What a neat idea!

Good for you DS2! And, I've learned that in any given crisis, there's always one person to rise up & take care of what needs to be done. Sometimes it surprises you who that one is, but I'm really glad you were there for your mom & your family. Still praying... and God bless you all!

I would actually be more inclined to enforce the original sentence... plus impose whatever the consequence is for lying. He didn't tell you he had a girlfriend, then he lied to you about spending time with her, by telling you he was spending time with another friend.

I would make her see it through to one performance, then let her decide. DS has been begging to play soccer since he was 2. This is the first season he's old enough, so we signed him up... Hasn't started yet, but even if he hates it, I'll make him play out one season.

And that is really all it is. A lot of campaigning in Ohio during this last election cycle was based on "family values" type issues. Now they can say they tried. Where's the emoticon for rolling my eyes?

The "Heartbeat Bill" will never be the law.

:bigear:

:grouphug: I'm so sorry. I developed HELPP syndrome very quickly at the end of my pregnancy with DD (now 2) and have been told that it's not an option for me to have any more either. We had big plans for a houseful, but are blessed to have the 2 we have.

They do... but no good music program will base acceptance on the instrument. If she gets into college playing it, she'll need to upgrade. And if she's taking lessons, and progresses in her musicianship to the point where the instrument quality is holding her back, her teacher should let you know. I would. And if HS band wants her to use a "better" instrument, they often have rental programs. I like Bach for trumpets, but I'm a French horn player, so I would ask a "trumpet person." I'll let you know if I get any good recs.

Are you in the US? The new healthcare law will keep her on your insurance until she's 26, regardless of her education.

I know that I handle almost all of the communication in our house. DH doesn't call his grandmother to make plans, let alone answer emails. I very much function as his secretary, which works for us, because DH would end up an old recluse if he were required to communicate with anyone by phone or email. I think he thinks that all of our family events & social outings happen by accident or magic, rather than by my design. Silly boy.

My grandmother taught my lefty aunt. I'll call her tomorrow & see what worked, because she's a great crocheter!

The kids in our district learn it in music class. Through the elementary grades, they stand for the Pledge of Allegiance every morning.

My grandmother (raised her own 4 girls plus anyone else's children who needed her) used to tell me that once you have 2, you might just as well have 12. After the first 2 or 3, it becomes the more, the merrier. I wish my health would let me have a third. Soooo DH & I are really thinking about adoption.

DH & I have modest body mods ourselves. That said, we have not pierced DD's ears. We definitely won't until she's old enough to be seen by a professional piercer. (Around here, that's 6.) And she's old enough to care for them herself. The risk of impaction when using a piercing gun isn't something I would want to chance, and if a pro does it, they'll use a needle, like for any piercing. Add to that the absolute minimal training that "piercers" at boutiques receive, and it was a no-brainer for us. (I worked at Claire's and at Wal-Mart at various points in my high school career... No one taught me how, but I pierced so many little ears. If I had known then....) Of course, in Ohio it used to be common for trained cosmetologists to pierce ears in salons, and that's no longer allowed by the licensing board. I've never understood why it's acceptable for random teenagers to pierce ears, but not aestheticians who are trained in anatomy and the nervous system.... Ok, ending my mini-rant.

I think that's a great idea.

My plan is to start with Latin in K/1, and build from there. Once he's speaking fairly well in Latin, we'll do speaking in Spanish, then French. My DS picks up language like water... so I want to take advantage of that strength. Once he's proficiently reading & writing in English, we'll tackle reading & writing in other languages, I think. Keep in mind, this is just the plan... DS is starting kindy in the fall & I took all of these languages in high school & college, which is a whole different animal than teaching them to a 5-year-old. So I could be going about this all wrong. ETA: :bigear: I'm up for suggestions to improve that approach, too!

In our district, they withhold report cards, diplomas, and transcripts for kids whose parents don't pay.

I would see if he might have a bowel blockage. Basically if it's blocked long enough, you lose sensation in your rectum & lose elasticity, so you have accidents you can't feel or control. It's not uncommon in children.

Since you have to fill out a new one every year, I don't think it's a one time or never thing. But it IS a pain.

I have three, and my favorite is my grandmother's cast aluminum one. My great grandma gave it to her as a wedding gift in 1967, and it has held up remarkably well. It isn't pretty at ALL... but it's one h*ll of a work horse!

