:grouphug: We stayed sane by cleaning more and doing less of everything else. Sorry. I know that doesn't help much. Hope your house sells quickly!

:bigear: I hope someone says yes and then tells you (us) when!

Like a PP said, if you are not sure then you should wait. You are the only one who can determine the priorities for your home, and what type of education will best suit your family and lifestyle. There is no 'perfect' or 'best' for everyone. TOG is too much for some, but not for others. It depends on you and your students' dispositions. TOG does not equal burn-out. Just my .02 One of my favorite things about TOG is the Teacher's Notes. You don't have to actually read the material along with your student, in order to discuss it intelligently.

Yes, I would! I already use TOG and my oldest is 9. I am using it now because I want to be 100% comfortable with it by high school. We use it in a relaxed way for grammar stages. ;)

You don't have to do the 'book basket.' The program is complete without it, but my kids have enjoyed the book basket quite a bit. I suppose you could buy some books for the book basket, but there are a ton of them to choose from. Would it be possible for you to download some audio books along the way that go along with the studies, to supplement the material? I think the TM recommends 3 hrs daily to complete the work, but that varies heavily by child. That is probably accurate for a 6/7th grade child who is going to do every single activity/assignment/report. It does include crafts on a weekly basis. You may want to look through the craft book before leaving the US to determine if you'll need to take the supplies with you...but I have no idea where you'll be living, so maybe you won't! ;) We're using it this year, and we've enjoyed it. It's been a fun and easy year for me as far as planning and prep.

My friend has a blog you might be interested in. She posts lots of yummy recipes and menu plans. http://mama2four-canada4now.blogspot.com/ The Bacon, Kale and Sweet Potato Burritos are super super SUPER good! Otherwise: Vegetable soup Garlic/Ginger Stir Fry Veggies/Meat over noodles or rice GF Waffles with 'safe' sausage Roasted Root Veggies Chipotle marinated grilled chicken w/sides Best wishes!

:iagree: This is the exact recipe I was going to suggest!

Sunbutter doesn't contain nuts, just sunflower seeds. You may also try Soy Nut Butter. I'm not sure if you could pack a tuna sandwich well enough to keep it cold until lunch time. I guess you'll have to see what kind of lunch bag your cousin has, and go from there. As far as brands of breads, I don't have a specific recommendation for you. We avoid much more than nuts, eggs and dairy, so what we use would be overkill for you, and probably more expensive than necessary. You can check the label of what you're buying. The law now states the top 8 allergens (which includes nuts, eggs, dairy) must be listed in bold print, so it is easy to tell if the food contains ingredients you want to avoid.

The AFHE board has an explanation for this. They state that the Convention Center is booked based on how many hotel rooms the event is expected to fill in the downtown area. Then, the best (weather) dates are given to the events that fill the most rooms. So, the HS convention gets the worst (weather) weekend of the year because it fills the least number of rooms. :tongue_smilie: Lucky us! ETA: The AFHE board doesn't get to pick the dates, is my point.

First, I really appreciate how seriously you are taking this. Breakfasts: Yogurt with fruit, bananas Oatmeal (not the quick-cooking type) with toppings of choice Nut-free granola (just read the box, or make your own) with milk and fruit You can add sausage to any bfast to make it more filling Can you make some whole-grain pancakes w/o eggs? Rice w/sweet or savory topping Lunch: Meat and cheese sandwich on 'safe' bread Tuna roll-ups with 'safe' tortillas String cheese, pasta salad, fruit Cheese and crackers Veggies and dip (ranch dressing or hummus) Hot dogs Thanks again for being sensitive to this! I'm sure it will be fine, just remember to read the labels on whatever you send.

:iagree: At age 5, your child has to trust that you love him/her and you know what is best.

:party::party::party::party: Congratulations!

Because I where they are, I immediately wondered if you had recently changed laundry detergents?

You might also try Vitacost for nondairy baking supplies. They might be cheaper there.

