I had such a great year this past year. Everything fell into place - great read alouds, projects, field trips and each boy made great progress. Now the summer is half over and while I have the textbooks and stuff picked out, I am not motivated yet to do the usual pre-year planning. And we start August 8th!! To be fair, we had been gone on a week long vacation, 2 weeks watching younger cousins as we dealt with a family illness and subsequent death, and just got back Saturday from a week-long Scout camp (yes, I was there in a tent in 98 degree heat, too). So, yeah, I just want to watch Netflix before dealing with the upcoming school year. Hope i can kick it into gear in a couple of weeks...

We start on Monday, August 8th. We ended early this year (after only 33 weeks instead of our usual 34 because of travel plans), and we did finish all our planned work. I get antsy after 12 weeks off, so the that's the date. This summer due to trips, camps, and family illness and subsequent death, we have only done read alouds this summer. I usually have them do a novel study and some math, and I am trying to squeeze that into the remaining 5 weeks of summer we have left as my son prepares for yet another campout this week. We plan on the same trip in which will require an early May finish. However, summer 2017 will be long as my then high schooler won't start public school until after 14 weeks off! ETA - My kids would mutiny if I had them working weeks during the summer while their public school friends are at the pool. I am already starting two weeks beforehand as it is, while their best friends start the week after us. I need the long break just as much as they do and have been procrastinating my planning.

I probably overshare on Facebook. I posted our Fourth of July burger spread last night. I also posted a daily set of pictures of 14 boys' activities while at Boy Scout camp last week as I am friends with most of their parents. I also posted updates as my father-in-law was dying of cancer in the last two weeks of his life last month as I have many family members and friends on FB. My few local friends and I don't get together as much as we like so use FB as a way to keep in touch. Most of my family live long distances so FB is a way to share what's what in our lives. I am a member of a dozen homeschool groups online and they have become, like this board, the water cooler talk of my professional life. I can even annoy my kids when I post the movies we go see - they groan whenever I do, so it's like a family joke now. I snicker at the drama on my neighborhood feeds. Last night it was the pro & con of illegal fireworks going off. That being said, there are a few things that annoy me about FB posts: - the car selfie. Why do so many think that the inside of a car is the best backdrop for a portrait? - the 'post this post'. I don't want my timeline cluttered with your crap. I'll comment on yours if I am so inspired. - the bible verse feeds. A couple of friends and family members constant spout these things, but they have calmed down over the years. I am not offended, but it is the equivalent of FB junk mail to me. - Political feeds. Especially when they are for the other side and it contradicts their Bible feeds. I just zoom right past them. I unfollow a couple of my friends and family because they post things I personally find offensive and don't want the little prying eyes getting a glance at things I don't even want to see. But for the most part FB has been a wonderful part of my life and I will continue to share the little things in my life to whoever wants a peek. -

This was the "plan" at the start of the year. It has been tweaked as needed, but you get the general idea. Bolded classes (Cl) are with me and others are independent. Titles merged are 'joint' classes with both boys and me. I did not strictly adhere to the minute of this schedule, but used it as a guide to our time.

We started a prepaid tuition plan when our oldest was just a few months old on an annual payment, 10-year plan which equals 4 years (128 credit hours) at any TX state university or the average value of said state tuition payable to any private or public university in the nation. Our youngest got a later start when the plan was revampe opened and we purchased a middling university equivalent of 4 years (the plan price adjusts to the cost of the state school). We struggled to make these payments every year, but when my mother died 6 years, we took the proceeds of the sale of the home and paid off the contracts. So my kids each have 4 years tuition in the bank regardless of the economy. Room, board, textbooks will need to be paid on an 'as you go' basis as we have minimal other school savings atm. However, we will have our house paid off right about the time they start so that should free up funds to apply to those costs. Loans, scholarships, and old fashion work will make up the rest. I know we are blessed to have these resources so we can concentrate of building up retirement..

I have lived in several states: (CT, NY, PA, TX), visited others (FL, LA, OK, CA, MA, NJ, MO, DC, HI, PR, NV) and driven through still more to get there. Worked in Cyprus and Dominican Republic Visited: England, France, Mexico, Jamaica Favorite? Hawaii for natural beauty, Paris for man-made beauty, Vegas and Disney World for entertainment Farthest would have to be Cyprus where I worked for a few months living in a condo overlooking the Meditterean Sea.. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/16411168?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com ETA - I was inspired by the memories this post stirred up to find the place I stayed. This was the view I had! Thanks, Google Earth!

I let them wear whatever as I am thrilled they still don't mind clearance/sale stuff from Kohls. However, I do draw they line at high waters (pants that are several inches too short). My 13 yo son will argue to wear the fool things!

