:iagree:Yes, thanks!

My husband is a letter carrier and we have used both NALC (National Association of Letter Carriers) and Mail Handlers. They are both available to all Federal employees. I think there is a stipulation that you have to pay the union dues, but iirc, they are nominal. I like them both for different reasons. One has better prescription drug coverage - the other offered a better dental/vision option (you have to pay more for that). I had BCBS when I worked for a law firm and they were difficult. They challenged everything. When I married my dh, I got pregnant on the honeymoon. Dh had not even informed NALC that he had added a dependent or changed his policy to a family instead of an individual policy. Still, they paid for the whole OB/GYN, pregnancy, labor and delivery expense and never challenged it. They've always been accommodating in that way.

My two oldest went through the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program. Their favorite part was search and rescue. They were both certified ground team members for the Virginia State S&R organization (not sure what it's called). They participated in several searches for missing toddlers, alzheimer patients, and downed planes. This required them to learn a lot of first aid and my oldest became a certified Red Cross instructor. They are also both certified to set up a shelter during an emergency such as a hurricane or a nuclear meltdown (we have a reactor a few counties south of us). They joined CAP right around 9/11 and the skills they learned have helped them feel like they can truly help in an emergency. CAP also offered many opportunities for learning leadership skills. Both of mine were cadet squadron leaders and also were on staff at several summer encampments as flight commanders, etc. http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/

My 19yo daughter charges $10/half-hour.

I'm staying at the Marriott so will park there. You don't have to be their guest to park in their lot - not sure what it costs though. At this webpage under "Parking Guide" there is a downloadable map with all the nearby parking garages highlighted in green: http://heav.org/conventiongraduation/general-convention-information/maps-and-directions/ HTH

Yes! Go to the website and download the speaker handouts for the sessions/workshops you are interested in now. They will not be available at the convention. http://heav.org/conventiongraduation/workshops/speaker-workshop-handouts/ Download the schedule and highlight the sessions/workshops you want to attend. Also download a map of the Convention Center and familiarize yourself with the layout of the place. It is very large and occupies two buildings connected by a walkway that goes over a street. It's just nice to have an idea of how to get around and how far apart your workshop locations are, etc. Also, get to the workshops a little early as seating fills up quickly in some workshops - it's not fun to have to stand or sit on the floor. Take something to tote your goodies in. It gets tiresome lugging everything by hand. Something along these lines: http://www.staples.com/Staples-Expanding-Folding-Crate-on-Wheels/product_440122 I believe they will be selling these as well as tote bags at the HEAV table. Bring bottled water - it's expensive at the concession, however there are water fountains. If you decide you want to buy an mp3 CD of all the workshops (especially since some might conflict schedule-wise), buy it at the convention - it's much less expensive that way. Also - you can buy individual sessions (after the convention at a separate website) if you don't think you want the whole convention. Be sure to sign up for the monthly email newsletter (Virginia Homeschool Update) because that is where the information will be announced about where to order those. (the Update is free). http://heav.org/virginia-homeschool-update/ If you are bringing a baby, be sure to step out of the workshop room if she/he begins making noise (even happy noises) so that the recordings are clear for those who will be buying them. HTH!

The problem for me is that I don't trust her to have anything valuable to say after reading the first post. There are only so many hours in a day and if I'm going to spend them hunting down budget advice, this would be one blog I'd ignore for the sake of efficiency. Perhaps she does have a tip here or there that might actually be useful, but I would never get that far. I need to know someone is walking at least part of the way in my shoes before I lend credence to their advice.

I've been through that as well. So sorry, Kristen.:grouphug:

:iagree:I concur with Audrey and others who have agreed with her. You can't feed everyone; but you can do something.

Re the Bushman blog: $13,000 for a house? You couldn't buy a bathroom for that in my area. Blogs like that aren't really all that helpful because right away I have dismissed her advice as ridiculous. I don't see it as applicable to the lives most of us lead. Who has the luxury of working from home? Not many of us, I dare say. Show me someone's budget who has to drive an hour to work and back every day in an area where fixer-uppers are going for $200,000. Then maybe I'll consider your advice credible.

