Mexico and Croatia. I'm cheering for Mexico and crushing on Ochoa big time! He is sooooo cute!

We were on the way to DS's guitar recital (dh had to pull me away from the tv, "we're gonna be late honey") and he asked, as we were driving, "well, can we get it in the radio?" It's one thing to watch a game when you can't understand the commentary, but it's absolutely useless to listen to a game in the radio when you can't understand the commentary. Lol!

I have several. One is pretty good sized and I use that one to write the kids' daily assignments on. I have a couple of lap sized ones and those are great for diagramming sentences on. My boys both have terrible writing and they do better with a large space to do the diagramming. I kind of like the idea of doing assignments on white boards. Saves paper.

I grow Japanese cucumbers. Never bitter!

I wouldn't have a first grader do book 4. I probably wouldn't even have him do book 3. Do something else for history.

Well, I missed the end. Darn it! DS's guitar recital.

Close, but no goal! :( Edited: gooooaaaaaaaal! Estados Unidos!

Well, I don't think they think you want to listen to their music. They really aren't thinking about you at all. And therein lies the problem....

Well, they certainly aren't getting off to a very good start!

No kidding. Mine are having a horrible time of that. And my cucumbers are dying, too. My dream garden would have no dead cucumbers.

Well, you need to watch Univision, then ;) They are very enthusiastic and we have learned to tell by the length and volume of their commentary what they are saying since we can't understand them. If they say ,"goooaaall" but not very loud, then they are stating that it was a shot at a goal but the goal was missed. But "goooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllll" means, just that! And I love the commercials.

Well, I'm glad it's age. I guess. I never really thought he had ADD, but I just can't figure out how a child can have absolutely no capacity to entertain himself. He has tremendous energy, but there are not a lot of opportunities for him to work it off. I wish there were. I wish we had a swimming pool or something that he could get some physical exercise.

Schoolwork, other than the fact that he hates it and doesn't want to do it, he can complete it. He can sit for 30+ minutes and listen to a story read aloud and repeat back to you what happened. He doesn't have mood swings and he is basically honest. He lies to not get in trouble but.... He doesn't manipulate emotionally or feign remorse. He doesn't put effort into anything. He could be a good athlete, but he doesn't try. And he doesn't seem particularly interested in sports. He is smart. But he puts no effort into school work. He is not a teachable person. He always "knows" how to do everything. But then he really doesn't, it flops and he loses whatever minimal interest he had on whatever it was. It's very frustrating.

I have an 11 year old son who seems to be completely incapable of entertaining himself. Or finding something to do. He is a difficult child to begin with. He is self-centered, very argumentative and thrives on conflict. But this is our first week of Summer Vacation and I am about ready to start school again. He's difficult in school, but at least it gives him something to do. He has been a nightmare. I can understand the general boredom a child experiences, I did when I was a kid, but that usually didn't last too long and I was able to find something to do. I didn't have siblings or neighbors to entertain me, and my tv was limited, but I found stuff to do. But this one.... he bugs his siblings, picks fights, is disobedient and defiant to me. Yesterday he got sent to his room because I just couldn't deal with him. His other four sibs were playing out here. It was peaceful. There was laughter. They were having fun. He asked if he could come out. I told him he could if he behaved. In less than five minutes he had disrupted their game, there was yelling, crying, etc. Don't suggest chores. It would be a battle. He does get a limited amount of screen time, but he would love to just do it all day long. He plays with the neighbor, but the neighbor is at Disneyland now and will be taking a cruise next month. Yes, he will go to camp, and we'll have VBS for a couple weeks, so he will have something to occupy him in time, but still, there will be a lot of down time this summer. What is wrong with a kid who cannot find something to entertain himself?we don't live on the moon. We have books to read. He has a science kit he can work with. He has Legos and toys. He poo-poos any of my suggestions. His bike and skateboard are thrashed because he refuses to take care of anything he owns. He breaks things, and loses things and flat out doesn't take care if things so DH and I don't allow him to use our things. There are opportunities to earn a little $ besides allowance around here, but he doesn't want to work to earn $. I mean, he really is impossible and he has completely exhausted my patience.

