:iagree::iagree::iagree:

my 12 yo is taking it. She is quite comfortable taking the reading writing portions. There is no stress and I just looking for an increase from year to year. I have a goal that i would like to see her hit but I havent even let her know that number. I want her to relax and not stress. She didn't care for the prep books, so at this point I have her use a weekly online vocab game.

we had a library issue 2 weeks ago. I know I gave the book to DH to return. I was 99.9% certain. I even ordered a copy from amazon so we could have our own, but the library called so I was on a 2 day search turning everything upside down. Well turns out DH did return the book but to the other library. They entered it as returned and it got to the right place.

I'm famous for boxing things up. I think there is a magic number somewhere. That is the amout of time I can look at, pick up or step over something before I'm just tired of it. Once i reach the magic number the offenders get boxed. The box goes somewhere like the attic, basement, garage, back of closet,... The kids THINK it went to land of far away where unwanted belongings get sent to. A year or so later i may come across it and bring out a few things they'd be happy to see. Some things clearly we could do without and can get donated or trashed. The kids are happy, almost like getting something new. HOPEFULLY they will so excited it will get put away. My current dilema is laundry. I just can't see why dd (and DH) cant seem to get the dirty clothes in the proper place. It would only back fire if I put the clothes on the floor in a magic box. So sometimes I will wait to do laundry and when I do I will just wash what is in it's proper place. I hear dr Phil in the back of my head saying 'Now how's that working for you?' uhhhh... well.... I learned DH and DD are willing to reuse clothes with no problem :( It only bothers me. sigh.... Gosh I love DH but it would be so cool if he would just put the light clothes in the light bin and the dark in the darks bin.

I think school age is too old but again that is for my and 'my' situation. I think it's a bit strange to go to 9-10 but I just don't feel we have a right to tell that family what 'they' should do. If i decide to give myself a Mohawk today, it would be strange to most people (not that i would). I'm the type of person that is open to questions about my decisions but when someone condemns a person, it's not likely to be very productive. What if it was a sentimental tribute to a dear relative/ancestor? If you condemn the situation without being open you may miss the opportunity to learn of things you didn't know. Now I don't THINK those girls were in danger, a little weird but aren't we all a little weird in one way or another? i would imagine there a people in my life and perhaps all of ours, that think we are 'out there' for homeschooling? Doesn't make it right, doesn't make it wrong. It just shows we all have different perspectives.

My youngest kids just turned 3 and 1. The 3 yr old is just about weaned. I've been ready for her to wean for a while but i think it would have been tramatic to cut her off before SHE was ready. I think my 1 yr old will wean soon but again, I'll watch to see when she's done. right now she needs to nurse first thing in the morning. Any other time of the day, I think she could take it or leave it. Now i can't see nursing kids till they are school age, but that's just me. I think the decision should be what's best for each child (and mom). I do value the health benefits in breast milk. We actually don't drink cow's milk in the house. If I had the time i think I would pump and build a stash so they could have a glass anytime they wanted. For what it's worth, my nurslings have never had an ear infection at one and three yrs old.

I didn't intend to owner finance. I was willing to let him 'rent' having the option to buy. at the very last second he said he wanted to buy on land contract. It's my fault :( I fell for the last min change and didn't run it by my attorney. They way I understood it was, the two month wait was to get another open day on the courts calendar.

We arrived in court and our case was transferred to a new judge. The previous one is running for state senate and has transferred most of his cases. The new judge looks briefly at the file and says he needs to review it and sets ANOTHER court date for DECEMBER 2. My heart sank. He gets another 2 months to live in the house without paying :( He starts to give the judge excuses about he wasn't served or notified about the proceedings. My attorney steps in and lets the judge know that he was served personally at the last court date and has the documentation of such. The guy has more excuses than my 12 yr old does when she doesn't want to do math or her chores. My attorney (who is also a judge, in another court) sees that I'm crushed. He explains how the courts are really backed up now. He also tells me unofficially that ( he heard) the new judge has already briefly looked at the file and will likely issue a ruling in our favor at the December hearing. Things look hopeful. I am still mentally drained over this whole thing. I have to keep making payments on the house while he's in there and NOT paying. There is still the issue of the code violations he's generating; keeping a trailer in the drive way (we think he is charging someone to stay there and to hook up the the utilities), keeping his race cars up on blocks in the grass. sooooooo.... If anyone can spare a prayer here and there I would be grateful! Lara

congrats! I'd love to hear more if you have time :) how long did it take for him to 'deschool' how did the admissions process go? what about the standardized testing? Is he staying on campus? Is the school supportive? Lara

