Maybe it is because I haven't lived in the US for 4 years, but yes. That is exactly what we do. We do not have the luxury of oodles of government bodies analyzing this and that and various weather channels advising this and that. We have one government body which gives official recommendations. I have never trusted my family's life and well-being to a government official and even if I lived in the US I wouldn't. I do my own research, I compose an opinion based on VARIOUS sources and include seasoned meteorologists instead of a Mayor. Then I make a decision based on facts, history, various opinions of various meteorologists and the NHC. I educate myself and know what GOM, BOC, CONUS, TCHP, SSTs, MCV, EWRC, LLC, COC, etc. all mean and what how they apply to hurricanes. I don't wait until 12 hours before landfall and panic because I haven't been following the storm since it was an invest off the African coast. And if you're CONUS, you should, at the very LEAST, have been following the storm once it hit the ABCs or Hispanola. I'm not saying the mayor is blameless, but I firmly believe that people need to take responsibility for their own lives instead of blaming the government that they weren't hand-held and told what to do.

I totally disagree with this. If you live in hurricane country is is YOUR (the general you not *you* in particular) responsibility to take in ALL methods of information WRT weather that will affect you. TWO DAYS ago, the foremost weather blogger, Dr. Masters, was calling for mandatory evacuations. I find it incredibly irresponsible to blame TWC and their lot when there are many additional sources of excellent information. We have been watching Ike for weeks now - ever since he was a blob, then invest off the African coast. I consider it my DUTY to my family to watch, read and listen to many sources of information to protect my family. If I failed in this duty I would hold MYSELF responsible, unless there was not one credible news source to inform me otherwise.

Aren't you sweet! Thanks for thinking of us. Today is the first day out of three that we've been out from under the southern bands. The sea was wicked and house is full of debris and dirt from the winds but we're just fine. I'm sick about the Texas coast though. It is going to be really really really bad. Levees are breached in LA and Galveston is already underwater. I should just turn away and not watch but somehow I just can't NOT. Maybe it is PTSD from Dean. :) I also have work to do and need the computer to do that. Excuses, excuses. :) Anyway, thanks again for thinking of me - I hope the Texans looked at Haiti as evidence of what Ike is capable of... Shamless plug for Lambi Fund.

This is SO TRUE. I get so angry when people just throw their lives away in this manner - my heart is sick thinking of the lives destroyed, and especially the lives of the children of the adults who decided to "surf it out". We have been under the southern bands of Ike for THREE DAYS! We had amazing surf and wind yesterday and we are in the CARIBBEAN! He is bigger and badder than Katrina. He is not a Cat 5, but you don't need to be Cat5 to be bigger and badder than a Cat5. I'm just sick about this and I don't know why it is affecting me so. I guess because we had a horrific hurricane season last year and the CONUS was completely spared and this year it looks like the CONUS is getting hammered.

Well, aren't you sweet! Thank you!

What is the problem with typing sex and orgasm? The words are not vulgar, they are being used properly and exist for a reason? Or is this a WTM thing that you assign weird code words to everything? In our house, a breast is a breast, a penis is a penis, a testicle is a testicle, sex is sex, orgasm is orgasm, clitoris is clitoris. I can't imagine how it can help a conversation to constantly have to refer to a code book to figure out what people are really saying. Now, I totally get the enjoyment and creativity involved when you're making metaphoric references, especially when you're enjoying the play on words, but to actually assign a code word for future conversations just seems so over the top that I can't begin to comprehend. Ok, now that I've read page 2, I see that people are afraid of spammers. Is this something that has actually happened in the past? Is it a fear based on reality?

In order to actually participate in the election process as an ex-pat you have to decide VERY early, especially if you live in a country without mail service. Well, technically MexPost does exist but not even the utility companies use it - bills are hand delivered. I'm hoping my vote will count but it really will be a crapshoot.

Oh. Ok. (shaking head) Thanks for the pointer. I didn't read any of the linked thread so I was quite out of the loop. If nothing else, I'm going to look into chasteberry. And get another cup of cawfee (because I still haven't connected the dots and I'm not sure I have the energy to do so).

Yes, I've looked into progesterone cream but all I can find down here is pure chemicals. It will have to wait until we make a trip to the US.

Ok, so you guys aren't talking about tea, right? I'm so fracking confused. You're talking about sex? If so, can you tell me if chaste berry gives the same benefits if you are actually in the years of menopause? My hormones are totally wacked out but I'm 48 and that's life now. Will it work pre/peri or beginning menopause?

We have done that; I work from home and DH is a SAHD while I'm a WAHM. He does the dishes, laundry and cooking. He has never been able to keep to the budgeted amount of grocery money because he Will Not Plan Meals. But I'm letting him flounder on his own - I'm not taking that over also. I do all the academic planning and reading to the kids and discussing. I think it can work as long as you turn complete control over to him. And it sounds like he is much more *into* it than my DH. Sounds like a great idea in your situation!

I think I need a t-shirt that says :iagree: I agree with almost all your posts. I read to my 14yo and 12yo and we have amazing discussions about the stuff we read. Well, technically, *I* read. I am learning so much also - I never read a THINK about Ghengis Khan until we covered Ancient Mongolia and I now know the 5 pillars of Islam. They do supplemental historical fiction, Math and other reading on their own, but I love seeing and hearing how their minds work and engaging them. I haven't read CM but I did read a snipped of WTM and I seem to remember Bauer recommending reading to older kids if they'll go for it.

