Yay!! Good for you! It's great when you get something free that you were wanting! Carrie:-)

I don't have a lot of "every year" memories. My dad worked a lot, went to school and my mom didn't go out for much. She's happy at home. But, my husband is very into tradition. On July 3rd we go out to see Fireworks, we usually go to friends on the 4th. He has some sort of tradition for holidays. As much as I balk because I'm a fly by the seat of my pants...kinda person.. my kids like to know what to expect. The day after Thanksgiving, he pulls out "The Russian Ruby" which goes back in the box the day after Christmas for next year. Even the 17 year old will listen to the story... Carrie

The NHERI site has quite a few statistics about such things. Interesting for just about anyone:-) http://www.nheri.org/ And, I don't think that anyone's smackin' on newbies:-) She was just commenting:-) For real, Welcome!!:D

Ok, since I do CC you can probably guess that I won't agree:-) It's not like if you could have one mom for every child....and get perfect instruction. BUT, I've watched many friends with good intentions...CC is a way to give your kids pegs to hang what you do at home. Picture pegs from CC, hat, scarf, mittens, and such with a great coat hanging from those pegs:-) Carrie

Hey Janet:-) I actually propose the idea that some Adults could use a good caning. I watched, I think in Singapore??...where a r*pist was talking about being caned. He said every time he thought of r*ping a woman that his entire body felt pain. That may make our society safer.... Oh well, just thinking... Carrie

I guess cuz I get a big smile on my face when I think of this guy. What he said, and how he said it was just "the love of a Dad" and I can still picture him in my mind. He was just a good guy. And, he said it was his culture, or something to that effect. I miss "The South" sometimes! I really miss parts of it. I could use some Sweet Tea right now! Carrie:-)

Hey There, I'm a spanker:-) But, my oldest kids...who we have half time....(17 and 14) have never been swatted...(except one time when the younger one was close to me...and smarted off....) However, they have been yelled at by my husband... The are lovely, sweet girls and truly are pleasers. They did go through some serious stress when their parents divorced, which I believe did some serious damage to at least one of the girls. My husband hasn't yelled in years. We don't really ground them or anything else. We just talk them through whatever is going on. My daughter is totally different. She's just a different personality. She has been spanked quite a bit by me. Maybe 4 times from my husband. It was just a different situation...and I'm really particular about when my husband spanks her. Even still...she listens to him more. My son is almost 6. He has gotten approximately 8 swats since November. I'm kinda tracking for other reasons. He's got a ton of energy and only gets spanked if I say, "Come here, or stay there," and he won't. Or, if he say...bites... We only do a few time outs once in a while... We talk through most things... Carrie:-)

Here's the funny thing about rearing children. (Thanks to my homeschooled days, I learned that you rear children and you raise...say...corn) Everyone has something that they think others should or should not do. I think you should give your children milk with life (raw), organic food, nurse them till they are as old as possible..or until at least 3,4,maybe 5?, never give them formula (and give them goat's milk if you need a sub), not give high fructose corn syrup, soak their grains, not let them watch tv, not have them watching movies, not ingest artificial colors, give them real beeswax crayons to color with, NEVER yell at them, take them on nature walks, not leave them at daycare, sling them instead of strollers, use cloth instead of disposables...(talk about taking care of their bums and not causing permanent damage...did you know there are studies that show that the temp rise in a disposable might lead to problems esp for boys and infertility later in their lifes?) Rock your baby to sleep. I mean, I think formula is like poison for children. Especially normal formula. BUT, we're suppose to not be a mom's milk-v-formula place. When are we gonna realize that you may yell at your kids...I may put them over my knee and smack their little hiney. I pushed this kids out (actually he was more like pulled out). I did it without pain meds because I wanted them to not have drugs in their system. He was 10lbs 3 oz. 23 1/4 inches long. I went through *hell* for him to be born without drugs. I love him more than anyone. There's no way that you can say your way is better than me, and make me feel bad. I mean...everyone makes different choices for their families. I could say...."you used DRUGS for your delivery? How could you use drugs for pain and then tell your children that they can't use drugs if they want to?? HOW oh How??" When can we actually stop being so judgemental?? Carrie

Actually, when I was a teen, I was told by a very Southern man *race undisclosed* that the harder you beat your children...the more you love them. When I married my husband, who had two children from before, I told him, "I'm a Southern Mama, and if you don't want kids I have to be spanked...better marry someone else." But, there's a lot to having children besides if you spank or not. Besides, my dog ate the spanking spoon! So, I try to only love my children a little.... a little love goes a long way... Carrie PS, I was paddled in public school and it would NEVER happen to my children.