Praying, Chris.:grouphug:

Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose Democracy in America by deTocqueville The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes (won the Pulitzer)

I used Rainbow, Year One, with ds15 a couple of years ago. I LOVED that we always had what we needed for the experiments right at hand, all organized. It is expensive, but if you can afford it, I highly recommend it. If I don't have the equipment right there, the experiments just won't happen. Would you be able to use it for more than one child? I've thought about selling the durable equipment, but the box would be enormous and cost a lot to ship. It could not go media mail so that's probably why you're having a hard time finding the supplies part for sale on used curriculum boards. Also, many of the items in the kit can be used for other purposes, so they're nice to hang on to and use for other things (magnifying glass, flashlight, etc.).

They are searching for one.:D http://jobs.jcp.com/job/Plano-Copywriter-Creative-HomeJewelry-Job-TX-75023/1893429/

This is so sad as they (John and Audra) have already lost two little baby girls. I can't imagine the grief.

Our local paper posted this on their website yesterday in preparation for some severe thunderstorms rolling through our area: "If you’re caught outside, lay flat on the ground in a depression, ditch or other low ground, away from trees." I emailed the author and asked her to please change "lay" to "lie" as I am on a one-woman mission to save the intransitive verb "lie" from extinction. She did.:) I read or hear this mistake on news media at least once a week. *sigh*

Oh, yes, I remember now. I'll look for you.:)

I'll be there. Where is the information and security booth located? Is that the table in the main lobby?

Congratulations! Kristin, this will be the one who takes care of you in your old age. It will be all right. I had two after we got to the perfect number for the size of our house and our income has never been enough, except that somehow we've always muddled through. My youngest is the most organized, "together" person I've ever met (doesn't get it from me at. all.) and I'm convinced she will be the one dispensing my medication and changing my Depends.:D It really will be ok.

This is wonderful - congratulations on your lucky finds.:)

Wow, y'all are fast! No, I would not encourage him to sue either which I thought that was pretty obvious from my post - I guess not.:confused: I told him to call the health department, remember? I also told him he'd probably have to show how he was damaged or has lost wages or something, anyone notice that? Anyway, since he went through the drive-thru and his job and the Wendy's are not close to each other, going back to discuss it with the manager would be a bit inconvenient for him and his coworkers at this stage of the game. I think he was just really hungry and was very disappointed that his lunch turned out to be inedible. Sorry I asked. :tongue_smilie:

That would be "recourse." *sigh* Ds25 just called to say he ordered a burger from the drive-thru at Wendy's, took it to work, opened up the bag (which was soggy and gross) and discovered that the hamburger was only half-cooked - blood still dripping from it. Can he sue them or is this one of those things where you have to show damages, medical expenses, lost wages, etc. to get any satisfaction? He was seriously grossed out, not to mention he got no lunch out of the deal. I told him I thought he'd have to prove he got sick, provide dr.'s bills, loss of wages due to being out of work, etc. to make them pay anything. I also told him to call the health department. Anyone know what, if anything, he can do?

:iagree: Very well said - lovely, really.

Great news! Thanks for the update!

Oboe and clarinet have completely different fingering patterns. The oboe is a double-reed instrument; the clarinet is a single-reed instrument. The clarinet is much easier to play - the oboe requires much more stamina and breath support. Oboe players make their own reeds - it is somewhat of an art; clarinet reeds can be purchased ready made. If your daughter wants to learn oboe, now is the time to start. There are many beautiful oboe solos in orchestral pieces and not may proficient oboe players who can play them well. If your daughter excelled in oboe she would be sought after. Finding a good oboe teacher can be difficult though. Once she has learned the oboe fairly well, she could add English horn and bassoon. If she wants to be highly sought after, she should try to be accomplished in all woodwinds, although this would be something she could learn in college. Playing the piccolo is fairly easy to pick up once one has learned to play the flute fairly well. I highly recommend memorizing the piccolo solo in John Philip Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever" - it is a classic piccolo solo and makes a great audition piece. If either is aspiring to major in music then you would definitely want them to be taking private lessons.