DD was required to keep a very structured Science Notebook last year. Usually she blew it off, but I insisted this year and even made notes in her text about what I required in her notebook. Although she loved her science class last year, she groused about the notes....until she realized she was acing each and every one of her quizzes. Not only that, but she happily told me she really understood the material and retained it much more easily. Gee, I wonder why that was? Anyway, she sheepishly told me that, although it was a pain to do the notes, she really sees the benefits of doing so. In that regard, she has asked me to keep doing what I did for science and to incorporate it for history as well. I told her I would help her out this fall through the next year (freshman year), but after that, she will be required to do this completely on her own, with me reviewing her notebook. It has taken me forever to get this kid into willingly keeping a notebook, so this was a major breakthrough; one which I don't intend to let slide. Yes, IMHO, it is most definitely worthwhile to do notebooking for science or any other class.

Chickweed in a lotion or carrier oil is supposed to be excellent in treating eczema. However, I'm not sure I would apply it to open, weeping sores. My Dd's eczema (usually mild) went wacko this past winter. She had open, weeping sores which she had been hiding from us. I immediately took her to the dr, knowing that she needed something to heal the sores quickly. We were given a prescription of prednisone cream to use in conjunction with a topical antiobiotic like bacitracin. The open sores ceased weeping and scabbed over within 3 days. Subsequently, I found out that DD had been sitting at the dining table to do her school work with her back to our massive woodstove. The heat had exacerbated her eczema. I had her move to the end of the table and we didn't have any other issues. I'm a huge proponent of natural remedies, and we prepare many of our own, but in the case of open, weeping sores, I would definitely get a dx to get the issue under control and then follow up with a natural remedy to help prevent re-occurrence. Here are some natural recipes for eczema creams: Dr. Axe Eczema Cream (recipe down towards the end of the page, but read the article also) DIY Eczema Cream (recipe down towards the end of the page, but read the article also) The Easy Homestead Eczema Cream (This is a basic cream recipe with suggested EO's to add to the recipe. The EO's listed are typically recommended for treatment of Eczema.) Here's info about chickweed Chickweed Salve (scroll down the page for the recipe)To help my DD's eczema, we make our own soap and shampoo. I've cut out fabric softener and use Borax instead, which softens our hard ME water. I also add vinegar to the wash. We haven't stopped using our laundry detergent yet because it doesn't seem to affect DD very much either way. (She is usually a very mild case.)

DD will be a freshman this fall. For our English class, I purchased IEW's Elegant Essay, however, because DD really wants to do ancient lit to coincide with ancient history, I didn't want to do WTTW for our comp portion of the class. Therefore, I needed to find another way to teach DD lit analysis. I didn't want to have to purchase yet another text, so I went online to see if I could find something....I was fortunate to find the following: Literary Devices (full list of literary devices, as well as copious info on essays) Roane State CC Online Writing Lab (this also has info for Essays, Research Papers, MLA & APA Style Citations) Purdue Online Writing Lab How To Write a Literary Analysis Paper (This is a PDF) Helpful YouTube videos to use as supplemental resources: (CAUTION: This is really a fantastic video about one young woman's journey into annotating, why she does it, how she started and has progressed. Unfortunately, she also uses foul language 2-3x - no profuse, just a couple words 2 or 3x) Annotating Text While finding the above on YouTube, I noticed some high school advice tutorials. I figure they would be great to add as daily helpful hints for DD first thing each morning. etc...

