Seriously, they have enough great speakers, it should last a week!! :)

3 people will be great, if you all communicate well :) Really, it's not the work of being there. The last straw was that only one highschool student and one jr high student was signed up. That area, because of younger siblings, controlled if almost 1/2 of the co-op would return. (no need for younger kids to be there if the older kids couldn't) If everyone had signed up... and I had been able to know that it was ready for the next year... not so much of a big deal. SO, if you're not gonna have to "work" all summer stressing if it's gonna be a go... That's one plus :) If you're co-directors are pleasant, and you all love working together.... (That's another plus :)) We had many lovely ladies working this year, and it was a good year. My Co-Director did a ton of the work (at least half of the planning and such... probably more!!) But... with her leaving, and no one wanting to step up to be a "Co-Director", I :) Also, of course, it's your personality that comes into play :) I HATE conflict. You have to be able to let things roll of you... and not personal conflict not get in the way of your outlook. That's really hard. I can deal with it with my children, but with adults it's much harder. (There wasn't tons of conflict, but some) My one thing that I haven't seen mentioned is that a sense of commitment is something that I should have talked about at the beginning. As the year went on, people dropped out as they entered new activities. We had one mom who had promised through various stages of the co-op to help, and when we really needed her... she dropped out about 8 weeks before co-op was over. She never helped the entire time :( Other people dropped out due to various reasons... I would TOTALLY Talk up commitment and how it takes 3 times the time when you (the leader) have to go back and rework the schedule. I was planning to tell them that anyone who can stay married, can make it to the end of co-op:) "Show your kids what keeping your word looks like, they are watching what it means to say you'll do an activity" (I was raised that if you said you'd do it, you stuck it out. You may not sign up again, but you don't leave the people who have put it together, hanging. I don't mean that I'd stay if there was say... something really wrong. But, you don't leave because you say... realize you don't like doing co-op on Fridays or something like that) I hope it's a great year for you!!

You might want to check out Nellie Edge She has some great literacy/signing videos... and some free stuff :)

Heartbreaking!! Hoping for a good family with access to great medical!!

Thank you!!! And I'll take those cutie partiers, too!! :)

Relax and realize it's "blobbing" more than tracing. She'll be fine... They're all little :)

I could only watch the video till the dog was obviously moving "it's" face away... I'm taking that this was it's way of saying "enough!!" :( ( I couldn't watch the bite....)

So, it's official... just sent out the message that I won't be having a co-op next year. It's sad, I feel worse for the person who helped me put it together. It was a TON of work to organize, and it's only been going a year. BUT, the bright side is that my Fridays are now open, and I can take a day a week for field trips.... and more!! I've either Directed Classical Conversations in our area... or a Co-op since my son was 4yrs old. (So four years now) I think that it will be enjoyable to only be responsible for us. I have no hard feelings about it... and hope that others won't either... So... for those of you who put them together for years... Wow... I stand in awe. For those of you fortunate to belong to Co-ops... with leaders who work so much... wow.... I hope that you remember to tell them "Thanks".... There should be a Holiday for that.... :) It was good training for something.... BUT, I am NOT a born leader :) Oh... the land of "Co-op World" :D

You know what I think would be fun??!! I'd love to have a curriculum meet and greet with some PDX area people. I would love to pick up a great Science book for Nathan. I don't know what great stuff I have to bring... I have a set of Beastly Academy... ;)

The bolded is what my friend (From France) could hear when her parents weren't sleeping :)

That's SO exciting! :) Good for her... and you! :)

I'm waiting, too!! Regretfully, this may be what I'm waiting for most, for in the am :)

I'm not a fan of Charlotte, but it seems it's the next "old name come back".... Charlotte Mae is pretty :) I like Owen Randell, since Owen Edward is two vowels together.

Is this from over breeding? :( We had a Springer and it was great, minus the nervous pee thing :( He would have made a great "family dog"... We saved his life. (from the Humane Society, he was going to be put down the day we grabbed him) We ended up giving him to a family with two other dogs, and he did much better... being able to be a follower :)

Hey Dolphin :) Are you flying?? I looked through the conference info...

Hey Astrid, Nope... haven't met one, and before I purchased one I would ;) I have been on Yahoo groups with people who have them, there were some that I could have met around Portland (OR). But, by then I had my pup. I HAVE met a Wheaten Terrier, and if I purchased one I would purchase one from someone who shows them. (At least that's who I found before) Not a puppy mill, by any stretch. I have decent smaller dogs... and not so... and wouldn't purchase from anyone who wasn't reputable. Thanks for your input about Lagottos :) :)

Are you wanting to spend money to purchase a dog? Personally, I will be getting a puppy the next time. I will also go for one with "hair" instead of "fur". I've narrowed mine down to a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. I've also looked at Lagottos, because of their non-shedding hair. (well, less hair) I'd also look at a Havanese and a Bichon. I love Springers, but they do shed. Any dog/puppy you get, I would recommend planning to take it to obedience classes for the first 3 months or so... (at least) and for the first while keeping it on a leash inside the house, too. If you get a puppy, especially, read up on grain free food. (Wolves don't really eat grain :)) Take what you think you'll spend, and then times it by 2.5 or 3 and you'll get close to what you actually spend :) Ask me how I know :)

Are you wanting to spend money to purchase a dog? Personally, I will be getting a puppy the next time. I will also go for one with "hair" instead of "fur". I've narrowed mine down to a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. I've also looked at Lagottos, because of their non-shedding hair. (well, less hair) I'd also look at a Havanese and a Bichon. I love Springers, but they do shed. Any dog/puppy you get, I would recommend planning to take it to obedience classes for the first 3 months or so... (at least) and for the first while keeping it on a leash inside the house, too. If you get a puppy, especially, read up on grain free food. (Wolves don't really eat grain :)) Take what you think you'll spend, and then times it by 2.5 or 3 and you'll get close to what you actually spend :) Ask me how I know :)

:iagree: This is what I'd wanna do. I wouldn't want to get hit with a stroller... I'd stick a doll in it.. or my pup or something. Then... I'd just let her ram me. Bummer...

Wow!! Awesome Pics!! :) So happy for you all!! :)

Not sure if your kids are learning Hebrew at Temple, but Sarah and David has been fun so far. You can see a bit of it on Youtube or the site...

It's not doing school or not, I swear that it doesn't matter what we do.... he's always learning. It's just physically needing a spot to drop him. I know... not a good homeschooler's point of view ;) Just checking around to see what my options are... perhaps just a bit like dreaming :)

Thanks for the comments, so far. Paige, I'm wondering how old your son is or was... :)

Just curious if anyone has put their child in school and found it to help? Or... tried it and it was horrible? I am really wanting a break :) Just thinking this through :) (My son is 8yrs old... will be 9yrs old in July)

Just drank is like always :)