I agree with the thick acrylic nails, they helped me break the habit as a teen. Learning to spin a pen also helped, and I also have rings on my thumbs I can spin as well which helps.

If we aren't able to befriend and even love those who have fundamentally different beliefs (especially on moral issues), how will we ever create change in their hearts? When I was a teen I got involved in the gay rights movement. Besides the few people in knew in the LGBTQ community, everyone around me was extremely homophobic. If I cut them off, it would of been lonely real quick. Besides, they were and are good people - even if they hold a moral view that I find despicable. The world isn't so simple that I can just call them bad people and walk away. Good people can hold evil views, even on moral or ethical issues. In the 90's, the vast majority of people (in the south in the US at least) held pretty deplorable views of the LGBTQ community. But I cannot say that the vast majority of people were bad people, or unworthy of friendship. Through my relationships with people, I've changed some hearts. Some have turned around on LGBTQ issues, others have simply softened their hate. I doubt that would of happened if I just walked away from them. I didn't lecture, but I also didn't hide by views, or my disappointment in their views. I do have plenty of people who I just won't talk about some issues with - if they start I just say that I don't want to get upset at them and won't talk about it. I still love them, I just don't want to be angry at them. I don't feel this is staying silent so much as picking my battles. They know I don't approve or agree, but still want to have a relationship with them. I suppose it is much the same way people feel about me in regards to their religious beliefs - I would be heartbroken if they walked away from me over our disagreement. I also held some pretty horrid ethical views growing up. People who reached out to me despite my views changed me for the better. I would not be who I am if they just walked away from me. I'm sure their are lines that a friendship can't cross, but it would have to be severe for me.

I've been buying generic toner of amazon for 3 years now, no problems yet. I buy about 1 every 9 months.

In my old town in NoVA, I don't think it exists, especially not with the acreage requirement. Without the land, it would probably be 700k. We just moved across the river to a house in Maryland that almost matches the description. 5 beds, 3000sqft, 2.5 baths, 5 acres. It's not new, build in the 40's, renovated in the 90's, but good condition. 400,000. 20 minute commute to DC. It's amazing what crossing state lines can do for housing costs.

I say stupid and hurtful things when very angry. I often realize as I'm saying them how absurd they are, but still I say it. Thankfully, my husband is amazingly forgiving and I don't get angry that often. Apologies help. I absolutely say things that are not my 'true feelings'.

I loved the Rock n Play. Had it right next to my bed at night, and would move it around the house with me for naps during the day. We used a crib for both boys but only for around 6mo-14mo. Then switched to a mattress on the floor as both kids could climb out of the crib. I only like the old style drop side cribs because I'm so short that putting a baby down in a regular crib is essential dropping them - kinda hard not to wake them up. I'd suggest getting a rock and play and going from there. You can always buy a crib later if you need it.

In MD, DUI is over 0.08 but DWI is 0.04-0.08.

I voted other. My dad divorced his first wife and then married my mom. They've been together ever since.

Interestingly, using these calculators 1 beer would give me a BAC of 0.011, well below the 0.04 needed for DWI. It would also take ~40 mins to clear my system. So one beer and driving seems okay to me.

At this point in my life I'll have a beer and drive after an hour. 3-4 hours absolutely. At other times in my life, I wouldn't drive after one beer at all. I've never been willing to drive after any hard liquor or wine, but I also usually consume more than one serving if I am drinking those.

He commutes from Fredericksburg?!? That's easily a 2hr commute most days, I wouldn't consider that commuting distance. Having to spend 3-4hrs per day in a car just seems absurd.

Well, I guess it depends. I just ran the numbers for a salary of $100,000. I would consider that well off. A 15 year mortgage at 25% of their take home would allow for $200,000 home purchase. (That's not including taxes, insurance, or PMI in their mortgage.) For $200000 they could have a 1 bed 780 sqft condo. But it has $389 in HOA fees, but does include 1 parking spot. And I want to stress this is in one of the least expensive areas to live in and be able to commute to DC. Not the cheapest (that's in MD) but close to it. $100,000 yearly salary sounds well off. I would not consider that able to afford decent housing on a 15 year mortgage no.

This just isn't reality for huge portions of the country, especially areas with a high concentration of jobs for the newly graduated. I just looked up homes in my area (NoVA, so HCOL, but the cheapest area of NoVA for DC commuting) that would only cost 25% of take home pay for a 15 year mortgage. The ONLY listing that showed up was for a 1 bed 1 bath 450 sqft condo. But, it had $306/month HOA fees, and that doesn't include a parking spot, which runs in the 20000-30000 range. And our take home pay is above average for our area, edging close to upper middle class. And it's not like renting is an alternative to a 30 year mortgage. To rent a 2 bed apartment, which doesn't include utilities around here, or a parking spot, is a minimum of $1400 a month. This is reality for young couples now. A 15 year mortgage only costing 25% takehome is a dream for even the well off. And you can't just blame it on the area, because the cities are where the jobs are.

