Hi all, We have been tent camping for 23 years and I am tired of cold, heat and bugs. I also want more sleeping comfort than I currently get on my mattress and sleeping bag in the tent. My dh has put me in charge of investigating our options. He thinks that it would be more economical to go to hotels and lodges and cabins than buy a travel trailer and pay for camping fees. I can't really research prices until I know what I am looking for. SInce we are moving up from tent camping, I don't think we need luxury but rather warmth in cold times, cool in hot times, and more comfort at all times. If we will buy something, it will probably be on the smaller size since I still want to camp in National Parks and Monuments and many of them have size restrictions on trailers. We can also only tow about 6000 lbs. Can you all advice me on things to look out for or things that are particularly good to have?

I never tried to use the DD system for my own books. THey are currently not particularly organized since we moved here less than two months ago but normally I do them by subjects and general ages. That said, I will probably this week start massive sell-offs of my books since my youngest is in 6th grade and doing Calvert School and liking that. SHe has asked that she be able to continue next year. If I do do that, I won't need hardly any books under high school level. I certainly don't need elementary level now.

The younger is on day 47, I believe and the older is all over the place. We started this curriculum late, had a tropical storm, had a surgery, had broken bones, had PT appts, had three sick animals, had weekly allergy shots with one anaphalatic reaction, moved right before Christmas, and are still having many medical problems. Both of them are learning and the younger has done more days then her curriculum shows because we had to do a number of days in two parts due to all of the above problems. We live in a state that requires testing or a review and they will pass. We just keep on working.

My main problem with her is not her being unmarried. However, I think that people should be married before children. I think she is probably pathologic, and certainly extremely selfish. I don't think anyone should have children they can't support. In this case, not only can't she support them financially, she can't support them without a lot of help emotionally and physically.

Oh I forgot to add she drinks lots of milk, is fairly active (except for when she breaks a bone), and until late December was living in Florida and getting plenty of vit D through her sun exposure.

My 12 yo daughter has had a few fractures that were low trauma. Her old pediatrician was concerned enough that he had all kinds of medical tests done including celiac, vit d levels, calcium levels, and thyroid panels. He also sent us to a geneticist. Nothing was found. Both my girls have hyperlaxity. Now the new pediatrician here in VA thought she should have a bone scan and sent us to an orthepedist. She found that the younger had some scoliosis and sent us to have a bone scan. It came back with low bone density. The orthopedist referred us back to the pediatrician to decide whether to start her on calcium supplements, vit D supplements or something else. I have to be on vit d supplements since my vit d levels are low but that is common in arthritis which I have. Any experiences anyone?

She is getting government assistance. The people of California will be paying the medical bills and she is collecting food stamps and aid for three of the other children. I am sure that she will collect more aid for these eight. I am not thinking that families who are struggling financially or come into bad circumstances should lose their children. However, in this case, I definitely think CFS should look into this. The mother seems to have mental issues ( and I agree with Asta above that they seem to be personality disorders) and doesn't seem to be making anything close to wise decisions for her children. A mental disorder plus severe financial strains plus mulititudes of children seem to me a likely situation for neglect of children. Remember CFS doesn't just remove children but also helps families or mothers in trouble who need more assistance. On the other hand, while I do not think that families need to be well off whien bringing in children into the world, I do wonder about the thought process and moral compass of someone who is without resources and can't sustain their already existing family, deciding through artificial means to expand the family more. That is just nuts.

I knew someone who was walking away from their home. He bought a house while single, got married , they decided they needed a bigger house because a baby was coming and they can't afford two houses. Even though he could rent the house and simply eat 100 a month, he chose to let it get foreclosed. We rented our home for two and a half years getting less than the mortgage payment. The houses are still way overpriced. I live in a nice area with larger, 35-40 year old houses. This neighborhood used to be made up of higher ranking military officers and government workers and lawyers and other professionals. We are renting here since we can't afford the prices. Next door to us is another couple that is renting also because they can't afford to buy - a lawyer and a speech therapist. There aren't enough people making 200,000 or 300,000 a year to buy all the very expensive houses here in the DC area.

