Hey, thanks for posting that list! If the PS's are pitching them, they're definitely being added to my reading list! Teehee! :tongue_smilie:

Yes, if I remember correctly, it starts at 150,000 and phases out gradually till about 170,000 which is the threshold above which you would receive nothing. I could have those numbers off by 10,000. It's been a while since I read about it.

You know... I usually just humbly share my own experience with burning out my 5yo oldest son as an eager homeschooling Mom. I share that my good friend told me I could homeschool Kindergarten in 30 minutes a day. I share that I thought she was an idiot. And finally, I share that really I was the idiot! 5yo's need the same stuff as 4 and 3yo's. Snuggle time, time to dream and discuss their thoughts, time to get dirty, time to be introduced to nature, and time to be read to. My 2nd child, a daughter, was ready for more formal schooling earlier than her older brother, so I followed her lead. My 3rd child, a son, was clearly not ready for formal learning this past year, while he was 5. But, then, one day, he told me he wanted to read. We started with some letter sounds, within a week he was a reader. He writes me all sorts of letters during the day too. Today's was, "I LOVE MY FAMILY". He loves capital letters. They look important. My 4yo son isn't ready yet. He loves legos and being the king of the world. Great... I'll catch him when he's ready. I just share my regrets. They speak louder than my opinions. And, ultimately, they might fall on deaf ears. But, they might also be a seed which grows later, and is better understood with time. Like my good friend's words. 30 minutes a day. She's a genius. :001_smile:

I'm so sorry... reading your post brings the knot back to my stomach from when we lost our 11yo Golden. Hugs...

I loved your comment about his hearing. Once I asked my DH to have his hearing checked. He went to our family doc, and here's how the conversation went: DH: I'm here to have my hearing checked Doc: Why? DH: Because my wife asked me to. Doc: Why? DH: Because she says I don't hear her. Doc: <snort> Doc: I'll do it, but only because I know your wife. DH: yeah after the test.... Doc: Tell your wife your hearing is normal for a man. DH: What does that mean? Doc: Selective at best. Sigh.... my 4 boys inherited his hearing. My daughter... overhears everything. Hey, maybe your son will grow up to be a fighter pilot! They need bionic eyes.

I know it's hard to hear over and over again that your schedule is too much, because it was built with enthusiasm, passion, and a desire to do wonderful things with your kids. But, our cautions are mostly because many of us made the same mistakes, and either pressed too hard, or wasted curriculum as it kept falling by the wayside. I'm not a strictly "Better Late than Early" follower, but it resounds in my mind when I plan curriculum for each child entering their learning phase of schooling. After burning out my 10yo at 5, and having to backpeddle... I'm very cautious now. Great ideas! I think they'll do swimmingly with about half what you have planned, and half their day to have unstructured time for daydreaming, creativity, and getting dirty. For a 5 year old, I wouldn't plan on any more than 2.5-3 hours including listening to read alouds and artsy projects. It's just too much focus for a developing brain.

We've traveled to Europe several times. Each time we take a lot of cash with us, we've regretted it. In general, you only need enough cash to transfer from the airport to your hotel and enough to buy street food or give tips. We used our Credit Card everywhere, because there's security if it's stolen. We also used our debit card, from our bank account, at an ATM if we needed a little cash. But, like here, there is little need for cash, and most everywhere accepts credit cards. Travelers checks are a pain. They're not what they used to be, and we've had to find a bank to cash them, and were charged a fee, plus didn't necessarily get the most favorable exchange rate. When we returned, we calculated the exchange rate on the visa card, and it always seemed to be the best one going, not to mention simple. Have a great trip!

What I loved about it is this. She's always accused of having her older children raise her younger ones. This would have been the perfect opportunity to have older ones step in and entertain the younger ones, but she handled it herself. Yes, it would have made me batty, and I only have 5. I admire her peaceful spirit with the kids. Nothing seems to rattle her. God bless her!

Merry - you seem to have a check in your spirit about the wisdom of this arrangement. That's all that's necessary. Trust yourself. It's okay to decline the offer. I'm sure your son is quite a loving and caring sitter. But, you're not comfortable, and your reasoning is perfectly understandable. Go with your instinct. If you go against it, and something happens, you'll feel worse than if you hadn't had this inclination. Trust yourself....

