Bonacieux. We're reading The Three Musketeers and have no idea about how to say this. Also, is there a good online audio pronunciation aid for French? Thanks!

Thank you!

Could someone please link to this discussion? I can't find it, for some reason. Thanks!

I like the idea of ring-bearer's pillows. Also, you could use it to make Christening gowns for the grandchildren someday - lots of "sacramental silk" there, you know! Or, maybe when one ds and his future bride want to marry, money will be tight and she'd like it. Who knows. If all else fails, save it and pull it out to display at your 50th wedding anniversary party!

I can see why it's a problem for you, but have you considered getting an advanced degree in foreign language and teaching at the college level? Surely, there must be some within driving distance that might hire you, and you could actually do some work with medieval manuscripts that way. With a masters you could teach at community colleges and some private colleges, and with a PhD you could teach anywhere. You might be able to be an instructor at a university with a master's degree, too, but wouldn't have the opportunity for advancement without the PhD. Another idea: have you considered contacting people who actually have jobs related to what are most passionate about to find out if they have any suggestions for you regarding possible job options besides teaching? You could contact the Spanish/French/Italian/etc. medieval literature department of whatever university is closest to you to ask if they can suggest any options that might work for you if you chose to pursue a degree in that field besides teaching college. For example, the Hispanic Seminary of Medieval Studies is based in NY, affiliated with the Hispanic Society of America, and it publishes manuscripts of medieval Spanish. I have no idea if they do all the work on those manuscripts, or if they hire out some of their work, but they might have some suggestions for you. Other languages may have similar organizations that could give you ideas. I hate to discourage you from going into teaching, if that's what you really want to do, but it doesn't sound like it is. Before you settle for less than your heart's desire, do some research and find out if there might really be a way for you to pursue your passion while living in your small town!

First day of school photo with dc holding signs they decorated. "This is the first day of ___ grade. I am ___ years old. Aug. __, 2000_. " I never label photos, so this helps us know when they were taken!

We haven't done this for awhile, but I plan to make my new lists this week to get us back on track! The most effective way of doing it for us was to use a notebook with checklists in sleeve protectors. Each of us had our own pages, and mine included checking on the kids to be sure theirs were done! We marked off the completed items with dry erase markers. One list was for wake-up until school starts, the next for the school day, the last for after school through bedtime. Honestly, my dc hated it, but when we did it everything got done and I didn't have to remind them as much. I tried putting everything on one sheet of paper so there wouldn't be as many to keep track of, but the dc were overwhelemd with the number of items on the lists, so we went back to separating the times of day. I also used the notebook to have checklists of what needed to go with us to the various acitivites. Awana meant they needed their bags, books, Bibles, pencils, any projects, vests/shirts, sneakers (for game time), and a snack to eat in the van on the way home. I made lists for everything we did that involved leaving the house, and I can't tell you how helpful it was! I also kept informational papers from the various activiites there so I could refer to them if needed - Awana schedules, special trip info, etc. My life was much more organized when I followed through with this, and that's why I'm putting it back together this next week! I hope you find a system that works for you, too!

You need to make a new plan, based on what you see as most important for your family. Regular beditmes, scheduled activities, story/cuddle times, etc, just as you would when he is able to be home. You need to give your dc the stability they need to thrive. You need it, too! Maybe you and dh can work out a telephone plan so he can say good-night to the dc every night. Something we've done to help keep dh involved is to have a daily "report" to give him when he comes home. He can see the progress they've made in their schoolwork, how attitudes were, etc., and can discuss with them how he wants them to keep it up or improve in the next week. It's helped tremendously, because they realize he's still dad and he still cares about how they are doing with their responsibilities, even when he can't see them. :grouphug: You can do this!

It was written by Otis Redding. He really was asking for respect!

Yes, I did. I haven't read Gender Matters yet, so I can't compare the two. Boys Adrift deals with the problems young men are facing that cause them to lack direction as teens and young adults, not leaving home or assuming adult responsibilities when appropriate. He discusses expectations of schools being developmentally inappropriate for younger boys, video games' negative influence and how it actually affects the brain and interpersonal relations, ADHD medication negatively affecting the motivation center of the brain, how the estrogen compounds in plastics may cause problems, and more. It reinforced a number of things I already thought and made me aware of some new ideas I hadn't considered. If you can bring yourself to request it via ILL, do! It's an interesting read.

Yes, they like Juicy Juice. I buy frozen juice concentrate, too, from some other company - Old Orchard, maybe? - that mixes apple juice with other kinds of juice. It's cheaper that way. Apple/Kiwi/Strawberry is our favorite, but there is also Apple Raspberry, etc. For frozen juice pops, it's sweeter if you don't mix in quite as much water as usual, if your dc prefer it that way.