When I move into a community, I have a few different denominations that I would choose from for a church. We have in our 22 years in the military attended or been members of PCUSA, PCUSA which left that denomination and is now EPC, UMC, and PCA. We also were attenders at base chapels during two periods where at least part of the time , we had Baptist chaplains. They preached very well but since they were chaplains, they couldn't throw us out even though we had had infant baptisms. So I don't look for Baptist Churches but I am equally hesistant to try churches with name like Journey, Community, Bible, etc. where I am completely unclear on what the theology is and the services would be like.

Thanks everyone. I will look for recommendations on line but I think there are only a very few that will be okay for me as far as location of delivery. We moved to a great house on almost an acre but it is an acre of woodland so very few vegetables or fruits will grow here. We will attempt strawberries on our patio.

I wanted to do this when we lived in Florida but there was only one CSA in my area and it was completely filled with a waiting list. Now I am in VA and in the Washington Post today, there was a long list of CSA with space left. How do I go about choosing? Have you used one and what did you think about it?

We are always open to discussions. In terms of religions, that is addressed in history and geography and also sometimes when cultural or newsworthy things happen. We have visited a mosque, a recreation of a Hindu temple, another of a Buddhist shrine. In terms of evolution, we accept miro changes but see no evidence of drastic changes. My skeptism of evolution came before any religous ideas I had about it. I don't need to present the evolution arguements since they are pounded into their heads ad nauseum through shows they have watched and museums they have visited. My eldest read Darwin but I haven't decided whether children 2 and 3 will. Not because there is anything wrong with reading it, simply because their coursework is somewhat different. Abortion is something we believe is wrong. Our discussions mainly focus on what are effective and legal ways to oppose it versus ineffective or illegal ways. As issues come up, we discuss them.

I was really anxious about this since we had to move this fall and into an area where house prices have fallen a lot. As it is, we are rentling a property that was originally for sale or rent. We are paying them 300 dollars a month less than the mortgage. We have a two year lease with military clause. We had gone to base legal to find out what our options were since I am extremely nervouse about losing 3000 pus the costs of moving if that happened. They told us that there has been made a special provision recently for military members is that situation. The military will help with a new deposit and move you at government expense. Why didn't we buy? Because my dh is here for an undetermined length of time and probably two years or less. Also the house prices here are ridiculous which is why they are falling so much.

I don't think it is wrong at all to form an opinion. She had six children under 8 with one who is autistic. SHe is unmarried and through some kind of artificial means, got pregnant with 8 more. I find that extremely irresponsible. My newspaper had a longer interview with her mother where her mother said that her daughter has an obsession and while a counselor advised the mother to throw the daughter and children out so she can learn responisiblity, she didn't take that advice. Now there are 8 more mouths to feed. Mentally ill people have rights but the babies have rights too. If any doctor assisted her in this crazy scheme, I think his judgement should be questioned.

I am currently using Calvert 6 with 7 math and my sixth grader says she really likes Calvert and can we continue next year? (Yes) My older one uses Spanish 2 with BJU and I would probably use BJU for high school. The only reason for me to use box curriculum is to make it easier for me or because a child wants it. Sonlight is way too much work for me.

I never understood the prohibition of alcohol by some churches. I always went back to the Bible and saw that Jesus turned water into wine and Paul urged Timothy to drink some wine for his stomach problems. I never knew that anyone thought that it was turned into juice. Juice wasn't an option except for immediate juicing before modern processing methods. The did not have canning and juice not processed in some way turns alcoholic rather quickly. Furthermore, our wine of today is usually not all that alcoholic. Beer and cider are around 3% and wine is 10% or less. Sherries and port are higher along with brandies.

So far all my children are thinking not only college but grad or professional school. My middle one who is debating between a number of options one of which is the military has decided she is definitely not enlisting but if she chooses that option, ROTC or OTS or maybe an Academy. Her other ideas include possibly a law degree. Anyway, since DH has a Phd and I have ABD, they grew up just having the expectation of higher education. When my oldest had a medical break from college and was thinking he wouldn't return, it didn't take that long for him to realize that lack of education is not a good place to be in a recession. He is back in a new college and very excited and happy to be there.

