OK, Lutherans, you all are making me sad. Well, maybe not you all, but the people treating you less than ideal. My husband and are are about to leave our church (this is so hard!) and perhaps start attending a Lutheran church in our neighborhood! He grew up Lutheran, but I know nothing about the Lutheran faith. Is this what is in store for us? Guess I'm somewhat of a newbie in my Christian walk, but are Christians really fighting like this? Why, oh why? (I know why...because we are HUMANS.) God bless you, OP, and know that you are loved by the other square pegs trying to fit into this round hole of a world.

I grew up in Houston, and I truly benefited from the arts scene there. We were constantly at museums, the opera, symphony, ballet, theater. It's top notch in Houston. The Houston Ballet school is top notch, too...excellent training (I studied for a short time there myself!) I'm sure Dallas has a nice arts scene, too, but I just didn't enjoy the vibe in Dallas. We eventually moved to Austin (love Austin!!), and the city motto in Austin is "Keep Austin Weird". Dallas adopted that slogan and changed it to fit their city, "Keep Dallas Pretentious". No thanks. Rice Village in Houston is just wonderful. You have Rice University nearby, lots of intellectual types, great bookstores, fantastic food...I love that area. Other parts of Houston are complete dumps, though. Sprawling, never-ending box stores, chain stores...just nauseating. Others have mentioned Houston's proximity to other cities, which is very true. You definitely want to visit Central Texas (Austin, etc.), but another place to visit would be New Orleans. The National WW2 museum is worth the drive alone...and the food! My goodness, you will never taste anything like it! Sleep deprived, so please excuse the typos! Good luck!

You're going to love it! I'm the biggest weak nut in the entire world and I joined Crossfit last year for a year, and I was a changed woman. I never posted photos of puke (never puked!) or of my ripped abs or anything crazy like that...there's no need to go that far. In fact, I really took it easy and only pushed myself as much as I felt I could. Don't succumb to the peer pressure...just have fun. I know every gym is different, so I'm hoping that your gym is friendly and supportive, not pushy and deranged. Just have fun, and watch your inner Wonder Woman unfurl!! You really can injure yourself, so be careful. Learn good technique and go slow! Not sure if your coach has told you this, but 80% of your body composition comes from your diet... I miss Crossfit! It's a total mind game...SO much fun. You'll be bikini ready this summer! Cut...ripped...sexy!! YES!!!

(I shouldn't be on the computer right now, but I just had to order my Great Courses DVD's!! Happy New Year to me! And to everyone else. :) ) I plan our menus around protein. Monday - whole chicken Tuesday - beef roast/stew, very rarely, lamb (add bone broth and gelatin) Wednesday - fish Thursday - chicken or turkey parts or ground (ie. meatballs, thighs, etc.) Friday - bunless burgers, either beef, buffalo or lamb (add liver) Sat - leftovers or a soup that I can triple to feed my freezer Sun - grilled meat with some sort of shellfish Now, take each night, and prepare the meat according to your needs. Have a database of recipes for each type of protein. Most nights, meals are very simple and can be prepared in the crock pot. Chicken and potatoes in crock pot, fish in coconut milk, roast with mushrooms and balsamic. EASY is key. Add a seasonal veggie that takes 10 minutes to prepare. Roast a root veggie: baked yams, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, russetts, or occasionally, white rice. Add a lot of fat: butter or coconut oil Easy. Leftovers are always for lunch. If we have to leave the house, the leftovers are cold and usually put over a salad. Add lots of fat to your salad - meat, olives, avocado, cheese, nuts, etc. Snacks are fruit and nuts, occasional cheese if you want it...easy stuff that the kids can get themselves. Breakfast is the hardest, though. Unfortunately, no more cereal or bagels. You have to prep some meat for breakfast. I usually have my husband grill some extra meat to slice up and put in the fridge. We add it to our eggs and veggies. Add some fruit (banana, apple, etc.) and you are set. Or breakfast sausages, half an avocado and some fruit. Look up The Perfect Health Diet. http://perfecthealthdiet.com/ It's Paleo, but with starches so you don't feel like you are starving. If you are trying to lose weight, low carb definitely helps. If you are pregnant, nursing or have growing kids, the carbs help keep you going. The fat, too. I was a vegetarian/vegan for over 13 years. I switched to gf/sugar free, then eventually Paleo for the last 5 years or so. Never felt better in my life!! The key is to keep it as simple as possible...I mean really simple, or you will burn out. Get your kids to help, too. They can scramble eggs and wash dishes!! :) Beware: this will be a dent in your pocketbook if you aren't careful. But going to the doctor's office costs a lot, too. :) Good luck!!

I have Mastering the Fundamentals of Mathematics, How Music and Mathematics Relate and Latin 101 in my cart. Has anyone viewed Mastering the Fundamentals of Mathematics? It's for me to brush up on math. Also, it looks like the price of the Latin went up...am I wrong? What was the sale last NYE? I have to get rid of one of these and I can't decide which one to ditch! If the NYE sale is good enough, I just may purchase all 3.

nak...where to purchase the young math books? thanks!

