In our last house, which we built as our dream house, we had a set of library lamp/sconces. I always wanted some right over our bed so we could read in our bed! This house I hung a set of antique botanical prints that were in the guest room in the old house. There are 4 of them about 8 x 11 so they are hung in a rectangular pattern over the center of the bed. Good luck, ReneeR

I would recommend this book. I read it last year during the challenge, and I learned SOOO much about whaling in this country. I have always had "Moby Dick" on my list to read but found excuses so after the Agatha Christie book I found and started Friday, I will move on to "Moby Dick". Hope you all enjoy "Ahab's Wife" - good reading and best wishes for 2012! ReneeR

My youngest one lost teeth at 5 - 2 at a time. She started getting teeth at 9 mo, and her teeth would come in 2 at a time. By 14 months she had 2 yr molars and by 9 yr she had 12 yr molars. She had teeth come in quickly and in pairs - sometimes with teeth coming in and the baby teeth would then fall out. My oldest one was 16 mos before he had a tooth! He was almost 8 yrs old before he lost one. They are all so different. It was fun with my youngest because she was so little and lost so many very young, we had fun playing "Tooth Fairy". Have a Blessed New Year ReneeR

Dawn, If your hubbie is off on Mon, I would plan something fun like family movie night or whatever. I would start back on Tues when he goes back to work. We will start on Thur, because I have one in public high school and they go back that day. However, in years past we have schooled on New Years when hubbie worked (and before the kids figured out public schools got 2 weeks off). We always traveled somewhere warm in the winter so I schooled to fit my schedule. Have a Happy New Year ReneeR

We have used Evan Moor Building SPelling Skills for a few years. It is very student driven with the teacher giving a test on Friday, which takes 10 minutes max. My daughter an check her own work, etc. each day. We have, also, used Spelling Plus, because my daughter was a horrible speller. I went through that entire book almost with little suggest before I found the above at CBD. For a year and a half, I did both to really reinforce spelling with her, but since she scored in the 86% last spring in Spelling we are just finishing this year with Building Spelling Skills. I believe Evan Moor website or Amazon has samples you can look at. Good luck, ReneeR

Ladies, Recently at a Christmas Eve Open House, someone (a teacher) made me aware that my 12 yr old dd didn't know who discovered the Pacific! And then told me that was 3rd grade stuff! UGH - luckily I was filled with holiday cheer so I just smiled and said, "Yes, but how many of them can cook meals from scratch for their entire families and have travelled across the Pacific to foreign lands?" Anyway, it made me realize that perhaps we have skipped over explorers and since we have some time in our hs schedule, we could add a good unit study or something. Can any of you suggest something that will be intriguing for my 12yr old - we love reading and classical home schooling. Thanks and have a Happy New Year ReneeR

When my kids were young, they were less aware of what the schools were doing. My dh is an Emergency Physician so he worked a lot of holidays and all our family is out of town so it was easy to school through a large portion of the holiday breaks. We would simply school when Dad was working and take off when he was off or family visited or vice versa. We always took a really long holiday in a warm climate during Feb so they never complained. However, as they got older and developed friendships with school kids, they came to realize that everyone else had school breaks. I usually just made deals with them, and I would set a spot in the curriculum that I wanted to have done by New Year. To tell you the truth, as they got older and were more involved with charity work or group functions at Christmas or all the music performances at different venues, I was happy for a break. One thing that we always did even when we "slacked off" during the holiday time was reading aloud, Bible reading, personal reading, music, and TYN. Plus, there was always baking and different things that they could help with. I think that it takes a long time as a home schooler to "not" think that you are slacking whenever you are not doing school! AND then type A personalities always think that. Enjoy your children and Merry Christmas, ReneeR

My almost 17yr old is still not every "28" days. She did not start until she was over 13 yrs old, and she only had a handful the first year. Now they go 5-7 weeks. When we moved and she started public high school, she was stressed and not getting enough sleep and went months. I was early getting a period and very regular but they were painful. My sister was 13 yr old and was very irregular. I think that it can be years before some girls become regular. I would not worry about it - Merry Christmas, ReneeR

My parents and grandparents were always very fair about their gifts for all of us. My husband's family not so much which often causes bad feelings so my husband has always been more aware of it than myself. We have always tried to spend equally on the kids, but I think that it can become difficult when some are much older, etc. Mostly, we have always tried to get them what they REALLY wanted - which usually was not much. I think that is so much more important (if it is reasonable and affordable to you). I mean, what kid does not want to wish for something from Santa and get it!! Merry Christmas to you and yours, ReneeR

The nail polish is a great idea - there are some fun quick dry ones out there - Target. Also, it seems like all the girls my teenager hangs out with, her included, are into those braided bracelets and fun headband/scarves - Target, again. I bet if you went to Target's accessory dept, you guys could pick out anything and she would love it. Merry Christmas, ReneeR

