I know the daughter of this couple IRL!! Her parents are having a blast, but the whole house has been taken over by journalists for the past couple of days. Blesings, Lucinda

Along with the crock pot class, I think there should be a special class for baking too. Here's a couple that come to mind: The "Ground the Wheat & Baked the Bread" badge. The "My Whole Family Loves Quiver's Cinnamon Rolls" badge. Surely there would be more. And then there would be the Best of category: "Best Blog Article on Socialization" badge. "Best Frugal Dish Recipe" badge Any others? Then how about these for those of us that are into history TWTM way: Completed Round 1 - 4-year History Cycle Completed Round 2 - 4-year History Cycle Completed Round 3 - 4-year History Cycle Completed Round 4 - 4-year History Cycle And then there should be the, "I Survived Mummifying a Chicken" badge. Oh, and finally, the "I Thought Before I Posted" badge. Blessings, Lucinda

I'm excited and thrilled for you, too, Chris! The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, so this is very HUGE. Hold on to that hope. The Lord is good and He is faithful, and is able to do "...exceedingly, abundantly, above all we ask or even think". Blessings, Lucinda

TWTM strongly recommends Spelling Workout. We've used it and it was a great help, but if I had a struggling speller as young as your child I would be very tempted to look at Spell to Write and Read (SWR). I heard Wanda Sanseri, the author, speak at a hs conference this summer and was very, very impressed at how she teaches spelling. I almost wished I could take my dd back a few years to start over! Another aid in learning better spelling is a straight phonics program, and it's not too late for you to add that in. I am using Phonics Pathways with my 12 yo dd for the first few months this year as a remedial tool because she struggles with spelling. PP is another highly recommended LA supplement, and got rave reviews by Jessie Wise. Any of these would be very helpful, but I have to say that if it were me, I believe I'd be looking at SWR. It's even on Cathy Duffy's Top 100 list. Blessings, Lucinda

We really enjoyed this book as well, and I would heartily recommend Across Five Aprils. Dd and I thought it was one of the best stories ever! I haven't read the whole thread yet, but would like to suggest Carry On, Mr. Bowditch and The Witch of Blackbird Pond to your early America era reading. Blessings, Lucinda

We have a traditional table where we eat 99% of the time. A sandwich in the living room or up in the school room are only a rare thing. My original family did pretty much the same thing as Chris in VA - a traditional table, but TV trays in front of the TV once in a while as a treat. Lucinda

:iagree: :iagree:That very well could have been my own response too. Lucinda

That would bother me too. What a dig! It's hard to know where he was coming from, but it could have been because.... Your neighbor maybe has learned about the latest Nation's Report Card which states that last year's 4th graders showed rising scores in their knowledge of geography, higher than has ever been assessed, making him feel justified in his choice to send his dc to ps. (Here is a link to that info.) Or it could be that hs'ing has been discussed in his family and he wanted to gather some ammunition. Or maybe he was just really proud of the fact that his kids know about Canadian geography and wanted to show off......who knows. Whatever the case, try to let it go. Don't let it sway you from your brave and courageous decision to home educate your dc. I think if this had happened to me, I would be tempted to have a printed off copy of HSLDA's 2009 Progress Report handy to give him next time he comes over. ;) Blessings, Lucinda

TOG is a very excellent choice, and your family will learn so much. I agree it can feel overwhelming at first, but just remember that you don't have to do everything on the lists. Marcia Somerville explains it all so well in this video about weekly planning. If you've never watched it, I'd highly recommend it for you now. I would have appreciated it so much when I was starting if it had been available then. Anytime you have questions about TOG, be sure to post them here because with so many of us using the curriculum, someone is bound to join the discussion. Blessings, Lucinda

