As far as this, I would let my 17 year old, if she wanted to...but probably not my younger ones. If they wanted to go, my husband would chaperone. On some things, we're lax, like bedtimes. The go to bed when they want to between say....9:30pm and 1am. But, the company that they're in...is more important to us. You know how it goes...the group slips to the lowest common denominator. And, I've always been nervous with my kids in stores...with friends. Some things look like fun with friends...that you wouldn't dare do with a sibling. Carrie

That is very sweet. No doubt that has a chance of becoming a "living memory" as she goes through life talking about it. Carrie:-)

What I've heard that works, is having family worship at home each day/night. A time where they sing and a time where there's a scripture and discussion. I know someone who when their children were young, was asked if they did family worship at home, because they were having difficulty at church. There was a period of time when every family was expected to do family worship, now family tv night is more common. Ask me how I know. Carrie :-(

Hmmm. I'm not sure what I'd do, but we've switched churches a bit.... We had always gone to one church, and it's just not a good fit for me. SO, when we switched, we let the kids keep going for Awanas and also for some of the jr high high school activities. If I were you, I'd think about letting my highschool age kids keep going to older church...and check out churches with my 7 year old. Carrie:-) (PS. Of course, I wish you were here! I took sign before moving to OK when I was 12. When I moved to OK it was during the time that schools were trying to not teach sign there...but rather just ...I guess ...reading lips... SO, as an adult, I've never finished learning to sign. I'd love someone to practice with...and ..well, I could use some good friends,too!)

Are you looking for Secular/Christian...or either? Moody Science are great! (Is that what they're called?) School House Rock is a favorite. We're listening to some Jim Weiss again....(history and fun) and Magic School Bus, depending on how old your children are... Oh Yeh...how old are your children? Girls/Boys...That'll get you more direct answers:-) Carrie

I have NO idea what you should do. I don't see how Chicken Soup in a big pot is going to go with you...and how many kleenex would you need to take? Personally, maybe tell them that you feel so sick, you wouldn't be able to be a good worker...and you don't want them sick too!

Funny, I wonder how pajama days at school, and field trips fit into the hours per day in Oregon. No kidding, the kids get to go in their pjs with pillows and blankets and read books all day. OR, the whole day for a field trip...OR, a few days to the festival...etc. Think about what your school does with their hours.

Since you're thinking "crib" I wanted to comment that my wool crib mattress has been my MOST worth it purchase for my children.(totally takes care of the possible problems of fumes from the mattress) I purchased it with my daughter, and then used it for years with her and now years with my son. You can get a wool cover for it...or make a wool cover and it keeps it from getting wet... And, yes, I co-slept...but...I did have my children sleep in their cribs for naps. They also both went through periods that they would sleep part/all of their night in the crib. Also, for just in the back of your mind thoughts...if for some reason you need to move it closer to your bed..no need to buy a small porta crib....you can sidecar the crib right up to your bed. (more than one way to do this) Also, you can set a Moses bed in the crib, if you want a smaller area. & my children always slept on a lambie. You can take it with you...Even at 5 1/2 my son's lambie is in one of his sleeping spots. My daughter really loved it when she was little. They are really durable...and worth every penny. Of course, you're suppose to have "short shorn" but we had some long...some short. You can certainly still breath if you smoosh your face into it. Carrie

I don't know if wanting a baby ever goes away. I'm sick during pregnancy....crazy deliveries....and I walk around like a sleepwalker for the first few months. Other than that, it's great! I just love having them....hate the thought of never feeling life inside me again, and just cry that I don't get to every put a little suckling baby up to nurse again. To top that off, my oldest two..their mom has just had another one! (Just the two of them..and then this baby) I am SO incredibly jealous...then I remember that you still have to raise them up to adulthood...and that they become mobile after a few months...and they get into everything...but that 0-6months of just pure babyhood...is precious. SO, I'm sorry for what sounds like you're missing little baby sounds and such...and I understand! Carrie

