$4.39 It cost me $90 to fill up two days ago.....so frustrating. California has some kind of additional state tax they add to gas, so it's always $.30 more here than most places. I want to faint every time I go to fill up.

I hope you feel better soon! I have lupus, rhematoid arthritis, hashimoto's, and fibro. I bawled like a little baby when my son commented on my hands today. In the past year, the arthritis has gotten so much worse and I have the beginning stages of ulnar drift. He asked me why my doctor couldn't fix my hands so that they weren't crooked and that he wanted me to feel better and not be broken. It was very precious, but disconcerting at the same time. I just hugged him. I have been on so many treatments, infusions, injections, etc. It stinks, and I just celebrated my 30th birthday. One of the ladies commented, on my birthday no less, about my "old lady hands". I wanted to smack her. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with hashimoto's a year ago. I was so angry. I had her doctor check the blood work again because I didn't want to believe it. Hashimoto's is how all this started for me, and I fear that she will end up with another autoimmune disease, too. I don't have any advice, but I do understand how you feel. :grouphug:

Me! I have six kiddos. I use some pretty teacher intensive curricula, but I just can't bring myself to change that. I love being involved, especially in math with the kids. I have tried numerous curricula over the years, and I finally feel like I'm settled and know what is good for us curricula wise. My oldest is starting high school and because of the age difference she has always done her own separate curricula. She is currently using K12 through a virtual school and really likes it. She will attending a hybrid high school program next year so it should get interesting. (She'll be in class 2-3 days a week.) There are some out there that homeschool many at least semi-classically.

Vanana (vanilla/banana) yogurt any of their salads are great organic tortilla chips Joe-Joes (like orea cookies) mint chocolate chip ice cream their frozen chinese food

Is it Cymbalta? I know that one is pretty expensive as there is no generic for it and it is still relatively new. I have lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibro. I was on Cymbalta for awhile and it really helped with the fibro pain. I take numerous injections and have infusions each month and I've never had any issues with insurance not covering meds, including the cymbalta.

Sent you a PM.

Hi, I haven't posted much lately. Life has been beyond stressful, but it feels like things are calming down these days. There have been a lot of transitions in the last year, as we made a cross country move and things are finally starting to feel normal again. I wanted to ask for prayer for my sister. She is my baby sister and in her early 20's with 2 beautiful children. I have suspected for several years that she had a substance abuse problem. I tried to speak with her about it, but of course she denied everything. My mom has been in denial since I first brought up the subject several years ago. Anyway, she lost her children 6 months ago when her home was raided and she and her boyfriend were arrested for possession and many other things, including dealing. On Sunday, my sister had a visitation meeting with her children and she never showed. Her car was found on the side of the road and to be honest, I thought something horrible happened to her. After speaking with some of her friends, my mom drove to the other side of the state where my sister lives to look for her. She was finally found yesterday in a very bad place and in a very bad way. I'm sure you can imagine what I mean. My mother is devastated and had her bond revoked so that she would be sent back to jail. Our whole family is distraught, but my mother is having a very hard time right now. She is working to get court mandated rehab for my sister and is finally realizing that my sister has a serious substance abuse problem. If you could please pray for my family, my mother especially, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

I have twins that shared a placenta and sac. I went into labor at 33 weeks, but there was never any mention of taking the boys early. I was monitored with stress tests 3 times a week and ultrasounds once a week after 28 weeks. I had a history of preeclampsia, too (3 out of 5 pregnancies). I'm not sure if its standard or not to take twins at 32 weeks.

:grouphug: I have a sister like this and we are going through something very similar. She places the same claim on me that your sister does on you. I'm the "favorite". I get "everything". "No one cares about her." Blah....blah....nonsense. She hurts everyone around her. It stinks. I'm sorry that you are going through this. Your mom is so blessed to have a daughter who is willing to go the extra mile for her. I also truly believe you reap what you sow....and your sister will learn that probably the hard way.

I have been off and on prednisone for the past 5 years since I was diagnosed with SLE. Short term it shouldn't cause significant issues and the side effects usually dissipate after the prednisone is discontinued. Its usually long term when you have some issues. Getting the inflammation in your chest down is I'm sure what your doctor is trying to do and prednisone will accomplish that.

Wow...I didn't realize how big my boys are until reading this. My twin boys are 8 1/2 and are 57 inches and 78 pounds each. Shoe size = 6 My 7 1/2 yo son is 53 inches and 67 pounds. Shoe size = 4 Not that its too surprising. I'm only 5'5", but my husband is 6'6" and wears a size 15 shoe. His entire family is very tall, too. They have always been above the 95th percentile for their height for their age.

Are you looking for the younger two or for your 10th grader? For the younger two, I would definitely use the Activity Guide which has book suggestions, map work, review questions, and lots more. I just found Classical House of Learning, which is a literature study for the grammar and logic stage. http://www.classicalhouseoflearning.com/ For the 10th grader, I really love Omnibus II or you could use V, as well. Both are challenging and include Bible, literature, history, and art history. The book is beautifully illustrated. I am not sure about the difficulty difference between II and V. We have used I & II and both are pretty extensive. Maybe someone else will be able to answer this. http://www.veritaspress.com/products.asp?dept=1079 Biblioplan can be used for all grade levels and has a high school supplement. I always tell people that, to me, Biblioplan is like a mini-version of TOG. It has many of the same components, but you don't have to narrow down all the choices yourself. It has a mapwork component and some other downloads that go with it as well. http://www.biblioplan.net/ HTH,

There is a notebooking/lapbooking download to go along with the Truthquest guides now. I don't know if that helps. I have both, but haven't used them yet...so I don't have a firm opinion.

