sewingmama
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Posts posted by sewingmama
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If you were looking at Bookshark...maybe www.buildyourlibrary.com
It's cheaper and my kids really like the book choices.
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My kids are still a little fuzzy on value although DD would understand if I said she got less gifts because hers were more expensive. Usually if I have gotten them what they wanted they don't keep count...they are satisfied with what they get.
I have to be careful with my middle DS as he doesn't care for toys or things really so it can be hard to choose gifts for him and therefore he is always in danger of getting less things as he just doesnt really play with things he gets. Being in the middle and easy to please he often doesn't get his choices during the year over the other two who have very definate ideas and are less willing to concede... so at Christmas I always try to make sure his gifts are equal in value and amount especially because I don't want him feeling he always gets the short end of the stick KWIM.
In general I have to watch I don't go crazy overboard with DD ( I love buying girly things and shes my only one) and with DS6 ( he is my toy lover and always has a list 10 feet long of things he wants).
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No I would never do that.
Although I do admit...I was tempted this year to not give a Santa present to a certain child who announced that he knew Santa wasn't real and then told his siblings :( But witholding a gift because he discovered the truth about something is kinda dumb so he'll still be getting it...
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Ok I had a look...you are good to go.Still hoping someone who knows Skylanders will look at my above post and let me know if I am buying any character that still needs a vehicle, or any vehicle that still needs a character. And it I am missing anything, please let me know exactly what to get, as all these funny-looking thingamabobs are most confusing to me. Disney Infinity I know - Skylanders is a puzzlement.
You still need a vehicle for the elf in the starter pack although I am not sure why it is so expensive...I bought the same one for $15.
As for storing the characters...well we've always just kept them dumped together in plastic box lol. I would really love to,get a bookshelf to display them though as some of their weapons can be fragile and a couple of ours have lost arms this way.
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The company should give us free shares lol...I think we just about own it with the amount we have pumped into it .
My kids actually play with the characters far more off the game then they do on which is why I justify buying them. They are used for everything and played with everyday. Every story my kids have ever wriiten involves a Skylander character LOL.
Currently we have a bunch of them living in my kids Barbie dollhouse...sitting on the swings, having tea parties and riding the ponies LOL. Two days ago they were living inside a Duplo built tower structure and attacking trolls... and last week they went camping with the Playmobil people. I don't understand the fascination but they are my kids most played with toy ever.
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The characters do have to match the vehicles to be able to use them... example only a water character can use a water vehicle. The symbols are at the bottom of each character and vehicle and I think for extra bonuses in the game the character should have it's own exclusive vehicle...it should tell you on the back of each character pack which vehicle goes with which character.
My kids have been playing Skylanders for years and my youngest has only just started reading so I don't see any problems.
Be warned though..this game is a huge money suck if your kid wants all the characters .... we have all 4 versions of the game and about 200 characters ...in Australia they cost around $17 although I usually only get them on sale..but still ...multiply that by 200 and the makers of that darn game must be rolling in it LOL.
My kids are getting it for Christmas too. I bought the starter set plus an extra vehicle ( a helicopter thingie) that goes with the elf that doesnt come with a vehicle in the starter pack. I also got them one character each with it's matching vehicle. My kids had shown me previous which character was their favourite so thats how I picked... but I don't think there is a must have character..at least not here in Australia...it has only just been released so we still only have a limited amount of first wave characters available so far.
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We only do one medium sized gift from Santa each...right now those are wrapped and hidden inside a packing box in the garage LOL.
The rest are all wrapped and hidden in my closet. All the kids know they are in there but are good about not touching..although there has been some looking .
All mine still believe but I will still put the gifts out Christmas Eve. It's no fun on Christmas morning if you have already seen the pile of gifts for weeks. Plus if my kids ask for something they will usually recognise the shape of it and know they are getting it ...which takes away the suprise for both the receiver and the giver. My DH does that if I put his stuff under the tree...he looks at it and says ...that is this..that is this...and he is always right and it always makes me feel let down and like throwing his gifts in the garbage.
