what gauge of vinyl are you using? I'd like to cover our table with vinyl and place maps and such underneath it. I'd also like the option of being able to write on and wipe off the vinyl so it needs to be durable. I don't have a sense of the thickness of the gauge needed and I don't have ready access to compare. The tablecloths I've seen online are 8 and 12 gauge. Would this be sturdy enough for abuse by several children? TIA! Sandy

Raised in the Northwest, been living in the Northeast for 20 years minus four in the middle spent in the Southeast.

You might try spraying the area with a mix of vinegar and water and blotting with a clean cotton rag. Initially, the vinegar smell is strong but it does fade ( you can also add a sweeter smelling essential oil to the mix). After applying the vinegar and water, follow up with a bit of of Febreeze spray. HTH! Sandy

Veronica, Did you just do LL and skip the English portion of Notgrass or did you do both? Also, did you add in LL because of the analysis and terms or just because you liked LL better? Thanks, Sandy

Has anyone used Notgrass and along with Lightning Literature? Sandy

Dear Tanya, How old are your dc? I also have 8 dc with one out of the house and my dh's work schedule requires him to leave early each day and come home late. My dc who are still at home go from 15 down to 2. Honestly, the hardest thing about dh being gone is that we miss him and the dc miss being able to spend more time with him. We are working to try to change this but because of finances and location it is what it is for now. So he leaves before we rise in the morning and usually comes home sometime between early and late in the evening. As far as coping, I'm with Mrs. Mungo in the need to keep at least a general schedule or routine. It provides a rhythm and set of expectations for our day that is necessary in order to accomplish anything and do so with any kind of grace on my part. A partner to keeping a routine is my going to bed early and getting up early. When I do the whole day goes better. When I don't it doesn't. Unfortunately, this is still something I wrestle with. Another practical has to do with meals. When I plan meals ahead, and especially when I use the crockpot, it is so much easier. When I get to the end of a long day and I still have to come up with a dinner, clean up and get the littles down, perhaps run the olders to evening events, I'm exhausted just thinking about it. But when I get to dinner time and it's mostly ready, it almost re-energizes me for the evening ahead. If you still have young ones, use their nap times as a quiet time for all. My 2 yo and 4yo go down at 2 p.m. and, if needed, my 6yo will rest for a bit as well. During that time I'll either do read alouds or discussion with the olders or we all work on independent work quietly. There was a time earlier this year when every day seemed frazzled. I took stock of the situation and realized we had slipped into the habit of sometimes letting the littles stay up. Consequently, we lost the quiet time and the ones who didn't have a nap wore out earlier and made the dinner time and evening more draining. You probably already know the busy mom's favorite hiding place for a minute or two of peace -- the bathroom...until they find us anyway. LOL! But if you have some older dc and need a breath of fresh air, leave them in charge for a bit and take a walk or run to town on an errand (if town is close). I find that just the change of pace can breathe new life into me. Sometimes I take one dc with me and then it also becomes a good few minutes of one-on-one time. I don't do this very often because it takes alot to get all of us out the door, but sometimes I'll load them all up and go to the park or something. At home, I've been known to send the dc outside for a required amount of time, because it's good for them and it's good for me. If they have way too much energy indoors and can't seem to channel it effectively, the offending parties are sent in pairs for one or several trips running around the block. I also have another homeschooling friend whose dc are friends with my older dc. I have known her as an acquaintance for a few years but this year our families have had an opportunities to spend more time together and have found we have much in common. It has been wonderful to talk with her because we so readily identify with one another's situations. I have other ladies I am friendly with here but not one with whom I've been able to enjoy this kind of relationship. I have been praying for such a friendship since moving here four years ago and I think He may have answered that prayer. We attend different churches and so don't see one another on a regular basis, but the times we do get together we both come away refreshed. I am blessed in that when my dh is around he is very helpful. He puts in a load of laundry before he leaves in the morning, does the grocery shopping on pay day, and when he is able to be home for dinner we pair up on the dinner dishes. When he sees something that needs doing he does his best to do it. He also takes one of the children with him each Saturday for a date, which most often includes the weekly trip to the dump! :tongue_smilie: Dh and I also slip out for an hour or so date on Sunday evenings while our older dc man the fort. This touch-base time is so important and we really try to guard it. All that said, there is much to do when he is not here and he works hard enough that he shouldn't have to come home to total disorder (which is already difficult because we are slowly rebuilding/remodeling every room). So I delegate, delegate, delegate. Our dc are divided up into teams and each team has designated chores each day along with their own individual morning and evening routines. What also helps me is to remember that to be the mom to these children is a holy calling and one I feel humbled and honored to be given. So with that in mind, I go to the Lord in prayer asking for patience, strength, kindness, sweetness, wisdom, grace -- whatever I need in the moment and there are many moments throughout the day! But like you already know, these days will go so quickly and I will miss the noise, laughter, hugs and kisses, and chances to wipe away every tear. So we must joyfully press on, sister! BTW, you are welcome to PM me and write in caps when you just need to scream! :D Blessings, Sandy

