Thanks for the info! I'll try to post this week after I contact NMSC. It's good to know that I'm not the only one to ever deal with this. And, just to be clear, I'm quite sure that this is an easy mistake for a homeschooler to make--especially a homeschooler not used to taking standardized tests and filling out forms. I'm not at all upset with DD!! I was just hoping that someone could assure me that this wouldn't be a huge problem to fix. We received the scores on a Saturday--at the time it seemed like a long wait before I could call someone at NMSC to try to straighten it all out :001_smile:

As I understand it, the cut-off scores will be released in late Aug of 2013. Someone please correct me if that's incorrect. When I said DD might make the cut-off, I was basing that on Indiana's scores from the last 5-6 years. Cut-off scores have ranged from 210-212 most years, with a high of 214 one year.

Thank you both for your replies. I will be contacting the CB and NMSC as soon as possible.

DD is a homeschooled junior. Finally received her PSAT scores today. Her score should be above the cut-off for Indiana unless there's a dramatic change from previous years' scores. However, her score report says she's not eligible for NM because she's not a high school student! In another spot on her score report, she's listed as a junior with expected graduation date of 2014. I sent the homeschool code with DD on the test date in case the guidance counselor at the local public school didn't have the correct code. She told me the counselor had the correct code ready. The counselor had DD come in early on test day and sat with her in her office and told her how to fill out rest of personal info. I had given DD warnings about using correct homeschool code and not giving SS#, email address, etc. I need to straighten out whatever mix-up occurred so that DD retains her NM eligibility. Has anyone dealt with a similar problem? I'm not sure what NMSC is going to require as verification that DD is, indeed, a high school junior. Thanks~

Thank you for posting this! Dd and I are huge Queen fans. I was glad to be able to share this with her--she was impressed!

We've vacationed on Jekyll three times, usually in April or May. If you need to be entertained or want a "tourist-y" spot, it's probably not the place for you. However, if you're looking for an off-the-beaten path place to relax, check it out. State law protects the beaches from development. We usually rent a cottage, but there is a campground.

Both dd and I quite enjoyed the version by Geraldine McCaughrean. I believe dd read it as a 7th-grader. It's around 100 pages and heavily illustrated.

We love our Toyota Highlander.

Aubrey, I don't post a lot, nor have I read all of the previous posts in the thread. But whatever you do, please, please do not give up your writing. And I understand the BP thing--very, very well. Please follow up on that referral. The rx may give you a very different outlook and make it so much easier to make a plan. Does your state have some kind of state insurance plan for low-income families? Or some drug companies offer free prescriptions to people in need. Is that a possibility for your and/or your husband? I am a former public school teacher. There is NO way I would substitute teach for the going rate in our area which is $60-$75. However, I do work from home as a tutor. You might be surprised at how much you could make per hour. Seriously. I live in a very rural, low-income area. The parents of my students don't think twice about my rate of $20 per hour. I'm pretty sure I could charge more, and if I lived in a small city in our state, I could easily charge $40. I have a homework group of 2-3 students at a time that meets right after school for 90 minutes. I charge a slightly reduced rate, but it's x2 or x3. And the parents are thrilled when they pick up their kids at 5 p.m. and they do not have to deal with homework! I know there are a limited number of hours per week when public school students are available to be tutored, but I can work 4 hours per evening, plus Saturday if I choose, and all at my dining room table. During the summer I tutor as well. This summer I'm running a mini day-camp where I'll have small groups of students for 90 minutes each. If you were in my area, I would pay you to meet with my daughter each week for writing, no question about it. If you supplement on-line teaching/tutoring with evening tutoring, and still have time for your writing, it just might work. You have a gift! If you absolutely need to re-train in another area, I understand that. Just don't sell yourself short with the talent you have at hand. One other thing comes to mind--does Texas have state-mandated graduation qualifying exams? If so, they need people to evaluate the writing portion. It's not full-time, year-round work, but again it would allow you some income while still writing. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I wish you all the best!!

