I have one, too, although I think it's a cheapie version. However, I have had it for years and LOVE that thing! I also love the Vidalia chopper (as seen on TV). I actually like it a little better because I can chop multiple things into it at once as it has a larger storage thing under it. Plus, instead of constantly hitting it, I just push it through once. But, I use both of them all the time!

Wow...21 pounds! That's awesome:)

Well, I had a good week or so there where I didn't do anything. I was sick and didn't work out and splurged on too many Goldfish crackers (of all things, I know!). Fortunately, I didn't gain any weight. But, i've been back to the 30 Day Shred the last 5 days and lost a pound in a week. So, no complaints there.

Oh, maybe it is. It's been a long time since I have done Fly Lady. I just remember being frustrated at all of the little baby steps...put your shoes on, shine your sink. Oh, and all the emails...ugh:glare: Maybe I never got far enough into it to appreciate it:) I just wanted something this laid out an overall schedule so that I wouldn't wander around the house everyday knowing there was SO much to do, yet just not knowing where to even begin. Now I just open up my little binder, look at my to do list, and get it done.

I think so!! I have tried, and failed, several times to follow Fly Lady. This is so straightforward. I actually prefer the downloaded version of the book so I can just print off the worksheets....no scanning or copying. I love that it breaks it all down for you. For example, Monday is Kitchen Day so you have your list of kitchen chores including stuff like cleaning out one cabinet, reorganizing, wiping it out, wiping top of fridge..stuff like that. Then you have your page of daily chores and a page of monthly chores. Once you do all the work making your binder it's just open and go! I know I sound like an infomercial but it really has helped me organize my house and keep it clean:) ETZ; I am talking about the bootcamp book, like I said I haven't read MOTH or MOTC (although i'd like to at some point!)

I haven't read wither of these, so no advice there. But, I recently purchased Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers on Lulu and LOVE it! You can download it and print off a bunch of the scheduling worksheets. It has tips on creating a binder that breaks chores down into daily chores, monthly chores, etc. Now I just whip out my binder in the morning and follow my to do list. Keeps me organized and I am cleaning things I never even thought about before...haha!

I use Model Me Kids with my HFA dd (13). Right now we are working through the "Conversation Cues" workbook/DVD. This is an area she really struggles in. She also attends a social skills group at our local Autism Foundation.

I was thinking the same thing!!! I was excited to check out the Miquon download, but was completely confused by it. What am I missing?!?!?

Thanks for posting this! I, too, got this email and kinda ignored it:) Glad I went back...there was some good stuff there!!

Maybe he's right.....I have to admit we were pretty neglectful of ours and they lived for 3 years!!! It was unintentional neglect...I would just forget to give water for a day (or two!), rarely changed the sand, etc. I mean, they don't really DO anything or make any noise so I would forget we even had them...so bad, I know:blushing:

Math: CLE 2 LA: CLE 2, Sequential Spelling, FLL, WWE History: SOTW Science: Apologia Anatomy Of course, we add in a lot of reading, unit studies, lapbooking, and classes taken at tutorial.

Oh my...hahaha...the writing claw looks like a torture device for someone like me that is totally comfortable with my "incorrect" grip.:001_smile: Are you sure that it is his grip that is causing his handwriting to be sloppy? I hold my pencil the same way you describe and I have very neat handwriting. Teachers tried to correct me for years.....to no avail. My son holds his pencil "correctly" and he has terribly handwriting!! I don't know that I would push too hard about changing his grip...especially at 12. For me, that would be like someone telling me to write with my left hand!

We usually do something easy like turkey and cheese wraps (we like the whole wheat Flat Out wraps), pasta with a little butter and myzithera cheese, bean burritos or cheese quesadillas on whole wheat tortillas.

300 Days of Summer, Elizabethtown...and I agree, Under The Tuscan Sun is one I can watch over and over again:)

Well, we don't have a local IKEA, but this is a good reminder to me to be more prepared for our local convention. Last year I went with nothing to carry anything in and 3 kids...one of which was in a stroller. It was nearly impossible to maneuver that thing between the crowds and displays!! This time I will have a babysitter and something to haul all my goodies!!

I feel very fortunate to be living where we do. We are half an hour from a major city rich in culture, art, historical sites, etc. Yet, we live in a small town with a large, active homeschooling community. We have not always lived here so I really appreciate all this area has to offer. I know that my kids would not have the same opportunities had we stayed in our former city.

Haha....I love the analogy:lol: It DOES feel like that. We have been doing first grade math for YEARS!!!! Granted, my dd has PDD-NOS, so more learning disabilities than one with ADHD. But still!!!! That is exactly why hs is better than ps for these kids though. In ps (my dd went up until 4th grade), they just kept plodding ahead even though she never mastered the basics of addition and subtraction. At home we just keep at it....even if it is slowly driving me insane:)

Well, I know how she feels when it comes to the dark. I am 32 and still sleep with the TV on. Otherwise, my anxiety is through the roof.....the silence and darknesss puts my brain in overdrive. I start worrying, thinking too much, etc....I know.....so ridiculous:lol: Anyway, I know medication is something we all dislike resorting to, but sometimes it is the only thing that will help. As I mentioned, my dd has had sleeping issues as long as I can remember. We just now started giving her Clondine and she is 13!! I wish I hadn't waited so long. It's so nice to see her wake up refreshed, no dark circles, and able to focus far better than she has in the past. Good luck...I hope you find what works:)

3 or 4 hours here as well. Usually depends on the day....how much are the kids dawdling, what projects we are working on, how difficult the particular lessons are, etc. It's usually the kids dawdling that extends our day (one day I hope they will realize this!):)

I was never taught to memorize my basic facts. I was actually taught using touch points. I still rely on this method for basic addition/subtraction. I still visualize the dots in my head and have to count up or down. It definitely slows me down and, in school, often led to careless mistakes when I was trying to finish a math test in the allotted amount of time. I was able to get through college and pass all of the math classes so it wasn't debilitating, but I still would have preferred to have those basic facts memorized as I do with multiplication. So, I emphasize it with my kids for that reason.

Nope. I went to public schooled and loved every minute of it. However, times have changed and so I have made different choices for my children:)

I checked out the website and it seemed a little high for me as well. It said I should have 1700 calories a day to lose weight?!?!? I actually eat about 1200 a day to lose weight...IF I exercise! I use the Lose It app on my iPod and it allots me about 1016 calories a day, but that numbers increases as I input exercise. It's a great motivator for me to exercise.....more food:) I lost about 11 pounds in 6 weeks using it.

I got my first migraine when I was only 3. Fortunately, I rarely get them now, but had them often growing up. The things that has always helped me the most has been HOT rags on my head and over my eyes. Like, as hot as I can stand it. My mom would heat it up for me every 10 minutes or so until I fell asleep. I don't know what to say about the meds and throwing up...I have always had the same issue. I will take meds when I feel it coming on, but I throw up multiple times everytime I get a migraine so I don't know if they even get a chance to work. So, I do the hot, hot rags, dark room, loose clothing.....oh man, they are just awful. I hope she's feeling better!

Ohhh...I hope this is true with my son! His printing is terrible, but he is so excited to learn cursive! We are actually planning on starting next week:)

Definitely would recommend WTM....wish I had read it sooner!! Instead, I listened to a few veteran homeschoolers. They happened to be big fans of Abeka and heavily pushed it on me. I bought the whole package and HATED it. Passionately. So, I would tell a newbie to read up on different styles, read message boards, go to a homeschool convention, and research before jumping in and purchasing a boxed curriculum like Abeka!!