For years, I tried to get my family to forget about gifts at Christmas. I even suggested we all take a trip somewhere warm, etc. They completely ignored me. Then I tried to get them to forget about adult gifts, and this suggestion, also, was frowned upon. The problem here was not financial, but I just get tired of all the commercialism and quite frankly, we are affluent and don't spend alot but buy what we want! On the other hand, my husband's parents sound like yours, except for the financial issue. His whole life they did or did not celebrate birthdays, etc. His birthday is close to Christmas so he would typically get forgotten while his brother might get a $200 tennis racquet (and this was 20 yrs ago). They never remembered my birthday, and then one year after 15 yrs of marriage, they sent me a gift 3 weeks early. They have typically forgotten one or more of my children's birthdays. They don't see my children nearly as often as my family does so they really don't know what they might need, want, etc. Often times they have asked for a suggestion and then completely ignored it. Last Christmas they gave one dd this beautiful opal necklace that I am sure they bought years ago while living in Australia, and it was so much more extravagant than the other dd's gift, whose birthstone is opal. My husband and I just shake our heads, especially when he did not get a gift. All the kids are old enough now to notice these things, and they just take it in stride. I think sometimes my husband still gets a little sad when they mess up, but he has come to terms with it and constantly thanks me for reminding him of birthdays and sending gifts. My sister, on the other hand, is unmarried without children, and she still expects to see my kids open their gifts from her. She passively refuses to mail them to me so my mom will end up shipping or bringing them when they visit. No one has ever spent the holidays with us - they all have to be at Mom's for the big days. SOOOOOOOO I am wishing you Merry Christmas and good luck. I think that some people get so caught up in their own thoughts and desires during the holidays that they refuse to listen to suggestions or changes or sometimes see the big picture - the birth of our Lord. Thanks for hearing me vent - and peace! ReneeR

I finished "Rule of Four" which I discovered on this website. It was intriguing, and it reminded me of Eco Umberto's books which I like. Maybe, I am a sucker for that time period and all its religious turmoil. My daughter and I, also, finished "Cat of the Bubastes" which is my 2nd time reading through but just as enjoyable as the first time. I have started "Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean. We are shepherd lovers, and I read a good review on it. I am only 30 pp in so I can not comment, and I am hoping that I can keep up the challenge for the last 3 weeks! THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT BOOKS THIS YEAR! ReneeR

Yea, I loved The Help, and I was so excited about Water For Elephants because my daughter and I wanted to see the movie. I completed the book, but I thought that it was soooooo below average. I cannot believe that someone saw a good movie in it, but I am eagerly hoping that it was since it is up on our Netflix queue! Also, a dear friend recommended the Outlander series, and she really thought that they were awesome. I was so excited since there are several which i though would keep my occupied for a month or more - UGH! I could not get through the first 3 chapters. It was such drivel! I was SOOOOOO disappointed. One thing that I have learned is not to waste time on books that are sub-par. If they can't impress me by the first 1/4 book or 75pp, I close it and move on. ReneeR

Crissy, Thanks for that website. I miss doing Women' Bible Study with my former neighbors - we did all the Beth Moore studies. There were six of us that came from different times in our lives, different religious backgrounds, different schools with kids, etc. It was so enriching. Since I have moved, I have not found that trust and intimacy with another group of women. My 12 yr old and I have done a study on Dangerous Journey and one on Galatians from her middle school. I am going to look at these to see if they are something she and I could do together, or I would enjoy alone. Thanks again, ReneeR

First of all, if she wears a cap that will take alot of damage from the hair. Washing it after she gets out will also keep it in good shape - NEVER swim without a cap! Secondly, I would highly recommend the Dolfin Uglies - they last the longest. I buy whatever is on sale - just bought the Halloween Uglie for $18 from Sports Authority. Practice suits are just that - practice suits. Lastly and most importantly, let her have fun. I have three swimmers and have been at two different competitive clubs plus high school and summer swimming. I have learned alot, and my kids have been around some high powered swimmers - my 12 yr old dd thought that it was just normal to know 2 female olympic silver medalists in the butterfly until I set her straight!~ High school swimming is many things to many people. For some, it is just participating on a team and having fun and learning a new life-saving skill, in the case of swimming. For some, it will mean free rides to SEC colleges. For some, it will mean self-esteem when they are not the brightest kids in the classroom but breaking records in the pool. For some, it will mean hanging out with new friends and old friends and just bonding. It has meant different things to all my kids - they are all different. Your daughter will find her special place on the team, and hopefully, more experienced swimmers will step up to help her and offer her support. One thing that my kids high school team does is the USA competitive swimmers help the new kids, and they assign the freshmen big brother/sis. Also, ask the parents of the kids on the team, they will guide you and the coaches should help. Oh, as for snacks, bananas, bagels with cream cheese, carrots, grapes, other fruit, protein bars, chocolate milk, PB & J, and lots of water. Good luck, ReneeR

Ok, so I have been wearing Champion cotton dri fit capris to work out at the Y - pilates, spinning, etc. i find them at Sports Authority for less than $20, and they are slimming but not too tight to wear out in public with a cute tee. I want to find some short pants, but when I tried the short equivalent of these they fit so tightly like bicycle pants. Can anyone recommend some short pants that they have found that are not $60 and fit like bicycle pants? Thanks in advance, Have a great Thanksgiving ReneeR

