Thanks for the suggestions! I will check these out.

Does anyone have a Geography video/DVD set to recommend? I'd really like something to enhance our World Geography Studies this year? Not a curriculum but something that shows what the landscape and/or culture of the region or country. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Has anyone used North Star Geography? I'd love some reviews.

I grew up in North Dakota and my family still lives there. The oil boom has definitely changed thing up there. I hardly recognize Bismarck anymore it's grown so much. I can buy anything there that I can buy in Texas (except good Mexican food and TexMex). In answer to your questions I would say it depends on where you live. Long cold winter, yes but there were many times this winter that Texas was just as cold or colder. Lol! You'll certainly get your fair share of snow and then some. I will say that because of the transient nature of the oil worker population crime has risen greatly in the areas near the field. GREATLY!!! Housing has skyrocketed. Rent is triple what it was a few years ago. But groceries in say, Bismarck, are quite a bit cheaper than what I pay in Texas.

I voted no. We make friends based on common interests. If they happen to share my faith then that is just one thing we might have in common. It is just as likely that knitting might be something we have in common, or a love for coffee or margaritas. :-) A good friend is too rare of a thing to place these types of limits on.

I'm so sorry you are experiencing this. It is hard and I wish I had the perfect words of encouragement. You are not alone. My precious daughter (10 years old now) was born with a hemangioma (blood vessel-non cancerous tumor, basically blood vessels growing out of control) on the columella of her nose (the skin that divides your nostrils). It was just a flat bright red spot to start. But it grew and grew. We started seeing a dermatologist at age 2 months. It was heartbreaking. Most hemangiomas grow for 18 months and then remain steady for a few years and then gradually disappear by age 9ish. At the rate my daughters was growing they estimated it would grow to the size of a plum. :-( Our amazing dermatologist contacted every expert in pediatric dermatologist and pediatric plastic surgeon he could to explore our options. My baby girl was put on steroids for 2 solid months to stop the growth. It worked but she still had a growth the size of a bright pink pencil eraser hanging off her nose. I got a lot of, "oh your baby is so... (Loooong pause) cute." Followed by a shocked expression. I had people who would tell me I should use gentler kleenexes, I shouldn't let her nose get so red, and the always helpful, "what's wrong with her nose?" So rude!! Sometimes I said things I probably shouldn't have in return. Sometimes I just rambled on and on and on hoping to bore them to tears so they'd think twice before being so dang nosy. Sometimes I'd go home and cry. It was hard and it hurt. People can be so petty and focus so externally. Most of my encounters seemed to happen at Target. Go figure. What helped was having a pre-prepared response. Something gentle BUT corrective. I usually said, "actually, it is an hemangioma. A non-cancerous blood vessel tumor." They then might ask questions and be really kind and apologetic, but if they weren't I usually ended with, "the hardest part is when people make comment like the one you just did." And then I'd walk away. You are not alone. Enjoy your baby.

Ds#1 is 11years older than ds#2 and 13 years older than dd. He is an incredible big brother, he was such a help to me when they were younger and they adore him. He is the light of their lives. :) Homeschooling helped them to be close since they were around each other all the time. Yes, there will be challenges having toddlers and teens at the same time, and starting all over with homeschooling, but the rewards have far outweighed the deficits. Oldest ds always wanted siblings, and he is really grateful to have them. At 24 year of age, he and his wife are their guardians if something ever happens to dh and me. My parents and inlaws thought it wouldn't work either. I had friends tell me it wouldn't work because of the age difference. It has been lovely to prove them all wrong. :)

Doubtful. I had mine last year and I was wiped out and crampy that day. I didn't feel like doing much for a couple days. Order in. :)

I joined her family as a single mom of a 9 year old boy. My hubby proposed to me the night before I met her for the first time. That day she welcomed my son and I as family and never looked back. She is closer to the age of my grandparent than my parents, very midwestern, very religious, and very old fashioned. But she never looked down on me about my "situation" and in fact the only time I heard her say anything about it is when she told off her snoopy, gossipy sister that "she should just mind her own business because this was her new daughter and grandson." She also raised 4 of the most EXCEPTIONAL, hardworking men on the planet. She loves my kids and plays games with them (and doesn't let them win unless they actually do). She has a fixed income and can't spend much on gifts so she makes them stuff all the time (even better in my eyes!!) or afford to come see us often, but she faces her fear of flying anytime we can scrape enough money together to fly her here. She's a gem and I'm grateful.

I thought the SAME thing watching her.

Bwa ha ha ha!! Exactly!

I am a reformed "late person." If I can change ANYONE can. My dad used to say I'd be late to my own funeral. 14 years ago that changed. I got married to an always on time person. :) I hated the fact that I was always late. So I asked my hubby why he thought I was always late. He said, "I don't think you have a healthy reality of how long it take to do something." That was eye opening for me and he was exactly right. I started slowly making small changes like asking his advice for what time I should leave if I wanted to get somewhere on time. I still do this to this day. I started packing the night before. I made lists upon list upon lists. I worked hard at this and now I am rarely late. If I'm late it is a BIG deal. We usually arrive everywhere 10 mins early and have to wait in the car. I bring something to read or do for me and the kids. All this to say, if a late person wants to change they can. It isn't easy and takes lots of learning and planning but it is possible. I have little patience when someone is chronically late but won't even try to make changes in their lives to make it better.

I'm having the same problem and do not like it! :)

Have you heard of Erin Condren Life Planners??? It sounds like what you are describing. AND you can customize the cover. :) I am on my third year of using these and I love them. If you like it and want a referal link that will get you a $10 off code send me a private message. :) https://www.erincondren.com/classic-life-planners

Easy Bake Oven. I wanted one so badly when I was young and didn't get one. I still remember the yearning. :)