I have a third grade daughter. Chores: We do all of our chores and run errands in the morning. Free time: Once our chores are done she is allowed to do what ever she wants... play, tv, read etc. until lunch time, which is around 11am. Outside time is usually included with doing our chores. She helps feed the chickens and collect eggs. She loves to play with them and the dogs. Depending on the weather and time of year, outside time for pleasure varies. We have long, very hot summers so that is why we don't usually start school work until 11am. That gives us the morning to be outside before it gets too hot. We have lunch and then start school work. It takes about 3 hours, some days close to 4 hours. Reading: I'm very lucky that my 3rd grader loves to read. She will often choose to read over playing. She has Literature and Creative Writing that she does daily for school work. My older daughter was much more difficult. She is a proficient reader, but will not read on her own. Math: This subject takes her the longest, probably 25-30 mins per lesson. Once our school work is done I get dinner started and then we head out to her karate class at 4pm. All school work needs to be completed by 3:30 or she will miss karate. We get home from karate by 6:30 and have dinner. Free time: She is free to do what she wants after the table is cleared. The latest creative phase is creating with model clay and pipe cleaners. Santa brought her books on how to make animals etc, she loves it. She spent at least 3 hours making stuff yesterday!

This thread has what you could buy for one person low carb per week with $20 http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/past-amazing-posts/771756-you-only-have-20-week-what-do-you-buy.html

I don't prepare two different meals. I usually make a meat, veggie, salad and a starch. I just don't eat the starch. On meatless days (spaghetti or soups) I just throw a piece of meat on my Forman Grill (LIFESAVER!) and have that. I have 60 chickens so I can sympathize with the tons of eggs per day. I make deviled eggs, scrambled eggs, quiche, and hard boiled eggs. I'm pretty picky so I don't eat a big variety of things. You can visit www.lowcarbfriends.com and find a ton of recipes using eggs.

We had rats but strangely my DH was ok with them. But the chickens, they just about sent him over the edge.

I think the dog will win you over. My DH was not an animal lover. He grew up in a row home with an obsessively clean mother that refused to have any pets. When I first met him, I sent him pics of my dogs before sending pics of my kids! (Second marriage for both of us). I made it very clear from day 1 that I will never not have dogs. I can live without cats (we have one though) but not without dogs. DOGS, as in plural. He made the decision to continue to date me, pets and all. Flash forward 10 yrs and he has seen how our one dog protects our daughter. He is a big 100 lb pit mix and she walks and he follows her. He fought off two dogs that came charging at her. I'd like to add that my daughter (his from his first marriage) had never had dogs and didn't particularly like them either. She isn't lovey dovey with the dogs, but she likes them now. My DH has grown to love them. He won't let them on the furniture (I don't either) but I do let them in the bed after he leaves for work.

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I was able to cut out having to buy most paper products and household cleaning supplies by making my own. We use cloth kitchen napkins and use vinegar for all of our cleaning. I use vinegar in the washer instead of bleach and as a fabric softener and I make my own laundry soap. Due to health issues I had to stop using store bought feminine supplies. I was able to make all of my own girly things. We also use family cloth (same health reasons as above) so we don't buy much TP (my DH won't use family cloth, so I buy TP for one person). I spend about $300 a month for our family of 4 but I also have a well stocked pantry. I could go 9 months to a year without shopping for anything other then milk and butter. Every day I stop at my local grocery store and see what meats they have marked down. If it's not marked down, I don't buy it. I know not everyone can do that, but I pass the store every day and it only takes a few mins to look down the meat aisle, but saves me a lot of $$ since I eat paleo. I have more time than money :)

Can't the other family members eat grains? That right there will cut your food budget by a lot. I am the only one that eats paleo in our house. When you move will you have the option of having chickens? We get a ton of eggs which is something I eat every day, in several different ways. If you can get a good size garden going once you move you can learn how to can and dehydrate veggies. I do this and it keeps us in veggies all year long. I think you can buy seeds and plants with food stamps. Canning cost $ to start up, but maybe someone you know has a canner you can borrow. I got my dehydrators at Goodwill for $7-10 each.

