We got my dog from a breeder. He is precious, with a good temperament around us - especially the kids and the torment they put him through. However, he gets staph infection at the drop of a hat, has terrible allergies, and, after about 2 years, he became so intolerant of other dogs that I can't even allow him around them. :( All this to say that getting a dog from a breeder does not ensure a thing. We paid $750 for him (Cocker Spaniel) and I can whole-heartedly say that if we ever get another dog, it will come from a rescue. I porobably would not get a dog from the "pound." I hate to say that as I know there are some good, sweet dogs there. What I will do in the future is buy from a breed specific rescue. I have worked some with the Cocker Spaniel rescues in my area and they do pull cockers from pounds and such. They take care of these animals, foster them out so that someone can get to know their "quirks" before you adopt them, take care of all medical issues - sometimes even medical issues (like cataracts in a young dog or heartworms) that well exceed the $250 (average) you pay to adopt the pet. If you want to adopt a homeless animal, but prefer a specific breed, then a rescue is totally the way to go. Good luck with your search and I am so sorry about your pet that passed due to the food issues. We were all terrified of such a thing when the news hit. At the time, we were using Iams. We now use a human grade food called Flint River Ranch. We LOVE it here...and it has to be ordered online...they don't even stock it in stores because the makers want it to be fresh. Unfortunately, I have to ETA: I did have ONE experience with a local "pound." I went there to rescue a Cocker for a rescue group. The pound told me that she was about 3 years old and healthy as a horse. I got her to the groomer who took at least 75 ticks off her in the grooming process. When I got her to the vet, they informed me she was more like 8 years old. The pound told me they couldn' tell if she was spayed or not...SHE WAS BLEEDING! No, she wasn't spayed. She had been bred recently...at 8 years old! When the vet looked her over and ran bloodwork, this dog had heartworms, lyme disease, her uterus was infected and bleeding from repeated breedings, and the list goes on and on and on. I paid to have her put down right then and there. The pound was willing to adopt her out to some kid who fell in love with her! It was tragic and broke my heart into about a million pieces. Her name was Lily. :(

Maps, Graphs and Globes is what we use. I want to switch next year and do MCPs mentioned above.

Hehe - my mom and dad still have a hard time spelling my older son's last name. It is very different from the normal spelling and it would absolutely floor you the different spellings I have seen over the years...some not even coming close to the actual name.

Everyone I have known with the disease usually starts with asking the same question to the same person over and over and over in a short span of time...usually one sitting. At least this has been my experience. My grandmother did it, my husband's grandmothers did it and now his mom is starting to do it. :(

My ex husband's grandmother used to send us cards and she would sign them... Love, "Granny" and her last name. Always made me laugh...like she wasn't REALLY granny...she just pretended to be.

Seriously. No, seriously? Stupid people and God bless those poor babies!

Wow. :(

I think if she is a close friend, you should say something...but feel her out first. She may have been totally excited and thought this was a great idea...like a pp said...by Daddy Warbucks, maybe she was just thinking of how Annie found such a perfect home and a happy life after her time in the orphanage. I don't know. Not something I would have done and tact is just completely lacking...but don't ruin your friendship for it. Do enlighten her gently if you are pretty sure she meant well.

My dad calls my oldest son "Jasper." He has always called him Jasper. It is not a nickname. He just can't remember my son's name. BTW: my son's name is Bryce. Not anywhere close to Jasper.

Here is my list for 1st grade. We are already doing some of it, because he is working at a K level/1st grade level. LLATL Red (We are doing LLATL Blue this year, and will finish by 1st grade. LLATL Blue is the 1st grade book though) ETC Books 4 and 5 GWG 1/2 (we will use parts of this, as I see fit) SOTW I NOEO Biology I OR Singapore Earlybird Science books 1 and 2 Pentime Handwriting- Transition Singapore 1B/2A Math Spelling Workout A Maps, Globes, and Graphs Geography DWN 2

We have a hometown bank that has been good to us and they are not lowering their rates. We don't mind, though. If they stay in business, it is worth it to us.

I was thinking maybe the gum in front of the tooth is feeling funny...sometimes mine get tingly or even "itchy" for a bit and then it goes away. I would wait a few days and ask her if it still itches.

In TN, we are taxed on EVERYTHING at the same rate...9.25%! But we don't pay state taxes.

I have prayed similar prayers for my marriage in the past years, and I have to tell you that God is good. He has seen us through SO MUCH. My prayers that the outcome for you is the same.