I feel the same way as the rest of you! :grouphug: I often refer to my forum friends when talking to my family and friends, co-workers, etc. and people "get it" that you've become my friends too. But honestly, I live way out in a rural area and am often plugging away here by myself IRL because I don't want to waste time traveling to and from co-ops and other types of hs groups. The Hive has been the BEST support group I could ask for, and it's available pretty much 24/7! You've all provided the most expert advice on hs'ing and the best place to come whenever I've needed prayer. Some of you have even reached out to me IRL and I've been so blessed. I honestly do not believe that I'd be doing as good a job as a hs parent if it weren't for this wonderful place to come and hang out. Blessings to all, Lucinda

Hey, I'm back again. I just realized I posted on this same thread last year so don't count me twice. :001_smile: We are using TOG for the third year now, but we take longer to do the lessons, typically spending two weeks on a one week plan which means we complete 2-3 units per year instead of 4. We did Units 1-3 of YR-1 for 5th grade (UG level), and then we did Unit 4 of YR-1 and Unit 1 of YR-2 last year for 6th grade, which was our first year at D level. We are going to try to speed it up again for 7th grade and do Units 2-4 of YR-2. My goal is to be ready to focus on U.S. history and its relation to the world in the 8th grade. Even though TOG was designed for big families, my dd and I love using it just for us. It has been a real blessing to follow the plan, read all the good books and learn together. Unfortunately, I expect this to be our last year with TOG due to our shrinking budget. I'm going to have to switch over to Biblioplan and/or Truthquest instead, or we may possibly use TWTM method. After using TOG for a while now, I feel I understand it so much better and would be able to put a customized plan of study together much easier because of it. Blessings, Lucinda

Thank you all so much! Prayer is so important - and we so often minimize it. One thing I have learned through a number of situations in recent years is that it's really important to let people know the outcome of their prayers. So please, everyone, whenever you ask for prayer please remember to also follow up with encouraging news when it comes, or remind people to continue praying. Blessings, Lucinda

I don't believe sending letters to all persecuted areas of the world would be safe. In the case of Open Doors, however, they know the people and the areas very well and they take great care. That is one big reason why our cards and letters are sent to that organization to distribute accordingly. The letters are sent in ways that allow the receiver to be safe. The point is that these people desperately need encouragement from brothers and sisters in Christ. If you explore the site from the link I included in my op, you will see a bit more about how it works. They have a letter writing guide that is very helpful too. Blessings, Lucinda

bump!

I'm glad you read this, RoughCollie, because I wanted you to be encouraged. Blessings, Lucinda

Dear Praying friends here in the Hive, Thank you so much for your prayers for dh this week. The Lord heard us, and some very positive things happened today that I wanted to share with you. It's very, very obvious that God intervened. Two days ago I had a strong, gut feeling that I should express some concern about dh's health to the HR department where he works. I prayed over my words and kept it to a minimum, but I was able to explain how he is still recovering from a stroke and that I am terribly concerned about him being under so much stress on the job. Believe me, I would never under any other circumstances contact my husband's employer, but this was a risk that I felt needed to be taken. I didn't put it this way to them, but I believe that what the work crew has put him through these past couple of weeks has been more than dh should have to bear at any time -- and especially while still dealing with the lingering effects of a stroke. I did express to them my concerns about the possibility of him having yet another stroke because of all the stress, which is no exaggeration. Well, today dh was called in to a meeting with the owner and HR. They wanted to know what was happening and how they could help him. During the meeting dh was given an opportunity to explain everything completely from his perspective, and they LISTENED!! Amazingly, there were actually photos available to back up part of what he was saying about one of the incidents, and that really opened his boss' eyes to see the truth of the behavior of several people in the department. As a result, dh was cleared of wrong doing and he gained the support and trust of the owner of the company. A while later, a meeting was called for everyone in the department where rules about harassment and discrimination were addressed and emphasized. The owner stated plainly that he will not tolerate any misbehavior from anyone regarding the matters being presented. The people that had treated dh unfairly are also being dealt with individually. See? God does hear our prayers, and He does care. The Lord is good!! Thank you for your willingness to pray on our behalf. This is a real victory, but there is still much yet to overcome. We are encouraged to move forward though, and I want you to be encouraged too. Blessings, Lucinda

