Yes, I've seen tutoring at our public library.

My kids are all very shy, so they pretty much stay away from any workmen in the house. But even if they weren't shy, I probably wouldn't let them be intrusive. I know that if I were a workmen, I'd want to hurry and finish so that I could move on to my next job. Dragging it out means that they could get home late.

Awwww! So adorable!!!

We go all the time....usually several times a year. Here's some tips that we always do: 1. Stay offsite in a condo. We get a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, full kitchen, super clean condo in Windsor Hills for $85 or less per night. You might can even get a better deal if you stay for a week. We've done our share of staying onsite, but since we've added our third child and my 17 year old nephew, one bedroom hotel rooms are just too cramped for six people. I nearly lose my mind LOL. We'll only do a one bedroom hotel if we are staying one or two nights. Bigger options at Disney are just too expensive, in my opinion. 2. Don't buy drinks in the parks. We don't even bring water bottles....too awkward to carry around and they don't stay cold. Counter service restaurants will give you huge, free cups of ice water any time you ask. We stop multiple times a day for these. 3. Collect change before your trip for souvenir money. We throw change into a jar and exchange it for dollars before we go. We use this for souvenirs on our trip. Or, if you get some extra cash each month, stop by Walgreens and buy a Disney gift card each time. Save them for your trip. 4. Don't give into the expensive trinkets. While watching the night time parades they sell $20 light up toys. Go to the Dollar Tree or WalMart before you go, buy a light up toy for a few bucks, secretly pack it so that your kids do not see, and pull it out during the night time parade. 5. Make your own autograph book before you go. Or simply buy one of those spiral bound index card things and bring that for autographs. 6. Bring your lunch into the parks. We do this a lot. We'll eat breakfast at the condo, bring our lunch into the park, and buy dinner at the park. That's one meal out per day. And if a park closes early (like Animal Kingdom usually does), we'll just come back to the room on that day and I'll cook a super quick dinner at the condo (hotdogs, fish sticks, something super easy). We NEVER buy any snacks at the parks, I always bring them. Occasionally I'll let us get an ice cream treat but that's it. 7. Of course, if you have small children, bring your own stroller instead of renting them. Now we do enjoy a character meal each trip, as we love them. But they are pretty expensive. It's something we love to do though.

This is crazy talk! I'd die y'all.... Just curl up in a frozen ball and die LOL. This little Florida girl has never even been in snow! It's getting to 19 here tonight....that's some serious cold to me!

Yes. Nearly every day. She's 9 and will probably give me gray hair by the time she graduates. However, I know this child will not do well socially at school. She would be a teachers dream.....she would be compliant for them (not for me though), quiet, non- disruptive, and willing to please. All the things that's the total opposite for me. But she has a lot of quirks and OCD tendencies that I'm afraid would make her the target of mean kids.

Thank you for the perspective! She does good with actually getting it all done....it's just that she doesn't always do it right lol. Looks like we'll try to reconfigure our schedule beginning on Monday and I'll work more one on one with her. I'd love to have both kids sit together and help whomever needs help, but DD9 is very quirky with OCD tendencies and I don't think that would work for her. If I talked to DD6, then DD9 would say she couldn't think due to the talking.

K12 is public virtual school. Most states have one.

This year I've been having my 4th grade DD do her "independent work" by herself, in her bedroom. I do this while I'm working with my 1st grader, who obviously cannot work alone at this point. I write out her assignments in her planner, get her books together, and send her off with the things that she needs. Independently, I have her doing math, spelling, grammar, thinking skills, writing, cursive practice, and her devotion. Afterwards, I check her work while she has free time, and then call her back to me and we go over anything that is wrong or that she may need help with. Well, the things that she gets wrong is growing and we end up sitting there together a LONG time....and she gets frustrated because it is going over things she already did and she got wrong (mainly math.....she gets them right when we sit down and do them together, but wrong when she does them alone. I don't get it). She'll skip portions of an assignment or forget to read the directions. If I say to write a paragraph, she'll write one run-on sentence. I'm thinking that since we sit there for so long anyways, maybe I should just be working with her one on one instead of sending her off independently. Although, I'm not sure what I'll be doing with my 2 year old while I work independently with my 4th grader, then my 1st grader. They can each help entertain her while I help the other, but a lot of times my 2 year old just wants mommy. When do your kids start working more independently? I guess I just thought I could do less hand holding with school work by the fourth grade. All other subjects we do together.

I'm tired of our history program......again. We've tried SOTW, we've tried Queen's history, and we're currently using Heart of Dakota. My kids just can't seem to get into any of them. The only time they said they enjoyed history was when we were reading out of the "Who Was...." series this summer. They loved that. We went through Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Sacajawea, and Pocahontas. I don't want to just "wing it" though, because I'm afraid we'll miss something. Is there some sort of list of history topics that should be covered throughout the elementary years? I have a 4th and a 1st grader. I feel like we haven't done too much history because we keep switching, etc. I need a list of topics.....or an example of a history cycle.....or something to help me navigate throwing together my own history stuff and making sure we hit all the important things.