Most states have one credit of of approximately one hour a day for a year of work. That tranlates into something like 120 to 180 hours per credit, in those states. California gives 10 credits to that same amount of work. Indiana apparently gives 2 credits for that same amount of work. So one credit in Indiana would be the equivalent to something like 60 to 90 hours of work. (I know in Florida 120 hours for a credit was the rule but we thought that was low and most states have somewhat higher requirements. My personal thought, if I was counting hours would be 150. That is because classes are not 60 minutes normally.) We don't worry about hours and just do the work needed. That being said, you need to make sure you tailor TOG work and modify it since if you you do all they list, it will be way too much particularly if you are adding grammar.

I am against the stimulus package since recessions are a normal part of the economic cycle and even though this one is bad, the vcosts of this stimulus is too high. Having said that, I think the particular stimulus bill passed by the house is a particularly bad bill. Although in principle I don't like give away progams, I would be okay with extending unemployment benefits and I like the idea of improving roads, bridges, water systems, and other parts of our infrastructure. SInce the construction industry is particularly hard hit and we need repairs, I am okay with that. However, Pell grants, the NEA, ACORN, and the like are not infrastructure. I am totally appalled by giving out money for converter boxes than for food. They are giving billions to agencies that haven't even spent billions that were allocated to them previously. When the Washington Post editorializes against this particular bill and it is not a consevative paper by any means, I have to figure that my reluctance is not simply because I am a Republican. I think I would have supported some type of compromise bill with tax cuts and infrastructure spending.I heard someone say that the tax credit will mean an extra 12 or 15 dollars per paycheck. Wowee- I guess I will be making new big expednitures, won't I?

I am a Calvinist in beliefs and I don't purport to understand why God set it up this way. Most of the time, I find the beliefs comforting. Converting others does not rest on my shoulders. I am called to help spread the Gospel but am not responsible for other's salvation. One's beliefs about others' salvation really makes no difference otherwise. Even if Calvinists are wrong and people are choosing salvation, we chose in that case. The only part that would be very troubling if it was wrong is the part about not losing your salvation. But that part seems among the clearest in the Bible to me. Certainly if we are trying to live a Godly life, there is no chance that we will somehow stumble into the loss of salvation even in the most Arministic church, I would think. I thik that what the Arminians think is that someone like my son sho claims to be now uncertain of God and his nature has lost his salvation. If my son happens to die suddenly now in a car accident I think the Calvinist doctrine would again be more comforting. Where he would end up I wouldn't be certain until my death or maybe later (depending on views of heaven) but in the meantime, it would comfort me.

I saw a version of Withering Heights maybe 27 years ago. I don't remember much about it but thought it was very boring. I also Tess D'Ubervilles when it came out as a movie long ago. (the Wuthering Heights version I saw was probably from the 40's or 50:s). I liked and remembered Tess much more. The story line was depressing but the scenery was nice. It wasn't as depressing as many more modern stories. Sophie's Choice comes to mind as an example. I actually love the moors. I just thought they sounded neat when I was child reading first The Secret Garden and then mysteries set in the moors. Then when I got to visit moors I got my confirmation that I did really like them.

I chose situational but we have been homeschooling since 1995. It was forever for child #1, and will be child #2. However, child #3 is an extrovert and if we move to an area where there is a good alternative for her, especially after her older sister goeas away to college, we may put her in school. So far, she wants to stay home.

We have an art portfolio for each child and my husband. (I don't draw or paint). They decide what to out in. Some is good, some is silly. It is their decision. WE also have a notebook with page protectors that their awards, certificates, transcripts, and test scores go. Everyone has their own.

We are new in this area and I was talking to some other newcomers at a reception for all of us newcomers at a church. They couple I was talking with found out that I homeschool and they were asking about the transition to college. Well I have had two of them do this so far and niether had a problem. Nor did other homeschoolers I know since most homeschoolers are having independent learners well before the time the children go off to college. Now about textbooks, I don't expect all of a textbook to be finished for a class. Most have more material than can be done in 180 days. However, usually about 75% of a standard textbook is finished unless a textbook is designed for more than one years' study. (Certain math texts are for one and a ha;f years or two years).

We lived in a small village in Belgium for three years. I don't know about other areas but Belgium had great internet capabilities and that was 6 years ago. I believe that high speed internet was more the norm in Europe before it was in the US. That is because the banking and billing systems are done electronically there. There are no such things as checks in Europe. I would check homeschooling rules in the surrounding countries. Germany is a no go as far as homeschooling goes unless you are under SOFA arrangements.