Thanks so much everyone. I've done some thinking and I've come to some conclusions: First, short of spending the $100 dollars on a pair of bark collars, there is nothing I can do that will satisfy this woman (I'd consider the collars, but we need to pay off Christmas first, and we may have the opportunity to move soon). Second, I need to file a complaint with the police, or at least put something in writing. If we are able to move, we would need to rent the house, and I think it would be wise to have something on record with the police. Third, our noise law is vague: "frequent or excessive barking that disturbs the peace of the neighbors" The officer to whom my dh spoke last night only said that they wouldn't issue a fine for "normal barking." He was very understanding, and agreed that the noise hot line was often used in a vindictive manner, and was a waste of time and resources. He suggested that we call the supervisor to see if we could ID the caller, but the latest call had been deleted. Fourth: We have approached the husband next door, but he just chooses to keep out of it. This woman is an Eastern European army wife (from the Bosnian conflict), and supposedly her temper and bossiness is typical of her countrywoman - I think he admires it somewhat, but he won't go toe to toe with her. Fifth: Yes, part of this is dog specific. One of our dogs is a pitbull shepherd mix (he looks like Petey from The Little Rascals, but his face is half brown and half white :)). He's a super dog, obedient and friendly, but our neighbor calls him "ugly" and "hideous," and has even suggested that we have him put down. Lastly, we only park on the street now if we're coming back late with all the kids (My 4 yo has only one volume - piercing! :lol:). My dh's work schedule changed, so that eliminated the nightly "beep, slam, clink." Thanks for the advice and the support. My favorite line from all of your replies was My dh will be rolling about that one - Thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

I'd like some advice for handling an uncomfortable situation. I live in a cozy inner-ring suburb. By cozy, I mean that our lots are teeny-tiny and we're less than 10 ft. from our neighbors on both sides. Ever since we've moved in we've had troubles with our "right-hand" neighbor (just the wife - the husband's a super nice guy). The problem boils down to the fact that she's super sensitive to noise (she also has some medical issues that make her fatigued and irritable). Super-sensitive means that she's complained to us about the clink our gate makes when my dh has to work late, or the beep-beep of our car when we open the door in the driveway (we often park on the street if it's late so we don't disturb her). In the past year we've adopted a couple of dogs. They're young, but they're good dogs and they get plenty of walks and discipline. Knowing neighbor's disposition we're careful to not let them bark after dark -- but accidents do happen (when one is indisposed or tucking kids into bed etc.) These accidents are infrequent, generally caused when a possum or a cat is near, and result in no more than 3 - 5 minutes of barking (I'm not fudging the time - I actually stopped singing a bedtime song the other night to rush downstairs to call in the dogs.) So, in the past 6 months we've had 4 visits from the dog warden for noise complaints (filed anonymously). I've spoken to all of my neighbors (before any violations) to let them know that I would appreciate knowing if the dogs are a nuisance when I'm out. Everyone says they're fine. I actually spoke to the noise sensitive neighbor after the first violation, to ask if she had called. She said she hadn't. My dh and I will, of course, try to be even better about the dogs, but we can't be perfect. Thus far we have not been fined, as the dogs have never been barking when the police stop by, but the fines are sizable (last night an officer sat in our drive for a half an hour listening - he was annoyed that he was wasting his time - he had just come from a drug bust). Do I confront this neighbor with no proof? I've considered finding a mediator (she tend anger easily and scream a lot), but can make no headway if I don't know who is being bothered. Any words of advice?

We've used RS right through (now doing Geometry) with my eldest, and my middle child is just finishing B. C is a number of years ago, but I'll add in my opinions based on a variety of experiences. RS focuses on addition and multiplication to the neglect/exclusion of subtraction and division. It almost seems as though RS expects students to understand the "positive" functions so well that the "negative" functions will just appear instinctively, as the other aspect of a "part/whole equation." For my ds, subtraction did come quite easily, however, he would forget the process, as it wasn't practiced as extensively. Division, OTOH has been quite a pain, as have fractions. With Division, I just created some supplementary sheets and focused on the skill until he understood. With fractions, I've bought some supplementary material (a 7th grade Spectrum workbook), and we are currently working through the fractions materials. That said, ds loves RS and laments every day that I pull out the Spectrum workbook. He has a much better intuitive grasp of math than I do, and is great with mental math. I will continue with RS for my girls, although I'll be more pro active about its faults. One other thing... Moving into multiplication I spend lots of time doing active math: singing multiplication songs (I made some up), tossing a bean bag or marching or jumping while chanting songs or tables (some songs have a strong 4/4 beat good for the 4's and 8's, some 3/4's/waltzes work with the 3's and 6's). This is a beautiful Multiplication clock, that even my non-artistic son loved making, and here is a multiplication star (tutorial)- these projects really helped my son love multiplication. HTH,

Try Fedco. They aren't exclusively heirloom, but the majority of their seeds are open-pollinated. They are a co-op, their seeds are the cheapest you'll find, and I've always been totally satisfied with their quality. The only downsides: They are out of Maine, and specialize in varieties that perform well in cooler climates. The catalog is B&W with no pictures of the vegies (although you can look at these online).

