I enjoy the European version more than the US one, but it is also a little more complicated and takes longer. I think it is worth the money but not really an educational game.

Never! It is a way for me to bridge the gap in ages of my children and the one thing we can do together. It is my favorite time of the day! We are adopting again, and I see our read-aloud time as a way to bond with our future child (a daily family activity) and maybe expand his/her English vocabulary.

We have used their book suggestions for years. The rest just doesn't work for our style.

My son will use Omnibus I in the fall. I have been pre-reading, and it's really tough for me as a progressive Christian to handle their point of view. I think it would really drive an atheist crazy!

I've been waiting way too long...

We are progressive Christians who love VP, but our views are not the same as their views. Omnibus is going to be tough for us because they are pretty forceful about their theology. It will be an opportunity for us to really discuss differing view points and an opportunity for our son to learn to give them the answer they want even if it is not his personal belief. I would think that Omnibus would be REALLY tough for a non-Christian to teach/learn. That's too bad, too, because I have not found anything quite as good for the older ages that is secular.

We start each school day with both kids listening to me read a few poems, a chapter or so from our read-aloud, and then reciting the day's memory work. I found it is a really gentle way to start our day, and works really well for my DD7. I was often forgetting to do memory work with DS12, but now it is built in to our morning routine.

My son did a year of cursive handwriting practice, but I never made him make the switch in his school work. I polled the men in my family, and not one man in either side of my family writes in cursive, despite being required to in school. It just did not seem worth the effort to me. I do write all assignments and notes to my son in cursive to make sure he can read it. I am pretty sure that I will make my daughter write in cursive, partly because she is dyslexic and partly because she is a girl and may wish she had that skill some day. I hate to be sexist, but it seems I am in this particular subject at this particular time for these particular kids.

Math: Finish Jacobs Geometry, start Foerster Algebra II History, Bible, Lit: VP Omnibus I online Latin: Wheelock w/ VP online Grammar: Continue Analytical Grammar Logic: Art of Argument, Discovery of Deduction, Fallacy Detective Greek: Basics of Biblical Greek by Mounce Spanish: Continue Rosetta Stone w/various supplements Geography: Trail Guides and various other sources Vocabulary: Vocabulary from the Classical Roots Science: not sure Writing: not sure PE: Tae Kwon Do 6 days per week, basketball team Arts: Drama, Bell Choir

I could never, ever narrow it down to 10! It raises my blood pressure just thinking of having to exclude so many favorites!

Yep, we've been there, too. He goes through phases where he gets out all his comic compilations and reads them every single chance he gets for days. Then he puts them away for a while and goes on with his life.

I suppose I would. My son has decided that he wants to get an online degree from Veritas Academy, so I'm already going to be giving up a lot of the control and flexibility in addition to spending a lot of money. A really great school for free sounds pretty good to me!

We do best running as a family when we do it at a track so everyone can go at their own pace (sprint when they want, walk when they want), and we don't have to stick together. We take long walks and hikes together, but running doesn't work as well. Something else that has worked is to let the kids ride their bikes or scooters. That allows them to go faster without complaints. I usually let them go ahead of me as long as they stop at each corner and wait for me to catch them. My daughter is a born runner, but she was born to run short, fast races. I can go on forever but am not fast, and my son can do the same but loses interest. We have done several 5K races together, but my daughter complains a lot. I try to get her through by picking a target ahead for us to sprint until and then we take a walking break. It really isn't that much fun for either of us.

Reading: Barton 4 Writing: WWE 2 History: SOTW 2 Science: ? Arithmetic: A wide variety, nothing seems to work Spelling: Spelling Workout B Grammar: Shurley Memory: Living Memory Art: ? Others: Chess through WP, lots of read alouds, maybe Song School Latin

Yes! Let me tell you, though, that, as a pastor's wife, it is really hard not to get dismissed by those "others." I feel that I have to work 10 times as hard to prove that I am not just trying to get everyone to go to my church. I am socially and politically very liberal, and I have more in common with many non-Christians than I do with many conservative Christians. It just takes a long time to prove to the non-Christians that I may not be out to get them. I'm in a new town and a new homeschool group right now, so I can tell you that this is a current struggle. Many Christians and non-Christians feel they know all about me as soon as they hear what my husband does, and neither group has me pegged with only that knowledge. It does help to let my tattoos show, I've found. Oh, and to go as long as possible without mentioning my husband! Melani