I remember times in the past when I would think in my mind about things other people would do, or say, "I’ll never say or do that sin," and I’ve found myself doing or saying the same thing or something similar. Best I can do.

:iagree: ...and I am an evangelical Christian. How are we supposed to love our neighbors if we don't bother to attain anything like a basic sense of their cultural history? If nothing else, this is basic empathy building material.

Terry Pratchett's books are very funny fantasy novels. Diana Wynne Jones has a lot of great stuff. Christopher Stasheff, also. George MacDonald Lois McMaster Bujold

I try to explain it to my 6yo and 4yo the same way I explain about the Greeks and Egyptians. I don't think they are too young to differentiate. At least, I hope they aren't! :)

:bigear: I haven't even been paying attention to sales, but I am now!

I was terrified of cosleeping with my first, but then realized how much easier it is to nurse when nobody has to get up. We started cosleeping when he was about 3mo and never looked back. Everybody got SO much more rest! Then I read up on it and realized a) how much safer it is when done properly and b0 how specific it is to western industrialized cultures that we push our kids away when they are so, so little and still need us so much. DC2 and DC3 went straight to our bed as soon as they were born. I even thumbed my nose at the nurses and slept next to them in my bed at the hospitals where they were delivered. It's never been an issue with DH; he actively prefers having his LOs near. :)

DH and I both use the Things app on our iPhones and love it.

Last week my DS6 and DS4 were in a dance camp all week, and really hit it off with two other little guys in their group, a sweet set of twins. They were clearly so into each other that I approached the twins' mom after the last class (which I never do, being a total introvert) and introduced myself and suggested we exchange information so we could arrange a playdate. She kindly agreed and, as she was writing down her information, mentioned that their sixth birthday was the next week and they were going to have a party at their neighborhood pool and we were welcome to come. We said we'd love to. So my question is this: what would be a nice token gift to get the little guys? My budget and the shortness of the acquaintance rules out anything crazy large. I'm thinking in the less than $10 range. We don't really know them well at all, so I can't tell anything about their interests yet. Suggestions or ideas?

Got one! Thank you so much!

This is one of the spines for Harmony Fine Arts, grade 1, but oop and ridiculously expensive wherever I look. Anybody got a recommendation on a workable substitute?

You might also ask the children's ministry director at your church. Mine has an office FULL of catalogs with resources that could be adapted for a home school setting. We are about to start Telling God's Story with our 1st grader and Kindergartener, and I'm very excited about it.

:bigear: Would love to see "after" pics!

Anglican theistic evolutionist here.

Thanks for starting such an interesting thread. We are just starting our home school journey, and since I didn't know any home schoolers growing up, it's still a new world to me. My oldest keeps saying he wants to go to a "real" school. I think he is going on an idea of "real" school that he has gotten from cartoons. :P Also, he wants to ride a school bus. I'm not too concerned about it now, but we will revisit in a few years to see if he still wants to go. I want this to be a good thing for him, not something that embitters him toward us.

My little guys (6.5yo and almost 5yo) take gymnastics (1x week), swimming (2x week) and dance (1x week) during the school year. I usually boot them out into the back yard on nice days so they can do whatever. Pro tip: We have invested very, very little in the way of grass, landscaping, etc in our back yard. That way they aren't destroying anything when they decide to turn on the hose and make mud, etc. Everybody is happier that way, we find. Except our HOA. ;)

(Sorry if this is repeating another thread-- I tried a forum search and didn't find what I wanted, but feel free to direct me if there's been a recent discussion about this.) We need to acquire a globe. Any recommendations? We are on a budget, but are willing to splurge a little bit if it is a quality product that will last a good many years. Thanks!

We are using HFA this year for DS1's first grade. Which of the three options for Art did you choose, and why? Would you do it again? Any recommendations for a n00b mom? Thanks!

:hurray: I like this one, too: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/2696/

I agree with Mrs. Mungo and Melanie. I was thinking along those lines in my original response but was unsure how to articulate it in an inoffensive way. :) I have nursed successfully in a ring sling and a Moby wrap, plus I was able to walk around and do things. Once I made chocolate chip cookies while nursing in the ring sling! :lol:

Amazon has many, many classics free in Kindle format, and the Kindle app is free, as well. Also, you might check your local library. Mine has tons of ebooks available for electronic checkout using the Overdrive app on my iPhone & iPad. ETA: Also, most Project Gutenberg free e-texts are now available in a Kindle format.

No way would my parents have chosen my husband. They are deep into Southern pride and he is from New Hampshire. I don't know about his parents. They love me now, though, I am sure of that.

From the looks of it, you wouldn't get anymore coverage than you would from nursing around your clothes. I had a nursing cover for my first for about three months. Then we lost it somewhere, I had to do without, and realized it was fine. My standard wear these days is a nursing tank from Target under another shirt so I can pull the top shirt up and still have coverage on my belly, but even when I have to pop out the top of a Sunday dress or something, it really isn't a big deal. I can just use my hand or something if I feel especially exposed.

I would love this, too! It's SO much easier to navigate forums from my itty bitty iPhone screen with Tapatalk. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?

:bigear:

I'm sorry that person was so rude. Whether or not he agreed with it, it ought to have been clear that this was an occasion you regarded as something special and joyful. It is unkind and uncharitable to make it the occasion for doctrinal sniping. >:( Just FYI, we are Anglicans who grew up Southern Baptist (me) and Assemblies of God (DH). We both still identify as evangelical. We have had all our babies baptized (and, in line with the new covenant reasoning mentioned above, we did not have our boys circumcised). Neither my parents nor my in-laws think well of infant baptism, but they have been extremely good about not bringing it up. Ever. One of my favorite things about my MIL is that even when she feels VERY strongly about something, she heroically keeps her mouth shut instead of criticizing. Relationships ought to trump the kind of ugly that person offered you. After all, I'm pretty sure Jesus didn't say, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, that you all agree about paedobaptism." ;)