The thing about pits is that yes, they are usually fine with their own people - it is when they decide to take off after a kid riding a bike down the street, or to rip the throat out of a neighbor's horse (miraculously, the horse survived, but was never the same). Their jaws are so strong that they often can't be removed without killing them. The jaw strength and instinctive death grip are what make them more deadly than other aggressive dogs.

Another ex vet tech here. I would never recommend a pit, rott, chow...especially if children are involved.

Not an option here.

:iagree: though I am raising my kids to say it, since it is culturally appropriate here.

I taught my kids to say "yes, m'am" to the teenage babysitters. :001_smile:

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

I discovered I had a class clown in my ds when we started a weekly co-op a few years ago. I should have seen it coming, I guess, but maybe we are not as fun to entertain as a class full of cute girls. :D

I have dreamed about doing this with my kids. If I was only schooling two I would feel more confident about it. I say do it! It will probably be a year they remember forever.:thumbup:

So glad to hear this! Thank you for the update, Julie. :001_smile:

http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Graves-Scholars-Story-Archaeology/dp/0394743199 Gods, Graves, and Scholars is a wonderful living book. It is not up to date with the latest theories, but it can really light a passionate fire for archaeology in a young person. I also think the previous recommendation of Motel of the Mysteries should be read by anyone studying archaeology, as a reminder that archaeologists are fallible people, too. Plus it is hilarious.:D

:iagree:

Well, then it seems your choice is clear. You need to send out clarifying emails or phone calls that this is for the specific invitees only, and let the chips fall where they may. I would do this anyway for the family that was bringing siblings (I think that kind of assumption falls outside almost anyone's boundaries). Less angst and resentment leads to happier party for everyone.

LOL - In my neck of the woods, it seems like it is the Walmart cashiers who say "I wish I had done that with my kids" or "I wish I could do that".

Houston area - everyone is generally supportive with an occasional exception. There are those who get defensive because we are in a "good" school district. Generally speaking, though, I get a lot more 'I wish I could do that" with truly envious looks, than "you are invalidating my teaching certification" comments or looks. The longer I have homeschooled, the more accepting people have become in general.

Last book: Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer - this was my first Heyer book and I really enjoyed it, so now I am starting Frederica. Also reading Fagles' Iliad. On the nightstand: Surprised by Joy -Lewis, My Lord John - Heyer, and Heroes of the City Man - Leithart

This. :iagree:

:iagree: It is considered to be somewhat rude among my circle of friends to just assume you can drop off, so I always ask. Most moms appreciate another set of hands to serve or eyes to supervise.

Yes, fast food is taxed. I wonder if some of this varies by county, though. :confused:

Yeah, I don't like that solution. :glare: One nice thing about one of the larger churches I've attended (still nowhere near a megachurch) was the choice of Sunday School classes offered. You could choose a more intellectually challenging class, or something else if that was not your cuppa.

Well, like a previous poster, I went through a phase of atheism/agnosticism in high school and college. My parents weren't interested in my religious questions, not being all that religious themselves, and I never had a Sunday School class that covered more than the basics. I slowly came back to Christianity as an adult. DH and I both ended up Reformed because we were very attracted to the intellectually-oriented Sunday School classes. They were a first for us. My parents have been very surprised at both my conservatism and the fact that I am a SAHM. They have slowly reconciled themselves to it, and even appreciate it somewhat now. I don't feel my role as a woman restricts me at all. My dh is an elder and I wouldn't want his job in a million years! He asks my counsel constantly and knows the areas where I am better read than he is. He is much better read in other areas. So we constantly have interesting conversations - sometimes too interesting. :D I also have some good friends both male and female that aren't afraid to discuss things. Just because I don't believe in women's ordination, doesn't mean that I believe women should be theologically illiterate. C.S.Lewis once said that he didn't always like the sermons or music in certain churches because the were too lowbrow for his tastes, but he didn't complain because he knew others enjoyed them. I try to remember that the majority of parishioners are not interested in the more arcane or complex theological issues, :tongue_smilie:, and that if I need something more, I need to seek it out myself. In some ways, churches have the same limitations as schools, in that they have to aim at the middle. A totally separate issue is whether what is currently considered "average" in modern churches should actually BE the average. I don't think so. I think churches have been aiming too low for a long time. Christian education has not been the Church's shining spot in this century.

Texas doesn't charge sales tax on food items. It is all automated in the scanner/computer systems. The sales clerk doesn't have to do anything. Personally, I like the idea of a sales tax because it increases privacy, and rewards savings and investment.

:seeya: Conservative/Libertarian

I do believe in paedofaith. I believe even an infant in the womb can believe in Jesus. As a Calvinist, I believe that faith is God-given, and the child will grow up to understand it in a more intellectual fashion. From Psalm 22: 9Yet you are he who(R) took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. 10On you was I cast from my birth, and from(S) my mother’s womb you have been my God. On the other hand, Jesus has quite a lot to say about Hell in the Gospels. One has to make sure one is looking at everything he said, and not just the comfortable things. My personal response to this question is that God is Just and Holy and Good and Righteous, and no one will be in hell who isn't justly condemned. Based on Jesus' words, some of these will even be self-proclaimed Christians. I just trust that God would never do anything against His nature, and that considering the sacrifice He made, he is infinitely more merciful than I am. I try to be content with that, and not pretend to know the mysteries other than what he specifically tells us. He does not give us names, or a window into others' hearts, but He does give us general principles that should be taken seriously and not scoffed at. I trust in His mercy, but don't ignore the warnings.

:iagree: And, I would like to add, that it is Jesus who makes the exclusivity claim. I am not really addressing your post, Joanne, but rather the various statements made about Jesus in this thread. Hippie Jesus is a projection of one's own desires, not reality.

My daughters thought Omnibus 3 was quite a bit harder than Omnibus 2. I don't really know if it was the Omnibus book itself, or the readings.