What's NEW in the Big D Family's Homeschool?

This year, we are doing something NEW for homeschooling.  I have looked at this curriculum for about 15 years ... always very interested, but never the right timing for our crazy, busy family.  This year, though, we took the jump.  Even though our income is 1/4 what it was a year and a half ago ... we took the plunge and spent more on curriculum than we ever have (in 19 years of teaching our children at home).  But ... we are EXCITED!  


We took parts and pieces of our NEW curriculum on our Road Trip with us, but now we get to jump into ALL of it ... and it's a LOT of NEW stuff.  Yippee!


We are using the Sonlight Curriculum this year. Do any of you use it?  Do you have any hints, tips, or suggestions for us as we jump in with both feet (and our now empty wallet)?


We bought the American History for Ben; and Papa is very excited to be his primary teacher.  Papa LOVES teaching high school history.


We bought the Core 6 World History for Hosanna and Sarah.  Hosanna is such a little administrator, she has the two of them on task every day.  It looks like she'll be Sarah's primary teacher this year.  They did GREAT keeping up with all of their reading while we were on our Road Trip.


We bought the Core 1 World History for Josiah, Rachel, and Elijah, with the more advanced readers.  I am really excited about doing World History together with all 5 of the younger kids, alternating the read alouds between Core 1 and Core 6.  


All of the kids really enjoyed doing the read alouds while on the Road Trip.  I was reading one book, before bed when we were camping; while Carissa was reading another book aloud, while I was driving down the highways during the day.  I am really looking forward to hours of reading aloud ... while snuggled up on a couch ... out on our quiet island ... all through the winter.


While we did a lot of the reading on the Road Trip, next week we get to jump into the Sonlight science curriculums and language arts curriculums that come with the Core History Curriculum.  I am not much of a science person, but am really excited about the science I get to do with the 5 younger kids.


Along with our NEW Sonlight Curriculum...


All of the kids are using Saxon Math this year.  


Elijah and Rachel are doing Saxon 2, and are excited about all of the manipulatives that come with that set. I think it will be especially helpful for Rachel, as she still struggles with the concepts behind math problems that she learned through rote memorization while in Ghana.


Josiah is doing Saxon 5/4 this year, and is really excited about the DIVE CD that he gets to use on the NEW (used) iMac computer that we bought from Craigs*list while we were on our Road Trip.  I think he's more excited about the new "kid's computer" than the math, but whatever works to get the kids excited about school work.


Sarah has Saxon 6/5; Hosanna has Saxon 7/6; and Ben has Saxon Algebra 1/2. They will all be using the DIVE CDs on the computer, as well.


All of the kids are also using Wordly Wise 3000 (2nd edition), to supplement their Sonlight Language Arts.


I think these programs will work well for all of the kids, and we are excited for something NEW this year.  Woo hoo!!!


I would love to hear from any of you that have used or are using Sonlight.  It's a bit overwhelming, so I would love some personal tips for the teacher.