The only gifts we keep under the tree are the ones the kids get for each other and for mom and dad. We open these on Christmas Eve. Santa gifts and mum and dad gifts come out when they go to sleep so they can walk out and say WOW... going from nothing to something always creates the illusion of tons of gifts...even if there aren't lol.
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From an article I Read not too long ago it said that there have been very few incidents of infection from a used needle stick and in the cases that were it was minor infections and the workers were in the medical field, usually nurses and in an enviroment people are modre likely to be actually sick with something.
I worked as a nurse...I accidently swallowed another persons poop once ( do NOT ask) and I was fine.
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I doubt that any of the parents who killed their kids where actually homeschooling them..its just an easy ruse to keep them out of the public eye. Someone who abuses their child is not someone who is also reading aloud to them every night and practicing math flash cards with them.
Schools aren't all that great at keeping tabs either. We had a case here in Australia of a 6 year old girl who was abused and murdered by her mum. She was enrolled at school and in several months had only been to class 3-4 times and yet NOBODY from the school called the parents to find out where she was or if they did the mother flat out lied and they took it no further.
We have yearly interviews here...someone from the education board comes out to check what you are doing and I assume check on the kids as the kids have to be there and sighted and chatted with. It doesn't bug me at all... I know they are just doing their best to keep tabs on kids...I don't ever feel they are acussing me of doing anything because they do this. It really is kind of pointless though...the parents who abuse their kids will homeschool under the radar and not register. Those who follow the homeschooling laws and allow someone into their home are not the ones who are going to have at risk children.
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Maybe...depends what it is. My kids have a habit of asking for things that you can longer get in the stores. So I might get those used on ebay.
Thrift stores here are useless..so I don't get many bargains there. My kids don't mind getting things from there though if we do find something they want. They like thrift stores because they know I am more likely to say yes to buying it.
Things my kids want that I totally don't think are worth the money are bought used.
There are some things I never by used...just because it creeps me out...pyjamas, stuffed toys, shoes, bed linen and blankets.....anything my kids are going to snuggle.
That being said...I like to buy my kids new stuff for Christmas as they get a lot of used during the year. I shop sales,so I can do this.
For a purse...I would buy it used. I'm not a purse person myself so don't see the point of buying something that expensive when something else does the same job for heaps cheaper...so that would be a used gift for sure or the kid would be asked to pay for some of it.
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We use it...but it doesn't really cover all LA the way I want it to.
We also use CLE LA and EIW.
I don't like MBTP spelling so will be picking something else along those lines as well.
Mostly we use it for writing practice. It does include grammer but not in a clear enough way for my children to grasp easily.
It only has handwriting practice in 5-7 age group but I didn't like it as it was just worksheets and the lines were funky and huge so my kids couldn't form the letters properly on them..so we used HWOT.
It includes tons of writing but in my opinion doesn't teach HOW. It will say write a paragraph on this or right a report on something else but doesn't teach step by step how to do it. It might be ok if your kid can pick it up intuitively but mine couldn't... hence we use EIW.
I still like it for other reasons and many people do use it alone and have success...but I guess it depends on the kid.
It is very time consuming...lots of writing. You can combine kids easily..my two oldest are using 7-9 together.
People with large families do use it but it would work better if some kids were combined or some were independent enough to work on their own otherwise you will be teaching and assisting all day. I only teach two levels and find myself not always getting to my 6 yo regularly.
It has a ton of worksheets so if your kids hate them it might not be a good fit. My kids hate worksheets witha passion however we do a lot of it orally so you could do that for some of it.
They sell units seperately ...you might want to try one out before buying a years worth and see if you like it.
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I don't get the point of open carry. Do you just think...Oh I need to go get some milk and grab your rifle to take for protection or what? If you are on your way somewhere to use the gun can't you just leave it in the car? Why do you need one just walking down the street?
Anyway I'm from Australia so if I saw that guy I'd probably freeze and pee myself LOL. Even the police here don't walk about carrying guns like that..it scares people.
My DH went into a gun shop here ( yes we do have some) and there was nothing to look at...apparently they aren't allowed to actually display them and they will only bring one out for you to look at if you show them a permit first.
I was so weirded out in Canada seeing shooting ranges in shopping malls... and in the USA..seeing guns sold in Walmart like they were just shoes or underwear or something.