Wow, what a good thread. I'll have to drink some coffee tomorrow and respond right away! What I can see now, is being thankful for the health of my children. Oh, my husband has a good paying job. Besides that, I'm overweight, owe money, and more.... I need a great paying job for 2 years! (Or, maybe we could rent out our house and stay with someone "free" so we could save money...it's what I see our neighbors do...on our government dime...but we like them anyway...all 20 apartments of them...) Ok, on to the positive, I'm gonna dream of this tonight. Back tomorrow morning! Carrie

I just got FB because my daughter's bio dad set one up for her. After getting on...I've found all kinds of people in my past.... Including someone that I know that lives in France and Israel... I haven't started the quizzes yet.... Carrie

Yup, you know the dream. A one time purchase of a lottery ticket that wins HUGE. Being that person who is so reserved that they tell no one. Going to 3 or 4 different financial planners to figure out the best plan. Being able to help someone else. Adopting 2 or 3 kids...and being able to have a full time housekeeper. Buying the property behind and to the side of us...if we chose (get that CHOSE) to stay here. Carrie... (Oh, and a nice car with air conditioning for my husband)

This is funny! I know you and I've never guessed! Carrie:-)

NOT NICE! (And yes, I'm yelling:-) I want one of those! Carrie:D

That's hilarious. I've read your screen name in my mind more than once. I've always heard.... "Ooooooooh Grandmmmmmma!!!!!" :lol:

and...don't say anything about David, unless you want one of your children taken for your sins. Carrie

I think you'd be happy with CC. I believe you'd like the structure, the accountability to do something (not given by CC but just the atmosphere) and the material you cover over the 3 years. Yes, there are some things I don't like. Yes, if I planned it I would do some things differently. BUT, if I had to put the whole thing together, I'm not sure that I'd have it ready for my grandkids! Nothing's perfect, and it's a bit of a "buy-in" which for homeschoolers can be a challenge. Here's the upside, Interaction with heavy parental involvement. Memory work, which eventually helps other material just fall right in place (even for my 5 almost 6 yr old) at an older age...a help with teaching English grammar and IEW writing. For the $$$ and time, I don't think you can go wrong by giving is a really "good go" for a year. My husband actually knows someone in one of the VA groups, I think, I'll ask him which one. Carrie:-)

How do you eat them?? And, we cut then pour Agave syrup for my son... I don't just love 'em. Carrie

Either of the whole wheats...Even the whiter one is healthy. *Not the same as white flour. I'd want it from a refrigerator or freezer section. Once you crack/grind the wheat berry, the oils start to go rancid. I second the mill. My mom has had hers for 25 years. That...and a Bosch. (and a mom to make your bread:-) Carrie

When I mentioned that I loved tents, one lady on another list I was on mentioned that her son had strangled in one of those. I could probably "beat" my son and he wouldn't take a nap. He stopped right at 2. My daughter, on the other hand, took naps until kindergarten. BUT, she was in school. Busy... Have you looked at how much physical activity he gets? At almost 6, I have just started rest times. I need him to be able to "take a rest". I set a timer that he can see. I would say to try a one hour rest time. In his room, reading books or quiet things on his bed or on his floor. Cds in the cd player...quiet things. I really came to the conclusion that 12 hrs of sleep at night...is enough for him. Sorry:-( Carrie

Grayson (NN Gray) Rhys (Welsh spelling -- pronounced Reece) Quinn, I like Quinton (different spellings) Spencer Josiah Dane Wyatt Joel Finn or Finnian Tiernan Griffin Rory Asher I like these names out of the ones that someone else liked... :-) Carrie

Very Cute:-) Enjoy! Carrie

Check out a spot to board her where you're going...That's what we did with ours...Then you can board her for part of the time and have her for part of the time. Happy Vacation! Carrie

I'd try for something like Classical Conversations, which is a once a week group that you attend together. Or, a co-op that you go to once or twice a week. Your kids are little enough that there might be playgroups that you could attend, too. Having something to set your school week around is really great! At that age, it's the outing that's most fun about any activity. I'm sorry for you...It's sad to not have extended family (that you like:-) around. Carrie:-) PS, eat good chocolate!

I've been thinking about getting little piggies, but I'm a bit worried that our cat Magic will have too much fun trying to get inside of the cage. (can just hear her thinking, "yummy yummy dinner") Someday, we may just have to get some! Carrie