Well here it is July, when I'd hoped to start our new school year, and we're not quite ready yet. It's been another rough month, but after some delays I finally had surgery a couple of weeks ago and following a rather nightmarish "adjustment" period, I seem to be on the road to recovery - hopefully my shunt won't pose any further problems (fingers seriously crossed!)!

Fortunately, despite everything, I've been steadily piecing together a plan for next year and doing a lot of reading. Since I'm passionate about the Middle Ages, I've been avidly researching all sorts of things and the results have been exhilarating - as far as history goes, it's going to be a wonderful year (or at least I hope so!)! I've decided to break from the traditional four-year cycle just a bit by devoting an entire year to the Middle Ages (AD 500-1400), There's simply too much to cover otherwise - especially when you consider that we've still got to get through Ancient Rome!

For everything else, here's my list in progress:

Language Arts

• English: Rod & Staff Building Christian English, continued from last year.
• Reading: Undecided. We have CLE Light Units from last year to finish, but I'm thinking that we may switch to the Faith & Freedom Readers from Seton, and/or their Reading Comprehension and Thinking Skills workbooks. I'm still working on our literature selections for the year.
• Penmanship: At a recent homeschool convention, my daughter selected Rod & Staff's Penmanship for Christian Writing for herself, however I've yet to find anything for the boys. I'm thinking they will most likely use CHC's Handwriting Level 4 and a little of Writing Can Help 5B: Scripture Handwriting. The latter includes instructions for a simple Versal script and designs like those used by monks to adorn scripture, which will be perfect as we study illuminated manuscripts.
• Vocabulary: English From the Roots Up - This was an impulse convention purchase, but I haven't yet decided if we'll actually use it.
• Spelling: Finally I've found a simple spelling/dictation program that I think I'll love: Spelling Wisdom.
  

• Latina Christiana I
• Ludere Latine I
• CHC's Little Latin Readers
  

• Classical Astronomy: Signs & Seasons
• Botany: Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation with Botany
  

• Art Appreciation: Seton's Art Through Faith, CHC's Learning to Appreciate Art and Art Masterpieces: A Liturgical Collection, plus several Sister Wendy art appreciation books.
  
• Home Economics: CHC's Sewing with Saint Anne, See and Sew: A Sewing Book for Children...more TBA.
• Japanese: Japanese has been requested by 3 of the kids (and I wouldn't mind learning myself!), but I'm still undecided. If we do pursue it, we'll use Genki with Japanese the Manga Way: An Illustrated Guide to Grammar and Structure, Kana de Manga: A Fun, Easy Way to Learn the ABC's of Japanese, Japanese in Mangaland and/or Kanji in Mangaland as supplements.
• Computer Programming: TBA