard Julie speak on a few different podcasts earlier this summer and got inspired! We are a couple of weeks into the Charlotte's Web quiver and love it. We are combining it with BW Jot it Down. Language Arts has never felt so relaxing and enjoyable! And, even more importantly, there was an almost immediate jump in my daughter's nonschool writing!

We love Gap, Lands End, and Justice jeans. Lots of options for non low rise and slim ft for my super skinny girl!

If you want mountains, water, hiking and lots of grren and the King County Library system, you should definitely check out North Bend! We moved from Missouri and feel so fortunate to be surrounded by all this beautiful land and still only 30 minutes from downtown. We are also 20 minutes from skiing-if it actually snows!! Its also "slightly" more affordable out here then closer in and we have met lots of homeschoolers.

I did it b/c even though I love books and reading with my kids sometimes I get in a rut. I haven't walked away from any of the free podcasts or paid content without a few new ideas and inspiration. And I usually walk away with a bunch of new books on our reading list and a huge desire to stop everything else we are doing and read with my kids. That feels like it is worth $5 to me!

I joined!! I am really enjoying the workshop content and I think as it grows I will love it even more.

Following this thread!

Thanks for all the replies! I get the "why" but I just don't want to mess with transferring cds and everything! Our new laptop has no cd drive so I have to use the external one and transfer and and and.... I just want it to be easy!! Technology makes me twitchy when there are too many steps involved!

Does anyone know why??? We have the audiobook version of the first book, but no longer have a working cd player and I really don't want to buy one! If I buy the downloads from PHP where do those play from? I am clearly not the tech savvy!

We just got a puppy 2 weeks ago so we are right in the middle of this! We are doing positive puppy training and she is doing great. Lots of trips out whether she seems like she needs to go or not. She stays in her crate for a few hours at a time and hasn't had any accidents in there yet. She is also making it through the night w/o waking up-she is 10 weeks old. I am just using pieces of dog food for rewards and it is working great. Good luck with your new puppy!!

I own Our 24 Family Ways by Clay and Sally Clarkson. We haven't used it yet b/c I was waiting for my little guy to get a little bigger. However, I am planning to start it this fall. I really love pretty much every word the Clarkson family has written and I also like that their kids are all grown so I feel like it is tried and true.

Go to the Zoo!!! We are from STL and moved 2 years ago. The Zoo is a must do every trip!

Well, we made it home with her yesterday and she is sooooo sweet! She seems very okay with her crate so I am hopeful for a semi productive day. I am planning lots of breaks and some crate time! And lots of snuggles and puppy kisses- she really likes to snuggle on me! And maybe some puppy related reading/writing!

Today is the day!!! After three years without a dog in our home we are picking up our puppy today. Excited doesn't even begin to cover it. However, last time I had a puppy I was newly married with no kids! And obviously not homeschooling. I need tips, suggestions, cute stories of your kids learning sooooo much from the experience, etc!!

Wow! Thanks for all the great responses. I think I am leaning toward continuing Spanish. This means I can put her in the coop class again next year and then I will actually add some practice in at home as well. I have a great list of resources to check out thanks to you all. And you reminded me about duolingo which I really like! Time to start researching!

My dd is almost 7 and in first grade. This year she is enrolled in a Spanish class at our co-op but I am waffling about languages. I really want her to learn a language but don't know if Spanish is the one I want. No one at our house speaks a second language so that doesn't help the situation. My family is originally from Italy so I have tossed around Italian....I guess I feel with Italian at least I have a reason behind my decision-but then I wonder if Spanish wouldn't be more useful to her. Is Italian a harder language to learn? Should I just continue with Spanish and then add Latin in 3rd and then if she enjoys languages we can add another one later? is Spanish a good jumping off point?

I think I am going! I really love Sarah Mackenzie and Andrew Kern. Its a lot of $$ but I think the inspiration that I wil get from it will be worth it!

Foundation primer!!! It goes on before your regular foundation and amkes your skin look smoother and younger and just...better somehow! I also love the emollient nightcream-which i remember my grandma using before bed when i was a little girl. I use it on feet, dry skin, and have been known to use it on diaper rash as well.

My dd is almost 7 and has been a dresses only girl since she could talk! I remember feeling so irritated when her dresses stopped coming with something matching to cover her undies! We did/do bike shorts or capri length leggings in the spring and summer.