I did pay that. It is completely non-consumable and I have 4 dc so I kind of justified it that way. You can find it used, but not cheap. It has high resale value so you can recoup much of your cost. We're halfway through pre-algebra and I just think it's the greatest... so it has been worth it for us. No doubt there are much cheaper great options. I just was really sold on Chalkdust so I took the plunge. Marie

Okay- I clicked on "picture properties" for one of the pictures and it says "date modified 11/12/08" with a time of 8:30 am. I have been the only one home today. I called dh and told him to be prepared to hash this out tonight. He immediately said they are from our computer ( he volunteered this and he knows that I don't know about computers) but said he doesn't know how they got there or what I am talking about. He said maybe they are images on pop ups that have been blocked. Is that at all plausible? There are also some innocent images on there of ads that I don't think I've ever seen. Hmmm, this will be the topic after dc are in bed tonight...I obviously don't want to believe this is him but I'm not really one for denial, either. Thanks, everyone. Marie

I am not computer smart so bear with me here... I got an email with an invitation to a birthday party for one of ds's friends. (it was sent to multiple people). The email was text with cute little pictures of a cake and a gift stuck in (something I don't know how to do :) There were also attachments listed at the top that looked like they were for the pictures. I clicked on one just to see if it was some other information about the party. What I got when I clicked on the attachment was a Microsoft Office document page that had the little picture of the cake. There was a space at the bottom with arrows to look at the next picture so for some reason I just clicked on that to see what else was there. Well, I got some very disturbing pictures! I would assume these came from the sender's computer but there were pictures on there that were familiar to me (like baby gates I had been researching and even an avatar from this board!) So, would someone computer savvy please tell me where these images in Microsoft Office are coming from? Dh rarely uses this computer and dc are too young. I would like to just assume they were from the files of the person who sent the email but obviously some of them were from my computer. If this is dh- then we are going to have some serious issues- but I need to know. I certainly want to know where they came from before I confront him. This would be very out of character for dh. We've been together 15 years and I've never seen any signs of interest in this sort of thing but I don't have my head in the sand and I know it's possible. Dh is pretty much an open book though- I don't know when he'd do this or why on my computer. Thanks, Marie

with my ds. it is definitely a step up in terms of rigor. Mostly I think it is the difference in using a text directed at older students. We have not had any problems. In fact, I'm thrilled with it. I'm going to continue with the other kids to use MUS through Zeta and then switch to Chalkdust. Chalkdust has the reputation of being rigorous and I feel like ds was very well prepared by MUS. I don't know if that helped you any but I we are about 1/3 of the way through the prealgebra and I am very happy with it. Marie

sometimes things come up that you just kind of have to roll with. I would expect a high school level sport to be 6-7 days per week some weeks. Individual sports give you a little more control but you pretty much turn your life over with team sports at a competitive level. Changes in schedule, location, expenses, etc. you have to be pretty flexible about. It's a big commitment.

So far I've used the chapter review and end of chapter tests to gauge his retention. That's been good enough for us but we are moving more slowly than you are. Marie

What brands do you like? I am about 160lbs and 5'4. I wear a 10 (or sometimes a 12). I carry most of my weight in my hips/butt. I have narrow shoulders- a definite pear shape. I desperately need new clothes that make me look pulled together. Does anyone have any favorite brands I should look at? I think I want to start with a couple nice pairs of jeans/ pants. I get tired of trying on every pair in the mall. It gets so discouraging. Any ideas as to where I should start? I am always noticing women that I feel like are bigger than me but are dressed very nicely and seem to be pulling it all off better than I am. I know there are some cute clothes out there somewhere for someone with my shape/size. Thanks. Marie

but sometimes it is fun to just act like we are young again. We have been known to stop into an arcade a have a skee ball competition or ride go carts or play miniature golf. I don't particularly like any of those activities but there is something fun about letting go and just being silly like when we met. Marie