Thanks to all! We were remodeling this weekend, and we saw no large spiders (yahoo!), although one of the traps had some very suspicious legs caught in it (a spider big enough to pull free of the sticky trap? Yikes!). I think we have all of the common problems: 1. Too many bugs because of a lack of cleanliness 2. Old, damp basement (our remodel this weekend was on the bathroom - there is a two inch gap around the tile and the tub in some spots - lots of dampness in the walls 3. Nice calm place for spiders - no one has disturbed those webs in a long time. 4. Lots of nooks and crannies. The fellow who last remodeled was very "incomplete." He left lots of gaps around moldings and edges, and very rarely nailed baseboards into place. Some of the biggest webs we found behind loose baseboards. I've been looking for a hedgeapple tree - my grandma swore by them I love the idea of tea tree oil - Citra solv works as a contact killer for most all insects, but I would love a repellent. I'm adverse to using strong poisons... I'm almost to that point, and in fact my DH bought some Raid type stuff, but that's our last resort. I'll continue to clean and vacuum. We are already seeing fewer common house spiders. These big guys hide during daylight, and DH thinks we should go spider hunting (dark house, flashlights and flat-bottomed stomping shoes). I'm sure most have set up house keeping in the basement.... I just have to get up the fortitude to start cleaning (and killing) down there (Thank goodness for high powered shop-vacs with long hoses!!!) Thanks!

We're moving to an old farmhouse surrounded by suburbs (Built in the 1880's - probably one of the first homes in this area). The former resident had lived there on her own for the past 7 years, and is an older lady with limited mobility. She very obviously had a hard time cleaning...:glare: Anyhow, cleaning I can do, but the house has a population of Giant Spiders! They look a bit like wolf spiders, but they are usually about an inch across. We have stomped about 3 and caught 4 more with sticky traps. This might not seem like a large amount, but we aren't even living there yet - still remodeling. My DH and I are ok with regular house spiders, (meaning we're not too freaked out to kill them) but these big creepy crawlies have us both shaken. I keep imagining myself coming down at night to use the potty..... Anyone dealt with this sort of infestation? We're in OH near Lake Erie. Please share any tips or advice. Thanks!

I have a mother, a sister, an aunt, a cousin 2 SILs and a BIL (not to mention my dear Gram who is passed) in the teaching profession - all but one in the PS system. The only time that I have ever received advice unsolicited was from my SIL when she was student teaching. My SIL brought the reading specialist from her school to my house (unplanned, the were "just in the neighborhood") My eldest was having struggles with dyslexia, and of course it was obvious at family gatherings. We chatted (I felt very much in the spotlight). The specialist seemed satisfied with my choices, and I heard no more about the issue until last Thanksgiving. SIL, BIL and I were chatting about teaching, and SIL brought up the story. She admitted that she was still mortified when she thought about it, and that student teaching had made her supremely (over)confident, while 5 years of teaching had torn down that facade and re-built it in a very different way. I think teacher's ed. is like Med school in a way. The students are told that they are being educated to handle anything that is thrown their way, and they are naive as to the real world complexity until they have experienced it. My teaching family (esp. my SIL), and I talk all the time about education. Sometimes I envy what they have (language and Art teachers!!!!), but my SIL and BIL would consider HSing if they ever have a child.

Long time RS user here, but I don't have too much to offer in terms of organizational systems. When my youngest was in search and destroy mode, I simply bagged all of the smaller pieces (cubes, tiles, place value cards etc.) using the heaviest duty zipper lock bags available; rubber-banded all of the cards and then bagged them, and shoved every thing except the math balance (that's usually in a closet) in a medium-sized rubber maid type tub. Now that my youngest is not eating everything, I have ditched the tub and keep everything (bagged and rubber banded) in a salvaged three drawer bedside table. My younger two will play with the geo boards and the math balance, and there is usually at least one abacus floating around. We definitely don't just bring stuff out at math-time. Keeping it simple works best for me, and that means everything in one place. The toughest part of the early years with RS is making the extras. This is my second go round, and I'm not making nearly so many of them as the first time through. Good Luck!

