Ebay has some cute options for a reasonable cost-- don't know if you can find these locally, but hey...it would cut off even more http://cgi.ebay.com/White-Wood-Twin-Full-Captain-Bed-W-Trundle-Drawers_W0QQitemZ250266848513QQihZ015QQcategoryZ38185QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://i15.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/f3/9d/5267_2.JPG http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-TWIN-PINE-POTTERY-AMERICAN-DAY-BED-TRUNDLE-WHITE_W0QQitemZ130236051597QQihZ003QQcategoryZ38185QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://i1.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/fb/a1/367c_2.JPG

Thank you, thank you, thank you. DS just read all of this and was thrilled. Now, he wants to hit the sites, so I need to get off. Thanks for the detailed reply and encouragement!

Okay, so do your boys like playing without specific design and model to follow? Are there plans for the large kits online, or do they create their own? As you can see, I know nothing about legos! LOL

My 10 y.o. has just gotten addicted, and will sit for hours putting them together, and he wants tons more. But, they are pricey! Those who have built large collections, did you buy all retail sets-- or is there a source for cheaper ones? He has several Indiana Jones sets and they are what set off this addiction! Thanks.

I'm taking the kids away for a few days so DH can get some writing done. Are there "don't miss" things to do, and what about the Gwinett Co. pools, which are the best? Thanks!

I'm not defending that particular author, or that particular claim; however, there are several "credible" research scholars at high ranking institutions that do support that claim - at least that he had close, intimate relationships with men. Remember, "gay" means something different today -- Socrates and Plato both had sexual relationships with students but were not gay (by many accounts). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F05E5D61439F93AA35752C0A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 Regardless of whether or not he was or was not gay, I don't think it is relevant to a study of Lincoln unless you are learning about his personal life rather than his politics. And, if he were homosexual, I for one don't think that it diminishes or enhances his political life. In fact, I wish there were more openly gay historical figures to show my children that sexuality isn't a defining characteristic of self! (I know, another view than those expressed here entirely!). My God isn't condemning of that which, I believe, he created.

Add us to the loved KFP (an animated Star wars theme!) and only my 10 year old enjoyed wall-e. (my cap w is broken, sorry!).

Yes, apparently part of your credit score is showing a history of payments on time. Just having credit and paying it asap doesn't show ability to make consistent payments OVER time:confused:. I know, it is ridiculous! creditboards.com has great information to help you improve your credit score, and just by adding balances to some of mine, I improved my score 75 points in 3 months. Go figure ... but isn't that the point of credit ...they want to make money off of us :lol:.

Thank you! And, as a college professor, I have heard students' arguments since VaTech and NIU for bringing weapons on campus. Trust me, I'd be far more afraid of the stray bullet, angry student who never "intended" to use his or her gun, and the freak accidents in class than I am a few disturbed citizens.

Grilled Pizza is a summer staple here! It sounded hard, but it was fairly simple th first time, and now we are grilled pizza addicts!

Unless you are black, you have absolutely no grounds for talking "being black." I'm assuming you are not -- forgive me if I am wrong. When Obama walks into a store anywhere in the US, or his children register for a social event, or his wife waits in line at a grocery store -- the citizens of the US have seen him as "black" and treated him as "black." If you are talking about poor, black America -- hullo? He was born to a poor white mother -- in a biracial relationship before we even began to "tolerate" interracial relationships. Before you comment on being black, perhaps you should check your own biases about color and how it affects people.

Honestly, I've had lots of breeds, and the best two dogs we have ever had are rescue pups! There are lots of dogs in shelters, but check your local area for "foster home" kept pets. Often, you can find pups well on their way to being housebroken already, and because they are living with foster families, they have a good sense of the dogs personality! In Birmingham, AL there were 200 dogs put into humane society care in just 2 weeks!!!! It's so sad, and we just got this puppy 2 days ago from Two by Two rescue, who fosters dogs with owners of other dogs and we knew he was house trained and has a great temperament! 2 days in and no accidents, no chewing, and the kids love him! http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10550916 Good luck looking for your perfect pet, but I really would like to urge you rescue a pet in need rather than supporting a puppy mill, or even breeder (since you aren't already attached to a specific breed), when so many dogs need good homes. :grouphug: edited to add: we have typically crated dogs for their happiness and ours. This pooch didn't want one, and doesn't need it. But, yes, it is humane and can be a great way of tapping into a dogs den instincts, as long as the crate isn't too big.

Okay, that makes some sense to me. Thank you. But, is it "her" raising them, really? Is allowing the other kids to take care of them part of the same philosophy? I'm just so hands on, I have a difficult time understanding that part, too. Thanks...I am trying to learn!

If you have a high school student who will read Berger and Luckmann's Social Construction of Reality, or George Herbert Mead's Mind, Self, and Society, it is a perfect way to illustrate their key issues!

