I definitively without doubt believe in eternal life, I believe in a reuniting with our Creator in a new body. Energy is neither created nor destroyed...I imagine what makes us 'who' we are is moved from this world to Heaven. I believe Heaven is a literal place and that time happens much differently there. I am convinced beyond reason that angels exist, they walk among us..and that God is supernatural, omnipotent, everpresent. I have seen and experienced so many proofs of His presence, that my spirit knows there is a Heaven. In my experience, the Holy spirit in me is directly linked with His and I get glimpses of how it is (heaven) but at the same time, some of the 'visions' are indescribable by earthly standards. I had a vivid and distinct dream of my grandmother speaking with he angels...I could not see the angels, but my grandmother spoke to me with her eyes with such an intensity I knew she knew they were enaging her...she was so happy to be discovering their revelations...she passed two weeks later to the day. God does reveal..I will say when I saw Akiane's paintings of Heaven, those came closest to what my visions have been...not quite exact but definitely the light and color display is close.

Oh my goodness, the absolute worse meal! Day 3 of the 3 day diet...I am so ready for real food! :) 1/2 cup tuna 1 cup cauliflower 1 carrot 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream... YUCK! I don't even like vanilla ice cream! But it has definitely curbed my appetite and I"ve lost about 6 pounds...but I think it's because now I really don't want to eat :)

It sounds like you are feeling much better about it...I see several things going on here... 1. You're sick...we are never our best when weakened by illness!! 2. It's expensive...you're already sensitive that you can't afford what others are doing...that's a valid reason...and also likely to help the sensitivity. 3. It's St. Patrick's Day weekend! Irish dance studios are beyond booked for this week...teachers get tunnel vision on the next performance. We just switched studios (from a non-competitive one to a competitive one) all the girls know where these events are b/c they've been there 3 years in a row..I kept asking where it was, what they should wear and sometimes I would get a response, sometimes not...the instructors are seriously overbooked this week...so I let the 'lack of communication' slide a bit this week. Our instructor was so ragged she came down with a cold and also injured her foot in one of the dances (amazing dancer, just does everything too much this week). 4. It is a big deal to have 'performance' hair on anything other than library demonstrations or small venues...our girls do not have wigs, but they have long hair, yes, I sit there for 2 hours and put 100 cotton rollers in their hair!! When they went to the parade this Saturday no one (in the new troop who had never seen it) could believe they did not have a wig on!) I love the natural look, do not like the wigs...our girls go to their first feisanna in May, I am curling their hair..no wig..we'll see how that works...if I do it while it's wet and leave it in 24 hours, it'll hold for about 12 hours. The teacher, to give them some grace, has been in this industry long enough to assume that everyone knows performance means hair done...those new to performances sometimes get forgotten in the rush... I would simply have your daughter apologize, and simply explain that she was not told to have her hair or wig done for the event as this was her first performance. If he gives her attitude, then I would definitely step in and have a conversation on the side. In all of our experience the better dancers are humble/encouraging/kind. In fact, our girls just had a workshop with four lead dancers from "Lord of the Dance" while they were in town..they were beyond kind and considerate...one was an 8x world champion..sweet and humble as they could be! It's a great sport, hope your daughter can continue..and competition is not necessary...my girls did it for 3 years without competing, and loved it..but now wanted more of a challenge...hope this helps!

Thanks so much! These look great! They do not have our tartan (McDougall) but many like it! Thanks! Our girls irish dance as well, attending their first feisanna in May...they're a bit nervous...we're not into the whole wig thing..wondering if they'll get by with us doing their hair for them..they prefer natural curls...I'm sure as they advance they'll love the convenience of the wig...but it's one of those "why" do they have to questions...thanks!!

No offense taken, I only respond with what wisdom I have been given through my study of scripture and how my heart has been led by my faith and devotion to God. I do not believe I told her to stick with easy reading...where people lose touch is where they are trying to create a path to an answer...the answer is already there...God has provided the way through the scripture...and supplication to prayer....some may view this as infantile or facile....man makes it much more complicated than it should be....just as man changed many of the early churches through rituals and Paul pleaded with them to not veer away from the worship God outlined in his Word...we can often overcomplicate the simple.

Not commenting on the picture per se, but so thrilled you brought up the topic! We attended an Irish concert and saw a great decked out kilt...I asked my son if he would wear a kilt to prom...he is actually considering it, but where do you get one? Our heritage is Scotch and Irish and I know my grandmother's family name has their own tartan...anyone know about finding authentic kilt wear?

