Off topic, but we always bought a soccer ball, deflated it and included a hand held pump. It fits in a shoe box just fine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have some Cutco knives my mom gave me 10+years ago. I just got them all sharpened (for shipping costs) and one replaced for free because the tip broke off. These are GREAT knives and I think of my mom often when I use them.

Minnesota has the dual college enrollment for free which is a nice option and is homeschooling friendly for the most part. Like a pp mentioned, it is a family friendly state in general. We did like the lush trees and grass and had many friends. We just moved from Minnesota 1 1/2 years ago mainly because of the weather. It was just so very very cold for 1/2 of the year. I got rid of what I call my "huge honking Minnesota coat" when I moved--this was a really warm coat that I would wear when it was -20 windchill and I had to get out and shovel snow. I may wind up getting rid of my "it's just cold" coat also because my "it's fall" coat is warm enough for winter here. And the lack of sun during that time did affect my mood. Many people get those indoor lights to help with the lack of sunshine. If you can endure months of very cold weather, it's not a bad state to live in. We just couldn't take it anymore. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have unfollowed everyone except my family members and two friends who have announcements for meeting times of meetings I attend. It's not so much my friends as it is "their" friends and what they post. I have pulled Facebook from my phone so the temptation isn't as strong also. I too have unfollowed my sil who I do like because her political views are so different than mine. She constantly posts political stuff because that is her job right now and she enjoys it. I know that if we were next door neighbors, we would be friends, but I can't read her posts because I do like her and want to continue to like her. Maybe now that this whole election is over, I can read her stuff again.

Any body with sleep issues at the almost menopause age? I'm waking up too early also, but the worst is when I have panic attacks at around 2 am. Fun times. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm in year 12 and I do feel it for sure. I don't have to research curriculum since not only do I own most of the basics, but have used them now for 3 kids. Third time around is not a charm. It is boring. I switched things up quite a bit this year other than the basics and have spent a lot more time focusing on read aloud time with my 12 and 9 year old. Not read alouds related to history, but just books that seemed like really good books that I want my kids to know and love. We've done The Hobbit, Winnie the Pooh, and are now doing the Narnia series. It has made me really enjoy at least one part of homeschooling and they really love it also. And when we're in the car picking Mr. 16 year old up from outside classes, we listen to these books on CD in the car.

And the problem is, I can see where the new guy is coming from, but yes, he may be looking for reimbursable work also. This is dentist #2 since I've moved and while this one came recommended, he also did have quite a few sales brochures for various things you can do to make your teeth look better (whitening, veneers, adult braces, guards for snoring, etc). And the dentist my husband goes to automatically suggested new crowns on his first visit (which has happened every new dentist he's had over the years. He's had those suckers replaced twice.)

I have some silver fillings that I've had for 30+ years and are still going strong. The new dentist says that they are starting to break down and I should get them replaced. I know that a lot of people get them removed due to the idea that toxic metal is leaching into your system, but I'm wondering if "it's not broken so don't fix it". Yet, the average life span of these is around 15 years. I've had them twice that length and I would expect that they may be breaking down. What would be a good plan of action? I'm assuming that if they are taken out, I lose a little more of my tooth with the removal, but I don't want a cracked tooth either. Suggestions?

We have to vote on amendments to the state constitution which I think should be voted for/against as laws at the congressional area not in the state constitution. Minimum wage hikes - if we put it in the constitution, isn't that going to have to be amended in a few years again anyway? Also, tax on cigarettes. Shouldn't that just be a law? It seems like if you put stuff like that in the constitution, it becomes a lot harder to get rid of it or change it. In my previous state, those things were made into laws by the people we voted for. We had a whole slew of stuff like that -

And...the well trained mind forum has cost a few of us a lot of money. I went with colors. Eating out of a red bowl makes me happy.

I did go with the 3-piece set. The bowls are I believe 22 ounces which are really nice. I'm glad I went with that particular set because mugs are a dime a dozen and you usually wind up with a random set of mugs over the years that spark memories.

I bought a bunch of sets online from Kohls and they all arrived in good condition even though the outside box was pretty beat up.