We eat healthily and I'm still overweight, but at least I know it's healthy food...lol... We don't have one chip in our house, absolutely no soda or fruit juices. We only drink water and occasionally milk. It's easier for us because we grow and produce most of our own food. We process it ourselves and freeze it. Our meat is from pigs we raise, geese and rabbits my DH gets from hunting, and grass-fed beef and chicken from the local meat man who delivers it to our house. We have free-range chickens to supply our eggs. Strawberries are picked from our 150+ plants in one of our huge gardens. In fact, this week I've put up 26 quarts already and still have copious berries on the plants. Now I have to pick the rhubarb. We will also get apples, plums, raspberries, and grapes from our little orchard. The arctic kiwis are just plucked off fresh and eaten while we're outside. They're too little to mess with preserving and our cherry trees are still young and not producing heavily yet. Our blueberries haven't been producing well, I think because our soil is too sweet. When we go grocery shopping, we make sure not to pick up any chips. In fact, the only snack food we buy is popcorn kernels to pop at home. DD is allowed to pick out one $5 item every other week (we only shop twice a month) as a treat. Most often she gets some ice cream or goldfish crackers. We do buy Ritz crackers because that, as well as bagels, hot dog & hamburger rolls, are about the only things we don't bake ourselves. Otherwise, all our baked goods are made at home: breads, cakes, cookies, etc. In fact, just this year we purchased a GrainMaker grain mill to grind fresh wheat berries, beans, rice, almonds, etc. With this mill, we can even grind popcorn into cornmeal or peanuts into fresh peanut butter. I could even grind coffee beans into fresh coffee. This makes it easier to say "I really don't need to make a cake; we don't need it." because if I want to make a cake, I need to hand-grind the flour first. We don't grind the wheat berries until we need the flour. Grinding becomes a family affair. When DH or I make bread, everyone takes a turn at grinding 2 cups of berries. It's really great exercise! For DH's birthday this past year, I got him a pasta maker too. Now we are eating fresh pasta made from freshly ground wheat berries. Yes, all of this is a lot of work, but the food is so much better tasting and healthier for us.

I'm so thankful you saw it happening and were able to stop that woman. I, somewhat, know how you are feeling, but the perp never actually touched my child. Back in my powerlifting days, I was on hiatus from competition and went on a trip with my BFF at the time, my parents, and eldest DD who was 4 at the time. DD2 was just a glimmer of the future. Anyway, we stopped at a rest area in MA. BFF, DD & I decided to have lunch at a picnic table while my parents ate lunch by the truck because their dog was in the back. As we were walking to a table in under the trees, we passed this one table that caught my eye. There was a guy sitting there just reading a book. He had nothing else with him; just sitting there reading a small pocket novel wearing blue jeans and a white tee-shirt. I have no clue as to why that struck me as odd, but it did and my "Mommy Radar" immediately went up. As we passed by, he put down the book and watched us. We sat at a table where I could keep my eyes on him unobtrusively. He just sat there and stared at our every move. I decided to test my intuition and, after eating, took DD with me nearby to look for some pretty leaves and stones (it was Fall). We wandered away from the picnic tables. He immediately got up and paralleled our moves at a discreet distance. That really sealed the deal for me. I immediately went back to the picnic table and told BFF to go with us to the bathroom. She was perplexed at my quiet urgency, especially when I told her to take on of DD's hands and I would take the other. We got to the bathroom and I filled BFF in on what was going on. She though I was over-reacting, but then, she wasn't married & didn't have kids. I told her I was going out of the bathroom and she was to keep DD in there no matter what she heard outside the door. Then I stooped down and told DD to stay with BFF because I just had to do something and would be right back. As I expected, when I walked out that bathroom door, that guy was right in the doorway waiting. He took one look at me and backed up. I matched his steps, backing him up. I was toe-to-toe with him and said, "You never had a chance." I was a coiled spring waiting to pounce on him. If he had twitched I would have been on him, and I think he knew that. While this was happening, I saw my dad walking up behind the guy so that he was between Dad and me. Dad asked if everything was okay and I said I was fine and that this guy was just leaving. He turned and ran to a car that was running and parked parallel to the curb right next to the ladies bathroom. They took off. I can tell you that at the time, I felt like I could have lifted a fully loaded semi and wrap it around that snake. That is one time where I definitely knew I could inflict bodily harm on someone. Afterward, I was shaking. My dad then told me he had watched that guy follow us to the bathroom from where he was eating lunch. Dad also felt the guy was up to no good and after seeing me take DD to the bathroom decided to follow him. Thankfully everything turned out fine, but I was shaken for a very long time and didn't let DD out of my sight. That was 22 years ago, and I can still remember it clear as if it happened today. Always listen to your "Mommy Radar!"