Pray. God is not one to refuse those who seek Him, in fact, t is stated He rewards those who do. I was reading Hebrews today, it specifically stated that young believers are like babies on milk, they are not yet ready or food. Perhaps your conflict is that you are seeking meatier remnants when just the milk is what you need. Scripture and a seeking heart will be your best start...perhaps Hebrews would help encourage you!

I do not 'love' to read on my own, I love to read aloud and could list great children's books, but really have no desire to read contemporary authors or even revisit the classics....my 'free' time is spent training horses and gardening, I would much rather be with those things than a book. Oh, and my classes fill up every year..writing and literature. :001_smile:

Chocolate Chess pie:D

I think it is more on what one values...being able to 'read' does not make one a critical thinker, I do not look at education as an ability to repeat facts, but an ability to process information on many levels. I also look at education as a very thoughtful process....I think it is wonderful if this child enjoys doing those things....my children would not have...therefore, requiring a specific technique and trying to apply it to all children is short sighted and not realizing the unique differences between children. That is why I prefer homeschooling over traditional..we don't all fit in a neat box...what is good for one is not good for another.

I do think sometimes there needs to be a lot of give/take...do your cleaning when they're in bed...or taking a nap or having a break. Really, cleaning should be no more than 2 hours a day. I cook breakfast in 30 minutes, we eat and clean up (my kids are much older)...stick to non messy breakfasts for awhile.... At 7, I just do not like 'doing school' at home...what a tedious chore. My son's seat work at that age with 2 little sisters in tow was at the most 30-45 minutes a day...and most the time it was us playing with counting bears, doing manipulatives with clocks, and working on his handwriting....the other times were spent me reading aloud in a rocking chair while I rocked a daughter and read either a history story/science story/good book...we had a wall of interests...my son loved dinosaurs so we used that to learn by..he would pick what dinosaur he wanted to study that day, he would pour over many books finding the same one in each and I would read facts about it...I would then draw a picture (best I could) of that dinosaur and he would color it. He would tape it to our wall of butcher paper and then use a star to pinpoint on the map where that dinosaur was found..we organized them by period/veggie eater/carnivore....by the end of the year we had over 100 dinosaurs on our wall, what a JOY It was for him to see all his 'creations'....find something he likes and study it! One year, it was cars....we did a study of all the makes/models of cars...find something he loves and go for it..for our toddlers I had bins of things they could sit and play with as we read....counting bears/blocks/big legos/strings and holey things/just lay off the 'chore' of school and find the fun of school...it's all about them wanting to learn not filling out paperwork just to say we did school.

You have to not overdo it yourself..pray about it, (if you're inclined to)....everytime I get into a pickle...I pray that God clearly shows me if this is what He wants for me. I started a troop 6 years ago with 8 girls, most the planning/heck everything ended up being taken on by me, like you I felt some responsibility since I was the one starting it. Many many times I felt like you did, but God did bring the right people..I never turned down anyone (I honestly believe that when we start 'choosing' to make it work, it fails)...also an important lesson for our children is how to love everyone, strengths/weaknesses. But, where you have failed is not making it clear for their expectations. First, let go of the build up of resentment...it's not fair to them and will really not make you feel any better if you unleash it. (by the way, our troop now has 60 girls and over 10 moms who stepped up to the plate and do sooo much more than I ever expected!) Second, make a letter to express how much you have appreciated each one of them (play Pollyanna here) but that if this next year is to continue and for you to be able to organize this program you need a commitment from each one. If this commitment can not be met, the group will need to take a year break. It's okay to take a year break! This will make them assess how much they can do. If they are not prepared to lead a class, then you just take your OWN family and tell the others class is cancelled. We are all human, it is our nature to 'get by'...or take advantage even if not purposefully...I am one of those who likes to fill in all the gaps but boy it can be mentally draining if not physically! Third, stick to your ultimatums...I have a writing class that some students consistently took advantage of my kindness/grace...I realized it was not helping them and set a no late work accepted...you should have seen their faces when they were shocked I would not accept this excuse or that excuse (I am reasonable, you break your leg, you get a pass, but if you have a 'busy' week and just could not get to it, or you left it at home :001_huh: you get a zero)..it was painful even for me, but now they know and there are no more issues with late work...Be kind, be firm, be reasonable...let the chips fall where they may.

