I clip it to my bra. Right in the middle. (Sorry if too much info). I also use a leash as a precaution, because I lost one early on. (FitBit people were nice and replaced it.)

I just got a weird email from the Enki people. Not sure if anybody ever used them, but they were famous for forbidding you to resell. They also usually gave you way too much stuff, although the materials themselves were well liked. It's sad, because I think they had some very good materials. I wish they would ether just switch to completely digital or sell the content to Oak Meadow or somebody else. Enki Homeschooling Scheduled to CLOSE July 10th 2014 Dear XXX, As President of the Enki Board of Directors, I wanted to update you, before we reach July 10th, the projected closing date for the Enki Homeschooling Program, and the removal of this curriculum from the market. Over the last year, the Directors and Board of Enki Education have sought advice from experts in the nonprofit arena to find ways to make Enki viable and allow us to continue serving homeschooling families. After careful review of the options - including digital possibilities - the decision was made to shift to the current Program model. The launching of this is dependent on contributions. We had asked former Enki families to return materials no longer use, thinking this would be the simplest way for current Enki families to help, however, what we have learned is that these rich materials are important to most long after their children have outgrown them, and people don't want to part with them. On one level that is wonderful to hear, but to keep Enki Homeschooling open, support is needed. Therefore, we are now opening a financial sponsorship option. In order for this to succeed, we need your help. As it stands now, Enki Homeschooling will close July 10th, unless we receive the community support needed to shift to the program-based system. We need to raise $30,000 to launch the Program - it takes $300 to print each package. Clearly not everyone can afford to contribute that amount, and any amount is welcome. However, covering the production of one package ensures that one more family each year can have the opportunity to bring Enki into their home. To date, we have received $2,100 in returned packages. Some have asked why this is happening now. Enki has always been a labor of love for the Directors, the Board, and the volunteers who made the program possible - with no one receiving financial compensation for more than 1/3 of the time worked. This was never intended to be a long term solution. Last year with the additional burden incurred by the breaking of parent commitments to Enki - including substantial resale of materials - it became clear that this approach could go no further. Therefore, a new approach was needed if we were to continue to offer Enki Homeschooling. And so the Program model was born. **If you choose to help make this opportunity possible for a family, those contributions will be used only to make the Program option available, and, because of the structure of the Program, your one time contribution will support one family each year well into the future. If we do not need the donation for this, it will be returned to you. No contribution will be used for any purpose other than supporting the Program option. Enki is a federally recognized non-profit so ALL donations are tax deductible. Donations can be made through our fundraising page** (http://secure.enkieducation.org/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=15) Unless this goal is met by July 10th, we will close the Enki Homeschooling options. For those who would like to understand why this leasing program is necessary to keep Enki viable, see the following. As a group that has been observing and supporting Enki for more than ten years, the Board of Directors knows the great value Enki has offered families. We do hope that the community will join together to make it possible for other families to benefit from the Enki approach for years to come. Deborah Hussey, President Enki Education, Board of Directors Transparency on Enki's financial solvency: Former Operating Budget (old sales system) - The printing cost for each individual package averages $300. This does not include anything for the writing or administration; it represents only the actual costs for printing each package. - Above the cost of production, there is an average profit of $350 per package. - In the past, Enki has sold about 125 packages per year, which means that approximately $37,500 was spent on printing costs, leaving a net of $43,750. - Office expenses (web site licenses, computers, printers, ink, paper, Internet, phone, web and computer maintenance) run about $13,000/year - Net income after basic costs (printing and office expenses): $30,750 - The $30,750 is used to cover all additional expenses, including material development costs (authenticators, audio-visuals, researching, writing, and advertising), AND to pay Beth (full time), and Blake, and Amy (each 1/3 time) for their work creating the curriculum, developing additional materials, working with parents, and administrating the program. Unfortunately, the effect of package resales has been that the net income for the 2013/2014 school year fell to just $21,000 to cover ALL non-office costs and staff time. New Operating Budget (new Program-leasing system): The difference afforded by the new Program/leasing system is that the bulk of the $37,500 of yearly production costs can be put into salaries. This would make it possible to pay three part-time faculty. Because faculty will no longer work unpaid, Beth will go to part time. This means that additional fundraising will be needed for development of materials for additional Grade Level Programs. This new system also makes it possible for parents to receive needed support and lighten the load of beginning homeschooling, and of preparing to teach a different grade each year in this unique program.

My dream garden would have the look/feel of an English garden mainly….but as I live in Florida, I'd also love some wonderful fruit trees (orange, lemon, ruby red grapefruit, mango, and avocado), and a berry patch (probably wouldn't work well here) and a tomato/herb garden. My Aunt lives in Alabama and has an entire wall of hydrangeas which is gorgeous. I'd love to have a bunch of crepe myrtle trees too. I have zero ability with gardening, though. So it really is a dream. Pinterest is a wonderful, dangerous place.

I am so sorry for the loss, but happy you and your family got that time with him…however short. Rest in peace, little Joseph Barnabus. You and your family will be in my prayers.

