I forgot about that...we did it for K & 2nd and didn't do all the read alouds either. A couple made their eyes glaze over...and mine. LOL!! We also didn't get through the whole notebook for the 2nd grader. He is handwriting-resistant and the year was difficult with a toddler and moving and such. We might however pick it back up this year, it does have fun activities in it.

That's a good idea...DD1 LOVES to draw and color so that could be fun. :) The kids decided since we have a learning room now that we should decorate it like school. "Like, with apples and stuff." LOL I'm going to get the cursive cards for HWT, then need to find some cool American History stuff for AS1, but I have a feeling that won't be too challenging lol.

I've only used AW, and we really, really enjoyed it. It's really easy to use across a wide age-spread, too. We're moving on to AS1 this year for 1st/3rd.

We finally have a learning room and I was thinking it would be nice to have some math visuals on the walls to enhance RS. Are there any out there?

I want the Brooks to make money, but I want to save money too. I have bought a used guide (but did buy other consumables from WP directly.) I would include or sell my guide if I were giving it up, especially since whatever books I have would go with that guide anyway.... That said I usually destroy my guides with marks and such LOL so I don't think anyone would want them anway....

Good points. :) I forgot about that kind of stuff, and will be doing B again this year. Guess I ought to look through it at some point! Actually, I was thinking of maybe just ordering the kit they have with all the appendices already printed up, so all I would have to do is cut them up. Lazy I know!!

Wow. I'm really excited to try this. I always thought the planners were crazy, but this will be our 4th (*gasp* has it been that long???) year homeschooling and our first year with 2 officially doing work. I always lose momentum like everyone keeps saying here....I think maybe I DO need to do some planning. We use Winterpromise and it's already 'planned'....but obviously not enough for me lol or we would have finished last year!!!! I really like this idea of breaking it down into weeks and having everything ready already. Getting all together ahead of time is where I'm lacking. We use RS math, so I don't see planning that ahead of time but I'm thinking of throwing in a note that we work on it for 30 min each day (15-20 for DD1). I'm also starting AAS, so for that too I think I will just have to plan a time slot. I'm not going to tear up WWE since I just had it bound lol...or then again, maybe it would be nice. We'll see. I'll definitely tear up FLL3 though. Where has everyone gotten file folders and such? I was at Walmart last night and got some good deals on general supplies, but the pretty folders were more than I was expecting. Anyone see any specials???????

Thanks. I'm really not trying to rush things LOL just trying to shop and plan!!! ;) Do I really need a separate set of stuff for each kid?

Thanks for all this, I was wondering this myself! I'm starting both the older two on this this year. DS is 3rd grade, so it seems reasonable to expect to get through 1 & 2 this year then, right? And DD1 is 1st, so probably just level 1? Or since we are starting later do you think DS should get through level 3? He reads well above grade-level but spells right on grade level.

I bought my copy of WWE2 at a yard sale for $3, then had it cut and bound. I had a second copy of the workbook pages made at that time too for DD when she gets there. It wasn't that expensive, I think all in all I paid close to $30. I figure computer ink and paper is pricey and I wouldn't save any with a pdf and printing myself.

I know the new FLL 1&2 have been designed to be done with WWE 1&2 to eliminate redundancy. What about FLL3? We are going to work on WWE2 this year (only started at the end of last year). We never finished FLL2 but I would like to just go ahead to FLL3 this year and keep him grade level since you don't have to do 2 to move on to 3. Am I better off waiting until we finish WWE2? DS has horrible handwriting so that is a big focus for me this year. I let it go too much up to this point and it's something we really need to work on this year.

Sorry I was being mauled by a 2 year old as I typed. :D I did a lot of research on the purifiers though and it seemed to me we needed the best of what was out there, and we did...it made all the difference in the world. :) And we don't have animal allergies, just dust and mold...so I was thinking if you invested in one really good machine it might help a lot and cut down on some of the other things that make more work for you. I know what it's like!! Just the laundry alone is a pain. I strip DS's bed and wash on hot weekly, and sanitize it every couple of weeks (I hate doing it weekly bc I just know I'm stripping the color out of his quilt along with the dust mites lol).

We got two serious air purifiers that made a world of difference. With that and mattress and pillow encasing (and cleaning etc) DS was able to go from coughing like he had bronchitis while on meds to no meds at all! We got two Austin Air purifiers. They are workhorses and will work a bazillion times better than anything you find at a big box store. They are less expensive than many others out there, though not the quietest. The filters only need to be changed every 5 years. I really think with all the animals and other allergies, you need something powerful. The filters on the HVAC system are not going to come close to fixing your problems, though they are helpful.

