As I posted before, my now 10 y.o. read them all the fall she was 7. I think there were many things in them that she didn't necessarily have the age/experience to process (teenage angst, for example) but that didn't particularly vex her or slow her down. My children aren't particularly sensitive, either. I might feel differently if they were. I don't censor reading material, generally speaking. I might tell them they're done with something - the dreadful fairy series... Rainbow, Jewels, Pets, blech - because they are stuck in a rut, and I may suggest they put something off because of the maturity of subject matter - when my eldest wanted to read The Lovely Bones and Lucky as a young teen, we discussed the subject and her comfort with it, particularly in Lucky - but if they're interested and it's not too far outside the realm of appropriate, they can read as they like. That's been my policy for 17 or 18 years, since my eldest daughter started reading... Of course, we've not had interest in Twilight and other drek expressed, so it is entirely possible I could put together a "banned book" list in the future.

Yup, that's them

How do you mean? Like using powdered in a mix to just add water? Or reconstituting it and then adding your favorite chocolate milk stuff?

Um, I don't think "butt floss" is a try-on sort of thing. :ack2: For me, yeah, I'm just not a fan of having the line of my clothing interrupted by VPL. I don't particularly freak out over it. There are lots of infomercials for undergarments that make a smooth foundation.. Remember the Underalls of the, what, 1970s? Maybe that's when it started - form fitting polyester fashion.

That is so neat! I was just thinking of you the other day when a HD trailer was on, and I was wondering when your segment was going to air. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, do. I have put it on three different computers over the years & each time she gave me my download code. All updates are free as well. Actually, if you use the reschedule from the menu (not right click) you don't have to select them all. (a tidbit that's sort of buried in the user manual) We, too, have had HST+ on multiple computers over the years. We just got a new PC and I couldn't even use my (6 year old) disk to load it. They were quite prompt in sending me a download link for the new version. Great customer service. Amazingly adaptable program.

My 10 year old read them all over the course of 6 weeks when she was 7. (and has re-read them many times since) I haven't read the 7th book. As long as I don't read it, it's not over. :crying:

About a quarter inch of buttercream beyond the crumb coat. Anything fluffy and light is deeper. Whipped genache is about the same as buttercream, poured is thinner... Really, the only time I'd use less than a quarter inch of buttercream would be if I was covering it with fondant.

Think Hitchcock. That's Twilight Zone weirdness right there.

My God. I thought you'd been robbed. (apparently by homeschoolers.:lol:) Yes, I remember that in my parents' neighborhood in the 80s. I was a teenager, and was completely shocked. And I'm always feeling like something is amiss at my in-laws' place, too. No books. But no bookshelves either, so it's not glaring. I don't understand how people live without books. How weird.

No, I have to agree: there's no such thing as "mouse". You have mice. Traps should be placed along the walls (they're wall runners). Snap traps may or may not catch them. They may have found something like better than peanut butter. I have no idea what goes on in the mind of a mouse. They're clever, but habitual. We tried the live traps. After a while, we were putting two very bored looking mice out every morning. We tried the self-contained no-touch traps, bit they didn't actually kill so well, and my husband ended up freeing a bunch of live, traumatized mice. We've had good luck with the electrocution traps. They're quick, work well, easy to empty... Good luck.

Yes. Stress (physical, psychological, emotional) has a huge effect on women's libidos. As you mentioned, you have to be able to set aside all the stuff Nd be engaged mentally. A friend of mine jokes that, while men have an "empty <mental> box" they can go to (and literally think about nothing), we don't. And if we did, we'd fill it up! Antidepressants can also have a huge impact. Huge. As can vitamin deficiencies, quality of diet, exercise, etc. Everything is inter-related and the libido seems to be one of the first thing affected when everything gets out of balance. Call it a "lull" (they do happen, for many reasons), and see where you want to make small, positive life changes that will all add up. :grouphug:

Assuming the common notion that women tend to peak in our 30s, I've not slowed down much if at all. There have, of course, been lifestyle lulls here and there, regardless of the decade I've been in.

Well... In my world, all wool - including cashmere - is technically machine washable. I just wash it on the delicate or hand-wash cycle in my front loader, then dry it on the rack in the dryer on low heat or air after I squeeze most of the moisture out in a towel. I'm not a big fan of superwash wool, but Plymouth Encore is a wool/acrylic blend than knits up pretty nicely and doesn't feel too creepy when wet. (wet acrylic is like nails on a chalkboard to me)

In my house, it's navel-gazing. The 6.5 yos are simply choosing to not engage. They seem to have no issue when there's perceived competition or when they for some other reason are wanting to do the (exact same) work. We also found that setting time limits worked. There is a time limit for how long I will go over problems. I go over fewer of them I they fool around. Likewise, there is a time limit for how long they are given for their independent work. If it's not finished, they do it during their play time. Shockingly, most days they stay on task (for the most part... They are young still, after all). But some of that is having a twin... That ship has sailed for you. :D It's improving with consistency and as they approach 7.

Interesting. That's why I NEED to have a plan. Then I always know what comes next and can plod along to that. Otherwise, I look around, see all the things that need to be done, and get overwhelmed. Funny how one person's sanity saver is another person's stressor. :D

I thought I found one at the National Defense University, but it turned out to be something else and just a figment of my faulty visual recognition system. For the 30 seconds it took me to backtrack and look again, I was a very confused woman.

Yup, we cleared that up with cursive for the boys. For 6 year olds, I am very impressed with their handwriting, too.

The Amish seem to be making a fine show of it. I envy my Amish friend sometimes... she does all the same things I do, but they a) take her longer, b) take more physical effort and c) she has 8 kids and a farm! And she gets it all done. I need to channel that. (maybe sitting here, typing away, instead of cleaning the kitchen is not the best way to go about this. just sayin') (also, I think Rosie is correct. "Plodder" sounds so much less skeevy in a thread title.)

I hate to mention it, but it may be possible that your dinner and laundry fairies have been driven off by the evil, sock-stealing gnomes. We've had an infestation for years. :glare: No fairies.

test Was that, perchance, the MDC boards? I only asked because there is a very vocal radical unschooling / Waldorf purist crew there. I recall being called <essentially> a fascist many years ago when I dared fly my freak "Classical" flag. I enjoyed my time on their boards very much, but am grateful that some posters booted me toward the (old) boards here. ;)

Aaaah, good old opportunity cost. My kids have to keep learning about that. :D No, I never think on what they might be missing in a large group setting. We did a co-op for 6 years, and I never saw any inherent bonus in group classes (which is why we did it in the first place and, subsequently why we gave it up) I don't think ps teachers have any more tricks up their sleeves than experienced homeschoolers, either. They may have a different style, but, then, so might anyone else. You know?

Me, too.

:eek: Five layers on a Victorian roof? I can't even imagine digging into that! (Roofers are special, special people!) In humidity central - Chesapeake Bay area - I worry not at all about moisture. Our house was built in the 1860-1870 range. Those Victorians knew how to ventilate a house. And 100+ year old houses are just not air tight; they exchange plenty of air and do not have the same issues as newer construction. Now, if someone could clue me in as to where they put their furniture that took the place of closets with all these windows and doors, that would be nifty. :D

No joke! And our neighboring county's summer reading list for 5th graders? Captain Underpants and Magic Tree House. (Nothing against either of them, per se, but they do not belong on a 5th grade reading list IMO) Thankfully, our tiny, rural library system seems to have a great selection of more challenging reads for the younger set. I'm not even sure if we have a stand-alone YA section... it may be that I just haven't looked, though.