It is a plumbing issue...tell him you are calling a licensed plumber and unless he does something to fix it, you will pay the plumber, send him the invoice and take him to court if he refuses to pay...as long as you have documented (emails/letters/certified letter/documented phone calls) that you have asked him to repair it, given him a chance to repair it then he has no recourse but to pay or be sued to pay once you have. My guess is that the seal at the bottom of the toilet needs to be repaired..I have done this, it's not a big fix...you need to turn off the water to the toilet, drain the tank, take the complete toilet off and buy a $5 seal and replace it...making sure to clean every bit of the goo off from the first one...they can last 10 or so years, but will leak with or without pressure back up. It also sounds like when they did the bathroom remodel the plumbing was not tested...there is a blockage, sometimes it can be a wad of hair...have you tried using a plumber's snake through the drain in the shower? Those would be my first two approaches.

Child's mind: We were listening to an episode of "Adventures in Odyssey"...a scene where someone got in trouble for doing something illegal...my 5 year old could not understand why and kept asking me, why? I asked her to repeat her questions, we were not reaching each other...She loudly said, "I don't know why someone is mad about a little eagle, he never did anything!" Animal behavior: For months we have trained our new puppy to go to the front door if she needs to go out...success!! Well, now that the weather is much nicer we are letting her go outside and play in the pastures with our other dog...our other dog of course does her business in the pasture, the 6 month old puppy sees her doing it...but after an hour of play she will come into the house, run to the front door so she can be 'taken' out to go do her business...she apparently thinks she can only 'go' if she is on the leash and in the front yard!!! OMGoodness!!! Joke: A man asked a store owner if an insecticide was good for ants..the store owners said "No! It'll kill 'em!" :)

About 8 years ago, I was administering a SAT test to my second grade son...it had a picture with an iron on it and a dress shirt...it asked him to compare that picture to a set of words and pick the one that was most like the picture (relation wise)...I caught him in tears....I could not imagine why...he said, "Mom, I know I'm not supposed to ask for help, but I have no idea what this thing is." It was the iron!!! Yes, my son had never seen me use one or that we even had one...sad, but true.

Same here, but a baby girl..:D. Oh, and according to another's terminology, I was only ecofeeding, always on demand, how else would a baby gain 8 pounds their first six weeks! And, only one interaction formed our baby!

Hi, my name is ma23peas and I am a former commiserator of the house selling blues...we carried two mortgages for 31 months, everything was tested, I achieved expert level on the Pollyanna Glad game, and learned how to play hardball on contract negotiations in a tenuous market...I pray we will never be in that situation again. :grouphug: to all of you carrying the torch forward!

Not a spiritual journey really, but I do keep a journal about all the ways God shows his path to me....they are really incredible and faith affirming, the more I recall them the keener my sense is in hearing nudges as they come...I keep t so my children will be encouraged and remember all those times God tangibly carried us through something or to something...we call them love nuggets :)

Daddies are the tree to our fruit! :grouphug::grouphug: so happy you had a Daddy you will miss, I am sure he provided you with many experiences to remember him by!

If you want reconciliation, there needs to be some time for the two of you to have a talk...mostly, time heals these types..but other times there are just personality clashes that do not work well....but since you said you used to be close I think there could be room for forgiveness and forging new normals....right now your normal may just be this awkward exchange...make no demands, expect nothing and move forward. Your last comment probably speaks some truths..perhaps she picks up on your attitude about being stuck with her...sometimes we wear our personal hurts/reactions on our sleeve, our facial expressions, the awkward pauses in our speech...this can make a sensitive person that much more prickly... So, you either accept it, or have her out to lunch and make it all about not how you feel, but that you want to make sure you have not done anything to make her feel uncomfortable...one of you has to be the bigger person and make it about a better relationship not "well, you make me feel this way, and I don't understand why you did xyz." It would be very tough not to counter her sensitivities with your own, but that will get you nowhwere..acknowledge where she is feeling prickly, vow to do better and apologize...see if that makes things a bit better...but you need to have a heart ready to give up your own hurts to help heal another's. Good luck and :grouphug:

I think it comes down to what people value. It can be interpreted if someone spends quite a bit more on one item/service that they must 'value' that service over other things. We buy our cars new, but we keep them for 15+ years...others like to have a new car every 5-10 years...it may make them 'feel' good to have a newer car or just the peace of mind they do not have to worry about engine trouble with an older car. We have horses, because we value our time with them and how we can help use them for a ministry, it's not that expensive to keep up a horse...we have land so 8 months out of 12, the grass feeds them, hay runs around $700 and farrier/vet fees around $500...others may see $1200 a year on animals to be excessive...but keeping a car for 15 years means I go 10+ years without a car payment...at $400 a month..many are paying $5000 more than me a year to have a new car.... So, I guess you could say that when people realize how expensive hair care can be...they're making a judgement that spending $350 every two months on hair is out of the realm of their world..where that money could go to something more 'practical'....as homeschoolers, the bulk of us are pretty practical people...I don't think it was trying to be mean or look down upon someone just a matter of shock in a pretty practical world. My most unpractical spending is for soaps..I just love H20 products, I'll wait for the sale, but never buy soaps made in the stores...the scents and such give me headaches..but H20 soaps last a long time and have such a great clean smell..I probably spend about $300 a year on their soaps...and it's worth every last penny :) Those that spend as much on their hair feel the same way, it's just what we value :)

