There are $3 loupes (for magnification, with a light) on Amazon. Include a $5 bill for examination (really cool!). Electronic/mechanical bank and a roll of quarters.

Yes, we've owned Europe for 4-5 years. I like it very much. Other than finding cities, I haven't noticed that its any more difficult then the US version (which we played Sunday night since DH found a copy at Goodwill). You do need to play with at least 4 people with the Europe version though, otherwise its too easy to get routes. There's no tension. There's a version called TtR Marklin which does Germany. It's a little more complex because it introduces 'riders.' The earlier you run your riders and the longer your route the more points you get. That adds an interesting tension and makes you plan things out a bit more. For game advice, it really depends on what you like. We own a lot of games but they don't appeal to everyone. Right now we're enjoying: Ascending Empires~a combination of space exploration (flicking a disc from planet to planet), colonization, building science skills, and fighting. The boys love the flicking, but dh and I try to maneuver around each other for points, building the greater civilization. Agricola~a farming game which goes through several seasons building pastures and fields, collecting animals, harvesting, etc. More fun then it sounds (unless you like the video game Harvest Moon then it is as fun as it sounds), lots of choices and its hard to balance everything. Also uses roles and turn order like Puerto Rico. Stone Age~my favorite game, much like Agricola but less complex. You're a tribe in the Stone Age trying to build your civilization, find food, and build. Space Alert~Cooperative, basically you're the crew of a space ship trying to survive attack. Everything happens in real time, a CD of the computer talking is played and you have to react to that and negotiate what each of you are going to do in that 10 minutes. You log your choices on a board in front of you. At the end you see what happened. Hilarious! Lots of tension. Lots of laughing. Progressively harder situations. Scales well with younger or older people. Agricola and Space Alert can both accommodate 5 people. If you scroll down those links (Boardgamegeek) you'll see a heading for Videos. If you click some of those you might get a better idea of how the games play or what they look like. They also have links for Amazon, ebay, and other sellers.

It depends on what you're looking for, but from what you've given me I'd say Dominion. It's variable (game play depends on what cards you choose when you start) so it doesn't get boring. Lots of choices. Lots of ways to win. It can be very interactive or not much at all. Most of the time its not confrontational. There are only a few cards (the witch card for instance) which can effect other players. If you like to mess with each other, this is not the right game (unless you buy an expansion which allows more player confrontation). Pandemic is my favorite of those games, but the cooperative aspect can be co-opted by a strong personality. I don't think you need the expansion but it does add an interesting random element (bioterrorist) and more difficulty (an extra disease, more roles). Ticket to Ride is a great game, but a bit simplistic for your age range. If you're looking for a very light game it works, but it doesn't have the variety that the others have.

'Can not' is a stronger word choice. In my opinion, and it has always seemed this way to me, Gandalf is making the stronger word choice because he personally can not allow this to happen. At this moment he is what stands between the terror of the world and the dear friends who are vital to survival of their age. He's working himself up to the impossible feat by making defeat impossible. Frankly, I would be disappointed if he used the lighter 'shall not.' Future tense. bah.

It all depends on how much you have and how you want to access it. If you have a lot, or you want to have easy access to it, make a separate category within Fiction. On one shelf I keep American and British classics. On another I have world fiction separated by country. On another I have pop fiction, short stories, myths/fairy tales. On another I have science fiction and mysteries. I wouldn't put it on the history shelf.

I'll have to show Dean this. He's always complaining that I leave him to do all the calls! I wouldn't say it was torture. Its between torture and unpleasant. I definitely have a mini-panic attack (also when someone hands me the phone unexpectedly). I have to sit quietly and frame my intro and mentally list the things I want to talk about. This is even true with my family (although I get comfortable more quickly with them). In college I chaired a committee where I had to rent things, organize groups, etc. (back before email). I made a list of points and wrote out the greeting. It helped. I think I feel this way because I have no visual cues to tell me how people are reacting to my words. I don't feel this much anxiety in-person.

I've had this since I was a girl. Worst in the morning or if I'm particularly nervous. There's a definite hypoglycemic edge to it. I also have borderline thyroid issues and according to the literature they could be related.

:iagree: This exactly, except every aunt and grandmother I had took me aside at 16 and told me to take my time. Every one of them had married early (17-20) and most had rocky marriages or divorces. My own parents separated for a time and worked through it. I made my dh wait. He was probably ready 3 months in. I was ready after 2.5 years. I don't criticize young marriage, but I think 17-22 is a period with a crazy amount of personal growth (at least in our society) and you will probably 'grow up together.' That can be very hard, and if both spouses aren't committed it can be fatal to the marriage.

~make your own pizza ~bake Christmas cookies/decorate cookies ~manicures/painting nails/do hair/etc. ~roast marshmallows/marshmallow war ~make bracelets/bead ~rent Rock Band/Wii ~scavenger hunt

Soup recipe...please? I would do a light salad (with nuts or spinach) and some fruit.

I would do one of two things: I would put it in the fridge to cold rise overnight. Then I would let it warm up a few hours in the morning and either shape or bake. Or, I would give it more time. The yeast will work as long as there is some there. It will just take longer with less in the dough.

My husband is an aural learner with ADD tendencies. When we started dating and attended church together it used to bug me that he never looked at the speaker, never seemed to be paying attention, was always fiddling with paper making games for himself. It took me several months to realize that those paper games were his way of involving himself with the sermon. He was making it all work for him. I found that very worshipful and beautiful, even though it was not anything like me. Me, if I could put my little folded hands on the desk in front of me, I probably would. Eye contact means attention. So forgive them. They just don't get it. They're probably stuck in their own point of view, and maybe distracted. They haven't learned what connects them to the service.

