No kidding! I remember shopping for my junior prom dress. I found the perfect one, but it said size 11 so I wasn't even going to try it on, knowing that it would be huge on my size 5 teenage body. My mom convinced me it could probably be altered so I tried it on and was completely mortified when it fit like a glove! Lana

I was raised in the church of Christ (still a member). Dancing and attending prom was not forbidden by the church, but it was frowned on by some people. My parents did not allow me to attend prom or any other dances, but I was taught that it was okay for a husband and wife to dance together at home. I was taught that dancing (not sexually suggestive moves) was not a sin, but that the places available to go dancing were not places Christians should frequent because of the other immoral behavior that would be encountered (drinking, suggestive dance moves, immodest clothing, inappropriate relationships, etc). I also attended a university affiliated with the church of Christ, and dancing was not permitted on campus. As part of the student code of ethics, we were also not allowed to be in places where dancing or drinking was the primary activity. Lana

I'd move the focus off pencil and paper for a while. Practice writing letters in rice, a salt tray, use a vertical surface like an easel or chalkboard on the wall, even switching to dry erase markers for a different feel. Do lots of fine motor skill activities like playing with play dough to strengthen hand muscles. My oldest really struggled with handwriting up until 3rd grade, and then it was like something clicked and she didn't have to work at it nearly as hard.

My parents live 2 doors down from us. If the garage door is up, I go in the back door and holler a hello as I'm going in. The rest of the time I knock, unless I'm expected. Lana

Does it hurt more after pressing on it (rebound pain)? Can he jump? I'd be concerned about appendicitis if it hurts to walk. Lana

I will have a 5th and a 3rd grade next year, and we are going to use Notgrass' America the Beautiful. It's designed for 5-8 grade, but I'm planning to stretch it out over 2 years. Lana

My 4th grader finished TC about 2 weeks ago and we went directly into The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons. Next year we will do Wordsmith Apprentice. Lana

I'm still being wishy-washy on a few things, but as of right now, here's what I'm planning. Saxon Grammar & Writing 5 Wordsmith Apprentice Maybe a poetry unit? Rod & Staff Spelling 5 Free online typing CLE math 5 NOEO Physics 2 Notgrass America the Beautiful Continue Latin for Children A (this fell by the wayside this year) Bible Study Guide for All Ages Possibly Critical Thinking Skills Book 2, if I can find it used Piano/voice lessons Gymnastics (or possibly tennis lessons) Co-op Lana

Can you link to SWB's schedule? I've seen her recommended sequence for WWE, but I didn't realize she had updated it to include W&R. Lana

It's rather ironic that these reports came out, and that very same night we had a 4.2 and a 4.1. I felt the first one, it was strong but very short. I slept through the second one. We're not seeing much visible damage from earthquakes yet, but I'm concerned about the invisible damage that's being done to underground gas lines, slab foundations, etc. Lana

I have to agree with the possibility of drugs. This sounds very, very similar to the way my sister acted as a teen when she got into drugs. Whatever the case may be, I hope you are able to get the right help for your son. Lana

I hadn't heard of it either, but I got an Apologia catalog in the mail a few days ago. I'm hoping to look at it in person at our homeschooling convention next month. Lana

I just saw this a few days ago, and it looks pretty good from the sample I saw. Has anyone gotten to see it in person or use it yet? What are your thoughts? Lana

It's far north of me (I'm in the OKC area) but today the wind has switched to coming from the north and it smells very smoky outside. I'm so glad the wind will be dying down a bit today. Those 40 mph winds yesterday were horrific! Lana

Thank you for your insight, it was very helpful. CAP W&R is another I'm strongly considering, but the price of WS really appeals! :) I do think my dd needs continual review of grammar for now. My hope is to have her well grounded in grammar by 8th grade and focus strictly on composition from there on out. I think I'll wait another year on Analytical Grammar and go with Hake grammar this year. Lana

My favorite for roasted potatoes is olive oil, salt, pepper, dried minced onions, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and marjoram. For asparagus, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic. Sweet potatoes - butter, chili powder, paprika, and cinnamon Zucchini - S&P and parmesan cheese Peppers, onions, squash, mushrooms - S&P, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary I like turmeric on cauliflower but my family isn't crazy about it. Lana

My 4th grader is doing Treasured Conversations this year. We will finish it this week and then move into The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever to finish out the year. Would WS Apprentice be too easy for her next year? She is somewhat of a reluctant writer, especially when it comes to open-ended fiction prompts, but has made great leaps and bounds with the outlining in TC. Also, what are your thoughts on putting a 5th grader in the regular Analytical Grammar? My dd has completed FLL 1-4 and seems to catch on quickly to grammar. I was originally thinking to put her in the junior version but wonder if it might be more advantageous to go slowly through AG. Lana

I wear an unusual size - small band and large cups, so good bras that fit are expensive and hard to find. I usually wear Le Mystere, Wacoal, or Panache. However, our Dillard's carries a brand called Modern Movement that is my favorite bra and it's only about $40. Lana

I've started doing something with our history this year that has really worked well for my 2nd and 4th graders. For each chapter of SOTW that we're on, I choose about 8-12 books (sometimes as many as 20, depending on the interest level) that correlate. Some are historical fiction, some nonfiction, some are picture books set in that time period. After we've read the chapter in SOTW and done the map work, the next time we do history is for free reading. The girls may choose any book they want from the history crate, but they must read for at least 30 minutes. Most of the time, they end up reading for an hour or more. And books that they would never have picked off the shelf for themselves, they have found quite interesting. I don't require any narration or for them to tell me about the books they read, but inevitably they will tell me something they learned. Lana

Actually, yes, you can break something by popping/cracking. I have a friend in her late 20's/early 30's who broke a vertebra in her neck from cracking it. She had to have surgery to fuse that vertebra and wore a neck brace for months. She still has some lingering issues and pain. Lana

My 8 and 10 year old daughters have done these songs: - Let's Go Fly a Kite - Maybe (Annie) - My Favorite Things - Somewhere Out There (An American Tail) - Hard-Knock Life - The Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book) - Candle on the Water (Pete's Dragon) - Lavender Blue - Edelweiss Disney movies are always a good choice, because you can usually find arrangements in several keys. Lana

One I always recommend to Austenophiles is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I first read it in my late teens and it has stuck with me all these years. Lana

Is he on any medications? My first thought would be medication interaction. I'd also consider looking into UTI or blood sugar issues. Lana

Great, thanks!

The lessons will tell you which verses to read in order to do the worksheet. Occasionally it will add a note to the teacher to paraphrase a longer passage. We'll be doing Volume 4 next year, but up to this point, we haven't had any lesson take longer than 20-30 minutes. Lana