To go with kids :). As a kid, I loved the beach! We went almost every day of the summer and stayed for hours! Building in the sand, riding rafts, jumping waves, finding shells.. As a young (single) adult, it was a place to hang with friends, walk, read, and play volleyball. Now, as a mom, it's a place to take my kids who enjoy building in the sand and jumping waves :). I stay under the umbrella and read or chat to another mom while we watch. But I will say the beach was a bigger part of my life when I lived in Philly versus living in Florida now.

Hmm. There is stuff I bought but didn't end up using (especially in the very early years), but I actually have liked most of our curriculum and still use it. I can't think of anything we disliked. Poor memory perhaps?! Or maybe we are easy to please. Still, reading on with with interest.

You'll probably think I'm a dunce for asking but what are the typical grammar goals? After we finish FLL4, where does that leave us in terms of what we need to know? What more (specifics please) do we still need? Just trying to wrap my head around why we should continue our grammar studies/what the goals and reasons are. I guess I just have no idea what the progression schedule is like for grammar. Math, yes, I get that schedule. Can anyone lay out something like that for me? What we need to know and when it's usually learned? (Along of course with why). Thank you!

Loved it! We went to Deer Valley near Pittsburgh, run by the YMCA. Kids program each morning so dh and I learned how to sail. Family time or whatever in the pm. All meals provided family style. Pretty decent cabins. Beach, lake, water activities, craft shop, ice cream shop, hiking, horses, crafts, ... You could do as much or as little as you wanted. The kids had such freedom to roam around in safety. It was lik a big extended family. We moved to florida and still hoping to find something similar down this way. Anyone know of one? Please! :)

Oh bummer. Now I want popcorn for real! With butter and salt please. Stopped our netflix when we moved. Yes, we do have evergreens- palm trees.

I have never heard my mil insult anyone or put them down or talk about them in a mean way. She's well educated and interesting, but keeps those kind of opinions to herself. She has never interfered. Gets down and plays with the kids, even at 85, eats what we serve, and is a perfect guest and host. She's proper in a way, and expects good stuff from the kids too, but again, with a very kind way. She enjoys going to their activities and chatting with them. I don't think she is the greatest proponent of homeschooling, but she has never said. Her visits are never long enough for me! Last time she stayed 10 days, and I would have loved longer.

We did snacks as toddlers but it was always veggies, cheese or fruits. Then we got out of snacks for years, but I just started them again on certain days. But again, veggies, cheese, fruits. My kids will try almost anything and have a wide range of tastes. We've done family meals since 18mos old, and they eat what we eat. They are much more adventurous than me. They each have a food or two they don't like, but that's it. My one ds's hated food is potatoes. Including fries and chips. Though sweet potatoes are fine by him. I don't think I even ate a sweet potato until I had kids. Something about wanting them to eat better than me; I really had to stretch myself. I eat so much healthier than I ever did before kids. And I even got rid of my hidden stash of Froot Loops several years ago :)

We started this year in third grade. It's gone really well using GSWL.

My three kids are 3rd grade and we are doing SWI A. I'm not sure how it is laid out versus your book. But for example, day 1 of the week we will watch the video if there is one. And then right away move into the brainstorming and outline for the new lesson; we try to do this together if we can like he does in his class. Day 2 might be to come up with the first paragraph, day 3 the third, day 4 and 5 to edit and rewrite. They handwrite everything; no typing yet. Day 1 is the longest since sometimes the video is an hour. Otherwise, otherwise they are completely goofing around, I'd say 20 minutes, no more than 30. They can work pretty quick at times. Sometimes it's 10 minutes. The ease of their paragraph writing depends completely on how well the brainstorming and outlining went. There isn't a new video every week. Sometimes it's just extra practice of what we learned last time. We just finished the reports from multiple sources lesson. They do have a harder time with the non fiction than they do the creative writing.

I see a very small, very slanted, fancy, cursive type of font too. It is very hard to read. All the other fonts I see are fine. I'm on an ipad.

Really depends what time he gets home. If it's early enough, I'm still in my regular daily clothes, jeans or capris with decent top. But if it's after the kids are in bed, I'm usually in my pjs.

Yes, we are adding you to our prayers.

