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Sorry -- deleted post -- thanks anyway!

I don't like to iron. I always check clothing labels prior to purchasing to make certain that I am buying something that will not need to be ironed. With all the modern fabrics available nowadays, why not? Funny thing happened with my dislike of ironing, though! When my oldest was in her toddler or preschool years, we had a visit from the "Parents as Teachers" educator from the local school district. This teacher had seen my dd since birth, and because she knew dd well, she was surprised when dd could not identify a picture of an iron! I had to confess that it was my fault that she could not identify it, not dd's! :blushing: (Truly, it seemed very antiquated to me that they would be wanting kids to identify a picture of an iron, but maybe that is me! )

Hopefully some of the other SOS Spanish users can chime in here also regarding their opinion on content and usability. To answer your question, I suppose our issues regarded some of the content, but even more regarding usability. I felt that the program was unnecessarily cumbersome to set up and use (ETA: difficult to set up and use on the teacher's end -- not difficult for the student to use). Content was not bad, although the kids felt that some of the exercises were not as relevant as they could be. I hate to give it a bad review since I've heard that it does work for some people; I kept thinking, "Well, maybe it is just us." One thing that I'd been warned about (which was not a problem for me) was that it is important for the parent/teacher to look over the student's work that the program "grades." Because it is a computer program, it cannot judge subtleties or slight variations in answers. This really did not bother me because I expected it. Just thought I'd mention it, though. I don't know anything about the online version -- sorry. If you know anyone who owns the program, or if you belong to a local group where you could request to see the program, I'd recommend checking it out. Then you'd get a better idea as to whether or not it would be a good fit.

We used SOS "Secondary Spanish" last year. It was our first and last experience with SOS. Neither the kids nor I liked it. The one benefit was that the kids could do it on their own. Still, for us, I would try something else if I had to do it again. The program obviously works well for some, such as Jean in Wisconsin and her kids! I'm sure if you do an advanced search, you would be able to find some of her posts about it.

:iagree: This is the same experience that I have had this past year. I also gave up on many items that I felt were popular, and ended up donating them. I only sell here on the WTM boards, so I did not realize this was a problem elsewhere! What really discourages me is when I get to the point of pricing items either super low or free for the cost of shipping and sometimes I still can't get rid of them!

For Saxon Phonics, see on p. 2, the fifth and sixth box down: http://steckvaughn.hmhco.com/HA/correlations/pdf/s/saxon_phonics_coding_chart.pdf HTH! ETA: Oh -- you want ways to reinforce the rule! I would just copy, enlarge, and print out the rule she is having difficulty with, tape in on the wall, bulletin board, or whatever is most near her work space. If she refers to it often enough, it should stick. Sorry that I'm no great help!

I'm in! More than ever this year, I want to follow through with making this holiday season more enjoyable! That can be done more easily if I am organized, and plan ahead. I really want to spend more quality time with family and friends, and spend less. Thanks!

Well, I have a valance with a plastic old style blind. :lol: My kitchen window is right above my kitchen sink. If I had a window dressing that would hang down, I would be afraid that dirty water from the sink would splash up onto the curtains and they would need to be washed all the time. That was why we just chose the window topper. As it is, I am always cleaning the window and the blinds -- at least the curtains are up high and out of the splash zone. My mother used to have cream color curtains at the window above her kitchen sink. While they looked beautiful, she was washing them all the time due to splatters. She always chose very washable materials.

Ours left $1, but not a paper dollar -- it was always a dollar coin such as a Susan B. Anthony, Sacagawea, etc.

:grouphug:

I will also pray for you, and hope that the bedrest will not be needed. In the meantime, though, try not to overdo it! I wanted to comment regarding not knowing anyone well enough to come in and take care of the kids. When I was on bed rest, I had to get a word of mouth referral from one of my husband's business associates to get someone to come in and help. She was a young college student who babysat for them. I was uneasy about it at first, but I was there in the home when she was there, so that put my mind at ease. She turned out to be wonderful. Again, I will be hoping and praying for the best! Take care of yourself and your little one!

Here are our top two pork tenderloin recipes: For savory: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/herb-crusted-pork-tenderloin-recipe/index.html For slightly sweet: PORK TENDERLOIN 6-8 strips of bacon 3-4 pork tenderloins ½ c. soy sauce 1 T. grated onion 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 T. vinegar ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper ¼ tsp. seasoned salt – (I use McCormick's Pork Seasoning) ½ C. granulated sugar Wrap bacon around tenderloins; fasten with wooden picks. Place meat in baking dish. Combine soy sauce, onion, garlic, vinegar, cay¬enne, salt and sugar. Pour over meat. Let stand in refrigerator 4-5 hours, turning meat at least once while marinating. Roast in 300 oven 1 ½ - 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Serve meat juices separately to pour over meat. Serves 8-10.

This is our favorite! I just mix it in the bread machine, and then bake in a loaf pan in the oven: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/light-oat-bread/detail.aspx ETA: Not exactly like store bought, but better :)

Thank you, ereks mom! If I am considering a few shipping options to choose from, I'll probably need a postal scale. Thanks!