We used to live on Capitol Drive and it used to drive me nuts that when we received mail some people would spell it Capital, until I noticed that some of the street signs were actually spelled that way. One or the other, people!!! I was glad when we moved.

I have never done one of these classes before. Is it better to audit, or do take the verified course. If we audit - can I still assign credit for it?

My in-laws did it for 15 years. There were many ups and downs. They had a 5th wheeler which they said actually tied them down, and prevented them from traveling as much as they would have liked. It was difficult to travel through hilly country with it, and expensive to pull over long distances, so they would mostly travel to one spot and spend several months there. Do a LOT of research - campgrounds have become very expensive. MIL said they could have had a really nice condo in Florida for what they paid in rent each month at many of the campgrounds. They ended up both taking on odd jobs at some of the campgrounds just to reduce costs, (which meant they ended up making commitments and staying longer that they would have liked .) It wasn't quite as 'free' of a lifestyle as they had been hoping for. I also know that my MIL did not like always having to take their large truck everywhere, especially when gas prices were so high. They did have a smaller car, but did not tow it behind the 5th wheeler, so they had to drive separately - which was no fun for either of them. Most of the time they stored it - but then they always had to travel back for it at some point. Lack of storage was a huge issue. Everything had to be useable/disposable because they had NO extra room to spare. It got to the point where they only wanted digital photographs of our kids because they had no place to put printed versions. In the end they felt that they sacrificed so much - and they said if they could do it all over again, they would keep a 'home base' and have a smaller motorhome that they could just take off in whenever they felt like it. They now live in a retirement village in Florida and have a slide-in camper for their truck. They said they travel way more now than they ever did with the 5th wheeler. (Last summer they drove to Alaska and said it was their best trip ever)

We have had all sorts of caged pets including guinea pigs, hamsters, and lizards. By far the easiest, quietest, and least stinky has been our leopard gecko. He just needs a tank, a warming light, and place to hide. The kids love that he has no teeth (so he doesn't nip like our hamsters,) and I love that he doesn't need expensive chew toys, wheels, litter, or bedding - his tank can be lined with newspaper, paper towels, or an inexpensive reusable mat from the pet store. He loves to be held, and he isn't up running all night on a wheel. The one downside is that they have a 20-30 year life expectancy, so it is definitely a long-term commitment.

My son is using this book. It is pretty good. http://www.hmhco.com/shop/k12/World-History-Patterns-of-Interaction/9780618690107?gclid=Cj0KEQiA1NWnBRDchObfnYrbo78BEiQA-2jqBdXsJnF30JgXppQ01QSvj8qH2n2m4gr2IoyDZQEwR64aArGs8P8HAQ This website has the ISBN if you want to search for a used book on other sites.

Our church's synod (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) has a residential school in Mulberry, Florida for troubled teens. I don't personally know anyone who has gone there, but one of their staff came to speak about it to our local church and it seems like a very disciplined yet compassionate ministry. http://www.calvaryacademy.net/

Thank you both. This child also has LD's , so I am looking for user-friendly courses, yet ones that will prepare her for college. It's tough to find that delicate balance.

Thanks. She has done Biology and is currently doing A&P. I didn't know that physical science is the same as conceptual chemistry. She would like to do something like environmental science or botany/horticulture, but I wasn't sure if she needed another lab or not.

DD has already done PAC Integrated Physics and Chemistry + an outsourced custom lab class ... but I was planning on counting all of that as Physical Science. I would like to have her do more chemistry, but she really struggles with math and needs to re-take Algebra 1, so a math-heavy chemistry just will not work for her. She does hope to go to college, so I would like her to have something that we can count as conceptual chemistry on her transcript. I was thinking about having her do either Friendly Chemistry or Conceptual Chemistry by Suchocki, but do you think those would just be a repeat of what she had with PAC - IPC? Should I just add to what she did with PAC (maybe add more labs, the Chemistry 101 DVD's, and additional books?)

PAC/Pacworks might be something to consider if he is okay using workbooks. It is actually designed for kids who struggle. They are now offering many of their materials as audiobooks or in digital format, and as online courses. Otherwise I agree that IEW-SWI A or B would be really good. Or perhaps the Growing With Grammar/Soaring with Spelling series using a lower level. Those lessons are nice and short, so that if he does start to understand, he could do several lessons per day, and catch up quickly.

Our drying time is WAY less than with my old pair. (I think my old washer wasn't spinning out fully though, so the clothes were wetter going into the dryer.) It seems like it has been cut in half with the Speed Queen set.

I also got a new set of Speed Queens about a month ago. For the most part, I really like them so far, but have noticed just a few things that bug me a little. 1. It drives me crazy that I can't open the lid on the washer and see it while it is agitating. However, I have lifted it up just an inch or so to peek inside and noticed that doesn't agitate as severely as my old machine, (an Estate by Whirlpool.) If I do a really big load it seems like the clothes just swish around, and don't get fully 'turned' withing the washer - if that makes sense. Still...things seem clean, so I'm not too disappointed. 2. The dryer is really loud. The motor makes a buzzing sound when I first start it, and it seems to die down as it goes on. I think I'm actually going to call the store about it, because it seems off. And - the door of the dryer has a rattling sound - like there is a screw loose inside of the door somewhere. But over all I am quite satisfied. I love how HUGE they are, and how much faster laundry gets done!

