Today one of our homeschooling families a.k.a. majorly special friends came over and we spent the afternoon together: children playing, fixing dinner, & planning! Planning for next year. Curriculum to choose from. Her list is much shorter than mine which is in part a tribute to her decisiveness. I need about 9 more children so I can try out all of the curriculum that interests me.

Everybody needs somebody....often, in homeschooling world. Don't do it alone. Find that support group that fits your family needs, find a buddy who loves to dig and look right along with you. Get a homeschooling magazine that you love, find some blogs worth reading, and be encouraged. Don't forget that homeschooling is the greatest privilege as a parent when it comes to your children's education, and it's to be taken seriously and joyously!

Now, for the fruit of our labors, here's MY list! (The bold print is what we're currently doing and could continue with the next level the following year-all others would be possibilities.)

DANIEL:
Math- Horizons, Continue drills with Calculadder

L.Arts- Character Quality Language Arts, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, Rod & Staff, First Language Lessons (Well-Trained Mind), Bob Jones, Writing With Ease for Writing. (We completed most of the Bob Jones LA for this year, but isn't challenging him at this point. We can continue with Explode the Code & Brainquest for supplemental to finish the year.)

Spelling-Spelling Power or a spelling workbook (Currently using Flashkids Gr 2.)

History-Beautiful Feet (Ancient History for next year), Story of the World, Mystery of History

Science-Apologia/Considering God's Creation, Real Science 4 Kids

Reading- Bob Jones

Daniel likes to stick with a particular curriculum, for example, NOT doing Horizons does not appear to be an option. Same with Bob Jones Reading-he loves it! Sounds like a plan, and makes it simple for me unless I'm the one desiring the change.

BETHANY

Math-Saxon, Horizons, Teaching Textbooks, Rod & Staff . Continue drills with Calculadder.

Changing back to Horizons from Saxon is an option in that I would be using a similar methadology with both students. I'll have to see what happens with Daniel in Grade 2 Horizons ...which we just began, as that was when they just popped in a topic to teach with no explanation as to the why of their method when Bethany was doing that level. It just seemed out of sequence, so we switched to Saxon for this year. Working o.k., but not the perfect one.

L.Arts- (currently in First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 4-no other levels available). CQLA, LLATL, Rod & Staff, Analytical Grammar, Bob Jones.

I could do CQLA for both children-a bonus there.

Writing-Writing With Ease, IEW or another Writing Curriculum

Spelling-Spelling Power

Penmanship-Continue with Queen Homeschool if more penmanship work is necessary

History-Same as above (for Daniel) except that I forgot one! Would love to explore Galloping the Globe. Could I do that with a history as well? Possibly so!

We do History & Science together, although each child has graded readers in both subjects to help us cover in topic what their peers are covering. We use Bob Jones & Abeka for History & Science readers.

Science-Same as above (for Daniel).

Continue with typing for Bethany and Latin for Bethany & Daniel ( Just brought that back into the mix this semester.) Planning to co-op either History or Science with another homeschooling family.

Art & Music-Art appreciation for both/Piano lessons for Bethany

Sports-Continue with Sports Kidz AZ for weekly P.E., and add a sport of their choice through a weekly league play. Sports Kidz AZ P.E. functions as the practice for whatever sport they're currently offering through league play. It cuts out the need for an extra practice each week. We love that about Sports Kidz AZ.

In summary: We have a full load but I would be happy to ease up on some of that. I am willing to cut out supplementary Language Arts stuff if I can find a good curriculum.