I sent DH to watch the game with my dad. DS is in bed, and DD is watching the Rugrats movie on TV. It was impossible to resist letting her watch tv for a minute so I could relax without a small person touching me for just a minute.

nd4judge - DS#1 Furman University (attending), Sewanee - University of the South (accepted), Univerity of Alabama (accepted), University of Alabama in Birmingham (accepted), Birmingham- Southern College (accepted) Blue Hen - ds - University of Delaware, Case Western Reserve, CO School of Mines, Drexel (PA), Lehigh(PA), Rose-Hulman, Tulane, RPI (NY), Stony Brook University --- all acceptances. Brigid in NC - ds - accepted @ Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State (attending) CherylG's ds-UCLA, graduated, UCSB, UCSD, Westmont, all accepted. UMD-attending for master's in engineering. CherylG's dd-SBCC school of nursing-graduated. Chris in VA ds--attending VCU. Got into the Cinema program sophmore year. CindyMarsch's dd#1 - Grove City College - attending CindyMarsch's ds - Grove City College - attending CindyMarsch's dd#2 - Grove City College, Gordon College, Union University - all accepted, she's choosing UU CO Mom -dd- George Fox (will attend in fall of 2010); Taylor University, Northwest Nazarene University accepted. Creekland's ds - Covenant College - attending fall 2010, Union University, Calvin College - acceptances Deb in NZ's dd - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (begin Feb 2010) dkholland- ds - Covenant College (will attend in fall), Patrick Henry College (accepted) Grove City College (accepted) FloridaLisa -- ds1: accepted to: University of Florida, Florida State University (attending) Gwen in VA -- Washington & Lee (attending); acceptances from U Chicago, U Pitt, U Dallas, U Delaware, Hillsddale, UVA, William & Mary, College of Wooster, Case Western HeatherH -- Belhaven University (accepted w/scholarship; won't attend); University of Montevallo (same); University of Alabama at Birmingham; Samford. Still deciding between UAB & Samford based on $$ award. Jenny in Florida -- Mary Baldwin College early entrance program (Senior) Kate in FL-ds-Cornell University (accepted Early Decision so all other apps had to be withdrawn) Kathy in Richmond - ds - MIT (attending), also accepted at Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, U Michigan, and UVA. Kathy in Richmond - dd - accepted at Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, U Chicago, William & Mary, and wait-listed at Swarthmore Katia - ds- Ellsworth Community College (AA Computer Science) , Anderson University-attended , University of Northern Iowa (BA Computer Science), Kansai Gaidai University, Kyoto, Japan-attended Katia - dd#1- Hilldale College-attending , accepted at: Luther College, Ball State University, University of Northern Iowa, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music Katia- dd#2 - applying to: Hillsdale College , Warner University (accepted) Lady Lorna - dd accepted at Fordham University, Hillsdale College, The King's College, Middlebury College, St John's College, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, Thomas Aquinas College, Trinity College. Waitlisted The University of Chicago. Still waiting to hear from Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University LaJuana - dd#1 University of Dallas - graduated Summa cum Laude. Also accepted to Hillsdale. LaJuana - ds#1 University of Dallas - graduated Summa cum Laude. Also accepted to Hillsdale. Attending Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv). LaJuana dd#2 Attending Oklahoma City University Bass School of Music (Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance). Also accepted at Samford University (AL), Whitworth University (WA), George Fox University (OR), Covenant College (GA), Houghton College (NY), Oklahoma Christian University. LaJuana ds#2 Attending Whitworth University. Also accepted at University of Dallas. (Except for dd majoring in MT and VP, my dc knew where they wanted to go, applied to two schools only, and were accepted at both.) Laughing Lioness - DS -Boyce College (KY) attending. Accepted to Augustana College (SD) and St. Mary's School of Nursing (SD). Lisa in TN's dd - Vanderbilt University - attending. Also accepted to Hillsdale College, Belmont University, University of Memphis. Lisa in TN's ds - Washington University in St. Louis - attending. Also accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Alabama, University of Tennessee. Liza Q's dd - Saint Francis College - attending. Kings College, St. John's University, Brooklyn College - accepted Luann in ID ds1 and ds2 - LeTourneau University - attending (They both knew they wanted to go there, so this is the only place they applied.) Mandy in TN-- ds Berea College (attending beginning in Aug) Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit, accepted to Hillsdale College, graduated, accepted to CU Boulder School of Music, finishing Master's Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit, accepted to USNA, attending finishing Firstie Year, accepted to flight school, acceptances: Hillsdale College, USAFA, USCGA, ERAU (on NROTC), School of Mines Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit I'm going to stick my should-have-been-son-in-law (killed last spring), accepted to Hillsdale College, transferred to WVU, graduated, accepted