Yes, I've seen them. Almost anything which is in the public domain is available, but I have most of what I want to read in the public domain (and the library or Project Gutenburg has the rest should I care to read them). While I can get rid of a few of my reference classics, any books from the last 30 years (that I'm interested in) are $10-20. Its still ridiculous if I can get a second hand physical version for 75% less. It doesn't make sense for me. Now I admit I know some people who have allergies or read pop fiction. It makes sense for them. For me, and for any thrifty literary fiction readers...it just doesn't make as much sense, unless you're willing to spend a lot more.

I have philosophical differences with e-readers. While they are handy, they subvert Fair Use laws that have been in practice for a long time. The industry is starting to address this (with borrowing/lending) but it isn't all worked out yet. Its also not cost effective for what I like to read. I can buy used books for .25-$2, read, and then trade them (postal cost under $3) for other ones I want. Frankly, an e-book...that I want...costs at least $10 (the lowest one on my wishlist) and I can't trade or sell it when its gone. That's it. Unless I want to read it again or keep it for reference it's dead weight. To me the $7-22 cost difference means something.

It's definitely a side effect of some medications, but it's also a part of his diagnosis. I haven't noticed that the most recent medication is noticeably worse even though that is the one with the side effect. His neurologist even admits that its impossible to tell the difference between aggression and opposition from the diagnosis (based on damage from the seizures) and the medication. Because of this...and the fact that he's in the top 90% of kids with the diagnosis right now (most have brain damage, etc. and he's pretty normal) she's against any sudden changes in medication which could cascade into something worse. I've actually been very lax this year academically, especially since he's lost weight, but I'm feeling that clock ticking. Maybe I just need to accept that despite his apparent normality (it always seems like he can do all this stuff but he just refuses to do so) he just can't do this yet? I guess I just don't have a map for this, no one seems to. :glare:

Yep, generally disliked (but didn't hate) Water for Elephants. Makes for awkward conversations with people who know I love to read and then suddenly they have something to talk to me about. I try to let them down easy. ;) The Red Tent~it was fine, but felt weird about how Gospel-truth everyone thought it was historically. The Great Gatsby~rReally, this is the Great American Novel? Yikes. Wuthering Heights~didn't like anyone, even the narrator

Star Wars: Republic Commandos series He's also getting into science fiction: World War Z, Roboapocalpyse..that kind of thing.

There are many reasons for night-urination. It seems you have a specific question perhaps only an endocrinologist or urologist could answer. If he's urinating all day like that, perhaps checking into diabetes would be more important. If its a night issue only, perhaps he's a 'holder.' My brother was one of those. It didn't matter that my mom woke him up. He had a hard time releasing until his body had completely relaxed. He wouldn't feel the need to urinate (although he could a bit for my mom). Complex issue. I just wanted you do know he's not alone. Best of luck.

No suggestions, but just wanted to add that all my siblings had difficulties until they were 12-17. Then they stopped. Most were done by 14-15. One had occasional problems until 16-17. He's a very hard sleeper though.

If she doesn't have it already: digital picture frame already loaded with pictures. You can subscribe to a site which allows you to download content periodically so the pictures change (with no work from her). My grandmother is like this too. Other ideas: specialty food item (great chocolate, pies from her favorite restaurant, gourmet popcorn flavorings, treat from her youth) winter items (new scarf, really good gloves, jaunty hat) massage/manicure/pedicure card for the local movie theater gas or grocery card (seriously, my hardest to buy for people love these) great stationary/cards, nice pen, roll of unusual stamps special storage bins for Christmas paper or ornaments bulbs or paper lanterns or a cute bench for her patio Sometimes a good gift is knowing about something that she doesn't know about yet and getting it for her.

Youngest: Usborne's Farmyard Tales 8 year old: True Spy Stories 11 year old: The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Selznick) 12 year old: The Graveyard Book (Gaiman) I've had good luck with the Moomintroll books, true non-fiction (WWII tales), Chickens to the Rescue!, Tomie dePaulo, Coraline, and the Star Wars Clone series. If I had to start over I might get The Elements of Pop-up (how to make pop up books) or an Uncle Albert book.

Other.

Exact BTDT unnecessary. Anyone with a child with a disorder which increases oppositional behavior? What strategies do you use? How do you determine what gets done?

I'm not exactly sure of how to ask this, so I'll just just toss a bit out there and hope that someone's been here. I have a 7 year old with severe epilepsy and a special diet. He was in public Kindergarten last year and I didn't feel he learned anything. He resisted going *every day*, wandered around, and refused to do work most days. With things being as they are I felt it would be better to homeschool him this year. This year things have become more complicated with his diet. I'm literally feeding him every bite of food, ever ounce of water. Things like dressing, batheing, wiping bottom, and brushing teeth are long, extended affairs of cajoling, pushing, and outright forcing sometimes. Oh, and now I should teach him something too. Has anyone dealt with Oppositional (ODD or otherwise) behavior? How do you get through a reading lesson? What standards do you hold up when you 're barely keeping it together without the lessons? Before all of this he was a very bright child, and even now (after 3 years of constant seizures) he can be very personable and is able to do the Kindergarten reading, simple phonics, and math work I have for him. But he won't, and I'm tired. Thoughts? Neurologist isn't much help. She tsks but considers the elimination of the seizures as the first thing. Neurospsych couldn't get much out of him when he was tested 1.5 years ago.

There's quite a difference between districts/teachers/states. When I taught in the late '90s, novels were still common in most grades. Some grades were used for more writing practice then reading. Teens I know in WI still read novels. There are many short stories that teach these concepts effectively. You can read the story aloud and then have an immediate discussion. More opportunities for students to 'click' with the material and less to be bored.