Thank you for that. I just literally laughed out loud. (Maybe because I know a certain 2 1/2 year old who would do the same thing.) As to the original problem, hopefully it is just a phase. The 4 year old (girl, if it matters) I nanny for went through a period recently where she had some accidents. This is a girl who had been out of diapers before she was 2. I think they are so comfortable with going to the bathroom, that they put it off until it is too late. The phase lasted a few weeks, and then we haven't had any other problems in the past month or so. I think you're handling it fine, and hopefully with some not-so-subtle reminders that he needs to use the toilet, he will get over this phase.

Popcorn, fruit plate, cheese and crackers, mixed nuts, chex mix. For a drink, I really like 100% fruit juice mixed with sparkling water.

We don't stay home! We run errands (grocery shopping, post office), go to the zoo/science museum/natural history museum/art museum, go see plays or movies (we have a great children's theatre here), go for walks to the park, ride our bikes outside, go to gymnastics lessons, library story time, have a treat at Starbucks, etc. We go to the Farmer's market every week, and go pick berries in the summer. When we are home, if I make a point to busy myself doing things around the house (cooking or laundry, for example), they play really well together or by themselves. (If I am reading or on the computer, however, they will not leave me alone, but if I am "productive" they continue to play happily.) We have a nice stocked art cupboard that they have free reign of. They play with their toy kitchen, and the train table, and legos and toy cars. We cook together and play lots of board games, and we spend quite a bit of time tickling each other and rolling around on the floor. (Seriously, I spend a lot of time on the floor, with the two crawling all over me.) We sing songs and dance, and read books. We plant seeds in the spring, and carve pumpkins in the fall. I do have what I call my "rainy day" box, which is usually pulled out when I am sick or tired. In it I have: bean bags, lacing beads, pony beads with pipe cleaners, pattern block puzzles, a bowling game, lacing shapes, and some other odds and ends. (It's just stuff that needs little adult supervision, but that I don't want them having free reign over, as they would lose the pieces. It's just random stuff I liked and thus, bought, not a hard and fast list of "good things" to have.) (BTW - kids are 2 1/2 y.o. boy and 4 1/2 y.o. girl)

That's interesting... Hoping some others who have used it will chime in. :lurk5:

Go with the spiral one. I have the paperback and I do think it would be easier to use the spiral one.

Have you seen Enchanted Learning's section on dinosaurs? (http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/index.html or if you have a membership.)

Every time I make this recipe, it gets rave reviews. Slightly adapted from the Williams Sonoma Chicken cookbook. 1 cup carrots 1 cup peas 1 cup corn 2 tbs. butter 1 lb. chicken, cut into bite size pieces Chopped onion or shallot 2-3 tbs. flour 1 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup milk 1 tbs. chopped parsley (optional) Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the shallot/onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stirr well. Stir in the stock and the milk, and the parsley (if using), and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots, peas, and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in prepared pie pan, and cover with pie dough. Cut a few slits in the center of the top with the tip of a knife. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Mountain Brook Academy. (Our Street Name. Easy peasy, nothing creative here, but I do like the sounds of it.)

We own a lot of books. Shelves and shelves and shelves of books. And I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I have several shelves of my own "keepers" - these are the books that I can read again and again, collections of my favorite authors. With a few exceptions, however, most of the books I have bought lately have all been used. (Either good finds at used book stores, or swapped through Paperback Swap, if I have a particular book I want.) And I have gone through my books, and give away or swap those that I don't think we will read again. There is something special about having a library in your house. I remember growing up, going into my mother's library, and picking out a book to read. She kept many of her great books from her childhood (Five Little Peppers, and such), and then she even has some books that used to be her grandmother's. There is something so special about the history of these books. When I was home over Christmas, we were going through the books (she is getting ready to sell the house, so thinking about downsizing), and it was so nice to talk about each of our memories with the books. For "throwaway" books, that will only be read once, I don't see the need to own them, but for books that I will read, and that my children will read, and that maybe their children will read someday, it is so nice to have that collection, with that history.

