Hi Tricia! Most homeschool moms have had times like this and it’s perfectly okay. A friend of mine got stuck in ancients for years and we all joked that she did horizontal history! Her kids learned tons and they had a blast and everything was more than fine.
When it comes to your soon to be 8th grader, this simply means he needs to have more work assigned independently. Have him continue reading his books even when everyone else is unable to. It’s the only way to get through all the high school work he’ll soon be facing.
Many schools barely touch upon history in the elementary years so you are doing your kids a great service by taking your time and really enjoying your journey through history.
When I started homeschooling my children, my history knowledge was abysmal. I mean really, really bad. When I discovered CM methods, history became my favorite subject and I have so enjoyed learning with my kids for the past 14 years. Your kids are already ahead of the general population just because they are learning history and enjoying the process.