When I was little, I loved the smell of permanent marker too. My older brother caught me sniffing one once and had to tell me it was dangerous. I love the smell of skunk. It's because it reminds me of going on road trips and brings back good memories. I grew up in CA and the only time I smelled skunk was on road trips. Now I live in TX and I sometimes get to smell skunk in my own backyard! Sometimes we can even smell it in the house if the windows are open, LOL. I joke that they should make skunk scented air freshener. Susan in TX

Last year I spent $325.00 for 4 kids. $200 of that was to pay for a Dallas Library card (we don't live in Dallas so we can't get a free card but their library system is much larger than ours.) So far this year I've spent about $75. In 2006, I spent $1238.00 for 5 kids. A lot of that was wasted money because I ended up not using a lot of the curriculum I bought. I did sell it and got some of my money back. Over the last eight years I've averaged $600 a year for 4-5 kids. Susan in TX

Comfortable to me is having enough money to pay the bills and meet basic needs. Not having to worry about how you are going to go to your cousin's wedding when you don't have money to buy a dress, and you don't have a dress hanging in your closet. It's not having to worry about how you are going to afford new shoes for your kids, especially the one with wide feet whose shoes cost $50, because you can't find a pair that fits at Wal-mart. It is having enough money to fix the car when it breaks down and not having to use one credit card to pay the monthly payment on another. That's comfortable. Susan in TX

We don't immunise and I don't take my children to the doctor unless they are sick. With my first child, I was told by my pediatrician that if I didn't want to immunise then there was no reason to take my child in for well-child visits. That was 18 years ago, in CA, and I still find it unbelievable that a doctor would say this. My 18 year old recently had to get a physical for college and the reaction from the nurse when my daughter told her she hadn't seen a doctor in 14 years was priceless! Also, it is perfectly legal not to immunize, or selectively immunize here in TX. The exemption form is easy to get. We have also been on medicaid and CHIP (state children's health insurance) and no one has given me hassles about not immunizing. I have heard of doctor's refusing to take on patients who don't immunize, but I've never had a problem myself. Also, D.O.s tend to be more open to natural medicine and not immunizing than M.D.s. Susan in TX

I call it hamburger because that's what my Mom called it. I grew up in CA but my Mom grew up in Minnesota. Susan in TX

We used AO American lit and I think it is really light even for a basic chonological overview. I think you could save yourself the money and find the same info online or at the library. Susan in TX

I just found that R&S grade 2 English was overly simplistic and not really necessary. I also don't see a need for doing grammar until a child is done with phonics and reading fluently, so we start with the 3rd grade book. I do the same with R&S spelling. Susan in TX

I have had problems with being itchy is this pregnancy, too. I have only had this with one other pregnancy. I was worried about cholestasis, even though I have no history of it (8 previous pregnancies with no cholestasis). I called my midwife and she said that it was most likely something I've been eating and that your body can develop sensitivities during pregnancy that you don't normally have. She also said I could take benedryl. I brought up the possibility of cholestasis and she said I could come in and get tested but she really didn't think it could be that. So I decided to wait and after about a week the itching went away. Then, about a week or so later I had a banana smoothie and I started to itch again for a day or so and then it stopped. So I think it might be bananas that are making me itch but I don't want to eat one to test the theory! I was allergic to bananas when I was little. I'd get a rash on my face if I ate too many. But that hasn't happened since I was five. But who knows? I took Benedryl at night so I could sleep. I'm not sure if it helped with the itching but it did put me to sleep. I also used Extra Strength Gold Bond medicated Boy Lotion which also helped some. Susan in TX

Okay, continuing with my post: Dinner canned soup, when on sale for $1.25 a can canned chili lunchmeat sandwiches, when lunchmeat is on sale hot pockets frozen burritos taquitos corn dogs hot dogs (mostly eat these in the summer) For drinks we have water. I reserve milk for cereal and don't buy milk at all if it is over $3 a gallon (or we use powdered). Dh drinks coffee. We rarely buy soda. We do drink a lot of hot cocoa and herbal tea in the winter. The bread I buy is $1 a loaf. I don't buy snack food. We do sometimes have ice cream. I buy very little produce. I do buy baby carrots when they are on sale for $1 for 1lb. The kids like to eat these with ranch dressing. I buy other fruit when it is on sale, but lately we have been getting free fruit from a friend who gets the bruised and over-ripe produce from a local grocery store. That has been a real blessing! Susan in TX

