This is why I'm not a Christian. ETA: sigh. In case it needs an explanation, it's the superiority complex and arrogance of "having all the answers" or "being the true church" (I was Mormon) that I finally couldn't take anymore. I love my Mormon friends. I love my Christian friends. I'm just happy with not attaching myself to their belief systems anymore.

We also have used these for three years. They are 100% perfect for us and absolutely essential to our organization!

This, exactly! It's not 1950 and we don't all live in matching little ramblers. Culture changes and our culture is becoming more diverse. I couldn't begin to name all the different types of parties, birthdays or not, that we've been to. You honor the culture of the host. If we are going to my LDS in-laws for dinner, I don't bring a bottle of wine. In *my* parents culture, it would be rude not to show up with a bottle of wine. In our homeschool culture, most parents come and stay at birthday parties. When my kids were in school, that was nearly unheard of. Drop and run! ;)

I see what you did there. :laugh:

I tend to agree. We've done "no gift" parties before because I have twins. Do people bring two gifts? A more expensive gift? What if they are only friends with one twin? It's WAY too much stuff all at once, honestly. It's actually quite embarrassing. We invite 15 kids, they all bring two gifts...you get the idea. I think a guest should always try to honor the request of the host. It's always your choice not to attend the party.

My girls shoot an an indoor archery range. They've been taking a weekly lesson with some other homeschoolers since January. They really love it.

My degree was in education and I was a teacher. So yes, absolutely essential. My masters is in school leadership, so if I ever go back and want to be a principal, that will be necessary. If I want to teach, my masters will generally earn me more money.

This is an interesting thread. It's interesting to hear the sentiment that it isn't ok to try to convert her because she's already Christian. Or, at least that's what I read into a few comments. I wouldn't think an existing religion (or no religion) would factor much into the outrage of another family heavily pushing their beliefs on your child. I don't think the Beach Boys comparison is the equivalent. Religion isn't a matter of taste and it isn't just annoying when someone badgers you with it all day. It's offensive. I was LDS so I know a thing or two about proselyting. ;) We are receiving regular updates from a family member who is on a mission here in the states. Several times he has written about proselyting to minors, once even hanging outside an elementary school and talking to kids walking home. Honestly, if I was one of those parents, I'd call the police. I understand the desire to share your faith- believe me, I do. But before you speak to others, check your intentions and think about how you would feel if I approached you in a similar fashion about atheism. OP, I think you have every right to be upset. If they are close friends, I'd have a serious conversation with them. If not, I'd not send my daughter with them again if she felt uncomfortable. I *do* think the 15 year old is capable of making her own decisions about how much she can take (and there will be many times when they will be exposed to different beliefs and need to reflect on their own), and it sounds like you do too. The 12 year old? No.

My grandparents refused to move. Luckily, they had enough money to hire private help until the end.

Ahhhh, one of my little fantasies. There are a TON of blogs you can follow. We've been faithful followers of Rebel Heart and Bumfuzzle for quite some time. You could literally spend months reading all the advice from other sailors.

Coffee. My entire family thanks me.

Sorry, I have to come back and comment on the ATM thing. Right now you have to be careful using ATM machines and handing your credit card to anyone. There is a scam going on where they steal your CC information. (You can Google it. It's big in Guatemala right now, too.) We bank with Chase and when I called to tell them we were going to Colombia, they said Colombia was on a special high risk list and I would NOT be able to use my ATM card. Luckily, I was able to use my America Express Card AND I didn't need a lot of cash because I was with my parents who have Colombian bank accounts. If you use an ATM, make sure it's inside of a bank. When they use a credit card there is a rule that it must be swiped in front of you. Most places will bring the card reader to you or your table, but some places don't have a portable reader yet, so you have to walk back to the register with them. It's because of the high risk of fraud. They don't want to be accused. My step mom used her credit card the whole time we were in Cartagena without any problems (you will most likely be charged an international fee though). I used cash the whole time. We exchanged money at the airport when we landed (it was a slightly lower exchange rate, but totally worth it) and then in Bucaramanga at an exchange place that we used the whole time we were there because they had the best rates. They take a copy of your passport and your fingerprint. It takes a while. I had $500 with me in Cartagena. The apartment we stayed in had a safe and that's where I kept most of my money and our passports. Hope that helps. The ATM card thing is just a little tricky right now, especially depending on your bank. Make sure they have a back up plan in case they need to access money. ETA: I just reread Lanny's post and see that he referenced the skimmer scam. I just wanted to reiterate it is a big deal and, like I said, Chase wouldn't ok the use of my ATM card in Colombia, period. They should call their banks.

Here's how I try to look at these situations. What are the chances of something happening? Are the boys active? Do they fight? Is there a pool? A large swing set? What would she do if someone splits a lip? Breaks a bone? Chokes? Is the risk of her feeling responsible if she is unable to properly attend to an emergency outweighed by the confidence and experience she'll gain? It sounds like you think she can handle it and you have some good strategies. If the benefits outweigh the possible risks, then go for it, giving her the support she needs. However, I would have no problem canceling on this mom, even if it was at the last minute. She changed the game, not you.