I have a 12 year old who still has pronunciation problems with "L" and "R". He went through 3 years of speech therapy without having this problem corrected in his day to day speech patterns. We did all the at-home homework and last year did daily work dictating to a computer (he had to keep trying until the computer got what he was saying close enough). We gave up a little hoping it would correct itself as he got older - we also moved cross country so left all of the regular speech therapists (in the school) that he was used to. There are times his articulation is so bad that I can't understand him even after repeated attempts on his part. His articulation seems to be getting worse. The thing is, he can pronounce these letters, it just doesn't carry over. He tends to not be a big talker and then spurts out all of his ideas really quickly. He gets frustrated with me when I don't understand him or try to get him to pronounce his "Ls" and Rs. He also gets irritated when I tell him to slow down. He's getting into those 12 year old years so mom's input is becoming suspect. We don't qualify for public school speech assistance since they have specified that it has to affect his academic performance. It doesn't. He can usually annunciate well enough for people to understand what he is saying when he has to speak up in his co-op class. I've listened in at times. So, do we do another round with speech therapy at $50 a 1/2 hour - 4-8 times a month? I want him to grow up to be an understandable adult - I'm not sure this even bothers him at all.

Health insurance does not equal heath care. I know people with very high deductibles and lower incomes. Sure, they have health insurance, but they still question whether or not to go to the doctor because they will still be paying out of pocket for most visits. If a child is sick, they wait to see if child is "life-threatening sick" or just "get over it in a week sick" before going to see a doctor. I've know people who wait a few days to see if the possible broken bone is just a sprain or really broken because it's too expensive to pay for something that "may" not be broken. It's too expensive for a lot of people to pay for stinky health insurance AND every single doctor/specialist appointment up to the high deductible before insurance even kicks in.

I live in Colorado Springs to get away from extreme cold in Minnesota. It's been a positive move. Mountains are gorgeous any time of day. We're having a housing boom here and in other places in Colorado because it is such a great place to live. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There was a Little House on the Prairie episode that scared me. All that I remembered at the time was a guy in a mask pulling a girl into the forest and later she wound up pregnant. I was 10 and had no idea what happened. It took me years to find that episode and watch it as an adult. I couldn't believe they allowed that to air with the audience they knew they had. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We used the physical science program. They have a teacher you can have five days a week. For physical science, it was a 45 minute lecture/ lab 5 days a week. The problem I ran into was if my son had a question of the end of chapter review, I usually did not know enough of what was taught to help him. I still think that at those upper levels, it's really not made for the homeschool audience despite what they say. Apologia is really made for student self education. Not as in depth or rigorous, but much easier to do with a mom who can't spend all her time learning alongside her children at the depth they need. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BJU is a lot more in depth but really needs a teacher to teach the material. It is really meant to go along with their online videos. Apologia is written to the student. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have my MILs wedding band and diamond. DH was totally broke at the time. DH offered to replace it when we had been married about 10 years, but it has some sweet memories attached to it and I still wear it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am looking for a good iodine supplement. I had one by Standard Process but I can't find a chiropractor around here that sells them and they won't sell them online. When I was taking them, thyroid things seemed a little better. I have benign nodules and would really like them to stay the size they are or shrink. I like having a functioning thyroid and would like to keep it that way.

That program really depends on the tutor. A really great tutor will make it work. A bad one can make it very confusing. I think the way it works well is if you have 2-3 years to devote to it. One year will only skim the surface of it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I remember being around 10 years old and I sprained my ankle by hitting the spring board wrong before a vault. I never really got my confidence back after that. I continued going to gymnastics after I healed, but even the coaches could tell I was nervous about doing certain things. They wouldn't let me do some of the tricks others were doing because you really need to be "all in" in gymnastics. Being nervous and hesitant can get you hurt in that sport. I would talk to the coaches also about how to get her over the fear of getting hurt if it's important to you that she continue. I can't say it really affected my life in any major way by quitting after that year was up. I kept going with other sports where I did get hurt and didn't quit.

My daughter's oral surgeon was Dr. Stich which is pretty close to Stitch which is what I always called him by accident.

My great grandfather was placed on a boat to emigrate to America when he was 12. Not a lot of money was sent with him. It was a lot of "good luck! We hope you make it!" Then, he wanted a good Lutheran wife later, sent away for a girl he knew in his Sunday school class and she came over to marry him. Not a lot of romance in that department. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I did not think of that! That's a good idea for if this happens again. I was only thinking "Is this guy honest?" "Where did he come from?" "I have four kids in the house including a cute little girl." That's all that ran through my mind.