Yeah, but they kind of make me feel like a warrior. I'll wake up a new bruise on my hand or the back of one knee and suddenly I'll feel like I earned battle scars during a heroic war or something. :D

Frigidaire is great if you don't mind replacing the fridge door bins every 3 months. :glare: I used to never buy the extended warranty but we've had so much trouble with all our recent purchases, we've started to purchase the ex. warranty on many items.

IME, FLL3 was better than 1 or 2. You could check out Serl's "Primary Language Lessons." Actually, one of my favorite threads on here is: Constructing a Language Arts S & S from Vintage Texts. You might find something helpful there if you don't mind using vintage language arts materials.

I have also been asked this question. It seems so inappropriate to me, akin to "Will you breastfeed my child... for the next decade?" Y'know, it's not one of those things I'm really willing to do for anyone but the individuals I happened to birth. If it's an emergency, I can help you out for a few days. I just don't want the long-haul responsibility. :lol:

Hi and welcome, Heather! I'm seeing your signature, just so you know. :)

I love Hoop Mamas hoops. I've ordered from other places and they don't seem to know how to measure properly.

Ouch! I get enough bruises from my regular hoop. I can't imagine using a weighted hoop! It is so much fun. Don't worry, you'll get it. It took me a couple of days to remember how to just keep it up!

That's wild! I'm always shocked when I realize someone doesn't have a tea kettle. It's like realizing your friend has no bookshelves. :)

I really want this Hario kettle. It's going to be my next kitchen purchase. I currently have a decade-old $15 Target kettle.

This is probably not what you were looking for, but I have a $50 mini stepper I LOVE. I just hop on it a few times a day and step for a few minutes. I like that it's small enough to get shoved out of sight when not in use. I've had it for probably 3 years.

I think that Common Core only covers Language Arts and Math in the lower grades. I haven't seen any CCSS for science or history, though I've heard they were preparing a set of science standards. Evan-Moor Nonfiction Writing is aligned with CC standards, and I think Singapore Primary Math Stds. Ed. is also aligned. ETA Here is the science standards project I was thinking of. It has not been completed or the standards implemented yet.

Almost 7 years, though we've lived on the same block for over 10. It's time for something new. River living really isn't all it's cracked up to be. Did you know barges sound like what I would imagine an outerspace train would sound like? Or that geese really, really like to travel along waterways and honk very loudly the entire time, all year long? Or that you can smell a rotting fish carcass from a block away on a rainy day? Or that the rivers are filling up with giant "flying" fish? Neither did I, ten years ago.

Ugh. I'm so sorry. That is awful.

If I had a dime for every time OhE's words of advice helped me or struck a chord with me (even when I was just lurking on someone else's OP) I would have enough to buy her the huge bouquet of "thank you" flowers she deserves. Seriously. She is awesome.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. :grouphug:

I *love* the 15 cent grocery-store ramen. Love it. I could eat it every day if I didn't care about things like my general health and well-being. Dh cracks an egg in it while it's cooking, throws in some frozen chives and calls it egg-drop soup. :D

Concise OED Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable (older edition) TWTM Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study My old World History textbook from college (ETA link)

It has been my experience that BMI charts are pretty much useless for growing children.

I wish they were removable. I would like a pair of giant knockers to wear on special occasions, but I definitely prefer my near-boobs most of the time.

I guarantee my dh would rather eat bugs than even look at scalloped potatoes. Occasionally I make them for the kids on nights when he works. :)

I'm the wrong person to ask. Both Dh and I wore all kinds of inappropriate band shirts when we were in high school (Pixies, Jane's Addiction, etc.) I wouldn't mind one of my dc wearing a Slayer shirt; I just don't want to listen to the music.

Wow, that is awesome that you were able to get into a geneticist so quickly! We had to wait months. He/she will be very helpful. If they suspect types other than EDS III (hypermobility) they will do collagen testing. The hypermobilility type EDS dx is based on history of pain, family history, and degree of hyperextension of elbow and knee joints. They may do a CMA (chromosomal microarray- it's just a genetics blood test) to make sure it's not something else. The geneticist will then refer you to specialists. If she has a history of headaches with pain at the base of the head, they will probably do a CT or MRI to check for Chiari malformations. They will also probably refer you to cardiology to check her heart and peds ophthalmology to check for lens subluxation. Then you will start round two: PT, OT, and braces.... It's a lot of work in the beginning, getting everything checked out to determine how the EDS is affecting her, but it's totally worth it. We just learn a little bit more every month and deal with new issues as they arise.

Yep, we do. Ask away. Were you (or one of your dc) just diagnosed? Here is a good place to start: http://www.ednf.org/ Here are some threads on the Hive (I just did a Google search for welltrainedmind and Ehlers.) Without knowing anything else about your situation, the first thing I would suggest if you suspect EDS (but haven't been dx'd) is to talk to your primary care doctor about seeing a geneticist. Only a geneticist can diagnose EDS, plus you will want to rule out other similar disorders such as Marfan's.

What is the difference between a pagan and an agnostic? Everything I'm hearing the pagans in this thread say, I relate to as an agnostic. I wonder if we just label ourselves differently?

I am STILL in the process of undoing the damage done by letting my kids read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. "When I ask you to write two paragraphs, that means two paragraphs, not a cartoon and 2 sentences written in blogostyle with extra exclamation points and phrases like, 'Guess what?'" :glare: