We haven't used either, but I had planned on using R&S next year for second grade. When I went and looked at it at the convention, I changed my mind because it looked so dry and uninspiring. Please note, I have not used the program, that was just my inital impression. So, on my quest to find something as academically solid/Biblical yet more child-friendly, I discovered Christian Light Education. I am going to look at them in hand next week, and unless there is something MAJORLY different than what I am expecting, that is what we are going with. FWIW, my 6.5 yr old/1st grader has been doing 3rd grade Growing with Grammar very easily but placed MUCH lower on the CLE Diagnostic test. He told me he could "feel his brain growing" during the diagostic test! :tongue_smilie: HTH!

:iagree: I could have written the above. I completely agree. It has taken us quite a long time to finish up this first year (1st Grade/Ancients), but I feel like we are covering EVERYTHING. :001_smile: HTH!

:lol:

I forgot to mention Ted Drewes! It is the holy grail! :drool:

Forgot to say that the first restaurant is Charlie Gittos! OOPS! ;)

AWESOME Italian restaurant (DH and I had our first date there!) :D. Very yummy food and lots and lots of pictures on the walls of famous people eating there. If there is a Cardinal game in town that night, plan accordingly as lots of people go before or after the game (however, DURING the game I think you'd be ok). The Old Spaghetti Factory is fun, too. You can sit in a trolley or several other neat tables that are fun for the kiddos. http://www.osf.com/ Yes, I think you are ok to walk around on a Friday night, just use common sense and the buddy system. There are several horse-drawn-carriages that will take you around at night, also. Very cool! If you are looking for family-friendly LUNCH, check this out: http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/info/act.riverboat.ss.1hr.aspx I bet you could even log some history hours! ;) And, for over-21 fun, please visit us at the Jive & Wail. www.jiveandwail.com (shameless self-promotion! :thumbup1:) If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

nt

DH (not yet DH then) had a gig in Rochester, NY, and we went up for the weekend. He played at night, so during the day we had time to kill. The club owner gave us a car to use with explicit instructions NOT TO GO TO CANADA. Welllllllll......we decided to go to the US side of Niagra Falls and what should have been a short trip ended up taking like 5 hours because we got lost and ended up on a no-turn-around bridge labeled CUSTOMS! Good grief. They just asked what we planned on doing (we said see the sights and dinner) and let us in. After freaking out because We Were In Canada! we went to see the falls. Amazing! And then he asked to borrow one of my Hello Kitty mittens, and when I took off the mitten, he put a ring on my finger and popped the question!!! :svengo:He said that in case I said no, he planned to toss me over into the Falls. :D (Secretly, I wonder if we REALLY were lost for those hours or if he was getting up the nerve! ;)) Anywhoo....the point of this was to say I didn't know you needed a passport!

That is exactly what I mean, do I want to have this set up as a "blog" (thinking: FREE!!!!) or something else? At one time we had a myspace page set up with pics (cake pics) on it, but I kind of hate myspace.... www.bunnycakes.com is available for purchase, and that is what DH suggested, but that is going to be $$$, right? Really, all I need is somewhere where people can see the pictures. My DH and I own a restaurant (ok....actually a piano bar) where tons and tons of people have parties. I have been doing lotsa cakes/cupcakes/edible chocolate tiaras for said parties and we'd like to increase that even more. When people call to book parties, we want to be able to direct them to xyz website to check out the cakes. Also, we have a database of a few thousand people who regularly get our e-blasts promoting upcoming specials, etc....so we want to promote the cakes in that way also. Yes, my time is better spent baking and cleaning and homeschooling and making my husband feel like a rock star. Thank you for pointing that out! :D I can't spend tons of time learning to do websites. Any reccommendations for someone on Etsy? If I have to open the wallet, it had better be awesome! :lol: Thanks so much for lettin' me ramble!

:spam:

Ok, so I have a small business making specialty cakes (how that started is completely different post!) and I need a website where I can showcase pictures of work I've done. I DO NOT want to spend a lot of money. I DO want it to be super cute. :D I am very computer-literate, but it has been a loooooooong while since I dabbled in HTML. I set something up at www.yummybunnycakes.blogspot.com but as you can see it is, um, "empty"! I really love the sites at www.leeloublogs.blogspot.com and I got a free template there. I don't want to shell out $100 for them to do it for me, but on the other hand, it looks as if that would be my best option. Looks as if you also ge a graphic dealie to print on your business cards with them, and that is something I *really* want. DH remends me often that you have to spend money to make money, but I don't really like to spend money period. :glare: What says the hive? Got any ideas for me? TIA!

with a touch of sugar/splenda. It is my breakfast each day!:D

I just went and got the PUR Minerals starter kit and it was 50% off! I got the brush, the base, blush, and "warmth" for $17.50! Run to Dillards! Run!:auto: :D

