potato cut into fries. Oven baked and served with assorted toppings (ie:whatever we have in the house) soup pancakes or eggs pasta with vegetables

It's not like Hickory Farms but it is tasty. http://www.wickedwhoopies.com

I still remember the joy of getting a Chrissy doll when I was a child. Oh how I wanted that doll. As an adult it is a tie between my commercial grade Kitchenaid and the Tom Tom. My favorite memory involving my children was last year. My father passed away in September but I went out while he was in the hospital and purchased 3 webkins and gave them to my kids for him. There very first webkins. My kids now have that last present from their grandpa and they love and care they give those webkins makes me tear up just thinking about it.

My 10 year old recommends: Henry Huggins and Ramona series Lemony Snickett Encyclopedia Brown He also loved: The Phantom Toll Booth The Last of the Whangdoodles Stuart Little, really anything by Beverly Cleary

What is the point of this H grade? When I was in school (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) if I was in danger of failing a class a letter went home to my parents. That was my opportunity to fix the problem or I was going to fail.

Ours got used a lot for about 2 months. Now they really only pull it out when their friends are over. It seems it is only fun if you have at least 6 people fighting over the same piece.

I can't wait to test it later. I need dh to wake up and tell me what the password is.

My favorite in a hurry cookie: Chocolate chip meringue 2 egg whites 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 6 oz chocolate chips preheat oven to 325 Beat egg whites until stiff peaks begin to form. Add sugar 2 Tbls at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool completely before storing. Quick, yummy, and fat-free. Although all that sugar will turn to fat if you don't burn it off. I have also brought in slice and bake with the recipe card stating: Go to store. Buy package of premade cookie dough. Follow directions on package.

We had a dead something in the wall once. We never found the source but I know there is a skeleton in the wall.

This thread is timely. My kids have been begging me to get a waffle iron.

Is there any reason you are restricting the class to girls only? I think sewing and cooking are skills for both genders to know. I know I would love for both my kids to know how to sew. They are taking a cooking class next month and the fee is $25. each if that helps you out.

If they are big box stores then you can order the gift cards from their websites. Where I live all the drug stores carry gift cards for all kinds of stores and restaurants.

Frankfurter Spectacular. Frankfurter Spectaculal. Frankfurter Spectacular. It is life affirming. People certainly ate a lot of Mackerel in the 70's. And in pudding form no less.

In the middle of the floor and call it modern art?

Classic Hot Spiced Cider: 1/2 gallon apple cider 12 cloves 3 cinnamon sticks 1 c. orange juice 1/2 c. lemon juice

The plan is 2 days for Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years,

Yes, I find myself rooting for the animals. These people win the Darwin award.

My house is a mess because when it comes to housework I just don't want to do it. I hate cleaning, I hate decluttering. There are so many things I would rather be doing then getting rid of my favorite pets (the dust bunnies) or going through that giant stack of books that is about to topple. I know where everything is in my chaos. It is when I get it in my head that I should find a home for everything that I can not find anything.

How long and for what grades have you homeschooled? This is our first year. So 3 months. I have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader. Did you know from the start you would homeschool or did some event point you down this road? No, I did not know. My original thoughts of homeschoolers are not at all accurate. What took me here was my son's struggles in public school. Academics were fine but the bullying was not. After giving it the old college try for 2 years we took mattters into our own hands. Were you homeschooled? No. Does anyone in your extended family homeschool? No. What method and materials did you use your first year of homeschooling? Ater tons of research and using the Well Trained mind as a guide I pieced together an eclectic curriculum. We are using History Odyssey, Math-U-See, Voyages in English, REAL Science for Kids, an assortment of literature, and online resources. What method and materials are you currently using? See above. What books, ideas, etc. have helped shape your homeschool? The Well Trained Mind and a friend who homeschools. What has been the most challenging aspect for you? Overcoming my own laziness. Some days I just dont want to do anything and only do the bare minimum. What aspect has come naturally for you? I have no idea. I am a go with the flow kind of gal so perhaps it is my ability not to be totally freaked out. What are your favorite homeschool memories thus far? Seeing my son get long division and upside down multiplication. That and sleeping in. What is the best advice you've been given? Lighten up. You will cover the same material as other kids just at a different time. What advice do you give others just starting this journey? Know your heart. Only you know what you can and can not do.

I blog so that I do not have to talk to my mother about homeschooling. Any questions? Go read the blog. My friends like to see the photos of what we have been doing. As for strangers reading my blog, well, if I can inspire someone with what we are doing then that is great.

I imagine just about every industry is affected. During hard economic times liquor stores and bars tend to do well but everyone else suffers. Retail: Who is spending money? Certainly not me. Landscapers: Deigners and regular maintenance-I can mow the lawn myself if needed. Restaurants: We eat out a lot less then we used to. Airlines, hotels: Business travel is dowm. My dh has his own technology firm. It is good for him because people outsource IT but at the same time clients are taking longer to pay.

I think it is sweet and something my 10 year old ds would request. I could see my dh being uncomfortable with it. Ds talks to me more than to dh because I am more accessible. This upsets dh greatly. Ds wanting a night alone with mom would make dh feel left out and upset. No amount of my saying this is about ds not you would really make him feel better about it. I can see why your dh may be uncomfortable with it. Especially if it is not something he would have considered doing as a child. Dh and I have very different comfort levels about a variety of things: nudity, siblings showering together, children seeing parents nude, etc. I think the best option would be to find a way to meet your ds' need to be alone with mom that your dh is also comfortable with. For my birthday tonight the whole family will be staying overnight at a local hotel with a pool. The kids think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Dh and I were having a conversation about this recently. I do like the idea of courtship. However, I also believe that a couple does need some time alone. We have taught our children that the purpose of dating is to get to know someone as a potential life partner. Do you tell your kids that sex is only for having children? No. They know that do adults who love each other also enjoy sex. They also know that our ideal is that they wait until marriage but they will be free to make their own decision. Is divorce ok? Yes. Life is too short to be stuck in a bad relationship. If after making every effort to save the marriage and it is still not working then sure, get a divorce. Exception: Abuse. Leave immediately. Common-law? I would not be thrilled with it but it is not my choice to make. Can they date or sleep with more than 1 person? Ideally, no. I can not make this decision for them. I can only hope that they embrace the values we gave them. Does your family consider homosexuality or bisexuality ok? Yes. We don't care what sex you are as long as you treat our children with love and respect. What about masturbation? Perfectly normal. Sex toys? Why not. Porn? Strip clubs? I am not a fan but again, not my choice. Do they expect sex will feel good or bad? They expect that it will feel good. Do you talk to your kids about STDs, pregnancy and protection? Yes. I do not want my children to die or have an unplanned pregnancy because they got carried away in a moment.

I have a couple of these from reusable bags: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/packntote-grocery-cart-helper-bags-p-982.html. People always ask me where I got them when they see them. I hook them onto the cart and load them up as I shop. When I check out it all goes back in the bag.

My mother was/is a shining example of what not to do. Now, as a mother myself, I understand a lot more and have cut my mom some slack. I know she did the best she could with what she had. My childhood was filled with things but no emotional connections. My father was of the generation of men whose familial obligation was food on the table, roof over the heads, clothes on the back. My mother suffered from depression and no one got her any help (I see this now as an adult). My sister and I had a horrible relationship growing up as we had no example of how to relate from our parents. I smother my kids in hugs and kisses. They do not doubt my love for them. They do not think they are an annoyance/interference/add your adjective here. However, I have realized that while I had a laundry list of all the things I would do differently from my mother that my children will have their own list when they grow up. We all do the best we can with the tools we have.