Praying!!!! :grouphug:

Got your family covered in prayer right now! I can empathize to some degree as our ds8 has bouts of EXTREME behavior (FASD). Lots of hugs and prayers!

RIGHT??!!!! But I do think it would be worth it...and I'm willing to try....do it with me :) We can complain about our non compliant children together :lol: My problem is my kids have too much ownership :tongue_smilie: I haven't been militant enough and so now they expect they can just spend their days doing whatever they please and any time they are asked to do chores, it's like I'm asking them to run a marathon :glare: I want your kids :lol:

Thank you again for taking the time to respond. I have all the links that were suggested open right now :) It helps to hear/see how others manage their home/time! In my own narcissistic world, you would all come to my house and help me get organized :tongue_smilie: I definitely want to do the one towel per person/one cup per person, etc....however, I know if I just assign an existing towel or cup, they will just disregard it...or someone's towel will get used by someone else, someone will breathe on someone's towel, etc :glare: I'm wondering if a sharpie might work to label them? The cups will be the same problem. I have a set of acrylic tumblers I got from Costco a few months ago...there are two sized and they are purple/aqua/orange/green....if I had originally assigned colors to them, then it wouldn't be a big deal....but how do you MAKE them use their own dang color? I could see there being a million excuses why so and so had to use so and so's cup :rolleyes: I know a lot of it will be initial follow through on my part....and turning into a bit of a psycho mom until they realize I'm serious and I'm laying down the law...

I think I love you :lol: See, I'm so laid back about it all....kids all eat at different times (except dinner). We have an open kitchen so there are always dishes in the sink...or a bajillion cups on the counter from someone getting one and forgetting which color was theirs so they get another one :glare: Dd13 INSISTS on using two towels after her shower. She says she needs one just for her hair (she has super wavy, thick hair). The thing is, they immediately put one towel down on the ground when they get out of the shower, and it winds up being the "mat" until the next person takes their shower....then they put down another towel because they don't want to step on a wet towel, etc...... I love the ideas that everyone has given ....I would multi quote all of you if I had the time :) Thanks and keep them coming.....pics would be appreciated too ;)

I've fought it forever but I'm starting to think it's the only way to regain my sanity. I hate having a set schedule...it's just not my personality. I like to wing it....but that isn't working out for me because my house is a disaster and I'm constantly overwhelmed! If you have a large family, do you feel like a schedule is needed? Do you have set days for laundry, mopping, etc? Do you make your kids stick to a schedule (wake up time, chore time, eating time, etc) I don't want to go all crazy mama on everyone....but I need to gain control of my house! Also, do you have any sort of "must do's" (sorry, Mrs Mungo...I think I just killed a kitten) For instance: One designated towel per kid. One cup with their name on it, etc? Any/all tips are welcomed :bigear:

Thanks everyone....there are so many factors when considering ps/hs that I just need to spend some hardcore time in prayer. I wish there was some relief (ie: babysitters) but we can't afford them right now and it's hard to find one that can handle ds8 :( I think making/sticking to a schedule will help and also starting to put my foot down with the kids more often instead of indulging them. I'm going to talk to dh tonight (again) and see if there's something he can do as far as coming home early one day so I can actually catch up on some sleep....zzzzzzzz

moments. *sigh. VENT warning: I cannot continue to be woken up 10-12 times a night by a collective group of babies/children. I cannot deal with ds8's insomnia...it would be fine if he could get up and quietly watch tv or play but he insists on waking up ds12 to "play" with him and doesn't get why that's not ok :glare: I passed the intersection of sleep deprivation and exhaustion a long time ago and am now entering "psycho mom territory". I am cranky, weepy and out of steam! I'm also feeling at my absolute limit with ds8 and dd13. Ds8 has some severe behavioral challenges due to his disability. I'm starting to question whether or not I'm equipped to help him at home. I go through this every year and ultimately decide he's better off at home but he's getting older....and his needs are greater. Dd13 is worrying me now. She just does not want to listen to me. Yes, she's 13 and it goes with the territory (btdt before) but it's affecting our relationship as well as my sanity! She has very poor work habits and no self discipline. She wants to spend her days on the computer ...working on her blog (it's essentially a Beatles fan site). She has become obsessed with it this summer. She is very inactive and doesn't like to go outside at all. I feel like she needs a change of pace... If I could afford private school for her, she'd be signed up tomorrow!!! I fear putting her into our local public middle school but I also feel like I need to go into self preservation mode or I'm going to go insane! Vent over....just had to get it all out.....I wish I could fast forward two months.....ds8 and dd13 were in a great school, with great teachers and were HAPPY......Which I think is part of my problem too....I want them to be happy and when I see them unhappy, I feel like I'm failing as a parent...ughhhh

There's just not enough therapy in the world that would help me recover from my mother doing this :001_huh: But then again, my parents never had s*x....I was brought by storks....and no one can tell me differently :lol:

I don't know if it's been mentioned or not but I think we'd go somewhere and take a nap!!!!!