Am I the only one bothered by the trend to use actor by female actors over actress? I get why they started doing it…to be gender neutral. But to me, there should be nothing wrong, nothing less, about being a proud woman actress. It's kind of like how (at least in Islam) God is supposed to be neither male nor female, but if you dare to call God a Goddess, well then, all heck breaks out. Why is something that denotes femaleness somehow less? And shouldn't that be reclaimed rather than agreeing that it is somehow less?

We did upstate NY to FL and it was a similar drive. Get a cooler…pack it with drinks, snacks, sandwich stuff for the road. It's nice to pull into a rest-stop and have a picnic, if you want to save money. We actually also did it so the kids could run around. We used Google Maps to find playgrounds/parks too if things were tough. A 15 minute stop at a park made all the difference with a 2, 4, 6, and 8 year old. For hotels, I looked on Expedia.com and Hotels.com I was able to find good, relatively reasonable hotels under $100. We did use Priceline too and had good luck, so try that. You can pick a point on a map and then use Google Maps to search near it for hotels. Biggest expense will be gas. Be sure your tires are inflated properly. It does make a difference.

Judge Judy lives near DH's ex-boss. Apparently, he sees her walking her dogs or pushing them in one of those dog strollers. We only visited his house a few times, but I totally wanted to go for a walk and try and run into her. Re: Oprah, I like a lot of things she does, but I think her wealth has basically insulated her from reality (as it would to most billionaires.) Yes, she has her school in S. Africa, but she doesn't seem to get that $100 t-shirts are beyond what most people can afford. I want to hope that she was hawking them just so she could give them away, but I'm not 100% sure that she understands that they are out of reach for most people. I've enjoyed her Super Soul Sunday show. She's brought some people on whom I would not have known about without her. DH is a physician. Even he bought a bottle of green coffee bean extract after reading something. I laughed at him. It didn't work. Luckily, he only wasted $18 at Sam's Club.

I try not to be too high and mighty on these things, because it happens to good parents too. As loowit pointed out, usually it's because of a change in routine. I've never done it, thankfully….but I have been so engrossed in thought that I've driven past my neighborhood or done something else. Could I forget a sleeping infant? Probably not as a SAHM….but if I had to drop him/her off at daycare….and I breezed by daycare deep in thought and just assumed I had dropped the baby off…it's possible. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

We got great lunch bags from Trader Joe's for $3.99 each. They are mostly black, and then have an accent color…ours are yellow, orange, green, and blue. I'd definitely ask for his input, and being a dancer, I'd be worried about finding one big enough to fit enough food. At cub scout camp, I saw some kids with mini Igloo coolers as lunch boxes.

No need to show a marriage certificate in NY or FL where I've given birth.

Yes, I know Dr. Oz is a real physician, surgeon, and affiliated with Columbia. He has a great CV. There was a good article on him in "The New Yorker" awhile back. I remember this, and felt really bad for him: "“The only question my father ever asked me was: Did anyone do better than you?†Oz said, with a wistful smile. “If I came home, proud and excited, with a ninety-seven on an exam, he would ask if somebody got a higher grade. And if George or Tom got a ninety-eight then I might as well have failed. When I made all-state football, which was a big deal for me, he didn’t ask me what it was or comment on it. He thought sports were a distraction. When his friends congratulated him at work the next day, he didn’t know what they were talking about.â€" You caused me to actually look up Dr. Laura. Apparently, she does have a PhD in physiology, and then went on to get certification in marriage and family counseling (but does not have an actual doctorate in psychology.)

He probably was to get to where he was, but honestly with his TV show and such, I would wonder how much time he has for actual patient care and surgeries. I wonder if he's able to keep his cases up, and keep his skills up. It would be a shame to lose that.

I enjoyed very much that he got embarrassed in front of Congress yesterday or the day before. He totally ruined purple gloves for me. As for Dr. Phil, he's always bothered me. I didn't know he was still on. But I think I disliked Dr. Laura more. In general, I'm not a fan of "real" TV doctors or judges.

I would write her a letter or a card in which you tell her just how incredible you think she is… how smart, beautiful, etc. Give her something that she can look at as much as she needs to. Also reiterate that you will always be there for her, whatever she may need. A controlling spouse can be a warning sign regarding domestic violence (physical), and can often be associated with domestic violence in the forms of emotional and financial abuse. While many people pooh-pooh those, emotional abuse can actually be far more detrimental, and the "scars" take longer to heal (if they ever do.) There are many reasons why women stay in abusive relationships, and some of them are valid reasons…meaning that leaving can be more dangerous than staying. Sometimes this isn't always apparent to outsiders. Saw two articles which might be helpful: 1) http://www.wral.com/how-to-help-tips-to-help-domestic-violence-victims/13705529/ 2) http://www.commdiginews.com/life/why-janay-rice-and-other-domestic-violence-victims-dont-leave-18179/

We have a Danish bakery here which makes homemade kringles. They even have the kringle of the month. In our family they serve two or three, but in reality are probably for like 8-10 people. I'm totally powerless against anything almond flavored, and they love to do yummy things with almonds. They also make these insane donuts called Cyclops, which are like a normal (well really big) chocolate donut with white butter creme in the middle.

