I had to laugh about the clover! I used to do that to my mom with dandelions. Every. single. year. until I was in my teens! I was always delighted to find them and to share them with her, and she handled it very sweetly, as you are trying to do. She would thank me, tell me they were beautiful, beam at me, and then only at that point ask me sweetly to please put them outside because they would make her sneeze if they stayed. I forgot about her allergies from year to year, but I always knew she loved me, even though she didn't say it much. She didn't need to - she showed me!

It has WIndows 95, so doesn't run much that is made now, but we still find good software for it at garage sales! It's great for any word processing they have to do.

Thank you for praying for us!

We've had them for many years, so I can't speak to how sturdy the ones Sam's carries now are, but these are great. They are 6' high by 4' wide double bookcases The backs are the only part that are pressboard. You'd have to go to a Sam's to see what's in stock - they have lots more online that don't look as sturdy.

I don't want to use DEET on the dc. Last year we used Off Botanicals, but it isn't made anymore. Burt's Bees lemongrass stuff didn't work for us. Off makes something called Off Family Care Clean Feel, which doesn't have DEET, but it is chemically based - something called picaridin. The natural food store here has Bite Blocker. Have you used either one against mosquitoes or ticks? Did it work? Did it attract any other insects that bit you? Any other suggestions?

Praying for a quick diagnosis and wisdom for the medical staff to follow the best course of action. May God bless your daughter with a complete recovery and you with peace as you help her through this time.

Thank you all! I'm awed by all of the support here and through private messages. Thank you for praying! You all are wonderful! I'm glad to "know" so many people willing to go before the Lord on our behalf. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

I can feel the support of your prayers keeping me going. Thank you, everyone! :001_smile:

ETA: Thank you for your prayers!

I learned that WTM folks are ready and willing to pray for people they don't even really know. Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you all!

ETA: Thank you all for your prayers.

I just realized I was thinking of a completely different book! I haven't read this one. Sorry, sorry. I'll go crawl away now and hide in a hole....

I started to read it. I stopped because it bothered me. Now, I can't remember why it did, but I knew I wasn't going to pass it on to my dc to read. Sorry I can't be more specific.

I know some of you prayed and didn't type a response! Thank you!!!!!!

1. There's no point in spending so much time together at this age. They are too young for marriage, and allowing them to spend so much time together just increases their temptation to do things that are not appropriate outside marriage. Better to spend time their limited time together with the whole family or with a group of friends under adult supervision - which means adults actually seeing them and being able to hear what is happening. 2. Ditto. No sense purposely allowing so much time together, as it may increase temptation or emotional bonding at too young an age.

Does your ds have to do all of the projects, or can you just cover the factual material and call it done? Ten weeks is a long time to keep working - you won't have a summer break! I would (and have) just cut out the extra things that don't move the essential knowledge base forward. It's great and fun to do projects, but they aren't absolutely necessary. Sanity is important, too. It's okay to start up the fall right where you left off, too, if you don't finish the math book. Depending on the text (is it spiral or mastery?), it may even be okay to just stop and start the next book in the fall. Regardless of what you decide, try to focus on what got done, not what didn't. In fact, I would make a list of what was done, not mark things off a schedule. It's depressing when you have too much planned and not enough done, but it feels great when you have a list of several things accomplished - and that includes working on projects that still aren't completed. The process is important, too!

Get off on the right foot. It's more important that the counselor focus on your dc and their abilities and needed coursework than that he/she be distracted by any annoyance or embarrassment about the error. If there's a webmaster link, use it and explain the error very nicely. If not, I'd keep quiet about it until the dc are actually in school and you see that no one has anything against them because of being homeschooled.

Ds had a medical procedure yesterday and is feeling bad. I think he would feel better if he could laugh a lot today. Any ideas? I hate to resort to renting movies, but that might do the trick. Anything laughter producing like Over the Hedge that I'll be able to stand, too, when he thinks it's so funny he has to repeat the "best" parts for me? Any games that lead to a lot of laughter? I welcome all your ideas!

I think he would feel better if he could laugh a lot today. Any ideas? I hate to resort to renting movies, but that might do the trick. Anything laughter producing like Over the Hedge that I'll be able to stand, too, when he thinks it's so funny he has to repeat the "best" parts for me? Any games that lead to a lot of laughter? I welcome all your ideas!

Praying for complete recovery for Will and for peace and comfort for the whole family.

My ds had a medical procedure yesterday, and he's feeling pretty bad. Would you please pray that his body would heal properly and quickly? Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

I avoid aritificial dyes as much as possible, but I have no problem with a dye from insects. My dd will be very happy to learn that it's okay for her to eat red M&Ms! I wonder if they use natural coloring for any of the other colors? Anyone know?

For some reason, she repeats what people say, backward. Maybe she could use it in a stand-up comedy act? Maybe a talent show?

Maybe he's going through that 40-something mental block which causes the right words to disappear from our brains and the opposite words to pop out of our mouths. It happens to me all the time. Serves me right for all the times I thought my mom was so dumb!