How awesome! God's ways are wonderful and amazing!

and if my mostly lurker-mode pattern prevails, will probably remain so for quite some time. But for someone who doesn't post much, I've enjoyed adding up my 50+ posts and invite you to celebrate my new status with me! LOL!:hurray: Now, with this major milestone behind me, I can go sleep peacefully for the remaining 5 hours of my night! Sandy

My dad had said I had to be 13yo before he would consider it. I begged and pleaded at 12yo and he allowed it. Now for the fun part, my mom's boss' wife did it the way the did in her native country - with a potato, a needle and a shot of some alcohol, maybe rum, to take the edge off. It was painful but doable, until infection set in and stayed awhile. I ended up letting my holes close and tried it again a few years later. That time I went to the doctor's office and they used the quick-click gun. Much easier and less painful with no infection. My only complaint is he didn't line up my holes exactly right but probably no one else notices. My dh and I also told our oldest dd she had to be 13 before she could pierce her ears. Our reasoning for that is that it is a permanent, if minor, change to your body and you should be old enough to take that into consideration before making the choice. She's 13 now and so far has opted not to have her ears pierced.

I guess I'm in there with the majority of the posters. Most of our dc's shoes come from Target, Payless, Walmart, ebay and the like. We've also found new or nearly new shoes at thrift stores and yard sales and we've had friends give us new name brand hand-me-down shoes that didn't work for them. I found for my sons it really helps to have two pair of daily wear shoes (maybe trekkers and athletic shoes) and, if possible, casual dress shoes. That way the wear and tear is spread around and they last longer - hopefully until they've outgrown them. My daughters usually have more pairs anyway but they are also less hard on their shoes. I love summer because all the dc mostly wear sandals or flip-flops or go barefoot. I do try to buy Stride Rite's for our special needs little guy who is flat footed. The SR's have the arch support he needs. I have found really good deals on ebay, usually paying one third of the retail cost for new shoes. Good stuff! My oldest dd is also harder to buy for because she has a wide foot. We have to shop around for what works. Sometimes ebay has been helpful for her. It's a bummer because my foot is a medium and she's passed me up in both size and width so we can't share shoes. I can't imagine paying for really expensive shoes while the dc's feet are still growing so rapidly. Even when their feet stop growing we'll still be looking for the deals! That's what we do for our feet, too! :)

Oldest ds turned 18 at the end of his senior year. Next ds will be 17 when he graduates but turn 18 in summer. Dd will graduate at 17 with a fall b-day. Twin ds will be 17 but turn 18 in summer. Next dd will be 17 with a fall b-day. Last ds is special needs so he'll likely be 21. Last dd will be 18.

I've had three dc since turning 35 and I've technically been in the high risk category (I was also in this category at 34 w/twins). But it really hasn't made any difference in the handling of my pregnancies. Just take good care of yourself and enjoy your pregnancy. As far as going from three to four, my dh said after you've had three you're already outnumbered and your brain is mush so it really doesn't matter how many more you have after that! Seriously, it shouldn't be a huge change, especially if your other dc are old enough to lend a hand. My older dc have been a wonderful help with the babies and toddlers and have (most of the time) enjoyed themselves in the process. If it makes you feel any better, I've been changing diapers since 1991 and I still have two in them now. I agree it would be nice to save the $ spent on diapers but this is just a season, albeit a l-o-n-g season! LOL! The actual changing of them doesn't even phase me after all these years - I'm on automatic pilot. I do have some cheerful help at the moment; my 6yo dd thinks it's fun that she's learned how to successfully change a...eh hem...filled diaper. And to her I say, "You go, girl!".

No second letter here either. Just have to wait and see. I did try to check our bank account earlier but I got the security question wrong :001_unsure: . I don't access that account online very much and I'm afraid to try again for fear they'll lock me out. Guess I'll wait for dh to log in. If it is by SS# ours probably would come along later anyway.

Thanks ladies! I'll check into these models and see what best fits the need.

We've also used Seton and have found them easy and expedient to deal with. We are required to test by the state. For years I had used the IOWA tests, which are more comprehensive and more expensive. I originally turned to the CAT tests because of their lower cost (and frustration dealing with BJU testing services) but I also appreciated their brevity. I am not required to test in all the areas covered by the IOWA and the more comprehensive version of the CAT, so for me it's about meeting but not needing to exceed the requirements. This year, my 5th graders asked to try the PASS test because it has no time limits. So they will take the PASS and my older dc and 1st grader will take the CAT. It's funny because my dc actually miss the breadth of the IOWAs. They enjoyed answering questions covering the various subject matter and they did well on the tests.

