Sonlight vs. Tapestry of Grace Part I.

This is the time of the year when I start getting ready for the next school year. I had it all planed out. I have been using Sonlight for some time (just finished up 4th year). I love this curriculum. There is a lot of reading but that works for our family since all of us love to read.
Then I got a phone call from one of my friends and she invited me to a co-op she goes to.
I had visited another co-op before but was not to crazy about it. For me to lose almost an entire day of school it has to be more then just a craft class.
This is a much smaller co-op then the one I visited before and there is one big requirement. All of the families use Tapestry of Grace as the primary curriculum. Now that would mean a switch in our curriculum. When I visited this co-op I fell in love with the idea spending every Wednesday with other homeschooling families and teaching some of the classes as well. The classes taught would include history, writing, and even a Science class.
Anyway after MUCH research, talking to many people, and praying with our family we will give it a try. Also, as crazy as I am I will stay with Sonlight for at least another year but use Tapestry of Grace as well (yes I am that crazy). I will try my best to write down the differences between these two curriculums. They seem similar yet different. I am looking forward to next year.

Part I.
1/ ordering curriculum (Sonlight vs. Tapestry of Grace)

-You can go to the Sonlight website and order a catalog anytime for free. It might be a little confusing at first but as soon as you figure out what you need it is very helpful. I always look forward to getting the new catalog in the mail (in April). I slowly start planning out the next year once I receive the catalog. You can place an order by mail, phone or web. I have always done it by web without any problems.
You can order everything in one bundle or as little as you want. Everything that is in their curriculum you can order from them. This comes in very handy since some books are out of print and you might not be able to find them in book stores or the library. I personally like having all books at home. This however might create a storage problem and not enough bookshelf space.
When you place an order with Sonlight you will get your packages quickly by FedEx and if you order over a certain dollar amount the shipping is free.

- With Tapestry of Grace (TOG) it is very different. There is no catalog and I have to admit I did not always find what I was looking for on their website. Like Sonlight TOG has a few sample weeks of curriculum you can look at.
TOG curriculum is digital at this point in order to save on printing costs. You can still order their printed version for an extra $50. This way you will save on shipping for sure but you will have to get an extra license (free) for each of your computers you will be using TOG on. We have it installed on the main computer and my laptop. I did run into some technical difficulties when I downloaded it onto my computer and tried to install but the staff was more than helpful. However, one problem is that customer service is only available from 10-4pm Eastern, M-F.
When it comes to storage TOG wins. It is all on my pc and I do not have to search through tons of pages.
TOG has a book store online as well. however, they do not carry all of their book in their curriculum. This is more work on your part and they do not offer discount as Sonlight does when you buy the books from them.

When I try to work on Sonlight I need to remember what box contains what I am looking for and get around the maze of boxes in our bedroom. In comparison I can get to my TOG anytime and anywhere as it is on my laptop and it does not weigh as much.

Next time :
2/ planning for next year (Sonlight vs. Tapestry of Grace)

Emma's 1st Dance recital

Emma had her first dance recital yesterday. I was not sure how she would do on the "big stage" with so many people watching (the theater can hold 900 people and it was almost full).

(the girls getting ready for their number)

The curtain open and Emma had these huge big eyes looking at all the people. She looked at me (I was in a first row) gave me a big smile and started dancing.

She loves the whole stage thing.

She has a very funny Miss K. as a teacher.

I cannot leave the boys out. They came with us every Wednesday morning with bags full of schoolwork and work on school stuff during Emma's class.

All of the costumes were so beautiful:

Sunday Reflections

If you consider yourselves to have died in his death, and risen to a new way of life in his resurrection, sin will dominate you no more. You now live under a regime of grace, and grace does not stimulate sin, as law does; grace liberates from sin and enables you to triumph over it.

-F. F. Bruce, The Letter of Paul to the Romans If we have been united with him like this in his death,we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:5-7

Night out in Boston

Last night Fil and I got to go to Boston without the kids. We met our good friends from Denver who are in Boston for business and had a great time with them.

Anybody knows where in Boston we were?

Week in Pictures

This week we spent most of our time on the soccer field.


In all kinds of weather.

Emma is getting ready for her dance recital this weekend.

And we even made a trip to Boston.

The Steiger crew on the USS Constitution.

With Mrs. R in front of the Old North Church.

Sunday Reflections

To believe that God—at least this God—exists is to believe that you as a person now stand in the presence of God as a Person. What would, a moment before, have been variations in opinion, now become variations in your personal attitude to a Person. You are no longer faced with an argument which demands your assent, but with a Person who demands your confidence.
—C.S. Lewis, The World’s Last Night and Other Essays

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

I am still here :)

Wondering where I disappeared to?

I wish I could write how busy I have been. The truth is that I am just enjoying the free time that I have with my kids. No rush to do school so we are just having fun. We had some rainy and sunny days. There is always something to do in the Steiger household.
We met many new friends lately and still hang out with old ones.
Yet the best times are when I see my kids walking together like this

I also spent some time working and updating my blog.

Anyway here is a picture of me. Since I am the one behind camera all the time :)