Oh, I'm so sorry you lost everything :( I hope my post wasn't offensive :( I'm a "gatherer". I'm addicted to throwing things away, then going out and buying new shiny things. I hate clutter and am constantly striving for a Pottery Barn showroom type house (but I'd settle for Ikea ;) )

Me too!:iagree: I come from a very conservative Catholic upbringing and when I left that to go to a "non denominational" church, I thought I was simplifying my faith by focusing more on the bible. Ironically, it seems like religion got more complicated. It seems like every church has varying views on different verses in the bible. I, personally wonder, if this isn't exactly what satan (I have issues capitalizing his name) is trying to do....drive division between believers.

This is the most beautiful thing I've ever read....:001_wub::crying: I especially like the slow motion/beautiful music part....oh I can see it now.....can the dumpster come to my house next? ....Hmmm where do I want to go for dinner....Black Angus, maybe? Then we can go shopping :lol:

We start school in two weeks and I'm STILL trying to get my house under control (story of my (insert expletive here) life!) I was supposed to spend July painting my room, pulling carpet in my room and the girls room, decluttering/organizing the house, and implementing new systems for laundry and household chores to get things under control once and for all. I've managed to get some things organized and decluttered but my bigger projects are still looming over me. A large part of my problem is just simply finding the time! The babies and ds8 (special needs) take up the majority of my day and by the time dh gets home, I just want to collapse! Maybe if I just got rid of all of our stuff, life would be easier? Oh, if it were only that simple :tongue_smilie::glare:

Awwww I loved that! It's so cool to see the athletes let their hair down and have fun.....totally sweet! The one guy that blew the kiss is dreamy :tongue_smilie:

When was the last time you had your T3/T4 levels checked? Maybe you need an adjustment in your meds? Also, I believe low iron can cause hair to fall out...I know it does for my dd.

On a somewhat related note, did anyone see poor Jordyn Wieber's reaction to not making the all around? :( My heart was breaking for her.

I saw it last night while watching the routine. It looked like an SNL skit :lol: To be honest, I'd probably look worse :tongue_smilie:

This looks so cool! I wonder if it would ruin existing but old parquet floors that had been covered in carpet for years and years? I'd like to do it in our bedroom but I wouldn't want to ruin the parquet in case we wanted to re do those down the line, yk?

Woo Hoo!!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!! Such a beautiful family and oh. my. goodness. those kiddos are so adorable I can't stand it!!!! :hurray::hurray::party::party::001_wub::001_wub:

Stick, baby, stick!!!! Praying for a very sticky baby :tongue_smilie: :grouphug:

Well that makes a lot more sense than what I was singing :lol: thank you :)

You're NOT a loser daughter/parent! Don't cave to other people's opinions...you'll drive yourself insane. Make a list of all the reasons why you homeschool and keep it handy for times like this :) :grouphug:

Not sure if this one has been asked yet but is it "But the kid is not my son" or is it "But Chad is not my son" (Billy Jean by Michael Jackson) And has anyone ever been able to successfully decode the song "Footloose"....here's how I sing it "So I gotta cut loose, Footloose...kick off my Sunday shoes...wee honey....hold me up by my feet...jack get back...fun on the four wheel track...loose your loose..... ho, I know....cmon cmon lets go....shake the shick do my eeees...." Seriously, I have never been able to figure that song out... ETA: Yes, I do speak English LOL

I think Christians have a tendency to want to put things in neat wrapped up boxes of absolutes. Homosexuality is one of those issues where Christians feel the need to really stand their ground because it is widely taught in the more conservative sects of Christianity that it IS a sin because the bible is literal and the bible clearly says it's a sin. The end! I think there HAS to be room for different interpretations based on context, translations, etc. There are so many other subjects in the bible that different sects don't agree upon...which is why there are 10 bazillion protestant churches out there....but I digress.... I, personally, don't have an absolute position on the issue either way. I believe in gay rights because I believe in separation of church and state. I struggle with the whole "sin" issue.....but honestly even if it were a sin (which I am leaning towards it's not), then what? Who here is without sin? ;) Why should we condemn one person's sin over any other? What right do we have to hyperfocus on one type of sin? I sin all the time but I don't have organizations out to strip me of my civil rights because of it.