You are so smart! I always think I'll do this, but then I start planning and just jump in full force! Maybe next year I'll remember to ease into things.

Actually, besides being the right thing to do, this was probably the best thing you could have done to further your cause. It showed the librarian that you realized you overreacted, had the guts to own up to it, and generally showed you have decent character, despite your little rant. She will probably take seriously any suggestions you make regarding your library's book selections, rules for children, etc. Take advantage of the opportunity to give written suggestions so they can consider them!

I know it must get better, or I wouldn't have kept doing it all these years, but right now I'm just... tired. We haven't covered all our subjects yet. Dc are struggling to focus. Every subject is taking much longer than it should. I have no idea if the detailed plans I made up for our entire first semester should be scrapped or if we might actually be able to learn how to get it done. Sigh. I hate the first week of school. It isn't any fun at all.

Do they let you know exactly what minerals are in their products? I have thought about purchasing some mineral makeup, but I haven't found the ingredient info online and at the store I can't read the fine print. Besides the usual nasty stuff, I need to avoid copper, too. Do you know anything about that?

Wow. What a tough situation. I'm sorry you have to deal with this disappointment of having less time with him, and then that you have to decide about seeing other family, too. As a wife, I'd want him all to myself. As a mom, boy, if my ds were ever deployed, I'd sure want to see him before he left, even if only for an hour or two. I would be incredibly hurt if he didn't try to see me, and that would make his deployment even harder. Even if I didn't see him often, I would still love him dearly, and I'd want that chance to say good-bye in person. Could your dh work that out somehow? Is there a way for his visit with her to be for a limited time in the afternoon, just them, without it interfering with his time with you and your kids in the morning and evening? How far away is she? Could he drive to meet her halfway or something, then drive back within a few hour period? Can he stand up to her enough to say, "Gotta go, Mom. I love you," then give her a big hug and a kiss and leave? That would be my vote. Let her have a little time with just them, and you have your time with him, too.

I may try something like this myself. My only suggestion is that after the system gets learned, you start having your ds do the moving of pages, first under your supervision, then later on his own. Something I've observed in my own family is that I end up doing most of the organizing, and my dc aren't learning the skills they will need later. That's one of my goals for this year - that they learn to organize their work!

Okay, for some of you tough-minded gals this is a no-brainer, but for me, it's a huge step. I have a hard time saying no to people, but today I had to. My neighbor (whose dc are my dc's best friends) wanted to get our dc together today so she could do some things. Normally, that would be fine, but her ds is sick. Tummy ache yesterday, fever last night, sore throat today. I found out about the tummy ache because he was with us yesterday when he started looking a little green. Literally. So, I asked how he was doing today and she told me the rest. "But really, he's feeling pretty good today, except for the sore throat," she said,"so let's get them together after lunch." Aauuugghh!!!! I don't think so!!!! It was hard for me, but I sucked it up and said we won't play until her dc are all 100% well. She was fine with that, seemed to understand, and said maybe later in the weekend we could try again, if everyone is healthy. So, I'm here doing a little happy dance because I stood up for myself and my dc, because my neighbor seemed to understand, and because I've gotten my first reminder of the season that I should always ask if anyone has symptoms before we get together. It seems everyone we know thinks it's fine to have playdates if they give their feverish dc some motrin, and my dc end up paying for it. I'm going to put a note by the phone to remind me to ask about health before we make playdates!

Some people are under the mistaken impression that all coconut oil is bad for us because hydrogenated coconut oil is bad for us. They don't understand the difference. If you are using raw, unrefined oil, it's fine. Even refined is okay, as long as it's not hydrogenated.

I found my copy of the Latin Centered Curriculum! It's been lost for ages, and I thought I must have lent it out without recording it. Nope! It was hiding with the dust bunnies behind my dresser. So, even though I hate deep cleaning, I did it, and now I get a reward! It's good to do the right thing. :D

Do you use any products with peroxide? Some leave-in hair conditioners cause bleaching, too.