Growing up, it meant sloppy joes. (and I'm in Wisconsin, too, so I wonder if that is a local thing?) Now it means food cooked on a grill. And I'll only eat grilled hotdogs. Boiled ones....shudder. :P

Yes, I know No, I was not one ( but I did work in the hospital kitchen as an aide there) I guess my DD could be considered one now, although they call them "Volunteens" at the hospital where she works. They don't have her working directly with patients though. (I think both HIPPA and the current trend of epidemic diseases have changed that.) Her work is more varied - everything from helping in the coffee shop or information desk, to doing secretarial work in the records department. She enjoys it a lot.

I'm sorry - I can't help you regarding what comes next...but I do have a question for you about LLLOTR... On their website it says that it is not to be used as a substitute for British Literature, but do you think there are things that we could add to it to make it count it as such? My DD has already read a lot of Shakespeare, and we have covered things like Beowulf, A Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, The Screwtape Letters, and Animal Farm...so do tyou think that would that be good enough if we also do LLLOTR?

I will not preach to you about the moral aspect of this - but I will warn you that new hamsters take a lot of time and training before they 'warm up' to you. When our old hamster died, we got a new one shortly after - the same breed and sex as the old one, and he even looks quite similar, but he has a totally different personality. The old one was very tame and laid back. This one is nervous and high strung. He nips constantly (draws blood even) and does not like to be held. He 'chitters' when we even put a hand in his cage to try to hold him. We got him when he was young, and had hoped that through patience and gentle handling he would warm up to us, and enjoy being held, but it looks like that may not happen. When our old hamster died it was a very sad day and we buried him in the backyard under a tree. The kids painted rocks for a marker for him, and they still put dandelions and other flowers on his grave 2 years later.

My son is tall and super skinny - (5'8" & not even 100 lbs) If he were to wear men's jeans he would need a 26 x 34 - which is pretty near impossible to find in a store. The only jeans we have found to fit him are at the Gap, specifically their Gap Kids 1969 style in a size 18 slim. (Old Navy size 18s were too short, but the Gap ones fit just right) Here is a link to the type he usually wears (He likes the boot cut, but they do have other styles) http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=12685&vid=1&pid=422465002

We live in a heavily populated suburban area, so sightings are pretty rare, but we must be having a wildlife boom, because within less than month we have seen a red fox, 2 raccoons, and an opossum (which scared the daylights out of DH as he was taking the garbage out.)

YES! My son went to school this year as a freshman, after being homeschooled grades 1-8. I hate that his 'education' is now just drill and kill and cramming for the next test. His grades are excellent - but will he retain much. I doubt it. :(

Topamax had horrible side effects for me. They jokingly call it 'dope-a-max' because it makes some people (myself included) feel very out of it and spacy. I remember driving in the car one day and the light turned green, and I honestly could not remember what I was supposed to do. It also made food and soda taste off. Every soda I drank tasted flat. But the worst was that it made me feel VERY agitated and angry. I remember my girls were just toddlers at the time, and one day I was so seethingly angry with them - to the point of rage. I was screaming at them and I had thoughts of hitting them, which scared me horribly. I contacted my neurologist who told me that affected mood was a side effect. I stopped them at once and the anger/scary thoughts went away. I also tried just about every other med there is - with little effect. Sumatriptan has been a life-saver for me, but I find I have to take it immediately a the very first sign (aura), or else it's useless. Have you tried a chiropractor? I found that I had a pinched nerve in my neck, and once that was straightened out, I get migraines much less frequently now.

How Hard Do I Push? Until the baby's head and shoulders are out. Your OB or midwife can assist you.

This was me recently. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with cough-variant asthma. (Didn't even know there was such a thing) I got an inhaler, and have been MUCH better.

Ohhhh so cute!

I saw this video today and it reminded me of this thread. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me9yrREXOj4

More like what they tried to talk me out of..... I have been handed much guilt by other HS-ing moms this year about putting one of my kids in school. It blindsided me having to send him away, but it turned out to be a very good thing for him. One thing I have learned along the way is that life happens, and you may need to drastically alter your plans, but if you keep on keeping- on...it will be okay. When we started this journey my kids were all little and all seemed happy and healthy, and I had such great plans for how our homeschooling days would look (read-alouds, hands-on experiments, lots of notebooking, etc.) I never counted on things like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia rearing their heads, and countless hours spent at doctors and therapists offices. We use mostly workbooks now. It's not what I had dreamed our homeschool days would look like - but it's working for us - (for the most part.) I am still very grateful that I am able be with the ones that need me, and to recognize what my son needs and do what is best for him as well.