Many kids, including my DD are huge fans of mysteries in any subject. They love to learn about the unknown and then speculate about how to resolve those mysteries. You could do a year of history's unsolved mysteries. For instance, my DD was intrigued by the origins of the Celts and Druids, so we studied that last year and she really enjoyed it. Topics could include (some will be more scientific, but have been historical mysteries as well): Roanoke Colony: Yes, you've probably done this, but there are new books out and several documentaries on the subject. Sailing Stones of the dry lakebed Racetrack, Death Valley Taos Hum Vile Vortices: 12 geographical areas known several for mysterious disappearances (Bermuda Triangle is one of them) Atlantis Bog Bodies Amelia Earhart - there have been several new findings on this case as well. Voynich Manuscript Bimini Road Babushka Lady - related to the Kennedy assassination DB Cooper Loch Ness Monster Marfa Lights Cleopatra's Tomb Oak Island Money Pit Crystal skulls Copper Scroll Treasure Ball Lightning Tunguska Explosion The Mary Celeste Kenneth Arnold's "flying saucers" The Devil's Footprints of southern Devon, England Shroud of Turin - fascinating new developments here, including corrected radiocarbon dating falling within the time of Christ and new 3-D modeling of the Shroud Richard the III & the Princes in the Tower The Dancing Plague of 1518 The Uffington White Horse Robin Hood's Identity; how did this legend arise King Arthur - reality, myth, or misnamed Wow! Signal Kaspar Hauser - who was he? Bronze Age collapse - several interesting theories here Rongorongo & the Indus Valley script I'm sure there are many more, but these may make for very interesting and thought-provoking studies. I can also see many potential writing prompts/stories with these.

I may not be very helpful here, but I'm usually brutally blunt. It's one of my many sins. I just can't seem to help myself. However, it usually stops people from making silly comments like you're describing. A few years ago, SIL with her DH, DD (in her early 40's) & their DD (15) came to visit us for a day. DH and I hadn't seen them in years, and DH knows his sister and niece are very opinionated, somewhat snobbish, and have a totally different worldview than we do, but hey, she's his sister and, since there is such an age gap between them, he realizes that she and her DH did a lot for him when he was little. (DH's father died when DH was four) Well, they came. I had worked hard to make our 50-acre farm look extra nice (LOTS of weed-whacking), as they had indicated they wanted a tour when they arrived. DH wore his customary jeans, pocket, T-Shirt and ball cap. I had on my work jeans, gray T-Shirt, and ball cap & rubber boots. We consider these our outside work clothes. Anyway when SIL gets out of the car, she comes to hug each of us and looks me up and down. They are dressed very stylishly, and they both even have matching hair dye jobs (dark auburn w/bright blonde streaks). It took everything I had not to drop my jaw, but I managed (SIL is in her 60's). Then DH's niece (SIL's DD) comes up to hug and also looks me up and down. They don't say anything. Later, during the tour, SIL comes over to me and asks, "Why are you dressed like that?" and she points at my clothes. I looked at her, and then I pointed out at the view of the farm, directed her gaze that way, and said, "Do you see all that?" She said, "Yes." I said "Farm". Then I pointed at myself and said, "Farmer", smiled, and walked over to talk with her DH (he's a very nice, quiet man). Not long after that, I was approached by SIL's DD (DH's niece). I was asked the very same question in the very same tone. I gave the very same answer. She just said, "Oh" and moved on. Done and Done. After the tour, we all had pizza and visited in a very cordial fashion. There were no more silly questions.

