I just filed a claim yesterday. I am very nervous about it, although we felt it was the only thing we could do. We bought a car last fall that had been wrecked before we bought it (not totalled, but severely damaged). Obviously the responsible party fixed all the exterior damage, and jerry-rigged the interior damage to get it running again. Not only was the wreck not disclosed to us, but the car sailed through the safety inspection when it shouldn't have, according to our mechanic. Just looking for someone who has BTDT, and lived to tell the tale! Thanks, Korrie

The best place to find answers to your questions would be the publisher's website: http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html The Fractions book along with the Decimals & Percents book together are a pre-algebra program. I view that as a 6th or 7th grade level. However, there are younger children who could easily work through these books, but that wouldn't necessarily mean they were ready for algebra. The other texts are high school courses. It is not what I would call a spiral program, but the review questions provided definitely reach back to previously-covered topics. My literature-minded 12 yo dd is excited to use these books. My dh and I enjoyed the humor in the chapters we previewed. I'm not sure that I am comfortable (yet) using it as a stand-alone math program (not for pre-algebra, anyway), but I reserve the right to change my mind!

My 5th baby was right about 72 hours. It was crazy and unpredictable the whole way through. In the end we found that he had a "velamatous insertion of the umbilical cord" which, if the labor had proceeded hard and fast, might have resulted in the umbilical cord rupturing which could have been life-threatening for me and my baby. So we think my body knew what it was doing in that case! That was my first homebirth. My next baby was my shortest labor--about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Go figure!

I think Writing With Ease is a pretty great program. It didn't exist when I started homeschooling my oldest two, and quite frankly, we never "got" dictation and narration. But if I try to put my current 1st grader through the WWE exercises, plus the FLL exercises, plus some a page of Italic practice...it seems like a lot of writing. Is it? How much should I be asking of him? What do YOU do? TIA Korrie

I got a version from the library for my 6th grader, but it seems to be in old English verse. I'm afraid I don't really understand it, and I can't blame her for balking! I am unsure *exactly* which book is recommended by WTM. If someone can give me an ISBN number, I would be so grateful! I am hoping this is a little more "grown-up" version than the children's versions I have seen at our library. Thank you!

I'm more of a lurker as well, but I've been around for quite a while. Just going back to full-time homeschooling after an 18 mo. hiatus. I used to be Korrie in UT (still am, I guess); now I go by RedHen6.

I made bread in a Kitchenetics (used to be K-Tec) mixer for years. I do think the Bosch is better--I replaced my old one for a Bosch about two years ago--but it will certainly do the job. The biggest difference I found was not in the power of the motor, but in all the attachments. For instance, in the various beaters or whips, there are plastic parts, and they aren't as sturdy as those on the Bosch. Once upon a time I was using the whips on a fairly thick cream cheese mixture, and the plastic gears started shearing off and leaving little plastic pieces in my dessert! But if you can afford the $100? I would do it!

OK, I'm not really saying that public school is evil or anything like unto it. But after homeschooling my children "from the beginning," last year (2007-2008) the oldest two (dd, then 5th grade, and ds, then 3rd) got into a local charter school with a heavy Spanish emphasis. They completed that year, and are there now (2008-2009), joined by their 1st grade little brother. It's been fine, really. But not great. I will admit that I resent all the "extra" time school takes. I mean, they are there from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., yet my 1st grader has homework. My dd (now 6th grade), often has homework, but my ds (now 4th) mostly manages to finish things at school. But for the older children, when you add in piano, scouts, and/or dance, they seem to have little unstructured time. Then there are the evening programs. I REALLY dislike those. My dh HATES them. There may only be one or two a year per kids, but with three kids there...it adds up. My dd seems to go through phases where she doesn't finish and/or turn in work--no real idea why. She's doing OK now. But what is really frustrating is all the "friend" issues. I mean, the main reason they want to go to school is to be with their friends. But too often things aren't going well, and I would venture that--more often than not--they've had a "bad day" because of the way they are NOT getting along with their peers. All that said, there are things that I like about public school. I have a quieter house during the daytime, that's for sure. I didn't *want* to like it--but I do. I like that they are learning some Spanish. I like that they are getting more science instruction than I ever did at home. I like that they get to do more projects for their sakes (because they love them) at that same time that I hate it (they still manage to invade home with time/money requirements, and I am NOT a project-y kind of mom). So I am closer now to bringing them home than I have been. We had already flirted with the idea of keeping them home next year. But the tri-mester ends Friday, and I think, "why wait?" But am I ready to take this on full-time again? I don't even have all the materials I would like to have. I missed a whole year of curriculum-buying! And I also don't necessarily know where I should start them. This is hard. Just so you know...I have three pre-schoolers at home. It's never exactly a *quiet* house, just quietER. So...as my husband says, "I've got more waffle than a House of Pancakes." Any words of advice? Anyone been-here-done-this? Thanks for listening to me vent! Korrie aka RedHen6

