My DD loves this. Collect large cardboards boxes or, even better, corrugated plastic and let them make structures. I great source for the corrugated plastic is old election signs. Maybe you still have some around your area? DD makes a place to read outside. Takes stuffed animals out, etc. Sandra

My DD is some math processing problems. We floundered around with Abeka, MUS, and Saxon from 1st - 4th grade. She's now in 6th. We are finding (knock wood) that Math Mammoth is a good fit. The explanations are clear and start with concrete examples (and pictures). We are using the Light Blue (I think) which is the full curriculum, a grade at a time. There is also a grouping of math subjects by topic which you can get. This allows you to pick specific topics - maybe to go with what the rest of the class is doing? Sandra

We find that the typical grocery store turkeys have a vague chemical taste from the broth that the butcher puts in them (and you pay by the pound for). When we make our pasture-raised turkeys, we brine them ourselves with real ingredients (herbs, salt). I do think you need to brine them or the breast meat dries out before the dark meat is done. If I'm making turkey for the big family Christmas (which I am this year), I try to get a pasture-raised one. However, if no one else appreciates it, I'd skip the expense. If you can get a fresh turkey, without the water and "basting broth" you could still get a tasty turkey. Sandra

I say eat lots of veggies, animal protein, and include fats to the point that you aren't starving by next meal time. Keep grains and simple starches low - even whole grains (1 or 2 servings a day). Limit fruit to 1 or 2 a day. Beans count as proteins, but contain lots of starches so use them, but if you aren't seeing results, use them less often. When I did WW a decade ago, it was mentioned that many folks who plateau are just eating too much fruit. Fruit has terrific nutritional content, but fruits also have lots of sugar. One way that DS and I get veggies into breakfast is to make a HUGE batch of ratatouille. Then we make an omelette with the ratatouille inside. YUM. Spinach and mushrooms, also yummy with eggs.... or just eat the ratatouille with feta on top. Ok, I'm drooling, now. Tomorrow is now ratatouille-making day. Sandra

OP, Is he willing to eat more, even when he's not hungry? It sounds as if he is eating a good diet, but you need to pack a few pounds on him pronto. Maybe you need an appetite stimulant for him - herbal or rx. It can be very difficult to eat when you are not hungry. When DS loses his appetite due to ADD meds, it is hard to get him to eat - even knowing that skipping will give him stomach pain and an ulcer eventually. And he is 15. With that in mind, have you shown him someone being fed using a feeding tube? Does he understand that that is what's coming if he can't make himself eat more (often)? I know a family that tube fed their severely handicapped daughter for 8 years. It is not anyone's idea of a good time, but it is do-able. It is just another chore. It is also not great, wholesome food (IMO). But, it is not the end of the world. If that is what it takes, then maybe it is worth a try. You guys have to decide whether possible gains are worth it. I hope you find something that helps, Sandra

I make a minestrone. Lots of veggies plus some sort of tomato product (I have some frozen, but whatever you have will work). Add italian seasonings, garlic and onions. Brown the ground beef and add it, with the drippings, to the soup. Now you can add cooked (canned beans), some uncooked pasta if you have lots of broth, and I like some chopped kale right before serving. Serve with parmesan cheese, bread, and butter. Except for the pasta, it freezes well. If you skip adding the drippings from the beef, you'll probably need some beef stock for flavor. Sandra

We went through this process last year about this time. Dd wanted a small furry pet to snuggle and Play with. We checked out all the rodent-like critters: rabbits, hamsters (all types), gerbils, rats, ferrets, and guinea pigs. I nixed the rats - cannot abide their tails - and ferrets. Of the remaining the guinea pigs are the most friendly, cuddly, and easy-going. You do have to have 2 of them, though. My dd picked them out Christmas Eve. Moonpie and S'more. They have been wonderful. We feed them treats from the kitchen in addition to their kibble. They love cucumber skin, carrot tops, and other crunchy salad leftovers. They don't try to escape and only bite your finger if they mistake it for tomato. Bites don't really hurt. The skin doesn't break. Anyway, I am surprised to find that I really like them. Sanda

My son is really enjoying Thinkwell microeconomics. He is in 9th grade, but he started it in 8th (last March). Sandra

We have a Goldendoodle - half standard poodle and half golden retriever. He is fantastic! Soft, fluffy, very eager to please. Loves all attention. Not yippy, but barks when there is something to bark at- people, not squirrels. His growl, which we hear only occasionally, is quite threatening. The only downside is the coat - three times a week brushing would do it, but also a clip at least twice a year - definitely before summer's heat. The Labradoodle will have shorter fur. Our Goldendoodle is BIG, he is "only" 95 pounds, but his head can rest on a kitchen table without stretching - a very poodle-y build. Some breeders do have smaller ones, bred with miniature poodles. I love Labs, too. But they shed LIKE CRAZY. Our old lab would let DD 1 crawl all over her. She would just lie there, thump, thumping as her tail wagged against the floor. Of course, she was old and arthritic then. One other thing, we are hoping that since poodles have an average life span that is longer (15 years) than a retriever's (9-12), that our dog will live longer. Our lab barely made her 9th birthday before succumbing to cancer and had arthritis beginning at age 5. I'm trying to attach a photo of him with DD and their agility instructor. Sandra

Depending upon the severity of your lactose intolerance, you can take lactaid tablets before eating dairy. It worked well for me and my family when we were drinking store-bought milk. Also note that yogurt and aged cheese have little lactose left in them. We now get raw milk from a beautiful farm and none of us has any problems with it. Sandra