I don't know how people walk around feeling safe in the US...I guess you go buy yourself a gun lol
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Would arming people in public really help? You're going about your day in your workplace, maybe on your lunch break chatting with friends or playing a game of Monopoly with some intellectually impaired teenagers and suddenly someone jumps in the room and starts firing. Are you really going to have the presence of mind to grab a gun and start shooting back?
I suggest you would most likely be dead before you had a coherent thought of defending yourself. Even if someone is shooting at you it takes a lot of guts to shoot back with the intention of killing someone...especially if you are not normally so inclined to kill things.
Security guards might be a better answer...but who knows.
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Can't afford to do stockings this year....those little things add up to so much and usually just get thrown around the house anyway lost in the sea of larger gifts....my boys have hundreds of matchbox cars because of stockings.
This year it will be candy only ...which my kids love getting more then trinkets anyway. Our house is already overflowing with pens, art supplies, tiny notebooks, tiny toys etc.
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FWIW they should have signs up in the mens bathroom about what to flush and not...my DH throws everything either down the toilet or into the kitchen sink....he grew up with garbage disposals and even after living in houses without one for 14 years still treats it as such.Only on WTM could a thread about flushing tampons become controversial and run 4 pages... Should we add "Tampons - to flush or not?" to our hot topic list? ;)
ETA, I can't help but think any men on this board are staying a mile away from this thread...
I have to say I've never seen those signs here in Australia except for the very occaisional one in old buildings. Instead we get signs reminding us to have our regular Pap smear or see our doctor if we feel depressed or STDs...( which I now have to explain to my kids after they learnt to read lol).
I must be extra stupid because I thought the bins in the public toilets where for the applicators and wrapping and pads...not the tampon. The comment about the crime scene made me laugh becuase that would be me trying to dispose of a tampon and then you have to get it off your hands before exiting the toilet because who wants to stand there washing blood off your hands in the sink in public. :/
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We have/do. We have used 4-5, 5-7,6-8,7-9. I like it more then the kids lol. It is very heavy on writing so we pick and choose activities as it isn't the only curriculum we use. I used the full version for 4-5 ( love and is awesome) and 5-7 and after that we pick and choose what we want to use.
This is our 4th year with it and am planning to continue.
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My 6yo is very specific about his gifts. This year he has asked for and is getting
Lego (Junior and Star Wars)
Fur Real Daisy Cat
Playmobil Fireman Set
Imaginext Dino Fortress with 2 Dinos
Shopkins playset and figures
Paw Patrol puzzle
Share gift with siblings
Skylanders Superchargers game
Not asked for but getting anyway cause he needs them
Swimmers ( its summer here)
Clothes (Paw Patrol, Lego Movie and Star Wars themed)
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DH has been unemployed the last six months so I asked my kids to make a wishlist of only 3 things they would be happy with if those where the only things they got.
DD listed things that are all impossible to find...the only one I managed to find was $60... for a stuffed cat!!!!! Eek. I feel obligated to get it as its the only thing on her list I can find and the boys got all three of their wish list items.
DS8 thank goodness has never been into stuff. He requested 3 small things I had already bought ...Yay for kids who never change their minds
DS6 is super specific. it must be exactly right on every specification and I must not deviate from the list. Of course he managed to pick a hard to find ( which I fluked finding at a sale) and expensive things that dont usually go on sale much. He is my easiest to buy for because he always has a running list of things he wants and lets me know (every time we go to the shops...no substitutes accepted) and yet when we visited Santa and Santa asked him what he wanted he said "I don't know" LOL
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Just so you know, this is the funniest thing I've seen on the internets all day.
Isn't it though. I had to read it twice because first I thought she said she grabbed her wine and cheerios to munch while waiting in line at the sales and I thought..Wow that's a wierd combo of snacks". LOL
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Oh Lego..you can't really go wrong with any of it. If your kids are just starting out I agree about sticking with smaller kits until they get really good at following directions.
