Soooo pretty in that part of the state BUT... Warning: TRAFFIC< TRAFFIC<TRAFFIC The tunnel is a nightmare. My hometown for 24 years and I miss the area terribly but I do not miss sitting in traffic between 8 and 9 am or from 400 (military) until 600 (other workers). We lived in Va. Beach and then Norfolk so over the water - Hampton, Newport News and Portsmouth were visited only occasionally. I hate to say it but on top of traffic, there is terrible crime in Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Portsmouth. Lots of shopping and fun things to do in that whole area but crime and traffic keep us from ever even thinking of moving back. http://wavy.com/category/news/local-news/

http://www.jjill.com/jjillonline/product/product.aspx?item=YU059E&rPFID=1257&sk=N&h=N Wearever by J. Jill is very flattering to any body shape. I think they're super comfortable and mine have lasted for years. Definitely better than something I could buy at Kohl's that MIGHT last this season only. Watch for sales, regular prices are very high but they have sales often. And get on their mailing list, coupons come every once in a while.

"Le Creuset sells a cleaner that works miracles on those stains inside the pots. I dampen the enamel, pour in the cleaner, and wipe with with a paper towel. Too much water makes it ineffective so I barely wet it. Then I wash it again to remove any cleaner left behind. It's crazy- I can scrub like crazy and the stain remains, but if I just wipe it with the enamel cleaner the stains disappear. I also have a Rachel Ray enamel pot and it works on that too. " REAllly?? That would be great. I love this pot, it holds heat sooo much better than my Cuisinart stainless one. GREAT for stews in the oven.

I will just say once I get serious about it, and start enforcing consequences, children listen. About your hubby, in my humble opinion, he should respect your job enough that he would jump in line and help you help everyone else to set safe and healthy standards for cleanliness and stewardship. This spoken from a daughter of grandmother and mother who were extremely pack-rat-ish in their homekeeping and methods of cleaning were hitting and screaming at everyone when they couldn't stand it anymore. Trying to overcome those tendencies in my own parenting has taken time. I have to work alot on myself and work hard to TEACH them methods and keep them accountable, not just gripe when it isn't done. All that to say, the only person I can control is me. I'd start on your stuff, making lots of comments about how great it is and how different you feel not having all that stuff to maintain.

I have a Sam's knockoff. The inside coating has become badly stained (I cook ALOT) but upthread someone mentioned Le Creuset will do the same thing. I thought the purpose of buying such an expensive piece would be to eliminate the problem I'm having with enamel. The first time it stained was from beans soaking overnight. My pot has little black bean stamps :) fun, but annoying.

We have tons, but no longer have the direction sheets. They were expensive sets, for example the barn and stable set. Younger child wants to play with them but I don't remember how to assemble them. Does anyone have a link with information sheets to help us?

I don't know if we are gluttons or what but the vegetarian plan looks like what we would consider a snack, not a meal. I black bean burrito and some sugar snap peas, I think. Another meal rec is pumpkin minestrone soup and sliced pears. Again, looks like a starvation meal plan, lol. Even with a salad, my crew would still be hungry with just these. Would this fill your peeps?

The book says 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt or 7.5 grams When I weigh 1 tsp kosher salt - it comes out as 7 grams. So do I now go with 2 1/4 tsp or 7.5 grams? (this is for 2 12/4 cups flour and I am making pie crust) Sooo infuriating to have errors in cookbooks. Food is money and time and I paid both to use their recipe...to find an error. Grr. This is my third attempt with pie and the previous book had unclear directions as well. Rant over.

We pay through the nose for health insurance each month. One illness, four hospital visits later and we now are looking at over 2500.00 in payments due.

I want the kind that stay together through the wash and dry cycle. Maybe my dream pairs would have little ropes attached like kid mittens do. I'm looking at throwing...idk..30 mismatched ones away because they are taunting me every time I do wash.

This must be why there were two racks of women's jeans at the Goodwill. I never go there, grosses me out - but I have to change my tune. Found a pie plate for 0.99 and the stop after Goodwill was town, 30 mins away to buy the exact pie plate for $8 more. :)

Thanks everyone. I'm not doing this again. This "I really squeeze the veggies with the spoon so I can get as much liquid as possible out of them." is a good idea, but got only 1/2 cup extra...