Hi Everyone, Thank you for the replies and my apologies for a delay in response. We have family visiting for the holidays and I have been away from my laptop. I have read every reply and I must say that I felt a lot of love from you all. Thank you. I wish I could reply to every post, but alas, I need to try to catch up on sleep. :) This is my 4th baby, and he is definitely the most needy when it comes to sleep. Thanks to all who suggested reflux or allergies. My first was a "reflux" baby and on medication until I figured out it was allergies and an imbalance of good/bad gut bacteria. So, I have been down that road and know how horrible that is. Baby #4 is not a reflux/allergy baby. Besides, I'm eating a super clean, allergy-free diet, with lots of probiotics. He just wants to be held. The second I hold him, he stops screaming. It's like a light switch. Also, he will sleep while nursing in the bed to sleep...I don't need to hold him the entire time. He just WANTS to be held all the time. I know, it's sweet, but I can't handle the sleep deprivation. I have been trying to keep him quiet so the rest of the house can sleep, so when he cries, I immediately pick him up. I think I made this crutch, and he doesn't want it any other way. My husband and I are still trying to figure out what to do. He is willing to help at night, but he's losing sleep now, too. For now, we are going to put baby in the study with the husband. I'll come nurse once at night, but he will try to soothe him the other part of the night. Not sure how this will pan out, though...I will be nervous that the husband will fall asleep with him on the couch, which means we are back to square one (dangerous cosleeping). If that doesn't work , we'll try to put the mattress on the floor and make the cosleeping work somehow. Last, there's no family around. The friends I have all have lots of kids, too, and it's hard to get someone to come help. Kind of isolated, and no family, and demanding babies, and lack of sleep...I know it could be worse, but it's a little hard right now. :( Time to count my blessings...there are many. Thanks again for the replies and concern. Let's pray that we get this figured out soon. I want to be a good mom to my family again.

And here I am with a 6 month old on my chest who won't sleep unless I hold him. I have the flu, my husband works long hours and I have 3 other little ones to take care of. I am so tired I cannot see straight. I cried this morning because I didn't sleep at all last night...baby won't sleep unless I am holding him. I can't sleep when I hold him...I am afraid of cosleeping. A friend's 6 month old was smothered to death a few months ago. My husband rolled over on our first baby, and I woke up to find him under him. It scared me so much that I bought a cosleeper and put him in there. We did intend on cosleeping, but that changed our minds. Just too many bad experiences to cosleep, sorry. I have the baby in a crib right next to my bed. He won't sleep in there. He just screams until I pick him up, then I can't sleep. Honestly, I want to put him in the study on the other side of the house and come back and get him in 8 hours. But these articles make it sound like I am going to cause him permanent damage if I do so. What gives? I can't handle this anymore. I really think I am not good for anyone right now because I am so much of a mess.

http://www.novanatural.com/labyrinth-marble-run.html My boys (3 and 7.5) love this one.

Thank you! I just cancelled my membership, then renewed it for the travelzoo deal. :) !!!

Oh, just read the Brewstation description on Amazon. It can make 10 cups!

Wow! Thanks for the recommendations, but now I'm really at a loss. :) This is good, though... So, the Brewstation...is that just for one cup of coffee, or can it make a whole pot? If it's just for one cup, then it is out of the running. I need something that can make several cups for dinner guests. Same question with the french press...can I make several pots? The Bunn...are there any programmable ones? You see, being a good wife can only happen after 7:30 a.m. since I'm still up with a baby most nights. :) It would be nice to have something that's programmable. I am definitely getting the coffee subscription and the kleen kanteen thermos! My husband will thank you all this Christmas!!!

I am looking for a great coffee maker for my husband for Christmas. I don't drink coffee, and I don't even know how to make it. In an effort to be a better wife, I am hoping to purchase a programmable coffee maker so I can make him coffee for his morning trek to work. I don't mind spending a little change. I want something that will last and will brew a great cup of coffee. He's quite the coffee connoisseur. I also would like something that has the option to brew 1 cup up to 8 cups (for when we have guests). Thanks for your help!

CrunchyGirl, sorry I messed up your quote!! I don't know how to fix it, and the octopus won't let me figure it out.

