I have seen a lot of initial assumptions and posts by friends that they have the flu, a lot. Only to find out a few days later that it was just a cold, pnemonia, brochotics, or they meant stomach virus. I think a lot of people have just assumed flu and not been specific to what they really have. Out of 10 people saying they have flu, maybe 2 really did have it.

Green Mountain for me too :) They were softer than the other brands as well. My Unbleached Indian PF's fell apart not too long after having them :(

While in a perfect world non of my children would count using fingers, but if it did happen I wouldn't be too upset. I made it through calculus and still use my fingers to do some basic math problems :)

I've worked through lining K12 first grade with TOG, lol. So I'm sure it CAN be done :) I love K12 history, but it feels so weak compared to most homeschool choices. However, I know it is much more than the kids in our local school will be recieving so that's a plus ;)

Woohoo! We finally did today too :) And my son loved it and he did an awesome picture (markers). It is his strong area so I really need to be more diligent with making time. I'm just so wore out, lol.

My advice :) I would say math needs to be done daily or at least 4 times a week if you plan on Friday being an off day. I would start out with half of the extra stuff and work into it I wouldn't run a geography program and a history program, I tried and failed. FLL will probably be boring to him, but I would still plan on using it and going through it at a faster pace starting off. I'd plan on buying level 2 at least to have on hand. My first grade son that isn't advanced flew through level 1. It also works on memoriazation. We do not like HWOT, it causes confusion if things do not line up. My son hated it. I would look into another program and even maybe starting him in cursive if he is doing well enough already. And no matter what do what works best for your family. If you can get all this done, great! But do not feel like a failure when you realize math, LA, writing, and one other thing a day get done :) We build a lot of things, play games, go to the park, and learn through life. We are still way ahead than most kids in a PS system that work all day. Let your child lead the way and try not to burn yourself out!

Thanks! That looks like a neat program :)

My oldest son is getting ready to go through all the testing for vision therapy. He is able to do copywork almost perfectly, like replicating art. However, from his mind it is a mess! He can not transfer that beautiful art/copywork into a sentence. What can I do to help him do this? I was also wondering what the best copywork books are for children like this. He is only 7, but I find him being one that could eventually do calligraphy and succeed with it. I just want a good copywork/handwriting program that will challenge him. He didn't do well with HWOT, it was bad. He is currently using a reason for handwriting and it is OK, but he isn't being challenged enough or making a connection between copying and writing. ANy suggestions?

I think I need a nap, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't let me post. You have to login first, duh! Lol I think I will be down one day and if not I may talk a friend into staying with me somewhere. Looks like Friday more than likely for me. :)

Guinea pigs?? Youtube how to trim the nails. Super easy, I did it when I was 10 ;) Dark room is fine. What I found to be best was a glass aquarium without a lid, nothing to chew on and she couldn't escape. Have fun, I miss mine! I used pine shaving and changed once a week for one so maybe change more? I am changing our inside chicks bedding (week old, 23 of them). Daily. What a pain!!

I started using cloth when my oldest was 15 months old and used it with the other three from the start. My youngest didn't wear anything at all except cloth the whole first year, period. I enjoyed it. It was work, but I didn't have to worry about running out of diapers because I could wash them. I loved all the different types and prints. I had some fun WAHM diapers and found out I love wool covers and therefore learned to knit. I loved it, it was a hobby. I started because my oldest have horrible blow outs and I began having them with my second after we switched back to sposies because he outgrew his nb/small diapers and I had to sell to buy the next size up. He was ruining outfits and I knew I'd rather wash a diaper than his nice clothing all the time. It worked, no more blowouts!! I didn't like all in ones because they are bulky and take a long long time to dry. I love pockets, prefolds with wool, and fitteds with wool.

If you have younger children do you celebrate 100 days of school? If so what did/do you do? We will celebrate on Friday for the first time. I was trying to think up a fun breakfast and lunch idea that includes 100 or something similar.

Yay! I'm happy to read that it is going well and helping some out :) I like the different ways everyone plans and hope it will help with some meal ideas for everyone next month. I know I get stuck in a rut of the same things and meal planning breaks me out of that rut. I didn't designate days for mine because my local grocery store is sometimes out of things (like fresh fruits/vegis and meats) so I buy all staples and shop sales each week and then plug in from my 30 days. I hope that might help someone that shops the sales some? You don't have to follow 100% if you can't and if you need to post a weekly meal when the sale add is released that's ok too!

