Not only do I have a Rival which probably has lead, but it never worked great anyway (had hotspots that burned every time). I need one that has a low setting that actually cooks low and a timer to start up on its own (do any have this feature? bread machines do, I figure slow cookers should too! lol). And of course, I need one known to be lead free ;) Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

bump Just curious what everyone thinks of the books for the first unit. :)

You just described me to a T (not the first 5 though...I didn't know that 6th had a name!) - same hours for waking/energy/sleeping. Even the midnight house cleaning :001_huh: I wish I had some advice because I could use some too! I have given up caffeine and I am trying to move towards a more natural, whole foods diet so that I can start figuring out ME not being affected by all that stuff. I have been taking melatonin though hoping to get to sleep earlier. I just had bloodwork done to check for thyroid issues (mom has graves), still waiting on those results.

Not sure if it was just in the plans, or if they have designed it, but there was going to be optional solar panels so it could charge sitting in the parking lot or driveway all day. My husband and I were really considering getting one when they come out......I hope they still do.

Nancy..that sounds great. That's what I'm going for. :) I was going to print out the Egypt study and give it a test run, but realized I don't have any resource books. And our library is lame. What does everyone think of the books for unit 1? I was thinking that maybe I would purchase them. Whether we use TOG or not, we will cover that information at some point, so I figure it can't be a bad purchase (unless the books stink? lol). Thanks for the input everyone. Mindy - those blog links were very helpful!

Thanks! I see you have a 10 yr old and 11.5 yr old. Other than preparing ahead of time, how parent intensive is it on a daily basis? I don't mind prep time. I spend maybe 1-2 hrs a week pulling together MFW and all of the other stuff we use (and additional time every couple of weeks getting materials from the library). The independent part that I like is I can go over the days work when we first get started and just send her on her way. This also allows her to escape into another room to get away from the littles lol

I see a lot of people say they wish they could change the title when they make a mistake, or just don't know how to edit it. I just thought I'd share this.... When you are in the forum view (and you basically just see a list of all the threads), you can double click just to the right of your thread title and it turns into an input box so you can edit it :D You can also click on your thread, click edit, then click "go advanced" and change it there. But the double click thing is easier! I noticed though, this forum is set up so after a certain time your post is no longer editable. Not sure how long that is though.

I shouldn't have gone looking because now I want it :tongue_smilie: How parent intensive is it? Right now it's working for us to have my dd (5th) work independently on a lot of stuff. I'll have a somewhat hyperactive 4 yr old to work into the routine next year as well, so he'll probably need a lot of attention (like the littles don't already demand it :D). Would buying just the first unit of Year 1 give me a good feel for how the whole program works? I'm kind of dense when it comes to figuring out new curricula. It takes me a while to find a groove. I appreciate any input!

Well that's good to know! We've been going through a lot of it :blush:

Wait a minute.....parchment paper can be reused? I've been tossing it out every time. It gets crinkly and brown. Is there a huge difference in quality?

We have a Can O' Worms set up in the garage (set it up in Feb). The kids haven't been interested in it really beyond dumping the worms in there initially. Well, the second time too after the major die off. Apparently I got a little carried away in feeding them. :tongue_smilie: We got a few thousand more and they are doing great now. They don't want to move up from the lower bin though.

mmmmmmm kraft powder crap in a can Actually, we buy the generic kind :tongue_smilie:The only thing we use it on is garlic toast maybe 2-3 times a month.

Surely a little mess is worth some funnel cake! (as long as he cleans it up, right? lol) That is the FIRST thing I look for whenever we go to a fair! Funnel cake mix in the pantry? I don't know why I never thought to make this at home. Or.....maybe I did....sounds messy lol

For pockets, I like Fuzzi Bunz and Blueberry's (snap closure more so than velcro). For inserts, all I use is microfiber inserts. They work great, but soap seems to build up easily in them. If I had to buy all over again, I'd try stuffing with flats. I also like prefolds, snappis and PUL covers like Bummis. You can convert prefolds into "prefitteds" (shaped with elastic in the legs) pretty easy too. I'd like those a lot better if my sewing skills were a little better :tongue_smilie: I'm probably a bigger fan of fitteds (SOS :001_wub:) and wool though :D

I tried to reply but I couldn't find the right words to explain it, you both did a great job :D That's how I see it as well. This might be the wrong choice of words, but watching those stories keeps me on the side of feeling impassioned rather than apathetic. There's just something about a story that exercises every emotion (fear, anger, sadness, disgust, etc); it doesn't let you forget.

We saw it. I thought it was a good movie. Heartbreaking and disturbing, yet still an excellent movie. I usually buy any movie that I thought was good, but I don't think I'll buy this one when it comes out. The type of violence in this movie just leaves me with an awful feeling. I don't want to see it again, but I don't regret seeing it once.

When we asked our library about renewing a book, they told us they don't do that, just keep the book as long as you need it and pay a fine. That's why they give you a $2 coupon off library fees when you return your books in their "smart sort" (automated check in). We now have a ton of those coupons piling up. I'd probably keep the book and just return it as soon as I was done.

My youngest dds first tooth was on the top, one lonely snaggletooth lol The second top started poking through before the first was fully out though. I thought it was cute! With my oldest having us wonder if she even HAD teeth at almost 1.5 yr (had a whopping 4 teeth by 2 yrs lol) and my middle working on 8 at a time around 1 yr, I didn't really have any expectations for normal with my 3rd. The second will probably pop through soon though :D

I'd probably just go ahead and use the plan you found with high percentages for insurance, etc. If it is a good plan, and realistic (for the near future), they would come to expect those as a normal part of a budget. Just have them put it in savings for the time being.

I was about to choose that it didn't bother me much (picturing little mice scurrying across the floor)....then I read about mouse poo in the bread box :ack2: I didn't think about that. I chose 5.

You're not alone! My battery only lasts about 1-2 minutes now. I keep it plugged in all the time too, that's bad? :001_huh: I always thought it was because of the times I'd leave it on and plugged in, and it would get accidentally unplugged and die. I think getting a new battery is what you'll need. I need to get one soon too.

This is what we do too. We get everyone a "big present", something they really want. This could be a Nintendo DS for my 10 yr old, but a $30 transformer voice changing helmet for my 4 yr old lol. As they all get older and will notice, we'll probably use $ amount as a guide more.

You are a very kind person for thinking of her and making sure she has a meal. Too many times we've gone to group meals and were hard pressed to find anything to eat (no dairy, no artificial color). Sometimes even at my in-laws :glare: Some things you (and with the help of the pastor's wife) might try is to make a list of gluten free recipes, borrow a cookbook (she probably has something you could borrow) and maybe even print out a big list of gluten-free products (like brands, ingredients to watch out for, etc - I am assuming this is somewhere on the internet though lol). I agree with what was mentioned before, everybody should make an effort to accommodate her since the potluck was part of the agreement. If you gather some recipes/info to print out, it might be good to write a small note with some Biblical encouragement to get everyone on board :D

Have you seen the holiday catalog Rainbow Resource sent out? I'm sure you could get tons of ideas from it. I plan to do a bit of Christmas shopping there myself :D

If you've also got milk, peanut butter, butter and quick oats, how about no bake cookies? I realize this isn't baking.....I wasn't sure you needed to bake or just needed something sweet lol