DH & DD actually did this for one of DD's summer projects. DH is quite knowledgeable about hunting and basic wilderness survival. So he helped her put a survival pack together; taught her how to make fire starters to keep in her pack & how to start a fire without starters as well; how to build a shelter from materials around her, etc. DD was younger at the time so he didn't go too in-depth. She had fun with it because it was relaxed. If I were you, I would start out with a basic book like Bushcraft 101: A Basic Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival. Have them put a survival pack together, practice knots, and generally practice what they read in the book. You may also want to get a guide to edible wild plants in your area, work on identifying them and trying them. We did this as well. This is one of the books we chose: The Forager's Harvest. DD is also very interested in medicinal plants/herbs. We actually did a science class for this combined with Botany. The books we used for the medicinal plants' portion were: Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide and Herbal Recipes. The last component I would add would be wilderness first-aid -- something like: Wilderness First Aid: Emergency Care in Remote Locations. The only book I can think of for reading the weather is...Reading Weather: Field Guide to Forecasting the Weather. HTH

I was looking for some famous speeches of antiquity online so I wouldn't have to purchase yet another book. Lo, and behold I found this gem of a website: EmersonKent.com (World History for the Relaxed Historian). I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here before. It has more online historical speeches I've seen yet. In addition to world famous speeches, it has copious lists of: People in History Wars, Battles, & Revolutions Governments in History Historic Documents Historic Places & Locations All-Time Records in History Source Text Source Documents History Dictionary People & ThematicTimelines Archaeological Records It's quite a massive treasure-trove of historical information. Oh, if you're also looking for a great supplement to your Bible studies, then Biblical Archaeology Society's website is for you. I've mentioned this one before. It has quite a few nice, free, academic ebooks you can use for unit studies (thinking middle/high school here). I've downloaded one or two to use next year. I also subscribed to their free Bible History Daily review which chronicles new archaeological finds and articles related to biblical studies.

If the tick was still tiny, it hadn't been there very long. However, since you didn't get the head, you should definitely tell her to visit her Dr. Depending on the type of tick (she should keep it in a baggie filled with alcohol to take to the Dr's office) she may need to take doxycycline(?). Anyway, there are a host of diseases related to tick bites; not just Lyme Disease.

Wow, after reading all the restrictions on wood stoves in other areas, I'm glad we lived in VT and now ME. It must be because there are more who heat with wood in those two states (maybe Alaska too?). We absolutely love & prefer wood heat. It's our main source of heat through the winter, spring and fall. In fact, we just had our last fire just last week, as it was quite cold, rainy, & damp outside. We just recently changed our homeowner's insurance and obtained several quotes beforehand. While SF was fine with the wood stove and our dog (which was the reason we had to switch), they were much more expensive than any other quote. We ended up going with Farm Family and our insurance actually went down some. I've found that insurances are much more restrictive with dogs than anything else. Our dogs are mostly mutts from the pound & rescues, but we have had no end of trouble with insurance companies when we get a new rescue. It's unreal. Our current rescue was labeled as a GSD mix. Our insurance notified us they were dropping us when we notified them of our new pup. Zoey has absolutely NO GSD in her, as confirmed by our vet (she's actually a PB American Dingo/Carolina Dog). It was just how the shelter & rescue designated her. They wouldn't even listen to the vet. Then, they said they would compromise if we agreed to keep her chained up; only walk her on a lead, even when on our property; remove her from the living space when visitors were present. We said, thank you, but no and dropped them. FF has no restrictions on Zoey (or any other dog we adopt) and she has full run of our 50 acres unleashed and free, as fitting her breed.

I think it really depends upon your state's regulations which may affect insurance premiums. Here in ME, we just had to send a picture of the woodstove in place and the clearances. The only other requirement was that the woodstove didn't share a flue with the furnace. In VT, it was pretty much the same thing. I'm not aware of any increased "penalties" in our insurance premiums at all.

