I really appreciate the input. I guess my next question or next set of questions would be: If he were to use Wordsmith for 8th grade, would he just continue to the next/last book? And if that were the case, what then?

My Grandmother had her paneling done in her mobile home. She did not have wall paper on the paneling though. What my dad did is just put a good primer on and 2 coats of paint. It looks real good in her home, nice and cheery!!! Happy painting!

thank you for your suggestions. Out of WordSmith and Write Shop, which would you choose and why?

I am looking for something for my DS 8th grader. He has not really had much compostition instruction in PS (I pulled him out in 2008). He does love to write and seems to be a natural at it. I want to challenge him without crushing him. I have looked at Writing Strands; not totally sold on it...yet....would like to know what else is out there. Thanks in advance.

I thought that I could bring applesauce in our carry on to save on weight in the checked on lugguge....wrong. The security officer told me that if you can squeeze it out it's "liquid". That includes applesauce, peanut butter and even play dough!!! I checked on all of our toiletries into one hard sided makeup case. We even packed 2 cases of water in our check on baggage. We went to Disneyland and wanted to save on money. If it's in your check on baggage you're good. Have a great trip!!

:lurk5:

This was our first year homeschooling and wanted to be able to "take off" when my DH was able to take leave (his a SSGT in the AF) and go on vacation when everyone else was in school. It seems to be cheaper that way and less crowded. So, we do the 3-5 weeks on then 1 week off. I planned it so that we have the entire month of August off, so I can regroup and the kids can do their summer thing. They are slowly finishing their assigned book work so their daily work load is dwindeling to just math, Daily Grams and reading. They do like being able to brag to their PS friends that they were able to take a week off in the middle of February. And they don't realize that when it comes to the summer months they will be finished with their assignments before their PS friends start knocking on the door. This is what is working, thus far, for our family. Who knows it may change.

I read a post about just learning Latin and Greek roots instead of learning the entire language. That made sense to me. I guess I'm looking for a curricula that would enable this. I have tried Vocab. from Classical Roots earlier in the year then changed to Worldly Wise when the former seemed too "classroom" oriented. However, my mind could be changed if persuaded.:bigear: So fellow home education teachers, sell me on your favorite vocabulary curriculum. Could you please tell me your reasons and the pros and cons of the program. Thanks in advance and have beautiful day.

I read your post earlier and felt compelled to respond and join in on the conversation. I thought your post was thoughtful, intelligent, tactful, heartfelt and pretty much right on. I speak from experience of that one client that all of a sudden found herself in front of your desk when my ex decided to not support his 3 children that were coloring on the floor in your cubical. I was a stay at home mom that found herself on her own with 3 boys, going back to work full time as well as going back to college pulling 12 credits a semester. I was in the *system* for 22 months. Recieving TANF, foodstamps and childcare while I attended college and worked was just what I needed. I never in a million years thought it could happen to me but there I was. There was no way in Hades that I could have done it without the states help and to that I am grateful. I can't judge nor do I have a place to. I don't walk in their shoes, I have only worn mine and have no regrets.

Yes, document document document. It may seem tedious, especially if things are going ok at the moment, but then it can all turn to @$&*. Seeing something in print makes all the difference in court. I highly recommend mediation and actually surprised that it's not mandatory like many other states. If your friend is worried about money, mediation is the way to go. If and that could be a big if they weren't able to come to an agreement then going to court and having a total stranger that has no idea who the parents let alone the kids are, decide their fate. I speak from experience of 7 years battling it out with my ex that has to have supervised visits because of choices he has made regarding the children and the emotional and physical abuse. Counseling for the children could be an option especially if your friend suspects emotional abuse. Document everything and never ever let her children hear, see or feel the trauma of the PARENTS divorce. Divorce is like business arrangement. Your friend and her soon to be ex are going to be business partners in the upbringing of their children. I realize it may be a cynical way of looking at it but that's what co-parenting is: a business arrangement. Now if one business partner is abusing the "product" then it is up to the other business partner to take legal action to protect said "product". It's a give and take relationship and I know (boy do I know) how hard it is to give and take with a "business partner" that you really dont like but in order to produce the best product (meaning raising the best kids we can) I have to. I feel for your friend and just let her know the HURT does go away and she can go on. Her kids will be fine as long as she's vigilant and keeps her kids first in all she does.

