We have one today!

Homeschool Helper sounds like it would work for what you need. Very affordable and they continue to upgrade and update based on customer feedback.

We have a weekly review- but it is all about Christmas:) http://wateronthefloor.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/rediscovering-the-joy-of-christmas-week-1/

The one I like best is from Guest Hollow (we will be using it starting in January). You can find is here http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/history/ancient/ancienthistoryschedulepdf.pdf.

I really wanted to like ours but in the end I have gone back to my old Mr. Coffee pot. Dh promised to lower his intake of pop if we bought one (which didn't last long). The cups really are expensive and the coffee tastes strange to me (and I don't really consider myself a coffee snob either). I could never get the reusable cups to work well. I even tried reusing the k-cups and covering them with foil and a rubber band, but at that point all of the convenience factor was gone and it was easier to just make a pot of coffee.

Yes, that is it! I think it has the easiest instructions to follow.

When I had a sick newborn I had better luck using breastmilk instead of saline spray. I know it sounds crazy but it really works! Plus I would have them sleep in a bouncy seat next to my bed so that breathing while sleeping wouldn't be an issue. I know it can be scary having a sick newborn, but we have been through it and everything was just fine. Praying for you that everyone will get better soon! :grouphug:

We are really in a year of Christmas reevaluation this year as far as how to truly celebrate Christmas (all sparked by a possible layoff for dh which has turned into a blessing is disguise). Ann Voskamp had a great post yesterday about helping our kids have a grateful attitude at Christmas- it was very convicting to me and made me think about how we could more wisely use our money when we have enough to share. http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/12/the-grateful-christmas-project-7-ways-to-have-more-grateful-kids-this-christmas/

This is my first year baking Christmas cookies that are gluten (and mostly grain) free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. So basically most of the cookies I will bake are new to me:) Here is my Pinterest board of what we probably will make http://pinterest.com/purpleheartwife/12-days-of-christmas-treats/. We are going to start tonight with gingerbread cutouts (not on that board- it is in a cookbook) and bake a different type of cookie each day for the first 12 days of December.

Same here! I was just planning out our Memory Work for next year and it was the only resource I used. I wish I had a paper copy (instead of a download) mostly because I just like actual book better, but either way it is a great resource to have.

Thank you- that is kind of what I was thinking. If bulky coats interfere with a seat belt/ car seat straps I guess the age of a person has no effect on it. I really had never heard of this before but if we start doing this I think it will be much easier if we are ALL taking our coats off and not just the little ones. Thankfully I am making them all fleece blankets for Christmas, but maybe I should be making fleece jackets too:)

Does this apply to booster seats too?

Here is ours!

I recently did this elimination diet for myself http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/01/elimination-and-detoxification-diet-its.html. I think they recommend not doing the first 2 days of only green smoothies if you are doing it with children, but I was able to find a lot of sensitivities in my diet. It does take about a month and you have to be very careful about not cheating so depending on your holiday schedule you may want to wait until January. I would definitely recommend it to anyone- they have a cookbook to go with it that has a lot of great recipes.

We are on a pretty tight budget this year as well. For stocking stuffers the kids will each get homemade playdough (each child gets their own color), homemade juggling balls (shown here), homemade candies (usually peanut butter cups and chocolate covered cherries), my daughter will be getting some of these headbands, and we are all going to make coupon books for eachother for special things (like 1 free movie night- you pick the movie). Everything else I am not putting in their stocking is also going to be homemade and can be found on my Pinterest board. I am trying to add in extra special things this year too like reading a different Christmas picture book every night, going on a driving Christmas lights scavenger hunt (ex. find a house decorated with only green lights), making several Christmas crafts for grandparents and others, and we are starting a new tradition this year call the 12 Days of Christmas treats where we will spend the first 12 days of December making a different cookie so we have some fun treats for the holidays. Christmas can be done on a budget- it really is not all about the presents. I asked my kids the other day what they remembered from last Christmas and the only things they remembered were the homemade treats in their stockings and the crafts we did together. New toys don't make the best Christmas memories.

We are doing everything to keep costs down this year so I am making most of it myself and this is what dd7 is getting: a homemade apron (she loves to cook), a homemade fleece blanket (the fabric is SO cute!), a homemade hooded towel since she has outgrown her other towel, homemade felt food, homemade juggling balls (she has always wanted to learn how to juggle), homemade play dough, and some homemade candies - are you sensing the homemade theme yet?

The book I read that finally snapped me out of emotional eating was The Weigh Down Diet (CC). Another good one that is more recent is Made to Crave (also CC).

I am sure the stats are skewed for the benefit of the article. Dh is a police officer and had to shot a dog yesterday because it was hit by a car and had no chance of survival. So technically he added to the statistic, but not in the way they are trying to portray it.

Here is my Pinterest board of the treats we will be making in our house http://pinterest.com/purpleheartwife/12-days-of-christmas-treats/. I can't remember for sure but some of them may have almond flour. Could you substitute sunbutter for peanut butter? It is certainly tricky cooking with special allergies but it can be done:) Happy Baking!

Hard lotion bars have done wonders for our skin! They are like the ones on this site, but I make them myself without ordering the DIY kit. http://www.hardlotion.com/diy-hard-lotion-kit/

I haven't make anything yet but I am going to be making several of the things on my Pinterest board here http://pinterest.com/purpleheartwife/homemade-presents/. It's funny- I was originally doing this because of a pending layoff for dh (Dec. 22), but after talking to the kids the only presents they remember from last year are the ones I made for them (and the crafts we did together). I am excited to be able to bypass the craziness of shopping and try making them gifts that are perfect for them (hopefully!).

We are just beginning a January through December schedule, partly because we finished MFW ECC in half a year, and partly because it just makes more sense to me. I love having a break around the holidays when there are so many other great things to do! I have been planning most of this week and here is what we have for the school schedule. When I have time I will put more specific plans on our blog. DS4 Devotional MEP Math C-Rods/Pattern Blocks AlphaPhonics R&S ABC WRTR Phonograms DD7 and DS9 Devotional/Journal Character Quality study using www.characterjournal.com Memory Work using Living Memory MEP Math/ MM Blue Natural Speller (using Spelling City) Writing Road to Reading Writing With Ease/ Comprehensive Composition Latin Homemade History Scott Foreman/KISS Grammarland Latin/Greek Roots (Scholastic e-Book) Homemade Science (includes art) piano lessons

I couldn't find a place where someone else had started a Wordless Wednesday (maybe everyone is too busy with turkey preparations:). Here is ours! http://wateronthefloor.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/wordless-wednesday-112112-do-you-see-what-i-see/

I am making a homemade bow and arrow set for my ds9. http://www.thestuffofsuccess.com/2012/08/bow-and-arrow.html

Here is ours- one week left until our break! http://wateronthefloor.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/week-in-review-1112-111612/