I posted on the other 9th Grade thread, so I'll give the reader's digest version here. This is also my first, and only, 9th-grader. I'm somewhat nervous, but not overly so. Here's our lineup: Bible: Thorough study of the OT in its ancient context using a chronological Bible with the Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha; read Lost World of Genesis One; Lost World of Adam & Eve; Reversing Hermon Math: Finish Algebra I (taking it slowly) beginning Geometry Ancient History: Historical & Chronological Context of the Bible; History of the Ancient world; various GCP lectures & integrating ancient medicine & toxicology (per DD's request--thankfully I found some texts for this as well). Science: Finish the second half of GCP's Joy of Science w/accompanying text for 1 credit in Integrated Conceptual Science. We did the first half last year. Lit/Comp: Elegant Essay & Roman Roads Media Greeks & Romans (just the lit) with the addition of Paradise Lost. (I'm hoping to get through Teaching the Classics before the summer's over; hasn't happened yet unfortunately) Foreign Language: Beginning Japanese using Duolingo; Japanese from Zero; Kana from Zero; Etiquette Guide to Japan & The Japanese Mind. I also met, during Grand Jury Duty in our little podunk town, a very nice Japanese lady who is willing to be a language coach to DD! You just never know.... Electives (Chosen by DD) Mythology: with a concentration of ANE myths analyzed & contrasted with the Bible using Myths from Mesopotamia; Readings from the ANE; Hidden Riches; The Literature from Ancient Egypt; and World Mythology Art/Ancient Art: taking Art Fundamentals & Ceramics @ local HS; GCP 30 Masterpieces from the Ancient World Strategy: GCP Masters of War, History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers; read Art of War, 33 Strategies of War, Strategy 6-Pack, Roman Roads Greek History - Thucydides Ancient Astronomy: GCP Ancient Astronomy paired with the books Echoes of the Ancient Skies & Star Maps These electives may be year-round if we can swing it, or just stop once we have exhausted them. DD likes to go really deeply into a subject, however, I need to make sure she doesn't get burned out, so I'll need to put on the brakes when I see any hint of that. Art is her one class I'm not allowed to curtail though....lol...and it will be a full year @ the HS. On the plus side, I've never seen DD so excited about her upcoming school year. She can't wait to start (all except Math...lol...) Extra-Curriculars To-Shin Do (once/wk year-round); this will count towards PE each year along with all the other things we do Black-Light Puppet Ministry through church (August-January); We put on a huge show on Halloween attended by about 700-800 people each year.

My Dd enjoyed the book Stronger Than Steel when she was studying DNA & genetics. It could lead to several rabbit trails and discussions. It's one of the books in the Scientists in the Field series.

They cannot refuse you medical treatment. You have a right to decline any services they advise. The problem is, they don't like to listen to us mere mortals. Unfortunately, most people just accept whatever they're told, so when someone dares to question, that really puts their panties in a twist...so to speak. We have mediocre medical services where I live. They are about 40 years behind in knowledge. We have to be our own advocates here, and while the drs don't like me much because I question everything they want to do with my family and sometimes countermand their recommendations, there's nothing they can do about it. I would suggest having a meeting with your doctor and those who will be assisting in your delivery -- include the hospital administrators if possible. Have a list of those procedures you DO NOT wish to have unless it is an emergency. Give a copy of this list to your doctor and the administrators. Read down the list with them and make sure they understand your wishes. Make sure the administrators understand you will want a detailed, itemized bill after the delivery and that you will be checking that bill against your list. (If they don't list it, they can't charge for it.) This should ensure you are not given anything you don't want or will be misled about it. Also, make it clear to them that if there is an emergency situation, you and/or your family reserve the right to alter said list if necessary. When you go in to deliver, at check in, reiterate that you will be expecting a detail, itemized bill. Have a copy of that list and present it to your doctor to remind her and the nurses of the meeting you had prior. HTH

I absolutely adore my DH. We've been married 16 1/2 years. This is the second marriage for us both and our marriage is also nothing like either of our firsts. He is my best friend, confidant, and soulmate. I couldn't imagine life without him. It's extremely rare for us to have a major disagreement, and although we are home with each other 24/7 (DH works from home), we hate to be separated at all. We never need time away from each other or "breaks". If I'm sick, he takes over all the household chores without me saying a word; if I mention I'm tired, he immediately tells me he'll make dinner and sometimes he draws a bath for me; since I make the meals all week, he makes them on the weekends. He's supportive and listens to me when I need to discuss something or when I'm troubled (which isn't often). On the flip side, he's the pessimist and I'm the optimist, so I encourage him when necessary and build him up. I help him with projects he wants to do (like building a small camp in the woods of our land so he has a little get-away to read and relax when girl hormones are raging (DD with PMS & me with peri-menopause)...lol...or when he wants to flesh out his lessons for Children's Church in quiet. I'll go fishing and shooting with him when he wants to go, but would like company. I help him put the chains on the tractor and take care of his chores when he's tired or not feeling well. Again, the biggest thing of all, I listen to him when he's troubles or needs to discuss something. Now, DH never gives me flowers and I don't give him cards because we both feel they're a waste of money, but what we share every day is so much more than mere tokens which eventually end up in the trash. I used to think our marriage was unusual too, but it's wonderful to hear that others are sharing the same type of close relationship as well.

