:iagree:yep, that's us plus our suzuki and, depending on the work, our mark o'connor cds (the american fiddle version of suzuki). no words.

I'd balk at fondue for a potluck b/c I would balk at providing all the little sticks/skewers. Would a short little toothpick do? You know what I'd like at a potluck? Macaroni and cheese. You would have to find a nice recipe b/c it seems to me that most ppl like it baked. However, my family prefers it creamy. If you did decide to serve it creamy, it would be easy to repot into the crock. We bring butter and milk to a simmer and add cheese. Pasta cooks separately. Drain pasta and mix with melted cheese mixture. We love this stuff but as I say, most ppl seem to prefer it baked and cut into squares so I don't don't know if you really want to do that but for me and mine, we DO NOT like the baked version and LOVE the creamy version. Serve that at a potluck and we'd be thrilled! Also, if you served it warm with cold sliced/diced home grown tomatoes :drool5: I LoVe Panera's mac and cheese though I have never tried this recipe. You could just sub your cheese. http://smells-like-home.com/2012/02/paneras-stove-top-mac-and-cheese/ or this one has less stuff. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/stove-top-mac-n-cheese-recipe/index.html I googled: creamy mac and cheese stove top Too bad it's so late in the season.

Well, color me heretic . . . I think just about everything American's use should be made in America. ditto for things made in China or elsewhere. I know that sometimes a country has developed a truly artistic product (violins, chocolate, clocks/watches) and there is a part of me that would want them and want them imported. Still, no part of me thinks that cheap and plastic fall in that category. I know that high tariffs are controversial and some say they only hurt the American economy. Still, it's hard to see how they could hurt more than it hurts now. I think we might need to look more long term.

Local, artisan cheese? I agree with a pp, put it with a nice cracker and serve or make a bread, cheese, and fruit board with it. This is always popular when I bring it. I make hm bread, get a couple of kinds of cheese (but in your case I would serve what you have) and two colors of grapes. For the bread just to make it pretty I will make a brown whole wheat and a white whole wheat and then braid and bake. It is so easy for the response it gets. ppl are funny . . . maybe you should serve with toothpicks.

My husband (and uncle buck :glare:) teaches algebra but despite whatever he is "supposed" to be doing he checks everything and assigns redo work for missed problems but he only counts tests for her grade. Oh, we paid for the whole shebang. We did get a paper discussing grading but we both knew that we were on the same page with grading so didn't worry about it. I do recall that the paper/dana/whatever states the obvious: parents ultimately decide on all that.

I absolutely do kiss my girl on the lips. In fact, one of my favorites is: In the name of the Father (kiss on forhead) and of the Son (kiss on lips) and the Holy (kiss on cheek) Spirit (kiss on other cheek). Amen (Eskimo Kiss in rhythm with the Amen) And if you want to be R.E.A.L.L.Y grossed out . . . I kissed her on the hand just this morning after she had been playing with wet chickens! So there! I can't be too disgusted to kiss my daughter on the lips!

THat's what I was thinking but also thinking shame on us . . .

So would that mean you'd never nurse your children?

I can't believe the timing! Just today, this very, very, day, we discussed trying out something like this. Long ago, oh, late elementary, we began each day with read aloud in bed with prayer. Then we moved to the couch and did some snuggly subjects, and finally got around to the other stuff. Then we sort of transitioned into getting up early and hitting the floor running. That worked for several years. Now, we've been sluggish in the mornings again. We have to be up by 6.15 no matter what anyway for mass/adoration but after that, it's hard to get moving. We tend to want to settle in and lounge over breakfast with good books and not get started for a good long time. So, Since we're out already we thougth we might do some kind of fitness to kick start our day. We did think about running but we wear skirts to church and would have to come home to change. That is an option, I guess. We also talked about going to a pilates mat class at the Y on T/R. We also talked about swimming laps -- I love lap swimming but my daughter isn't sure. She's on break from swim team and isn't sure she wants to go back or lap swim for fun. Anyway, my point is that, all of a sudden, we're just not ready for academics first thing any more. My daughter would prefer to start later and go later, even right up to bed time, rather than do school first thing. Today is really the first time we discussed this later alternative, tho. I don't really know what we're going to do.

No, we don't soft boil the Easter eggs. We hard-boil them and later, they are served as deviled eggs. I really do not like a hard-boiled egg at all. But I just love soft-boiled ones. really, it is just a few minutes difference so you wouldn't think it would make that much difference to my palate. Maybe, as a child, I was frightened by a hard-boiled egg.

