I received a couple of pms and was really excited that people took time to pm me. So I typed up replies and pressed submit. Then I checked my sent folder and it was empty! I thought I sent replies, but I am not sure. Is there some wierd step I forgot to do?

Dh and I loved watching Arrested Development together. Its one of our favorites. Also, Flight of the Concords is pretty funny.

I am a big fan of strewing educational materials around the house. I love it when I walk into a room and someone is reading a book I strategically placed by the toilet or in a basket be the couch. I am also kind of unschooly. I have boxes of materials and curricula for each subject. I will get out a box and the boys will pick what they want to learn about. Audiobooks are awesome! Today I brought out Latin and Greek flashcards and the boys already knew a lot of the words from Rick Riordan audiobooks. There are certain topics in math and English that I feel they should learn so they don't have much choice there.

I don't have much of an update. I strongly urged dh to discuss these things with FIL, but I think he is tiptoeing around it. Dh did call FIL's financial advisor who hasn't called back yet. I guess all summer they (dh, FIL, financial team) discussed trusts but never set them up. The truly ironic thing is that a few months ago dh told me he and FIL thought it would be good idea to set up huge trust for family so that it can last a few generations.

I feel so much better reading through all the thoughts on this. I will show this to dh when he gets home and discuss everything with him. If there are any more opinions here, i will be checking this post through the day. Thanks so much.:001_smile:

Another thing that really bothers me is that MIL saved and invested this money for her children's future, and the thought of it falling into the hands of a woman that had an affair with her husband bugs me to no end. It is hard enough to see this woman, even though she is being nice, once in a while, I dont want her to live two doors down from me (where FIL lives). Outinthegarden, I do worry about photographs and all the beautiful things MIL made being tossed aside. I dont think you are being harsh at all, just realistic. I know I am being selfish about the money. I wish I could get over this. And yes, dh and FIL have had intense meetings with financial planners and I believe lawyers about the money. The meetings took place over the summer. This marriage idea popped up a few weeks ago.

Thank you for helping me put this more in perspective. I never counted on that money until a few years ago and I'm shocked at how I feel about this. I feel like one of those tacky villains in a soap opera fighting over family fortunes.

I feel ashamed to write this, so flame away. My 80 FIL has quite a bit of money that he is leaving to be divided among his children. Because of this, I have never felt the need to worry about college costs or other big costs for my kids. Even though he was the primary breadwinner, my MIL saved and invested a great deal of money. She passed away 6 years ago. Now FIL is in contact with and maybe dating a woman (age 65) dh and I know that he had an affair with 30 years ago, while MIL was busy raising kids. This woman seems very nice, but I feel uncomfortable around her because of loyalty to MIL. For a few months now, this woman keeps saying how she wants to retire but can't afford it. Recently she asked FIL to marry her so she could take care of him and then when he dies she can collect his social security. She mentioned that she would arrange for a prenup. I don't trust her. I feel ashamed of myself. i worry constantly about everything in life, but knowing that money would be available for me boys gave me some security. FIL is asking dh and one other sibling how they feel about it. He told this woman he has to consider how his children feel about the whole thing. Can others tell me how they would feel in this situation? Even if you think I should mind my own business.

Thanks for the link for minimarshmellows. My kids loved it!

We find snails at the pet store. I never find any around our yard.

:grouphug:I remember taking care of my sick father when my twins were small. It was very tiring making time for everyone and I felt like I was spreading myself so thin. It was also a lot of responsibility to take care of two generations at once. Sometimes I felt so resentful to have that responsibility because I never pictured myself in that position. I think you are doing a great job:001_smile: As for ideas, could you take older kids to visit your dad with you? Or save days for spending time with kids and some evenings for spending time with dad?

I also have been using a very loose, largely child-directed/interest-led approach to history and science and I usually feel pretty good about it. I have bins of really cool books for most subjects and the boys seem to really like my choices. My boys do not like textbooks at all, so I don't bother. Sometimes I panic and think uh oh, is this wrong? Then I realize the boys are learning a lot and I am ok

I switched ped a couple years ago. The last pediatrician kept pushing every vaccine under the sun. We do vaccinate, but not every single one. This summer I found out that my our ped merged practices with our old ped and adopted their vaccine policy. I feel like if I switch peds again, it might be useless because they might just change their vaccine policy. I feel like just giving in. My boys are due for yearly check up and I am seriously procrastinating.

I love that poster! Lots of info and beautiful sculpture too. Thanks:001_smile:

The title says it all. We are getting confused with all the gods, goddesses, titans, half mortals, etc.

I'm like you. I don't mind clutter if it is aesthetically pleasing. I have a lot of pretty boxes and baskets around with school stuff. I like to collect things from nature (shells, gourds, pine cones, peacock feather, pussy willows, rocks, etc) and I don't mind if they clutter up spaces.

Well, I called the post office and they said the package never arrived at their facility. They didn't know who had it (ups, fed ex) nor when I could expect it. Then a few hours later I found it outside my door. I guess magical elves brought it.

There is no estimated delivery date, like on UPS. Bummer. 10AM would be super! Lets hope.

I ordered some fun stuff from RR and they sent it through USPS. There is track info on USPS site saying that the order was received by USPS on the 21st around 7PM. There is no more info. I am in upstate NY. I hope it comes today.

This heat has really done me in too. I just walk around restlessly looking at all the messes in the house and I sigh. Yesterday dh took all the kids out for10 hours and I thought that I would rearrange bookshelves, which is one of my favorite activities, but I just watched tv and the internet. Also, I really feel like I just don't have the energy that I used to 10 years ago or even 5 years ago. So here I am, trying to pinpoint why I am so tired. Maybe it is a combination of heat, allergies (which are making me crazy), and the fact that I just have a lot of responsibilities. I think you're a great poster! Post away!

The same thing happened to my mom many years ago. After her sister passed my brother brought home a stray cat and my mom went through the same thing as you. :grouphug: I am so sorry about your sister.

I ran out of bookshelves and was too lazy to go get more. So now in addition to two built in bookcases and six free standing bookshelves, I have many baskets around the house with books in them.

I have a stack of them and the boys love them all: Celtic Treasures,Spooky Classics for Children, Galileo and the Stargazers, A Christmas Carol, Arabian Nights.,Shakespeare for Children.

Those are adorable! I really like the leaf garland and the cloth acorns. Thanks for the links:001_smile:

Another Jim Weiss audiobook- this one has Civil War stories, which we are studying this year. Also a math book, something a Fibonacci a Rabbits Tale. I don't know what the Fibonacci numbers are, but I am excited to find out!