The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is located inside Universal's Islands of Adventure ---it is not a theme park unto itself. Admission to Islands of Adventure includes Wizarding World. While I did take my youngest when she was 6, I feel Islands of Adventure as a whole is better suited to older kids and teens. That said, my kids all love Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World portion of the park. Wizarding World is very immersive with incredible details.

These mini pecan pie bites look good. They require a mini tart pan though.

My vegan daughter says the dessert recipes at The Post Punk Kitchen are amazing.

I'm so sorry, Peela. :grouphug:

Oooh, thanks! I'll have to check Netflix. It may be the closest I get to "seeing" Italy anytime soon... And, I just found out there is a movie version of Under the Tuscan Sun with Diane Lane---I'd like to see that as well.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ronette :grouphug:

Congratulations, Stacia!!

Yes! Definitely something I look forward to each week. Thanks to all of you! I finished the non-fiction Bella Tuscany:The Sweet Life in Italy by Frances Mayes. I really enjoyed this book (along with her Under the Tuscan Sun). Not only did it leave me with a HUGE longing to travel to Italy, it also left me inspired to garden more, cook more, and take on a renovation project :)

So happy to hear that! :grouphug:

Yes. But, I suppose I'm a bit biased because I have a teen who is an amazing photographer. She has a natural gift for composition and lighting. Like others have mentioned, look at portfolios and/or references first.

Katherine is one of my all time favorite books! Beautifully written and well-researched.

We love Universal's Wizarding World! I think Forbidden Journey is one of the most brilliant attractions anywhere---from the queue to the ride itself---and really immerses you in the whole Harry Potter world. Glad you had a great time!

Like so many here, I have favorites, not a favorite. Some of them: Little Women Alcott The Eight Neville Katherine Seton The Count of Monte Cristo Dumas The Kite Runner Hosseini Rebecca Du Maurier To Kill a Mockingbird Lee The Book Thief Zusak A Tale of Two Cities Dickens Pillars of the Earth Follett All of the Harry Potter books!

I should mention, The Night Circus is not charming in the quaint, sweet sense (although there are some sweet moments), but more in the "spellbinding" sense. There is a slightly dark feel to it at times, and definitely some dark/creepy scenes.

Stunning!

I hope you find it as charming as I did! My teen was the one who first brought The Night Circus to my attention. She had read several articles about it, and we both thought it sounded interesting. It really has a quality about it that sets it apart---so much so that I wasn't surprised to hear that someone bought the film rights to the book even before it was released (although I can't imagine how some aspects of the book can be effectively translated to film...)

I was moving happily through Frances Mayes' Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy until, while in Barnes & Noble, I happened upon the much-hyped, newly released, first novel by Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus. I picked The Night Circus up, read the blurbs, was even enchanted by the dust jacket and cover (yeah, I know ;)), made my purchase, and...Bella Tuscany was abandoned like last week's leftovers... I was swept in by The Night Circus from the beginning, and could not put it down. It's an unusual and highly immersive story that is written in such a way that makes you feel as if you're traveling through someone else's dreams; it has a hazy, ethereal, almost trippy quality to it. While the plot line may be a bit flimsy,The Night Circus makes up for that in atmosphere and mood. I loved, loved, loved all the dazzling and detailed descriptions! It was a riveting and fun read, but the end came much too quickly. Now, I'm back in Tuscany :)

I think the co-op instructor could have handled the situation in a much more professional manner. It's not so much that I have a problem with the phrase, "shut your trap, mister," (although, I do find it on the rude side), but I do find it both unprofessional and a bit inappropriate considering the venue. Like the op, I believe someone who opts for a position instructing children, should be expected to model more courteous behavior. Of course a teacher SHOULD deal with a student causing disruption in a class, but, she could have walked directly up to the boy and told him he was disrupting the class, and if he didn't calm down/sit still/be quiet (whatever the case), he wouldn't be able to return to the class. And, then, follow through if need be.

I really like the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers. Great maps and wonderful photography. It's recommended for ages 9-12, but I've used it with my youngest child since she 5 (she preferred it to the one mentioned below). We also have the Usborne Children's Picture Atlas---it's geared toward younger children. Beautiful illustrations, no photos. It's a nice introductory atlas.

Looks wonderful! I especially love the cozy eating nook.

Completely agree with this.

We love English from the Roots Up! It's been a huge success for us. Loved Ellen McHenry's Chemistry, and looking forward to The Brain (which we have, but haven't started.)

Love, love, love MCT! Using MCT Grammar Island with youngest, MCT Magic Lens 1 with son, and MCT Magic Lens 3 with teen. I'm so impressed with this program, and so happy I learned about it here! As always, SOTW is a hit. I'm using SOTW 2 with youngest (my two older kids used and loved ALL the SOTW books, as well!) For my son, the new version of TT Algebra 1 is going well. We had used the original version with my teen, and, while the content is the same as far as I remember, the ease of use of the new version made it worth purchasing. My teen is taking an online AP Lit class with Blue Tent online (taught by one of the members here) and she is enjoying it.

I'm with you. It strikes me as...quite bizarre.

Kristina, I would have no problem with a co-op teacher asking my child to refrain from using a certain phrase while attending class (and I did not see where the op had an issue with that, either). This obviously went beyond that.