:iagree:

I think maps in the dining room rock. We have a large US political map in our dining room and it spurs all kinds of interesting discussions at meal times among children, adults, and guests! I bought ours at Lakeshore Learning for $25. It is laminated.

I love hosting parties and always do my own food because it is cheaper. I find doing lots of a few dishes is prettier, easier, and cheaper than several items. I don't know all your kids' allergies, but here are some snacky items I like to serve that tend to have less allergens: Fruit trays or fruit salad Hummus with veggies and pita chips Salsa and guacamole with tortilla chips Deli meat trays with rolls for mini-sandwiches Crockpot of pulled bbq pork or chicken with rolls Usually something sweet, but with your kid's allergies, I'mnot sure what would work. Maybe a fruit cobler? Good luck! I'm sure it will be a wonderful, memorable day for you!

I simply cannot fathom the idea that highschool seniors are not familiar with our country's history of racism and segregation. Surely, they did cover the Civil War and the role slavery played in it. Surely, they have at least seen some popular movies addressing these issues, I.e. Malcolm X, Remember the Titans. Goodness, current cultural debates still rage on the role of affirmative action in education and employment. For heaven's sake, they have Martin Luther King Day off of school each year! I understand a student not knowing the particular case in question, but not to understand our country's history of segragation is ridiculous. A basic knowledge of this, along with the text given, seems very sufficient for more than 2% of students to answer correctly.

I have had deep cleaning help in the past, especially during difficult pregnancies. A crew came once a week for a few hours and deep cleaned everything, costing $80 for a four bedroom house. I tried to save money in other areas to cover the cost, but since it was always short-term I never specifically budgeted for it. Overall, I have solved the problem of dealing with the house, errands, laundry, cooking, schooling, and just having 4 babies in 6 years, by always having another family member living with us. I'm the oldest of 7 and the first to marry in the family. I've had a couple of my younger siblings, fresh out of college and in need of a place to live, come live with us for a few years at a time. In exchange for room and board, they help with cleaning and babysitting. They get a few years to get on their feet financially while I get desperately needed help for free!

I'm new to The Hive, and this is my first post! This past year I only used Miquon, along with some fun computer drills, for my kindergarten's math program. I planned to use Miquon with Singapore, but the kindergarten level was too easy. We've been doing so well with Miquon that I never ordered the next level of Singapore. After reading on the forums for awhile, I haven't encountered anyone using Miquon alone for math. What are the reasons behind this? My kindergartner loves math and has a natural aptitude for it, so I'm sure he would enjoy doing more work. However, I also have three younger children to care for and don't want to add unnecessary busywork. Thoughts?