My dd and I really like this series of writing books by Ralph Fletcher. We also utilize lots of nature identification guides, cookbooks and itouch apps.

My oldest dd does math better at night and could probably do her other subjects then, too, expect everything else is done with her sisters and their brains turn off around noon. :tongue_smilie: So we have to get some things done in the a.m. I think part of the reason she does better is that I've always had time to work with her individually in the evening. I remember when she was 3yo and her sisters were 2yo. I'd put the twins to bed around 6pm and just spend that time with dd coloring, crafting, whatever. She definitely likes to burn the midnight oil with me. I think you're kids will adapt. :thumbup:

Last year for 4th grade, dd worked through Wordsmith Apprentice and learned creative writing through the eyes of a journalist. She would rather write creatively with "no rules" (her words :001_smile:) but she survives the expository assignments since she's the journalist.

Mon-Wed & Fri: My 5th grade dd begins promptly at 8:30 with math and ends somewhere around noon with basically non stop work. Afternoons are reserved for free play, crafts and chores. She reads for pleasure and school in the evenings. Thurs: we have a science and Spanish co-op in the morning. She has no other school assignments for the day.

I will say that I always try to consider other people when I update my status. I really, really don't want to offend. But some people (like my sister who is having a very public affair :eek:) have no issues with who they will offend or hurt in their words. Even I have restrained myself from posting anything that will hurt her or her husband. My biggest pet peeve is those who only update their status with what they are serving for dinner. I don't mind a menu but I would like to see them serve a little variety with their status updates.

http://www.makingmusicfun.net/ I use this resource quite a bit for my beginning violin students. My dd loves the piano pieces.

No advice...just sympathy. It's hard teaching 3 at once. We don't use Shurley for the very reason that I want to enjoy certain subjects together with them and for us that is science and history. I use more independent work for all other subjects because it's too exhausting to incorporate everything all the time with all three.

I was thinking of this today! My 3yo equally uses his left and right hands. It' sort of funny to watch. He'll scribble a few seconds with left hand, switch to his right for a few more seconds and keep switching the entire time he wants to use his crayon. One meal he may exclusively use his right hand and the next meal, he'll use the fork in his left. So I'm no help, just right there with you!

I think your answer may depend on where you were located geographically when you first learned the ends and out of the Civil War. Being from South Carolina, the first state to secede, my history lectures were severely tainted with heavy talk of state's rights. Occasionally slavery was mentioned, but mostly in the context of "how well" slaves were treated. :confused: Only recently, as I did my own research, have I realized how the horrid Civil War, or War of Northern Aggression, really was about slavery and the selfishness of wealthy plantation owners.

LoF is a miracle! My oldest dd hated, hated, hated Saxon and tolerated Horizons. I had no idea what to do with her so I bought Fred for something to do while I decided on her next curriculum. I think we'll stay with it all the way through! I just ordered Decimals and Percents, too. She started Fractions at the beginning of August and will need the next book within the next week or so. She also retaining information. Just yesterday, I had her do a few pages in a Spectrum math workbook--which she had previously tried and always resulted in tears--but this time she nailed all the problems! :D We love Fred!

Teddy Roosevelt. He had the most fun--he even let his kids bring a zoo into the White House and ride ponies on the elevator. He made his children his priority and spent lots of time playing with them!

I gave up TV a few years ago and never looked back. I became much more content with my life, since I had a lot less to compare myself to. Also, I realized I was really crafty! I now love sewing, crocheting and various paper arts (quilling and calligraphy, among others). I use my new skills to encourage others by making things for them. With no TV our evenings are much calmer and peaceful!

I think you can experience joy, contentment and happiness regardless of your DH. Is it easier? Sure. I think everything is easier when my DH and I are on the same page. At the same time, though, "the joy of the Lord is my strength" (Neh 8:10) and that is not contingent on what my DH does or does not do. My dh walks closely with God, with a daily time of Bible study and prayer. He is also very active in church. And he drives me crazy! We think so differently about so many issues, it's amazing that we're still married. I used to want him to be my encourager, but he's not. It's not his personality. But God greatly encourages me! So as long as my focus is on God, and not my dh, I can experience true joy that comes from spiritual sources and not my spouse.

Sounds like it's a hard habit for her to break. If you can't do anything about it, just pray for her and see what happens. Maybe even mention it to her...as in "why do you always say, Oh my G--?" Sometimes a person just needs their bad habit pointed out in a nice way. When I worked as a graphic designer for a local ad agency, the copywriter/owner (ie, my boss) would write great ads. But his personal language was horrible--four letter words at the end of every sentences! One day I had had enough and said something along the lines of "you'd think with all your creativity with the written word you would be able to speak with a more intelligent vocabulary." Amazingly I kept my job and he changed his language (and even thanked me for the prompt). :001_smile:

My church does a fairly good mix. I LOVE hymns! I love the richness of the words, not to mention the melodies. I'm being to dabble in improvising so that I can visit some of our homebound members and play their favorite hymns on my violin. If I was ever left on a deserted island, I'd want my Bible and a hymnal.