Wow, those are some rediculously early started times for teens! Their bodies need more sleep than adults. Around here, school starts at 8:30, ends at 2:30.

Gack! I feel terrible for you, and I'm imagining your husband lying on the bathroom floor hurling with tons of other men not far behind. He really ought to have stayed home! I hope it passes quickly and that you're spared!

I'd use steel cut oats, and make it during the day and keep an eye on it to get the timing down right. Slow cookers can vary a lot!

Well, you know she's fighting something, and you don't know what that something is, so I don't think it would be very nice to expose other kids to it, even if the day is short. I'd probably wait until tomorrow (sleep is a good thing!) and if her she still has symptoms that concern you, take her in to be checked out. Personally, I'd just keep her home and observe... doesn't sound bad enough to take her in to a doctor yet.

I tell my kids the the Bible presents men and women as having different roles. Not that one sex is inferior/superior to the other. As far as what feminism is, I think everyone has a different definition on that one. Some will say a woman working wearing pants is a feminist. Other's see it as someone who is a political activist for women's rights.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/one-tick-red-meat-can-do-without/story-e6frg8y6-1111116286444 According to this article, the big chicken pox-type thing is a typical symptom.

So does your dd have a reaction to tick bites as well - moreso than the norm?

A link you might find helpful http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248211.php

I have heard of it. I afraid I just can't remember what show I was watching. It was likely the news, and it was a few months ago. Several people had it and were discussing how much they missed a good steak, and how ill they were while trying to figure out what was affecting them so negatively.

Thanks for all the thoughts ladies. It's really been helpful to me! I'm certainly going to go in and see if I can observe for a day in the classes my kids would be in. I think it would be a great fit for my son, though I'm not entirely sure about my daughter. It seems I really need to see how the teacher handles the class.

Hell is the grave, so yeah, we all go there. The hope is that we'll be resurrected and live again. The wages of sin is death (not eternal painful life), and the gift of God is eternal life through Christ, which will happen after the return of Christ. As to the facebook comment, I don't believe Jesus was God, but he did perfectly show God's character to us through his words and actions, to the point that it could be said that if you'd seen him, you'd seen the Father. He was the image of the invisible God. That can't be said for anyone else... and it's certainly worthy of praise.

Jesus died to conquer sin and death. I see him as our representative, not as a substitute. Otherwise we wouldn't die, which which obviously still do. He lived a sinless life, died, and because he was sinless, was raised from the dead. Through belief and baptism, we are "in Christ" and will likewise be raised from the dead. I don't believe that Jesus is God, because God can't die, nor can he be tempted, and nor can he sin. The writers of the New Testament insist that Jesus was like us, tried in all manner as we are, and yet without sin. This is fundemental to the atonement. Jesus was the lamb provided by God, and while it was righteous of God to allow him to die, as he bore our nature, it was also righteous of God to raise him from the dead, as he was without sin. And when we look upon him in faith, as Israel looked upon the serpent on the pole, we can find salvation from our sins.

I got probiotics from the naturopath, mixed it in to various drinks throughout the day. Worked a charm!

I'm considering a change for next year, but I don't consider the public schools around here an option. Low academic standards and bullying are too prevelant. I came across a very small private school that's only a 10 minute drive from my house. There's about a dozen kids per class, with the grade divisions being K-3, 4-6, and 7-9, although that could change next year if they get more enrollments. The principal was saying she'd like to split the younger class up, as it's a pretty large age range. So there's 3 teachers, as it is now, and a learning assistant teacher to help kids with math and reading as needed. I'm not sure how I feel about the classes with such a split of age ranges. Some definate pros and cons there. I like that there's less kids (much better for my son who's easily overwhelmed with crowds). Do you think I'd be out of line to ask to spend several hours in a class "helping out" to observe? I'm really curious. In some ways, this just seems like a God-send, as I really feel like I need a break from hs'ing, and I think my ds especially would benefit from having more opportunities to make friends. I also think he could benefit from being taught by someone other than me. He's going into grade 4 next year, and has always been homeschooled, but the issue of making friends seems to be getting more difficult as he get's older. I also need to consider the cost. It's affordable, but I'd need to do some work to pay for it, which is always a challenge when you have a preschooler. Thoughts?

