The Subject I Struggle Teaching The Most {Spelling}

Read alouds are a huge hit in our homeschool. Math, we have fun with. It comes easy to my second grader, and my kindergartner is eager to complete his colorful Math workbook pages! History is engaging and questions are always swirling around in their little minds. Science. They thrive on the experience and note booking. But when it comes to creative writing and SPELLING.  Everyone cringes.  Creative writing is not a fav around here with the kids but I don't necessarily have a hard time teaching it. Writing is a passion of mine, so it's more the lack of motivation of their part I have to deal with in that area.
But SPELLING.  AHHHH!
What makes it so hard for me is not the lack of resources available, but rather the abundance thereof!  Since I switch things up a lot in our homeschool, trying to find what is a good fit for each child, I get overwhelmed with the variety of teaching methods and strategies available for spelling. 
I've Tried The: Say, Spell, Say, Write Each Day Method. And that works most of the time, for short term memory. But, they forget the words a few weeks later!
I've Tried The: Write Stories Using Your Spelling Words throughout the week and again, by the end of the week they know it. But a few weeks later, if I try to review the same words, I have to teach most of them, all, over, again!
I've Tried The: Online Spelling Sites. You type in your child's spelling list. Games, dictation and even quizzes are formulated using their spelling words. I thought for sure this would be a winner. Still, no long term skills gained here, just some fun games played!
So what now? Recently, through a program called Spelling You See, I have learned that there are Five Developmental Stages of Spelling. I have been blessed with the opportunity to review their program over the next few weeks and will go into more details about these stages in my review of the program, (so stay tuned!)
What encouraged me about these five levels is when I looked at Stage 3: Skill Development. They say, this stage usually begins after first grade, once phonics is mastered and they often stay in this stage through fifth grade.
One son, who struggles with spelling, understands phonics and is just now moving over into the third stage. Maybe I'm expecting too much from him. When he still spells house, "howse" or  they, "thay," I get stressed out. I'm learning that I need to realize that this stage takes time, and with time he will master the skills needed to be a proficient speller!
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