Ooh! We love road trips. We are in the middle of a 15 hour each way one and we are considering driving across the country and back this summer for a camping family reunion. We don't drive at night either. We need our sleep. We use hotels.com so every tenth night is free. We stay at Hamptons if we don't have the dog, Doubletrees if we do. We like to know we'll get a clean room and good sleep between driving days. We try not to shoot for more than ten hours a day on a long trip (12 on a short trip). We take our iPhones and find local places to eat. Those are some of our best memories. We stop for either lunch or dinner, then usually fast food the other. We stop at all state line welcome centers. We've never regretted stopping to see something,never if it adds an hour to our trip. My girls read in the car, luckily, so they bring their books. They also knit or play with those wiki stick things. Ahead of time, I make them each a folder of maps, information, and activities about where we are going or what's along the way. They LoVE this. There is always something for them to color. I put it in a three pronged folder. We also do audiobooks. I would rather drive than fly, honestly. Especially if we were camping. But that's just us. We love driving. I'd also get your oil changed before you go. We had to leave an hour late for this trip while the car got new tires. :( ***oh! Most importantly, we always try to get to the hotel with enough time for the girls to swim for at least 30 minutes. It tires them out so they sleep better.

I'm a leader this year after getting the run around about there not being any room for my girls last year. I'm really disappointed in a lot of things. I won't be doing this again. The disorganization is astounding.

If it matters at all, we spent six weeks near Lake Geneva about ten years ago, as newlyweds on study abroad. We stayed in Leysin, just outside Aigle. We traveled extensively, every day. Our very favorite town was Vevey. The train is ridiculously easy to use all around the lake. Maybe parking and taking the train would be feasible? You could find somewhere cheaper to stay and not worry about driving. I am so, so, so jealous of your trip. It was the most wonderful summer of our lives. (The picture in my avatar if from Leysin.) Oh, you are just going to love it!

Zion National Park Lake Powel (no sharks) San Diego (tons of other stuff to do besides the beach) That's all I can think of. July= beach to me ;)

Can anyone recommend a good family friendly area to live within driving distance to Palm Beach? We are just toying with moving here (we're on vacation). It would be a long shot, but we want to check out some good family friendly areas while we are here.

I don't have time to read all the responses. I just wanted to say that my husband and I slept in separate rooms for the first ten years of our marriage. Then we bought a Tempurpedic and we"ve slept in the same bed ever since. I wish we would have bought one a decade ago. It's amazing what sleep deprivation does to a person, and it's amazing what sleeping in the same bed did for our marriage. Sleep study, new bed, surgery, something... It's worth it! ETA: I also don't think there is anything wrong with sleeping apart from your spouse. It's the only way we were able to sleep. However, *I* am happy we can finally sleep together.

Preparing for a four year college but I'd be fine with them going to a community college first. I did that and it saved my parents a ton of money. A TON. eTA: I guess it depends on where we live. I went to a community college that guaranteed me admission to the UC system as long as I got good grades. So, there would have to be a good reason, obviously.

Someone brought up the socialization comment to us today - while our kids were with us, at a restaurant, with friends, on vacation. Their kid was at school. I was like, "HUH?"

We've had a few friends like that. We've gone two ways. Either we stop playing altogether, or we have very specific, supervised play times where I am present and involved the entire time. It's just depended on my relationship wight the parents and whether it was worth the investment. A neighbor is hard though. Supervising all the time is hard, but telling them they can't play can be even harder. I actually feel sorry for the kid. She's obviously not getting what she needs. I remember from our foster classes how kids who go to live with grandparents suffer two loses- the parent and the grandparents because they really do lose a normal grandparent relationship.

Stop shopping at WalMart. Seriously. Meal plan, buy groceries at the grocery store, and never go to Target or WalMart unless you need something specific. Make it a once a month trip or so and sick to your list. I shop at Whole Foods and live 20 min from town and I know I spend less now than I did when I lived down the street from Target and WalMart. Shopping is a habit, like anything else. Fill your time with something different. Find ways to make it more difficult on yourself. Budget for one fast food meal a week and stick to it, etc.

We are on vacation in Florida! We listened to Treasure Island on the way down (week 2) and now I'm finishing The Handmaid's Tale for week 3. I love it! Disturbing, but good!

Sometimes when CLE is getting challenging or mundane, I just cozy up with them and we do it orally. Saves a lot of time and frustration. We all have bad days. Some of us have bad weeks.

Focus on the here and now. :) as your children grow and leave the nest, your interests and community will change and expand. You'll have new groups, new friends, new time... I'd just wait and I'll bet you'll have some new friends, at least one of whom will share your interests.

The link just takes me to a page of ads. ??

A few weeks. But I do remember my husband having to stay on top of them.

It's not a no-no, but it depends on what you are comfortable with. I would switch doctors, but I am weird like that. I never want to see my doctors. Anywhere. Ever. I'd prefer if they just lived in their office. :)

I'd forgotten about Vc Andrews!! Those were so not appropriate at the age I read them (maybe 14?) and I would never introduce them to my kids. I think books are like anything else. My girls are 10. I have a lot of control over what they read and I'll have less control as they get older. So, my decisions and feelings only count for so long. My kids are not allowed to read The Hunger Games even though I read it and loved it. They'll have plenty of time to read it when they are emotionally ready. Catcher in the Rye? I loved that book in middle school. I'll have to go back and retread it now and see what all the fuss is about. I'm sure a lot of it went over my head.

So, so, sorry! Look into Dreambox. It's very kid friendly and you don't have to do anything with it. Reading Eggs for your younger one maybe? Lots and lots of books. Of this is really going to be "over" by fall, I'd just find something they can keep up with for math and just read and have experiences together. I really wouldn't stress about doing enough, as they are kept busy enough for you to do what you need to do.

Ok, Paul's is a go and I think we'll hit Juliette Gordon Low's. Thanks!

We'll have a few hours in Savannah on a Saturday morning. Any ideas as to what to do? Any recommendations for a hotel? Thanks.

Yep, my friend had one of these in Mississippi when her baby was about six weeks old. It was a miracle birth of sorts, so lots and lots of people wanted to come see the baby. Another friend had one here in VA after her shower had to be canceled because of the derecho.

This is NoT ok for a high school teacher to be doing, period. Not ok. However, I probably wouldn't say anything because you are the homeschooler... I know, but it is just different. I'd probably just pull my kid.

Great! Thanks!

In short? Yes. Finish your year by focusing on what's important and start fresh again next year.

Can you give us directions on how to make a square? I mean directions for those of us who don't own sewing machines and would have to go buy even a needle and thread?? I'd love, love, love to do this. I just need directions.