Hey Rebecca, I have an idea:-) Why don't you school through the summer, so you can take off a lot of time right after the babies are born. I'd start making sure that the kids have structure...like rest times in the afternoons...and pairing up the kids...if you can do the 14 and 10 taking a certain amount of time during the day with Anna and then your 8 year old taking turns with Leif..... Just make sure that you do lots of cds like SOTW and Jim Weiss' (we check those out at the library. Also, school doesn't need to take an hour for a 5 year old. Just relax about it...do something like phonics a couple of times a week...(or 5 or 10 minutes a day) do lots of Lego building..and other manipulatives..... Also, don't worry about the crib right now...you can either put a crib or one of the little co-sleepers up to the bed....(We did our bed right up to the wall...So, that's what I'd do...Wall, co-sleeper, bed....) Also, cloth is so easy and inexpensive. You do bummis super whisper wraps....diaper service quality cloth diapers...pins are easy...or just use the wraps with no clips.... AND, I think that cloth are much better for keeping boys not on the leaking side of life:-) And, if your two year old is in diapers....cloth would work for him, too. (You will want two sizes...the regulars are really big on newborns...) Good Luck! Carrie

Bummer Pam! I'm sorry! Carrie

I read through most of the posts....Going from one mom that has just the one student...to probably another woman...with 20-30.... Also, I'd have my husband spend a few vacation days at the school, before I'd send my children. My husband decided that homeschooling was ok, after I started our Classical Conversations program...where he could see the kids interact and come away sounding "smart". He was raised in public school...pretty much the whole way. There might be a compromise like a University Method school...or a really involved coop type situation...Any of these? Carrie:-)

Mine is micro-chipped. Where we live, there are only two vets to take pets to ...to try to read for microchips. Of course, if you take my pet to one of them...he's know anyway. I have heard of problems... I think compared to all of the other risks, it seems small. Carrie

Oh wow....I'm sorry...how sad! Carrie

I would say that maybe you can put a pretty kid looking curtain over a few things like bookshelves and such, and kinda have one wall that's yours in the kids bedrooms? Also, try the Love and Logic thing with your oldest one or two.... Two hours (is it once a week, or every other week) of undivided.. time...hopefully if your husband likes the bedroom for just you two...he'll support this... It's suppose to be a scheduled time ....(you can't break it..but the child can) and it's not a spendy thing...your child decides what to do during the time. You can read about it in the Love and Logic books...I think....I remember it from the classes. Carrie

Hey There, I'm gonna be at OMSI and was wondering if any of you are.... Carrie

So, I am reviewing the LFC primer A& B and don't know if I'll care about the workbooks...but really care about the cd chants.... With the cd of chants... those are pretty error free, right?? Carrie:-)

Usually, on the posts, I've seen it refer to "Christian Content". Carrie:-)

Ok, So, I'm looking at Lively Latin for myself and for the group that I'm doing. I'm wondering what kind of mistakes that it has in it. Also, are there mistakes that are mostly in the hard copy, or also in the chanting/oral part, too. Anyone want to comment? Thanks, Carrie

I'm trying to look up LTH: Ancient China and such.... I can't think of what LTH stands for... Carrie:-)

I've heard that some use David Quine's http://www.cornerstonecurriculum.com/Curriculum/wvww/wvww1.htm Carrie:-)

Wow, Jean...What a great post! This post reminds me of love in action. Carrie:-)

I always thought a cd sharing community would be great. Everyone order 2 of them and then rotate them.... Carrie

Really Really sorry about this... Carrie

Ok, so, if it doesn't get under control, the DR can give something for viruses. Yup, ours did....my son's chx pox wasn't clearing and it was going secondary...he gave the virus medicine...and it cleared up fast! I would way rather maybe get the virus meds than the vaccine...for sure. Also, the Dr looked at my son and said, "Good thing he's a boy." because of how bad the scarring was going to be. Now, when you go to the dermatologist and have, say, a mole removed...you're told to keep everything covered with vaseline. I think that's what saved my son. (I hadn't even heard the info from the dermatologist yet, so it was luck for us!) Anyway, I made a concoction of various things I found online. I used Lemon Balm EOs I think...lavendar EOs, lots of Neem oil...(totally worth the $10 or so for that!)....jojoba oil... Big batch...and kept him covered. You can't even see the marks on him anywhere, except maybe a little one...somewhere...anyway...none anywhere it counts. Anyway, the antiviral is the same one they give for genital warts, I think...in the proper dosage, I'm sure... I would find out what it's called, and then just ask for the prescription. (This is the same one, that if you know the early symptoms for the shingles, that you can circumvent the shingles being manifested.) Also, oatmeal baths made it way worse for my kids...so just know that it may be better without them... Carrie