Question.... How do you do all of this and is it expensive ? Would one of those will maker programs suffice? Does it need to be notarized? We need to do this.

DD9 said Jesus.

In my opinion, he's an idiot and I usually can't stand his advice. Most of it seems intent on distancing parents/children instead of strengthening their relationship

DD is turning 10 in April....now that Christmas is over, I want to begin planning. I'm a planner LOL. Now that she's going into the double digits, I want it to be a special party. She's very shy and quiet and has never had very many friends. She has a few this year that she's made. I was thinking on letting her have a friend party on the weekend with the theme of her choice (right now it's looking like Minecraft could win out). Then I was thinking of taking her out on her actual birthday, just with her dad and I. I'll see if my mom can watch my other two kids. I thought that one on one parent time might be fun since she doesn't get much of that. We'll do lunch and maybe an activity of her choice. She'll get 10 gifts to open (ranging from small to bigger, of course.....can't have all ten be expensive things). And I wanted to use this opportunity to start a mom/daughter journal with her. One of those that we pass back and forth and write things to each other. She will LOVE this. Any other ideas to make the 10th birthday a special one? I want to set the standard where our other two will look forward to their own 10th birthdays as well.

It's an awesome game!!! I got it earlier this year and completed it pretty quickly. Room 2 is out but I haven't purchased it yet.

You don't have to know the Disney characters to ride the rides! And if you wanted, you could introduce her to a few Disney movies before you go. Disney fan here.... I've probably been about 40 times. Never tire of it :)

Why just Sea World though? Do zoos not do the same thing? The lions live in a small area, never able to hunt. Bears sleep all day because there's nothing else for them to do. Zoo trainers/handlers have been killed too. Sea World is wrong in what they are doing but you can't point fingers at Sea World and nowhere else. Sure, most zoo animals may be born in captivity but those parents had to come from somewhere.

I've often wondered if I have some sensory issues.....or possibly I'm just weird LOL. Here's some examples: If I put on clothing that feels weird (tight, etc), I need it off right. that. second. It feels too strange against my body. I don't like the feel of being "trapped" in any way. For example, you know when you go to the dentist to get a cavity filled and they screw that little thing onto your tooth in order to work on that one particular tooth? I have these thoughts of what if something happens, the dentist/hygienists have to quickly leave, and I'm stuck with this thing in my mouth....forever. Also, I may possibly need braces in order to fix some TMJ issues that I'm having. I'm already having a slight panic about something foreign being stuck in my mouth and me not being able to get it off. Unexpected movement REALLY throws off my equilibrium. I feel like my inner ear is more "off balance" than it used to be. Loud music thumps against my heart and the vibrations feel very strange....sometimes it is nearly unbearable, almost like throwing my heart rhythm off, and I'll have to leave the area. Seeing wet paper makes me gag.....as does wet hair that is not attached to someone's head. I can't wear sandals or flip flops when it rains, as the water feels too strange on my toes. But if I'm at the pool, I'm fine. I HATE to be tickled. It actually makes me mad to be tickled....it's not enjoyable whatsoever. Unlike my kids, who love to be tickled. I have other slightly OCDish quirks.....and some definite Tourettes like tics (have since I was a kid, I've learned to pretty much hide them) but I don't think those are related to the SPD like stuff. I think I'm just weird.

There is one official Minecraft app. My daughter has it on her Kindle Fire HD, which is an Android. I think it costs like $7 or $8. There is a "lite" one, but she doesn't like it because, of course, you can't do very much.

Why is a Spirograph on everyone's list??? Lol Am I missing the hot gift this year??

Why is a Spirograph on everyone's list??? Lol Am I missing the hot gift this year??

I forgot to include DD6's stocking.... iTunes card Candy Princess book My little pony Leappad 2 game Sofia the First magnet doll New gown with Merida on it Coupon book Nail polish and nail stickers Fancy folding fans Lip gloss and hair accessories Earrings Hex bug Wizard of Oz toys

DD6 is getting (from us)..... Nintendo 3 ds xl and games Dress from a frozen movie 2 Barbie type dolls from frozen movie Lego creator set Skylanders Swap Force game Peacock stuffed animal From others she is getting: Dora movie The other dress from the Frozen movie My little pony set Princess pillow My DH is getting (from me).... Chicago Fire season 1 DVD Fitbit Flex Reese trees candy 5 graphic tees From others.... Gift cards for restaurants and movie theater Grill Crocs shoes

This might sound crazy, but what about couponing? Since you are frugal, not only could it be a hobby, but it will help you out financially too. It's takes time to research the best deals, learn what coupons go with which deals, organize things, make the purchases, etc. Lots of people say they enjoy it and like the rush of saving lots of money. Plus, if you have a surplus, you can decide who to bless with that surplus of goods.

Heck no.