Getting ready for Fall

This summer has been slightly different for me from past summers... often I've really needed to take a complete mental break from anything homeschool-y for a full 8 weeks or more during June & July and haven't been ready to even THINK about anything academic-ish until August at the very earliest. This year, however, I've felt more pressure with two teens in the house (one heading into his last year of homeschooling!) to work & think about next year off and on throughout the summer months. And it's been ok to do that -- the positive result is that I feel pretty much "on top of things". I'm just hoping I've been successful in keeping the "burnt-out, don't-want-to-think-about-anything-resembling-school" situation from happening!

One thing I've been trying to figure out over the last few weeks is some sort of grammar text or course for 15 yo dd. We've approached grammar "gently" with all three, using Simply Grammar and or Daily Grams, Editor-in-Chief, etc. but avoiding a full-blown curriculum. It's worked fine, but I'm pretty sure dd (who is a strong auditory learner) needs some kind of more organized reinforcement in English grammar & punctuation at this point.

I've been unhappy, however, with most of the texts & programs offered to schools & homeschools... so this morning I thought I'd try the ole' bookstore approach. You know, "real books" meets grammar instruction.

Here's what I purchased (with my educator discount) that I think will do the job: Barron's Painless Grammar, the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation (it includes quizzes) and Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

At the very least I'll have fun reading these!