I feed a family of 9 (oldest daughter is only home on week-ends and she doesn't eat much so I can't really count her:) on $500 a month and we do not eat out. However, dh and two of my teens don't eat lunch at home and my teens do eat out sometimes. I try to keep the budget at $2 a day per person: $1 for dinner and .50 cents for breakfast and lunch. I don't buy much is the way of fruit and vegetables and we eat mostly convenience food. I used to cook from scratch all the time but I figured out that for what we were eating, that actually cost more. I make no claims that what we eat is healthy but when you have limited funds you do what you have to. Breakfast DH and two older girls eat store-bought granola bars (dh isn't into breakfast and the girls go to PS so it's all they have time for but they will sometimes eat bagels) cereal: always bought on sale...I never pay more than $2 a box. frozen waffles...$1 for a box of 10 bagels with cream cheese...bagels on sale for $2 for 6ct. package pop-tarts $1.25/1.50 a box at Walmart (usually store brand) Sometimes the younger kids will eat PB&J or toast with jam Lunch PB&J frozen burritos $3.17 for package of 10 bolonga sandwiches when bologna is on sale for $1 for 12oz pkg. other lunchmeat sandwiches when lunchmeat is on sale for less that $3lb Dinner frozen dinners that are less than $1. I buy what is on sale. This past week it was Banquet. Frozen pizzas chicken nuggets chicken patty sandwiches... There's more but I'll have to finish later...it's starting to thunder and lightning and my computer doesn't have a surge protector. Susan in TX

Uh oh! Now that is a problem. My kids all work at the kitchen table together so it isn't too hard for me to be helping more than one at a time...but this wouldn't work if your son isn't really working independently yet. It really is hard juggling multiple ages, especially since you only have the two (I assume the baby isn't old enough to be a playmate for your daughter yet.) When you have several kids, you can send one or two off to entertain the youngers while the others do school and then switch...obviously not an option in your case right now but something that might work in a few years when the baby is the distraction! Susan in TX

This is kind of a tough situation. My 11, 9, and 7yo all do school together. They don't all finish at the same time though, but no one goes outside, plays with friends, watches TV, goes on the computer or does anything else that would be distracting until everyone is finished. My 5yo isn't really doing school yet but she gets out a coloring book and does "school" when everyone else does. She will also play contently by herself during that time. For your daughter, I would suggest making her do "school" as long as your son is doing school. Give her some sort of activity to do that doesn't look like "playing" to your son: coloring books, other easy pre-school workbooks, lacing cards, puzzles...anything that will keep her occupied but not be distracting to your son. Susan in TX

We have a family of 10 and I budget $500 a month for food. That is *just* food. I also budget another $200 a month for all the non-food stuff: cleaning supplies, paper goods, toiletries, over-the-counter meds, office supplies, and any other household needs that aren't large purchases or fall into the "repairs" category. Susan in TX

"Slightly over half of all Americans – 52.6 percent – now receive significant income from government programs" "about 1 in 5 Americans hold a government job or a job reliant on federal spending. A similar number receive Social Security or a government pension. About 19 million others get food stamps, 2 million get subsidized housing, and 5 million get education grants." http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0416/p01s04-usec.htm The fact is that our current economy is very dependent upon government spending and suddenly changing that would result in more than just a recession. Eliminating all government jobs would result in a 20% unemployment rate, which would just go up because that 20% of unemployed would no longer have money to spend, so other businesses would suffer, resulting in more unemployed. This would become a downward spiral and a deep hole that I think would be impossible to dig out of without government intervention...think Great Depression. Susan in TX