My 14yo is going to do Latin with me this year and Spanish is constantly on-going as we live in Mexico. We'll see how it goes.

Thank you so much for this post! I assume TQ is Truth Quest and I almost totally abandoned the idea due to the incredibly heavy handed religious content. But I don't want schedules. Of course looking at their Egypt unit they are already saying you can't do much in Egypt due to the pagan religious. Sheesh! I hope I'm making a poor once-over and will look at it more in-depth.

My 12yo learned to read at 10 and has never read for pleasure until this year. He only read for information and I was a little sad that he'd never really get the pure enjoyment of losing yourself in a book but just figured that was his path. We've been doing SL Core 5 and he is LOVING the historical fiction! So far his favorites have been Master Puppeteer and Shadow Spinner. Right now he is reading Daughter of the Mountains and I'll be interested to hear his take on it. He has enjoyed the other books in Core 5, but these have been his favorites. Now, strangely enough, he can't wait for me to finish reading Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun (go figure). He always asks for another chapter.

This is fascinating! My doc (here in Mexico) as a very first step to diagnose mine, prescribed a calcium blocker. It hasn't worked, but interesting.

Carseats are one thing I don't mess around with. I had no idea that seats go up to 100 lb now in the US - when we get back I'm going to have to check them out. My boys (14 and 12) sat in the Britax SE's (I think they are now called Regals or Husky or something else) until 90lb, which, for them, was November of last year. They then had outgrown the seats comfort-wise and I bought them harnesses like the race car drivers use. The 9yo and 6yo are still in Britax SE's. There isn't a lot you can do with a lethal object (car) so I have always figured the kids need to be made as safe as possible. So yes, I had a 13yo and 11yo in a 5-pt harness carseat. Check carseat.org for more info.

We use SOTW and Usborne's Internet Linked World History for SL Core 5, 1+2 and will use both for the younger girls Ancient Cultures this year. Boys are using Bauer's newest book and Usborne IL Ancient Cultures

I don't believe in curse words. You can hurt someone much deeper with non-curse words than a simple "curse" word. My kids are not banned from any words and weirdly enough they don't "curse". They are also very respectful around their Mormon friends - they don't understand WHY they label some words "curse" words, but in order to not offend, they not only don't use those words but let us know when we've uttered a word that would offend their friends. Personally, I'm a bit miffed that when I say, "pissed" I'll receive a warning from my son if his friend is around, but I'm a rebel at heart. If you want me to do something tell me NOT to do it. :)

From Dr. Masters' blog today, "The death toll in Haiti due to the onslaught of Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike, plus Tropical Storm Fay, is now over 1,000 people. At least 14,000 homes have been destroyed, and 800,000 people are without food, water, and/or shelter. The death toll is sure to rise higher as rescuers reach more remote flooded areas in coming days. The economic impact of the disaster is projected to be greater than the 2004 devastation wrought by Hurricane Jeanne, which killed over 2,000 people. Haiti needs all the help it can get, and I want to thank everyone who has donated to the Lambi Fund of Haiti charity. They're an outstanding group that I've supported for a number of years, and they focus on fixing the underlying causes of poverty and natural disasters in Haiti." On the Lambi Fund... "The Lambi Fund of Haiti has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of charities. Charity Navigator salutes your charitable efforts. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that your organization excels, as compared to other charities in America, in allocating and growing your finances in the most fiscally responsible way possible."

If you admit Sleepy la bone, maybe me too? I dragged the kids out to the reef and back - the 6yo on the boogieboard the whole way back. the current was against us on the way back but Hurricane Ike has made the sea VERY calm today. Weirdness. Guess it was about an hour. Not feeling like an exercise walk as I think I got a good workout from the swimming.

I agree, BUT when the TT-educated kids are taking college tests and placement tests, I give those much more weight than the mom-evaluated "A". And that is what swayed me to TT. Kids taking objective college placement tests are scoring very well after having a TT-education. That is good enough for me.

We're in sweatshirts and jeans when the temperature drops to 80F and down jackets and hats at 70F. Heater goes on around 75F. Of course, that means that the A/C is started up in February. :)

Yes; we're watching it closely as we are going to be affected by it - seas or wind - as we are directly across the Yucatan channel from Cuba here in Mexico. Unfortunately, Haiti has deforested so much of their mountains that any storm, even Dolly, will cause havoc and death. I'm sure the Cubans were hit incredibly hard by Gustavo and will be suffering from Ike also. The dancers in my avatar are from Cuba, as are a decent number of people on Cozumel (island).

No, I don't consider that the death of a baby. I would never presume to know, suppose or judge what is meaningful to anyone else but myself. You are the only person who can decide what your six miscarriages meant to you and I would respond accordingly. If they meant nothing to you I would offer light sympathy, in accordance to your needs. If you were grieving I would offer sympathy on accordance with the death of a child. Just because *I* don't believe a baby was miscarried, it doesn't mean that I would be heartless and ignore the pain of the family suffering. Now, what is really weird is that I *know* our 3rd child was waiting for us to get pregnant with her. The other 3 were all "accidents". And the most weird about that is that she is the one I have the least amount of connection with. Wooo Wooo. :)