As life goes on, we all have certain seasons we can count on. Yes, the whole world recognizes winter, spring, summer, and fall, but as homeschoolers, we have a few extra seasons. There's Back-to-School sales at our favorite stores (I mean, seriously, who doesn't get excited over 10cent boxes of crayons and notebooks? They make me happy.) There's the season when we are finishing our workbooks for the year. Such a feeling of accomplishment to see a completed math or spelling book. And then there's my very favorite season of all: Curriculum Buying Season.
For some reason unbeknownst to me, book companies have their curriculum sales in April. We are not talking a token 5% off your purchase sales...we are talking 20-30% off your entire order. Yes, it requires forethought. Yes, it requires planning ahead for next year and not waiting until July or August when I'll actually need those books. Yes, it requires budgeting ahead of time (or in my case, yelling towards my husband's office, 'I'm ordering curriculum now!' He's used to me and my spending quirks and blissfully-for-me, he keeps the budget ready for these moments). It works for us. I'm all about sales and saving money when I'm spending money, and if I can save $20-30 off my needed books, then I can spend that $20-30 on a film-making elective my oldest Kid is interested in taking. Right? Right.
Anyhow, today is my curriculum ordering day. Thanks to catalogs and the wonderful invention of the internet, I can do all my shopping from my couch. Much of my ordering is what I call 'refills:' a workbook or other consumable for my youngest to use with the main texts that her big sister used 4 years ago. I have tried very hard over the years to buy curriculum that would benefit them both. We are in this for the long haul. We have been homeschooling for 8 years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Interested in what we use? I order the bulk of our curriculum from www.christianbook.com and www.sonlight.com. They are both Christian companies that cover a broad spectrum of subjects.
Our current curriculum:
Math - Horizons (current 2nd grade LoveBug), Teaching Textbooks (current 7th grade Kid)
English - Bob Jones (LoveBug), Excellence in Literature Honors Level (Kid)
Spelling and Vocabulary - Horizons (LoveBug), Wordly Wise (Kid)
Science - Apologia - this year the LoveBug has done Astronomy and the Kid has done General Science
History and Reading - Sonlight (both)
Bible - no set curriculum, but they are encouraged to read their Bible daily and follow the Holy Spirit's guidance
Spanish - Rosetta Stone (both)
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