LostSurprise
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We have computer/video game days. If they complete chores and homework the previous days they can play Tue/Thurs between 6 and 730. They are also allowed to play in the car on long distance trips.
Screen time is a privilege. Anyone not doing their jobs around here (that includes me) doesn't get recreational screen time until they are a contributing member of the house again.
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Like someone said henna does not lighten, even when other things are added.
You can try a henna gloss (google it) on already blond hair. Some people do that and then only gloss their roots as they grow in.
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Wintersowing.org~using the terrarium effect to study the water cycle, planting flowers or vegetables for spring. Pick out some tomatoes. Send an SASE for free seeds you chose.
Garden planning~lists, keeping notes, finding out which plants do well together, watching how much sun is available, measuring, geometry. There are a few websites that help with this, or you can use resources like Square Food Gardening to figure out how many plants per square foot.
Start composting as a group. Watch how things break down. Purchase some worms (the red wigglers at Walmart for fishing will work). Have two groups and see what the differences are. Experiment with turning vs. not turning. Take temperatures. Experiment with 'brown' vs. 'green' compost (how many parts of each breaks down faster). See how fast some foods break down compared to other foods.
Check out resources like Botany in a Day: the patterns method of plant identification. Or The Botany Coloring book.
Sprout seeds. Try different kinds. Keep seeds at different temps. See which sprout sooner. Use seeds of different ages. See how many sprout per batch.
And as it warms up a book on foraging (something by Samual Thayer is excellent--Nature's Garden or The Forager's Harvest) and a walk. Also, check youtube or NPR affiliates for stuff by him.
Build fences, stands, tomato cages.
Plan a 'sunflower house' or other structure created with growing plants.
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For white all-purpose flour, I find Walmart's bulk bag (25lb) is the cheapest you can find widely available (between $8-12).
For bread flour, Sam's Club is cheap (25lb for @$14).
White whole wheat and other grains can be harder to find. I usually have to go to a specialty store, either a local whole foods, a co-op, or U-bake. That's still cheaper than ordering online (shipping can be a killer). I don't usually like buying these in a grocery store either, unless there is great turn over. Over-priced Bob's Red Mill that's been sitting on the shelf for 6 months..blech.
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I've killed everything they sell at a Walmart/Target/etc. The Swing-a-way has lived for 6 months and looks good.
The secret is don't wash it! Run a piece of paper toweling through after every use and wipe with a damp cloth if it takes more then twice through to clean it.
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For me it's not the things I tell them not to do...it's the things I don't tell them because it never occurred to me in a million years that someone would paint milk on the ceiling or put glue and glitter in the scratches on the table.
Sigh.
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My sister was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 3 years ago. She was on a lot of pain medication but none of the muscle relaxant type stuff worked for her.
A year ago, her eye specialist mentioned that his wife had similar problems and that cutting wheat out of her diet helped her. He recommended, unofficially, that she get an allergy test.
She did. She reacted to many things. Among them gluten, oats, and eggs. The allergist gave her a diet plan to help her eliminate those things and separate foods in the 'slight reaction' category to see how they affect her.
Now she lives with no pain medication on a gluten-free diet. She will occasionally eat wheat (birthday cake, etc) but when too much is in her system she starts to get the old pains in her joints.
I'm not saying you need to go gluten-free, but at the very least think about taking an allergy test or doing a diet reboot, testing what you eat and upping your vitamins. And if stress is a trigger (often it is) think about what you can do to learn relaxation techniques or go to a counselor--whatever you can do to help yourself.
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Other than messes, no other problems. I've been careful about hot foods though.
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I hear Chicago pans are good as well.
I have random glass pans and a metal one my mom gave me. It doesn't seem to matter much.
I also like having a few smaller pans (1/3 or 1/4 the size) for quick breads or small loaves of cinnamon raisin. Turns out perfect for breakfast for two or someone over for coffee.
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I had the KitchenAid artisan for 2 years. It was fine, better than the Sunbeam my husband got several years ago (which burned out), but I was always worried about it and it barely made 3 loaves.
