I'm really interested in these - any reviews? Did you get them locally at a big box store cheaper?

1. Dawson's Creek - a little racy at times but it's mostly so sweet! 2. Twilight series 3. 1940's- 50's malt shop series - Rosemary du Jardin, Anne Emery, Janet Lambert and Lenora Mattingly Weber etc. I loved these as a girl and Image Cascade has reprinted them. I see a teen theme here:001_huh:

That picture of her made me laugh... Sorry, it's just so bad compared to the other I have been seeing for weeks. They are definately demonizing her or trying to make Elizabeth feel better? Just a thought :)

My entering 4th grade daughter is reading CHOTW this summer. We use SOTW during the school years. I think that CHOTW is about a 4th grade reading level - she's really refreshing her memory and getting an overview of what we'll be learning this year. I plan to have her read it every summer. She's finding it effortless to read and retain 3-4 short chapters a day.

I prefer to read the book first in theory. Almost every time I see a movie (BBC, Masterpiece Theater and more) based on a book, I read it afterwards. I tend to love the book even more - but I wouldn't have read it without seeing the movie first.

I waited most of the summer to get mine from Amazon but it just came. Great deal!

That's exactly why I LOVE Truthquest! :)

I don't know her history, but reflux or seizures. Any child that repeatedly vomits in her sleep needs prompt medical attention and diagnosis. Hope you find an answer soon!

Dianne - The productive free time lists are customized for each child - their current activities, crafts and toys in their rooms. It seems when I buy them things I containerize and organize them and we easily forget about them! Their every day morning and evening routines and school schedules include things like ballet combinations and piano practice. The productive free time is for when they are in their rooms and want to think of something to do! So for my 9yod for example (it's not right in front of me) the list is like this: 1. pilates dvd (she can use our laptop to play it in her room) 2. Draw Squad in sketchbook 3. crochet dishcloths 4. knitting projects 5. weaving - tapestry 6. rug hooking 7. hemp bead kit 8. spool knit jewelry kit 9. make cards etc. There are about 15 things on her list... I'll edit this tomorrow after I look at it :) I don't need to remind her to read, play with American girls, playmobil dollhouse - those are her default favorites!

I will pray for him! Thanks you for your sacrifice and him for his courage... I am a mother of 3 sons, but I'm sure none will ever serve in our military. One is profoundly disabled, one mild mr and autistic and my youngest has type 1 diabetes.... Makes me appreciate our military SO MUCH MORE, I can't tell you... I will pray for you too! Thank you again!

I re-read Karen Andreola's A Charlotte Mason Companion this summer. She writes about Charlotte Mason's teaching of The Way of the Will. I talked with my children about how young children need their parent's involvement to structure their time, manage their belongings and following the routines etc. As they mature they need to "own" their routines, their chores, their rooms and belongings - As an act of their own wills to do what is right without me nagging or micromanaging. I asked them if they were ready to mature into a young man and young lady that I could trust to "own" their work and perform their duties with excellence. (By the way, they have a morning and evening routine framed in their bathrooms and a productive free time list and how to clean my room list framed in their bedrooms - and I still had to nag and remind them constantly to go through those lists properly). Well, this 1-hour chat had WONDERFUL fruit this summer. The idea of maturity really appealed to them and really motivated them to responsibility and excellence - and accomplishing it on their own! HTH!

Ok thanks! We are watching it together right now. It's not the best, but I do want him to watch a few bigger boy shows like his friends. He has echolalia and has memorized most Charlie and Lola episodes. He recites them throughout the day through his conversations with us! He acts out Transformers and Superfriends with the toys. We'll see how this goes with all the grunting and "Ya, Ya's" - Yikes!

My special needs 10yo son (mild mr and autism spectrum) came home from his day camp and really wants to watch this today. His best friend at camp is really into it. Is this show about the same level as animated Transformers and Superfriends? Are the themes really dark, evil or violent? I don't have time to research thoroughly right now. I can't find a Christian review through google - so I though I would try you all. Thanks!

:grouphug:Laurie in Ca - I just wanted to say YEA for pharm reps and drug companies!!! My family has a lot of medical needs: my son w/ type 1 diabetes, my 10yo son - a former 25 week preemie with LOTS of unusual nebulizer and misc. meds, my son with a rare degenerative disorders w/ multiple seizure meds and epogen/neupogen injections, & my MS Betaseron shots. The research pharmaceuticals do to make these treatments isn't free and they deserve a profit to motivate them for further research and development. That's the way it works - and I pay up thankfully! On a modest income. So, no complaints from me - just gratitude!

I've tried to read "light" fiction - I've almost given up though. I try so many titles people love and I don't stick with them. I think my attention span is squat for narratives. I read a lot of non-fiction and I still love children's lit. For example, I love books by L.M. Montgomery and I can read those over and over again. I would love to read and absorbing and light novel if I can find something!

