Just getting an updated thread started for Cathie.
We ended up not getting the Kindle Fire for Maddy. Didn't want to have to go shop on Thanksgiving, for one, and also spotted these and decided to go this route instead:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Proscan-7-Tablet-8GB-Memory-with-Bonus-Keyboard-Case/29017591 After discussing it and the ways it can be used for homeschooling, we went with these for the four older kids and ordered them Wednesday evening, each with a different color case with the bonus being we can tell them apart, lol. Earl read the reviews on Amazon since there were so few on the wmart site and it sounds decent for the price. Also, with some sort of google app, you can play Netflix, so if we subscribe to that again at some point, they will be able to watch (with permission). We also like the versatility the keyboard gives for some uses.
And, on the bright side, aside from stocking stuffers, I am done shopping for the kids. This is a bit more than we usually spend, at least for the younger ones, but I think it will be useful.