If it helps at all, I'm so glad we did MP at the higher grades before moving on to high school. It was so structured and "complete" for us. I loved giving her the lesson plans and having her complete all the work required, since knowing it wasn't from me seemed to help her attitude that year. I found it in many ways good prep for the independence required in 9th and up. Also, it's some really rigorous stuff!

"This year is Memoria Press 7th grade core curriculum which is almost perfect but not quite. We have switched around the days we do each subject, dropped most of Famous Men of Greece, and added wtm logic history to the American studies. We also realized that Spelling Power was too advanced for her and kept the AAS that was already working well." If it's almost perfect, keep at it. All the reasons you wanted to use it are still there, just manipulate what isn't working. I made "us" meld to it, all the pluses were worth it. It doesn't sound like you can't overcome what you've stated is wrong. Just trying to help, not trying to change your mind if you're switching :)

"Lots of time and $ and not a lot of yield." Why didn't you tell me???? :( JK. Oh well, geeze. So frustrating. It tastes really, really good. Not condensed tasting, but a deep flavorful broth. Only problem is the amount :(...and if we're honest, the fat. Soooooo much fat. About to skim that off my 4 cups, which will leave me with 3 3/4 cups~

Tried a recipe today for beef broth from scratch. I broiled then boiled these beautiful (read: expensive) beef bones, added veggies and spices according to directions. Unfortunately I ended up with a bunch of bones, veggie mush (I know that's supposed to be how they look) but only about...4 cups of broth. I started with somewhere near 16 cups. The directions said to simmer with top off (should have ignored) and I'm sure that had something to do with it condensing. Now that I have what's left, should I 1) resimmer bones (basically trying again) 2) reheat current stock and add water (maybe it's condensed) or 3) chalk it up to following common sense and not always directions and call it a darned expensive 4 cups of broth

Jamaican jerk chicken w/ rice & black beans, oven-baked plantains, & roasted pineapple w/ cinnamon. That sounds awesome!

I picked up two quiches from Coscto - they looked great. Unfortunately they're 18 grams of fat per serving, yikes!!!!!!!

You sure you don't want a Speedqueen???

Hinds Feet on High Places for my older one and this for my younger one http://www.amazon.com/Hinds-Feet-High-Places-Delightfully/dp/0768420210/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1443556827&sr=8-4&keywords=hinds+feet+on+high+places

Not Great Courses but History of the Ancient World and History of the Medieval World are on there :)))))) Just went back through mine and found a couple that aren't exactly what you asked for but... others might appreciate Sophie's World Discipline of Grace - Jerry Bridges People's History of the United States - Zinn

"It's interesting that you focus on this line out of the entire article. Believe it or not, there are many people who still have no exposure whatsoever to homeschooling & aside from homeschooling, teachers - of all kinds - really are the people you would expect to be noticing these problems. Taken out of context, I could see it being an issue. Within the context of this article, I call nitpicking. The whole reason that I posted it was to point out that this is the responsibility of more than just classroom teachers. " Point taken, please forgive the transgression. It just hit me the wrong way - I can see your reason for sharing it.

You may want to preread because my memory isn't the greatest...but we liked Secret History of Tom Truehart too. Only read the first one and I don't remember anything scary.

I just read that momastery article. I'm sorry but this "TEACH ON, WARRIORS. You are the first responders, the front line, the disconnection detectives, and the best and ONLY hope we’ve got for a better world. What you do in those classrooms when no one is watching- it’s our best hope." Is one of the reasons why we homeshool. Teachers aren't the only citizens responsible for kids...their parents, their peers, etc. are. I don't think they're are only hope we've got. Sorry. Disagree...I applaud the teacher and the author for the sentiment and the idea is great...but our only hope? Resume thread, sorry for hijack.

"These are not total strangers to my dd. She grew up with these kids. They've been to my home. They've gone on trips together. I know their parents and their siblings. They've spent the night here. It's not like there is NO common ground." And if it helps you (probably won't help her) but it's possibly just teenage drama too. My dh watches my girls and their girlfriends and shakes his head in unbelief. He says guys wouldn't notice half the stuff their worlds crumble over some days., lol