heartofdakota.com

Oh, Mary, I've missed you! You had me smiling and laughing , but I know that you've gone through a lot this year that hasn't been fun. ((a great BIG hug)) I'm so glad that the Lord has restored your joy and refilled your tank.

It has been so fun to read what everyone is doing! Just think of all the wonderful homeschools that are going to be springing into action in the next month!! What a privilege we all have to touch our kids' hearts for eternity! I agree with water2wine...all of you starting up with Bigger are in for a wonderful year!! Grant and I had so many significant discussions through our days with Bigger. I'm just so glad that I get to see him grow up - spiritually as well as physically!

I'll be starting Preparing with Grant and LHFHG (half speed) with Allison and Garret. We're going to start August 17. (I think. ) I was just doing my figuring last night. I know that we want to finish by the end of April, and this gives us a week off at Christmas and a week of "wiggle room". We're going to be doing 4-day weeks like Preparing is scheduled. I'm excited!!

Kathleen

It's our first year of homeschooling and we're using LHTH and LHFHG beginning August 31. Can't wait!

In October I am going to do LHTH 4 days a week with ds of 4 and have dd of 2 tag along for Finger Plays, Singing Bible and do the younger Devotions with her. With my oldest ds I will start Bigger in January, when he is 7 years old, to get him to be in the middle of the age range since he is an October birthday. We are also moving him into a 4 day week. He will do DITHOR 2, most likely start dictation and follow the math plans. We are so excited!

Hello! We're new to HOD this year, but it's our 2nd year homeschooling. We just got a bunch of our books yesterday, and are SO excited! My daughters - 9 and 7 - are doing Bigger (w/extensions for 9 yo). We also have a 2 1/2 yo little guy. I have LHTH, and we're going to try and see how he likes it. The girls are anxious to help their little bro with 'school'! I wanted to start early, but need a little more time to pull myself together. The big girls are going to my in-laws for a week on the 15th of August -- aaahhhhhh... Oops -- did I say that out loud?? So that will give me a week to put the school stuff together and spend some alone time with my little one. I thank the Lord for this awesome curriculum and the great bunch of moms who are on this board. I look forward to getting to know you better through this journey!
Stephanie

Hello! This will be our second year of homeschooling all the kiddos, and we are LOVING it. I've been trying to finish up LHFHG with my ds7 and dd8 over the summer but we have had a busy one with swim team, VBS, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camp, and visits with relatives! So, I will continue LHFHG with them - we have 6 weeks of that to go. Then they will move into BLHFHG and their 2 younger brothers will start LHFHG. Sometime in the future, I want to figure out how to slowly merge the 4 of them into the same guide. That's altogether another post! Oldest 2 kids (dd10 and ds9) will be starting Preparing. I can't wait for that! We had an awesome year with Bigger and I am looking forward to seeing what Preparing will bring.

So, we're "officially" starting the 2nd week of August, but we haven't really officially stopped! Our program details are in my signature.

MamaMary!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was reading your blog today wondering if you had quit HOD!
I am very excited that you are not AND that we both will be in BIGGER!!!
We begin on Monday August 3rd.
Dorla

Oh girls,

You just bless my heart. I cannot wait to get started with our new year.

Brenda, I have thought of you many times. I still remember your loss and even now my heart is broken for the pain of that. I remember praying that the Lord would wrap you up in HIS arms and I still pray that! (((Big Hugs)))

Dorla, YEA, we can share our journey together;-)

Kathleen, you are such an encourager! I've missed you and your family and cannot wait to catch up! Where's Jessi? (smile)

wertzeemom wrote:The big girls are going to my in-laws for a week on the 15th of August -- aaahhhhhh... Oops -- did I say that out loud?? So that will give me a week to put the school stuff together and spend some alone time with my little one.

Our youngest leaves tomorrow for 10 days of camping with his grandparents. I can feel that "aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh" bubbling up in me already. I, too, will be spending time getting school ready, but for my eldest--senior this year. Also, my husband gave me a digital picture frame for Valentine's Day. I still haven't gotten the photos loaded on that--so I'll be taking some downtime to do that as well. I am looking forward to it!

