I am a book hoarder!

@@geekyabode same!! And I'm not ashamed 😅

OMG, This is so funny but, true!

I'll be picking up the other Child's introduction books. They are so good! This as my first School nest purchase and I am really happy with it. I think keeping track of history this way will be really fun.

I can be a bit book obsessed. I always liked books but, as a homeschool mom it's really created a monster. The incredible thing I've realized is how much kids can learn from just reading good books. It's taken me years to get away from the "text book" mindset of the public school system I grew up in.

Gentle and classical looks really good. The cave paintings in incredible. That would be such an amazing experience. Your travels sound like a dream. There is nothing better than seeing and experiencing the world.

I'm not a big breakfast eater so a smoothie is perfect. My son who is 9 loves them but, my daughter is crazy picky. I have to work on that. She's your typical fries and pizza kid. The tropical oils smell amazing! I usually get stuck in a rut of ordering the same. Love these. I'm with you, I haven't put on nail polish for years. I'm rough on my hands and it's too much work to keep it looking good. The peel off polish is great for my daughter and I think I like it too. I had to redo one nail yesturday but it was quick, it peeled off in one piece and took a moment to reapply. Oh yes, I'm at the stage where my shoes and clothes are disappearing into my daughters room. She will be bigger than me before I know it. A couple of my dogs are prone to mats even though they are all poms. Of course the one that likes to be brushed doesn't get mats!

Yes, I think I said Gluten but, I meant gelatin!

This sounds amazing! I feel like there is so much to explore and learn and not enough time! Learning from people or experiences is one of the best ways to make a real connection.

I forget about that one since the name is so similar to IEW. I'll have to look into it. Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing! I'm going to look into Share your story, that sounds really good

Omg! You saw cave paintings. I have to put that on my bucket list if possible. That's incredible. Greek Mythology is an interesting topic. We are currently reading Mary Pope Osbornes version of the Odyssey. I keep attempting to put it down due to graphic topics and thinking my kids aren't ready or into it but, they keep asking for it. My daughter was upset the other day when she thought we were almost done the book. I never know what will grab their attention. We are enjoying the connections we are seeing with Greek mythology and other things like my daughters love of space.

You are very welcome! I'm obsessed with books, these were the biggest hits!

That's a great idea to add in assignments from science and history. I've heard of writing with numbers but, haven't looked into it. If I remember correctly its and investment. Thank you for the information. I'm all over the place. Who knows where I will end up.

I've heard of science mom but, haven't looked into that one yet. I figure at this point, there will always be flops but, if there is fun, learning, and joy in what we do, we are all good!

TGTB has become one of our favorites and all the books! We would love to do travelschooling and really shoud've done even more back in 2020-2021. Now my hubby has to work in the and my kids have a lot of activities that we are really loving at this age. I've heard of Science chunks, I need to check them out!

I am hoping to get better at it or I'll just have to plan better with what I'm using. My hopes would be to go once a month but, be better at ordering the books I need. It was odd, even though we have a big library system and access to the entire systems books, I still came across so many books that they didn't have.

I think I'll do a video on this, showing hoe I plan out Ancient Rome for the beginning of the school year. it's been great but, was a challenge for me to stumble through and figure out how I wanted to do it. I use CC as the starting point and add in elements from LOL. CC can bounce around a bit, you'll be doing Ancient Egypt then you'll have chapter of Stonhenge, back to Egypt and then China, back to Egypt again ... I understand why it's done that way but, my kids got lost jumping around. Halfway through the year, I broke the chapters into regions and started doing it that way. We are now finishing up Ancient Greece. I wanted to do too many of the things in LOL. I've scaled back a bit. I plan an entire unit at once (like Ancient Greece for example). Each week will focus on one the CC chapters. I look at the extras in CC and LOL and see if anything sticks out right away as a must do and pencil that it first. Then I look at books and videos I want to add. I like some spine books like Usborne History Encyclopedia. I also look for biographies and historical fiction to read. If there are any virtual museum tours or historical site tours online I like to add them in. Then I look at the activities and note which ones I like. I no longer stress if we don't get to everything I plan since we really enjoy it and learn a lot regardless. We do history everyday but, it's in little chunks that just build on each other. it's sounds overwhelming but, really is what you make it.