We just did a quick trip to Gettysburg to meet up with an old friend we hadn't seen in years. We only had a day but thoroughly enjoyed the new Gettysburg Visitor's Center and took our own self-guided driving tour. I would have liked to spend more time but I'm glad we went!

I agree with Heather. TOG is flexible and you can easily move between levels or use something you already have on hand that covers the topic. You could order the UG books and then if you encounter a book that is too challenging, head to the library for the LG selection or use an appropriate substitute. Or, if you think it beneficial, do a read aloud of the more difficult UG selection and discuss as you go.

My friend's sil married in her late 40s, had twins at 49. She's now 51 and expecting #3! Our most recent blessing came a month before I turned 43. I'm 45 now. I figure if the average age of menopause is 51, I still could be welcoming another little one between now and then.

My ds did Chalkdust Algebra I. He did okay but felt overwhelmed by it. He asked to change to something else. After reading about TT we gave it a try for Algebra II. He liked it so much better and did well. He's now almost completed TT Geometry and will go on to Pre-Calc next year. My daughter is working through TT Algebra I this year with no complaints. Before using TT she began using Lial's BCM and did not like it. She switched to an older brother's copy of Scott Foresman UCSMP Transition Mathematics working through it. After finishing that text she was ready for Algebra I. At that point, she could have continued with UCSMP Algebra, but we opted to try TT with her since her older brother had had good success TT Algebra II book. It has gone well for both of them.

Thank you, Tammy! I was looking in my reply box for options. Now I see the quote option at the bottom of each person's reply. I'll try it out next time I want to quote someone.

Seatbelts all around here, no matter what. And my younger dc still sit in the back seat away from the air bag. They also stay in boosters until they can wear the shoulder belt properly. I'm another one who feels naked without my seatbelt on. Can you imagine going on a roller coaster without a belt or at least a bar (even the bar doesn't seem like enough)? Same feeling for me. You can never know what will happen. We are at risk every time we drive, even if it's just down the road a piece.

I've got an even more basic question than Jennifer -- how do you quote someone in a reply to begin with? I haven't played around enough to figure it out. I did a search on quotes hoping someone else posted the same question but I didn't find anything.

We are just finishing up FPU and it has been wonderfully motivating. We'd read the books in years past but I think now we really are fired up to get on top of our finances. We've always lived frugally but couldn't manage to save or ever get to the point of having something to invest. Now we have completed Baby Step 1 and are working on Baby Step 2. Comparatively, we don't have a lot of debt but we have a teacher's salary, a fixer-upper house, a large family and a special needs child for whom we pay therapy/meds costs. Any debt is a weekly drain on our budget. We have paid off our credit card debt and are working on paying down a loan that is now just under $6,000. Then we'll turn our attention toward bolstering the emergency fund to 3-6 months salary. Going through FPU has given us the focus, the "gazelle intensity" we didn't have before. It has also underscored for us the necessity of ingraining these principals in our children while they are young. I think the age factor has been the hardest gulp to swallow as we've gone through the classes. If you are in your teens, 20s, 30s and even early 40s you have time to make changes which will make huge differences in your financial future. My dh is 51 and I am 45. We still have time to make changes that are most definitely needed but we will not have the number of years to put into it that the younger crowd will, so our yield will be much lower. I've actually thought Dave should put something together to specifically encourage the older crowd who are getting a late start. We are excited for the young couples in our FPU class who are making drastic changes and already seeing fruit but it is a reminder to us of what we wish someone had shared with us when we were younger. Of course the flip side of this is God's provision. There have been many times when the only thing we could do was to look to the Lord to meet our needs -- and He always has! Sometimes the needs have been small but necessary and other times far beyond anything we could hope to do, like an unexpected $20,000 medical bill that shouldn't have been ours to pay but ended up in our lap anyway. In all of these situations we did what we could do and had to rely on and trust in God to take care of the rest. Our faith has been so increased to see Him work it out each time. Our dc have also been able to witness God's up-against-the-wall care for us in a way they may not have if we had the means ready at hand in each scenario we've found ourselves in. We have always been committed tithers, even in the toughest of times, and have given to the needs of others whenever we've been able. I believe God has honored that as well. If you have the opportunity to go through FPU I would strongly encourage it. The information is well presented and understandable. Dave is very motivating; he manages to be very funny and yet very direct about what needs to be done. You come away with the notion that this is going to be hard but it can be done! Blessings, Sandy

Well, the Hoover has died and the little Dirt Devil just isn't gonna cut it. So, I have about $100 to buy a vacuum with some decent suction power to use on hardwood floors/stairs and large area rugs. Anyone have some good recommendations?

I haven't but I'm thinking about combining EA and EWH for the remaining two years of the rotation. Someone on the Notgrass yahoo list did this, although I think she did it all in two years. She posted to the list about how she did it but I believe she said her actual scheduling sheets were lost in a computer crash.