I've been thinking similar thoughts. I know Snapfish will let you create and order bound books, so I was thinking through the possibilities of setting up a hive account and posting access info here so anyone who wanted could contribute. Maybe there are better resources for such a project out there, though? In any case, I would be willing to add a memory/impression as well as donate money to a fund to help get it printed. ETA: Of course, this won't even be possible if we don't have any contact info for her family. : (

Offering prayers.

I don't know if it's common, but my 9 yr old sometimes still reverses letters. She still reverses numbers more often.

We used Ellen McHenry's Elements last semester and wanted more so we began Elemental Science Chemistry this semester. We could have done both at once. Dd loved The Elements, but I think the basics are sticking better with ES. I'm not sorry we're doing both this year.

I've been wrapping myself in her words. When I heard the news last night, I just wanted to run to her side and tell her how much she has meant to this group. The best I could do, though, was to search her posts/updates and just surround myself with her words. I hope we always have that part of her here.

NatalieClaire, if you talk to her, please tell her thank you for sharing herself with all of us. I so wish we had many more years of her wisdom here. If you see her, please give her a real life hug in addition to the thanks - as long as the hug won't cause her pain. I am going to miss her so much.

I am so, so sad. : (

Just now seeing this. Thanks for sharing!

I'm happy for you guys but already feeling sorry for the next people to get them!

I'm so sorry. Losing a beloved grandparent is so hard.

KKinVA, have you received your box? We got ours yesterday. The snacks are excellent, but the bags are somewhat on the smaller side. Still, for the intro price, it's a good deal. Normal price? A bit pricey for the amount you get, but the snacks are so good that I haven't decided to cancel yet. I'm going to see how it goes. There was a snack mix in this box that has cashews in it, so beware.

Another vote for cast iron pan. Burgers are so yummy cooked this way!

Bethany, have you thought about putting her on your restricted list so she can't see what you post? This works as long as your posts aren't set to "public". That way you don't have to unfriend her at this point (if you don't want to), but she can't get too personal of a glimpse into your life until you are ready for her to have that privilege.

Also just seeing this. So glad she made it through surgery okay. Hope you are getting some sleep now.

Then it's about time you did. Yes, the sequins on this one are fine. They're subtle, and the dress is gorgeous. If you have enough in the budget, go get your hair and nails done for the event, too. You deserve to feel pampered.

Thanks for reposting your link, KKinVA. I hope it's still active by the time dh can take a peek. We hope to move to the other end of the state relatively soon, and we'll be downsizing if we do so. You have lots of practical storage ideas that I intend to borrow! : ) I just wish we had an Ikea nearby. : (

I have a recent thread asking for advice on tea kettles, too: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/451368-horror-of-horrors-our-tea-kettle-went-kaput/page__hl__+horror%20+horrors#entry4646258 I might eventually cave and get an electric kettle/dispenser (KungFu Panda's looks like the one used at my favorite local tea shop), but after reading this thread I looked into Revere Ware and Le Creuset - which also took me into the realm of Simplex (which might be a great choice for you since you have a gas stove - they're just super pricey). While researching Revere Ware, I found that if you can find an older model in very good condition, you should have a great tea kettle. So that's what I did. I found one from 1966, and I love it. I couldn't believe how well built this kettle is when I first got it. It makes my broken Chantal look like a cheap kid's toy. I don't know about today's Revere Ware, but the older stuff had very well made lid/spout mechanisms (which is what broke on my Chantal). The whistle is loud enough for me to hear upstairs. It heats well and holds the heat for a long time. It's small but still holds more than enough water for my small family to enjoy several cups of tea at a time. If we need more, it's no problem to just heat more water. It actually holds more than my larger Chantal did. It turns out the design of my Chantal was not ideal for holding a lot of water because the spout was so low on the pot. My Revere Ware kettle isn't fancy looking but it seems to have been designed with practical usage in mind. I found mine on ebay. There was a lot of Simplex on ebay at that time, too, and it was mostly going for cheaper than other places online. It seems some of the Simplex models are made specifically for gas stoves. Good luck with your search!

What a horrible ordeal! I am so glad your girls are safe and hope that all the other victims are safe, too. I really hope to see an update from you stating they found the truck driver.

Yuck. I am so sorry, Chucki. The whole situation just stinks.

Yes. We read the plays and his poems, see plays locally, listen to Jim Weiss retell the plays, read books about Shakespeare, and watch documentaries. We are particularly enjoying Shakespeare Uncovered on PBS. Dd is now 9. I introduced her to Shakespeare via Barefoot Books' Shakespeare's Storybook when she was in preschool, and she has been a fan of the Bard ever since. After that we moved on to Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare and Tales from Shakespeare before exploring Shakespeare's actual writing. We're a theatre family and my background is in British Lit., so we're on rather friendly terms with Shakespeare.

That looks great. Thanks for sharing.

I agree! It IS possible to make great bread pudding with sandwich bread. : )

I'd pay for it, bring it home, and turn it into breakfast sausage casserole or bread pudding.

When I lived with my grandparents, we were 20-25 minutes from town - and that town was a small one. We were 45 minutes from a much larger town. I LOVED it and long to have a set up like that for my own little family.

Oh, my. My heart is breaking for you. There aren't words to express just how sorry I am.