I have reverse tale. When my dds were in PS, my uncle was in town and my mother wanted to do stuff all together. Over a period of 3 weeks, we went to the natural history museum, which has a great childrens section where we disected owl poop, a space section where we played with sand and water and watched it "errode", we went to the butterfly museum, we went to the wildlife museum, we took my uncle in for his chemo treatments and read pamphlets on cancer and chemo. I got a strongly worded letter about how much school my child had missed and how she may not be able to move forward if she missed any more that year. Lara

No I feel like a parent. God tells me no all the time. I get over it. You are a family, sometimes you get the spotlight/attention/treat..sometimes someone else does Lara

ok appently I cannot do this, the file is too big to attach and the link won't go through. Its a series of pictures of math concepts. They have a rectangle with the words perimeter written all around it. and area filling it in little squares and volume filling it like water, only for about 20 diff concepts sorry, I don't know how to get it to you? Perhaps you can pm me and I can email your real email?? Lara

ok I'm trying a link The link failed

I'm hoping this works, I'm such a techie idiot!! I'm attempting an attachment. It didn't work. I'll try something else

Use naptha (oil takes out oil) This is commonly (and cheaply) known as lighter fluid (for the old flip cigarette lighters). What this does is sort of diffuse the oil. You may have a larger ring around where the original spot was (but more faded) the first time, reapply. Lara

We have a large side by side, The only thing I really hate about it is the freezer isn't wide enough for a frozen pizza. This thing I like is the ice maker is in the door and doesn't take up too much space in the actual freezer. Eggs in the door is stupid because they age faster so the cute little egg holes are a waste. Lara

Almost as irritating as when you are making a smart mouthed reponse and get the same thing!! lol Lara

My mother (whom shall be referred to as toxomom) and I do not have a good relationship. I think she may have what others on this board have referred to as a borderline personality disorder. We used to go though periods of not speaking and I would say something to the children that would get back to her (when we were speaking again) and BOY, the tears, the yelling, the silence. I learned to frost over the situation for the children (GM is REALLY busy, thats why we don't see her so much). They children are older and I am stronger (I don't really want them near her again or her near me) so I sometimes tell the truth. This Christmas I told the children this was th efirst Christmas in years that I didn't hate every minute from Halloween to Jan (her b-day) because GM ruined it for the whole family (esp. ME) and she is one of the reasons a beloved aunt (my SIL) moved to another state. Lara

Before I had children, and a husband who works all the time and cannot watch them for more than one day at a time, I would go camping alone. I loved it. I read books, I took my dog-we took walks. I cooked for one (I did not share or feel guilty about having steak AND shrimp AND choc cake. I camped where I wanted (not near fishing streams or where DH went as a child). I slept late, I didn't do dishes IMMEDIATLY. I rested, I prayed. I was selfish and quiet and indulgent. Gosh I wish I could do this again. I am soooooooo jealous, esp if you can go someplace with a pool!!! Lara

Yeah, 14 loads-I stripped every bathroom (3) I did all of DH work clothes (3) I made the children get every sock, shirt-whatever from under every bed and DS (who likes is OBSESSED with hanging clothes up (dirty/ clean who cares?)) cleaned out the lower part of his closet, (1) all pajamas that were not folded in all the drawers(1), towels used on table from egg dying (1) dog rug (1) -rest of laundry that was what I should have done in a normal 1/2 week. I need to do sheets this week, but NOT TODAY!!!. Lara Should we have a clean out the "funny" things in the fridge day????

We're going to try it this year. My children are used to it from PS. They started in July and did a 9wk/3wk schedule. After this year I'm thinking a 3wk/1wk schedule will suit us. We will start July5th, and do 5 days a week/3 hours a day (I don't let my children outside in the hottest part of the day anyway- so 1-4pm should might as well be used for school. We will do this July & August, I'm trying to make this time be a review/catch up/get ahead time. I'm sort of starting late on the HSing thing so my children have to catch up on latin and history, and I'd like to get more mastery of math. So July & Aug we'll only so 3 subjects (there is room for modification of course). We'll take two weeks off and start full time/full subjects in Sept. and go the 3/1 week schedule. This should align us for T-Day week off, and a 2 week Christmas break. (I haven't seen the schedule for a while so I could be off a little). I'm still working on the format of subjects as to where one subjects ends and try to make it happen around a break. DD doesn't like to break up subjects in the middle, (ie: stop history after an hour and move to science for an hour) so I'm really thinking of doing core in the Am and spending the afternoon doing an extended subject and rotating the extended subject every week. Example: am= LA, latin, history, science, afternoon =Math (learn fractions, work on them for a week) . Week two---LA, math worksheets review of fractions, latin, science--then do a history subject in the afternoon, third week switch history for science and do a more specific unit of history in the am, same topic----for instance 1 week of Mayans and Incas in the afternoon, but when I switch, one morning history could be a compare contrast of the governments of these two cultures. sorry I wrote a book---I hope you understood --I'm still working this out in my head. Lara