My kids love any type of Lego. The most loved here is Duplo...yes even at my kids ages. They play with it every day as they can build fast and big for their " people" which is generally Skylander figures and Playmobil. My 6yo is a competent builder but he still loves Lego Junior. DD likes the regular brick boxes and was never really into Friends until the Popstar version came out which she loves. DS8 plays with no other toys but Lego...he recently started asking for the bigger kits but he is one who likes to build the set and then put it on display.
Lego City is the favourite of my boys although 6 yo is becoming a big fan of Star Wars. The police or firefighter sets are the favourites but they like all the trucks and cars pretty well.
Sets with lots of minifigures are favourites too. Just got DS6 a Star Wars starter set with 5 stormtroopers in it for Christmas becuase he loves 'the guys'.
Take your kids on a trip to Lego store and ask what they like ...easy lol.
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I don't think the Megablocks are that bad. We got the Skylanders ones and they work ok with Lego.
I've never bought a Lego advent calendar before because of the price..we usually do the cheap chocolate ones but this year my Star Wars loving Lego fan begged for the calendar and I was able to get one for $29 so we will,try it this year.
My boys are sharing and will take turns opening it. My DD has her own seperate calander as she doesnt care for Star Wars.
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Dressing up in a suit to perform any type of religious stuff is, broadly defined, using a costume. If there was a play at a school or a reenactment of something that happened with Mormons, I wouldn't think twice about people wearing something that Mormons normally wear. I am not Mormon, but I go to a church where the pastor wears a robe to preach. If someone were reenacting a scene or idea of, say, a church service in order to show how the pilgrims worshipped (this is done in colonial Williamsuburg, among other places), I would expect someone would dress as a reverend and I would not think twice about it nor be offended that someone is using a ceremonial garment to portray a ceremony which I participate in. In fact, thinking of colonial Williamsburg, there is an entire town dressing up to portray a group of people.
Again, by this logic, you can't make movies or reenact anything without "mocking". People who dress up as union or confederate soldiers to do reenactments aren't mocking those people. And no one would say that the particular outfit portrays what the individual man of that time was like, or that he never wore other clothing, or that he was hell bent on killing everyone all the time.
But what if the garment is not considered a costume but a sacred item? For the most part people who imitate Mormons dress as a missionary in suit, white shirt and tie. Mormons do it themselves and dress in Pioneer costumes to re-enact their heritage. If other people do it we are fine with it...and even think the missionary parodies are kinda funny. However, if people were to dress up in our sacred ceremonial clothing that is completely different. Due to the internet it isn't exactly a secret anymore but if you were to ask ANY Mormon if it was ok to wear it as a costume you would always get a horrified NO. If it was worn as a costume I wouldn't say that we were offended as such but we would feel mocked. Taking something that is sacred to any culture or religion and useing it carelessly is mocking and offensive. Just because you don't understand the meaning behind it or believe in it doesn't make it ok....it just makes you look like a fool.
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Yes I think it's icky. In Australia white people do not ever dress up as an Aboriginal Person. If an Aboriginal Person is needed then they get a real one. Secondly, if they wanted the children to learn about the culture or their part in history they get an Elder in to teach about it. White people,CAN particiapte in some Aboriginal ceremonies BUT it is at the invitation of Aboriginal people and they don't just paint themselves randomly...they would have to go through the painting ceremony the same as any Aboriginal would and have it done by someone who knows what they are doing and what it symbolises. I have seen white children painted but again...it is always an Aboriginal person who applies the paint....it would never be a teacher just randomly painting them up. That stuff is sacred and meant to be respected.
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I don't mind having a Monarchy. Without them we'd have a lot more trashy celebrities on the front cover of our magazines.
Excluding Charles and Camilla ...they are a good looking lot who have adorable babies that we love watching grow up. I'd much rather follow adorable little George in his smocked overalls then blinged out mini adult celebrity baby.
I don't think we will dump the Monarchy just yet...not whilst Dianas boy has a chance to be King. I think there is still loyalty there. And then there is little George to come ... yes I'm just a sucker for families who show a bit of class and pop out the worlds most adorable babies. (Princess Mary gets love from me too).
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Girls ages teen, 7 and 10 gifts
in The Chat Board
Posted
My DD is 9.5..She has asked for
Shopkins
Pop Star Lego
Pony Themed playmobil
Fabric to sew with lol