What SCM Material Should I Buy to Plan for Next Year

I am hoping you wise CM mommas out there can help me choose the best materials from SCM to begin planning for next year (2013) with my kids. A little backstory:

First, we do our school purchasing based on the calendar year b/c of our income…we make the majority of our income in the Fall, so it makes sense for us to buy new materials then. Therefore, I am prepping to buy for 2013-2014 for our 5 kids: dd11, ds10, ds8, ds6, and ds4. Grade levels K – 7th.

Second, I have always loved the CM methods, but have gradually drifted away the past few years. Call it ‘peer pressure’, fear of failure, or what have you…but gradually many workbooks and other philosophies of homeschooling have infiltrated our school work. The past year was particularly challenging and joyless for us. I overdid the workbooks and memory work. School is starting to feel like doing “hard time”!!!

The positives: Yes, my children READ, and love to! And they all love math and art. But I would like to see them writing more, enjoying science and French, and really connecting with History (my passion). Creating life-long learners is my goal, and I feel like I am almost getting in the way of their learning right now! Ouch. So….

Is there a resource from SCM that you would particularly recommend for ‘starting over’ with the CM method? Any recommendations for simplifying and paring down your homeschool? Anything your kids are particularly ENJOYING in their studies that you can share?

I need a refresher on what to DO to make the CM principles live in our home again. Any ideas or resources you can suggest are appreciated!