We have a house we need to sell. There were tenants in the house but they moved out and we really need the money we have in the house. Back in April we sold the house to a gentleman on land contract. He would pay us a 4,000 down payment then make the monthly payments to us for 2 years till he gets his own financing. He actually paid half of the down payment and the other half was supposed to be paid within 30 days. Well it's now October and he has not paid ANYTHING since that time! Meanwhile we are still making payments on the house that he lives in (without paying). Money is very tight for us right now and this really hurts. After he missed the first payment we started to hear rumors that he is a professional con artist and has done things like this before. We keep taking him to court but he keeps giving the judge excuses that he doesn't not have to pay (we never came to collect the payment, he didn't have the address to send the pmt, he gave cash pmt to someone else??,...). We ask the court to remove him because he has not paid in all this time but the court is deciding if he is a tenant or an owner that has to be foreclosed (a long, expensive and lengthy process). This man has really put us in the hole each month for each of the last 6 months. We simply cant afford to do this. Please lift us & this situation in prayer

am I the only one that enjoyed SNL's version BETTER than the actual debate?

thanx!!

I would contact the administrator. my dd is taking her first writing class with TPS. So far the class is going well and the teacher is very much in control of the class.

:lurk5:

I feel for you! My 3 yr old has not been taking her nap latley. :( the 1 and 3 yr old are supposed to nap from 12-2 each day. The 3 yr old kept getting out of bed. :( no work done yet today ...sigh

I think a lot of it has to do with people being unaware. I say that because I was. A few years ago I was proud to be writing the monthly check for private school tuition. In the back of my mind i may have thought home schoolers were just people that wanted to unschool. I would NEVER think to say something negative though ESPECIALLY since I didn't know any real info about homeschooling. Fortunatly I met some people over the last couple of years and learned that not only could I provide a good eduation for my child, I could talior it to her needs. a I think a lot of it has to do with people being unaware. I say that because I was. A few years ago I was proud to be writing the monthly check for private school tuition. In the back of my mind i may have thought home schoolers were just people that wanted to unschool. I would NEVER think to say something negative though ESPECIALLY since I didn't know any real info about homeschooling. Fortunately I met some people over the last couple of years and learned that not only could I provide a good education for my child, I could Tailor it to her needs. Private schools advertise the benefit of having a lower student to teacher ratio. We had around 12 to 1 which was pretty good. Now dd has 1 to 1 and can learn the best way for her! The only negative remark I remember is from a lady that said i was doing a disservice to DD and preventing her from the socialization she needs. This lady never had a conversation with my well mannered intelligent DD. Private schools advetise the benefit of having a lower student to teacher ratio. We had around 12 to 1 which was pretty good. Now dd has 1 to 1 and can learn the best way for her! The only negative remark I remember is from a lady that said i was doing a diservice to DD and preventing her from the socializtion she needs. This lady never had a converstaion with my well mannered intelligent DD.