Maybe I am in the minority here...but I think when you invite someone over to your house, you should be gracious and avoid conflict...now if they asked you for your opinion, that can be a different story. I am completely against the teachings of this book, but I am more for how we respond to others and 'love' them...I am not sure making sure your point is made trumps a responsibility to love one another...there may have been a better time to approach the subject, but now that conflict has arisen, there likely will not be a relationship to help encourage/influence....if it were a stranger at a park and the discussion comes up, go for it,..but you invited them over..I have a problem with it not ending well.

Outstanding!!!! :001_smile: We have participated with SO for four years...our homeschool team has come in 6th out of 30 something teams this year and in the top five other years....the kids get a great deal out of it! I will encourage any families with 'non-science' kids to give it a try...mine are definitely non-science (although I majored in it...sigh) but exposing them to new events each year has built a new found interest for it...they find out quickly what they enjoy and what they do not...it can take a lot of time or little time (some events you really do not need to prepare much for)...my kids have never hit first place in their events but have several 2nd and 3rd...a pretty big achievement for kids who were very reluctant each year! I told them they have to do four years of it then they can choose...and after each regional competition they come back excited and interested...that's a lot gained from non-science attitudes! :) Give it a try, it's easy to form a team and start out just like this mom did! :)

I hate to sound jaded, but he did not take renters to make sure everything was good with the house..he took it b/c he could not sell it 2 years ago!! He can not afford to carry so much debt....builders have been gobsmacked!! I feel for them... To give a fair offer, find all the most RECENT comparables in that area...find the per sq. footage SELLING rate, not ASKING rate...make sure you are seeing the full picture (no extra incentives at closing for carpet/roof/etc.)...with the market the way it is now, YOU are in the driver's seat. It is business...not personal. I would offer 10-15% LESS than what comparables have sold for...he has the option to come back to negotiate. It can go back and forth 3-4x...even if he does not come back with a counter, you can always recounter with a higher offer. But, that is the best way to handle these kinds of transactions. And, sadly, I don't trust a lot of realtors...some will only pull the high end comparables, you want ALL the comparables...throw out the ones that are not 'comparable' (15 years or older or not the same number of bedrooms etc.) and then take an average of per sq. foot sales. Houses that sold for $100 per sq. foot 5 years ago are sellling as low as $75 per sq. foot now... a large chunk of change on a house. Just read you looked at it with the realtor who represents him...this is a big no-no. She will only pull positive comparables...I would call a separate realtor and have them represent you, UNLESS she is willing to only take 3-4% realtor fee since she is representing both parties...it is usually never recommended to do this (we did, but we worked out a better deal b/c of it)..many things can be written into the contract that are for the builder not you, at the minimum get a 2-10 HOW warranty...ask him to correct those items, get an inspection and make the contract contingent upon it, do not use the inspector she recommends..at the very least, contact other realtors and ask for the names of 3 inspectors...you can even call teh county builders office (where permits are pulled) and ask them which inspector they recommmend.

Nope, not me either! I love my natural color, I am now getting white hair that is coming in ever so gently :001_smile: and with my very dark brown hair it looks kind of cool :) My 97 year old grandmother would have her hair colored almost every 4 weeks! I like going white....if it were gray I may not feel that way but I love white hair...I'm only 44..and only have about 20 white hairs but it's cool :) I usually cut my hair once a year, pay about $40..but, I have to say, I went to a new stylist and she charges $45 for the cut so I paid $55..she is amazing!! I am LOVING my hairstyle!! I do not have to style it, just wash and go and it's still med. long...I won't go short b/c then I would need to get it cut every month or so...it's not that I could not afford it, I just do not have the time!! It took her an hour to cut/style my hair...my time is fleeting and precious! :) But, I will make the effort to get my hair cut 2x a year now..she is wonderful!! I'm just not that into image..never had my nails done, don't whiten my teeth, don't wear makeup most the time (maybe 3-4x a year)