I thought just giving my boys the solutions manual after doing their assignment to check their work would be alright. Well, it's not that they weren't being dishonest, it's just *easier* to just erase and put down the correct answer instead of working the problem out again. I realized they weren't really learning anything so I change it up on them. They now do their assignment, I check it by circling the wrong answer, they re-work their problems by referring back to the lesson (we use Saxon) then we sit down and they tell me their corrected answer. If they get the answer right we move on. If the get a corrected answer still wrong we go over it together. I may change it up again next year and have them correct each others assignments then I'll go over it with them individually. I think kids still need accountablity and ease into some independence when integrity has been learned. I don't believe your DC is being dishonest just showing that he still needs to show some accountablity, just my humble opinion.

I have a 13yo, 11yo, 9yo DS's and 5.5 yo DD and an AF DH. the kids sort their own laundry into the 3 baskets by the W/D once to twice a week in addition to the laundry baskets in the 2 bathrooms we all use. I throw a load in each night (it could be clothes, towels, or sheets) and in the AM while the kids are eating breakfast I throw said load into the dryer and sort the clean/dried load from previous night. I sort by throwing kids clothes into their "folding baskets" which they are responsible for folding and putting away twice a week. I fold and put away DH and my laundry. I am grateful for the amount of space I have in my laundry room to allow the extra baskets for sorthing. When and if we get moved by the AF that may change and my routine is thrown out the window.

This helps immensely, thank you!! I misunderstood how their series worked, DG's....EG's....ultimate series.....Thanks again.

Great song, goes great with all the extended nursing story books I've read to my kids!! I soo agree with this. My grandmother grew up in the Depression and it was more of neccessity to co-sleep than a comfort issue. Being able to afford only one bed for the family and for the warmth factor. She did say that she misses her *full* bed and remembers fondly waking up to an occasional foot in her face!!!! Listen to your instincts, they are never wrong. This will be one of those comforting memories they will never forget, morning breath and all!!!!!

I really think (at least my oldest) will need a year or two more of grammar just on the premise that before I pulled him out of PS (last year)he didn't know what an adjective was. Although, your link brought me to a math program, LOL, I will check out the grammar program you suggested. Thank you for your input.:D I saw that they had a complete series on the Daily Grams but not (at least not yet) the Easy Grammar book series. I'll keep my eye out for the extended EG series. I was planning on using the DG's through 12grade, but who knows I may come across something else;) I'll look into Jensen's Grammar, thanks for the suggestion. Thinking Through Grammar,hmmm. Why, may I ask, were you resistent if the program was easy to implement? I mean, if it's easy why the resistence? I'll check into this as well, thank you.

My dear sweet grandmother stuck up for me when the co-sleeping issue was addressed in my extended family. Her exact words, "Where people get the most restful sleep is where they should sleep. If it's the floor, sleep on the floor, if it's all 5 kids in one bed with mom and dad is on the couch, that's where they should sleep" I loved my grandmother when she said that and after that no one questioned me about my childrens sleeping arrangements. And we all (6 of us) sleep well thankyou very much.;)

This past year I used EG and DG with my 7th grader and plan on using the EGplus next year. But, then that's it, nothing more beyond EGplus. Now what??? I need some advice and suggestions on what is out there that is more on the secular side of the grammar curriculum spectrum for 9th graders and up. I do like the idea of diagramming. Loved it when I did it in high school. TIA

I actually did use each and every lesson (at least I will, just completed the ancient Greece unit and off to ancient Rome). Because I used the level 2 as a guide on what my DS would be covering in his level 1, level 1 had more room to explore the books and movies and more activities to go at level 2's pace. Did that make sense? Sorry if I ramble, I have a headache is (((((((((this big)))))))))!!!! Yes, I do recommend going to pandiapress.com and checking out the lesson plans and the samples of lessons. It's most helpful for me so I can see what books to keep my eye out for at garage sales and such. Happy researching!!

Actually when I purchased the two levels I wasnt' aware of SOTW and it's AG. I may have just did what you are thinking but now that I've spent the whole year doing the 2 levels I like it. It all spelled out for me (after I *tweaked* the order) and it was real nice to just type on their schedules "history- lesson 2". This was my first year doing HS and thought this was what the kids and I needed. Next year I'm going to apply the classical method to all areas of study and not just history.

I noticed this and luckily had time before school started and went through and lined them up. Yes, it took time but it was important to me that they were covering things at the same time. There were times that level one was farther ahead than level two so I took that time to have my level one student read some of the many books that were suggested.