Thank you all for your input! I appreciate the suggestions, particularly the "FOOD" recommendation! Ds is always hungry, and I tend to forget how much it affects his ability to do his work. Yes, I understand. My loudest, highest energy dc is a girl. They all need exercise, hugs, etc., regardless of gender. Still, my ds is different, and I do believe it's because of more testosterone. The idea that really struck home with me from the book was that he needs to feel that he's accomplishing something significant. That is so my ds. He wants to achieve something, conquer something, be the best. I don't want that satisfaction to come just from playing video games (a major topic in the Boys Adrift). That's why I wondered about working with him separately, or having special activities or curricula. My ds loves competition, but his sisters aren't at the same level in anything, and they don't like to compete much, so there is no level playing field for him to really "test" himself with them. Are there any curricula that somehow would meet this need? We've ruled out playing tackle football, for safety reasons, but he really needs other things to give him that sense of accomplishment for having done something hard and overcoming. Being part of a team or group of guys to do it would be even better. Any ideas about that?

I think it was about $.50 a gallon. When friends and I would go cruising, everyone put their change in the ash tray so we could pay for the gas we were using driving around town all evening.

I will certainly pray for your dh. I'll pray for all of you. I understand the fear and frustration you are feeling at not knowing what's going on or what can be done to help him. I'm praying that answers come quickly, that proper treatment is begun right away, that your dh recovers from this with no long-term problems, and that all of you are filled with God's peace as you rest in His care. :grouphug:

Reading Boys Adrift (by same author as Why Gender Matters), I was struck by the need to do more things just for my ds to help him learn in a way that fits him better. Have you made any changes in your homeschool to accomodate a boy's need for masculine activity? Have you changed your curriculum choices for him? Do you teach him separately? How do your girls react to the changes you've made? Thanks for any input!

Thanks, abbeyej. We did give the CogAT. I'm glad to know it wasn't a waste of time! Thanks for the link to their site. It should be helpful!

We're still waiting to get our results back. Did they give you anything specific regarding areas needing improvement, such as "needs to work on decoding skills, particulaly in words with diphthongs," or was the evaluation more general? Was the conclusion that your ds is math-minded based on the math tests themselves or on the cognitive abilities test? I'm on pins and needles here! Thanks for any info you can give on what to expect from the results!

Do it! The flexibility and core strength she developed in gymnastics and dance will serve her well. Try to find a studio that won't require a contract, just in case she doesn't like it!

It was challenging! At first I couldn't figure it out, but I kept at it and suddenly I did it! Then, of course, I had to play with it for another 10 minutes before I could do it again and remember what to do! Now that I know, I can't believe I didn't see it at first. I think I was too preoccupied with the idea that real frogs would jump on top of each other and not worry about falling in. :) Cute game. I'm going to have my dc try it in the morning!

I see a similar situation where I live. Not good. By all means, don't join. Also, given the circumstances, don't explain. Sweetly say things won't work out this year, and repeat that year after year! Meet with a few friends for special activities. I know hsers who have regular playdates, science class, speech class, etc. together, simply based on the fact that their moms wanted to do it that way. No group fees, just everyone pitching in to cover costs. It's worked well for them.

I'd call the doctor back about the fever. It may be that your ds needs a stronger antibiotic. (Zithromycin, maybe?) or it may be just a viral infection. Regardless, let the doctor know what's going on. I had a sinus infection recently that took 2 rounds of antibiotics. The doctor told me he knows ENTs that prescibe 6 weeks of amoxycillin sometimes for really severe sinus infections. Are you using sinucleanse or a neti pot to thin out his nasal secretions? That made a tremendous difference in how I felt, as it cleaned out my sinuses pretty well. Also, I used a nasal steroid for my allergies, which were aggravating the problem. The doctor didn't want me to use anti-histamines, though, because they thicken the mucus and counter-act the benefit of using the netipot.

We have a lot of allergies. The last people we visited knew that, and even though I offered to bring food, they insisted that they would provide food for everyone "because it's more fun when everyone can eat the same thing." She called me several times to verify foods and recipes, clearly stressed about it, even though it was her idea. We had a great time, the food was wonderful, but we told her that next time we visit, we'll bring the food! She agreed. :)

Praying for your ds's recovery and for strength for you. :grouphug:

Your cat is in pain. Eating won't change that, and could make things worse if he needs surgery. Surely there is a vet within 60 miles of you that is open Saturday morning. I'd be making calls right now to find one that is. Most will have answering machines with their hours, and they may even have websites, so you could line up your options tonight. Your cat needs to be seen ASAP. I understand wanting to avoid the fees at the emergency animal hospital, if there is one near you, but your cat is in an emergency situation. He may have internal injuries, as well as the leg. Waiting untiil Monday may be too late. Find a vet to take him to Saturday morning! Praying for him and for you, that all will be well.

I appreciate your input! Wow, Lorna. Thank you for sharing all of that. I had no idea what a challenging issue this could be. I sure hope my dc's problem is just a lack of attention to details! It certainly wouldn't be the first time! Thanks, too, for the link to the test. I'll pull it out next week as a fun activitiy, and see how it goes. Thanks again, everyone!