I haven't tried that, but I am using AM/PM PeriMenopause Formula: http://www.enzymatictherapy.com/Products/Womens-Health/Menopause/07236-AMPM-PeriMenopause-Formula.aspx It's less expensive other places online - that's just the manufacturer's website.

Here's a good website with info: http://coconut-info.com/ We use it mainly for cooking, although I have used it topically. I use virgin coconut oil for baking and things where the coconut flavor isn't an issue. I use expeller pressed oil for cooking/sauteing when I don't want the coconut taste. I've been buying my coconut oil from Tropical Traditions for years - they quality and customer service has always been great. If you sign up for their emails, they often run sales, free shipping, etc.: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/

Technically, it's recommended that starting in Year 2 and 3, the children will begin to read some of their books independently and by Year 4 or 5, will be reading the majority by themselves (with the exception of Shakespeare and Plutarch). It's outlined here: http://www.amblesideonline.org/FAQ.shtml#started

I'd suggest magnesium supplementation. I started supplementing with magnesium a number of years ago, and suggested it to my stepmom, who was having heart palpitations, and it stopped them in her. I use magnesium chloride flakes that I dissolve in water and take some orally, but use a stronger concentration transdermally. http://magnesiumforlife.com/medical-application/magnesium-%E2%80%93-the-ultimate-heart-medicine/ http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/the_miracle_of_magnesium

It really depends on what type of literature they're used to - it can be quite a jump for some kids if they've been used to a different type of curriculum. I would suggest you look at Years 1-3 and see if you and your kids have read any/most of the books and then pick a Year based on which books seem to be the best fit. Your 6 yo could start in Year 1, but I'd only do that if you're sure she's really ready, and closer to 7 years old, not just turned 6 (they do have a Year 0). I've run into some issues because I did combine my kids and dd (the 9 yo) started the AO cycle too young. We added in Year 3 1/2 and spread that over 2 years, but even so, Year 4 is proving a stretch for her. It's a good fit for my 11 yo.

I purchased a security key for my Paypal account for $5 - it generates a random number every time you sign in, so even if someone does hack your password, unless they have your physical security key, they can't access your account (there's probably some way to hack anything, but this makes it much more difficult).

Yes, I most certainly remember the sexual stuff in those books from when I read them as a young teen, so am always surprised when they're recommended.

I've combined my 11 and 9 yo into one year (it's not widely recommended, but for us, it works). If that was something that would work for you, then you'd just have 2 separate years to deal with. I am still reading most of the books to my dc - we are in Year 4 - because although I know my ds would be fine reading everything on his own, my dd would not be yet. Ds is such a fast reader that he would just skip stuff he didn't know or understand (things in Robinson Crusoe, for example), and dd would just get frustrated that she wasn't understanding everything well. So I do have them reading one book on their own and then narrating, but the others we are going through together.

We still have one - I use it as a backup for recording TV shows. We do have a computer hooked up to the TV that functions as a DVR, but if I have 2 shows on at the same time, or the computer is on the fritz, I use the VCR.

I use wood pellets - either sold as bedding or as pellet stove fuel. It works very well for the urine odor (I change the box about once a week), but I do scoop the solids out as soon as I find them. Feeding a good food will also help with the smell.

We've been taking ds in every year, but he's got one far sighted eye and one near sighted eye. And for glasses, I've ordered from Zenni Optical several times and have been very pleased with the glasses, service and quality. I just placed a new order last night for new glasses for me.

I really dislike camping (might go even so far as hate). When we go to Yellowstone, we like to stay at Old Faithful in the old rooms (with the bathrooms down the hall). I haven't checked the rates this year, but the older rooms w/o a private bath are reasonable (IMO) and they have a few rooms that have 3 queen beds that are on one of the balconies, which is a good option for a family and less expensive than the suites in the Inn.

:grouphug::grouphug:

You may just end up w/ crunchy carrots. . .I've ended up precooking my carrots now if I make potpie because they just don't seem to cook enough while the pie is baking.

Is the slide removable? How much room is it going to take up? I think it might be fun if you have the room for it, but it might also cause trouble with the 2yo wanting to play on it and not being able to. And if the slide isn't detachable, then you're stuck with it and don't have any other option. The second bed might be more functional.

I've used Flea Fix successfully - it's a growth inhibitor and much less toxic than many of the alternatives. I just did a search, and they do have a fogger available now - the product I used was diluted in water and then sprayed all over the house/furniture. It can last up to 7 months. http://www.e-bug.net/info/fleas/fleafixfogger.html

I didn't vote - we get our fruits/veggies from a coop, but I do buy grass fed beef and chickens at 2 different Farmer's Markets here.

I voted over 80 - my dc have *way* too many. . .Ds collects Legos and dd has tons of My Little Ponies and Littlest Pet Shop (and other stuff). I've gone as far as having dd put a bunch of her toys in bins in the basement because she was having too much trouble keeping her room picked up and in some semblance of neat (and that's used very loosely). I'd love for ds to do the same (I think he has put a couple bins downstairs). And I would love to downsize, but I don't think I could convince either one of them to do that at this point.

You might look into the book The Explosive Child. It deals with kids with low frustration thresholds and low frustration tolerances. My ds fits that - he's 11 now, but we had tons of issues when he was younger with school and anything that would put him over the edge of his frustration level (which was very very low). We were using a token based economy up until this summer (based on Transforming the Difficult Child, which has many good ideas), but I was still hitting a wall with him in school. Last school year, I found The Explosive Child book and that seemed to be the key issue with him that I had missed. I wish I would have found the book much earlier, but we've already made progress with helping him through his frustration issues.

Congrats!!! :hurray:

I had overactive letdown and it would produce similar results in my dc when they tried to nurse. What finally worked well for me was to only nurse on one side for a longer period of time (4-6 hours). So I'd nurse on one side for the morning, switch sides for the afternoon, switch again for evening, and once more for middle of the night.

Do you mean Light Force? I read it a few months ago and it's very good!

I agree.

I have tons, too, and always wish they'd just use all the money they're spending on sending out labels on whatever cause they're promoting.

My kids really hated the style. They love fantasy and silliness in the books they read, but for whatever reason did not like it in their grammar books. I did keep the Practice books and plan to use those again because I think both dc were getting more out of it than traditional diagramming, but ds begged to go back to R&S for grammar because he said he "actually learned something" from R&S.