Hey, scubamama..I'm right there with ya. My ds8 has never liked sports. I made him try one thing per year until he finally was able to articulate to me how he felt....or maybe I finally was able to hear what he was saying. This year when I asked if he wanted to play basketball like ds6 he asked me, "is that an individual sport" (can you tell we're not sportsaholics, he didn't even know what it was!). When I explained that there were other kids there, he said he'd rather try something that was just him and the instructor. He told me that when there are a bunch of other kids he can't understand what the coach wants him to do and feels like the coach spends more time on the kids who are screaming and yelling (his words) than on him. SO...I let him pick guitar lessons. And he goes to the Y about 3 mornings a week and swims laps with his dad. When I asked him why he liked swimming and not other sports, he said, "well, in swimming, I can tell if I'm getting better and I can think." I don't think he'll ever be a "team sports" kind of kid, and dh is slooooowwwly coming to grips with that. The kid gets plenty of excersise, climbing trees, running around on our 13 acres and we do "nature hikes" together as a family. IMO team sports are not all they're cracked up to be....especially at such a young age. I've been thinking of looking into that thing where you use a compass to find coordinates and hike around to find flags....<---wow! what an articulate sentence. I have no idea what this activity is called (someone help me) but seems like it would be something that he'd like based on his rationale for liking swimming. So, I guess, to come to a point I'll just say that I wish I had not spent so much time making my ds try every team sport under the sun and go more with what I could kinda see in his personality all along. How much happier would we have been if ds wasn't miserable doing team sports, dh wasn't grumpy about ds not knowing (or wanting to know) how to catch, and I wouldn't have been crabby about spending time and money forcing my kid to just "finish the season".

Hi! We have our own garden and love, love, love fresh green beans. Here's an alternate way to cook them prepare beans as previously mentioned put small amount EVOO in pan throw in some garlic (minced fresh or from a jar) & saute briefly, until the garlic just starts to get kinda brown toss in the green beans, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top and saute until the beans are crunchy-done. we love this...even the kiddos 'cuz they don't eat any "mushy" vegis.

You may have already taken care of this, but if not here's a suggestion: In our area WalMart has a NP (Nurse Practitioner) in a walk-in clinic. It is never busy, no "knife & gun club," and a visit is $40, not including any Rx you may need. They also accept most insurance. This is where I go when I know I don't want to wait in the ped's office for hours and it's not bad enough for the emergency room. In some areas of the country I think some drugstores have this service, too. As a nurse working on her MSN, I would trust an NP for just about anything. I hope this doesn't ruin your entire holiday weekend.:grouphug:

I'm so glad for this thread and the many, many good suggestions. Especially about the scheduling and not freaking out! I'm having a problem with SOTW. I'm using Vol 3 for my ds6 & ds8 because they went to a classical school last year for K & 2nd grade, respectively and I'm trying to pick up where they left off. I don't know what I should be expecting of my ds6 (almost 7). He listens to the chapters, but most of the activities are too much for him or to "babyish" -his term for coloring pages. So far, all I've managed to do is read the chapters, discuss, and pick out some questions from the activity pages. I don't have a problem with ds8 because I make him re-read the chapter for a reading exercise and narrate a summary to me (we're struggling with handwriting). He has excellent comprehension & retention so I feel like he's "getting" it. Any advice?

I realize this may not work for some of you....but we put all the gift giving onto Santa. My kids are still young-ish and I have no objection to childhood fantasy so Santa is my fall guy. Our rule is that we don't buy presents for one another at Christmastime, because Christmas is not about gifts. Santa, however does bring each child one substantial gift and leaves it under the tree (unwrapped....Santa's a slacker) for them to find Christmas Morning. They also have a few gifts to unwrap from out of town family and stockings filled with traditional stuff (a few pieces of candy, an orange, flashlights, maybe a new game for their Leapster). Then when the catalogs start rolling in and wants start being expressed, all I have to say is...well, that's up to Santa. Don't pester me about what you want. I do, however give them each a gift on Christmas Eve and it is always new PJ's that they wear to bed that night (nice for pictures the next morning). Our Christmas mornings are very relaxed. The kids play with their one gift, I drink coffee and dh makes breakfast. Then we get dressed and go to Grandmas for the chaos that is extended family. We do Church Christmas Eve. Last year my ds (then 7) asked if there really was a Santa. In return I asked him "what do you think?" He pondered a moment and then said...."Well, you don't have any money, and dad wouldn't buy us toys, so I guess it has to be Santa."

WoooHoooo.....I wondered who was gonna take it there. If Obama gets elected here's one gal who willl faithfully tune in for every presidential address.....now if only he'd do them shirtless..........;)

Maybe you're right....I'm new to this thread. But not for me. Of course, I've always been far to liberal for my conservative friends and much to conservative for my liberal friends...thankfully they (all 2 of them:D) tolerate me...to my face anyways. I do sense a lot of eye rolls.