Well, what do you think would happen to our economy if all government jobs were eliminated? Your tax dollars provide a lot of jobs for a lot of people, both directly and indirectly. Susan in TX

This publication states that HALF of the infants in the US are receiving WIC. That is a sobering statistic. Why should anyone feel guilty for accepting aid that 50% of other parents are receiving? And what does this say about the economic conditions that 50 percent of America's children are being raised in? Susan in TX

I think that the government would be very happy if everyone who qualified for the government's programs used them. The government views it as a problem when those who should be getting this help aren't. Also, these programs don't just help the individuals served. Ultimately, they help the overall economy. These government programs provide jobs for many people. And foodstamps and WIC, provide increased profits for local grocery stores. So, one could argue that by NOT using WIC the original poster is not only depriving her children of nutritious food, she is also depriving her local economy of the funds that would be generated by her WIC purchases. Susan in TX

While it may be true that not everyone pays federal income taxes, even the poorest of the poor pay sales tax and most people pay property taxes one way or another. So everyone does pay taxes. Susan in TX

This program worked really well for my son who was struggling with reading. Susan in TX

Get WIC and don't feel guilty about it! If you couldn't afford to homeschool would you feel guilty because you send your kids to public school and the government is paying for it? Would you refuse a government grant that would pay for your kid's college tuition? Taxpayer money is taxpayer money. We shouldn't put a stigma on some forms of government aid and not others. Also, IMNSHO, the income caps for WIC are very generous. One can easily be making what I consider a very good income and still qualify. And those who are already on food stamps qualify as well so it is not intended to be only for those with dire need. Susan in TX

I had many of the same concerns you have and we also couldn't afford outsourcing so I let mine go to public school. My oldest started in 10th grade and my 2nd started 8th grade the same year. My third started public school as a 9th grader this year. I have no regrets. There is no way that I could have provided them with the education and opportunities they have gotten in public school. However, I am very glad that I homeschooled for their younger years. It gave them a solid educational foundation and self-confidence that many of their always public-schooled peers don't have. Susan in TX

Developmental Math Rod and Staff English Rod and Staff Spelling Explode the Code Apologia Science Lightning Lit The Library :-) Susan in TX

making money-DH paying bills-me budgeting-me mortgage/loans- N/A home repair/maintenance-DH banking/investments-me taxes-me car care-DH health insurance-me scheduling (making/keeping track of)-me phone calls or correspondence re: all the above-both teaching/school work or homework-me discipline (planning and implementing)-both spiritual guidance (who actually carries it out, not just the "head")-both kids mornings-me kids bedtimes-me transportation for kids-me, dh takes oldest daughter to/from college for breaks and some weekends grocery shopping-me laundry-me eating at home-me eating away (pack lunch, etc)- N/A daily chores/cleaning (really need sub-categories!)-me lawn care/snow cleanup-DH garden or bed maintenance-DH I have to say that I'm very happy with our division of labor. I am very glad that I don't have to go out and make money! I really think I have the easier job. Susan in TX

I have one of the most energy/water efficient dishwashers on the market and when it broke, I learned, to my dismay, that despite it's energy efficient claims, we use less energy and water washing by hand. Both our water and electric bills went down. I used to run the dishwasher twice a day. We now wash dishes once a day, using about a sink full of water: half full on the wash side, half full on the rinse side. I also use a sink full or so of water to soak dirty dishes. When I used the dishwasher, I did not need to rinse the dishes first and I rarely had anything that had to be scrubbed or washed by hand. Now, one reason why we are using less water/energy washing by hand is because we are using fewer dishes. Everyone has a cup with their name on it and I wash those ONCE a day. When we had the dishwasher, cups would get used, and get put in the dishwasher so we were often running the dishwasher just to wash all those cups. Susan in TX

I have been a SAHM for 18 years. And since I'm currently expecting another baby, I'll likely be a SAHM for another 18 years. At that point, I'll be 57...maybe not quite old enough for retirement, but I hope to be a grandma by then. I have no intention of ever returning to the paid workforce unless I have to out of dire necessity. Susan in TX