oh gosh. I will pray for your family. my dh went through a similiar situation a few months ago with his dad. He did not want to go. By the the time we actually got him to leave for the 10 hr trip it was to late. He passed when DH was about an hour away. :grouphug:

http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kefir.shtml Kefir is a fermented milk drink. The word kefir is said to have originated from the Turkish word "Keif" which means "good feeling". Kefir dates back many centuries to the shepherds of the Caucasus Mountains who carried milk stored in leather pouches where it would ferment into fizzy sour yoghurt. Elie Metchnikoff, a Nobel-prize winning biologist at the Pasteur Institute, first suggested that lactobacilli might counteract the putrefactive effects of gastrointestinal metabolism in 1908. He attributed the long and healthy life of the people of the Caucasus Mountains to their consumption of soured milk. In modern times there's a great deal of interest and research into probiotics and the health giving properties of fermented milks like kefir. The Kefir Culture There are two types of kefir: water kefir - small transparent grains that ferment sweetened water; and milk kefir - white or cream coloured grains that look rather like cauliflower florets that ferment milk. Kefir is a living culture, a complex symbiosis of more than 30 microflora that form grains or cauliflower-like structures (sometimes called plants) in the milk. As the culture ferments the milk these structures grow, creating new grains in the process. Real kefir from live culture is an endlessly self-propagating process. Microorganisms present in the grains include lactic acid bacteria, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lb delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lb helveticus, Lb casei subsp. pseudoplantarum and Lb brevis, a variety of yeasts, such as Kluyveromyces, Torulopsis, and Saccharomyces, acetic acid bacteria among others. They give kefir excellent keeping qualities by keeping putrifying bacteria that might otherwise colonise the milk at bay. They've been shown to inhibit both salmonella and E. Coli in laboratory tests. Kefir and Health Kefir has many reputed health benefits. It has antibiotic and antifungal properties. It's been used in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis, and allergies, tuberculosis, cancer, poor digestion, candidiasis, osteoporosis, hypertension, HIV and heart disease. You might find it odd that that a drink containing yeasts would be good for treating candidiasis but it has been helpful to many people, both by restoring a better balance to the gut flora and because some elements of the microflora will kill off Candida Albicans. Not all yeasts are harmful. In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains many vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, B2 and B12, vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin D. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because kefir also has an abundance of calcium and magnesium, also important minerals for a healthy nervous system, kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves. The abundance of enzymes brings more health benefits, especially to lactose intolerant people, many of whom can tolerate kefir without difficulty, as long as the kefir is raw and not cooked (cooking destroys the enzymes). References Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in kefir grains and kefir made from them. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2002 Jan;28(1):1-6 . Inhibitory power of kefir: the role of organic acids. J Food Prot 2000 Mar;63(3):364-9 Antibacterial activity of milk-fermenting bacteria. Vet Med (Praha) 1990 Mar;35(3):187-92 The Caucasus Kefir. Dr. Lee Lorenzen, Biochemist

HAVE YOU or your DH tried kefir? The benefits of consuming kefir regularly in the diet Easily digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, vitamins and minerals, and complete proteins. Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, and cancer. Its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system has benefited many who suffer from sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The regular use of kefir can help relieve all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system. In addition, its cleansing effect on the whole body helps to establish a balanced inner ecosystem for optimum health and longevity. Kefir can also help eliminate unhealthy food cravings by making the body more nourished and balanced. Its excellent nutritional content offers healing and health-maintenance benefits to people in every type of condition.

taco seasoning takes 2 mins VERY easy! we make soap, lotion, deoderant and toothpaste. I started out to avoid questionable chemicals and it's a bonus that we save money. I make the majority of our food from scratch now.

:iagree: I only accept paypal or cash if i don't know you. And recently i has someone like this email about buying my pda phone. I told him no cashiers checks. Of course he offered to pay extra/money was no object. He then sent me a FAKE paypal confirmation. eeessh I think it was maybe dateline that did a story on the nigerian scammers a few months back?? It's a numbers game for them. They send out a lot of such requests. I don't think they ever mentioned anyone coming to anyone's house. They are really out to see who they can get to send them money or goods.

This is my DD! i need to check daily but it ends up weekly often times because I have so much going on with the little ones. I wish I could have checked box 1 and 2.

hmmmm my dd12 did great in everything BUT math. I started MUS and we went through mult, div and now fractions. for the FIRST time she is doing it without whining or the blank stare! how long did you use MUS?? DD is a visual learner and the videos and blocks really allow her to 'get it'.