I used to hate looking at my money... then I got YNAB. Now my favorite day of the week is the day I get our paycheck... so I can give every delicious dollar a job. I think I'm addicted. :(

You could also look into the Bulletproof diet - it's pretty much a higher quality version of Paleo. Also look at your sleep/stress level. These can both really stall your progress. Autoimmune protocol is worth a look too. What is your daily diet like?

Any mix of meat and veggies is usually safe. Watch the sauces - and double check on things like rice, dairy and corn, some people with Celiacs have issues with those too.

Just completed reading WTM (skimming through resources and such). It really helped expand my views on schooling (and not just at home) and helped me realize how bad my own education really was. I'll definitely be keeping this book around to act as a reference for a while. 5. The Well-Trained Mind (Jan 31) 4. The No-Cry Sleep Solution (Jan 29) 3. Redwall (Jan 23) 2. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie (Jan 22) 1. The Four Hour Chef (Jan 1)

Portland is a very nice area. I love visiting there. I'm from just north of you in WA, but stuck for the next year in GA... the difference is quite amazing. I think I definitely prefer the NW.

What is your budget? I personally only use Lenovo, it's a more expensive brand but they often have sales. They have one 17' laptop (http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/essential/g-series/g780/) that may be worth looking into, for about $600. I haven't tried this one personally, but I've had my T410 for years and it's been the best laptop I've had.

A lot of the religious based curriculum is simply higher quality than the limited amount of secular curriculum available.

Mine works just fine. :)

Most my close friends are men. I've simply always gotten along better with men than I have most women. I wouldn't think twice about going to Starbucks and getting some coffee with one of them if we were both free. Of course, I'd invite my DH along if he was free too. Maybe it helps that he knows them as well? I know his friends, and he knows mine. We'll often hang out in groups and have a great time as well (the one on one thing [for either of us] doesn't happen much, we're all so busy). It has never been an issue.

This is worth a try. I didn't need to have a sleep study done due to having the strep throat history and having obviously large tonsils.

My son isn't tired either. He's currently enjoying dumping the food he doesn't want all over the floor to "give to the dog".

I had sleep apnea as well as frequent strep throat due to my large tonsils. I had to get them out in high school. I'd definitely get them looked at if you can, life was miserable before I was able to get them out.

Just read the No-Cry Sleep Solution, in an effort to get my son to sleep through the night without me having to get up almost hourly. We'll see how her suggestions work tonight... I foresee having to revisit this book throughout the week, however. ;) 4. The No-Cry Sleep Solution (Jan 29) 3. Redwall (Jan 23) 2. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie (Jan 22) 1. The Four Hour Chef (Jan 1)

I wasn't meant to sleep this morning either... the one year old woke up when DH left for work at 5am and ha been grumpy and tired since, refusing to go back to sleep. When he finally takes his nap, I'm going to be one happy momma.

They can only charge that fee if they don't accept AmEx, from what I've read about it... I may be totally mistaken though.

Breakfast about 8 or 9, dinner at about 5 or 6. Breakfast depends when we wake up, really. And dinner depends on when DH is home from work. Since it's just my one year old and myself during the day, we don't really have a formal lunch. We eat when we're hungry.

That is one beautiful room. It's going to look great once the books have moved in!! I've always dreamed of having a library. One with a wood fireplace and some nice cushy couches in a corner. I don't think I'd ever leave.

Credit card (that we pay in full every month). We get money back every time we do, so it's a no-brainer. If there is some kind of fee, we use our debit or cash.

I eat bacon and eggs not EVERY morning, but pretty close.

I'm currently reading two books. :) I'm well known for reading many books at a time... But usually no more than one fiction book at a time. This time around they're both non-fiction. :)

Poor guy. Hope he recovers quickly!!

As I'm reading through TWTM, in preparation for when my children are old enough to homeschool, a question came to mind that I'd like to ask you all. I'm not a natural public speaker. Or a natural teacher. I'm easily flustered and often feel uncomfortable when I'm trying to teach something. I'm also not a native English speaker, which often has me fishing for the right words and makes it more difficult to really feel comfortable when I'm trying to teach a subject. I also hate telling people what to do, and people can notice that and tend to try to walk over me. However, I plan to teach my children, and I feel that in order to give them the best education I possibly can, I need to grow a lot more comfortable in these skills. I know many of you probably felt the same when you were starting out. ;) So tell me - what are ways to feel more comfortable/natural teaching children? Did you do anything to make this easier for you, or did "practice make perfect"? I've been making sure to read out loud - a lot. My books, my son's books, whatever I can get my hands on. Even if he isn't listening, I am feeling much more comfortable reading out loud already. I am also joining Toastmasters once we move back to the west coast in November to practice my speaking skills. And, lastly, I'm always reading and learning more. The more comfortable I am with a subject, the easier it is for me to talk about. Any tips for me? :)

My big plan is doing laundry and buying some food. I know, I know. You can stop being jealous that I live such an exciting life. ;)

I haven't taken this course, but Coursera has a guitar course coming up sometime in the near future that may (or may not) be worth a look.

My kiddo was BFed, but 3 days doesn't seem unusual. If she seems uncomfortable or if it lasts much longer, I'd mention it to the doctor.