Actually(as I duck)...I was just wondering earlier this week why some people on this board give the same information when it has no relevancy to the conversation... I "get it" when the discussion involves curriculum or even maturity but I have seen it in completely unrelated threads when people will say something similar to "My dd (advanced)..." Or "My ds (gifted)..." And I wonder..."Why did they just say that when it adds absolutely no necessary information to the topic at hand?" And, yes, I do understand that sometimes it is relevant...but sometimes it is not. So I totally understand the op's point...and know that I will get some sticks thrown at me because I do...

So I know this isn't an IPad...but what is it compared to an Ipad...or a Nook...or Kindle? What is it that it DOESN'T do compared to an Ipad...obviously quite a bit to be so much cheaper but I don't know what I'd be missing out on by spending $58! http://www.walmart.com/cp/Value-of-the-Day/1058864?adid=1500000000000038057670&veh=eml

I can't figure out if coconut oil is supposed to be good for you...or not! It seems like I read such conflicting info. On one hand it is touted for its great qualities and then I hear it bashed for being bad for your heart...or something like that!

I love Sweet Cream Creamer but I'm counting carbs and it has 12 carbs in 2 tbsp. That's a lot of carbs to use on creamer. I don't really like the after taste of sugar free creamers but in my afternoon coffee I like a sweet taste. It serves as my "treat" for the afternoon and settles a lot of cravings for something a lot worse. Can you help me find a solution for something that tastes sweet, doesn't have a sugar free after taste but has fewer carbs?

I read the book and was profoundly moved by it. I started a list...but haven't gotten very far. Nevertheless, I still consider myself "doing it". I'm not sure what you are talking about with a calendar...I didn't see any calendar and I would not want to go by that. I also am not nearly so prosaic or poetic as her so my few entries are just truly things that I'm grateful for. I almost didn't read it because I was afraid it was just an "Oprah like" book but I became a believer in expressing true gratitude to the Lord and the book showed me ways to notice even the small things.

I only looked at the last link but my response to that would be: They are referring to the KJV as if it is the original Bible and the offense is to the KJV not the original language. So my question would be: Did the NIV translators cut out "the blood" from the original version and feel they are better translating the original than the KJV did in that particular verse, or did they truly leave "the blood" out of their version and it really was in the original? In other words, the argument they give is in comparing the NIV to the KJV, not in comparing the NIV to the original language. I really don't care if they left out "the blood" in the NIV unless it was in the original. I don't see this link as defending the original, just the KJV and I have trouble seeing that logic. The KJV, afterall, is still just a translation. I'm not defending the NIV as the best translation, just reminding that the KJV is also a translation.

But when I go to skedtrack and click on screen shots this is the only screen I can see: http://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com/HomeSchool/screenShot.do?screenName=today-77.png It does not look like it is in that format. Are there other ways it prints?

I want to print a grid like Excel with Columns. Subjects on the left. Days of the week on the top so I can print one week at a time in a grid. ________________ Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Bible History Math Science Etc. I do not want a list that has: Monday xxxx xxxx xxx Tuesday xxxx xxxx xxxx I know that Homeschool tracker plus does but I was looking for other options. I thought I found one in Scholaric because that is the way it looks on the planning page but I don't think it will print that way. Are there other options?

By the way, we were at Disney from June 2-June 9 in a suite at Coronado Springs but our hotel was free due to DH's business. Our tickets were also slightly discounted. We paid $1200 for four park hopper, 7 day tix (after 5 days the rest of the days up to 10 are very, very cheap.) We ate all breakfasts in the room which is easy because we have a fridge and like cereal and poptarts while we are there. I don't like spending money on breakfast. We ate out lunch and supper, had plenty of food. I don't want anyone to be hungry but also don't like to waste money. (I will admit we did get the benefit of DH's business taking us to California Grill and Yachtsman's Steak House where both of my meals were over $100 each but I don't like food that much to ever actually pay that myself.) This is a regular trip for us so we know what we like to do/don't like to do, like to eat/don't like to eat and what special treats make it fun. Our plane tickets were $1200 for four but DH's will be reimbursed. So...with tix and transportation and the hotel being free we still spent about $2600 for seven nights. If you can drive and save hundreds on transportation then it is worth it. For us, since one child wasn't going (summer camp job) and DH's was free it was worth it to fly this year and not have the 20 hour drive each way (although we have done it many times!)

Rental car - $500 (long story...we can't take our car) You need to shop around for your car rental. We just flew to Orlando two weeks ago. We rented a full size car from May 30-June 9 for $137 (all taxes and fees included) from Alamo. It was a 2012 with 6000 miles on it. There are tons of car rental deals.

My simple laminator has quit. It worked fine for what I needed...until it quit. It was a heat source laminator...inexpensive...probably from Walmart. As I am looking for a replacement, I see heat-free laminators advertised. Is there any benefit to such a laminator? I'll probably get just another cheap replacement but thought this was a good time to at least look at other options.

I cannot spend $1000 on a bike. However, I don't want Walmart's latest. I think we will begin to ride as a family more and I am the only one without one. Most of my riding will either be on a street or light trails - no heavy duty trail riding for me. I'm out of shape and a bit over weight and plan to use it for some daily exercise as well. I got on Craig's list and am overwhelmed at figuring this out. My best guess is that I would want a "better" bike (not the best) that I can buy used so I can afford a good one. The most I would want to spend is $300-$350. I can't spend weeks trying to research this. Does anyone have a few pointers or suggestions?

My nephew lost his hearing at 16 months. My grandfather, who I absolutely adored, would sometimes refer to him as "deaf and dumb". I knew that in his day this term was common to refer to the deaf and that he simply did not know how the word is now more often used. Because I loved him...I was not offended and knew his heart and intentions were good. The "R" word is a harsh word as it is used today. While I would try to keep myself from feeling personally offended (as I doubt greatly that she intended that at all - unlike others who sometimes use that word for offensive purposes) since she is in a position of service to others I would help her learn more sensitivity by graciously and compassionately talking to her supervisor and asking that she assist her in knowing how hurtful and derogatory that word can sound. She will better serve others and learn from it if you handle it in the right way.

I will be placing an order soon. I have plenty of items to get free shipping but don't want to forget to "throw in" some of those little, inexpensive items that aren't worth ordering unless you are not paying for shipping. Any specific suggestions?

I know there are always exceptions but...in general...if you use Saxon upper level math (Alg 1, 2, Calc, etc.) what is your general approach to completing the work?

We used it with our older during our first years of homeschooling. We used World, American and...can't remember at the moment. She got a 30 on the ACT and one of her favorite parts of high school was Notgrass. This year our ds is starting 9th grade. One reason I chose My Father's World high school for him is that they use Notgrass as the foundation of some of the history. However, I really like the fact that they are "beefing it up" with some additional supplements. I would take a look at their high school program and see if it is a fit for you.

Thanks for the help! I didn't realize that all the messages are first put in the general area so now it makes more sense on how it is organized!

I want to get DH a new laptop. The only real criteria is LOTS of memory. He runs mapping software for work that takes up a lot. But I don't know what that means or what to look for. HOw much is "a lot" on a laptop?

I have an HP Photosmart 2600. I plan to do a lot of printing this fall. My cartridges are about $30 each at Sam's. I'm thinking of getting a new printer and remembering reading here that one type is much better and cheaper. What am I looking for? I liked the HP Officejet 6700 I saw at Sam's but not sure that is the right type.

Is there an easier way to navigate their board on MFWbooks? I have heard there is lots of good info but, frankly, I have a hard time knowing what is up to date, where to look, etc. Being on the old WTM board and the current WTM board, I find both of those formats so much easier to glean information from. I will have one in Adventures and one in high school. The only thing I can even find on high school is "High School archives" and the last input was last October? Maybe I'm trying to make it something it is not but if you know of a better way to "read" their board I would like the input. Thanks!

Yep. DS broke the glass in one of our fireplace tempered glass doors last year. To order it from the manufacturer was very expensive. DH had a glass company make the glass plate for us and it was less than half.

To me the ownership of Sonic deliberately discouraged tipping their employees when they went to their current electronic pay option which doesn't allow you to add a tip. Why would they do this? I know the technology is there to enter a tip. That being the case, I assume that they are aware that they have drastically reduced the tip potential for their own employees. However...if I do have cash I do tip. No cash...no tip.

We used one year of it 4 or 5 years ago and then found out she wasn't going to complete it. Then I started seeing posts about it again and figured it must be complete. But when I go to the website it looks like it STILL isn't complete and I see outdated references such as: "At present (January, 2011), The Mystery of History Volume III Audio Book is still in production." Anybody know the scoop?

We used ECC a few years ago with DS. That was our first year with MFW. It worked out great for him but he was also in sixth grade. After that we did Exp to 1850 and 1850 to Modern. We have decided to use their high school program this fall. He has been homeschooled since 2nd grade but didn't use MFW until 6th. We had started VP Bible in 2nd grade and had spread it a little longer than its intended 5 years so used it from 2nd-8th. So when we stated MFW we just continued using VP Bible. I loved this because with MFW Bible it's more application than actual Bible fact and knowledge so they worked well together. It's been the most consistent curriculum through all his homeschooling. For the next child we have used MFWK, MFW 1st and will use MFW Adventures this fall. I intend to start her on VP Bible as well and use it with MFW. I am NOT a fan of Heart of Dakota and wasted a year on their early program. We did use MOH with the oldest one (older than these 2) and liked it but at the time it wasn't finished and ended up moving to something else. I also am not a TOG person. So there's my weigh in on what has worked for us. My only hesitation about ECC is that it worked out great using it for 6th grade and I am little concerned about what it might be like for my 3rd grader so will have to rethink that then, although the little one still remembers that each time we changed countries DH would pretend to be the border guard and use different accents and props and so she keeps asking when she will have that year of school.

All the time!