to Toledo Medical College. Martha in NM-- ds --Central New Mexico Community College; he's already planning his transfer to a four-year institution Mary in GA ds: Clayton State University (attended & transferred) Georgia Tech (attending) Michelle in GA ds- University of Georgia (accepted); Berry College (accepted); Georgia Tech (currently attending) Moira in MA dd -- Acceptances at Dalhousie U (Nova Scotia), McGill U (Montreal) Mommyfaithe's dd #1 (accepted College of St. Rose (NY) attended Sage College Albany, NY Graduated Summa Cum Laude Mommyfaithe's dd#2 Attending Russell Sage College. Accepted SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Albany, waiting to hear from Simmons College in Boston Mass. MSPolly's dd- Acceptances at Covenant(TN), Union U(TN), U of MS, Belhaven U(MS) - ATTENDING Collaborative Piano/Pedagogy major WAHOO! Ms. Riding Hood ds1- MIT (attending), Texas A&M, Rose-Hulman, Purdue Musicmom –ds- accepted at Carnegie Mellon (attending fall 2010), Cornell, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities Honors Program Newbie -dd- Accepted Chatham University(PA), Carlow University(PA), Mills College nrg - ds#1: attending BYU, accepted at Cal Tech, Stanford ds#2: attending UC Santa Cruz, accepted BYU ds#3: junior in hs Osmosis Mom Dd 1, Wellesley College (attending), accepted to Merrimack College, BU, Simmons, Emmanuel College Outtamyshell - BYU Provo Quiver0f10-dd#1-attending NWACC Quiver0f10-ds#1 attending University of Arkansas Quiver0f10-ds#2-attending NWACC Quiver0f10-ds#3 accepted to: Missouri University of Science and Tech, University of Arkansas, Embry Riddle, Oklahoma State University Honors College, Texas A&M Ruth in NC ds accepted St John in NM, Oberlin w/scholarship, Colorado College, Boston U, will attend UNC Chapel Hill, offered waitlist at Vanderbilt and Emory Ruth in NC dd accepted NC State, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State and Earlham w/scholarship, on Oberlin waitlist. Still deciding. Sepuld - DD 21 attending Bryn Mawr, acceptances U of Chicago, Haverford, Boston College, Bowdoin, Lehigh, Lawrence, ST Olaf, Catholic U, Villanova, Sewanee, William and Mary DD 20 attending Swarthmore, acceptances Wheaton (Ill), Lawrence, St. Olaf, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley DS 19 attending St. Olaf, acceptances Lawrence, Wheaton (Ill), Concordia (Mn), Hope College, Gustavus Adolphus, Susquehanna Sharon in MD's ds-Drexel University -attending; UMBC-Meyerhoff program, UMD-College Park-College of Engineering, Messiah College- acceptances Spock - ds – accepted at Liberty University (plans to transfer after attending CC for a year) Susann-dd-Rose-Hulman, Purdue, University of Evansville, Trine, Taylor, Cedarville-acceptances Susie-Knits ds1 - Valparaiso (attending), Rose-Hulman, U of Evansville, TN Tech - acceptances Sylvia in CA - dd - attending Biola Torrey Honors, accepted at UC Davis, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Westmont, Azusa Pacific Sylvia in CA - ds - accepted at University of Pacific, Biola TerriKY- dd- attending: Georgetown College, KY; accepted: Centre College, Eastern KY U., ds#1 - planning to attend: Cedarville U, OH; Accepted: Transylvania University, KY; Greenville College, IL TransientChris's DS- George Mason U,attending; Hillsdale College- attended, Abilene Christian, Hampden-Sydney, St. Olaf- accepted Valerie(TX) - ds UT Arlington attended Valerie(TX) - dd accepted Biola (CA), Messiah (PA), Belhaven (MS), Mary Baldwin College (VA), UTA (TX), Hardin-Simmons (TX), Univ. of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX), and Ouachita (AR). ATTENDING--Hardin-Simmons ZooRho- ds#1 attending Bryan College (TN), accepted Pfeiffer University(NC), Eastern Mennonite College (VA) Maverick's ds #1 - accepted to West Point, will attend starting summer 2011 KristinaBreece- Lee University (TN)-class of 2006, Ohio University Med School-class of 2009

Something that helped me a lot (F horn performance major) leading up to my auditions was to record my audition pieces once a month starting in 10th grade. Audition pieces are fairly standardized within each instrument-- you can get a good list of standard audition pieces from your teacher. By the time I auditioned in the fall of my senior year, my audition piece (Mozart's First Concerto for French horn & Piano) was as easy to me as breathing. Also, work on sight reading one practice session each week or two. (You can get pieces from State University music libraries or your teacher, usually.) This will help your solo & ensemble performances in high school if you do them, and boost your playing confidence. I would stick with your 1 hour a day through the rest of this school year, then ramp it up to an hour and a half through your junior year, and maybe to 2 hours during your senior year. The University I attended expected 3-4 hours of practice daily from instrumental majors, in addition to ensembles. I always took Sundays off from individual practice-- I only played on Sundays with the church orchestra for 3 services. Good for you for planning ahead. And if you stick with what you've been doing, you should be able to feel confident at audition time, which will give you an edge over some of the students who didn't think about audition preparation before spring of their junior year. Hope that helps some!

That's awesome!