Have to laugh at the sensory diet. My kid has like 12 approved foods - nothing gluten or dye free in the list. I don't fight food battles and, currently, this is the only real "big" thing left. With my son, he wears his underwear under his suit. As for the fear of the suit being too big - do the jump test and have him do a dozen jumps straight up to convince him that the suit will stay put. ETA - I get the 'sensory diet' now. I thought food, not input. smh. I do those things so innately now that I forget it's an actual thing, lol.

My 10 and 13 year old have their regular chores - not tied to allowance, this is cost of being in our family. However, I always have a list of other chores that can be done for $5 such as cleaning the fridge, washing windows, baseboards, cleaning grout,etc. My 13 year now gets $10 each time mows either the front or back yard (alternating weeks) during the season. So if there is a game or something they want beyond their $5 weekly allowance, then they can work for it.

If you can truly afford the camp, then I would phrase is as though we would match the amount she earned toward camp into her college fund as a reward for her hard work and discipline to save for camp. My family is big into Scouts and my oldest is coming of the age to do the 'high adventure' read, expensive, camps and activities. We will pay for local camps (~$250 a week) and reasonable activities (up to $50). If he wants to do others, then he needs to raise the funds to do. You can earn Eagle and enjoy Scouts without the frills, but also teaches the lesson, that if you want it bad enough - you will do what it takes as many in our troop do earn thousands in fundraising.

While I wouldn't fight over something as temporary as eyeliner, I would put my foot down on piercings and tattoos while I was footing the bill (any bill - college included). I cringe whenever I see those gasket things in the ears. However, I might also ask my boys (if and when the time comes) to respect MY home enough to wear clothes properly (no low hanging jeans, profane message Ts as well as a shirt in public rooms). I would like to also ask their guests to do the same as I don't want to see any cleavage, bra straps or bare midriffs/butt cheeks in my house either - but I understand this will be near impossible to enforce. But anything temporary- hair color, style, nail polish, etc, -- knock yourself out, kid.

I am not good with the heat either, but I have signed up for my 5th consecutive summer camping with the Cub now Boy Scouts where I sleep for week in a tent with daytime highs hovering near 100. We leave Sunday. At least they have a/c (weak) in the dining hall where I will spend most of my day while the boys attend classes. I taught chess on purpose because it was indoors :p. I am currently typing this in my 74 degree house with a fan blowing in my face as paper towels soak up the sweat from under my menopausal *books*. Yep, Those merit badges better be worth it, boys. And it is :)

We generally take a week long trip to a beach location where my aunt lives as we have for the past 7 years (including this year). We used to stay with her, but after my uncle had his heart attack two years ago we now rent a vacation home for ourselves. We love it! This year we got a great rate on Great Wolf Lodge so spent a night/2 days there. When the kids were younger and the rates better, we would spend several nights in a couple of trips a year. We camp with Scouts a lot, in fact, my boys and I leave Sunday for a week-long summer merit badge camp. Not vacation as some may envision, but I don't have to cook, shop, or clean for a whole week so I'll take it :) This school year I have traveled with Scouts on two other local campouts, while my oldest has left the state twice this year. Occasionally we do something unique - like spend a weekend with other relatives seeing their local sights after a Scout trip in the area last year, or Disney World the year before that, and Sea World before that. All depends on time and budget. Hoping to take an Alaskan cruise for my 50th birthday next year...

OT - I personally enjoyed Anne of Green Gables when I read it with my then sixth-grade son, but I could not stomach the Box Car Children stopping after the first book. The kids might have liked it, but they were way too sweet for my old NY, cynical self, lol. If they wanted more of those, they had to read them themselves (and they didn't). The Penderwicks fell flat with my boys this past year, but I thought it was cute while a bit overlong. Oh well. At least it wasn't Esperanza Rising - that was the worst read aloud ever according to my boys. We actually compare all reads aloud duds to it and nothing (yet) has dethroned it's worst ever placing.

I bought cheap, used copies of Glencoe Health and Wellness which are available for grades K - 8, but when oldest was in 7th I switched to Glencoe Teen Health. We covered most of the text in about 2-3 lessons per 20-30 minute session weekly. Mostly read aloud to both and discuss with a few activities thrown in. Health class is one of my younger son's favorite times of the week.

About half way through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - taking 2 summers (and a Christmas break) to finish the series. Then we will continue with Series of Unfortunate Events (finished #5).

Pay as needed with the caveat that the money becomes free to do with as my husband and I wish if they flunk out. We have 4 years tuition prepaid plans for each of our boys. If they chose not to go to school or don't take it serious while there (in other words, academic suspension), then husband and I are traveling the world on their college dime.