My DH and were both married before so when we got married we combined households. Neither one of us had a complete set of anything. When we bought our house three years ago I wanted to get a nice set of dishes and everything to match. I had Pfaltzgraf and it lasted for years. I bought two full sets of dishes and all the things to go with it only to find chips in my plates within days. I emailed the company and found out that my first set was stone-wear, and my new set was earthen-ware which does not hold up to everyday use. I was so upset. I love my dishes but cannot use them on a daily basis. I wound up buying a full set of the pfaltzgraf melamine set to match and I'm very happy with them. This is my pattern: http://www.pfaltzgraff.com/napoli/dinnerware-set%2C-16-piece/5072031.html

I use a workbox system for my daughter. She can choose what subject she wants to do and when, with the exception of math, which I require gets done first. That is the only subject that she struggles with at times and needs extra time and help. She is in training for competition so we are at the karate school every day. If she doesn't complete her work, no karate. So far, this has worked well with her getting her work done. We don't usually start school until after 11am and there have been days I wake up and find her sitting at her desk doing her work early. We don't follow a M-F schedule. Our weekends are usually free so we will do school work on Saturday and then not on Monday, which is when we hit up the museum or zoo. I have to say that since I am down to homeschooling only one child, time isn't usually an issue. When I had to divide the time between my kids it was easier to tell one that they have from 11-1pm for my attention and from 1-3 with the other, etc.

We live pretty rural and for us DE just wasn't an option. The nearest college is almost an hour away. My daughter graduated homeschool last year after being fully HOME schooled for high school. Now that she has her own car getting to the college is possible, but not before. We don't have any co-ops in our area that I am aware of. I do know several homeschool families in my area through the library homeschool reading class, karate class etc. We also take a homeschool class once a month at the museum. Next year when my daughter is in 4th grade she could take extra curricular activities and sports through the public school, but I don't know what they offer.

I'm thinking she already knows and just isn't saying anything. There is probably an understanding between husband and wife, one that most wouldn't understand, and that is why it is not "public knowledge" so to speak.

I took one of my daughters chicken mcnuggets and started breaking it into smaller pieces for her and found a small, white feather. My grandmother baked a pie and when she went to serve it she couldn't cut through it. She had bought a store-bought pie crust but forgot to take the plastic inverted top off of it before filling it.

LOL SeaConquest, I checked off "other" because I always put garlic salt in my potatoes along with milk, butter and cheddar cheese.

And a firearm!

I have flat feet and fasciitis and I wear Orthaheel shoes and sandals. They are the only supportive shoes that I have ever worn that help. I wore them walking all over Disney in October and they were a lifesaver. I got them on Amazon for a lot less than the Orthaheel website.

I say enjoy it. A windfall is just that, something unexpected but to be enjoyed. If you really feel like you shouldn't keep it then donate it to a child/family that might otherwise not have gifts.

In SC you have to be a member of an Accountability Association. They run from non-intrusive by just paying $25 a yr and filing a form saying you are teaching equal to what the public schools teach to full service including transcripts, class ranks, curriculum counseling etc. The state also requires at least a high school diploma or equivalent.

Very frightening indeed, coming from a Christian, libertarian/ somewhat right wing, non-govt-trusting homeschooler. People that abuse/neglect children will do so regardless of the law. We see this every day when it comes to drugs, firearms and other regulated issues. I'm pretty sure child abuse is already illegal. Adding more laws and oversight isn't going to thwart someone intent on NOT educating their children, they will find a way to circumvent the laws. I don't have an answer, I just believe that adding more gov't into our daily lives isn't the answer.

I'm sure with practice, instruction and lessons I could muster up some talent. I am talking about raw, natural talent. The kind of talent that is honed with practice and instruction. I don't have that. I was exposed to many different things in my childhood but nothing ... and I mean nothing, clicked with me. Two of my four kids have raw, natural talent. My one son is an natural artist. From the time he could pick up a crayon he could draw amazingly well. He is 21 now and in college for animation. My youngest daughter has raw, natural talent for martial arts. Her Shihan believes she is a prodigy. Edited to add: My DH just said that I do have a talent.. I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue LOL...

OMG, I'm not strange! Wow, I have always thought I was the only person that has had this experience. I cannot have an alarm go off without it scaring me half to death. They startle me and my heart races. I have learned over the years to wake myself up when I need to get up without an alarm. I haven't used one in over 20 yrs. It helps to get yourself on a routine of going to bed around the same time each night, and then you will wake up naturally at the same time in the AM. This is what I try to do.

I realized early on that I have no talent.

I tip everyone, they really appreciate it. I have been known to leave a few six packs of beer out for the garbage men, they loved it.

It is legal to record a public servant doing their jobs in ALL STATES. It is illegal to do so on private property without consent of both/all parties. The dashcam is awesome and I think everyone should have one to protect themselves. Police do, why not you? Regarding Florida law, read page three: http://www.sao8.org/LegalBulletin/2012/2012-01.pdf

My 48 lbs 8 yr old was able to take down my 200 lb + husband with no injury to either one of them. It's all in the technique and element of surprise. And I don't mean surprise as in jumping out and surprising someone, I mean as in the untrained person doesn't expect which move (technique) is coming next.