Berkeley Springs is a fun little town! http://berkeleysprings.com/

I'm confused as to who makes up these rules. Addison is actually an old name, meaning Son of Adam, historically given to boys. It's regained popularity, but that doesn't mean it's not real. ???

There is a lot of German heritage in Colombia, which I had no idea about until we went. In fact, in Barichara, some people are so fair skinned, I kept asking them where they were from- Colombia, duh!

Great. I'll give you a little more info. The walled city is entirely walkable (small) and felt very safe, mostly because it is fairly expensive. This apartment was a block from Exito, the big grocery store where they can buy anything they need. It's a few blocks from a darling book store/cafe/bar. They will have Wifi almost everywhere in town. There is a torture museum, gold museum, and maritime museum. We ate off the street several times. We ate at some really expensive restaurants and some pretty cheap places. All the food was delicious. There is a lot of ceviche and seafood. Cartagena is full of history, much of which I didn't know. They can take a boat to the islands, which a lot of people do and it's very safe (we didn't have time). It was *very* hot (and I live in Florida). They need to have air conditioning, wherever they stay. (I would, anyway.) The walled city has narrow streets and it's best to do your walking before and after noon so you can walk in the shade of the buildings. We toured the fort and that was really interesting, too. That was the only time we left the walled city. I wish we would have taken Henry up on the boat tour of the small village, but honestly, it was just too hot! The beaches right in the city are nothing to write home about. If they want to go to the beach, they need to take the tour to the islands or go to Santa Marta.

Hey Lisa, I found where we stayed. I would 100% without reservation recommend it. They will have everything they need and Henry speaks perfect English and is an amazing resource. http://www.vrbo.com/188185

I will add that my Spanish had not been used in a long time and I struggled, but I used it a lot while we were there. I can't really imagine going without speaking *some* Spanish, but I know people do. They will not meet a ton of people who speak English, FYI, especially compared to say, touristy areas in Mexico.

Guys, it's Colombia, not Columbia. ;)

We just got back from 3 1/2 weeks in Colombia. We went to: Cartagena (3 nights) Bucaramanga (2 weeks) Mesa De Los Santos (3 nights) Barichara (3 nights) I took my twin 11 year old girls. We met my step mom in Cartagena and then met my dad in Bucaramanga where they own an apartment. They've been going to Colombia for over a decade and have owned property there for as long. Cartagena is very touristy, but we stayed in the walled city and it was wonderful. The restaurants are great! But, Cartagena is not cheap, just so she knows. We used VRBO and stayed in a lovely apartment owned by a Texas couple. Their property manager was our tour guide and was able to connect us with safe and reputable excursions. We met lots of young travelers and saw more Americans here than anywhere else, most were college students. Bucaramanga isn't touristy at all and was a wonderful city. I never felt unsafe even for a second. The other two towns we were in were even safer. I'll add that we were also there during the World Cup and the presidential election. I am hoping Lanny will chime in here, but I do believe a lot of the fear in Colombia is misplaced. Tourists are generally safe and not a target. If you read about the history of the US in Colombia, you'll have a new appreciation for the country. We are planning to go Guatemala in the spring, where there have been MANY more incidents involving tourists and where crime is much higher right now, yet none of our American friends bat an eye at Antigua. Colombia is a wonderful country. All travel has risks. Be smart, be safe. Here's my one measly blog post about our trip: http://homeschoolfortwo.com/homeschool/colombia/ The first two pictures are in Cartagena.

I would not make a dog live outside. That's just me. My in-laws border collie lives outside in four season weather and his hair is always all matted and... just, no. We lived on acreage for a few years and our border collie thought she was in heaven. She spent most of the day outside if we were home. She loved following the kids around. Certain dogs can help alert you when there is trouble (a bear, etc). Ours never barked, so it wasn't helpful to us. Unless you are herding cattle or something, I don't think there is a "benefit" for you, but the dog will love it, for sure!

Keep working where he is. It's ok. Don't buy curriculum with grade levels in mind. Buy with your son in mind. FWIW, I'm another one who has a dyslexic/dysgraphic child who was not successful with MM but has been wildly successful (with daily, hard work) with CLE. I'd also recommend AAS and some copy work, even a simple handwriting book. Try cursive, you might be surprised.

Never. My dog is like a third child.

We've had IKEA bunk beds and mattresses since 2006. They've moved three times with us. We love them. We had an IKEA king platform bed and mattress. Within the first few months, the slats kept slipping. The mattress was way too firm for us, but we thought we wanted firm. We had it for a few years. Now we have a Costco bed that we love and a Tempurpedic mattress that I spend way too much time in.