We recently bought our "dream/nightmare" house. On the dream side, it's 4 acres so I can restart my market gardening business, was in our budget, and is close enough to town that the commute is reasonable (30 minutes). On the nightmare side, it was built in the 1880's, and the previous owners didn't like to spend money on having work professionally done (lots of crazy, nowhere near up to code "fixes"). This past weekend my dh and I spent 18 hours dressed in haz-mat suits, sanding the floors to remove the lead paint (lost about 5 lbs - probably all water weight!:D). Mid-way through the repairs the plumbing backed up in the toilet, the sinks, the washer...Nothing worked except the shower (thank God we had the shower). We discovered that the shower is routed to the sump pump, which discharges into a small ornamental pond on the property. During the purchase process, we had a septic inspection. It was then discovered that the washer was routed to the pond, and that was corrected. Evidently, the inspector missed the shower. :glare: So, the question... We know that the septic is on the smaller size, but it's functional. We know that the house has functioned well for many years with the washer and shower being filtered biologically through the pond. Is it wrong to continue using this pond as a biological filter for the shower (to keep the septic from filling too quickly)? We already use natural hair and body care products. Does anyone have a recommendation for super low impact products? What about switching the washer back? Currently I make my own laundry soap (Ivory soap, borax and washing soda). What is the best product to use for systems that utilize "gray water?" Thanks

I'm in much the same situation, and it doesn't help that two of my best friends are newly pregnant. I think all the advice you've received is good (I've gotten 2 puppies in the past year, and they are well exercised, disciplined and loved!). I keep reminding myself to lavish all the attention and affection that would go to a new baby on my beautiful children - to give them my very best, and to reinvest myself daily into all of the aspects of motherhood (big changes on the horizon with a 12 year old). Also, I'm looking back 13 years to that time before children and remembering those goals. My DH does not want any more children, but he is very willing to help me with my dreams (and we are in a much better place to pursue those dreams now). The more I move forward on personal growth, the less I feel that longing to feel a new life within. I don't know that it will ever fully depart, but it has lessened. :grouphug:

I purchased Fallacy Detective this year (my son's 12), and did not find it to our taste at all. The CC slant was pervasive to the point it defied any logical explanation, and there was a very patriarchal/sexist overtone. If this suits you please ignore my critique. I have used other Christian resources before that I found much more palatable. We switched to Philosophy for Kids for ds's 7th grade year, along with the final book in the Safari logic series (Liftoff with Logic). Philosophy for Kids is not as intensive as a true logic course, but it has generated quite a few good conversations already and we're only on week 2.

I would second the RightStart option. There are more options than with a simple Melissa and Doug model. This is a well thought out tool, not just a toy. Having taught through all of the Rs levels with my oldest, and now starting with my middle child, I'm streamlining and teaching more of what is covered in the AL abacus program - it's quick, simple and effective.

I tell all of mine (this is not just limited to teenage boys in my family;)) exactly what message they are sending with an eye roll; "Mom, you are the most stupid human that has ever existed, and I have zero respect for you or your authority." I then let them know that I will react as though these words were spoken (usually just a warning for the youngers who are simply imitating). We've had a couple of punishments, and at least this isn't becoming a habit. Good Luck!

We started with Miquon, for part of K, and then found out about RightStart about half way through. We've stuck with it ever since and I'm glad we did.

Thanks all, as is often the case, you've given me the clues I needed and reminded me of what I already know. I forgot a huge issue that has been going on in all of our lives (and has corresponded to an increase in accidents). We have a couple of young kids (est. 13 and 15) who have been holding up people at gun point in our general neighborhood. I still take the dogs on the AM walk (about 30 minutes on leash with a 10 minute off leash romp in a field) as the crimes are occurring in the opposite direction and in the afternoon and evening, but my ds and dh have dropped afternoon and evening walks. I think the real issue is just refining her schedule and never leaving her in the house unsupervised. I do feed twice daily, and I add yogurt or an egg to encourage the dogs to eat it all so they'll be ready to go. However, I've not gone back to the basics of taking her out 30 minutes after eating and praising for production (we did do all that up till about 18 weeks, which is when my other dogs have been reliable - but she's different). I do think that her unsupervised outside time is confusing her. That's where she prefers to be, but I can see that this will need to change until she's got the picture. Also, I've just finished the 4 hour long job of scrubbing and disinfecting the whole basement. There is no odor (save clorox), so hopefully she'll not see it as her area anymore. Thanks,

The puppy in question is 8 months old and we've had her since she was eight weeks. This is the 6th dog we've had, and I've never had a problem with housebreaking, but this girl is throwing me for a loop. She is a shepherd/golden mix, but she's also short and long like a basset hound (silly looking girl!) She took a long time to just get the basics of housebreaking, and would foul her bedding in the crate if we left her alone for more than 3 hours (until about 6 months of age - now she can handle longer) She will often find her way past the gate into the basement, and will have a bm and urinate in the same corner. I clean up the area with vinegar, but today I'll be scrubbing the entire basement and using a bleach solution to try to solve this problem. Our biggest issue is that she never asks to be let out so she can toilet (she spends alot of time outside - her choice). I have considered that she's confused about inside/outside, but she does toilet outside (far from the house in a specific corner). I think she just feels that her basement corner is where she goes when she's in, like the yard corner is where she goes when she's out. As I've mentioned we do gate off the basement, but there are frequent instances when it's left open, and she uses those times. She's a great lovey girl and fantastic with our kids, but I'd love to solve this problem. Thanks,

