Ezra finished his second Life of Fred book of the semester today, which puts him ahead of the game for his year-end goal.  He does three or four, or even eight chapters at a sitting because he enjoys it so much.  Life of Fred is conspicuously flimsy on drills and practice, and that's why I chose it.  I really want for the kids to grow up loving the simple, solid logic of math for the fun it provides.  There will be plenty of time in their teens to get down and dirty with the hard work of it, once I have them hooked.