Stephanie, I am a former public high school math teacher who now tutors students. I think you have done absolutely everything you can do. Your suggestions for how to study are right on target. Unfortunately, unless a student (especially a high school student) wants to learn to help themselves, there's not a lot we can do to *make* them do it. If you don't want the tutoring relationship to interfere with the friend relationship, you may just have to step away as her tutor. It's a hard situation to be in. There have only been a few instances where I've had to withdraw my tutoring services. Lying to me or cheating at school are always deal-breakers for me. If a student didn't turn in homework that I helped her complete, that would also be a deal-breaker. I wish I had more advice to offer. It might be easier for an adult to really come down hard on a student. But I truly think you've done everything you can do. Best of luck, Cathy

No helpful tips, unfortunately, but I'm the same way. I need at least a 2 hour "cool-down" period before bedtime where I quiet my mind. If I have to be away from home for an evening event, I won't be able to fall asleep for hours, no matter how exhausted I am. Dh and dd just don't understand--they're asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

Thinkwell is a possibility. It's definitely self-paced. I'm considering it next year for dd.

We also have Jotul wood stove. We built our house 16 years ago and put the stove in at that time. When we keep the wood stove going around the clock, we have days when the furnace never kicks on. The Jotul is in the center of our house, which is open--kitching, dining room, living room as one "great room." The Jotul keeps the main part of the house very, very warm (some days too warm when the sun is shining in the south windows). The bedrooms stay cool, esp. the master bedroom on the north side, so I have a ceramic heater in there which helps on the coldest nights. We actually don't mind the cooler bedrooms--makes for better sleeping! My husband works second shift. He loads up the stove around 4:00 before he leaves for work. I'll add wood before I go to bed around 10 or 11. He adds wood again when he gets home, sometime around 5 or 6 a.m. Our furnace is electric, which isn't a very warm heat. The wood stove, however, is very toasty! I estimate the stove saves at least $100 a month on our electric bill. The Jotul wood stoves are small and quite cute! Ours is a deep cobalt blue.

It's the only smart phone I've ever had, so I can't compare. But I certainly have no complaints. Battery lasts all day, even when I use it to browse the Internet. I'm with Verizon.

I recommend something called "Simple Solution". It's available from Amazon. You might have her checked for a UTI. But if she only marks in the basement, I'm guessing an infection isn't the cause.

If I recall correctly, it was approximately 2 months before my dosage was increased to 60 mg. And yes, I believe it was done all at once--one evening I took 30 mg, and then every evening after that was 60. Once the decision was made to increase dosage, I was allowed to choose a week when I had a minimum of outside commitments to actually begin taking 60 mg. That was in case I went thru another *loopy* adjustment period. (which I did!) However, it was not prescribed for depression, so that might make a difference. And I was given specific instructions to take it in the evening--perhaps because with the fibro, I have chronic insomnia, and dr thought that cymbalta would help w/ sleep issues. (which it has)

I'm assuming the last quantity is (4 square root 3) + 2 and not 4 square root (3 + 2). If my assumption is correct, I get 36 square root 3 - 48 for the answer. I first distributed 3 square root 2 thru first quantity and got 12 - 6 square root 3. Then (12 - 6 square root 3) times (4 square root 3 + 2) gives me (48 square root 3) + (24) - (24 x 3) - (12 square root 3) = (48 square root 3) - (12 square root 3) + (24) - (72) = 36 square root 3 - 48

We're currently using the LabPaq Kit CK-1 with our first year of high school chemistry. The kit is expensive, but it is complete, and the labs have worked well so far.