@@geekyabode would love to see that! I planned to use CC as my spine and include LoL explorations as they pair up....but my 7 year old kids won't do well with skipping around. Might have to reevaluation the situation! So helpful! Thank you!!

Language Arts is a tricky one for us. My daughter who is 11 has struggle with reading which then trickles down to other aspects of Language Arts. My son who is 9 can easily work though a level and advance at a faster pace. I've realized even using some of the same levels that I'm pacing them very differently for each kiddo and need to really embrace that for them. I think i'll do a video on how I'm using TGTB with both of them because of course I'm not doing exactly as shown. The level 4 was updated in 2020 and seems to a bit different when compared to level 3. I love Guest Hollow, I plan on using their Actions & reactions as Well as the new American History. We really enjoy all of the books!! What reading program are you using?

@@geekyabode the ordinary parents guide to teaching reading!!!

@@RockSimmer-gal4God I just took a quick peek at that today! I'm searching for a writing curriculum to use on a daily basis. I'm currently eyeing Writing With Ease & Writing & Rhetoric. Have you used either of these?

Thank you so much for your nice comment. It means a lot to me. I'll be posting those videos really soon. They are some of my favorites to make and watch!

I've learned to make a great plan but, also go with the flow. If I rush things along my kids get less out of it. If we are interested and take our time we learn so much more. I'm always "trying to figure out" what type of homeschoolers we are. We are classical in some ways but, also a bit Charlotte mason in the sense that we love just reading books too. I also am drawn to Waldorf. I connect to so many methods. I used to think I had to do all of the hand on things in order for my kids to have fun and learn. I've learned this year that it isn't true and I can relax on that and not force it. I love geography (and history). I really want to teach the kids about thinks and travel to experience them. Before the graduate I am hoping to go to some major US landmarks and some European countries. I would so love to go to Egypt but, I'm not sure if that's in the cards for us. Traveling is amazing!

I love art supplies and school supplies, lol. I need to find a cover to protect our dining table. Luckily, we have tiles floors making that pretty easy to clean up. I've done the concentric circles piece before but, this one is different where each persons tile will fit together. I think I"ll do a video of it since it'll be easy for anyone to do. I need to find some great markers. We have the classic Crayola thin markers but, my kids are ready for a better variety.

We love the colored pencils! My kids use them every day. I need to find a set of all black pencils that are similar since they are eating through that color the most. The container is awesome too. So easy to pick up and put away!

Thank you so much! We've found some great things this year. I love combining curriculum too. I can't help it there are so many great options out there. I have FOMO. I want to share how I am doing that too since, I am getting better at it. It's a process.

It really shocked me. I woke up one morning to a huge rant that was attacking me and my homeschooling style. Her biggest issue was in the fact that I like to pick different curriculum options and not complete something from cover to cover. She went on and on saying I was a lazy homeschooler and that it's people like me that cause some states to have strict homeschooling laws. My kids are going to have gaps in their education, her kids don't live in a bubble...it went on and on. At the time, it put me over the edge. I've had time to grow and really realize that I shouldn't let others get to me like that and be proud and confident in what I am doing. I love homeschooling and being here. Thank you!

@@geekyabode I’m sorry she made you feel like that. It sounds like the way she “thinks” you should homeschool sounds horrid. This is why we homeschool. So we can do what is going to work best for our kids and our family 😁 The most hate I got was on my girls’ first high school science credits… not rigorous enough blah blah blah. I’m doing just fine, thank you! lol I know my kids and I know I’m doing what is best for them for their future.

Omg! Yes, we are in a lot of sports and the stuff you hear is crazy. I've left games even at the YMCA fighting back tears over how even a few select parents were treating their own kids. Thank you I really appreciate it. As a homeschool mom, I think we all often have times when we doubt ourselves and when strangers attack you where your feel those doubts it can be hard. I've really noticed over that past year how well me kids are thriving and have become even more aware of the extremely negative environments, experiences and education that is out there in the schools near me. If have less doubts and more confidence. Thank you so much for your nice comment.

