Hey There, I didn't know to miss you, but I'm sure I would have, had I been warned! :-) After 1413 posts, I'm sure that I've read some...and now will know to look and see what you have to say! :-) Carrie:-)

Sunshine:-) I'd like the spinach pie...is this the one with the it's late....what's it called... the filo pastry?? Also, wouldn't mind yummy stuffed mushrooms! Carrie:-)

I am SO happy for you Pam...and I'll be even happier if you all get the job:-) You better let me know and not make me search on here:-) Carrie:-)

Kiss my Face..or one of the Natural Ones.... One of my favorite memories is taking Vaseline's "Aloe Vera" HUGE bottle of lotion to my dad's grandma. I don't really remember here, as I didn't grow up around her, but I remember going to visit her at the nursing home and screaming loudly into her ear...what we had brought her. (She was pretty deaf) She was around 100,too. SO, be sure to take the kids..... I'm glad I have that one memory of her. It's faint..but it's there:-) Carrie:-)

How long would you bake these? This sounds interesting:-) Yum! Carrie:-)

Have you tried Used Children's stores? Or the Goodwill? I've found cute ones there. Or ask friends if they have any to loan/sell.... Carrie:-)

Hey Christina, I just ordered it! I'm so excited to see what this looks like! I'm curious to look through it and see how this is set up! Wanna look over it with me(Christina...or those in the Salem area.).....I couldn't pay for the overnight:-) But, whenever it gets here.....:-) Carrie:-)

Good Luck.... I have to say that life got easier when I started doing showers for my dog. Next time we do the bathroom, I want to have one of those hooks to hook the dog to, while you "bathe" it. (Like at the groomers) Anyway, I hope you survive the bath...and next time try a shower:-) Carrie:-)

I'd get a copy of the SWR cards. Just go over the phonograms with him. I laminated mine; both my cursive from Cursive First and also my other phonograms are print. I put holes in the bottoms of the cards and rings, and I just flip through them. I know the sounds for the 2 and 3 letters phonograms and I occasionally add one or two. We aren't doing it according to the program, just every few days we'll do it....whenever one of us want to do it... Also, LeapFrog magnetic letters (what's it called? The one that goes someplace like your fridge and you pop the letters into it...It's actually pretty accurate as far as how the sounds go) Carrie

I'd try to switch "bunny" for guinea pig...(bunnies cousin) and let her have it at home. They are easy to keep, about 5 yrs commitment ( I think) and you can let them go in an enclosure in nice weather. But, that's coming from someone who loves pets. My mom wasn't into them...and I kinda think...that some kids really need pets. Maybe yours is one of those kids...especially if you don't have a cat or a dog..... I can't imagine raising my kids without any pets... kinda sad:-( BUT, that being said...if you don't want one...and can't get one....the farm sounds like a good place to have a bunny. Introduce the fact that it's hers for at the farm from before she gets it. Good Luck! Carrie:-)

Remember your teacher discount..... Also, I love comb binding all my stuff. I have a binder at home...and pages put on big combs are pretty easy to use.....(and inexpensive:-) Carrie:-)

Does her ballet teacher know that she's doing martial arts? What kind? (Oops, you answered that) I don't think ours is keen on my daughter doing them..... But, maybe I'll check again for next year. Is Tae Kwan Do taught as a contact sport? Carrie:-)

Isn't it interesting when you read about other's experiences? Like I've mentioned before, I have two that have been spanked and two that haven't ever. We were discussing last night (the 16 year old and I) about WHEN she would have even been spanked, had that been one of the tools that were used with her. Because of her personality, explaining the the road was dangerous and that she mustn't ever be near it without me, she would have stayed right with me. Me explaining that to my son, would have got a laugh and a jerk away from my hand. Do I take the time to get on my knees and look into his eyes with my hand cupped on his chin and making sure that we are looking at each other? Of course I do. Did he ever test that hands with mom meant that he really had to hold my hand? Yes, he did! I pointed out squashed animals on the road, and told stories about how their mamas told them to stay right with them, but they chose not to listen... And, if when we're practicing staying with mama, if he chooses to even try to pull away from me (and no, he doesn't succeed) then I will make sure there is a HUGE consequence...natural or not! If I choose to spank him, that's because I would rather "beat" his tushy...(and no, I don't "beat" him...) than see it squashed in the road. If you choose to talk, time-out, take away toys...and that works....great! I really believe that it's dangerous to believe that what works for one child, will work for another. If I only had my first two, I would think anyone who even speaks harshly to a child, is crazy. After all, I don't need to raise my voice or punish either of them. BUT, God gave me two bio children that are full of their own opinions...and aren't afraid to make sure my husband and I know that they are gonna do their own thing..... That being said, I try to discern each time I think of what I should say (or do) to my child...."Is this the easy way...?" I want to do what's right..rather that means spank or time-out...or make them do a chore...or any other choice I have to try to make sure that they get the point. (And yes, it's been quite a while since I've spanked.....but my children know I still would:-) Carrie:-)

