Still waiting for mine...:toetap05:

I was there, I really enjoyed Jessie Wise's speeches and SWB's too. I was able to convince dh to come on Saturday, and he felt like he learned quite a bit too. He's been on the fence about homeschooling, he supports me, but he had his doubts about it. Less now:D He was actually encouraging me to buy FLL! (which I did btw:))

We love Hanna Anderson around here:) http://www.hannaandersson.com

Almost always use Google, sometimes I use yahoo.

Love them! I've been itching for another one for the past couple of years, trying to decide what and where. I want one that represents my deceased parents and one representing the loves of my life, dh and kids.

1995 Mitsubishi Mirage 115,000 2006 Toyota Sienna 50,000

This happened with my brand new Macbook, the screen is cracked but it still works fine. Apple said it would cost almost $900 to repair, practically a new laptop!:001_huh: One thing I did learn though is that if you paid for it with AMEX and it's been less than 30 days, they may pay for your repair. You'd have to file a claim with them.

Thanks for your thoughts ladies! I do want to keep it simple, I just also want to do what's simplest, as far as handwriting goes, for ds. Right now when he writes, it's often as a mirror image and he also tends to start at either the middle of the page or on the right side. I have just a plain unlined notebook for him, its actually for drawing, but he likes to 'write' in it. And these are just some of the things I've noticed. So when we officially start handwriting lessons, I want it to be as smooth and painless for him. I really don't want to have to constantly critique him, so everyones suggestions have been really helpful to me. Thank you!! And thanks orangearrow for reminding me to just let him be.

Thank you Lisa, Merry, and Ttiger! Now I've got to go order! oh, just one last question, should I stop with the other phonics programs, would using AAS with them be overkill? :D

Thank you! I'm a little confused with how you separate the reading lessons and the spelling lessons.. I looked at the samples on the website and I'm just not understanding how to break those parts of the lessons up. He already knows letter sounds and some phonograms, and he is reading easy phonetic 3 and 4 letter words. He can read level 1 bob books, but he still sounds out every letter. Would I for example just do a spelling lesson on CAT and move forward for a reading lesson on say, FlOAT? Thus far, I've been letting him spell things as they sound to him phonetically, ex dinasor instead of dinasoar. This is usually while playing outside with chalk or with his magnetic alphabet pieces.

So I found this site http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/lh_writing_book1.html#a118A I think there was link to it from the other links that stripe posted. Those writing books look great and similar to the Getty-Dubay style I think. I may end up giving those a go. And I love the Guide mat too! http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/left_write_mat.html

Okay, so I've been reading all of the posts about AAS and now I'm feeling the need to jump on board!:tongue_smilie: At what age do you all recommend starting it? After reading is firmly established or while learning to read? How is the teaching of the spelling rules different from the way it's taught in Phonics Pathways? Is this a Phonics and spelling program or mostly just spelling? Ds1 is working on phonics and blending right now with 100 EZ lessons and Dianne Crafts Right brain phonics. He's 5 yrs old. (Just turned 5 today!!!:party:)

No I haven't thank you for the recommendation:001_smile: Okay, I understand now, thank you for the links!

Do you mean with the pencil in b/w the index and middle finger rather than index and thumb? I just tried it like that and it does help to see what your writing. I have an aunt that writes like that (with her right hand) because she lost her thumb in an accident. I never thought about how it would help lefties be able to see as they are writing..

I've only got two wisdom, the top two, the bottoms never grew in (I'm 30 now). My dentist's wants to remove them b/c she said they would just keep growing downwards :confused: , since there were not any bottom ones to stop them:blink: I've opted not to thus far, I guess I'll just have to wait an see if her weird theory comes true.

I had not heard of the movie or seen any previews when I went to see it with some friends. I thought it was pretty funny. The humor was definitely "dirty" at times vulgar, but overall I was laughing most of the time. Probably b/c I had not seen the previews. The only part I really didn't like were the pics at the end, they were way to vulgar for my eyes..:ack2:

I stay inside as much as possible- I'll go out in the early morning (if I'm up:tongue_smilie:)or in the evening, but try not to go out in between. Unfortunately my two boys have other plans for me.:glare: So if we absolutely must go to the park (as been the case this whole week), I try to stay in the shade. But we can never stay for long, because I start to get pretty cranky:toetap05: And even though I grew up in Va I don't like iced tea:blush:

Thanks ladies, I'm still trying to decide. I looked at the Barchowsky handwriting website, and it seems that method of italic handwriting isn't as slanted. But I'm having a hard time figuring out how to use it. Just print off the CD rom? I already have the first book for Getty-Dubay though, so I kinda feel I should at least give it a shot. But I would hate for ds to get frustrated and hate handwriting. Right now I just let him play with chalk outside or give a pen and paper for him doodle or write if he wishes. He's still young. At what age did you all start with handwriting? Thanks!

Thanks!

Did anyone here have a hard time teaching italic handwriting to left handers? I wanted to give this a try with ds, but I not sure if the slant would make it more or less difficult for him.

I love the educational shower curtain idea!

This is definitely going to be the main reason I need a bean dip response. Especially for my in-laws. They just don't know when to quit about anything. I've not officially started homeschooling (as ds is supposed to start K this fall), so I've seriously considered just keeping the whole thing a big awful secret until I absolutely have to tell them. Ex. When they ask me how he's doing in school I respond "great!", I could even throw in "and he has an amazing teacher!:lol:" But I know that as much as I'd like to go that route, I won't--so please share your best "pass the bean dip" responses to your in-laws!

We use a combo of Custom Probiotics and Klaire labs probiotics. I agree with Jplain about using the Saccharomyces boulardii. It's great to use with antibiotic therapy. And like 5youngs said, use the regular probiotics after treatment. Instead, just load up on yogurt or even better would be kefir. These are more hardy in your gut so is less likely to be disturbed by the antibiotics.

Everyone gets to leave 1 pair of shoes in the shoe bin next to the front door, all other shoes either go on the behind the door shoerack on the storage room door, and once that's out of space in the individual shoe owner's closet. I have a shoe rack in my closet for my many pairs of shoes, my kids only have a few so extras go in there closet, and same for dh. Rain boots/Snowboots/Watershoes, go in the "coat closet" which is actually the extra closet in the master bedroom. (We hang the jackets that we use frequently on a hook next to the front door and all other coats that don't get as frequent use go into the "coat closet".)

These books have been ds's first chapter books. He loves them, and when I'm reading aloud to him, even my 2 year old gets excited about Jack and Annie!