My husband got me the Bosch Universal for my birthday. Its incredible! The motor is so powerful and the bowl so big I can make several loaves at a time with all wheat flour.
I also have the food processor which works on the blender base. The motor is so powerful it chips ice and frozen fruit very quickly. I've never had a blender that powerful before.
I'm very happy.
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Our previous church did not do this. I don't know if our current one does.
I've had this discussion before regarding weddings. In larger metropolitan areas and larger congregations a lot of churches have had experiences where users--even church members-- do not clean up after themselves and need extra work for preparation, opening and closing, cleaning, lights, etc.
You may not be difficult but they can't exactly know who will be. Sometimes its easier just to charge a set fee for everyone.
I don't necessarily agree. I argued strongly for the opposite at the time, but there are some church workers that feel very strongly that this is the most fair way to give service to their congregation.
If it's a problem I recommend using someone's home instead.
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Yes, but we rarely start until March. (Except last year. Spring was so early that none of us believed it and no one got any. Snow in April or May is not unusual here and you wait for the freeze after the first thaw to start tapping.)
We still have 2 feet of snow so I won't think of it for another month or so.
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Try allowing them video game time at the end of the time--as long as there is no complaining and they find something else to do in the meantime. That seems to work for me.
My 12 year old, and his friends, would rather play video games the whole times but they will talk, have nerf wars, play with legos and bionicles, or trade collectible card games...if they have to.
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Closets. In bedrooms. Coat closets.
Bookshelves. Wooden 3 or 5 shelf bookshelves or the kind you attach to the walls with screws.
Cabinets.
Ottoman with storage space.
We use 3 out of 4 of those. We have 2 built in cupboards we use, plus 4 bookshelves, plus 2 storage ottoman.
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I thought Jo and Laurie could have been a good match...if Laurie grew up first. There was no way they were a good match for each other at that time.
They were alike, but Jo knew what she wanted out of her life (writing). Laurie did not (he always flitting about), and unlike the Professor he hadn't found his calling nor was he responsible for anything or anyone. If they married Jo would have been like a Mother to him (notice how often she steered him during their friendship). Laurie would not have wanted that.
In the end Laurie wanted to follow his Grandfather and live a normal life for his class. Amy perfectly fulfilled that desire and direction of his life. Jo would not have. When he proposed to Jo he did not yet know he wanted.
And Jo needed time to know that she did want someone. When she did realize this then the Professor was there for her, someone much like her father. In the end she wanted a marriage like her parents, not what we consider the 'right' romantic marriage.
I think in some universe of possibility Jo and Laurie could have been together, with some growing up (and in the same direction), but the timing never worked out in Little Women. That happens more often then people think. Sometimes one thing works but the others just don't match up.
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It really does depend on where you live.
We live in the boonies. 10 years ago when we were getting started we moved from the Chicago suburbs. I cultivated some teen girls from our church as sitters.
First I asked them. They said, whatever you want.
So I asked their mothers. They said, whatever you want. Really, she loves kids and this is just a ministry.
So I asked other women in the church who used those sitters and was told that $2/hr was the going rate. I asked several times and every answer was $2.
So I asked outside the church and got answers ranging from $2-4/hr, and not just for teens but older women as well.
Finally I went back and asked better questions. All the moms gave answers in the $2-3 range as normal.
We were young and broke so we paid $3/hr and were considered a good catch (plus we don't expect much). As money has increased so has our rate and the 13 year old who started out with us is a twenty-something who still sits for us at a rate more in keeping with her age and experience.
But for the Chicago area, I made $2-5/hour back in 1985. Sometimes its not the money, its the lack of respect. I wouldn't demonize the guy--so many people are clueless--but lateness (especially if they didn't call)and a sudden money decision without negotiation is a lack of respect for the sitter.
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I got over the need to complete with other women in my early 20s. I don't feel the need to complete with my younger self now.