We used FK 2 and 4 Language Arts last year. I thought they were okay, and did go into a variety of topics, but each one is covered quickly, so I'm not sure how much retention they produce. This year I'm switching to FLL because I think my kids have gaps which are hampering their writing ability. My oldest is a very reluctant writer, and I thought the writing prompts were good. He produced a couple things he was proud of using the book. So, IMO, not all good, not all bad. They're definitely a cheap resource to fill in a spot where there isn't another curriculum you're itching to use.

You're welcome! I found it last night as I was digging through my bookshelves trying to find my timeline book. The company that made my book is the same one that compiled that set of figures. I'm planning to use them with MOH this year, and I'll hope to save $20 on the timeline figures. I don't know how complete it is, but I went through some and it seems to be extensive! Glad someone else can save some money too! BTW... according to the site, they're all public domain images. Melissa

Hmmm... those are good questions. We tithe on payroll, and bonuses. We don't tithe on a tax refund, because we tithe on our gross income, not our net. I suppose if we tithed on the net, we'd pay tithe on the refund, as it was taken out before tithing. So, the stimulus payment would fall under that. It's really an advance on an additional tax credit which will be reconciled with the IRS in 2009 on 2008 tax papers. (No, you don't owe taxes on it... it's a tax credit). We don't tithe on gifts, so the money from the church, I don't know. Since the church member gave it for a specific purpose, I'd be inclined to just make sure it all went to that purpose. Inheritance money I don't know definitively either. We didn't tithe on ours, but we did put it down on a house, so it wasn't "spent" money in that sense. It wasn't really inheritance, as my grandmother gave it to us while she was still living, and intended it for a down payment. Bottom line... tithing is an act of obedience, so pray about each amount of money, and tithe according to how God leads your heart. Hope that helps a little, Melissa

Cindy - may the richness of God's love, which flows through you, even to all of us reading your words, pour out on sweet Katya, and nourish her wounded heart and soul. You are blessed among women. Hug her from all of us too! Melissa

I'm not there yet, but my mom used to give my brother, who was 6'4" and a wrestler, a list of things he was allowed to eat for snacks. It was mostly carbs, because they're cheap. I remember he used to eat a box of cereal, in a mixing bowl, with a half gallon of milk. It was disgusting. But... for today's prices, you can get that whole snack for under $4. If you buy generic plain cereal at Walmart, it's less than $2 a box. I have 4 boys... so I can only imagine my future. Melissa

Try www.thehomeschoolshop.com They have downloadable figures. HTH, Melissa Try this specific page on their site... all the way to the bottom: http://thehomeschoolshop.com/sh-freebies.htm

Oh, how scary. Glad they're okay!

Of course I'm still reading, as are you. I find it amusing that you've taken your board insults to private insults. My rep number means nothing to me. I have nothing to prove to you... I'm simply on the other side of this issue, and I suggested that you read Creation Science, not to change your mind, but because in the pursuit of truth, reading all the sides of the argument is generally thought to be the best way to formulate your own opinions.

I in no way suggested that I'm an expert on evolutionary biology... simply that acquiring a degree required me to learn a great deal about evolution. After that point, I read an equal amount on creationism. In college I could reconcile evolution with my faith. After researching the Young Earth side, I could no longer reconcile the two. That's why I suggested being familiar with both sides. It seems to me that creationism isn't given it's due when it comes to scientists who should at least read it. On the other side... most people have read the opposite viewpoint by default. Yes, I've studied the religions of the world. I did my time in a small liberal arts college before transferring with the masses to UCLA. Phred.... your manner is insulting, so I will respectfully bow out. Melissa

Charlotte, I think you've gotten some good advice. My 10yo son is also likely ADD, and not medicated. We used Saxon, and while I think it's a good program, the repetition/spiraling made him restless. He tends to get things and want to move on. I also think that at 11 years old 1 hour is too long for math. Once we switched to Singapore he was much happier, math took less time, and he understood all the concepts much better because of the approach. He still makes some careless mistakes, but IMO that means I shouldn't have left him to do it by himself. The more I sit with him, and let him talk it through out loud, the better he does. I don't have to do anything, but listen to his train of thought, and then point back to the book so that the other thoughts in his head don't come out too! He's a boy of many thoughts, and the ones about Math aren't his favorites! He works about 30 minutes a day on Math, and is finishing up 4B (which is supposedly 5th grade, 1st semester). So, all in all, I'm really pleased with Singapore. Hang in there... he's lucky to have a mom who understands him as well as you do! BTW... careless mistakes are really common. When I taught 4th and 5th graders everyone made them, except the girls, who were meticulous, perfectionist, and practically perfect in every way! Don't sweat those mistakes too much. Lack of understanding is a much bigger deal. Heck... I find mistakes in my checkbook each month, and I'm almost 40!

