We use pannetone to make french toast....only on Christmas morning. Kim

My husband cooks for 4-5 hours on Christmas Eve. We do the traditional Italian 12 fishes dinner at my inlaws house. The rest of us go to mass while dh cooks. Then, we go home, put out cookies, wine ( Santa is lactose intolerant), carrots & salt. Kids go to bed, while we drink wine and put out the gifts, leave reindeer tracks outside etc. Kim

We stream with our computer via an s video cable. Kim

Have you thought of Christian Liberty Press? It's textbook approach, with inexpensive teacher guides. We use some of their materials and like them a lot. Kim

I bought mine at wal-mart...it was in the first aid section. I make liquid hand soap all the time. I use the little slivers left over from bath soap bars....for some reason no one wants to use them. When I'm lazy, I just dilute Ivory liquid dishwashing liquid, it works well. Have fun! Kim

We have our pc that magic jack is on, hooked up to a backup battery, hubby got it for free from work. Like you said, if your internet is out, then so is your phone. Kim

Well, if the power goes out, your cordless land line phone won't work either. I use a cell phone if that happens...which has only been once in 5 years. Kim

We had Vonage for years and loved it. When they raised the rates, we ditched it and went to magic jack. I love magic jack. The only downside we've had to using it has been having to dial the area code for local numbers. Also, with magic jack, every call you make or receive pops up in a window on the computer it's hooked up to. It annoyed me, so we took an old pc and put it in the basement and hooked up magic jack to it. Kim

If you go to the trisms yahoo group, there are a lot of samples in the files. Kim

We top our tree with Mickey dressed in holiday clothes. Kim

Connie, Your Welcome! Kim

Connie, Both versions of History Makers comes with the IEW lessons, on the "old" version it's on the cd and you have to print it. It contains the article needed for the assignment. Example Lesson 1 says Using the paragraphs below, make a key word outline. Retell the story to someone in your own words using your key word outline. Below that is a three paragraph article on The Phoenicians, credited to Silver Burdett Press Other lessons tell you to view IEW DVD# Unit # and Review IEW Syllabus pages #-## Then, has the directions for the lesson like the above Lesson 1. It does add nice little notes, like remember to double space, things like that. I'm going to order the IEW Sylabus from IEW , also you can order the American History Source cd-rom for $9 ( its on clearance), that comes with a bonus student pages download. I'm getting all of my resources together now, to start in January. I do supplement outlining, but I don't know if it's strictly necessary or not. I use Imitation in Writing Aesop's Fables. The Trisms yahoo group has a lot of information in the Files section. Kim

I'm just starting this myself, which is why I suggested it. It's research based, so you can use any resource books you like or already have. I'm using encyclopedia Britannica cd & online. Our library system gives us free access to the online version. I bought the cd edition here http://www.amazon.com/Topics-Entertainment-Learning-Best-selling-Software/dp/B0020R2I1K We LOVE the Spelling Accelerator that comes with it. Hope that helped! I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have. Also, I bought the old clearance edition, because I'm cheap! Witht he cd rom that comes with it, the questionnaires are on it, I copy and pasted them into open office, so my son can type in the answers. Kim

Trisms History Makers is a one year study. http://www.trisms.com/HM/learnmore.html Kim

How cool! You are braver than I am. I didn't want the other people to think I was a stalker!! Kim

Yes, lots of fun and no bedbugs!Kim

We just got back from vacation in a condo, maybe some of my faves will help you. You can add salad to any meal. Pasta w/ sauce & bread ( you can buy jarred sauce or make your own the night before) Rotisserie chicken w/ instant potatoes, bread & item from salad bar ( the grocery store usually has a meal deal on this w/ potato salad, baked beans etc) Tacos, canned corn & rice Hamburger Helper & canned green beans Hot roast beef sandwiches ( sliced deli roast beef, jarred gravy & hoagie rolls), instant potatoes & canned green beans or frozen broccoli Pot Roast in crock pot w/ disposable liner ( Yes, I take my crock pot on vacation), with carrots and potatoes thrown in, & bread BBQ Chicken quarters in crock pot or on foil lined baking sheet, oven potatoes or boiled potatoes w/ butter & garlic, canned corn/ green beans/ other veggie For desserts, on vacation I am lazy and buy ice cream and oreo's. HTH! Kim

We were at WDW last week( 11/26- 12/05), and I parked in front of a huge white van that had a homeschooler bumper sticker. The plate was Texas, with 6 fish and a Catholic sticker. Might you be on here? My husband told me to leave a note on the window, to say Hi from another homeschooler, but I thought that sounded creepy. Kim

Here's the link to at RR http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Start+Write+5.0+Windows-Mac+CD-ROM/003476/1291842074-471574 I love Start Write! I copy and paste poems etc into it for handwriting and copywork practice. For copywork I paste a line, then skip a line, so my child can copy directly underneath the model. HTH, Kim

We celebrate St. Nicholas Day, Christmas Eve 12 fishes dinner and put baby Jesus in his manger, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Kim

I'd do two lasagna's, you can make them ahead and freeze them. Our family does meatless lasagna, and put the meat in tomato sauce on the side, so in small bowls or gravy boats would be meatless sauce, beef sauce and a bowl with sausages. The standard salad and bread. You could add a fruit salad and cheese tray to your dessert selections, I'd go with brownies and ice cream or make ahead and freeze holiday cookies.You can make it all ahead of time and just warm it all up the day of the party. Simple antipasto of olives, cheese, crackers, mozzarella w/olive oil, put it out when your guests arrive. Everyone will nibble and chat while you get everything on the table. Remember, you want to spend time with people at your party, not be stuck in the kitchen. Have fun! Kim

We are getting ready to start Trisms History Makers, here's what I have planned for my 6th grader. Catechism Faith & Life 1 lesson per week Math Facts Now 10 min daily Math U See 1 Lesson per week ILL daily Easy Grammar daily Simply Spelling 1 lesson per week Latina Christiana 1 lesson per week Apologia Zoology at co-op, 1 day of "homework" Art Study 1 lesson per week, fill out artist study guide Classical Music 1 lesson per week, fill out study guide Trims 1st week do all work as written, 2nd week read book from Trisms list,write book report , read section from The Old World and America, and answer questions at the end of chapter. ETA We are switching to Trisms so my son will start being more independent and organized. Hopefully, it will also improve his logical reasoning skills as well. Kim

:grouphug: We all have days like that. Once, I actually drove my kids to the public school door and told them to get out......they were angels for a solid two weeks after that. Hang in there! Kim

I recently saw on Disney Cruise Line where you can sail from the East Coast to Europe, very cheaply. It's because they are sending a ship there for the summer season. You'd have to fly back though, or book another ship that was returning to the U.S. Kim

I'd love to have a copy as well. We are ditching WP because it's too much. This sounds great for us. Kim