I love E-books!

Never really bought into the whole 'ebook' idea.
However, we are thinking really hard right now about trying to come up with home businesses we can run alongside homeschooling. We already have small, farm based enterprises. We sell eggs, and half lambs for the freezer now and again. We hope to revive our vegetable box scheme, but it's a long time in the reviving, for various reasons.
All these things, I truly believe, benefit and enrich our homeschool experience. The girls talk confidently about the difference between the kind of tomato a supermarket wants to sell (tough skinned, very uniform, ripening en masse at the same time, oh and if possible, maybe tasting slightly of tomato) as opposed to the kind of tomato we want to eat, and to provide for our customers (soft skinned, who cares about uniformity, ripening over a long season, but first and foremost, tasting wonderful) - and they understand all about the market forces at work in seed production, EU legislation on seed registration .... all of which does not come into your standard school class, but is useful, and practical, and makes them better informed people.
What it doesn't do, is add much to our income! The little it does add, is gratefully received, but it's not making the hole any less deep!
As part of our research, I opted for a two for one special over at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine where I bought 'Homework' (sorry guys, the two for one offer is over!)
What a fabulous book! And so easy to read, laptop on lap! No shipping, instant delivery, and full, full, FULL of inspiring stories, and vital information that made me go 'Oh. Good Point...'
Then, this weekend, I also got a free e-book over at Econobusters - this one was on menu planning. Once again, delighted! I don't know about you, but getting meals on the table seems to take way too much time, when there's so much else to do, homeschooling, and (ideally!) earning a living alongside.
So, that's it. I'm a convert. I love e-books. Bring 'em on!

We are on week 17

of Ambleside Online - with some adaptations - so we have just passed the half way stage.
We have lost a couple of weeks of late, through family happenings, and life in general, and I am keen to get caught up. However, now is as good a time as any for a mid term review (not a good word in UK Home Education circles, at the moment!) so here I go.

Bible - H is now doing 'Genesis - Finding Our Roots' - and it is a fabulous book! I suspect it may take rather longer than planned, but she is really learning to dig in the Word and study, so that's OK by me. Boo, using our old family Children's Bible, is narrating her way through some Old Testament themes. She has finished the Exodus, and is now working on Samuel.

Galore Park (Boo's English, and we are waiting for Math, and H's English, Math, Latin and French) is brilliant. Everyone is doing well with this, though H is as ever falling further and further behind as the year goes on. So from now, I have to do some shoulder sitting. She is capable of keeping up the pace, but her mind wanders very easily.

Ambleside Online is a wonderful curriculum. My main complaint is that there we are a bit left to our own devices on the Artist and Music, and while that was fine when the children were younger, and I actually took Art Appreciation A level myself, I struggle to find the right things to discuss in, for expample, a Caspar David Friedrich painting. I did obtain a book from the library, but it hasn't helped an awful lot. The same goes for Lizst - and of course with the pressure of curriculum and life, the tendency is to let it slide.

History and history supplemental reading, the latter changed by me most of the time to reflect our English heritage, is a sure fire winner. Absolute shelfloads of books have been read. Boo read the biography of Abigail Adams and loved it. She is now into Victorians, and I am looking into a field trip - anyone have suggestions?

H is completing 20th Century and using SOTW. While the quality of this series goes without saying, I am very disappointed in the anti British slant, and will not be using it again. I am glad H goes on to Churchill next year, and will be looking for alternatives for Boo's next year, as she finishes Our Island Story this year. H has also read a mountain of supplementals, including 'Warhorse' and the 'Flambards' trilogy.

Science - Apologia Astronomy is great, though it is taking rather a long time. I was going to go on with starting H on the General Science next year, but it is now between that and Galore Park.

Our nature notebooks are woefully neglected - can only resolve yet again to turn over a new leaf (ha ha!)

We are so *busy* about farm garden and kitchen, that I feel sadly lacking in any actual *teaching* around farm, garden and kitchen! That needs to be rectified.

We are thinking of moving to year round schooling, taking breaks as needed. As we are currently trying to develop more income streams for the family, in an attempt to bring the family vision of farming to reality, I thought it might offer more flexibility. Though I shall mourn my long summer break, which was one of the reasons I originally thought about home educating - I was horrified at the cut back to the long school hols!

I recently purchase the excellent 'Home Work' and 'Living and Learning on One Income' from The Old Schoolhouse - and it struck me that the successful homeschooling home business families in the former, almost all schooled year round, taking breaks as and when to fit in with the business.

Does anyone else school year round? Any thoughts or opinions to offer?