We registered through an umbrella school, therefore, the state is not our authority on homeschooling. The umbrella school is. :) However, my son just turned 5 and is reading on a 1st grade level, finishing Kindergarten math in Singapore and is just so far ahead of the curve at this point (thanks to homeschooling) that I can't imagine him ever failing any kind of public school test! The thing is, you don't know what kind of parents these were...how hard they tried or if they just used wal-mart workbooks and skimmed along. You just don't know what it was like in their school. In your school you do know what it is like...and trust me...if your daughter is having one on one attention daily for 180 calendar days, she will be heads above the rest her age! No doubt in my mind.

Here is our Christmas Card photo...

English - we do some form everyday either grammar/copywork/dictation/writing Handwriting - two pages in pentime each day Spelling - two programs - spelling power and Calvert Mastery CD/Everyday spelling Reading/Phonics - He reads on his own - chapter books of his choice. Occasionally we also do book studies in LLATL (4 each year) Math - daily Science - 4 days a week (NOEO) History - 3 days a week Art/Art Appreciation - co-op class, drawing with DWN one day a week. Music/Music Appreciation - co-op class Read-Alouds - we do his History as a read aloud since the writing style can be confusing for him. Geography - 2 times a week Bible lessons - daily What do you leave out? We are not doing Foreign Language this year. And *gasp*...we have no plans to ever do Latin.

*I* liked it too (being English is my "thing" anyway), however, it just did not work for my son. He was not grasping what he needed to grasp from the lessons. They went too slowly for him and by the time he got to the actual writing, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to have learned. We tossed it once, came back to it, and tossed it again. We are now doing LLATL and Writing Tales II (and whatever English composition I assign because, like I said, English is my "thing"). LOL

My son did all of them on the pages in the back of the book. He is decent in math, but to ask him to hold the numbers in his head when he has a hard time even remembering people's names after meeting them 10 times, would be torture. (He has ADHD)

My son is ADHD. He did well in ps as far as academics (though the gaps on his learning once i got him home and realized them, were huge), but behaviorally, it was a struggle for him. With my son, bringing him home made the world of difference - but it wasn't just easy going straight out of the gate. It was a struggle learning what worked for him, what worked for me, and what we had to adjust. It has taken us the last 6 months to get to where we are right now, but as I type this, we are in a good place. Lots of things have changed for the better with his behavior. His gaps in his learning are closing up, and we are on a roll with what we are doing. He knows what is expected of him and he complies (most of the time). :) For us, it has been such a life changing experience and onw I would not trade for the world!

Oh yeah....I have noticed that if I wear socks and sometimes even thermals when I go to bed, I sleep much better. My body can NOT be cold and sleep. If I get too hot, I can always peel off layers. This definitely helps me sleep.

Unfortunately, I need TONS of sleep to function. If I don't get 8-9 hours a night, I am worthless. My kids still sleep up to 11 hours at night, so I try to get in bed at a reasonable time and go only after I feel tired (not one of those who can say, "okay, 8 o'clock is bedtime" and just go to sleep unless I am tired). Insomnia is new to me and happens mostly when I start taking Lexapro. I am just starting to sleep through the night again and I have been on it about 7 weeks. :( It drives me bonkers. My dh is a chronic insomniac and most of the time, it shows. He will be sitting on the couch and suddenly start snoring. There is no waking him up either. He sleeps so very little that his body actually forces him to sleep at times. It is hard to watch, but like a pp said of her dh...my dh will do NOTHING about it. :(

I would go to Bath and Body works and get one of the all over body creme's in Shea Cashmere or another of the True Blue Spa Scents (aromatherapy)...or C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Creme (almost unscented and oh so luxurious).

We use LLATL...but we add GWG and WT II AND spelling (two different programs combined). I would not use LLATL alone...as a matter of fact, I am not really sure that a great "AOI" program exists for English. For me, as someone who holds a BA in English, seeing what needs to be pulled together to make a strong program is not terribly difficult. I am confident enough in my ability to teach English that pulling from here and there and everywhere doesn't bother me one bit...and I feel it makes our program stronger. However, if I were not an English-y person by nature, I may totally feel different. I know a lot of people here use R&S, Shurley, and BJU as stand alones.

Something like this is unimaginable in our time. However, in the days of Paul, it was life...and eventually death. Many Christians were persecuted for their preaching and beliefs. Paul, as Saul, even helped to stone to death Christians before he converted. I guess my answer is that I just can't imagine what that would be like. I think that, most of all, I would not push my PASTOR to make his services public. I think it would be up to individuals to decide how to hold church meetings...and then up to individuals to decide to attend the public or private meetings. I would love to say, hands down, that I would be standing there risking my life for the God I love the way that He sent His son to die for ME...but alas, my human flesh yells, "what about your children??? You couldn't put your life in danger because of the government....worship your God in silence." Ah....but is that what God wants from us? I think not. I think, as Christians, our mission is to spread the Word. Oh the nasty wiles of the flesh.... :(