What type of Ballet does she study? My daughter is doing RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) and I know that if I were to move her (or more likely for us, her teacher retires) I'd take her to another RAD studio. She's 11. I suppose she's not at the level your daughter is. Our summer weeks are taught by our same teacher, but it's a small studio. Does she do ballet 3 times a week? Could she still not do at least jazz, once a week? I love hearing about the different ballet studies.... Although...I really want my daughter to do some form of martial arts before she graduates.... Too bad that probably won't work with ballet...:-( Carrie:-)

You can use some programs which allow you to look up Hebrew and see the references about "rod" versus "club" But, I couldn't type it in here, because I can't use my keyboard for Hebrew. My dad reads Hebrew (and Greek:-) fluently, and says that "spanking with a rod" is biblical. I know this....spanking or not spanking aside, if it would save your child from a life of rebellion, and you choose not to use it, you're sinning. We have two children who may have received one or two spankings, if they were spanked. (which they never have been, they're step.) We have two children who...well.....they've been spanked. I'm now on a spanking hiatus while I evaluate....again....what I can do differently.

That's interesting, so eating only kosher approved meats, would mean that you eat no pork, rabbits...other meat like that or catfish, and other scavenger fish? Interesting:-) Carrie:-)

SO, how do you "kill" a rabbit...Do you bop it on the head?? I can't believe that I'm thinking of doing this! Carrie:-)

Has anyone raised rabbits for meat? I'm curious about doing this on a small scale. I'm wondering what the amount of $$$ is to raise some rabbits and what the amount of care is to be expected. Also, I wonder what the temperature needs to be.....I live in Oregon, so in the Salem area it's not way too cold..... Thanks! Carrie:-)

Hey there, I'm looking at buying this for my son to start next year. He'll be in the 1st grade; part of the thing I like it that we would then use this for learning Latin. Has anyone followed her program? (Becky Beers) (and then The Latin Road) I'm looking for good and bad.... Thanks! Carrie:-)

We've loved our playsilks. I purchased them from Sarah's Silks and they were $5.00 a piece. So, this deal with A Toy Garden seems like an incredible deal! I'd say that 12 would be a great amount. We have quite a few and we use them all. When the girls are playing, they wrap one for a skirt, one around their top, one somewhere else for...who knows what. And then, they put them on their little brother. Even my 13 yr old will play with them, kinda dress up, with her 10 yr old sister! Heck, they'd put them on the dog, if they could! I'd also order a little "faerie skirt". I do have to say that quality would be better, since they're used so much. Some of ours are kinda like a gauze material. The ones I saw from the Toy Garden look lovely. Enjoy!

Maybe say that you're splurging for a month of housekeeping and a teen sitter to come in and help. If it doesn't work out later...fine. With three little kids....you do deserve it:-) Some homeschool teens would be happy to help you...if you need it...and that may reassure them, and give you an "out". :-)

When I was all into getting a Wheaten Terrier or a Lagotto, I discovered that some feel it's best to go to the dog shows and get to know the people who show whatever you're interested in getting. They can either sell you one of their puppies (many have one or two litters) or get you in touch with a good dog. If I was going to pay money, I wanted a puppy who had a good start. I'm still not sure that I won't get my second dog this way, but for our first, I kept checking Petfinder.com and found our dog there. There are usually rescue places for each type of breed, too. We "tomato staked" our dog for the first two weeks, and I believe it helped with bonding as well as only a couple of accidents. (This is just where you keep them on a leash or in the crate the whole time) If I could only teach him not to eat off my counters! His head is tall enough so he can almost see what's there...and his little nose just smells out everything! I love our dog...just remember, children may say they're gonna play with the dog, but the dog is really the adult's responsibility. It is alot of work for me...I still love having him, though!

Also, you might want to try rescues in your area, including the Humane Societies, because they can have little critters to adopt:-)

I'd suggest two guinea pigs. I think they are more interesting:-) Less like rats.... Do a big cage...and get a good lid! When we babysat a couple for a month, we had a wooden large square that we would let them out to play in...in the yard.(with my daughter to watch them...or me) If I was going to leave them there without us, I would have made a screen for the top. (Just to make them safe.) So..there's my vote....two guinea pigs:-) Carrie:-)

This is just like my 5 yr old. He's into some veggies and hot dogs (kosher, is that better? :-) chicken nuggets...my chicken if I kind a do "nuggets" mac and cheese...some fruit. And, he made the mistake of trying oatmeal this morning..which I made him finish. For us, we decided early on, that dinner was mostly for family communication. My mom makes whole wheat bread, with freshly milled flour, and he's lived on that! If he doesn't want dinner (and rarely does) then he gets bread and butter. (Or something like that) I'm not forcing him to eat...and we don't spend dinner talking about how many kernels of corn he has to eat. My brother's best friend's family spent their child's whole life talking about him eating or not...at the dinner table. Even with company, it was how to make skinny David eat. (and mostly is was peanut butter and jelly that he would end up eating) Amazingly enough, he grew up big and strong...and smart. Good Luck!