You dress in the code/style of the position you are interviewed for. Lara

I was AMAZING last Thursday. I cleaned DH shower (ick), did 14 loads of laundry, HS AND worked my part time job until midnight. So now I am resting (not too long )on my laurals. Lara

good insurance Lara

I had food poisioning, I yakked about 12 hours later, then every hour on the hour for several hours (4) it was from a chicken sandwich, so it was either the chicken (which I doubt) or the mayo (which I suspect). If they do throw up, give them something to drink immediatly (like ginger ale) because it gives them A)something to throw up again -no dry heaves and B) something to help clean out the leftover stuff in the stomach. keep us posted. Lara

Giving should be dictated by God, thus I should feel a pull from Him. This means its a case by case issue, sometimes they know, sometimes they don't. Sometimes its money, sometimes its time, or effort. Just depends. Buy always it should be with a glad heart and a willingness to please God. I think giving is more an attitude thing and less of a things/money/credit thing. (wow say that 10 times) Lara

Just make this the time of day they do quiet, independent stuff. Little ones nap, big guys read or write or listen to music/book. This is what do, of course I also let them watch a movie sometimes too (esp if the videa corresponds to the lesson --ie: a video about making mummies during a lesson about Egypt) Lara

You can live with a bad gallbladder, but why? I thought I was having a heart attack. One it was gone....nothing. I hope you have the means to get rid of it. Lara I'm adding this part because I think its important to mention that like anything "bad" it can (and probably will) lead to infection--thus some SERIOUS issues can occur--Just a (negative) thought. L

I've had this problem, it has a two fold solution. The foot has very dry skin, so getting lotion to it is hard. Soak the foot in hot water until soft, I use my fingernails and scrape as much of the outer dead skin as possible off, afterwards, while the skin is soft, apply neosporin (Yes it is a cut!!!) then cover the foot with a large bandage. Reapply medicine every night before bed. Lara

I am the coupon queen, I have no problem with cleaning the shelves, if I don't want it for me I'll put it into my box that I give to the church when it gets filled. I don't do things that are individual specific (like glucose stuff). I will stock up on mac-n-cheese (which I don't use) or fem. hygiene stuff that isn't my brand. An empty shelf is a double edged sword, you have to came back, but sometimes (if the coupon allows) you have 1-3 months(with a raincheck) to purchase that item (sometimes my weekly budget doesn't allow for 10lb of hamburger meat this week). Lara

I've always wanted a detached garage, with the attic above it and connected by a mudroom that is all tiled with a floor drain. I don't know if that is considered attched or detached. Another thing to consider is the laws in your area. Some laws state that a detached garage cannot have both heat and water (to keep from building a second residence and labeling it garage). Lara

Thank you for your input, I really don't know where the smell is coming from. I sort of hope its the cat because the mouse in the floor thing is hard to clean up after. For now, sprayed several areas of my carpet with vinegar and will clean the carpets ASAP. Thnx again Lara

I have a neutered male cat we adopted 3 years ago. We bathe him twice a year. He does not spray, trust me I can smell cat pee a mile away. We recently had a mouse problem (it was living in the walls) I haven't heard it in a least 3 weeks. My house has a "musky scent" that occurs when the sun heats up the carpet. I thought it was the mouse smell in the walls getting warm, but I realized its all the spots the cats lays. I've only had female cats in the past and DH, who has always had male cats, couldn't smell his way to an outhouse. Do they smell? It's sort of a musky, scent that gets stuck in your throat like burnt rubber does. Lara

try professor pigs math (google) It downloads for free, and has games and activities to do, plus it starts with the "magic numbers" which is how to get to 10. I find after we learned those the rest was much easier Lara