I am new posting here. I've been lurking a few weeks, but thought I'd jump in. I think at this point I've completely derailed the OP's thread, so apologies to the OP for that! I'm in CO as well Genie... funny! Thanks for the link. I'll read through it, it's a lot of pages! Melissa

The smoking gun, as it were, is entropy and the 2nd law of Thermodynamics. Pseudogenes fall into this category. They're no longer functioning, because of the declining amount of information in the genetic code. The only changes we see, aside from minor adaptive changes which aren't always genetically determined, are ones which decrease the information in the genetic code. That speaks clearly against the idea that over time living things have "evolved" to be more complex. The problem with evolution, is that for a scientist to doubt it, he would have to embrace a completely different worldview, which, in the scientific community is thought of as intellectual suicide. Every year there are dozens of ways that evolutionary ideas are disproved, but they're just written off as misunderstood. They're the pieces that don't fit. Evolutionist get the benefit of the doubt when they're wrong, but they get paraded around as heroes when they add to the theory. The retractions are done with much less grandeur than the "discoveries". Intelligent Design is a widely accepted theory, even among Evolutionary scientists. Because, the question of origin is the one which is the least proven. None of the theories make sense, but accepting a Creator is contrary to scientific thought. So, ID is the new buzz. The systematic way that living things are designed speak to design, not chance. I know I'll never convince someone who isn't open to thinking about another point of view, but the reality is that Creationism isn't just a set of Bible stories. It's supported by science, moreso each day as discoveries are made. I've learned about Evolution. I have a Bachelors in Biology from UCLA. Have you read everything there is to learn about Young Earth Creationism? Challenge yourself to do so... it takes an understanding of both sides to form a conclusion.

Well, if it were me, I'd probably have her pay at least half. My parents, like yours, would have had me pay all of it. Staying with the relative is an idea, but that puts expenses in their household that they wouldn't have had too, like meals, and utilities increase. It may be minimal, but if it's common for her to stay, that might not be a good solution. In hindsight, the camp is pretty far, and might not have been the best job. If she's really devoted to the job, then losing some of the pay won't be that painful. It's a tough call... makes me glad my oldest is 10, though these dilemmas are right around the corner.

When I had my 5th baby, I took the month before he was born off, and the 2 months after he was born off. We started back up slowly at that. Homeschooling is a mindset, not an activity. So, even if the textbooks go away, you'll still read to your daughter, talk about interesting things, and generally be interested in what she's interested in, even if it's drawings or designs. Besides... right now everyone is going to learn some life skills. She is going to learn that being a good mother doesn't mean being super woman, and that having boundaries and taking breaks are part of the necessary cycle of living. And you are going to learn that despite the break, your child never stops learning, and that you haven't failed her because the direct instruction has been paused. Happy gestating... as happy as you can make it! Do she know how to make mom a nice tall cold lemonade yet? Blessings, Melissa

Phylogenetic trees do not prove links, they prove relationships. Those plants are interrelated. Much like you can tell the works of Seurat because of their commonalities, even though each is different. This speaks to Intelligent Design, not common descent. With a creator, it's quite likely that, like an artist, you would see commonalities in the design, especially with a DNA code that's so miraculously designed that it works! The whale which a PP spoke of is not necessarily a whale at all. There are 5 characteristics which are commonly accepted by scientists to classify a living animal or a fossil as a whale. That fossil, which is not complete, and in fact is quite fragmented, fails the test on 3 of the 5 characteristics. Not definitive proof of anything other than something with legs swam in the sea and became fossilized. Those types of animals are still around now. Science magazine has recently suggested that the whale is actually a terrestrial animal, and not what was originally thought. If you view everything from the grid of evolution being true, you can fit things into the theory to try to substantiate it. But... as we've seen over time, those pieces that are fit into the puzzle don't necessarily fit, and sometimes dinosaurs end up with switched heads. It's an imperfect theory still.

I have always philosophically supported the death penalty, but practically not been in favor of it because of the tax burden we bear due to the multiple appeals process. But... a couple of the previous posters have me thinking about my philosophy. "Being an accomplished sinner myself".... those words strike home. I am that... and I am not in a position to judge someone. Yet, our government requires us to judge others as a civic duty. Quandry... pondering. Mom to Aly - I love your work for food idea. Love it...