We live in Fairfax Co. VA and it's ebook library is amazing! I think it's a small price if you aren't a resident, but probably very worth it. There have only been very few books they haven't had. They also have auto checkout once your hold is done and delivery onto the kindle is really easy.

I bought a cheap $3 unglazed tile at Home Depot. It's been amazing, no cracks. It lives in our oven so is abused regularly and has even been through a self cleaning cycle (whoops). Works great, no cracks, no real cost.

I also don't own a blow dryer and go out with wet hair all the time. My hair is long and takes a while to dry, so if I'm trying to look nicer I'll towel dry it as much as possible and put it in a bun. Or shower at night.

So.... most of that went far over my head. Is the consensus that running is not a verb in this sentence? But it's not a gerund (that's a new one for me). So... if went is the verb, what is running? Or are they both verbs? Is that what the parallel verb mentioned above means?

Can went be a helping verb? It's not on any helping verb list, but it seems like it is used as one in this sentence: She went running. Help? Identifying types of verbs is not something I ever learned before homeschooling.

I think my DS is in a very similar position. He turned 6 in Feb, loved math from 3-5 but started complaining this past winter. We've mostly solved the math dread by using lots of different programs simultaneously. He LOVES prodigy games and splashmath, which is where he gets his computation practice. We use a Miquon and a 1/2 a MEP worksheet a day for some thinking problems, but easier thinking problems than BA. Then we pull out BA or Zacarro if he's in the mood for some harder work or puzzles. We also try to do a lesson of RS C a day, but he's working way behind in RS so it's a very easy and quick lesson that just assures me we aren't missing anything. He has lots of math books that to him aren't math, but free reading. Sir Cumference, Penrose, Murderous Maths, etc. I honestly think this is where he does most of his learning, but I don't even talk about the books with him unless he asks or brings it up. It seems like a lot, but it really helps to have different types of math to turn to depending on the mood. RS C is a quick and easy lesson. The games are great for computation practice without the boredom of working on paper. Miquon and MEP are quick and independent(usually done in the car), but still make him think. Then once or twice a week we really sit down with the harder stuff in BA or Zacarro's.

Are your sure you are grinding it to the right size? The grind is different for different brew methods, e.g. french press is a coarser grind than drip with espresso being the finest. Your coffee maker may not be getting the water hot enough. You shouldn't freeze the beans. Buy smaller quantities if you can't use it fast enough, but they last a while sealed in the bag in a dark closet. Is the roast dark enough for you? Light roast coffee's taste like dirty water to me. Try a different brew method. You can get a french press for $10 or a pour over that sits over your mug for $5, it's an easy and cheap way to find out if the brew method would make a difference for you.

I corrected his handwriting, yes. It was very short at first so he didn't have to write to much. And we used dry erase markers to practice letters whenever it was a struggle. I just kept the copywork short at first.

We just used copy work. I printed out a page that showed letter formation and put it up on the wall. Then each day I would write a sentence in a K-lined book and he'd copy it. If there was a trouble letter I'd just show him with the whiteboard a few times before he did the copy work.

I feel like I should be worried and prepping, but can't find anything to actually do. We always have enough food for a week or so, so that isn't a problem. Plenty of water stored in our chest freezer. I'm mostly worried if the heat goes out, we don't have a fireplace. However, our neighbors do, so worst case we will just walk to their house. I'm very much looking forward to play in the snow. With a 6 and 2yo, it should be a blast!

We started "school time" at 4. My goal was to teach him a good pencil grip and how to sit still for 5-10 minutes at a desk. We started with Kumon workbooks (cut and paste, tracing, mazes, etc). I'm really glad we did this because it set the expectation of time to work at a desk. We still don't spend much time at a desk, and most of our learning is done elsewhere, but deskwork is I think most challenging for him. Having it be a set thing that we've done for plenty of time before more difficult work started has really helped. Over the past 2 years we've extended that time to around 45 minutes, covering handwriting, Latin, spelling, and math.

We have a manual one and love it. I will never go back to an electric sharpener. It works so much better, and both the kids and I get tons of satisfaction using it. We got this one from Staples: http://www.staples.com/X-Acto-Bulldog-Manual-Vacuum-Mount-Pencil-Sharpener-Smoke-Gray/product_432675 It uses a pressure fit to sit on any tabletop so we just pull it out when needed, it doesn't require a permanent mount.