I've been using Base Essentials, but I am totally out and $60+ just isn't in the budget right now. I searched on here (Hive has all the answers!) and saw a reccomendation for PUR Minerals....I'm thinking the 4-in-1 stuff here: http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&productId=501551938&storeId=301&catalogId=767&N=1625667&searchUrl=%2Fendeca%2FEndecaStartServlet%3FstoreId%3D301%26catalogId%3D767%26N%3D1625667&R=02821664 Anyone use this? Reviews? I am missing going out with my husband tonight because I have no makeup and need to look good being seen with him. :tongue_smilie: TIA!

the meat in the back of my truck man! :lol: I knew there was some witty reply I was supposed to have, but I didn't know it and let him down nicely.:glare:

Not the OP, but THANKS! :D

I started him on cod liver oil. This child is very, very picky, and has been known to throw up at the SIGHT of beans or rice or something else "yucky" that any of us happen to be eating.....so I was HIGHLY skeptical that he would even get the stuff down. I finally bit the bullet and coughed up the cash for Nordic Naturals Children's DHA (Berry Flavor) and he has taken it with out complaint every day since! If we miss even a day of it, he breaks back out. I do not have to use anything topical because it is so under control. :D (Please. please do not let this be a pride before the fall thing where now he wakes up covered!!!! *praying hands*) HTH!

on the K-8 board. Use the search feature and you will find tons of helpful threads. :001_smile: We are planning on using CLE LA and Math in the fall. :001_smile:

:iagree: This is the conversation we have each week on the way to our LCMS Church. Well, minus the grandma part. :001_smile:

I'd like to do *CLE LA (need to do placement test to see what level; have been doing GWG grade 2) *WWE (don't know if we want the workbook or not, need to read the book first!) *We've been doing narrations of science and history readings *We've been doing science copywork to cement those facts *and I'm thinking of also doing CLE Reading because DS is a voracious reader and this will give him a bit more to think about It just seems like so much, but he needs a challenge. Also, what out of the above would I drop? Sorry again that I'm not any help. This is a toughie!:tongue_smilie:

We used BiblioPlan for history, so we got all of the stories and Bible history there. This was huge for me, to see where things in the Bible fit in to "regular" history. We also enjoyed using a book in the Keepers of the Faith Character Building Series. We did the one on obedience, and it really impressed me. I even saw DS point to DD and say "disobedient!" when she was thinking about being naughty. :lol: I can tell it's been a few months since we looked at that book. Time to get it back out, I think! :auto: HTH!

Not far from where we were, but in an effort to be "neighborly" I took a plate of minicupcakes to all the new neighbors (like 12 houses or so) with a little card I made on Word that said "Nice to meet you! From your new neighbors at 123 XYZ Street " and then listed our names. We were well recieved. Not a ton of families with kids, but I think it was good anyway. Got to meet everyone and answer lots of questions from people who have never met homeschoolers! :D Last night one of the neighbors came over and asked us to come catch fireflies with them. Kiddos were thrilled! Hope that helps!

Our new bedroom has tons of windows and a sliding glass door....hubby works many nights and needs it dark in there so he can sleep. I've been pricing out "blackout" drapes and I can't find any good ones for less than $25 for ONE panel!!!!!!:confused: To do the room, that would cost me over $200! I'm never gonna pay down my library fines at that rate! Any ideas on how to effectively block the light in there and still have it look decent? The tablecloths I have thumb-tacked up are doing the job, but not making my hubby feel very special, I don't think. ;) Thanks in advance!

I make this for everything! 1 or 2 bags slaw (shredded carrots and cabbage) 1 part vinegar (maybe a 1/2 cup?) (red wine vinegar is super in this!) 1 part oil (again, maybe 1/2 a cup, just plain vegetable oil) 1 ramen noodle seasoning packet 1 handful sugar 1 or 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced some unseeded, salted sunflower seeds ramen noodles, uncooked (optional) mix vinegar, oil, sugar, seasoning packet well combine seeds, slaw, and celery top slaw mix with vinegar/oil mix top with crunched up ramen noodles if desired make ahead and refrigerate, you may want to add noodles right before serving or they get "soggy" or eliminate them all together for a more healthful recipe enjoy!

I seem to be constantly getting eye stys....like every other week it is a different eye. I haven't been wearing makeup, so that can't really be it. I don't rub my eyes. I get no sleep, live on diet coke, and have a high stress level. :o These stys last about a week and are both hideous and painful. Sure, I could go to the Dr, and that will happen when we get insurance. :confused: Any thoughts? If there are answers to be found, I'm sure t find them here! TIA!