Thought I'd update and let everyone know that while I was all set to get 2 table-like desks....I found a pottery barn kids craft table on craig's list, brand new, for less than half price...so I got that instead! :) I've been wanting it forever and it suits everyone in some perfect way. :) And fulfills my dream for a pottery barn table LOL. It's beautiful and big enough for everyone!!! I will have to post pics when I get the room all done in the next couple weeks. Thanks for you're help!!!

Check out Winterpromise American Story.

I feel like I have MPD. Last night I wanted desks, now I'm thinking a table...LOL!!!! I better just get the last screws in my shelf and get the books unpacked...maybe when it's cleaned up I'll find some clarity!!!

So if I plan right, I can have desks that fit together like this....just wish I could afford these ones LOL!!! http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/schoolhouse-desk-and-hutch/?pkey=rromstusch

Hmmmmm. Feet in the shelves. Crud. My son would be all over it!!!! See, this is why I need to brainstorm this "out loud" with all of you! :) This room is the front room in our house...it should be the "living room", it is to the left of the front door and the first thing seen when entering the house. We plan on putting up french doors eventually, but even those will be glass, so I should add that appearance will be moderately important for this room. I'm trying to use Craig's List and my DH's carpentry skill to do this inexpensively however. LOVE getting stuff cheap second hand lol. Maybe I should go back to my desks with a drawer or little shelf idea. I think I'm stuck on separate desks that make up the table so it is modular and flexible. If DH makes them, he would do the legs in such a way that he can put on taller ones later on (I've got a tall DS, but it seems like the girls will be tiny forever lol). What else do you all wish you had or love that you do have? I'm going to need bookshelves too....tall bookcase? Short and long?

Loving everyone's thoughts and ideas, thank you!!!! I think I'm leaning towards some sort of separate desk-like tables that I can push together OR separate, depending on the mood of the day (lol). I need a design though....standard desk? Shelves underneath? I really like this table here so I wonder if we could modify it a bit to be an oversized personal space...but wow DH might have a heart attack if I ask for 4 of them!!!! ETA What do you think if we made 3, sized such that the third fit at the end of the other two, so the kids sit at 3 sides of the larger table created? The shelves underneath just seem like a great way to use "wasted" space. So almost like making each of them their own separate table but they fit together nicely to make a big one?

LOL BTDT with the kitchen table, our old house was TINY so this time I want my kitchen to be...my kitchen. ;) I know we'll still use other spaces, but I like the idea of a place we can work on stuff and *gasp* leave it out for a while. ;) If I go with desks...I would get/make enough for the toddler to join in for sure! So hard to make these decisions!!!

Cool thanks. :) DH has a biscuit joiner...but he doesn't enjoy doing it LOL!!! I didn't realize you could buy pieces like that.

We just moved into our new house. :) I'm making what would be a formal living room into our school room/office. I'd like a nook in one corner with bean bags or their soft chairs for reading. I have a kid height table for the computer, and a big deep cabinet for some supplies. What would you do for desks? I'm torn between one large table made kid-height, either round or square (since 4 of us will use it) or separate desks that can be pushed together or apart. By desk, I'm thinking something simple like this http://www.childrensdesks.com/elementary-desks/laptop-desks/metrostudiowritingdesk.cfm but they have a really cute school style one that I love too that stores stuff inside....but I think it's too schooly for me http://www.childrensdesks.com/preschool-desks/writing-desks/schoolhousetableandchairset.cfm I'm in love with the Pottery Barn craft table, but it's too costly so I would have DH build me something similar...either cutting down a full-size table and adding a spindle for art paper or making something from scratch for me. I also found an awesome one a mama here made that I like too, her post is below. What do you all think??? What does everyone prefer and why?

I just found these this morning LOL! How is everyone liking them? I finally have a room to furnish and I can't decide what I want!

Wow. I love it!!! I'm trying to decide what to use in our school room, and was debating between separate desks that can be pushed together or a big table....now I have to throw this in the mix LOL. DH woodworks too. :) I have to ask, did you join the wood for the tabletop? How did you make the solid plank?

LOL It's ok....it's not because you can't do second grade math, it's because it's a new method. I'm sure if they did regular borrowing we'd have sailed right through!:lol: