I love this whole post, but especially this paragraph! (And I currently have a 9.5 year old who spends his days Minecrafting (made that into a verb) drawing comics, and building Legos. :)) Thank you for posting.

I have to say, I feel her pain on the planners! :lol: I want a home school specific planner that I don't have to print out that does not contain bible verses. It's slim pickings. I'm a secular home schooler, and I appreciated the article was written at all. Like some one previously said, anytime we can show that we aren't weirdos (but really we are! :laugh: ) is a positive.

Ok I didn't buy anything on my not allowed list yesterday, but I thought of some things I should add. No more fresh flowers until the credit card is paid off. (I only bought $5 trader joes bouquets but still that's $20 a month.) Also no renting or buying shows on the roku! ETA, I sold our play kitchen and netted $50!

I try to be very mindful of where our clothes are made. It is hard with kids who grow fast, because of the cost. I need to be better about buying used quality stuff. There's a documentary out called "The True Cost" all about the cost of fast fashion. I've been meaning to watch but haven't found the time.

I'd like to officially join in! I recently came across a blog that reignited my desire to pay off our credit card and get rid of the excess junk in our house. We are embarking on a strict 3 month no spend experiment, followed by 3 more months of strict "low spend." (Our credit card should be paid off mid June if we stick to this plan, after that we will loosen up a little bit, but still want to curb our spending.) Here's what I'm allowed: food medical necessities necessary clothes for the kids, but I'm going to try to find used or make it! personal items including make up if I run out but nothing frivolous (I mainly wear mascara and blush) Things I'm specifically giving up: take out coffee. (We spend about $20 a month, which isn't extraordinary, but it's unnecessary) books & magazines home decor (candles and trinkets from Target) toys for the kids (shouldn't be a problem but just in case) nail polish no clothes and shoes for the grown ups for the first 3 months Sound insane? :lol: (Here's the blog, http://blondeonabudget.ca/2014/07/09/the-rules-for-my-yearlong-shopping-ban/)

Thank you! I even did a search and it didn't show up.

I'm starting a 3 month no spending challenge and I'd love a place to plan and/or vent. I couldn't find a recent thread.

I use Tarte Lights Camera Lashes too, until Beautycounter comes out with mascara later this month. I try to buy the safest stuff (chemical wise) so I switched from Dior Show. I did use the yellow tube Maybelline when I lost my mascara on vacation and it was good. I wear a similar make up look to you, heavy eyeliner, light shadow, lots of lashes but I wear lighter lips. :)

We use a lot of what has been mentioned. Bravewriter I've had more success just implementing the Bravewriter lifestyle and utilizing the tips in the Writer's Jungle than using the actual curricula. MCT, always. DS switched from Latin to Spanish because he wanted a living language. He's going pretty quickly through GSWS, we are going to finish it in roughly 3 months. I'm trying to figure out our next move on that, but in general, you might need a combination of breadth and depth as well as acceleration.

I deal with this, but my DS is not self driven. He is when it comes to what interests him, but none of that is traditional academics. I'm taking a long hard look at myself and where my expectations for him come from.

oooh, which Arrow guides are you planning?

I'll try to narrow it down to 5. To Kill A Mockingbird Of Mice and Men Jane Eyre a Jane Austen Work An EM Forster work A Shakespeare work Plato or something similar, just because I suffered through The Republic, so I feel others should have to as well. :lol: Something Dickens Ok I quit this is too hard. :laugh:

Charlotte's Web for sure. The most recent was one of the Little House books. The one where Pa goes to work and they don't hear from him for a long time and he finally sends a letter and Ma cries her eyes out. I had to put the book down and walk away. DS was so bewildered. :laugh:

thank you for sharing! This looks great.

Oh I've loved the Pooh books! I never read them as a child, and they are such a big part of our read aloud time. I get choked up too.

we do GSWS along with duolingo. We just do GSWS orally. he listens to the pronounciations and repeats them, then translates them.

I'm loud. 😂

Onions have to be TINY for me to eat them. We are picky food twins. :lol:

I can sometimes eat guacamole, but the other flavors have to over power the avocado! :lol:

What has anyone said that is nasty? No one is picking on anyone.

They taste like rotten grass! And don't even get me started on the texture. I don't like any of the things you mentioned either. Cilantro I can eat in very small quantities. (When it's barely noticeable.)

Haha! I do too. I want to love them, but so far, no.

Uh, that sounds totally ridiculous! I'll be sure to figure out which troop isn't cookie crazy before signing DD up. We have a lot of troops around so our market is saturated as well.

I absolutely agree with this. It's just some of your posts came across as a little judgy, in my opinion. I don't think you meant it that way, I was just pointing out how those of us who have had to make that very difficult decision may be taking it. I could be the only one taking it that way, I don't know. I was assuming, maybe wrongly so, that there was more to those stories. Holding a grudge over things is not healthy, and I agree that cutting someone out over one or two slights or declined invitations may be on the extreme side. I was more taking issue to your implication that just because you share genes with someone makes it inappropriate to cut them off. If genes could have saved my relationships I would still have them. I'm in the midst of a total estrangement with one parent and setting up serious (healthy) boundaries with another. We have mental illness and substance abuse issues coming to a head at the moment, after a lifetime of neglect and abuse that I always "forgave" because "well, they're my parents," so I'm probably way more sensitive than normal about this, and for that I apologize.

I agree with this. I've done extensive research on nutrition for my family. My son has multiple food allergies, and my father is a type 2 diabetic with heart disease. What your mother is saying is the conventional wisdom (at the moment) and how my particular family is eating. However, if you found something that works for you, and you are happy and healthy, I'd just smile and nod. ;)