I am curious as to what people's take on this is. Obviously, I will abide by my in-laws' wishes, but I do find it strange and does not jive with the experience of death in my family. My father-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer on Monday during a hospital stay. His three children and their spouses (including me) and his wife know and are the only ones who even know he was in the hospital for the first or this the second time. His three brothers and their families are not to be told until he dies. They don't plan on telling any friends or colleagues though they did retire several years ago. He and his wife were medical professionals. They do keep to themselves but don't have any apparent issues to keep them from their extended family. Am I the only one who thinks this is weird? When my mom and brother were sick and eventually on Hospice, I went out of my way to contact people and let them know so everyone could say goodbye. I needed the support of family and friends and anywhere else i could get it. And as you might guess, he doesn't want a memorial, funeral, burial or disbursement of his ashes. Not even an obituary. It strikes me that he wants to simply disappear as if they will ease the grief of those left behind. Or is it his coping mechanism? Curious. What say you?

I track everyone's reading using bookshelves in Good Reads: annual group read alouds, individual reading, and my personal. I have since they were in kindergarten. I keep all the lists under my account and enter the titles myself.

My son adores AoPS Pre-Algebra and plans to continue with Intro Algebra chapters 1-10 next year after we finish the perky public school required textbook to transfer credit in high school in 2017. He is rather annoyed about that, but that story is in another post. My only complaint about Pre Algebra AoPS is the utter lack of graphing/translations which is part of the state standards. Yes, I follow those since I plan to return my kids to school in high school, so I had to supplement with a few chapters from another text. Other than that he pretty much taught himself with the videos, text, and Alcumus.

We are introverted homeschoolers in DFW, so I belong to several local groups on Facebook but don't get together with them that often. I know that doesn't help you, but wanted to let you know there are a TON of groups in this area as homeschooling is quite popular. Nobody blinks an eye when you say you are one in my neck of the woods. At one time all 3 of my neighbors, including myself homeschooled (all three have since moved away - maybe it was something I said: :p ) We don't do co-ops, but several are available. A popular choice seems to be university model private schools (that call themselves homeschoolers, but that's another topic for another time...) that have classes 2-3 days a week and work at home the other days. There are at least 5 of these within 15 minutes of my house.

We have/are using Treasures in our homeschool. I am not thrilled with the writing program and use Write Source to supplement both writing and grammar, the reading gets the job done as my rising 6th grader loves the selections. The weekly themes and varied genres keep his interest as he applies the skills taught in vocab, grammar, and reading comprehension. My advanced reader moved onto the Holt Literature series I mentioned earlier at 6th as he could handle the meatier selections.

Not an answer to your question, but I use Good Reads to track the reading my kids and our homeschool (as well as myself) do. I create a bookshelf every academic year labeled Name-Grade and add 'to read' and 'read' titles to the list. I love Good Reads because it is searchable so I can see if and when a student has read the book or for myself when I am in the bookstore wondering if I had already read that book or not.

I have used Holt Literature series with my oldest since grade 6. The teacher CD has tons of resources and if you google well you can find online resources, too. I like Holt because it has vocabulary, grammar, audio, and writing supplements as well as 'Media Studies' that help kids make sense of media. The sizeable anthology (cannot read it all in an academic year) has quality short stories, articles, and poetry as well suggestions and excerpt from award winning novels (we read the entire novel as a read aloud). Unfortunately, there seems to be a dearth of resources on eBay and Amazon at the moment. I purchased grades 6-9 when I saw them available (roughly $40-$50 per grade - SE, TE CD, Media Study, Writing Cd, Vocab Cd, etc.). The "Interactive Readers" have the 'essential' stories with a few questions at cheaper price, but not have the grammar, vocab or writing support. Here are links to some online support. Level Up Tutorials - short power points on literary concepts: http://my.hrw.com/la_2010/na_lit/nsmedia/levelup/ms_index.html Class zone - publisher online support: http://www.classzone.com/cz/index.htm : Select State/Literature Found a copy of the 6th grade Teachers CD on amazon $6 + $4 ship: https://www.amazon.com/McDougal-Literature-Grade-Teacher-DVD-ROM/dp/0547619979 But other publishers might have the same. Good luck.

We did cover TX history in elementary and, of course, touch on it during US History. But I decided to replace it with ancient to Renaissance history for in middle school since it isn't covered until high school in our district. I believe the world is a tiny bit more important to know about than Texas (2 full academic years is overkill IMHO), but then again I'm a transplanted NYer. To each their own :)