Jump to content

Menu

Kipling

Members
  • Posts

    481
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Kipling

  1. I am looking for a Latin curriculum for my dd who with be 10/fifth grade next year. Background: We started with the Latin program from CAP and hated it (too intense, too fast). We are working our way through Getting Started with Latin and we love it. She is learning vocabulary, can do the translations easily, and has been introduced to the different noun cases. Goal: Our current plan is to continue with Latin through elementary school and then change to a modern language in 6th grade. She is learning Latin as a way to introduce learning a foreign language and to build a Latin-based vocabulary to help with vocabulary comprehension in English and future language studies. So, I would like a Latin program to use for a year that will help build her vocabulary (not interested in learning super complex grammar concepts) Any suggestions? TIA
  2. Last year, the heating element in our electric oven went bad and sent out a continuous stream of flames. The kids and I were in the other room and my son heard a crackling noise. I followed the noise into the kitchen and saw fire in the oven. There had been nothing to indicate that the heating element was going bad, and the fire didn't come from any overuse of the oven. Fortunately, as soon as I turned off the oven, the fire went out, and we were able to replace just the element piece. Before that experience, I was hesitant to leave the oven on when I was not at home; I definitely won't do it now.
  3. I have used one for my youngest. To get her excited about it, we wrapped it up as a present, and she was thrilled about her lion backpack. We use it at theme parks, mostly, and all I have ever gotten were compliments. I was surprised by the number of people (especially older people) who said they'd rather see a child on a leash than getting her arm yanked out of her socket or running away from mom. To the OP, I say use the leashes and ignore any negative comments. You are doing it to keep your kids safe, and that it more important than others' opinions.
  4. We just painted my son's room orange - he's wanted an orange room for four years, and we kept putting him off hoping he would change his mind. However, we just moved and promised all the kids they could choose their room colors in the new house, so he got his orange room. He wanted what he called "home depot orange." We went with a color from lowe's called caramel cream - it's much more orange than the name sounds, and there's no doubt that the room is orange. However, it's a dark/rich enough shade that it doesn't glow. It's a little darker than Home Depot orange, but my son is very happy with it. My husband wasn't sure about the color, but I think it looks good. We paired it with cream curtains and a blue/cream/orange quilt.
  5. I order my contacts from http://www.lensdiscounters.com/. I don't wear the same brand as you, so I can't speak towards that specifically, but when I have compared prices for contacts online, lens discounters was the cheapest for me.
  6. I think their new policies are going to affect the overall resale value of TOG materials. For example, people who buy used copies will no longer have access to the archived pages in the book update charts unless they buy a yearly subscription for $85/year. Also, they made a change a few months ago to their DE upgrade policy. Formerly, anyone who bought a print copy (new or used) could upgrade to DE for $35 (had to mail in their Loom disc). Now, only those who buy print copies new from TOG can upgrade to DE later for $35. For those people who buy used, you can upgrade one year plan for $35; if you want to upgrade any other used year plans to DE, it will cost the price of a new DE program. Unfortunately, I have bought used print copies in the past with the intention of upgrading to DE the second time I go through the cycle. I was counting on that $35. Now, the copies that I bought used are going to cost me a lot more in the long run. I'm bummed about that (and bummed that I apparently missed the grace period to upgrade all my copies back in August or September). It's their company, and they can change their policies; as others have said, they have the right to make a profit. I'm not arguing that. However, the resale value of TOG products has been a great selling feature of the product - if you didn't like it, you could resell it and recoup a lot of your money. As people realize the new limitations of a used copy, the resale value will drop.
  7. My husband absolutely loves cheesecake! This is the recipe I use - it's a very simple, no frills cheesecake (my DH is a cheesecake purist). It is very good and easy to make. I have made the crust in the recipe, and I have also made a simple graham cracker crust. Either works. The recipe recommends letting the cheesecake "season" by sitting in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving. We have found that to be a good recommendation. Another trick I learned somewhere is to put a 9x13 pan with water in it in the oven under the cheesecake (on the lower rack). This keeps moisture in the oven and helps the cheesecake not crack on top. http://www.food.com/recipe/cheesecake-factory-cheesecake-107544
  8. My DH has a new job with a fairly long commute. He's mentioned wanting audiobooks to listen to while driving, so I looked in to some sites that do audiobooks Netflix-style (audiobooks.com, theaudiobookstore.com, booksfree.com). I want to get him a subscription for Christmas. Has anyone used any of these sites or something like them? Do you have any suggestions?