[quote name="CrunchyGirl" post="5333701" timestamp="1385864063" I've been reading book The Smartest Kids in the World and following the thread on it here. The thing that has really hit home for me is how the success of the top countries seems to be tied to a social agreement that education is important and should be rigorous. Now obviously some people won't agree but there aren't constant macro-level messages (like here in the US) that hard work is over rated, if you're well educated then clearly you're an elitist, etc. I do wonder how we create an environment for our children where academics and hard work are prized living in a society where academic success isn't even remotely valued? Clearly as parents we have the most influence (or should) but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be terribly helpful to have other adults and peers surrounding our children to reinforce those values. I don't know very many deeply religious people who don't want to expose their children to at least some other adults and children who share their belief system. Truly academic homeschooling is a rare thing best I can tell and it's a tough road to walk. It's okay to wish you had someone to do it with you, to be that community that would reinforce these priorities to your children. Dare to dream. [quote name="CrunchyGirl" post="5333701" timestamp="1385864063" I said something similar (although nowhere near as eloquent) on the Smartest Kids thread. We have been trying to foster relationships with kids that have similar interests in extra curricular activities, regardless of if they homeschool or attend public school. Recently we joined the city's chess club and a Suzuki violin group class. I am also going to try to find some connections for myself in 2014. I think part of the desire is for an intellectual community for myself, not only for my kids. My son's horseback riding instructor is a Princeton graduate, English major. She is such a delight to talk with!! I personally miss the culture of learning I experienced in college and in the work force. I think that making peace with where we are is going to be the answer, at least for our family. It's OK to have different goals from others. The hard part, though, is when there is judgement and labeling (elitist) simply because we have different goals. My husband and I decided not to let our kids enter the church talent show...we want them to have friends. :( Wish I could write more, but this baby in my lap is doing one amazing impression of an octopus gone mad, and he's making it really hard to type. OP, thank you for starting this thread. Glad to get other perspectives here.

Let us know if it comes out on Audible!!

So how to remedy this problem as a homeschooler? I see how a culture of academics motivates students to excel (been there myself), but how do you create that environment while homeschooling? Is the only option attending a top notch school? I'm trying to figure this out here... I'm assuming ways are through extra curriculars, creating a home environment of life long learners (parents), but what about the peers? Ideas?

I just finished this book and thought it was an excellent read. Like others are stating, I wouldn't buy it for my bookshelves, but I am very happy I read it. From page 191, elaborating on why students in other countries took their education more seriously: "Why did they care? Kim had asked the question in Finland, distilling this quest down to one sentence. After visiting her, I started to suspect that the answer was fairly straightforward: They took school more seriously because it was more serious. And it was more serious because everyone agreed it should be." Now, who is in a community of homeschoolers who are taking education more seriously? Where did you find this community? We're having a tough time finding our place. We decided to join a few extra-curricular activities known for being for the academically focused, chess and violin. We'll see how it goes. And SISU! I'm writing that on the bedroom mirror this week!

Just wanted to send a hug... I thought of this thread when I was prepping for school this week. When it gets tough, I sing my Homeschooling Mom Anthem, sung to Donna Summer's "She Works Hard For The Money": "I work hard for no money! So hard for no money! I work hard for no money, so you better treat me right!" Take care of yourself. Hope next week is better for you.

My ds is turning 3 soon, and I bought some stuff for his 'toddler box." He can only get into his box when we are doing school. I asked my MIL to do the same, and she agreed!! (Halleluiah!) Besides coloring books, etc., this is the main item I purchased for his box: Battat Take-A-Part Roadster http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034K6RSW/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 That should keep him busy for a while. :) My ds also loves silk scarves. He and his siblings make capes, baby carriers, animal blankets, tents and all kinds of things out of these: http://www.novanatural.com/playsilk-1266.html If you have the budget, this is an awesome gift that can be played with by everyone. When I ask my 7 year old to play with the soon-to-be 3 year old, this is always the first choice for play: http://www.novanatural.com/labyrinth-marble-run.html Just make sure he knows to keep the marble out of his mouth...and nose. :) Rain boots, Thomas the Train underwear, cool pj's are gifts without being toys. NAK, excuse typos. Happy Birthday, Little Guy!

This was amazing...never heard it before. Absolutely beautiful - musical perfection!! Any good interpretations of Adagio for Strings, anyone?

I love music. :) Absolute perfection would be Kathleen Battle singing Rachmaninoff Vocalise: I'm listening to it now, and there are no words to describe. The piece is perfectly composed (minor modalities so eloquently expressed), and her voice is flawless. And to think that this was a live performance (at Carnegie Hall). No retakes. It's perfect. Listen to it. You will get chills! Another piece of perfection is Leonard Bernstein's Overture to Handel's Messiah. I can't find a link, but if you come across this recording, buy it. Perfection. Some would argue, however, that his artistic interpretation is far from the stately French overture, which Handel based the composition. Bernstein takes it to a new place...it tells the story of Christ and His suffering. It's amazing. Others worth noting: Joshua Bell - The Four Seasons: Summer III Presto (so fun to watch!) http://www.joshuabell.com/video/four-seasons-summer-iii-presto Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (my 7 year old loves this CD) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSUUFduCdRE Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff Pablo Casals interpretation of the Bach Cello Suites So many more, but I have to go do our history read alouds!!

We're in the Sacramento area (25 minutes north). Hot Lava Mama - we did a tour of the Folsom Dam last year - EXCELLENT!! OK, Sacto area folks, where are you all meeting for park dates? I'm not finding any Classical homeschoolers in my area. I want to talk curriculum!!

I'll attempt to join the fun. I have a 8 week old, so falling asleep while reading is a norm for me these days. But I'll give it a good try! Off to find the group...

I would love to know what vitamins you are taking, too. I'm experiencing the brain fog as well. My baby is 8 weeks today, and the lack of sleep definitely isn't good for my brain. OP, I feel your pain. Take care of yourself and get some rest...I'll try to take the same advice! I was going to make a suggestion, but I forgot what it was...sigh.