The Hills. It is so horrible and yet I watch. Marie

It's just been the pattern of behavior since we met. She is what I would consider a rude guest so I don't go out of my way to be a good hostess. I'm sure she figures she can be a rude guest because I am not overly polite to her. I'm going to try to do better this time. I may not make it till she gets here- she just called and is delayed again and will be even later. Dh sleeps pretty well on the couch so I'll have him wait for her so he can get her things in for her. I'm sure she is exhausted after such a long drive. I'm just being selfish- I really want to climb in bed and take my hubby with me. She doesn't have a dh so I'll just have sympathy for her. It's just something I would never do so I can't understand why she does. If she would just do everything my way things would be fine! LOL! You just do not leave on a 12 hour road trip at 11:00 am. Not when you are a women traveling alone. It's hard to break a cycle we've been in for 15 years. In my defense, when this all started she was the grown up and I was the teenager. I guess I'm the grown up now and it's time to work toward a change. My dh would be happy, I'm sure, if I took his mother in stride a little more this time. Thanks, Marie

or just pout the whole weekend. Maybe she'll plan to arrive earlier next time, though. I just want to make sure I'm not being terribly disrespectful. I generally am by the end of the visit but trying not to start that way! Marie

At what point can I go to bed, leave the door unlocked and the linens on the couch? My MIL insists on arriving after 11:00pm (we go to bed between 10-11). We always wait up but she just called and will not be in until 12:30- 1:00 am. We have a busy weekend with kids coming up and are exhausted from the week we just finished. Do we have to wait up that late? And she will want to visit when she gets here. She does this by choice- it is a 12 hour drive but she won't leave until late morning and she hit some construction this time. It is a strained relationship. Am I just being difficult or is it rude to arrive at such an hour (when it is within her control)? I really want to call her and tell her we've got to turn in but everything is set up for her in the family room and she should make herself at home. We'll see her in the morning. What to do? Marie

That is what I needed. A bob with layers is what I am looking for. I have a lot of hair and they always seem resistant to cutting enough layers and I end up with a very full bob- not my style. Although that is what I'm sporting right now. Thanks. Marie

I need a picture to show my stylist but it seems like everywhere I look I have to weed through tons of really "out there" hairstyles to find anything suitable. Does anyone have any favorite sites? I'm looking for short to medium styles that are simple but cute- layers here and there and such. Seems like everyone I see has hair I like but actually finding a picture is difficult. I want "cute mom hair". Nothing fancy but some kind of style. Any help? Marie

I've looked at the website before because I might be interested in some of the products. I see the products and the prices but I don't see anywhere that explains how to sign up or what the monthly commitment is or anything. Is this something you have to get signed up through someone else or you have to become a rep or something? Marie

The K uses it for starfall.com and spellingtime.com. The 3rd uses it for spellingtime.com, bigstatestime.com, and vocabtime.com The 5th uses it for Rosetta Stone Spanish and Reading Detective CD-ROM. They don't use it for any other games. The computer is for dh and me and the kids' "school stuff". They do have a Playstation that they have about 1 hr per day on weekends or if they have friends over. They don't earn that time exactly but it is the first thing to get pulled for behavior issues. I'm very leary about the internet so we keep it to the school stuff and let them play on the Playstation. There has not been an interest in email, etc. yet. We'll cross that bridge in the next couple years with the oldest, I'm sure. Marie

or something like that. I think the author is Dan Gutman. I know a couple of the titles are Babe and Me and Jackie and Me. Basically a kid travels back in time and gets involved with baseball greats. My kids really enjoyed them. There are also a couple by Mike Lupica. I wouldn't necessarily recommend them. They are a little too "modern" for my endorsement but my 10 yo has read and enjoyed them. There is one call Heat. Matt Christopher books have also been very popular. Good Luck. Marie

from Toys R Us last night. I had to buy it in a bundle for $360 but it had a game and extra controllers we would purchase anyway. I did have to pay tax and shipping so it wasn't a bargain but I just couldn't be on the hunt for one and do all the legwork involved in finding one and keep it a secret (it's going to be a gift). Good luck. You'll find one. Marie

just for a month and it did really jump start my weight loss. You can use the official Nutrisystem website without ordering. You have to create a username and password and then you have access to discussion boards and other tools. There is a "my program" tab at the top that will give you a daily menu where you can enter what you are eating. If you look there you will be able to figure out what to add to it. Basically you get to add protein, fruits, and veggies. good luck. Some of it is really bad but most of it actually tastes pretty good. I was very tired of it after a month but it helped get me on the right track. Let me know if you can't access the site and when I get a chance I can type it all in for you. Marie