For my boys, since they are on round 2 of the history cycle, we are tying in history and literature. Last year we studied the Ancients and read: Black Ships Before Troy and the Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliffe Jason and the Golden Fleece by Padraic Colum The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Spear Mara Daughter of the Nile The Epic of Gilgamesh by Geraldine McCaughrean The Eagle of the ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe In Search of a homeland (the Aenid) The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw God King and Hittite Warrior by Joanne Williamson I know I am missing some. It was an excellent book list, I think. You can't hit every good book at an age level and I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, since it really helps you immerse yourself in the time period you are studying.

I enjoy fruit infusions. I'll take a big pitcher of water and throw in cut up citrus fruit, a fresh pineapple core, frozen strawberries, and a little stevia and then let it sit in the fridge over night. It makes a very nice flavored water. I just keep a big glass filled up with ice and then keep filling it with fruit water throughout the day and take sips. If I'm lazy, or don't have fruit, then I'll just put fresh mint leaves in water with a little stevia and refrigerate over night.

Well, yeah, they didn't play well, and Benaglio, was pretty bad. I guess I just get embarrassed by players who don't seem to be playing well. Does that seem weird?

Finished my nap, the soccer game and a load of laundry to be folded. Now.... clean up!

well..... there may be some of that. I won't deny it. It's hard to get used to new technology. I don't hate it, but I'm not enamored by it, either. I wouldn't blame all of society's ills on it but..... it certainly has come with its share of problems. The least of which being a generation who thinks texting is a great way to communicate. Texting is a good way to transfer information, but texting is not true communication. Selfies....well, I'm not sure what it's a sign of, but I get little sick of them. "Look at me! Look at me! Look at me do this! Now, look at me do that!"

Those poor Swiss! They're really getting stomped on!

Oh, honey! I am so sorry! I'm 46. Let me tell you my story. It all started in November last, when I started gaining weight and the old diet tricks didn't work. At all. I've put on 10-15 lbs. and cannot take it off. Then, In April, I got a yeast infection prior to AF, then AF came for a week. She left, I immediately got another yeast infection (or maybe the same one? Though had I treated it) and a week later, AF again. Rinse. Repeat. Yes, I had AF three times in April, and when she wasn't there I had a yeast infection. I went to my GP and am on a 3 mo. treatment of Diflucan. I also had crazy, whacky emotions. (I'd get off the phone with my mom after talking about general things, and start to cry; I'd scream at the kids for minor offenses). I did go to my GYN. and she put me on a very low dose of bcp. So, I started that at the end of May and a week later AF came again, and stayed for 2 weeks. While I was on the Pill. She never stays that long. Suffice it to say, I am on a stronger dose of bcp and that's the only thing that stopped AF. My GYN. Also ordered blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound. I have no advice. I know some people don't like the hormone route, but I was actually getting scared, and needed some relief. We'll see how this works for me.

What a great story! All five of our kids are adopted and they are younger than yours, so we're several years behind you regarding finding birth parents, but I know it's coming!

Drum roll please.........(rat-a-tat-tat)....: I made a phone call to a VBS volunteer. Of course, I had to leave a message, but still.... I did it. If that's all I accomplish today, I'll be feeling good. I hate making phone calls to people I know. I don't mind scheduling appointments and such, but actual phone calls.... Ugh!

Well, I probably fall someplace between frumpy and a fashion plate. Most of my clothes I get from Target, but I do my hair and make-up every day. I wear "mom jeans" (I guess that's what you call jeans fitted at the waist, although they are 5-pocket and not pull on). But after reading the frumpy threads I decided, while shopping at Walmart, to buy a little knit dress and see how that goes. It was cheap, and I have no idea how it's going to wash, but anyhow... I wore it on Tuesday of this week and my oldest DS, the one who doesn't see anything past his nose said, "is that a new dress Mom? It looks nice on you!" I about passed out cold on the floor. So..... sometimes people do notice. But I think the most important person to please is yourself!

Good Morning Girlfriends! Tress, good to hear from you again! Kristi, take it easy! Today.... ** work on VBS stuff ** continue with the somehow unending job of cleaning the school room ** watch World Cup ** DS's last guitar lesson for the summer