Well, I have read and reread that sentence, and I join you in "scratching me head over it". I find it bizarre. I finished "BossyPants" by Tina Fey this last week. I was waiting for some requests from the library to come through, and it caught my eye. Someone had commented on it earlier in the challenge, and I do like her comedy. It was comical, and I read large portions of it to my husband aloud while driving to visit our son at college. It was a fun way to pass the long drive. The week before last I read "Romancing Miss Bronte" by Juliet Gael. It was enjoyable, and if you are a fan of Bronte, Austen, etc you will enjoy it. I was thrilled to receive one of my request earlier this week - the new Flavia de Luce book by Alan C. Bradley "I am Half Sick of Shadows". It will be a fun, fast read since I am a fan of Flavia, and it so far is delightful. My daughter and I are, also, reading "The Cat of Bubastes" by G.A. Henty online. I had bought and sold this book years ago, and I was so excited to find it on http://www.openlibrary.org so I could enjoy it with her during our study of Egypt. It is an interesting website that has books available to read online. Have a great week and thanks again to all you ladies that recommend great books. ReneeR

I know they are more expensive, but I used to buy all mine at Hanna Andersson. My ds had eczema and my youngest dd had the worse eczema so she could not tolerate anything that had cheap elastic legs. They are so well made, feel so soft, and last forever. I used to buy Gap and Garnet Hill and Hanna Andersson tights for the winter. I would buy them on sale the year before or my girls loved getting them as gifts. I have seen these tights go through two daughters and then still look new enough to hand them down to a friend's daughters that are still wearing them 9 years later! The trick with the tights is that I never dried them in the dryer - just hung them up with clothes pins. The ones with a wee bit of lycra last the best> ReneeR

I remember my sister, a college athlete, getting this in med school. It started as a cold, then worsened to bronchitis, then finally my parents had to go get her when they diagnosed "walking pneumonia". I was out of college, and I "walked" her after work, very slowly for short periods, and I remember thinking "how is this my super strong sister"? It took her weeks to recover and 2 courses of antibiotics back in the late 1980's. Years ago my ds with asthma had a horrible case of influenza and developed full blown pneumonia, and it took him a month to get over it on antibiotics, albuterol, and steroids. He would sit and play with his play mobile, etc and I just felt sorry for him. it is the sickest that he has ever been. SOOOOO take it easy and get plenty of rest and fluids. You will see gradual improvement in a week after all the antibiotics. BUT it might take 3 weeks to get rid of the cough all together. Don't talk unnecessarily and drink lots of tea. Good luck. ReneeR

I have never had a small dog, but my in-laws have always had small dogs and they have never been friendly with my children - who love animals. Our family has always had large dogs - lab, several German Shepherds, etc. I love them, but they have a lot of energy and require attention. There are several quizzes online that you can take which recommend 3-5 breeds to you. When our last shepherd died, all five of us took a quiz independent of the others. The only dog which was on all our list - you guessed it - a German Shepherd. Maybe, you could all something like this. It asked questions about size, your energy level, your interests, etc Good luck, ReneeR

One thing that I remember about that book and Gen'l Sc was that a good deal of information was in the pictures/graphs. I would make sure that my kids understood and could explain all of these. I would have them write out any definitions ahead of time - just go through the chapter and copy bold words and find definitions. Then one child read through it on his own, but I read through it with one child. I had her do the review, on your own questions, etc and then checked it for correctness. If she had difficulty with anything, I would get her to go back through the chapter and reread that information and write her own notes in the margin besides her "troublesome" questions on the review. This really helped her get it all cemented in her brain. I remember during the few chapters on physics - I found a library book to help her understand it better. Boy, that was a tough week or so in my life! Haha Good luck, ReneeR

When we were living in TN, we found Apr to be the worst since the weather was beautiful and the kids just wanted to be outside and so did I. We always planned a big trip somewhere warm for Jan or Feb, and we all loved cuddling up to hot cocoa and books during these months so they were not a problem for us. BUT the spring and its beautiful weather and the mountains calling us to hike, etc were difficult! ReneeR

Ok, so our college freshman has asked us to buy a filter for his lavatory in his dorm room. The only water fountain in the building is on the 1st floor, and he is on the 5th. We are big water drinkers in our family, and we have had filters in our frig in the past and presently. I have never bought a water filter for a sink. Does anyone have suggestions? Is this something that I could find at Target or Walmart since we are visiting him this Sunday. Thanks in advance, ReneeR

We don't belong to Sam's but to Costco. I buy things like juice / organic milk in bulk since I have a frig out by the pool to store it in. I buy organic chicken 12lbs individually wrapped in 2 lbs pkgs or organic ground beef done the same way. Large container of nuts, box of protein bars for swim meets, box of individual chocolate milks for snacks, etc. Things like this really save me money so I can buy organic fruits/veggies at other stores. ReneeR

I have NEVER heard of this before and I have belonged to 3 Christian groups and one secular group. If she is a new member, I just wonder where she came from and what might have happened or is she just a suspicious person. Good luck, ReneeR