If you do go with a spray, be sure to get a spray that actually works for brown recluses! Some won't be as effective. Also, get some sticky spider traps to put along the baseboards behind the beds, toilets, etc. Sprays don't always kill them, but when they come out to hunt they get stuck in the traps and die.

Do the siding and roofing people actually read the sign and go away? Would it discourage people running for political office? We start school on Monday, and I'd like to limit my doorbell interruptions to the UPS guy and neighbors with real emergencies, KWIM?

Thanks for the suggestion. I called. The one item I wanted the most is out of stock. It wasn't when I ordered it, but somehow, now it is. Rats. If I'd known this would happen I would have ordered it from Rainbow, but now I'd have to pay extra for the shipping, in addition to the higher price there. Oh, well. I'll just wait.

I ordered from Amazon because it was a little cheaper and everything I wanted was listed as in stock. One would think that would mean things would be shipped out within a week, right? My last in stock order was prepared for shipping the next day, so I thought this order would be sent quickly, too. This time, it's been over a week and the things aren't even being prepped yet. Is this just what I get for requesting free shipping?

I'd just pay it and move on. You messed up, you got caught, you got a consequence, and it wasn't the least bit convenient. Live and learn. IMHO, it isn't worth the time or emotional energy drain to try to deal with their part of the equation, too. Just pay the fine and move on to a better day.

My older brother used to ride motocross with Bruce Jenner (won gold medal for the decathalon). I met him once.

We have silverfish in our house! Big ones. Big, shiny, fast ones that keep popping up in places I don't want to find them. So, Great Hive Mind, what do I do to get rid of them? I don't want to bomb the house with chemicals, but I want these things to be gone! What has worked for you? (Oh, please, please tell me something worked for you!!!!!!)

Dh came home tonight and fixed it. I'm at my own desk, reading my own computer screen, wasting my own time. Ahhhhh..... :) I wish I knew exactly what fixed it, but he didn't have a good answer for me. He did all the same stuff I had already tried, with doing the "repair" thing and turning off the computer, the router, etc. He figured out how to manually connect, but it still didn't work until after he turned everything off and on again, so he doesn't know if that was the key or if it was just... something. Anyway, it's working, so I should go print the stuff I did today. Thanks for the support!

He's fine with it, so don't worry. You won't forget it again, I'm sure!

I've seen this, but it isn't a problem for me. People can charge whatever they want - it doesn't mean I have to buy it! Honestly, it bothers me more when I offer to sell my excellent condition items at less than half price and include shipping costs, and then someone tells me my price is way too high and offers 1/10 of the new price. If I wanted virtually nothing for it, I'd price it that way and I'd sell it at the local curriculum sale so I didn't have to mess around with shipping it.

What history book were you reading?

Thanks for this suggestion. I"m sure you are on the right track. I'm sure my computer can do this somehow, but it doesn't have the options you mentioned listed so simply. I have several different "wizards" that are supposed to make it easier to do such things, but I'm not sure which one to use or what the instructions mean, and I don't want to mess this up further by just trying one to see! I guess dh will just have to look at it again tomorrow when he isn't as tired! Thanks for giving us the direction to go!

I'm on dh's computer right now. I thought he'd come home and be able to fix mine, but he tried and he has no idea what's wrong. Maybe one of you knows! My computer is on a wireless router. Our laptop uses the router, too, and it works fine. I have unplugged both the router box and the matching box that connects to my PC, waited a bit, and reattached, with no change. I have restarted my computer. I have done a complete shut down. No matter what I do, I get the message that the wireless connection strength is excellent, but that I have limited or no connectivity. Again, we have internet access on the other computers (here I am!), so I have no idea what to try next. I can't print documents, either, although that happens occasionally when I need to reboot the router, so it may not be related this time. Ideas, anyone?

I have an older PDA, a Handspring, that can accept Excel spreadsheets. I'm sure a more modern Palm would be able to, too!

I'm a lot more concerned about experience and viewpoint than I am about age. I'm not going to like either option, frankly, but I will vote and age won't play a part in my decision.