:lol::lol::lol::lol: I wish it had been!

Whoa! Thanks! I cannot wait for breakfast tomorrow. My girlie will love it!

AH-HA! The grey edge . . . I MUST comment! When my husband boils an egg, it always has a grey edge around the yolk. For a wedding gift I rec'd Julia Child's book about cooking any and every thing under the sun. I couldn't really cook anything and began with boiling an egg. Come to find out, eggs aren't even boiled. According to Julia, it's a misnomer. Her method (and mine lo these many years) is to place the egg in cold water; place the pan on the fire; heat to the boiling point but do not boil the eggs; turn off fire and cover. Leave for 5-7 minutes (I've left longer with no grey edge) for perfect eggs. It didn't take long to notice that boiling the egg as my husband almost always results in a grey edge and cooking them per Julia never, ever, results in a grey edge. I wonder if that is why I don't like hard-boiled eggs . . . memories of my mom's and husband's grey tinged boiled eggs. I loved that cookbook. I didn't learn to cook much at home. My mom would always shoo me out of the kitchen. Later when I got married I was just clueless. Thank heaven for the friends that got me that cookbook. It probably saved my marriage from the start.

Probably not! We eat soft boiled eggs in egg cups with little spoons. salt is in a little container and we use the spoon to sprinkle. We eat hard-boiled eggs the same way (thought I do not like hard boiled eggs unless they are in a salad or deviled or something) but my husband usually eats his with hands unless we're at the table together. The he uses utensils. If I were voting, I'd vote egg cups. I have to tell you that I was astonished by my friends reaction to the egg cups. Not that her way is different but that she was so supprised. And I'll say that I'm astonished that ppl think that soft boiled eggs have runny whites or are served cold. ewwwwww!!!!!!! And in case you wonder what my FAVORITE way to eat an egg is, I LOVE them poached, served over roasted asparagus, over toasted bread. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and parmesan. MMMMMMmmm! and by poached I mean firm white, creamy yolk. maybe firm yolk outside, creamy inside. Editing to add: it is very important to note that the best part is dipping the toast crusts into the creamy, salty yolk. mmmmmmm!!!!!!

Oh, HA! Ring first then eat!

huh . . . maybe I'll have to do a poll with, "What is a soft-boiled egg to you?" A runny white would :eek: Soft boiled to me is firm white, firm outter yolk, creamy center yolk.

Oh, okay ewwww! No, we don't eat cold, soft-boiled eggs, either! The picnic was first with fun after. We took the eggs straight from the pot to the park and ate them hot. I'd think that cold, or at least held a room temp until we got to them, would be a health hazard!

Oh, there's the poll!

Awhile back we got together with friends for lunch at a nature park. Everyone brough his own lunch. We brought boiled eggs, bread, and fruit. The topic of *how* we eat boiled eggs became a topic of conversation. I was astonished by this thinking that everyone eats eggs the same way. So, I'm curious . . . how do you eat boiled eggs? eta: I removed "soft" since I don't think many ppl eat soft boiled and I don't think it matters to my question. ETA again! Stop being gross, ya'll! Soft boiled eggs are defined as firm white, firm outer yolk, creamy inner yolk. AND they are NEVER eaten cold! Piping hot only! And for the record . . . I don't eat cold hard boiled eggs, either.

I guess proper to me is that we ate something wholesome and homemade, at the table, in gratitude. The food selection itself is secondary. For the actual foods, honestly, I think the greatest breakfast ever invented is a soft-boiled egg, slice of homemade bread with a bit of butter, and fresh squeezed oj. I would rather have that than just about anything else. But I never want it first thing in the morning. I'm with those who say that it doesn't have to be traditional breakfast foods. We don't like pankakes or waffles and think boxed cereal is highway robbery. On Mondays I make a pot of soup/lentils/pasta/whatever for lunches and sometimes we have that for breakfast instead lunch. Sometimes we have the boiled eggs from above. Sometimes we have granola (I keep homemade granola on hand for meals or snacks on the go). Sometimes my favorite is berries and nuts and sometimes it's potato soup. In my real life I have tea till 11 or 12 and then have breakfast. I don't think tea by itself is a proper breakfast but it is what I like and want.

