The D'Aulaire books are great!

You're all doing it wrong! Put the pill under your tongue where you can't taste it. Then take a drink of water. The pill will float around to the top and you won't even feel it when you swallow. I promise!

Thanks for the ideas! I'd forgotten about those AG books and just ordered them. She loves little crafts so I'll stock up on some of those. She's not much of a tea drinker, unfortunately. She is pretty active and is outside running around and climbing trees and such every day. Unfortunately money is too tight to look into martial arts or horseback riding, though I know she'd love those.

DD is almost 8 and I can already see glimpses of an emotional roller coaster. In the evening when she's having a hard time, or any time when we're home and not too busy, I send her straight to the tub with a few drops of lavender oil. It works like a charm. But I need some other tricks up my sleeve to get her to snap out of it and calm down when a bath is not feasible. Especially things DH can do or tell her to do that will help, since he's usually the one to get under her skin without even trying to. Any practical advice for enjoying the coming phase and things that can be balm for her soul besides the tub??

I hav no idea what's normal, but for my 5yo I hand write his copy work in his notebook and skip a line between each line. So when he's writing he keeps his eye right on his paper and is just looking at the line directly above where he is writing. Does that make sense? So it looks kind of like this to begin with: My writing: All things bright and beautiful (Blank line) My writing: All creatures great and small (Blank line) My writing: All things wise and wonderful (Blank line) My writing: The Lord God made them all (Blank line) Then he does the copy work for each line on the blank line directly under my writing.

We have levels 1 and 2 in the same book of the smaller size. It's just over 700 pages and nearly unmanageable and doesn't lay open on its own. I'd personally go with the larger book with fewer pages.

We always bring bagels with cream cheese. Not too messy, no smell, enough to ride us over until the flight is done.

DD will be in third grade next year and I'd like to start requiring a bit of reading from books of my choosing. How do you decide what to hand them to read on their own and what to do as a family read aloud? I'd love some ideas for both options. On her own she usually chooses twaddl-ish books, which I don't really mind, but I'd like to broaden her horizon a bit. Even ideas for the next few years would be great. (I've heard the memoria press lists recommended a lot, but we've read nearly all those books listed through forth grade. Also, we've read all the stories in the first two levels of ELTL. So I think we need some new suggestions! ) (FWIW, we will be studying Middle Ages next year. Read alone and read aloud suggestions for that time period would be awesome, along with any other book ideas.)

This is pretty much what we've been doing this year. I love not having to interrupt them for school work. Occasionally they're really NOT getting along in the morning, in which case I tell them to shape up or we'll start our work early.

Another vote for eltl!

I have a friend who used a chocolate cake mix and adds crushed Oreo, then puts a whole Oreo in the bottom of each cup. Maybe Google a recipe? They're really delicious!

I've loved ikea bedding for many years. Particularly their sheets.

Thanks everyone! Picture books aren't a necessity but they do help hold their attention. I'll head over to Amazon now and check out the recommendations.

I have a K and 2nd grader. Last semester we read through a couple Usborne science books and did some picture books and longer books on ancient Egypt. I'm looking for something new to add for January. Any tried and true favorites or something along those lines that you've read lately?

I've got all the symptoms and have had this for nearly three weeks. Been using a sinus rinse regularly. Keep waiting or head to the doctor? I know these are generally viral so not sure if I should go the antibiotics route. Advice?

My dad wants rollerblades.

Looks like Lego is excluded from that coupon as well.

I second the ukulele recommendation. YouTube has some kids lessons.

I like my Haflingers and I can't imagine them NOT working for someone. I mean, there's probably someone out there who they don't work for, but they're basically like super supportive slippers. I think they're amazing. 😊

We â¤ï¸ TJ's! Just wanted to add that they have a great return policy. Also, they'll open something up and let you taste it if you're on the fence about buying it. I did that with the half popped popcorn (mmmmm!) and the cookie butter chocolate bar (not as yummy as the caramel one). In general I'm just so pleased with their atmosphere and customer service! And their food is great too.

There are millions of variations on "Would you rather...?"

The Hawiian version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow always always reminds me of when Dr. Greene died on E.R. 😢

Yes!

I added one more question to the OP. Thanks for the ideas so far!

Thanks everyone! You've given me some great ideas! I especially love they idea of packing a soft Frisbee!