  9. That is very unfortunate. If you look into eBay's policies, I believe you are responsible for paying return shipping to return the items that you received. You should be eligible for a refund of your purchase price and original shipping if eBay rules in your favor. You will be out the money you spend to return the package (which is extremely annoying - I've had to do this before). Regarding the package that was sent postage due, I don't think you should have to pay money to recieve the package and then pay to return it. If it is marked "return to sender," will it get back to the seller? Regardless, I would just leave that aspect alone - the seller was responsible for paying the shipping to have it delivered to you. If he loses it, it's his fault. Your eBay claim is that you did not receive the item as described (items did not match description, package was not complete, items required additional postage beyond what was stated in the auction). Here is a page describing eBay's policy on return shipping. http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-returns.html HTH
  10. Science experiment! http://www.imaginationstationtoledo.org/content/2011/04/how-to-make-a-naked-egg/
  11. I'll have to remember some of these for my MIL. She's been asking and she's horrified that we'll have a fourth. The last time she asked, I responded with "When there's something to tell, we'll let you know." I had a friend who responded with "We'll stop when we have an ugly one." This always got a laugh - but I hope it doesn't scar their eventual last one.
  12. My dh's new job will be one paycheck per month instead of two like we're used to, and we're actually excited about it. We always make a monthly budget, but in the past, we've had to juggle which bills to pay with which paycheck (ie. mortgage, groceries, and phone first paycheck; insurance, electric, water, & groceries second paycheck). Now, with one paycheck, we can pay the monthly bills when they come in knowing that we have all the money we're going to get for the month.
  13. Aside from our immediate family (me, dh, kids) We give gifts to most of our parents, which include my mom, my dad & stepmom, and dh's mom. His dad and stepmom opted out a few years ago. We also give gifts to all the nieces and nephews (total 7) and typically my brother and SIL. I have a better relationship with my dh's brother and wife, and we agree to just spend money on the kids - not the adults. And my grandmothers get gifts. Unfortunately three of these people had the audacity to be born +/-12 days from Christmas, so that adds extra gifts. All the gifts for "outside" family really do add up, so in past years, we've done the family photo as a gift, which works well for parents and grandparents. This year, for my brother's five kids, I'm going to make puppet theater as an everybody gift: http://craftycupboard.blogspot.com/2010/12/handmade-2doorway-puppet-theatre.html. I think I'll print some characters on card stock and laminate them and them attach them to sticks for easy puppets. For the adults this year, I'm going to have my oldest make coasters which I saw from another poster on an earlier Christmas thread (http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2006/11/crisscross_coas.html); my middle child will make hot cocoa mix and i'll put it all together in a basket with mugs and k-cups of tea and coffee (selected by the youngest so she has a part in it). Voila! Homemade inexpensive gifts from the kids.
  14. if you want to make them yourseleves, here is a link to plans that you could modify to make taller. http://ana-white.com/2012/03/plans/kentwood-bookshelf
  15. I did this a couple of weeks ago - left a brand new package of bacon on the counter overnight. I threw it in the fridge in the morning while I decided what to do with it. I ended up cooking it and serving it to the family, and everyone was fine.
  16. As a buyer, if I saw that a house had raised in price, I would expect that the seller had made changes to warrant the change. I don't think it would be unreasonable for a seller to realize that their house isn't selling as is, do some updating, and then change the price. That being said, I would want to know what the upgrades were - new paint, new carpet, new cabinets, etc. This could be added to the existing description. (not -"price raised to allow new paint," but "NOW with NEW carpet throughout" or "move-in ready with freshly painted walls in living/dining area and bedrooms." Without making any changes to the house I don't know if I think it would be a great idea to raise the price. I guess if you got you into a different search bracket, different people might look at it, see the price history, and negotiate with your lower price. But, like I said, as a buyer, I would want to see a reason for the price increase.
