Big boys ages 12, 10, 7: we have art classes at our house that are big playdates afterwards-it's 3-4 hours Monday's and Tuesdays. Once a month we do a historical dance class that turns into a playdate -3/4 hours. I take one to the grocery store with me once a week. Church on Sundays. It's plenty for our family.

Boxcar children Time Warp Trio I second Secret of the Scrolls-my boys have loved those.

How do you fit handicrafts and agriscience/small engine in to your schedule?

Have you looked at Notgrass Geography? It's a high school curriculum, but I would think you could make it work for 7th/8th. I was considering it for my 8th, but I think I'm just going to make my own again next year (have him pick a new country every 3 weeks, do research, write a paper or something, seterra mixed in).

That's a brilliant idea!

This is excellent advice. My oldest is smart and could do amazing at school, but he would always rather be doing something else (even though the something else is usually academic). I was so discouraged in the early early years that he was never excited about anything I planned. I'm still disappointed here and there, but now I just try to ignore/correct his attitude and assign the things that I think he would connect with if his attitude wasn't bad. I second the idea that probably most math curriculums are fine-they are a teaching tool. @Clarita: that is a great idea. I once did something similar with life in general when I noticed I was focusing on all the negative-I wrote down positive things from the day so I could review them at the end of the week. That was helpful (...I should do it again...).

I hadn't heard that either-I'm so glad they had time!

Further thoughts after exploring guest hollow more: the text looks a little dry and I didn't see any history. Since I'm using geography instead of history this next year for ds I was hoping to have some history included. I think it's Notgrass for us.

All ye Lands doesn't look as in depth as Notgrass: All ye Lands says it is for grades 6-7 and Notgrass is highschool level. The sample of All ye included more science-y stuff than I think I want since we have a separate science already.

Following because I'm thinking through this same thing for my next year 8th grader. I've made his geography curriculum this year and it didn't go as I wanted it to-I need a plan to follow for next year.

Seconding Dictation Day by day. I took a year off last year and did sequential spelling with my 4th grader who just kept guessing weird letter combinations-that seemed to fix it for him and we're back to dictation day by day this year.

We started a once a week park playdate at a park just by posting on our local homeschool Facebook page. We had weeks where a lot of people showed up and some where it was only us.

Not here, I think? At least not in my circle of homeschool friends. There are several that do a one day co-op, but during the other days they are using some sort of curriculum and teaching themselves. Maybe it depends on kids' ages, though-my oldest is only 12 so most of our friends are around that age max.

Ok, I know y'all said you weren't ready for this yet, but let's brainstorm some ideas for next year. My current thoughts for our 4th ds: LA: I'll probably start OPG half way through the year when he can grasp most letters. Do a letter a week thing before that. I use some confessions of a homeschooler stuff, make up some of my own. I'm kicking around the idea of R&S G-L. I like their A-F series, but the next series always looks like more writing than my littles are capable of. Math: maybe start R&S 1 half way through the year. Otherwise diy stuff (dollar tree workbooks, dot to dot, just counting to 100) Bible: with the family in the morning and finish R&S B. Other: FIAR books and activities that I diy, including some kind of weekly craft. He really wants to join my art classes next year, but he'll be a young K in a class where the youngest is 1st grade...we'll see...

Thanks-I'll look into it!