This is a disgusting thought........BUT, I have read that in the weeks after a highly publicized mass shooting, gun sales spike. Perhaps people with a stake in selling guns don't mind if there is an occassional incident like this. Convincing people that everyone needs to be armed to "protect themselves" pours money into their pockets. I told you it was a disgusting thought. I want it to not be true.....but I wonder....

I put other on the first part. I am not a gun owner, but I wouldn't say I supported gun rights, just that I accept them as a fact of life. I think people should have to really jump through hoops to purchase firearms. I think there should be classes- repeated every few years, a mental health check, a background check- and anyone guilty of a violent crime or who has restraining orders against them, should NOT be able to buy a gun. I think when they get their license, they should be able to prove (or maybe just explain) that they do have a safe place to put the gun. Gun safe, etc.

I would seriously plan an extended visit in the winter before making plans. I moved north (not as far as Canada and didn't start out as south as Florida) and I am absolutely miserable all winter long. If I had truly comprehended how I would feel all winter, I never would have moved here.

Since the principal seems open to discussion, I would try to have her do work for the teacher, either after school or during recess. I would want the work to be framed as making restitution. I would also have her write an apology letter.

We have had iPhones for a few years and no cracked glass. Our phones have been in otterbox cases although my new one is in a different brand- it is still pretty heavy duty. My iPad has a griffin survivor case and has survived being used and dropped a lot by toddlers- it is several years old. I'm sure if you require her to keep it in a case, it will be fine.

I get what you are saying. I almost typed "I live in a place that is (seems?) very safe. At any rate, I simply meant that I am not a fearful person.

Oh, I realize that. It's just that that particular statistic made it feel closer to home for me. Obviously, it's always in the news, but it still seems distant to me personally. And to someone else who said I should feel safer by subtracting the Chicago deaths..... I don't feel unsafe. Like, at all. I don't carry a gun, I don't lock my doors or my car, I go out at night- but I do live in a place that is very safe.

Dragonbreath Dragon Masters The Kingdom of Wrenly These are books that my ds is devouring right now. I have become addicted to looking through book lists compiled on Pinterest- there are so many! Books for girls, books for boys, adventure books, dragon books, books by grade level, etc! Many also include reviews.

I read today that there will be more gun deaths than car accident deaths in 2015. That really hit me. I don't know anyone who has been shot, but I can name about 30 people I knew who have died in car accidents. That gun deaths are becoming THAT common is sobering.

LOL about the paid for phone thing! I recently upgraded my iPhone (I had been having a lot of trouble with my 4S- I wasn't getting texts, things kept crashing, etc.) not to the absolute newest, but a newer one. Anyway, we went to the Sprint store to buy the phone and the guy did not know how to sell it to us because we didn't want to lease it- we just wanted to buy it outright. He couldn't figure out how to do that and he was the manager. He had to call someone at another store to ask them! I know it's not super common to pay cash for things, but I wouldn't have thought we were the only ones the guy had ever dealt with! Also, AMEN to the commercial TV! We have not had cable since the kids were born, so I am not used to dealing with commercials. But we just spent 2 weeks at my parents house around Thanksgiving and the kids' Christmas lists exploded with things they previously didn't know existed.

I haven't used it, but I hear 5 in a Row is good for preschoolers. They have a book that you read for a week and activities that tie into the book. Honestly, spend an hour browsing Pinterest for preschool ideas and you'll have more than you could ever use!

Maybe it would help you to relax if you set up "centers" like they do in preschools? A block center, a dress up center, a play store or kitchen, art, etc?

I just finished the latest season of Switched at Birth and really enjoyed it. It is sortof a family drama about two girls who find out that they were switched in the hospital. One of them is deaf. One family is rich and one poor and they are trying to sortof merge their family.

Not that I know of. I am so sorry. I hope it doesn't happen.

Thanks. I looked them up and was intrigued by the presidents one and the Greek gods one. And it sounds easy enough that my 8 yo and 5 yo could play together and be slightly educational!

I have never heard of these, but we love games at our house! Can you tell me a bit about them? How do you play? What ages is it geared toward?

Yes, I have exhaustion, but not for the same reason. I agree with the others that you should delegate. Everyone in our family pitches in without really being asked, but I wouldn't hesitate to ask people to do something that I need help with. And of course, I always offer to help. I'm always exhausted because I am a serious introvert and being around so many people for so long is emotionally draining. We live far away, so we are always spending several days and there is just no escape! Especially since my parents downsized their house a couple years ago......it is seriously crowded!

Pokemon cards are popular around here.

I have only heard one pastor (and I have heard lots) speak in a way that made me raise my eyebrows and he was later asked to resign because he was having an affair. I am related to several pastors and know several others well, and none of them would talk about their sex lives.

I bought a bunch of boxes that are supposed to be used for scrap booking and put everything for each subject/kid in the box. Because they are sized for scrapbook paper, they are big enough to hold a textbook, notebook, manipulatives, flash cards, pencils, dry erase boards/markers, etc. The negative thing about it is that you have to move all the boxes to get to the one you want and you do still have to put everything back after each subject, but it was so great back when the weather was nice because they could grab their "math box" and we could go outside to work and have all of our stuff, without running back and forth. For pencils, I just have a gazillion everywhere. I stash some in each box and a big pencil container on the school table. Once in awhile, I tell one of them to sharpen all the pencils. You can buy 8 dozen at a time at Costco!

I haven't done this, but I have seen pics of closets that people have repurposed. I there a walk-in closet in your bedroom?

Mine are still pretty young, but I think that getting them hooked on a series that they LOVE is key. Also, it helps mine to tell them they can stay up as late as they want as long as they are in their beds with a book.

I have never seen that kind of post either. I have certainly never seen one saying that newborns are ugly?!?! Seriously?!? Newborns are gorgeous. (Ok, maybe I have seen one or two that weren't totally breathtaking- but really, only one or two and I have seen a lot of babies!) I do have a SIL who is a little adamant about not wanting to have kids, but I think it is because she gets sick of people questioning her or whatever. She certainly doesn't say anything negative about other people's kids.

I would search on YouTube. We have used the Classical Conversations songs, but their cd is not cheap! There are often videos of CC kids singing the songs though, if you can find them.

I wanted to homeschool my kids because of my school experiences. I didn't learn to learn- I did work to get a grade. I was really, really, REALLY good at "gaming the system". I really wanted my kids to learn for the sake of learning. I wanted them to have free time to explore their interests. I wanted to do projects and have fun and go places and be outside and create memories. Right now, I feel like I have failed at every single one of those goals. My oldest hates pretty much everything that is not a video game. It takes forever to get through even just the basics and spending time on their own interests? Well, if it's not a video game, there is no interest. Ugh. I'm having a bad week/month/year. However, are traveling to see family for two weeks starting tomorrow and we wouldn't be able to do that if he was in school. Eta: I feel like I should add that although we are Christian and that is central to our lives, it's not a reason we homeschool. I am not interested in sheltering my kids from other beliefs/ideas.