If you like CLE and don't want to switch you could get something like Kitchen Table Math which gives ways to teach and reinforce math topics. If you were going to that route, I would purchase the second book. This is exactly what we have been doing and it is working well.

Guilty! I love Gossip Girl! I so want Chuck and Blair to get back together. I'm so not a fan of Louis...blech. I have been hoping the whole time since they haven't actually shown the results of the DNA testing, that Chuck is the father. So that eventually they will get married....especially after he has changed and has became a "nice" guy. I feel like such a teenage girl with my obsession with Gossip Girl. I also love the other shows on WB like 90210, Vampire Diaries, and One Tree Hill. Several of the seasons of these are available on Netflix now....which is how I started watching One Tree Hill.

If it makes you feel better, when my sister was 2, super glued her teeth together.....all the way around. I remember the look on my mom's face when she got home and my dad was trying to pry her mouth open using a steak knife. My mom freaked....of course, but we all laugh about it now.

Jhschool, I tried replying to you, but your inbox is full. Thanks!

The Natural History Museum is great. My kids also like La Brea Tar Pits. The San Diego Zoo is one of the best zoos we've been to (and we've been to a lot of zoos). I'm going to ask my husband when he wakes up, as he's lived here his whole life and knows all the cool things to see in SoCal.

It could be anything or nothing. My white count was 2.9 when I was diagnosed with lupus. My sister had a wbc count in the low 3's and it went back to normal and nothing was ever found. I wouldn't worry until you see your doctor.

Homeschoolshare.com has unit study on multiple Suess books. It looks really fun and should at least get you started. http://homeschoolshare.com/seuss.php

Uh...I feel like I've never woken up refreshed. Maybe its because I'm not a morning person? I don't know. My husband always wakes up refreshed and happy....even if he only had 4 hours sleep. I have no idea how he does it.

Hmmmm....not sure I have a logical explanation. I don't think that sickness = sin. I am chronically ill with several autoimmune diseases and have been for the past 6 years. I cried on my 30th birthday a few weeks ago because it seems the older I get, the worse my disease has become. It is frustrating sometimes. I live with chronic pain. Its not fun. I'm a believer. I wasn't always, but have been for the past decade. While I don't think God is punishing me. I do think he is trying to teach me. I am very much a Type A personality. I like to be in charge of things. I like to make holidays and special occasions "perfect". I have a hard time saying no to people when they ask for my help, and people ask for my help a lot because I give 110%. However, I have six children. There is not enough of me to go around to them, my husband, and to give 110% to everyone else's requests either. There wasn't before I was sick and there definitely isn't now. I think God is trying to teach me to slow down and smell the roses. Basically to not stress the little things....like if my child is wearing a dirty shirt or if my house isn't perfectly spotless. (Yes, these things used to make me crazy. I have 4 sons, so I'm sure you can imagine how insane I was.) I was so focused on all the details that don't really matter, that I wasn't focused on my children and my husband like I should have been. I would always tell my children "later....b/c mommy is busy now". Constantly....I was a miserable person and I wasn't bonding with my children. Hopefully, I articulated in a coherent way. Now, I'm sure this isn't true for everyone. I have a hard time believing that God is punishing those that are sick. We are ALL sinners and fall short from the glory of God. So wouldn't we all be sick.....all the time. In my case, I think my "sickness" has made me a better person, a better mother, and a better wife. I think its part of my refining process...God trying to sand off my blemishes.

I just wanted to throw this out there. The hair loss you have may not necessarily be from your thyroid levels. Although they probably are right now, if your levels are out of whack. However, I have had more hair loss in the years since I was diagnosed with the Lupus then I ever did with the thyroid issue alone. So while thyroid levels are important, I would want to investigate the lupus as well. I only say this because for a year, with normal thyroid levels mind you, I was told that my hair loss was my thyroid. It wasn't until I had spots that were almost completely bald that the doctor I was seeing thought to look elsewhere. Losing my hair has been really difficult. Even with "normal" levels it is not luscious and thick like it used to be. Every rheumatologist I've ever seen just shrugs their shoulders and says there isn't much that can be done. If anyone has ever tried anything that has helped with this, please share. :)

I was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) 7 1/2 years ago at 23. Two years later, I was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromyalgia. So far I have had renal, hepatic, and lung involvement. Plus of course the joint pain, muscle pain, and hair loss. I'm starting to show joint deformities as well, so my rheumy at this point suspects I have an overlap of rhematoid arthritis as well. My biggest advice would be to get a rheumatologist you trust and that LISTENS to you. I have complained about my hands bothering me for 3 years. It wasn't until this year with a new rheumalogist that x-rays showed joint erosion and he states that now I have the beginning of ulnar drift. My last rheumatologist consistently told me it was just par to having lupus. Well it wasn't, and I have irreversible joint damage and I just turned 30. With small children I think it is difficult to have them grasp that something is wrong. A lot of the problem I have had is that I don't "look sick" on the outside. It is so frustrating to hear people say that. I have learned the hard way to just let things go. The house is a mess.....oh, well. Do what you can and let the rest go. It was so hard for me....but it really came down to prioritizing things. I have had always been one to go, go, go and do, do, do. Obviously, I am just not capable of that anymore. Just know that you will feel better....I know it probably doesn't seem like it right, but once your doctor helps find the right treatment...you will feel better. If you have an specific questions, feel free to PM me. I'd be happy to help, if I can. Blessings,

I know K12 musics looks good on paper, but we are using it through a virtual academy. It is soooo mundane. We are not big fans and from speaking to other parents, we aren't the only ones who think so. I personally like the Music Appreciation portions from Harmony Art Mom. She publishes it with her artist studies, but it may not be exactly what you are looking for. They are more like composer studies. The price is significantly cheaper ($20 for the yearly guide) and the CDs I have been able to find on amazon and ebay very inexpensively. HTH,