I'll be praying for you - and thank you and your husband for your service. I was flying into Bangor, Maine going to Acadia National Park this summer. I had no idea troops departed from there routinely overseas. The airport was filled with 100 or more troops. When I found out what was happening all I could do was look around with tears pouring down my face - I didn't know what to say. I was literally in awe, and I don't use that word lightly. Some of those faces are burned in my memory and I pray for them daily. When the time came for them to board - a line of older folks called the Maine Troop Greeters lined up to shake their hands and hand out bibles. They looked like mostly retirees and vets. I can't remember ever being so moved - I'll never forget it. http://www.themainetroopgreeters.com/ Again, thank you and I'll be praying.

Tell them about the Ketogenic Diet for epilepsy. Totally natural, studied and works miracles. Helped my son tremendously - used to have go to Johns Hopkins to start it, but now most large medical centers will train parents on it. Natural and proven medically - what could be better!

I have low cholesteral, but I have multiple sclerosis. Many MS diets recommend a very low saturated fat intake - like zero. So, I bake with real butter (and abstain myself) and use real butter for my children's toast etc. I use Earth Balance from Trader Joe's for myself as a spread. It's yummy and trans fat free. I use it rarely and sparingly and one tub last six months at least. I'll also use it in things like mac and cheese if I want to eat some - it tastes better than any spread I've ever tried.

I've been using the prismacolor hand sharpener and the lead breaks down deep inside the core. I don't want the electric sharpener to eat them up though bc they are so expensive.... What to do??

I love this lazy susan w/ supplies on our homeschool table. It has been so useful on an hourly basis!! http://picasaweb.google.com/Jlhutch6/HomeschoolRoom/photo?authkey=zZo7a-BwKdE#5202435699720027058

The first card says " " Family Album 2008. Then I use the journal cards to describe the photos following - it may be 2-3 photos or 24! For example, a title/journal card for a field trip, a birthday, a vacation, holiday and then the photos. The cards and photos are all placed in the album in chronological order. If the photos are not event related, for example just lovely pictures of my children playing, they are stilled placed chronologically with the journal card being more about my thoughts/emotions rather than descriptive. Make sense? Now, there are two reasons why I do this with 12x12 scrapbooks. One, so they will match my children's scrapbooks on the bookshelf. Two, so all the year's photos can fit in one scrapbook. If this system is more trouble than it's worth, I also have used these Pioneer photo albums. They are archival also. I have 13 of these filled with photos from 1991-2002. They look nice on the bookshelf, but I didn't like that a year's worth of photos don't fit in one album. http://www.archivalusa.com/k-bdp-35.html One more thing, I wait until Hobby Lobby offers their photo pages and scrapbooks at 50% off and then stock up. I also purchased all of the Pioneer photo albums at Ac Moore and Michaels w/ 40% coupons.

I don't have a photo of my albums. I use 12X12 postbound albums and use these Ultra Pro 4X6 photo inserts (25 pack) from Hobby Lobby. http://www.ultrapro.com/uploads/images/products/57020N-O.jpg I then use clear stamps for decor and journaling on the 4X6 index cards - http://store.scrapbook.com/mm-30267.html HTH!

I'm keeping up using 12X12 size pages with 4X6 inserts - 6 slots per page. I'm using 4X6 index cards to stamp and decorate for titles and journaling of each new event or celebration. It goes quickly - I have completed an entire year of 500-600 pics in a weekend's work. I used to scrapbook more before I started homeschooling. I have scrapbooks for each child - birth to age 5. I want to make my 2009 family album an actual scrapbook though. We'll see!

My mom really did this right. She was a newly separated mom, my dad had just left her after being a stay at home mom for 20 years. She was temping as a secretary. Overwhelmed I'm sure looking back on it, and without a support system. We were unbelievers (no church) and moved every two years with my dad's job. Anyway, when I started we were caught a bit off guard. She brought home a dozen roses (I was 12 yo) and welcomed me to womanhood. Made a lovely big deal about it - cooked a great dinner, talked about how great motherhood is and how I was so blessed to be a woman. I'll never forget it and I want that time to be so special for my daughter also.

I didn't read the article, but I think elitism is rampant in ivy league institutions. My identical twin took a different path than I did post 4 year university. She got a masters & doctorate at Princeton and a law degree at Yale. I got married a month after graduation and soon had children (4 total) and have homeschooled them always. I did go to her orientation with her at Princeton and moved her in. I'll never forget the speaker telling them they were among .1% of all the intellect in the world. I was like - what on earth????? She has always had friends and significant others that were duly "accomplished" - which means the right degrees from the right places followed by the right careers. The conversations they have and who they know are entertaining. She is a law professor at a prominent university. I love to listen to her stories. I love my sister! But, I don't want that for my children.