I'm thankful for how much my kids have taught me through homeschooling. I'm thankful for a slower pace of life. I'm thankful for the wonderful and close relationship our family has. I'm thankful dh has a good job and we have plenty of food to eat. I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve my family. I'm thankful for too many choices when looking through school books. I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on... :lol:

Coconut oil Crisco Butter-Flavored Shortening Vegetable oil Certain margarines are dairy-free Spectrum shortening Enjoy your cookies! (And, don't forget you can get dairy-free chocolate chips, too.)

Some great ideas here! I love hearing other ideas... For my 4th grader: Language Arts: CLE and Wordly Wise Writing: IEW's Fun and Fascinating Spelling: AAS History/Literature: TOG Yr 3 Math: Saxon Science: Apologia's Anatomy w/ the notebook Spanish: PowerGlide and lots of free online stuff I am also going to do a brief leadership/communications unit with him by Art of Eloquence.

If I can get a really good deal on a used iPod, (32G touch, 3rd gen) should I buy it? And, what should I be careful of, if I do? Thanks!

:hurray: Yay!

I'm kind of new, but I would love to have some tea with everyone! I'm snacking on gum, but might grab some carrots with hummus a little later. No nap for me, either. :glare: And, we were up last night with a puking son. Tomorrow, dh is taking the sons out for a long cross country bush-whacking hike to look for dropped elk antlers. I plan on cleaning, possibly working on scrapbooking, and planning the new week. Sunday will be church, and my oldest son is getting baptized! It will be a great celebration! Then probably another nice long hike in the evening. Have a great weekend!

Maybe H. pylori? At any rate, I'm sorry he's suffering, and hope you can get a dx soon. :grouphug: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/h-pylori-helicobacter-pylori Symptoms of H. Pylori When H. pylori does cause symptoms, they are usually either symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease. The most common symptom of peptic ulcer disease is gnawing or burning abdominal pain, usually in the area just beneath the ribs. This pain typically gets worse when your stomach is empty and improves when you eat food, drink milk, or take an antacid. Other symptoms may include: weight loss loss of appetite bloating burping nausea vomiting (vomit may be bloody or look like coffee grounds) black, tarry stools

We really love IKEA's Trofast storage frames with various boxes for various items. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=trofast

Nope. I wouldn't judge you. I do think we all project our personalities and attitudes via what we wear. I can't say one way is better than another. But (and I hope this is received in the humble way I intend it)...... Now that I am a mom to sons, I am a lot more sensitive to what young women wear. My boys notice tight jeans and tight shirts (small or big busted), not because they are judging, but because even if the young woman doesn't mean for it to be, tight clothes are usually s*xy. I feel sorry for men and boys who are subjected to that kind of temptation all day long. Just my .02 ;)

:grouphug: I can totally relate to this. Do you have a daily schedule in place? That would be one of the first things I'd work on: being proactive and intentional with how the toddler and 4 year old are allowed to spend their time during school hours. Since your oldest is 6, you can relax a bit, knowing that he's very young and will have plenty of time to 'catch up', if the academics take a back seat to child training for a brief time. I'd also consider giving the older child some independent things to do, if you think he is up to it. Even if it is just a stack of picture books from the library that are for him to look through, while you do something else. Maybe the 4 yr old and 6 yr olds could alternate times during the day with a stack of picture books? I would also: -use the Wii as a reward for good behavior during school, or just get rid of it. -have 'room time' for your toddler during school time (enforced by a baby gate, or whatever enforcement he needs) -have special toys your toddler REALLY likes only available to use during school time, and he must sit next to you, using them quietly -Get your own iron levels checked and your thyroid checked, maybe add a B-complex vitamin to your diet -Also, if your toddler is generally cranky, I'd think about whether he is getting enough sleep, eating the right foods (eliminate dyes, gluten, dairy?), etc. Good luck! I am right there with you! :grouphug: See if you can work out a daily schedule (www.titus2.com). That might be just what you need.

:grouphug: