Library Madness

We went to the library today. I have two that I use all the time. One is right behind my house, but it is small. The other library is twenty minutes away. When I got home I counted all the books I have checked out between the two libraries. I keep a list with titles, which library it is from, and due dates. I have 16 on my list with one book the library says I have, but I have no clue who checked it out or whose it is. It might be my daughter's. That makes 17 books for me. That has to be a record, even for me. SEVENTEEN!
In a way, I love it cause Laura and I are reading so many REAL books and not text books for science and history...plus all the stories we are reading. I just wonder if going with Sonlight or Living Books curriculum isn't easier because I will have everything on hand. Of course, I can't afford that this year, but for future reference it is something to consider.
I go back and forth cause, while buying the books is an awesome investment, my other daughter is 18 months. It just feels like it will be a very long time before she gets to the point where she'd use them.
Some days I want to just go to a completely workbook curriculum. I feel like we read and do math, read and do math. It's fun, but it is SO much reading this way. I figure I'll get used to it in time. I just don't want to burn Laura out. That would totally defeat the purpose. I guess I need to set time limits for each subject, and when the time is up we are done.
One of my friends uses a workbook program and her kids only homeschool like 4 hours a day. Laura and I easily spend five. Of course, at least one hour is pure reading, and I've been spending quite a bit of time on Math with Laura. On the things like Language Arts, Handwriting, and Reading Skills, Laura finishes all those quickly.
The true test will be with Science. After we are done studying the systems of the human body, we are going to use some ACE paces. I plan to supplement them with living books, but I wanted the God centered curriculum with already generated questions.
This is an experimental year for Laura and me. It's a time for learning about how she learns best and how I like to teach. She loves reading, but I don't know if reading book after book for every subject is the answer. I kind of want to mix it up a little...some books, some workbooks, some hands on. I guess that is why Unit Studies haven't interested me as much. We have been studying Native Americans for two weeks, and I am anticipating moving on to The Vikings and Columbus.