I use an actual rechargeable Dremmel Tool. It is multipurpose, and my furkid , who hates his nails clipped, got used to it very quickly! You need to go for a few seconds at a time or it will burn the pooch. So, I do a few seconds on each nail and move on, then go back over them. My dog has black nails, so this is so much easier and I never make him bleed :-):grouphug:

I mean this in all sincerity: Am I the only one who doesn't see her as a "mother" to all the children? It seems like she births them, then hands them off to the other children to raise. I'm not sure that counts as parenting. I tuck each of my kids in each night, wake them up in the morning, and value (as do they) our private time together. For me, mothering is about bonding, not about populating. And, I truly don't understand the "God wants me to have more babies" if I get pregnant any more than "God wants me to die if I get cancer." We can intervene before pregnancy, and during cancer (some before with not-smoking etc.). I do understand most people here think it is a blessing, so I'm trying to figure it out. Thanks.

My children see learning as fun, not work. So, no, they don't get "too much." We have always looked at learning as an adventure. My 9 yo is a voracious reader and loves learning about languages, culture, and history (especially through sports and art!). He doesn't care so much for "regimented" and inflexible curricula, but we don't do that at home. Normally, we choose wonderful reading material and talk about it, act it out, seek out web sources, and write our own fiction about it. My 6 yo has T21 and loves (thankfully!) to read and count, and ohhh, she can listen to stories endlessly. My 5 yo is more motor driven, so he loves action stories -- and Indiana Jones is his favorite. So, we dive in from Beowulf and The Odyssey. He is entranced.... We always have 1 sport and 1 art per child. No more --- our lives will not revolve around 20 activities, kwim? They do read some junk and mind candy, and play outside a lot, but they only play video games on weekends and tv is restricted to 30 mins. a night or so. On weekends, we are too busy as a family to do much anyway. Anyway, I guess that's my long-winded way of saying we follow their leads :-) and feed their need for learning. It is never work they dread! And trust me, if DD6 or DS 9 didn't like it, they'd let us know, LOL :lol:

Well, we were going to transition from Catholic to public school, but after looking super duper closely, NO WAY. So, they will stay in parochial school :-). This summer, DS 9 will be reading at least 2 hours a day in 2 to 3 sessions. Actually, this might be a scale back from how much he was reading during school when he was done with his work:glare:. And, we will concentrate on things he doesn't get in school: Latin (Latina Christiana) and Spanish (Rosetta Stone). And, he will begin keyboarding. His reading will be chosen from Ancient History, mostly. DD 6 (with Trisomy 21) will continue with her regular school curriculum, particularly in reading and math. She's done so well this year in Kindy that I want to stay focused with her :-). DS 5 will continue reading level 1 and level 2 readers to increase reading fluency, and begin Prima Latina :-). We will begin reading some of the WTM Greek and Roman suggestions aloud with him. As a family, we will be back to DC for the 4th of July and study American History the weeks leading up to, and natural interests following our trip -- last year, DS 9 really wanted to study art following our trip there, and we let his heart lead the way!

This may sound odd, but it did to me at first too! I was told by a Chicago pizza chef to add 1/2 cup of cornmeal to the dough itself (when using approx. 3 c. flour). And, to leave the dough a bit wetter than you'd expect with pizza dough, and then work in the extra flour as you roll it out -- at least two times, with a rest in between. It is a tad more effort, but ohhhhh so worth it~~

Wow@ Those are absolutely adorable. Though, in my kids' case, I'd need a See No, Hear No, Speak No.... LOL Great Job!!!

Oh, the plates/bowls might work very, very well! I'm going to have to try that today! I like the oriental trading ones, but Maren insists on yellow and i'm terrified that painting straw would take forever, LOL! So far, we are having a little chocolat, eiffel tower cookies (I found an awesome cookie cutter), and of course, a Madeline cake. I'll take all menu suggestions you have! Thanks, and if anyone has other ideas, please let me know.

My daughter is turning 7 and wants all of her friends to have Madeline and Pepito hats. At Oriental trading I can get Sombreros, but where can I find yellow girl sun hats for 2.00 a piece or less -- or hats that are the right shape and size to paint! UGH! And, any goody ideas -- or are the hats (if I can do them) enough? Thanks!

I take Cymbalta for depression (and as a great side effect, it has reduced my migraines!). I have not had any weight gain issues, nor decreased sex drive. I do have to take it at the same time every night or I do see big relapses, very quickly! I'll get exhausted, irrational, and irritable within 12 hours. The first few weeks I was annoyed b/c I felt like I was wasting money. But, around week 3, my own DH commented that I seemed like I had a been in a great mood. My work also improved dramatically b/c it reduced my brain fog! But, everyone is different....

I am trying to find a good "first" pair that will help m dd learn to skate. She's very timid about new sports, but sees her brothers skating and is very jealous. They both went straight to real ones. I am wondering if practice skates like little people or Chicco are worth the $$$. Thanks!