I'm thinking toward Christmas. Where can I locate one of these? I can't really make searching for one my full time job and I can't shop with the littles with me. I'm willing to buy anytime between now and Christmas but I know it will only get harder. Does anyone have these online for retail? Thanks, Marie

I feel like I'm coming to the end of the homeschooling road with my 10yo. We're doing fine at home but I really am getting tired of it and I do not enjoy the upper level work. I find myself wishing I could focus on the younger children and "turn him over" to the school system. He's a delightful child but there are activities there that I cannot replicate in a homeschool setting. I feel like the time is coming to give it a try. He is a 5th grader this year. If you had a 5th grader and knew that he would be going to school in 7th, what would you want to cover with him the next 2 years? I'm planning to focus on writing paragraphs/ essays. I am also assigning more written work (like answering science questions in complete sentences, etc.) I'm going to try to teach note taking and stress keeping work organized. I think I'd like to do some sort of vocabulary roots program. He's ahead in math (Chalkdust prealgebra in 5th) and well read. We have done SOTW for history and Prentice Hall Science Explorer for science this year. We are using IEW for writing and GWG for grammar. We have not done foreign language but I have Rosetta Stone Spanish. Anything I absolutely must get done in my final two years? If you sent your child to school at this age was there anything you found them unprepared for? Of course, I realize there is a whole social aspect to entering school at 7th grade (I swore we'd never enter middle school). Thanks for any help. Marie

It doesn't sound like the coach is trying to force the young ones out but just give all the information. I would want to know that kind of thing before I showed up. We're a baseball family and I would hesitate to play a kid up that much. There is so much to learn in baseball and the potential for frustration is so high. I wouldn't do it with my little one even though he has been around baseball all the time and knows all the rules, etc. I don't know what kind of league you are talking about but most of my son's 9yo travel team last year joined a fall rec league. These boys were really experienced and strong players. It would have been truly dangerous to put them up against kids just moving out of tee ball. Maybe you could find another activity for the fall and save baseball for spring when more kids register and there is an age appropriate team. Marie

I've not BTDT yet but I have a gifted athlete (the kind of kid that can pick up anything quickly and ultra competitive). Not to sound harsh but I think a better question than whether or not one can get a college scholarship just starting football in jr. year is whether or not he can make the high school team just starting in jr. year. My kids are younger but I have been around sports alot and I just can't see starting any sport (particularly one as popular as football) that late in the game. In fact, many talented football players sign with schools before their senior year. I'm not saying that you have to start at 5 yo for football but I have heard that jr. high is the time to start football. Or even freshman year when there are other new kids and there is a frosh or jv team to play on and learn. Even then the learning curve is huge. My 10 yo is just starting and though it isn't too late he is going to have a ton of catching up to do. Now, if you are in a really small school district that is less competitive your son might better be able to go out and play jr. year but if that is the case I don't believe many will go on from a small, less competitive school and get college scholarships. He might be able to play on a small college team which doesn't give scholarships. Although I believe if he has good grades some schools will be able to find more academic money than they would for a non-athlete. I don't mean to sound harsh but I live in a HUGE state championship football district and there are only one or two players every year that go on to college scholarships and they are usually small, partial scholarship deals. On another note, just to point out how competitive things are out there in kids sports- if you're son has not found anything he is interested in enough to stick with he might not be interested enough to train the way is necessary. You mentioned missing a game for a scouting trip. IMO, that is just fine. IMO, that is age appropriate. IMO, trips like that are experiences not to be missed for ball games that they will play hundreds of. However, to my competitive kids they could not bear to miss games (even at age 8) for those other activites. I think that kind of commitment is what is required from most kids that are going to "make it". Our stance with our kids is to study hard and play sports to be healthy in body and mind and to learn life skills. Plan on academics in college and if you are able to play a sport that will be icing on the cake. Scholarships in popular sports are just too competitive to be banking on. Sorry to go on so long. We are a sports family and get into these discussions all the time and I am opinionated. Good luck. Marie

thanks for taking the time to answer. I appreciate your help. It looks like they have what we are looking for, if we cannot find it locally. I hate car shopping! Marie

We are in the market for a full sized van and remember seeing this site linked on here. If you have bought from this place was it a good experience? Is there haggle room in the pricing or is it set? Thank you in advance. The vans look really nice. Marie