Thank you so much! Seeing your comment made my day. I am going to leave my comments on because the community and conversations is one of my favorite things about being here. I know the comments won't always be nice but, the positivity outweighs the negative. I'm fine it people don't like me or what I have to say but, when there is negativity towards my children, that's a whole different thing. Thank you for being here and I hope you enjoy the videos that I'll be sharing.

Your daughter can learn all of the grammar concepts with Brave Writer Darts. She doesn't need to know them beforehand. It can be a confusing tool to use but, it is really awesome. I like to take longer with a Dart than 1 month and really soak in what available to learn and enjoy. We take it in little bites of info. Another one of my favorite programs for grammar is Guest Hollow Beowulf's Grammar. I also use that. It's really easy use and fun as well.

Oh wow, You must have to keep really good records! Having a great planner is so helpful. I think at this stage I would be lost without one. Especially one that I can make lots of changes as we go. I am hoping that purchasing more books and supplies ahead of time helps. It's disappointing when I feel like I wasn't prepared enough. Yorkies are adorable. We love our little dogs. I always have one on my lap when I'm sitting down. They are cuddle bugs.

I would say it only take 15 to 20 minutes a day. I usually read a chapter and then I'll discuss one of the topics, for example pointing out the superlatives in the weeks passage and then we may do an activity like walk around the house naming objects with superlatives. It's super gentle and flexible but, is also to the point. It feels like we are just doing a read out-loud and then take a few moments to learn a little extra. It's become one of our favorite parts of the day.

Thank you for sharing. I will have to keep corn knowledge in mind since it sounds really good. I appreciate a curriculum that flows well and builds on itself. We are also a big fan on unit studies. We do best when we focus on a subject.

@@geekyabode exactly with torchlight it was so sporadic. One week it’s dinosaurs, then plants then nocturnal animals etc. I feel at younger ages they need more than a week on a subject because within days they seem to forget.

We used some of the moving beyond the page units this past year and really like them. I plan to mix some it with a bunch of other things this year. I recently discovered layers of Learning. It's a bit of work for you as the teacher since you have to pick which books, videos and activites you want to do but, we love that style of learning. I'm trying to prepare a lesson plan so it's more open and go. I also like Blossom & Root (but, I personally think a whole year of botany and animals is too much for my kids). Oak Meadow is intriguing to me but, pricing to try out. Bookshark science looks good and easily laid out. The history may be too much for young kids unless you love history. I'm paring Curiosity Chronicles with Layers of learning using lots of picture books and the hand son activities. Curiosity Chronicles also has an audio book option to go along with the book. The teachers guide is also filled with book ideas and activities.

We've been adding in more more unschooling and it's been working out really well. It happened by accident which is always great. Our local library also has great summer programs. I think I am going to get BookShark science. It really looks great and easy to use.

Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I'm glad to help!

It does come with a nice little guide. We really enjoyed the dart program. It so gentle and a great way to to learn along side a great book. My son actually picked out the next book in the series at the book store. To me it's a huge win!

My kids are always surprised to discover that people live differently all over the world. We became really close to an employee on our last cruise that is from China. It really opened up my kids interest in the Chinese culture. The connection has become a life changing experience for them.

I like printing things too. That's to bad about TGTH heath and Barefoots. Hopefully it works out. If not it'll be a place to start and I'll have to look elsewhere. It's really hard to find something good. Thank you for sharing!

The ocean is something else. My daughter got stung by a jellyfish is shallow and extremely clear water last fall. We also have a of dangers bacteria in our water. We always have to check the water report before we go. We only live a few miles from the gulf of Mexico and don't in it as much As I would like. Rip currents have also been a major concern this year with many drownings. Somehow we all learned the things we needed to, I just want to make sure we have open conversations with our kids. I would rather they be comfortable talking to us. That is the hope anyway.

I was surprised how much of an impact the sheet music made. I just draws us all in to play. Oh Japanese arts sound very interesting. The arts & crafts helps!