I'm adopted. My parents are not my biological parents, but they are the only two listed on my birth certificate as parents. This is how it was done in Michigan in the 60s. I'm thinking that eventually we'll see a change in forms, from Mother/Father…to Parent 1/Parent 2. This case just makes me sad…but then again, I live in FL where it was illegal for gay parents to adopt as recently as 2010. Crazy why no parents is better than one or two loving parents who happen to be the same sex. Something tells me if they'd asked the kids in foster care, they would have said…"Heck yes, I'd love two Moms or two Dads who would love me rather than going from home to home."

In the olden days, when fat-free everything was the rage, prune-puree was a popular replacement for oil and stuff. Here's one recipe http://www.marthastewart.com/316017/guilt-free-brownies

I pretty much keep everything…but then again, my youngest is almost four, so I can still hang on to hopes that I will still use it. Once he enters 1st grade, though, I guess I'll get rid of the FIAR stuff I have and never used. ;)

DP. OK…so what worries me is not that you raised the issue, it's how quickly the school caved. Why was there no discussion? Why didn't the English teacher or Head go…"well, I totally understand your concerns, and this is how we've handled that in the past." or "Yes, I know it can be awkward for teens to discuss this in class, but we've found that having an anonymous online discussion forum works really well…and allows kids to ask some questions that they might not be comfortable with in class." or whatever. That's what worries me. Bring up issues, fine. Say…I'm worried about xyz…but then (hopefully) the teachers/administration should be able to address those concerns, without having to shelf anything. KWIM? So…not really anger at you…but more anger at the administration as well as the whole environment we live in today regarding lawsuits, etc.

OK. Fair enough. Peace.

I've had one for over a year now. It's can be really motivating to try and get that number up. I find myself walking around the house, going on the treadmill at night, etc. just to get my number up. I hate the sway that little thing has on me.

Mea culpa. My interpretation is based on your posts. Obviously, I do not have all the facts…and can only make judgements based on your responses. Are you sure that the English teacher never got around to assigning it? Because most English teachers I know actually have their curriculum planned out. "Flowers for Algernon" April 2013 or whatever. My guess (and yes, it's only a guess of a mere mortal who is not there) would be that it was not worth assigning based on your previous objections. It's a different world today….and the school may fear a public backlash, twitter campaign, whatever, if they went ahead and assigned the short story after you raised the issue with the Head. Leaving this thread…but even knowing the additional facts you've shared, I stand by statements regarding censorship and the wrongness of one parent's voice (even one on a curriculum committee) changing curriculum that has been used without issue in many schools for years. It's great that you consider yourself liberal…or conservative…or libertarian…or whatever. I just don't know if you'd view things the same if you read about another school shelving a book that maybe didn't have sexuality discussed, but for some other reason. Some common ones include religious viewpoint, language, homosexuality (usually depicting gay people as "real" people with feelings and such), etc. I'm not sure if you'd view the canceling of this book the same if you had a sibling who was mentally challenged, or a child. Once again, even being exposed to a main character like that can be life changing for some kids. Reading a story that features anything other than the typical white male hero can be extremely educational, even if there is sexuality involved. And let's be honest, there are not a lot of books out there who feature atypical lead characters.

We've never used a white board for schooling. I can see how they'd be useful, but I honestly detest them.

I went back and read all of your posts. I noted that you edited the one post and mentioned your role as a curriculum advisor which hadn't been there before. It gives clarity. I am hostile to the idea of censorship. I am hostile to the idea that because you brought it up (and you were the instigator)…it was not read by a classroom of kids who could have benefited from it, and it could have impacted how they treated people who are mentally challenged later in life. The bigger issue is, however, that I am troubled by the fact that even though the Headmistress/former 8th grade English teacher mentioned that it had never been a problem before, she took your objection (and the sole objection) and trashed not only the novel, but the short story as well. No doubt fear of lawsuits or PR disasters…which seem to dictate things rather than what an experienced English teacher's own history showed with the book. This is becoming way too common, at all levels. Public hysteria dictated curriculum, which usually insulates people more, rather than doing what education should do…broaden horizons, perhaps challenge preconceived beliefs…and yes, even the beliefs of one's parents. These things don't just occur at the middle school level. They occur at the university level too, which is even more troubling.

If I had a female OB who I liked…or a great CNM…. I would definitely take my daughter to her before she left for college, etc. There may be discussions to be had with her that she would not be comfortable having in your presence. It's unlikely she'd do an internal exam unless needed. I'd want her to establish an "adult" relationship with a female physician and see herself as an adult, capable of directing her own medical care/needs. As for me, I had my first Pap via Student Health with a male O.B. I was not sexually active, but was told it was the norm. (Maybe it was…maybe they assumed all college kids were going to have sex. No idea.) It never occurred to me at the time that I could ask for a female OB…or choose one or what not. I wish I had known that, because it was extremely extremely awkward. He was very nice, but it was strange. Turns out, he was openly gay (unusual in the mid-1980s in medicine), and it was rather a shock to read of his death in the papers a few years later from AIDS.