I got a case of scabies in my late 20s. They are horrible, miserable, tiny harbingers of maliciousness. My hands were covered and the itchiness was agony. They like between the fingers, toes, armpits, wrists, places like that. We didn't have to do anything to the house, but I did have to get a medicated cream to kill the little buggers. Nothing else would take care of them. If I were you, I would go to the doctor's office ASAP and get a prescription. Once you get the cream, it kills them off fairly quickly. Here's some info for you

I'd love the Young & Freedman if it hasn't been snatched up yet.

Lizzie, I usually pray for every prayer request I see on this board, but I just don't respond because I would rather do it anonymously and quietly. However, your situation has really made my heart hurt for you and your family. I want you to know that your family are and have been, in our prayers, as a family. I especially have asked that your daughter feels His presence; how much He loves her and is with her in all she is going through.

I'm 53 and in perimenopause. When it started, for the very first time in my life I got anxiety, dizziness, brain-fog, and tachycardia. I went to the Dr. to see what could be done. I wanted her to do some hormone testing, but the answer I got was, "We don't do that anymore." When I asked why I bothered going to see her, she said, "I don't know". Yes, I live in northern ME and the medical services are abyssmal. You pretty much have to be your own physician. So, after doing some research and talking with an herbal healer, I started taking what's called the "four horsemen" = Vitamin D3, B-100 Complex, Garlic, and Selenium. (ME doesn't have any selenium in its soil and it's a very important mineral.) Within about 3 weeks my symptoms abated, thank goodness. I've found that as long as I take my vitamins everyday, I'm okay. This has just been my experience, so take it with a grain of salt.

We have a well; have always had a well with no fluoride. We don't supplement, but DD gets it applied topically 2x a year at the dentists. I feel this is sufficient. DD is 14 and has only had one cavity so far. However, she's also a kid who doesn't like sweets and that helps.

Thanks! I just signed up for the IEW Essay Intensive and MathHelp.

My all-time favorite book as a kid was Eo of the Caves by Florence Wightman Rowland, CW 1959. It's about a cave boy whose parents are killed on a mammoth hunt (not detailed; just known by Eo). He can't keep the large fire at the mouth of the cave burning, so the cave bears return to reclaim it. Eo is forced to move on. He eventually comes across another boy, who is trying to find food for his mother and little brother (father has also been killed). They end up combining families. The story details the struggles of surviving; the harsh realities of prehistoric life, and yet it is heartwarming as well, especially how Eo wins over his friend's mother who is worried about another mouth to feed. I read it to both my girls when they were little, and they loved it. I thought it was out of print because I searched for it before, however, I just now see that it has popped up on Amazon with 5 available copies beginning at $19.95. If you read the one review of it, that's exactly how I feel. Fortunately, I've always had my copy and didn't have to search for it. My copy is very old without a dust-jacket (not sure if it ever had one), yellowed pages, and broken binding held together by fibrous threads. I'll never give this copy away. I hope to read it to our grandchildren if we ever have any. Another book I loved to pour over as a kid was Wood's Natural History by Rev. J. G. Wood, 1897. I just looked and you can still buy used copies from Amazon. My copy, again, is in a precarious condition with a broken spine, but I treasure it. You just can't get books like this anymore. The hand-drawn, B/W sketches are amazing. I know, I'm weird; no standard Dr. Seuss books or anything like that for me. But, hey, I did also like Nancy Drew! .

Junie B. Jones books. I refused to let DD read them when she was little. Those were the only books I refused her.

I've had some of my seeds over 3 years; I still use them; they still germinate. I keep them in a dark, cool place.