I knew better than to read this thread while I was in the middle of planning! Seriously, today was the day to get it all out of my head and on to paper. I am the type that has to stew on things for months, then it falls into place on the last day. Except, of course, when I read threads like this! I just added in about 9 more credits :D, Is leaving you now, and won't come back until I am done!:auto:

I have heard many success stories regarding SN kids and IEW. Sigh. Reconsidering.

H~ Bumping for you. I have a aspie who will be in 9th and we are going to start WWS this year. I have nothing else to add, but I'm watching this thread! (I like your new avatar pic! :D )

Great job! I did this in our kids' rooms. My clear coat is wearing through in some places, but it will be easy to repair. I think it is about 3 years old now. We did it thinking that it would be easy to put in a wood floor right over the top, and that we would get to that in a year. It looked so good that the wood floor keeps getting lower on the priority list. :D Cost: Cheap disposable mini foam roller and plastic pan $3 2 rolls of heavy duty brown paper for $8 ea 1 pail of wall paper glue $8 Clear top coat (2 gal) $90 We did a 32 x 16 room (subdivided into kids cubicles)

So happy for you! If there were only someone who would cut 'frizzy girl'....:D

I have seen this, and was just dying for someone to mention it here :). It looks like it could be a good fit for one of my dc; I just want to hear it is worthwhile!

I have been looking for an app- which do you prefer? Thanks!

I just got two from Mommaduck..... I love them! :001_wub: (and I just got them for wear-around, as they are so pretty. I feel too shy to wear them to church, though there is no reason why I should feel that way. I guess I am worried about drawing attention to myself, which presupposes that someone even notices what I am wearing or doing in church! There's your vanity right there! :D)

Non-nutrient agar is not really suitable for growing bacteria. Nutrient agar contains beef broth and yeast extracts for optimum growth- it is also selective for non-pathogenic bacteria. I would try nutrient agar for sure! The other agars out there are selective for different organisms (differing in ph, for example) Here is a good introduction to agar. Hope that helps!

I looked at prices for graphing calculators today...:svengo: It occurred to me that perhaps there is an ipad app dd could use for this. Does this sound reasonable? Does any one know of a good one? The new ipad is changing our home school! Thanks!! ~ Lisa

Milovany~ At what time do you do compline? My dh schedule has changed as well, and so many things are at loose ends. I am thinking that it would work right after dinner, but before evening family time, but I am not sure. Also, my priest suggested that we do a 'mini' compline first (I can send you the link) and work up to the one in my prayer book. That may be because we used to do the prayer book one and fell off the wagon, so to speak, so take that thought with a grain of salt. It might be something to consider though. I really want to get this part of family life going strong again!

Don't forget the Christian East; I would include some writings of the Desert Fathers and Homilies of John Chrysostom.

We keep a roll of duct tape handy; a little square over all the button backs works wonders. It will stay on through the wash, too, but I have to inspect every now and again to make sure it is still on.

Lori, you always amaze me! I wanted to add that Soul Surfer really changed my daughter's perspective on life. We talk about heroes a lot in my family, but Bethany Hamilton was someone modern and young, so my daughter identified with her in very personal way (my personal heroes tend to have lived in the desert in the 4th century, apparently that isn't so inspiring for a 9th grade girl :D).

I recently saw this, and I think I might like it better than WPD too! Too bad I already dropped $50 on WPD for me and the kids this year :glare: Just checked: WPD has subjects down the left (6 rows, with a 1/2 row at the bottom), and days of the week across the top. Each resulting grid square has 4 lines. I like that the Debra Bell planner (UHP) has blank headers for the columns and rows, and has 5 lines in each. That might give more flexibility in planning, resulting in slightly more space than the WPD. I can't believe I would turn my back on the planner I have raved about for 4 years now, but in all honesty I don't use the home-making features in WPD. I appreciate the space in the UHP for school goals and reflections; love that I am reminded to check against those goals monthly. I am Eastern Orthodox, and though the Catechism and reformed quotes in the WPD don't necessarily bother me, I find the focus of the UHP to be deeper and more workable for our spiritual goals for the children.

Bumping for Ellie to see! :D

Ellie ~ Thank you SO much for telling me about these! I had to stop at the grocery store yesterday and found some there. I have had them in and out all day! They really work (though I had to confess that it took me a while to figure out the right tension my bun should be before I 'spun' them through). I just came in from a rousing game of badminton and though my bun looks a bit messy, it is still holding on. Yeah!!!! :w00t: I am so very thankful to get rid of the chopstick headaches, the leaking ballpoint pens, or the slippery pencils I tried to use before :blink:. Now I just have to wait for them to go on sale so I can get more! Thank you!!!!!!:D

Chucki- I have thought about your kleenex story many times! I have used it as a metaphor since I first heard it- sometimes as I try to throw the kleenex over my own bs, sometimes as a reminder that God blesses even my smallest effort. Thank you! You have no idea what that story has meant to me! :D

Our very best lap books were the ones we did ourselves. I bought the Dinah Zike book of books and the Ultimate Lapbook Handbook for instructions on how to make the mini books, and we used the main threads for subject ideas. All the kids' books looked different, and they still keep them and look at them to this day. The pre-packaged ones were tossed out. It really wasn't hard to do, and the kids loved taking ownership of the subject matter. They did not look that great, but they remember the 'threads', which is the point :D.

I always had punk hair growing up, then I married a hippie and went long. I am soooo tired of the various methods I use to keep it up, and am dreaming of sending it all to Locks of Love.

Oh! I am getting some right away! thanks!

So does this mean I can chop off my hair? :D Seriously, I have been cleaning out closets this week and my hair is killing me! It falls out of every holder and gets everywhere. It is so thick and so hot and generally in the way that I have been fantasizing about chopping it like this. Of course I don't actually look like that, and would in fact look hideous. So that would help with my vanity, right? And then I could pop a lovely covering over it (like the ones I am buying from Mommaduck's Boutique) and be done!!! Right? The only thing that keeps me from it is the look on my choir director's face when she sees it. And vanity. :D OK, OK, back to your discussion. But some time can we talk about hair?

I do! I had fresh strawberries with my chocolate today, and a bit of wine, though perhaps that part should be left out of the health syllabus. :D Unfortunately I am in the whirlwind of high-school-planning stress, and managing by stacking books, making lists, pulling on my hair and then checking the forums. I can't wait until my brain settles down!!

Oh! Hi there!!!!:D

Oh, we are too! Leaving on Monday! I think our plans mostly involve eating. :D Do you plan to go further north to the Lewis and Clark sites?