My son graduated Basic Combat Training a week ago today. Family Day and Graduation were 2 of the most amazing things I've ever seen. He's doing well, we got to spend almost 4 whole days together while we transported him to Ft. Lee, VA where he'll be for the next 13 weeks while in school for his MOS. He's pretty sure he's going to Korea for a year after, and don't know how I'm going to handle that, but one step at a time.

He's wanted to join the Army since he was 8yo, but I can't believe he's actually gone. The house seems so empty without him. He'll be at Fort Jackson, SC until late late April, then Ft. Lee, VA for 13 weeks. He went in as a wheel mechanic, so after training he can be stationed anywhere in the world, since wheeled vehicles are everywhere. My girls are having a tough time with him leaving, especially my 15yo- they are really close. Prayers would be appreciated as we all adjust to this new life.

There's a urologist at the local hospital named Dr. Richard Fixer...he goes by Dick

We enjoyed our free meal today, too

I would LOVE to unschool- I just don't know what that is supposed to look like. Unless I cattle prod my kids, they don't do anything schooly. My 9yo is obsessed with all things Minecraft and will spend 7 hours in front of the computer watching youtube videos of Stampy Longnose. I timed it one day, thinking surely she would eventually become bored, stiff, tired of sitting...nope. 7 HOURS!

I'm going through all this great curriculum that I've accumulated over the years, trying to decide what to sell. I have some good stuff! And year after year I swear that THIS is the year it will get used....and year after year it sits on that damned shelf. And something occurred to me, while boxing up stuff....I do NOT enjoy homeschooling. I LOVE having my kids with me 24/7 and doing all the cool trips and experiences, but the actual slogging through curriculum...I just don't enjoy it. I did love the experience of teaching my kids to read- seeing the light finally come on when the letters started making sense...to this date, my greatest life accomplishment. But the daily battles of school work, busy work, helping, grading, etc...I just don't like it. If we had free online school options in MD like PA does, I'd be signed up so fast your head would spin. Everything I wrote is the truth...and I feel guilty as hell admitting it. I'll go put on my "Bad Homeschool Mom" dunce cap and sit in the corner now.

My oldest son is in jail and has been since October 2nd of this year. It has been a really tough year, getting through all the holidays with my son missing...and this is just one more to survive. It won't truly feel like Mother's Day to me.

I actually kind of resent how I have to spend Mother's Day. Usually we see my mil on Saturday (today) but this year it's our anniversary and I'd rather not spend that with my mil who lives an hour away. She is fine with seeing us another time. My own Mom, otoh, expects everyone to see everyone on the exact day of each holiday and will not take no for an answer. Every birthday, Christmas, Easter, Mother's and Father's Day she must see us in person on that day, regardless of any plans we may have. So tomorrow I will be preparing and hosting a sit down dinner for 8...when what I really want to do is go to the local garden (my kids got me a membership for my bday) and enjoy the day looking at flowers. My poor sil suggested that instead of having Christmas on Christmas Day (she has a larger family, as does my husband) we have it at her house Christmas Eve- it was immediately and irrevocably shot down.

I had an ablation a few years ago- there was absolutely no pain at all after. I had more pain from the iv then the procedure. There was some bloating and fullness, but truly, no pain. And yes, it did totally stop the ridiculous amount of bleeding I had been dealing with and my period even went away for 5 months or so. Then it came back, but it's a normal 6 day, lighter amount period.

I'm in Harford County, too! I'm in HdG...

This year I told my hubby that I cannot keep up. Between running the older kids to work, everyone to activities, doing school, making meals, cleaning the house, dealing with the pets, etc, it's just too much. I informed him that I can reliably do 2 things well, but there are 3 categories that need to be done on a daily basis. 1 is school, 2 is meals, 3 is cleaning...I will happily do any 2 that he chooses, but the 3rd one will need to be farmed out for someone else to handle. He told me to hire a girl to clean the house, so every other Friday, I leave for co-op with a messy, sticky-floored, dusty, dog-hair covered house and 5 hours later I come home to a clean, dusted, vacuumed, shiny-floored, bleach-smelling house. Those Fridays are my favorite days of the month and worth EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR it costs me. In fact, the kids love it so much that when we took a break over Christmas, I didn't have her come. They have all offered to chip in some of their money so she can come back lol. We are all much more relaxed when Mom isn't freaking out about the condition of the house.

We took off the whole month of December, so on one hand I am ready to get back into a routine...on the other hand, I am really enjoying the easy flow of empty days.

I found a great website to cover science, but haven't found something for history. I'd prefer free, secular or Catholic, most importantly, something not boring for an 8yo. Any ideas?

My 19yo son made some very bad choices and was incarcerated in October. He is over an hour away and there is no visitation on Thursdays. This is the first Christmas that I will not be with all 5 of my kids. Thanksgiving was a disaster- I was a wreck. I'm doing better emotionally than I was a month ago, but I'm not under any illusions that tomorrow is going to be easy.

We have a karaoke machine- never gets used she has a tent- never gets used tons of board games that just sit on the shelves she has a camera on her iPod- rarely uses it she doesn't like puzzles