LOL - My daughter has done that, but not to do chores. She just loves cowgirl boots. And, since she has brothers (& she's only 4), she likes to go "bare belly" in the summer and pee outside. Gotta love the country life. ...errr I hope that's not just me....please someone tell me I'm not the only mom raising a dd princess/tomboy.

Even though I haven't truly decided which person I'm voting for I am excited about living through this historic time. For my daughter's sake, I'm happy that Palin will be a role model for her. I don't want my daughter to have to choose between family and ambition/calling. What a role model for women. For my sons' sakes, I'm happy to show them Obama and say, look, he didn't come from a perfect life, wasn't born into the privliged life, but look what he has done with a lot of hard work. Two American Success stories, no matter which party you identify yourself with. If this doesn't say "In America, anything is possible" nothing does. ....and now back to your regularly scheduled politics....

Let me preface my comments by saying I truly do not mean to offend anyone and I realize I am new here and do not want to risk being ill thought of in my first few days on the block...... That said, I have a question. What does "Man being head of household" have to do with a woman's profession/abilities/calling? Is it an assumption that "head of household" means that the man must be the one "out front" all the time? If a woman is exceptionally gifted/motivated/whatever and happens to be married, does it mean that she must put all personal goals/callings away? Is it not possible for the man to be the spiritual head of the household AND the woman to pursue her calling. If the man stays home and nurtures children, is he automatically not "head of household?" If a woman makes more money or has more drive to achieve professional goals does that automatically make her not submissive? Are these things mutually exclusive? And does this all mean that no woman, in the Christain mindset/belief structure is allowed to run anything (a family, school district, corporation, country?). Sorry so long, but this issue has really brought me some confusion...

The absolute best part of hs'ing for me is that I don't have to spend so much (time, thought) on clothes. My boys want to wear the same thing every day....now I can let them, until it walks itself to the laundry. Actually I steal their fav t-shirt/shorts when they're sleeping and put them in the laundry. Last year we had to worry about private school uniforms which got ripped at school and were not acceptable. Before that I literally had to buy my ds 3 or 4 of the exact same thing so he'd at least have clean clothes he would wear to school...other moms at ps thought he never changed his clothes. Of course dd4 will change her clothes several times throughout the day. I just make sure everyone is clean/presentable when we go to town. Oh, and I do require pants AND shirts before going downstairs to hs in the am.

And, for the record, I worry about Obama family, as well. I personally know it is hard as a wife to give up career, home, familiar to support hubby's career decision. Not to mention the intense scrutiny from media/us. How can that be normal for any kids regardless of whether it is mom or dad who is the candidate. However, I don't think it is necessarily sacrificing family to pursue personal goals. Could I be more "on the fence" about this issue? hmmmm....

So...you're saying you're anti-woman? <-----please know that this is said to be FUNNY, Colleen. Kinda a tounge-in-cheek poke at stirring things up. Personally, I can see both sides of the issue. I have been a SAHM, Full-time working mom & now part-time working mom. Each has its own special issues. I have also been internally driven to achieve my own career goals and balancing that with the needs of my kiddos/family life makes for some very tough choices that from the outside may not seem best, and maybe were not best, but we muddle through and live and learn and make decisions the best we can with the current situation/information. I'm excited to see a woman achieve this kind of status, but also wonder about the family sacrifices.

Just a thought...then they could travel around the world with VP. AND he could come on the boards here and get better advice than all the presidential advisors put together!;)

What an adventure! I'd do it in a heartbeat....that is, if I were remotely qualified for VP (surprised McCain people didn't call ME!). I assume she'll have at least the kind of help dh & I had when Military moved us...someone else came in and packed up the whole house, drove the boxes/furniture to new house, placed boxes/furniture in correct room. Of course there will be issues, adjustments, etc., but isn't that what life and adventure are all about? I'm not downplaying the significance or "hardness" of the VP job, but she'll have MUCH more help (before, during & after the move) then, say, the mom who just took a job as VP of the local bank, or VP of Marketing firm, etc. Not to mention access to the best whatever available for whatever need arises. I'm sure her kids will have unique psychological needs, but so did the Chelsea & the Bush Twins and it seems as if they have adjusted. I am so excited about this historic election....even though I'm not entirely sure who I'll vote for yet! Such great examples to hold up for my children on both sides.

And I have no idea where he gets most of his ideas, either! Ask him some questions to find out if he learned anything....let me know if it gives you insight to the mystery of the "boy mind". Also, get some topical cream to stop the itching.....because scratching to the point of breaking the skin (which my kiddos do) can lead to infection.

If I had known what the weather would do to my nerves, I would have insisted on a house with bedrooms in the basement! Can't count how many times I've grabbed up the kids to have a "fun campout" for the night in the basement. Always when dh is gone and never a *real* threat!

Here in the Midwest we get the gust fronts too. They can be very strong and scary. We live out in the middle of fields and can actually see them coming. I make the kids run for the house. Sometimes accompanied by a drop in temp. Funny you mentioned the BBQ's. Last year our Webber blew down the deck stairs! I'm a transplant to the Midwest so the weather scares me....I try not to act too freaked out in front of the kids, tho!