we actually have a postcard from Texas like the one Abbeyj described. It is a very clever idea. Since we have a lot of family in Texas (DH is from there), it hangs in a prominent spot on our refrigerator. LauraD in MN

I commented on this to my DH. Obama's tie was blue and his wife's dress was red, and vice versa for the McCains. Now, I can understand the blue/red tie thing, but I was very surprised about the dresses! LauraD in MN

I haven't read all the responses, but we give a golden dollar for each tooth and a typed letter from the tooth fairy (written in a fancy, swirly font). For the first tooth we also gave a fun new toothbrush and toothpaste, the kind I never buy. So of course it had to have been from the tooth fairy! LauraD in Mn

ds (10) plans to be a Charlie Brown ghost (I really hope he sticks with this idea!) and dd (13) wants to be an 80s rock star, inspired by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister. LauraD in MN

I hope this is ok to post here.... A local homeschooling mom/university professor has recently published her first children's novel aimed at kids ages 9 to 12. It is historical fiction/fantasy entitled The Remarkable and Very True Adventures of Lucy and Snowcap. Here is a link to a review of the book that appeared in our local paper over the weekend (second book down). http://www.twincities.com/ci_10556869?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com I just picked up the book yesterday at our local children's bookstore and have read about a third. It is well written and has great characters. I highly recommend you check it out! LauraD in MN

thanks to everyone for all these great suggestions. I have made a list and I plan to keep it handy for future appointments. Please keep Deb in your prayers tomorrow as she undergoes her chemo treatment. thanks, LauraD in MN

I am taking a dear friend to an all day chemo appointment on Wednesday. She will be hooked to an i.v., so we will be in her room most of the time. I plan to take our portable dvd player and a couple of movies in case she feels up to watching something. So, I need some recommendations for light-hearted, fun, chick flick movies. Nothing sad, please. Thanks! LauraD in MN

A while back, maybe this summer, someone posted a schedule combining the History of US books with one of the Teaching Company American History lectures. I have tried a search, but no luck. Does anyone remember this, and can you provide a link to the original posting? thanks, LauraD in MN

A while back, maybe this summer, someone posted a schedule combining the History of US with one of the Teaching Company American History lectures. I have tried a search, but no luck. Does anyone remember this, and can you provide a link to the original posting? thanks, LauraD in MN

right now on VH1 they are doing a countdown of the top 100 songs of the 80s! There are lots of the videos on vh1.com! LauraD in Mn

I used the book Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown, the Official Guide to America's Historic Triangle by the Williamsburg foundation to help plan our visit. Although it doesn't have the Rick Steves-type information, I found it useful. I was able to get the book from our library. Enjoy your trip! LauraD in MN

I wear the little footie socks with that style of shoe. They cover the lower part of my foot, and don't show over the edge of the shoe. I have found them in beige and black at Target. LauraD in MN

By Way of the Family has closed its store in St. Paul. Half Price Books has a very nice store located at Ford Parkway and Cretin Ave. in St. Paul, as well as other locations around the Twin Cities. There is also the ABC Zone (952) 948-0108. It's address is listed as 8098 Morgan Cir S, Minneapolis, MN 55431, but it is really in the suburb of Bloomington. LauraD in MN

our classes are also limited to 15 students. The first year there were 24 or so students in a class, and it was crazy. Limiting the class size to 15 allows for good class discussion, and a manageable number of students for the teachers. We always have two adults in the room, the teacher and a parent helper. LauraD in MN

Ever since the Wii Fit came out, our Target stores seem to always have the Wii in stock. Quite a change from last year when they were few and far between. LauraD in MN

our entire family enjoyed Peter and the Starcatchers and the sequels. LauraD in MN

We went to a local violin shop that my son's teacher recommended when he was ready to move up a size. But, our teacher is also highly complimentary of Shar Music. I would suggest just talking to them and letting them know your price range. They will send you violins to test, and you can make a decision with the help of your child's teacher. I know people who have sent numerous violins, bows, etc back and forth with Shar until they found just the right one. LauraD in MN

videos and books can be a great help, but I think the best way to learn to knit is to have someone show you the basics. Start asking around, and you will be surprised at how many people know how to knit and are willing to help you get started. Knitters love to get new people hooked! Good luck! LauraD in MN

ummm..that would be shirts(s) for my DH! and I cringe to think what would happen if I did actually use those shirts for rags! oh, well, it could be worse, he does only wear them around the house..... LauraD in MN

I, too, live in MN, and I would just be livid if this had happened to me! I mainly use the Peabody test for my kids and have been happy. I have also ordered the ITBS through the U of MN. The good thing about these two tests is that the school district is not involved at all. No one needs to see my children's test scores but me. You might want to consider using a different testing method, because there is no guarantee this won't happen again, even if the district assures you it won't. there are several Yahoo groups for MN homeschoolers such as ECHO-MN and hsadventures. There is often discussion about standardized testing on these message boards. I don't know where you live, but some Peabody testers post testing info on these boards. LauraD in MN

I was selling some items and had a very similar situation. A woman wanted to buy something, and she sent me a PM, but she never responded to the PM I sent her. Finally, after several attempts, I sent her a final message saying because she wasn't responding, I was selling the item to the next person who expressed an interest. If the money order should happen to show up, just send it back to her along with a (dated) print out of your messages. LauraD in MN

I haven't read all the responses, but my reaction to your question is no, (organized) sports are not necessary, but physical exercise is. My dd and ds play on a rec soccer team instead of the "elite" teams and they play other rec sports as well. However, we also like to go on long bike rides or walks, and I think they are learning that exercise is a good, fun thing! My suggestion is to find something you all can enjoy together such as shooting hoops, walking, biking, swimming, etc and have a good time while also getting some exercise! LauraD in MN

after reading Kelley's thread about a living books approach to biology, I went to the website for this program. It looks so interesting, and based on what I read on the site, a good fit for my dd next year. However, I would like to hear from anyone who has actually used this program, pros, cons, are you going to continue with the series?, etc. Any insight is greatly appreciated. LauraD in MN

My dd started Lial's algebra about a month ago, and I quickly realized that most( but not all) sections will take two days for us to get through. I don't know if we will get done in a year or not, but my dd did comment that she wants to work on math a couple/three days a week through the summer. I am hopeful that if we can stick to that schedule, we will complete the book by the end of 8th grade next May. LauraD in MN

can you share the theology books you used in additon to this text? thanks much, LauraD in MN