I bought the hypnobabies stuff for baby #5, and like some of the others, the practicing generally put me to sleep. I think I practiced for about the last 3-5 weeks, so not nearly as long as they suggest. Then my labor with baby #5 lasted for --and I'm not kidding-- THREE DAYS. I have *no* idea if it helped or not. It was a very strange labor. I *think* it might have helped, but it certainly wasn't a pain-free experience by any stretch of the imagination. I subsequently sold the materials, and didn't use any of the techniques for baby #6. I guess if you're somewhat interested, I would look for some materials on the cheap. It wouldn't be worth paying $300 for a class for me.

If money was no object, I would buy red--or maybe blue. But I am cheap, so I *really* would just end up getting the white!

Even my kids will eat cucumbers this way: peel them, slice them in a bowl, and stir in 1 pt. of sour cream and 1 pkg. of dry ranch salad dressing mix. That should use up 4 or 5 at least! :-)

I love my Bosch. I grew up with one--my mother's has been working for more than 30 years now. For a wedding present, we got a K-Tec Champ, and it was good--but it was still just a Bosch wannabe. I replaced it with my Bosch about a year ago. The Bosch can mix 12 lbs. of dough without a whimper. I generally make dough for 6 loaves of bread at least once a week in it. It also has a fabulous blender attachment. I had problems with the gears on the K-Tec's attachments getting stripped--no such problem with the Bosch. There are also other attachments you can get for a Bosch--like a slicer/shredder, a mini food processor, a juicer, pasta maker, etc. If you like those kinds of things, that may sway your thinking. Good luck!

Ours came today! I promptly scheduled a payment for our "piggyback" mortgage. This year's (regular) tax refund paid off the car . After next year's, we'll be done with the little mortgage. And that will leave just the "big" mortgage! But my dream of a bedroom set keeps getting pushed back further and further into the future... --Korrie

When our first child was little, my dh and I used to be able to recite the ENTIRE book to her in the car to keep her happy!!

Do you like ice cream? Then a visit to Leatherby's is a must. Homemade ice cream, and huge portions. The best hot fudge! A visit to Temple Square is a must. The spring flowers there are incredible. The new commuter train (FrontRunner) is up and running. It's a double-decker train runs from SLC to Ogden. Until May 1st, the rides are free. Lagoon is open weekends. It's a lovely, clean amusement park in Farmington. Hope you have a great visit! --Korrie

Well, I know my 4-month-old thinks I smell like milk! :-)

Your proportions will depend on the brand of powdered milk you buy. They all have different ratios for mixing. The brand I prefer is "Morning Moos." It is far and away the best-tasting brand I have tried. I mix it up a gallon at a time, chill it (all powdered milk tastes better chilled anyway), and then mix 1/2 gallon of the powdered mix with 1/2 gallon of "real" milk. You can mail order Morning Moos if you don't gave a local source. http://www.moosmilk.com/

I just think of how much time is the doctor *really* there with you anyway? Most of the time they just show up to play catch. It may change your perspective if you're scheduling things just to have 30 minutes of a certain person's time. At that point, you may not much care anyway! Best of luck to you! --Korrie (Veteran of 6 babies. After 1 induction, I swore I would never do that again to me or the baby (and it wasn't awful). But after that I had one in the hospital with a midwife, then 2 at home with a midwife.)

I took a baby-step towards organization that helped me. I started planning a week at a time. I made a chart for each kid that listed their assignments in each subject for each day...pages to read, math lesson, grammar problems. It gave us both some accountability. With my weeks more organized, then I could work on more long-term organization.

I've read it multiple times, and probably will continue to do so! It's the first book I read that made homeschool make sense to me! I was kind of "anti" before.

I have found that the earliest shoppers buy with the biggest bills--so I will often get people using twenties first thing in the morning. I would have closer to $50 in change, and have about 15 ones, 5 fives, and the rest in quarters--which means I would price everything in multiples of 25 cents.

Another resource to try would be at http://www.spinningbabies.com There are a lot of suggestions for positions to try (like on your hands and knees with your rear in the air) that help to reposition babies. In addition to that, I would second (third?) the vote for the chiropractor before I tried the external version. But I would definitely try the version rather than immediately signing up for a c-section.

Oh, I'm glad I don't have to be "good!" Baking, knitting (which took the place of crocheting), sewing/quilting; all have taken their turns in my life!

No naps, but quiet time is enforced after 8 p.m. It's "read or go to bed" after that time! And the books have to be "mother-approved."

I like to go out BY MYSELF for just a little while. Even better if I can have a treat and not share it!