A weight loss tip I read quite a while back was to freeze grapes and use them for those afternoon snacks when you're craving something sweet. I have done it and found it to be a wonderful idea. Just don't freeze too many at a time because long term, they don't do so well. Blessings, Lucinda

That's perfect, and is exactly what I'd hoped for when I posted. Blessings, Lucinda

I receive a daily devotional from Open Doors, a non-profit organization that serves and supports persecuted Christians throughout the world. Just recently I learned that Open Doors has extended an invitation to write letters and cards of encouragement to persecuted Christians. My dd and I read about this and both wanted to participate, and so today we drafted our first letters and are sending them to be distributed - one to Sri Lanka and another to Ethiopia. As I was writing it occurred to me that other Christian homeschool families (with students who are mature enough to reach out to people that are suffering) might like to know about this opportunity too. Here is a link that will provide stories of real life people that need encouragement and prayer. Dd and I wrote our letters and placed them in unsealed envelopes that were addressed to the names that were provided, then we slipped both of them into a larger envelope that was addressed to Open Doors. Please note that this is not a solicitation for financial support of any kind. It is only an invitation to write letters to encourage those in need, share scriptures and offer prayers. Blessings, Lucinda

:grouphug: Praying for your dear Emma. God knows, and He cares. Blessings, Lucinda

Might have been Manor House...but do tell me about Downton Abbey. :bigear: Thanks y'all. Blessings, Lucinda

...the one that was about the life of servants in an English manor house? It was like a reality show version of Upstairs Downstairs. I'm trying to remember the name, but it's alluding me. I've been reading a series of historical novels that reminded me about this series, and now I want to see if it's still available to watch. I've had so much on my mind lately, and I've found that escaping for a while in stories about other people's lives is a refreshing alternative. Thanks! Lucinda

:grouphug: Thank you all for your prayers and input. It means more to me than I can possibly express. We are taking this a day at a time, praying for strength from the Lord and choosing to keep our eyes on Him despite how things look right now. We have been doing some checking into the legal resources through our state already, and have been considering the best course of action. Dh is signed up with the Vocational Rehab program here in our state as well, but all of this takes time and right now we are really short on emotional strength. I will be making some calls this week to find out more though, and we have been documenting everything. I am seeking another part-time job, but one that I can do from home on my computer and phone. This would enable me to keep teaching part-time, hs dd and be home for my elderly mom. If you'd remember that in your prayers for our family, I'd really appreciate it too. Blessings to all, Lucinda

Dh has been officially transferred to maintenance after losing his medical card for his CDL Class A drivers license. That, in itself, has become very sad for him. He feels lost and out of place, especially since he is still recovering from the stroke, dealing with lots of depression and fatigue along with speech impairment issues. Now it has become very evident that he is in a hostile work situation. He's been wrongly accused of things, seemingly set up and framed on one account and unfairly reprimanded on another. With both situations he was sent home without pay as a discipline. He has been given really dirty jobs that no one else wants to do, also sent in to greenhouses with temperatures of 132 degrees and told to work there. The crew he's been placed with wants him out big time, so they are trying to make him quit. Today it became very clear that HR is not going to help him, they keep telling him things and not following up - even avoiding him. It's all become really dirty and I'm appalled at their tactics. Dh needs time to get career counseling because he feels so lost, we desperately need his pay AND we desperately need his health insurance. These issues are making him miserable. Please pray for wisdom, direction and provision. We are trying to keep our mortgage out of foreclosure as it is, so the timing of this is just horrible. I am tired and fighting depression of my own. Other things in my life are really, really good but I'm finding it hard to be able to enjoy them this week. It would be so easy to just go to bed and stay there. Blessings, Lucinda

An alternative (or supplemental) idea to what you're talking about would be to add the grade for each assignment next to it in your WPD as it is completed and you check it off. Then the grades would be documented next to the assignment and you could transfer them to whatever gradebook or sheet you want. I am doing this very thing this year. My plan is to move the grades to my customized spreadsheet on a weekly basis. My goal is to give dd a semester report card from now on, as we have never done that before. Blessings, Lucinda