Rosemary, Majoram, thyme.

We love Ladybug; it's from the same company that publishes Click. Ladybug is literature based with poems, short stories, and a few activities. I know Highlights has a magazine or two for those too young for Highlights. There's also Nat Geo for Kids and Nat Geo for Little Kids. I have not seen a science mag that's not mostly animal based, as you've found. DS is very into space/aviation, so we'd be happy to find something like that too!

If he'll do math without complaint when you're scribing, then do that, especially since you said he can write fine otherwise.

I've got MM and Miquon waiting in the wings. We're currently working on Singapore Math Essentials K book B and playing with c-rods. I think once we finish Math K, I'll go to Miquon first then add in MM1 in the fall. DS will be 5 in June.

@ 2yo I'd say its a nonissue. FWIW, DD2 was sensitive to gluten in my breast milk, so her whole first year I ate no gluten (or dairy or tomatoes) and we were both fine.

FreeTaxUSA has free prep for under a certain income. You have to pay to file state, but what I do is put in all the info for state, then do the state forms by hand, then compare the end result.

I just got rid of my last silicone pans. I had bread pans, cake pans, and muffin pans. I HATED the smell they gave off when using them in the oven. I felt that if they give off such a smell, something just HAD to be leaching into the food. I've since switched to plain metal and glass pans.

You can keep two separate budgets if you simply create a second budget file. But you will not be able to see both at the same time since they will be different files on the computer.

My DH is an aerospace engineer. I might find him doing any if the following on a weeknight: - Reading random Internet stuff, usually news related. - working with his Arduino One - listening to comedy on Spotify - watching lectures on open course ware in iTunes - working in the garage on his latest woodworking project (he just finished a bunk bed for the kids) - listening to music in general, while doing nothing else - researching recipes he may or may not ever make - rough housing with the kids - works out in the garage (he has a punching bag and weights) - yard work

I got DH a wallet, nice watch, and Jim Gaffigan's book. The in laws are getting him a real (not electronic) dart board and a jigsaw.

In cloth diaper world, many people successfully use HE machines, but most still prefer top loaders. A few with HEs even by a cheap top loader just for diapers.

I never thought of relating Santa pictures to "stranger" situations before. Both my kids were shy, and did NOT want anything to do with Grandma when they were aware infants/toddlers. But now that they're older, they LOVE seeing extended family and are not nervous at all. FWIW, I've never made them sit with Santa. They MIGHT be okay with it this year... But I'd forgotten about it! And that's okay with me. :)

I'm not the best gift giver, so I do ask for a list from immediate and extended family. I'll ask once, maybe twice if I have no other ideas myself... But after that I'll default to a gift card/some general Christmassy item. I try not to be pushy, but it is very helpful for me to have a list. But lists have always been a part of my family's and DH's family's cultures.

I like the live version (what they play on the radio) MUCH better than the album version, so buyer beware!

I love Sara Groves' Christmas CD, specifically her rendition of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

I used to tape music all the time! I'd cut some if the margins as closely as I could so I could punch holes in the first sheet, but still fold the others in.

Ugh. Thanks but no thanks for posting this! ;) I've been looking at these for a year or so for DS4; he specifically asked for one last Christmas and his last birthday... But they've been too expensive in light of his other requests. So now that I'm done with shopping for him, it's affordable! And his bday isn't until June! What to do...

Walk in pantry to store food and small appliances. An oven that can hold 3 cookie sheets at a time. Over the stove microwave. Double, stainless steel sink.

No big deal to...? You? God?No, your priest will not call you out if you're not there. Your Catholic friends may or may not care. Most people will not ask. I take my kids with me to any HDO during the day since the evening Mass times start interfering with bedtimes... I'm always very surprised that NONE of my SAHM friends who are Catholic are there that normally attend on Sundays. But I don't bring it up to them, it's not really my business. But sometimes I'll mention how crazy Mass was on X Holy Day as a reminder ;) ETA: Growing up, I never missed school to go to a HDO Mass, but we'd go as a family to the preceding evening's Vigil Mass, which also fulfills the obligation, just as Saturday Vigil does for Sunday.

DS's room is about 9x9, and I'm not sure that I'd be able to actual homeschool long term... It'd be a GREAT storage room, maybe a desk with a computer or two... But no large table and chairs for 4+ people, at least not with having the storage space I imagine homeschooling 3 would require. Hmmm I guess I'd opt for the smaller room on the main floor and use it as I just described. Then do schooling in the kitchen/living room. I'm very much an "out of sight, out of mind" person, so having a HS room away from the kitchen/laundry/etc would mean something wasn't getting done...

I do not have the Starfall curriculum, but have reviewed B4FIAR. At first glance, Starfall seems to be more a preschool at home program with an emphasis on prereading skills and math. B4FIAR will not teach your child how to read/letters and specifically states that you'll need an alternate program to teach letters (if that's even your aim since its designed for 2-4 year olds who may not be ready for letters yet). Basically, they are two COMEPLETELY different programs with completely different goals. B4FIAR is based on reading good quality books with your child and extrapolating information/activities based on the story. Starfall seems to be more straight academics. You could probably even use elements from both if you wanted to, they are THAT different. Just depends on what your own goals are for you child and their particular abilities.

Bookcase. But we always find them on the floor Christmas morning.

Having DH bust the budget because he doesn't think the kids have "enough gifts"... only to complain later that we can't fit everything after we receive gifts from our LARGE extended family. EVERY YEAR!

Pork roast/chops with chopped sweet potatoes and apples, sprinkled with rosemary, thyme, and brown sugar. Bake at a lower temp, 325ish.

I read this book to my kids: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/and-now-we-call-him-santa-claus/ DS4 loved it! We had been talking up saints during November, so I think it meant a lot to him to connect the two Santa concepts.