  17. I agree that the individual animal tours are not worth the money. As pp have said, you can buy trays of food to feed the animals for a LOT less than the price of the individual animal tour. If I remember correctly, you can buy food for the dolphins, sting rays, and sea lions when you are at the exhibits. Those things do add up during the day, but they are a whole lot less than the animal tours. What I like so much about the VIP tours is that it includes the animal feedings and the ride quick queue and the unlimited dining deal. If you're considering adding one of the animal tours AND buying a meal or two at the park, the VIP tour may not be much more than you would end up spending anyway, and then you'd have a good six hours of not being in charge:D http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/Attractions/Exclusive-Park-Experiences/VIP-Tour If you're not looking at adding extra animal experiences and trying to get by with food brought into the park, then the VIP tour would not be something worth considering. (which is why I've never done them:tongue_smilie:)
  18. One option to consider to consider is to sign up for a VIP tour. Obviously, it's more money, but for what you get, it's a good deal. The VIP tour includes the meal deal dining plan (includes all meals, drinks, and some snacks), VIP seating at the shows (and not having to wait to get in), and quick queue passes for the rides. I'm pretty sure it also includes animal feelings and some "backstage" tours where you get to see parts of the park and animals that are not accessible to everyone. For the VIP tours, they put people into groups of up to twelve. If you have eight already, they may not add more people to your group. They have the tours planned to hit the shows right on schedule and will take you through back ways to get you there quicker. Some of the tour guides will cater to your group, see that you have young kids, and try to do more for them (as in, skip XYZ and do ABC instead). The tour itself is six hours, but you can be at the park for as long as you want and the quick queue and meal deal stays with you for the whole time. FTR, I have never done a tour, so I have no personal experience. However, my father works for SeaWorld Orlando as an animal educator, and he's been giving a lot of VIP tours recently. Hearing him talk about the tours, they sound like a super nice way to do the park. Some advice if the tour is not in your budget: I agree with pp that Happy Harbour would be a good place for your kids to spend some time. The Clyde and Seamour show is also a big hit with young kids. There are a few air conditioned exhibits and shows - try to plan those for the afternoon when it's really hot. SeaWorld does not allow you to bring in food, and they will check your bag when you come in. That's not to say they check super thoroughly, but you can't bring in a cooler. I went with a cousin once and they found juice boxes in her bag and made her throw away the straws. They let her keep the drinks, but they said the straws can be a hazard for the animals. Seaworld is not a huge theme park and you are able to do the whole park in one day if you don't need to see all the shows - be somewhat selective. Also, plan ahead because many of the shows form lines 45-60 minutes in advance and if you arrive at show time or ten minutes before, you may not get a seat. Then again, if you're going when it's less busy, that may not be a concern (I still don't think you can fit in all shows and all rides into one day, though). Have fun!:001_smile: HTH
  19. We bought our current car from a private owner. He had it listed on Craigslist and autotrader. I don't know which listing we saw first because we were checking both of those sites. It was a positive experience, and we've been happy with the vehicle.
  20. Our house is under contract (yay!) and we're moving out of state. Help me as we start house hunting.:D I know it's different for everyone and I want to hear different opinions, so for YOU, when considering houses, What are your must haves? Want to haves? Must not haves? Other things to consider? Thanks!