Get off the computer. really. that works for me. I spend too much time on the computer. When I fast from the computer or cut it waaaay down, I have all kinds of time. Honestly, when I am on the computer, I really, really, don't think I'm spending too much time on but when I'm off, it all opens up. I take sewing lessons, fiddle lessons, and I do needle work. I practice fiddle during the day as you would expect (30 min per day) and I spend an hour at sewing lessons and several hours per week sewing usually on weekends or some evenings -- we don't watch tv. I also take Latin, German, and GK with my daughter as a student and teach writing to my daughter and others. For embroidery, I take it everywhere. Sitting at the dentist, waiting for swim practice, during movie night, whatever, I have my embroidery with me and can do that and whatever else. Numero Uno: turn off the computer. off to take my own advice. ------ eta ----- I was in a huge hurry earlier and couldn't finish. I wanted to say this: I'm not really sure how to get this across but I go through periods when I get on the computer waaaaayyy too much. I'm going through one of those now. I know I'm getting online but I really do not feel that I'm on A LOT. and yet . . . I really can't get much done. Compounding that is having a singleton, one child. People who have multiple children tend not to know that one is so much more time comsuming that any other number (in the opinion of a mother with one). We never have the option of "please go play with your brother while I fix supper." or "Time to read to your brothers and sisters!" So, I guess looking for a little break or something I hop on the computer. I just spend a minute that one time but it never stays that way. It's like the rice and the chess board; it starts with one but on the third square/time I open the computer . . . and I don't even notice how it grows. Just one day, wham, for whatever reason I realize how much time i'm spending online. Then I do much better by cutting way down or fasting altogether. Its like yo-yo dieting. But when I'm off line, I have time for everything. When I"m online I have time for nothing eventhough I honestly, while I'm doing it, can't get much done at all.

I would like for my daughter to read a bio of Louis Pasteur with her Bio chapter. I'm actually at the library now and all they have are from those pitiful, inane series like Great Minds of Science, et c. They are seem to be written by someone paid to write another in a seriese of famous ppl and NOT written by someone in love with his subject and wants to share it with everyone. I would like a LP bio written by someone utterly smitten by LP/microbiology/et c. Any titles/authors for me?

Any ideas for free or really dog-gone-cheap resources for me to learn to play chess? I already pay a pretty penny for sewing and fiddle lessons so I'm just not willing to pay much at all for this. I'm also not sure what format would work best for me. I don't really think I'd like to spend MORE time online but then again, what else would be free? A book that could be got for cheap would be good, I guess. My husband and daughter can play but I just get frustrated playing with them. I'm still counting . . . one, pawn can go here, two, pawn can go here. One, two, three, horse can go here. My husband and his boss play at work and they play by the clock grabbing and flinging and clock smashing and I hate that. He can play like a normal person but he's still faster than anything I want to play. My daughter can play either way but somehow, if we have time for a game of chess, we have time for something else and never do it. I did ask my daughter to be my chess tutor and she was pretty excited about the idea but, as above, we'd probably never get around to it . . . unless we had a cool/interesting/really effective kind of book or lessons to follow. so, any ideas for mom to learn to play chess?

could you give us a specific name, brand, model or link? pretty please!

My (8th/9th grade) daughter will be starting her Greek year next year with Angelicum/GB. She has had Latin for y.e.a.r.s (several years b/f "Latin 1" had 1 and 2 then a yr off for Latin Reading and is now taking 3 for review and so she can take the NLE 3) and will have had Greek for one yr by then. She is very familiar with Roman History, less with Greek history. She definately knows her Roman/Greek myths and is very familiar with Norse and others. She studies the Bible, just about has Aesop memorized plus many other fable collections. She just LOVES Shakespeare but has only read R & J, Comedy of Errors, and a couple of others. She has seen those plus oh . . . the one on the island. She has never read the Greek plays, though, so since she likes shakespeare so much, we'll add those. My question is this: given her bkground, what would you suggest she read to prepare for next year? This is the list of books she"ll be reading: The Great Conversation by Adler The Iliad by Homer The Odyssey by Homer Theogeny by Hesiod The Complete Fables of Aesop Greek Tragedies – Volumes 1,2,3 Histories by Herodotus Plato – The Collected Dialogues Landmark Thucydides – The Peloponnesian War Greek Lives by Plutarch Aristophones – Clouds and Birds Euclid – Book 1 Basic Works of Aristotle