I can't share experiences, as we haven't used it yet, but I just bought this last week, with plans to use it next year. I really like the book selections for Level One (I haven't examined the ones for Level Two, and don't recognize most of the titles). The books suggested for Level One are mostly traditional stories and fairy tales, with great authors and illustrators, and several Caldecott Medal winners. I can't tell you how we will enjoy it, or even use it yet, but I do know that even if we get nothing else out of it, at least we have a selection of good books to read. Interested to hear others' replies...

Most of my favorites have already been listed, but our current favorite is Milly-Molly-Mandy.

Macaroons are easy, traditional, and yummy. I really, really love meringues too. Baked apples, or some other fruit dessert? Flourless chocolate cake. (I don't have a recipe, but I'm sure you could search for one easily.) A custard? (Assuming you are only following the unleavened rules, and that dairy is okay.) I love chocolate pots de creme, but even a simple chocoate mousse would work as well. I would stay away from most recipes that are specifically for Passover (with substitutions, etc.), as they are just never as good as "the real thing." Stick with something you love anyway, that just happens to be flour-free.

Thank you! It sounds great.

Colleen, would you share your recipe as well? Whole wheat flour and yogurt is very appealing to me. ;) The other recipes sound great, too. I am tempted to try them both, just to compare.

It looks to me (and I couldn't say for sure, unless I had a copy of the old set in my hands), that they were just re-released with a different name, (and revised packaging). The Bob Books website has an edition chart that you can look at. I would guess that there isn't much difference in actual content, and that you could easily use the old set 1, and then the new set 2 with no issues.

Thanks so much!

Definitely not just a Texas thing. I spent a week with a 19 year old woman from New Hampshire last fall, and I don't know how many times a day I heard, "I know, right?" Every time she agreed with anything I said, which was often. Once in a while, I don't think it would bother me, but after hearing it 10-20 times a day (at least), it drove me crazy, and I still visibly react when I hear anyone say it now. (Shuddering now, just to think about it.)

Spinach Pasta 12-16 oz pasta 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbs olive oil 2 tbs. flour 2 cups milk or cream 4 cups spinach, finely chopped 1/4 cup (or more) grated Parmesan Salt and Pepper to taste Cook pasta. Saute garlic in olive oil 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, mix well, and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and slowly add in the milk/cream, stirring constantly. Let sauce simmer until it begins to thicken. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the Parmesan. Mix the sauce and pasta together. Season to taste.

I love to edit! (Seriously.) If you'd like one more, I'm in. :)

I use a tablespoon or so of ground flax seeds (I grind them myself, just before using - I have a coffee grinder for things like this) to apple/blueberry crisp. I also occasionally add flax to baked goods or smoothies.

Beginner's Art Curriculum I Made It: Process-Oriented Art for Kids from The Mailbox has a bunch of different projects. It is for Preschool-Grade 1, and focuses on techniques such as Brushing, Cutting, Dripping, Fingerpainting, Printing, Weaving, etc.

It could have been worse: she could have chewed up the entire pack, but not swallowed it, getting it everywhere - all over herself and her clothes, and the bedspread that she was supposed to be napping on. That was the day I arbitrarily decided that one must be 5 to have chewing gum. Now (2 years later), at 4 1/2, she is counting the days until her 5th birthday, and I think everyone that knows this story will be giving her a pack of gum for her birthday. ;)

I wouldn't, but only because I'm paranoid about dates like that, and even if they were fine, I would imagine that they tasted funny while eating them. (Totally in my mind.) But if they smell fine, and look good, then I think they are fine.

The dots tell you who is online at the time. (Green means on the forum, gray is offline.) Rep points: I think everyone starts with 10,and then you can give them by clicking on the little scale thing on a person's post. Not too familiar with rep points, so someone else can chime in here...

Milk, no. Yogurt, yes. (In my opinion.)