  21. I live near Tampa and have lived in FL for 32 years (grew up north of Orlando) 1. Where do you personally think is the best place to live in Florida? I like the Orlando and Tampa areas pretty well, although Orlando is pretty crowded and higher cost of living (IMO). Suburbs near Tampa are nice, and I think less congested than Orlando. (we live in Pasco county, and I like it here.) There are quite a few homeschool organizations in the Tampa area. 2. What is the cost of living there like, compared to the northeast or Pennsylvania? Never been to PA, but when doing COL comparisons, FL ranks average. 3. Are you familiar with the Tampa/St. Petersburgh/Spring Hill area? Opinions? Spring Hill is fairly remote, but I think the general Tampa area is nice. I would stay north of Tampa. 4. Are you familiar with the Jacksonville area? Opinions Dh is from Jacksonville. It's a very large, spread out city with way too many bridges, IMO 5. Are large reptiles a regular problem (aka, is allowing young children to play in the yard a problem or do they have to be constantly supervised because of this)? Not a problem. I have no fears regarding my kids playing outside. During the summer, you do hear occasional stories about alligator attacks because this is mating season, but that's very rare. Also, it's never children playing in the yard - it's typically men who were swimming/playing in alligator-infested water. 6. Sinkholes...I've been told that this is common all over Florida...true? So if your house goes into one, you're just SOL, right? (apparently, Spring Hill is rampant with this issue) Again, sinkholes are pretty rare, although this area (west / central FL) is the worst area. Our biggest problem has been keeping a home owner's insurance company because the companies keep "non renewing" the policies in Pasco County. Home insurance is more expensive than the national average. 7. Are there any actual towns in Florida? I'm finding only a ton of gated communities and suburbs. HOA's seem to be the rule (and you all know how I feel about HOA's). Not really. It's a bunch a large cities with suburbs surrounding them. You can find neighborhoods without HOAs (we live in one), but they are rarer. You have to look for older neighborhoods, not the newer ones. 8. If you virtual school, could you tell me about it? n/a 9. Compared to Georgia and South Carolina, do you prefer FL over these two or would you prefer one of the other two? I've been trying to get out of FL all my life, so I'm not a good one to ask. Dh just got a job in north GA, so we're moving this summer.:tongue_smilie: I don't like the heat (very long summers) and lack of seasons. Dh and I prefer mountains to the beach, so FL's big attraction doesn't hold much appeal for us.
  22. We had them on our Mexican hybiscus a few years ago. I had success with cutting off the stems that were affected the most and then physically scraping the scales off the other stems. I think we then treated the plants with something, but I don't remember what. If I recall correctly, most treatments won't penetrate the scales, so it was recommended that you remove them and then work on preventing them from coming back.
  23. Our house is for sale, and we've had several good showings, but we always end up being the buyer's second choice - beginning to feel like "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." :tongue_smilie: Anyway, our kitchen is probably part of the problem - nothing's wrong with it, but it is slightly dated (not horribly). New counters/cabinets are out of the question. Current stove is almond & black with old- style burners. Other appliances in kitchen are black. We're buying a (used) black glass-top stove tomorrow to make appliances match and add a little update. My question is, we have a showing tomorrow morning before we can get the stove. Would it be a good idea to leave a small note on the current stove saying "coordinating black glass top stove will be installed this afternoon"? If so, how would you word it so that the buyer does not think they would be getting a brand new stove? TIA
  24. We have a really high deductible plan, and it works for us. It does include free annual visits for the children and me, and we're rarely sick enough to go to the doctor's office at other times. Last year, my son needed eye surgery, and my youngest DD broke her leg and had a separate trip to the er for something unrelated. We paid for everything based on the insurance company's adjusted rate, which was cheaper than the billed amount, but still high. Regardless, we still did not hit our deductible. That was an expensive year for us, but that's the risk we knew we were taking. So far this year, we have only had to pay for our monthly premiums - no doctor's visits other than well-visits. For the op, I think that it is okay to go with a high-ded plan or catastrophic coverage if your family is normally in good health. Yes, there will always be a risk, but you can plan for it with the savings account. For the specific bill you mentioned, can you have the doctor's office bill you as a self-pay patient and not go through insurance? My son has to see a pediatric ophthalmologist regularly. They bill us the adjusted rate for the insurance company, which is typically about $140/visit. This includes a $50 service that the doctor does routinely, but they don't charge the self-pay patients for it (just the insurance companies). One of the ladies who does the billing will take that $50 off of our bill because she says since we have to pay out of pocket, she'll treat us like self-pay patients. Otherwise, we'd be in a situation similar to yours, where the visit costs us more because we have insurance than if we didn't.
×
×
  • Create New...