One summer I shaved my GSD/border collie mix (we were on a farm and getting the burrs out of her coat was becoming a full time job). Poor girl, she hid behind the couch for a week. She was totally humiliated by the way she looked/felt. We never tortured her like that again, and she got very good at waiting patiently while I removed all the burrs and twigs from her beautiful feathery hind end. :)

I love the Downy ball idea! Vinegar really helps, and this will make it easier. I had forgotten all about Oxyclean, and I'll see if my mom can pick-up some ODO ban from Sam's (I can handle almost any smell if it's not artificial or perfumy). I enjoyed the family homesteading site - lots of interesting information. I make my soap almost identically, except that I'm using a whole bar of Kirk's to 2 cups each washing soda and borax (and I only use 1/4 cup). I think I'll try increasing the amount of soap to see if this helps. I'm also going to try adding some Citrasolv to the dirtier loads. I use it for other cleaning purposes, and it's recommended for laundry and I love the smell. Thanks for everyone's help

I've been wondering about lavender essential oils too, it's just that they seem rather expensive, especially when one is adding 2 teaspoons per batch of soap (that's the recommendation I've read). I'll take you up on your timer suggestion, and if I put up our drying line again, I'm sure it would help (dh hates it 'cause our yard is tiny and that's one more thing I've tried to cram in). I've wondered what adding vinegar to the wash would do? I've only ever used it as a rinse - it works, but only if one gets there right after the wash is done (which I'm struggling with already ;)). I'm going to search for other recipes, I'll keep you posted if I find something that works for me (I'm a gardener, so I'm the one who is stressing the system)! Thanks,

For most of the winter I've been making home made laundry soap. The recipe is 1 bar of Kirk's Castille soap, 2 cups borax and 2 cups Arm and Hammer washing soda (Based on the Duggar's recipe). It has been working well when the weather is chilly, but since it's started to heat up (and we're out more and we're dirtier), I've noticed that the clothes smell funky if I don't get them into the drier ASAP after washing. If I dry them within a few hours, they still smell clean, but if I let the wet laundry stay in the washer for any longer than 2-3 hours - YUCK! The original recipe called for Fels Naptha Soap, but the fragrance of that stuff is instant migraine for me. The one time I bought it, I had to get up at 2AM to take it out to the garage and throw it away :ack2: - so please don't suggest that I use this brand. Anyone have any suggestions or solutions? I've been saving enough money that I'd like to continue with home made, but I'm not always on top of the laundry as much as I'll need to be unless I can find a better recipe. Thanks!

I've got to agree with all the others who felt that parenthood helped them become more empathetic. Not only do you suddenly have an absolutely pressing need to know why that little being is crying; as your children grow older you realize how little is under your control. Life just comes at you when you're a parent, and this helped me realize that life is always coming at everyone, and most of us are just struggling along as best we can.

Link I got this as a gift with my third child and used it until she was almost 3 (for hikes). It was so much more comfortable and safer than the sling, and much more convenient than the huge long piece of cloth that had to be tied in a complicated pattern, but could be worn anyway at all...;) (apologies to all who love the long cloth:D) Loved the ergo - no numb achy shoulder! They don't even pay me for this loyalty!

Thanks All, I'm going for it (when I get the $ ;)). It really does sound like what I need, and nobody hates it - that's about as good as it gets! Thanks,

Hi JanOH, from one Ohioan to another (moved from Tiffin to Cleveland)! Are you using SC in addition to another writing curriculum for your oldest two? Is it just the level of sentence that is being imitated that is too difficult? My 12 yo ds is certainly not a comfortable writer, and I would rather something be too easy for him to build his confidence. (Guess I should look at the elementary samples - it's often hard for me to put myself in his shoes when reviewing curriculum. :confused:) Thanks,

I'll be interested to hear how it goes for you. I'm specifically looking at the middle school age books. Our writing this coming year is not going to be based on any one program, rather we're going to work across our subjects on skills like research, outlining, paragraph construction and style. I haven't found the "ideal" book to help me with the necessary background, but I found the description of Sentence Composing to be very useful, especially as my ds still has a hard time varying his sentence structure. I'm especially curious as to how much grammar is actually taught with the grammar book. I've decided that I'd prefer to focus on grammar as a tool to use toward achieving clear, concise writing. I'm not attached to diagraming or some of the upper level grammatical concepts, but I'd like my kids to use a variety of sentence contructs and be able to punctuate. Thanks,