Just checking in, Faithe, to see how you're doing today. To answer one of your questions, I currently take 60 mg daily. I started on 30 mg and stayed at that level for several weeks (maybe 2 months?) before I increased to 60. I don't think I would have agreed to increase to 60 mg if I hadn't been absolutely sure it was helping. I have tried so many things, and subsequently have had to go thru withdrawal. The withdrawal from Lyrica was horrible! That was the reason I was so reluctant to try Cymbalta. But when you're miserable, and your daily life is so impacted by your pain and fatigue, I guess I figured what did I have to lose? I had done withdrawals and survived, and had really hit bottom again with the fibro, so I decided to try one more thing. And yes, I tried all the "natural" remedies, and I still use many of them. I refuse to feel guilty about taking the Cymbalta! There was a time I could barely get off the couch to make young dd a sandwich. I cannot emphasize enough how much better I am today. I did not want dd's only memories of me to be PAIN. My mom and sister, who don't live close so we don't see each other regularly, couldn't believe the difference after a few months of Cymbalta. So don't stress about withdrawing . . . try it for a week or two and see how it goes. :grouphug:

The first week was horrible. Turning my head would make me feel like I was going to throw up. But I never actually did throw up, if that makes you feel any better. The doctor who manages my Cymbalta is a psychiatrist of many years experience. He told me NEVER take Cymbalta without a bit of food. I've always followed his advice. FWIW, I haven't gained any weight on Cymbalta, nor have I lost the 15+ lbs I gained while on Lyrica. I did have brain fog at first, but after the adjustment period, I'm much sharper and more alert than I was w/ the fibro fog. My dr told me it's quite common for his patients to need to increase their dosage 6-12 months after they begin Cymbalta. I did go thru a rough patch at 11-12 months. I decided to wait to see if it would pass, and it did (I think it was mostly due to the stress of the holidays). I questioned dr about needing frequent increases in dosage--he said it's been his experience that only the one increase is needed around the 1 yr mark, and things stay steady after that. Everyone is different in the reactions to meds, but I did want to share my experience. It sounds like you are committed to giving this a try. The side effects for me were so bad the first week I nearly gave up, but I'm so, so glad I stuck with it. :grouphug:

I take Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. It's the only thing which has helped! I was diagnosed with fm about 7 years ago and have tried many things, including Lyrica. When Cymbalta was suggested, I almost didn't try it--just because nothing else had worked (and I hated the resulting withdrawal periods). I started on 30 mg and then increased to 60 mg. The first week or two wasn't pleasant--I had some nausea, dizziness, etc. The dizziness was bad enough that I didn't feel capable of driving. But as that subsided, I could tell I was feeling much better! I went thru a second adjustment period when my dosage was increased, but it was easier the second time. I've been on Cymbalta for just over a year. My pain is less, my sleep quality is much, much better, and my mood has improved (not sure if that's because of the Cymbalta or just due to better sleep and less pain). Quite honestly, I feel like I've been given my life back. I can't say that Cymbalta is a "cure" for fm. I'm still quite aware of the fm. I need to make sure I get enough rest and be careful to not overdo or overschedule. There have been a few days when the pain has been bad--but I have NOT had those days on end when I just couldn't face the world because of the pain. About the same time I started the Cymbalta, I also began cranial-sacral treatments from a licensed massage therapist. I still go for a treatment every 3 weeks or so. I have been treated with other anti-depressants in the past (I had chronic insomnia for years before the full-blown fm). Nothing has come close to the benefits of Cymbalta. I wish you all the best. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask (you can also PM if you like). Best of luck!

Thanks for sharing! Dd is a huge Star Wars fan!

When I taught math in a public high school, we had 6 grading periods per year. The school's policy was to weight the semester exam as 1/7 of the semester's grade. So the grade from each of the 3 grading periods was 2/7 of the semester average, with the semester test worth half as much. I also taught some dual-credit math classes. As I recall, there were about 5 tests during a semester worth 100 points each, and the final exam was worth 200 points.

I agree we need more secular choices in science curriculum. We used RS4K and dd loved it, esp. the chemistry. Although it's been a few years ago, I don't recall any discussion of creationism at all.

I haven't been, but a close friend of mine skydived tandem and she loved it! Said she would do it again at the first opportunity.