Can I ask which you did first? Gswl or ll? We will be finishing up gswl sometime this year and lively Latin was on my short list to look at to continue with. Would it be a good fit? Is there a lot of overlap between the two? Are you happy you went with both? We really like gswl. The kids are getting it, it's quick and simple, and no fuss. Would love what you can tell me! And sorry for hijacking your thread! I've been researching latin this past week and your post caught my eye! Thanks!

I found they were very helpful. I probably started around the same kids age. Just to look through the books and see what they were like. I took notes on the titles and a few basics on what I noticed. If I saw popular items at the used sale cheap, I would pick them up. Granted, I never used most of what I bought, and many items I thought I'd love I didn't. But I don't think I would have known that without going and/or buying. By kindergarten/1st, I had figured out what I really liked and we've pretty much stuck with the same curriculum choices for four years now, and continuing into next year. I still go to look at future levels/curriculum. Some of my choices will start running out, so I need to figure where to go next. Also, I have found the seminars informative, inspiring, and a reality check.

Yes to the pantry over the coat closet!

I hate my side by side. It came with the house. But I really regret leaving our old fridge behind in the house we sold. It was a large Amana top fridge, bottom freezer, no dispensers. Loved it! I really don't know why bottom freezers aren't more popular. We had one growing up and I loved it then. Then had top freezers in all my apts and homes before finally buying one I wanted. I've looked at the French doors but don't like them. Too much door space seems lost. Good luck with your purchase!

I will order the book, thanks. We've had the basic ongoing discussions about privates, no one touches, buddy system etc. but at what point would I get more specific about what to look out for? Ie the different forms molestation could be. I'm just not sure how generic versus detailed to be. Is anyone able to help more with that? You can pm me as well. And no, I won't couch it as a lesson before camp, but something I start talking more about now. Even though we've talked about it, I'm not sure my kids would recognize the concerns or the whys in a situation. Or if the importance of it is known to them. It's not I'm worried about this particular camp. I would have the same fears with them going to a Christian camp where I thought I knew everyone. It's just the beginning of that letting go process. I want them to grow up, but I want to make sure I prepare them well, and still keep them safe, even if I won't be there.

Breakfast sandwiches? Either egg, cheese and salsa in a tortilla or egg, cheese and sausage on a muffin? French toast. Can probably try making in bulking and maybe toasting day of. Eta sorry, missed the salsa thing. Though its super good!

My three kids are interested in attending a 4h overnight summer camp this year. They are 9yo (two boys and one girl), and have never spent a night away from me. They are excited by the idea. I am glad for them, but also nervous and worried as heck! I know there are some great experiences out there and that's what I would want for them. But I also know there are bullying and molestation issues as well. How do I prepare my kids without scaring or worrying them? What can I do to help ensure they have a great experience and are not one of those who would be abused? They will know other kids there from 4h, but I honestly don't know most of these kids personally. We are all in our first year of it. What should I ask, look for, or teach about? I am torn between wanting them to have this experience and freedom, and wanting to keep them home in case anything would happen to ruin their life! They have gone to day camps (Girl Scout and Boy Scout). Are any others out there like this? Or am I being really odd?

You can always try it. I tried skipping the workbook this year, and ended up buying them a few weeks in. I hadn't anticipated any struggles with doing the IP as their practice, but I found mine benefitted from the really simple practices first to cement the concepts.

I haven't been there yet, but faced a similar decision. We did SWI a this year and it really worked for my three kids. So much better than anything we had tried before. And I think a lot of it is they enjoy, or get more out, of the video. So my decision was whether to go with another IEW book, like fables and fairy tales or ancient history, and still continue IEW but without the videos. Or do SICC a. I decided to stick with what I know is working and getting done well, and will buy SICC A.

We don't. It's a nice idea, but it's also not something I'd really be able to maintain ongoing, so why start it. They get excited when the new books come in, so maybe that's enough for them. And their aas comes with a chart they can put stickers on as they complete a step, so we do that since it was provided.

No tutors have ever left to see a presentation. Some moms do videotape it for them and email it or show it to them later. Via phone or ipad. They appreciate that.

Nope, wouldn't do it. Sounds too disruptive to the routine you've managed to create, and too many potential problems coming out of the one time deals, and having one in school while homeschooling the others. I can't really understand or find any benefits in the situation.

I would say the IP is a harder version of the Extra Practice. CWP is probably the hardest, but I don't think of IP and CWP as interchangeable or as substitutes for each other. Just my opinion after 4+ years of Singapore.