Jen, I also will have a senior this year. We'll have to emotionally support one another..., big understanding smile

This is my first year on the message boards

We are doing Beyond again with DD6 this year and doing it all as written with emerging readers... we picked and choosed our way through it last year with her.

We are starting new with DD4.5 and DD2.5 this year!

DD4.5 will be doing the K version of LHFHG and this 1st next year with LHFHG
DD2.5 will be doing LHTH without the devotional and using the ideas for youngers this year and going through it again next year with the devotional and using the ideas for olders.

My plan was to do LHFHG over 2 years using the Kindergarten options last year and the 1st grade options this year, but it just didn't work out (ALL MY FAULT!). We did finish the Rod & Staff, Reason for Handwriting K, and we read The World God Made 'K'. We also finished our BJU Math K (had already purchased it before I found HOD). I wanted to keep my 2 dc together since they are so close in age. I thought that since the oldest is a boy and the youngest a girl, that my dd probably would be able to keep up with my ds.

So we are starting over next week with LHFHG using Thinking Skills Grade 1, Reason for Handwriting A, Our Father's World, and Primary Math 1A & 1B. I had considered (and even purchased ) going through Earlybird Kindergarten with my dc because I have seen a lot of comments about Singapore's thinking being different. After looking through the Earlybird Kindergarten I think I will be fine to start Primary Math 1A. Our BJU Math K was very good I think, but I want to go with Carrie's suggestions because I know she is much more knowledgeable than I in this area!

We are using the next level in Sing, Spell, Read, and Write for Phonics (another purchase made prior to finding HOD ).

We are just going to begin LHFHG in Unit 1 even though I think we got to Unit 6. I know my dc won't mind re-reading the History and Bible stories. I am replacing a few different Burgess books since we read a few of those.

Sorry I rambled on. Does my plan sound alright? I feel just awful that I wasn't consistent last year, but we did do math, phonics, and writing.

Mary, remember me? I'm the short one.... hahaha

I hear you on pulling out that guidebook and remembering the good thoughts. I've spent the whole past year remembering the awesome year I had with my ds when he was working through 2nd grade doing Beyond (little brother was kind enough to help in all of the experiments, of course). This year I'm coming back! The pictures and memories I had from that year were just too precious to miss out on any longer. I will be working through Bigger with him (now in 4th) and his little brother/helper will be doing Little Hearts. I so wanted my dd who in in 8th to be enjoy the new CTC but we covered that this year so she'll join the HOD program next year when the Middle Ages comes out. I know she'll love it!!!! And my oldest, yep, he, too has taken to working independently. It is hard to see them grow but when you look and see where they've been and where they are, you know God's hand has been making this all possible and the way it is supposed to be.

Glad to see you back!!!!

Heidi/1shortmomof4

Heidi! I am so glad to see your beautiful face! I am so glad we'll be doing Bigger together!

Hello!! I see we are all gearing up. My 5 yodd is doing LHFHG and my 11 yodd is doing CTC with exensions. I have no idea when we will start. Everybody has decided to come visit the month of August so I guess September. I usually go year round but needed a break. I am getting older. The month of August will be training month for the 17 year old to learn to help with the 5 yodd. My son will go back to college in 3 weeks. I still cry everytime.
Sharyn

Mama Mary,Ive been over to your blog a few times,IVE MISSED YOU.
Im having some major wobbles about homeschooling[.again?].We are due to start Beyond in a week.Its the thought of the battle I imagine lies ahead that is scaring me[ BTW for anyone reading this thats not HOD's fault- more the battle of getting an aspergers kid to change a routine and follow ideas not his own].Plus on our trip to France - nathan broke his arm.I realised just how little french I understood whilst dealing with the doctors in the ER,thankfully their english was better than my french.
Im so glad your feeling better Mary and Im thrilled your posting back here.
God Bless
Sam