There should be an adult running the dorm...someone with more authority than the RA. Your daughter needs a living space that's, well, livable. She's not getting that! I would encourage her to go over the RA and get something done. If she won't do it...even after you tell her she can't stay home any longer...then you'll have to get involved. I do think *she* needs to take the steps to solve this...but I think it's more important that it's eventually solved. College is WAY too expensive to be distracted by a crazy roommate. I was an RA. I've seen the crazy things and had to arbitrate lots of roommate situations. This doesn't sound salvagable. (sp?)

I've not used the lower grades of TT but both my older dc have done Alg. 1 and 2. My feeling about "rigorous" is this...the most rigorous curriculum in the world does you no good if your child doesn't understand it and you can't teach it. To me, it is far better to have material that the child can learn and retain. And both my kids did well on the SAT--not "super" scores, but enough that the oldest nabbed a great scholarship for a private university. DC #2 is still in process of SAT-taking, but I expect his scores to be even better. So...I guess none of that answers your questions about the elementary levels of TT but I think ncmomo3 is right about moving through the material at your own pace. And for us, there was enough practice to understand and retain the material.

No answer here about food...but definitely my sympathies. My longtime friend and kitty developed diabetes...and we had to give him daily injections. He was good about it, but it was really hard on him and us. (Not to mention expensive between the vet visits, the meds and the syringes.) My sweet, friendly kitty became a very unhappy pet. I hope you'll have better success with your cat.

My ds just bought the TI-84 plus silver edition. It scares me just to look at it! I shopped a long time...looked at used ones on ebay....finally bit the bullet and spent the $$. It is allowed for both the SAT and ACT test.

There's some on half.com as well. The best price is $5.94 plus $3.99 shipping and the description says " some edge wear to cover corners." Sounds good to me! http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQprZ2162056QQcpidZ1079608079

That is absolutely awesome!! What an experience for a kid--he'll never forget reading the Declaration to that crowd.

I really liked my Maya Wrap. (Actually, if you buy really strong rings, a sling is an easy thing to make.)

This is my situation...except there's no plan to help me teach anything! DH is very supportive, though...he just doesn't feel qualified to help. (even though he is and could)

Most all of the above are on my list...especially glass head pins, good scissors and a rotary cutter. But I also wouldn't sew these days without a serger--makes the job SOOOOOO much easier and faster.

I agree with Barb. There are many high school students who would be absolutely thrilled with those scores. Your son has a long time to take these tests...I wouldn't burn him out, especially since he's already scored so well. (Just realized you said dc not ds...so put the appropriate gender in my note!)

I've used this recipe without the maple flavoring but with vanilla and butter added. In fact, this was the first thing we learned to make in 7th grade home ec. (Yes I'm old enough that we actually had home ec!) We made french toast and syrup and sat at tables with "correct" place settings.

No, I wouldn't take them if there were strings attached. One of the reasons I homeschool is so that *I* (or my dh) can choose what it is they learn rather than the state. In fact, there's a bill in the IN senate right now that concerns me for this reason...it would require licensed teachers in public, private and homeschools to teach a view that is not at all a belief that I hold. (How this would be enforced I have no idea.) If I wanted the choices to be taken out of my hands, I'd enroll them in public school.

I'm in the "none of the above" choices. We have 4 cells in our family and we do use them. My dh has his for his business. It was WAY cheaper than having a business land line. My teens have one cause I want to be able to get in touch with them when they're out of the house. (It's a 16th bday present tradition in our house.) And me, I use mine all the time. I chat with my mom (long distance) several times a week. I check in with the kids if I'm out of the house. I call my bf just to chat. I do feel safer in my car with a cell...and we travel at night once a week for band. (out in the boonies) My bf gave her 15 yr old son one for his bd this year with the following message in song: Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. If you go over your minutes, Mom's gonna ground you.

It's a shocker when they cut that much! My dd has donated to Locks of Love as well...I think we cut about 17 inches, too. She had a really hard time getting used to it and has grown it back out. I hope your dd likes her new "do."

I'd go...and I have gone when I was so broke I wasn't sure where lunch was coming from! For me, there's just something very energizing about being with a large group of homeschoolers--people who also see homeschooling as "normal" rather than "weird." I think you'd benefit from hearing the speakers and having the opportunity to see curriculum (even if you're not purchasing any).

Well, there are a few more things you'll need...like a specific type of toilet bowl cleaner and Drano (that's what I remember off the top of my head). But the kit supplies all the things that you wouldn't just find at a store like WalMart or Target.

Praying here...poor thing must be miserable.

I'd be ticked if I paid that much for driver's ed and they wanted YOU to take them out. That said, I've now taken two teens out for their first drive and survived the experience as has our vehicle. I'd probably find an empty, snow-plowed parking lot this weekend and let your son "drive." (We always start in a parking lot circling slowly...as in little or no accelerator.)

BTDT...I used to tease my dh about not cutting the cord the right way for our last child. He definitely was the exception to the rule. He NEVER slept more than 6-8 hours a day (even as a newborn) and then only if I held him or was lying next to him. He literally had to touch me 24 hours a day. Exhausting, it was just exhausting. But he did sleep at night if I was with him and napped in the afternoon if I held him or laid down with him. And forget about putting him in a crib...he had crib radar. Putting him in the crib was like ringing a huge alarm clock! I did try letting him cry a time or two...I think he would have cried for hours, made himself sick and still stayed awake. I just couldn't stand it, nor could I stand the lack of sleep. It was easier and more restful for me to hold him. So I did. And unfortunately, his attachment wasn't just for sleeping. I could hardly leave him for the first 5 years. He didn't even like his dad for the first 18 months...it was a very L....O....N....G haul. But, he's now very independent, happy and well adjusted. Sleeps fine on his own (though still less hours than most kids his age). It was well worth any discomfort I endured to secure his emotional well being. Is she napping a lot during the day? Maybe you could try keeping her up during the day so that she'll need to sleep more at night. You have my sympathies...it's so hard when you're not getting enough sleep.

That's great! I'm so happy for you and your son!

When I was a ps middle school teacher, I tutored several homebound students. I was given THREE HOURS a week to get in the core subjects (LA, math, science, history). Those kids passed. I figure that surely I can do better at home with my kids. (And yes, I once considered myself one of those so-called experts...now I see many, many many hs parents who are much finer teachers than I ever was or will be.) That said, I think there is pressure to produce "super students" as homeschoolers...as if we have to justify that, yes, we can do a better job than the ps. And yes, I often get caught up questioning if the hs courses I've chosen for my high schoolers are "rigorous" enough. I usually beat myself up a while before I get back to whatever made me chose that course in the first place. (Like right now there's a discussion on the hs board about Apologia Chemistry...threw me for a loop. But the bottom line is that my pharmacy-bound son has done well with both Chem courses and the university we're eyeing finds the material appropriate, so it's been "rigorous" enough for him.) And while I homeschool so that my kids can have a great education, I also do so for other reasons. For our family, those things are equally important.

I don't know if this is what you want, but here's the link to the company: http://www.bhibooks.net/catalog/item/4154895/4030654.htm

It really got to me that he so calmly discussed placing an extra dog tag in his boot or tatooing personal information on a soldier's torso--just in case they needed to be identified. I can't imagine living in that kind of daily thought process. He had a remarkable attitude. He deserved every one of the wonderful things they did for his family.

I'm so sorry. Praying here for your family.

The dsl portion of our phone is $19.99 with AT&T.