Other than working to keep a healthy weight and basic skin and medical care I look forward to seeing what old age holds for me.
My feelings on this issue do not extend to what other women do. I think my way (accepting yourself and who you are) is healthier but then again I was only average to begin with. Some people have a great deal more of their personal happiness invested in their looks, and changes can mean a lot of pain. I remember the pain of not being pretty enough when I was a teen. If they can't find acceptance internally I suppose they have to find a solution elsewhere.
But I can still root for self-acceptance, can't I? :tongue_smilie:
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I don't like it.
It's not just the slimy pieces of food and smudges. It doesn't clean easily. The white seems to need re-touching more often. Like a white wall you can get black scrape lines which don't wash off. They have to be repainted.
Frankly I'm ready to repaint to yellow or something.
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It's tough enough to be the good kid with the messed up family. I'm an adult. I'd rather suck it up for an hour of discomfort and encourage the child then say no and let him wonder if being a good kid is worth the effort if everyone judges you by your family anyway.
Of course this is discounted by the presence of violence/drugs at the party (unlikely, usually people have some idea of what is expected at a birthday party). Then graciously bow out and invite him over later to do something special with your family.
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We were introduced to the concept of the Bibliography in grade school. Used it occasionally through high school. No specific citation, just proof that research assignments include real research. The only time we used actual citation was in a 10 page AP Biology paper and a 5 page AP History paper. AP English was more interested in finding out what we thought, developing that analysis, then what Harold Bloom thought.
Because citation is nit-picky and is used to test the veracity of the information (hs is usually about the ability to make a point more then the point itself) it's generally saved for college research projects. We had a freshman course in College Research that went step by step over how to find research and how to cite it in papers (APA, MLA, Chicago). The individual sciences usually have short tutorials on their specific preferences as well.
I would not be surprised that a 16 year old had some problems with this the first time. There are people in graduate school who have been doing this for 5-6 years (or more) and they still have problems. The many types of electronic information only increase the complexity. Plus each type is slightly different in format...blah...I did my undergrad in MLA and last year for my grad degree I did papers in both Chicago AND APA...I can't even trust my instincts now I have to look up every tiny detail.
Anyway, every teacher in high school who asked for citation spent a lot of time going over citation. It takes practice.
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It depends on how you do it. My sister and bil did an amicable split (pro se), filled in the paperwork together, and did the judge visits. Only a few hundred.
Not that they got along about everything but they both realized it was too expensive to do it otherwise.
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Marian Holcombe from The Woman in White is one of my favorites. Friendly, funny, loyal, intelligent, tenacious. And not the love interest. In the end the intelligent villain credits her (not the hero/main character) with foiling him at every turn. Quite right.
Jane Eyre....always. Quiet with a will of iron. Intelligent. Honest. Values herself even when others don't. Absolute integrity, not just to others but to herself.
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There are several things that make bread soft.
*gluten or the need for extra gluten (wheat flour has rough kernels in it which break the strands...making it denser...so some people add vital wheat gluten as extra gluten to make up for that or do a wheat/white mix)
*developing the gluten enough so that it not only connects but slides easily (so the right amount of kneading)
*enough yeast or other riser
*the right amount of rise time (being able to recognize when a rise is done or needs more time, OR having an overnight or long, wet rise do the work for you)
*a hot enough oven (for oven spring)
Bread making does take a certain amount of practice. You have to get a 'feel' for it before it becomes easy to spot problem areas in your technique.
Keep working on it and be aware of why bread is light and fluffy. Then you can critique your technique and experiment until you find what works for you.
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I finished Mockingjay and The Secret Life of Houdini last week (Saturday and Saturday respectively).
I'm working on The Mysterious Benedict Society right now. My husband beat me. After that I'll try to finish up Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed the World.
I'm stocking up because February should be harder.
Do you have internet on your phone plan
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I don't even have my own phone. We all share a tracphone, depending on who's out.
We can get texts, and send texts online through TextFree, but we don't really use that.