Well, apart from the Scriptures, I think the beauty of creation speaks of the Creator. Science can explain a lot (and of course there's a lot it can't explain), but the impersonal development of all there is doesn't account for it's beauty. The faith I hold though, I think I have good reason for it. It's unfortunate that people look at reason not as a part of faith, when put into a religious context. If I say I have faith in, say, my doctor, it's because I have good evidence that he knows what he's doing. It's not a lack of faith that prompts a person to look for proof or evidence that what they've put their faith in is indeed true. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. And the more I study it deeply, the more I know that my faith (or belief - it's the same word in the Greek) is well-placed. Prophesy is a big one for me. As I looked more deeply into that, there was just no way that anything but inspiration made sense. And saying it was written after the events didn't make sense either, as archeological evidence proved it was written prior to the occurring events. I can give you numerous examples if you want. And then, there's just some really amazing things in Scripture that just don't make sense if the book isn't inspired. The life of Joseph comes to mind. What a perfect type of Christ. Consider all these: -Joseph was hated by his brethren, most beloved of his father -they conspired to kill him, mocking him and stripping him -Judah (the greek name for him is Judas) sold him for silver -Joseph was thrown into prison (death) with two others, one who was saved, and the other wasn't (consider the theives on the cross) -Joseph is pulled out of prison (resurrection) and put in power 2nd only to Pharoah, and called the saviour of the world -When Joseph revealed himself to his brethren, they didn't know him at first (2nd advent) until he revealed himself to him -He tells them not to be angry with themselves, for God sent him before them to preserve life. Joseph is never recorded as having committed a sin. There's so much more that could be shown in only the life of Joseph, the points I made just touch on some of it. Does it really make sense that the life, death, resurrection, and glory of Christ would have been written of in the New Testament to follow the life of Joseph? And how about the details of Christ's crucifixion in Psalm 22. Couldl the gospel writers really have gotten together to write up a fictional account of the details of his death to match it so well? And if they did, why? To what end? So an evil nasty Roman emporer could make their lives completely miserable? Sometimes the minutest little details in Scripture, once you look into them, can just make your jaw drop with the profound significance they have. And other times the parables are so take up such a large span of history that providence is the only explanation. For example, the entire event of Israel leaving Egypt, wandering in the wilderness, and going into the promised land is a parable of us leaving our previous way of life (Egypt), via Christ (passover), going through the Red Sea (baptism), wandering in the wilderness (going through life), crossing the Jordan (resurrection) and going into the promised land (the Kingdom of God). Only don't let your faith be weak, and fall behind alone, or you might get picked off by the Amalekites! I've rambled, but wanted to give some examples of how faith is strengthened by the Word, and that there can be more to faith than the circular idea that faith is based on faith, which is why it's faith. It can be based on reason and proof, so that when God doesn't 'feel' real or near, you can be rest assured that what he has promised, he is able to perform.

Can you save the tick and get it tested?

My main bible is a KJV wide margin. I love having space to write in all my notes! I also have half a dozen other versions around, or so. One I particularly enjoy is the NET Bible, with tranlators notes. Some very useful information about why the translators made the decisions that they did, so you can sort through what is translated because of doctrinal bias. I do find though, as I'm becoming more tech savvy, that I use the electronic versions on the internet and ipad more and more, rather than my paper ones. I used to always have my strong's concordance and my Englishman's, and Gesinius handy for when I'd do my bible study, and a stack of Bible versions, but a computer is a lot less bulky!

It looks like a lovely place to live.

As someone who's been on the receiving end of family thinking my beliefs are "cultish", I just want to say to tread with caution. It hurts alot to be told have that word thrown at you, when you see your beliefs and way of life as reasonable. Talk to them about the beliefs, based on something you have in common (like, if you both believe the Bible in inspired, use that as the basis of your discussion). Read the book, and agree or disagree with it based on what it says. You have an avenue for discussion here.. don't make it about money or semantics.

I think they sound cute together.

I do know what you're talking about, but I've no clue where to find a video about it! Could you just do up a worksheet with a lot of sample problems to show your dd?

about $20

Oh no. I'm so sorry!

This is probably going to sound dumb, but have him eat a banana. If I don't eat bananas, I get muscle cramps. It does sound like an injury though, as it's gone on so long!

When I needed to make myself stop sleeping on my back, I stitched a golf ball onto te back of my pjs. You could try that for the knee maybe with a marble?