I have ds12, dd9, and ds7 that will need pen pals as part of their handwriting practice. We will begin homeschooling in August 2012, but thought it would be fun to get a head start. We are in Georgia.

My Ds12yo would like a pen pal. We are in Georgia.

We will be homeschooling next school year. Ds 12, dd9, and ds7

They have the squarish head like most pits. They may not have much pit, the two tone one is a little more on the obvious side. White one, it's the nose that gives it away. On a good note, they look like fat and happy puppies and if you want to keep them, they will be very loyal and protective to your children. They will not likely be adoptable unless someone likes pits. Most shelters will put them down if they look like pit bulls. Are they male or female?

Boogey Wipes! They are wet, smell good, and don't hurt. Plus, it's easier for the older ones to get all the goop off their faces. I found them at SAMs club, so Walmart should have them. Probably near the baby stuff.

My dh and I lived together for 2 years before we got married. My MIL still does not show me respect and we've been married for 13 years. I don't think that you should be disrespectful, but it really depends on what values and morals that you brought up your son with. If you taught him that if you want to live with a woman you need to marry her, and he does it any way, I feel the loss of respect should be more directed at your son. His girlfriend may not have been raised with the same values that you have. That being said, I am a TOTAL hypocrite! I am raising my children(or at least trying) that you do not date until you are ready to find a spouse. There is no point until then. I feel that random dating and living together reinforce the idea that marriage is not important and relationships don't require work. That when things get tough, you quit(breakup or move out). I am hoping that my children grow up and look for people with similar values or at least enough respect and love for them to support them and maybe even change their point of view

3.06 for regular and 3.78 for diesel.

I eat venison. I actually eat just about anything. But I can honestly say that had I been told what was in half of what I eat, I wouldn't have touched it. If I have a concern, or if there was something that I just would not eat, then I ask first. Unfortunately for my waistline, if it looks yummy, I will at least try it. I do not think it is disrespectful to provide food for people and not announce every ingredient that is in it. I think it is your own responsibility to ask if you have specific feelings towards any particular food. My ds shot a doe on Wednesday and we had the loins on Saturday night. We marinate the slices in Texas Pete honey mustard sauce(with one egg) then bread it with seasoned flour and fry it. When I make tenderloins, I wrap them in bacon and grill them. I have an aversion to veal. Don't like the idea of it and haven't since I was in high school FFA. Not that many people I know cook with it, but I have an Italian friend that always puts it in her meatballs. So, I don't eat them. But, she is a friend and knows this, so she told me beforehand.

We have a school supply store in town that sells them. Do you have one close by that you can call?

I rated 100% orthodox Quaker, 92% Islam, and 92%orthodox Judaism. So, I don't hold much faith in that test. :lol:

When it comes to churches, I've had my experience with 3. My first, catholic. My perspective(now I was a kid) snotty, stuck-up people who relied on someone else to tell them what God meant. Southern Baptist(teen) backwoods, racist, h&$) fire and ****ation. Southern Baptist(adult, mother of 3) at a different church than above, still all about H&D, but encouraged small groups to study the Bible together and discuss scripture. Now, we attend a contemporary church under the Church of God denomination, we have communion, but once a month, and our band rocks it out. My son loves the middle/high school program. We are involved in the community and worldwide missions. Our "motto" is Love God, Love People, Serve the World. We have Life groups that meet and do bible studies, or dinner, whatever helps build our relationship with each other. It took at a while to find a church that fit our family. No church is going to be perfect. They are run by people, and no person is perfect. I watched a few services online, liked what I saw and we went to check it out. There are days when the service is not great but, we love the people. I read my Bible and try to live out what I feel is God's plan for my life. I do not follow it, nor do I worship it. I follow Jesus and worship Him. I read the message bible on my YouVersion app on my iPhone. It is a paraphrasing translation that words it for today's society. I am totally reliant on technology. When I run into questions about a verse or chapter or book, I ask the people at my church who have spent years studying Greek and Hebrew and latin. They give me each translation and we discuss them. I believe in traditional values that not many follow. I did not follow them and regret the mistakes that I made. I was not brought up in any faith, and whole heartedly feel that it gave me a strong desire to make sure that my children are raised to believe Jesus teachings. No one person is greater than any other. If you have more and someone has none, than you should give to them and it will be given back in other ways. So, I say google search your area, check out their websites, and try out the ones that have a mission that touches your heart. True knowledge is never ending for we learn something new everyday

I got a book for my husband and son to read together. It's called Preparing your Son for Every Man's Battle. It's a great book that you could read with your oldest, but it's more for Dads to do. My 12yo and I have discussed some things. Thanks to our technological age, it was easier for him to text me questions so he didn't have to look at me while asking them. Plus, it allowed me time to get over the shock of them and then formulate an appropriate answer. They are still young and unless they are unsupervised with older children who may have been exposed to more info, I would stick with the answer the questions as they come until probably 10. Then expect the oldest to repeat EVERYTHING to the younger ones at some point.

Thanks you all for such wonderful words of encouragement. I have spoken with MFW with questions that I had for my oldest. My trainer and his wife HS their 4, soon to be 5, children, and she had the ECC manual for me to read over. I feel even more confident that this is something that I should do. Praying on it daily and still feel the pull in my heart to "take my children back" and teach them the principles that are most important. If you have not seen it, check out IndoctriNation: the movie. It solidified a lot of my decisions.

We fry turkeys. So I take the carcasses and make a stock with carrots, bell peppers, celery and onions. Strain and remove all bones. Add back the veggies. Then I break up the turkey no one touched(usually all the dark meat) and make Cajun turkey noodle soup!

I was diagnosed with Celiac disease when I was 17. After my first child, it went away! Then I was diagnosed with decreased gastric motility, went away after baby 2. The only consistent GI problem I have is IBS. Check out N.A.E.T treatments! They did wonders for my son's hyperactivity

Currently I have 3 children in public school. Ds 7th, dd 4th, and ds 1st grades. I am working on getting everything set and figured out for next year. My husband is still hesitant because he doesn't think they will be social enough. Any tips for a newbie that will have an 8th grader, 5th grader, and 2nd grader?! :grouphug:

Ds is 12, Dd is 9, and ds is 7. They would love pen pals. PM me if you are still interested

My youngest ds is 7, my dd is 9. They would love to have pen pals!