Hey there. I don't know what an OT can do for ST memory issues. My dd has been diagnosed with this. The doc suggested a computer program, Cog Med. it was pricey, brought tears after the first couple of sessions, and didn't seem to help. Dj and I believe the ST memory problems are more related to ADD. Of you can't focus in it you aren't going to remember it. There is a book I read, recommended somewhere here at forums, something like "Why Kids Hate Scool". It has interesting things on ST memory. Regarding h/w, ask for exercises to do at home so your dc can progress faster. Both my kids took h/w lessons from an OT and it was very helpful. Just keep it up. Much of it is about practice, both for development of hand strength and for skill. Best wishes, Sandra

Whether or not you are allergic to dogs (dander, fur, whatever) remember that the dog goes out and when he comes back in he brings the pollen, mold, dust, etc. with him. If you have environmental or seasonal allergies, you may want to think about frequent baths for doggie. You might want to consider short furred beasts - either naturally short or groomed short. We have a large poodle mix. When his fur is closely trimmed he dries much faster and brings in less (visible) stuff from outside. Sandra

We also love "A Wish for Wing that Work". For fun, if you are good with accents, we love, "A Cajun Night Before Christmas". Sandra

You can use hot peppers or bell peppers. I don't usually use a recipe. Here's a link that looks simple: http://www.food.com/recipe/thai-basil-chicken-333164 Use some fish sauce if you have it. Sandra

I had some friends who created a really cute and cozy cubby in a closet. They basically made a platform bed (keep it low, but high enough for a play cubby underneath) in the closet with thick plywood and 2x4's screwed into the three walls of the closet for support. A rail and a bunk bed style ladder on the 4th side. Get foam cut to fit and cover it with cloth. Voila! You can put this anywhere in the house with a closet or an alcove whose width accommodates dc's height. BTW, I second magnesium to help with relaxing the body. You can take a supplement or add epsom salts to evening baths or melt epsom salt in hot water and mix it into a lotion which you apply before bed. A last thought, some kids just need less sleep. Can you find out about whether the birth parents were regular sleepers? We know a very bright child, aged 9, who only sleeps 5 hours a night. Her mom is the same way. Sandra

Along with the supplements, consider that stress reduces your immune response. Anything new can be stressful. Plenty of rest, exercise, and hugs could reduce the stress level and help her feel better and stay well. Sandra

Hi jeri. I'm not too far from you, but only have ds 15 and a dd 11. There are many activities where you can meet Homeschoolers. SHARENET will list some. We go to a Homeschool ice skating session in Reston, however the Fairfax Ice rink also has a Homeschool session. Give them a call. Do you do scouts? Soccer is really big around here. Braddock Road Youth club would probably be closest for you. I don't know your faith but there are significant support communities available for some faiths. Check SHARENET. Also. Check out Fairfax County Parks and Recreation. Search online. Sign up for their quarterly catalog of classes and camps. Welcome to the neighborhood! Sandra

How about the Chronicles of Prydain?

When I broke my ankle 2 years ago (a very bad break), my ortho said that ibuprofin slows bone growth and that I should absolutely stop taking it. Another Mom I know broke her forearm the same summer, was taking ibuprofin, and her bone didn't heal. She had to use some sort of vibrating stimulator on the break to get growth. Use the pain meds. Also give her a Dulcolax laxative. Constipation with pain meds is a REAL problem. Sandra

A good ferment to start with is the Apple Butter. If you are accustomed to eating sweet things, you and your family may find that you don't care for the taste of the ferments. My son, especially, loved the apple butter recipe from NT. It is the only ferment my kids'll touch willingly. You can also look at other ferment recipes online. I found a sour kraut recipe with red cabbage and apple which went over somewhat better than that plain green cabbage variety. I don't really soak my grains - we are gluten free here and that is quite enough work on that front! We have been drinking raw milk for a couple of years and we purchase pasture-fed eggs and meat. The quality meat does lead to a higher food bill, but I try to offset it by cooking cheaper cuts of meat (pot roast anyone?), ground beef, and whole chickens rather than parts. Sandra

I used cloth diapers for dd. MIL gave me a year of diaper service as a shower gift. (She is really great in this way) The big downside I noticed was the size of the diaper needed to absorb all the urine my 1 year old could excrete in one go. More than two. Looked funny. Difficult to find pants that fit. So I switched to disposables at that point. My neice wore cloth until potty trained. It was not early. I don't even want to think about how many diapers and extra pads they were using on her. She looked silly with a huge bum. Sandra

Me, too. I dreamed I couldn't find my dd as we left a skating rink. Up since 4:15. Ugh. It is going to be a LONG day. I forgot to take my cod liver oil yesterday. It makes a huge difference in my anxiety level. If you routinely experience this sort of thing, I highly recommend it. Of course, if you don't take it. It doesn't help. =) Sandra

An alternate solution for kids that press too hard on the paper with their pencils is to place a sheet of craft foam under their paper. If they press to hard then they punch through. This was suggested by an OT handwriting specialist.

I love, love, love Ree Drummond's Asian Salad. I add minced chicken to make it a meal. I'd post the link, but I cannot get her website to load right now. thepioneerwoman.com It is full of veggies (cabbages, spinach, etc.) with noodles and a dressing with soy sauce, lime, and sesame oil. I add other veggies, including cucumbers. Sooooo good.