OH and I don't usually plan out lunches. I buy stuff to have on hand, but usually I plan on making enough to have leftovers and we pull those out throughout the week to have as our lunch. If we run out of leftovers then I will make something light.

I take out my planner and a piece of scrap paper. I write down all the dates and I circle each day I have something in the evening. It is a crock pot meal day. I plan a crock pot meal to be done and pull an easy one out or try something new. After that I go through and look at what I haven't made in a while and write it down. Those dates I will switch around within a weeks time frame. I usually buy all my staples and go to the store once a week for stocking up on sales items I know I need, my fresh produce and dairy products. I also make a better planner for each week and I write out what meat I need to pull down and thaw out, usually two days ahead of time. I also pull out meat for breakfast meals and lunches. I will somtimes on a crock pot night if I have time, assemble a breakfast casserole that lasts a few days, I just pull out in the morning and bake! This has saved money, sanity, and from eating out. I do not do freezer meals because I'm home enough that it isn't worth it for me. So I found out we have two family dinners this month so that saves me two days of meals! yay, I love those. lol

He didn't aspirate did he? I'm asking because of reflux being brought up. I'm so sorry :hugs:

For some reason my kids are very inquisitive. As in when they walk into a home they want to see the whole thing and explore. It bothers me and I talk to them about it, but I think they are like that no matter where they go... they have to look through and around at everything and remember great details.

I'm takling Sunday by doing laundry, making the kids clean, putting dinner in crock pot (done), going to the feed store, and then knitting the day away :)

I should say I've seen just as many Paleo people go crazy with cookies. bread, treats that are Paleo friendly with coconut flours and almond flours. I find when I eat more clean I don't do as many treats and that is better than just transfering flours and still consuming all the "junk". It's the same with a vegan consuming junk food, that isn't the point!

I think the most difficult part of cutting out carbs is the detox symptoms, that stuff is nasty! I do a modified whole 30 and allow the family dairy products. I have found that we do not consume a large amount to begin with and I don't really like milk so it isn't a problem for me, but cutting out cheeses in some dishes made the whole 30 impossible for me to eat with the family... so I do allow that exception :) I also found for my family just cutting out crackers, cookies, bread was enough for us. We could still do whole wheat pastas and rice and that was more than enough to make changes for the better. My son that is dyslexic and ADH was a whole nother child, the best benefit!! My ulcer cleared up and I did drop a lot of water weight, etc. I think the whole 30 can be great, but I'm not fully convinced that it has to be all or nothing... Eating clean and no going sugar/carb crazy is good enough for most!

We do too :( It is very frustrating! I would say start out with the highest interest rate card and pay it down. And then I would start on a percentage of the $1000 each month. It will make sure you pay at least one off super fast. I would do bare miniumum on the house to begin with and work on those credit cards and not fall into the trap of remortgage, etc. I say this because my parents bought a fixer uper and paid it off, down the road to get it looking great they kept refinancing, cc's, etc. and ended up getting it repossed after rates flew through the air and they couldn't make the payment anymore :( It's a trap they get you to fall for so that you have a "pretty" home. Best of luck!

more than yourself I would worry about the backlash that will come back to your daughter. As an adult I know you could handle it, but even if you say you found it- it will come raining down on your daughter. I would make anonymous for that reason alone :hugs:

I went one time to the goodwill outlet with my cousin. It was fun, but wow people were aggressive. I hated that they would bump you out of the way and you had to watch your cart from something being taken out... I don't even like to go to the grocery store during normal people hours, lol.

We have a chicken boiling to make chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, bread in the bread machine, and green beans.

we raise our own meat so I'm not sure we save after feed bill, but it is a family deal and the sheep/goats are grass fed. FIL buys feed for pigs, we buy feed for chickens, and grandpa for the cows. We raise dairy goats for milk and chickens for eggs/meat. We do a huge garden and as a family can and freeze a lot. This cuts down costs. We don't buy drinks. I make tea, they can have milk, or water. We buy one fun food a week. This is either crackers, cookies, or donuts. It lasts one day and is gone. We don't even buy fun cheese, bread, yogurt, etc. Everything from the outside of the store. I always make enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day. I don't do lunch meats either. I don't buy bleach wipes or paper towels. I only buy toilet paper. I do spend a little more on cleaning because we do Malaluca so we spend a set amount, but it is more than cleaning. It's our vitamins, shampoo, tooth paste, etc. and it is a constant amount. I also save by not having cable tv, we don't eat out, and we pack lunches when we go places.