Yes! I still remember that smell too, even though it's been 20+ years. :ohmy: Not exactly my "favorite" smell, but it brings to mind good memories.

VH, I'm so sorry for your loss. Prayers for your family and all involved. :grouphug:

Here's a link to a thread started last night about front load washers. I posted about mine there - I have an LG and love it! If you do a lot of laundry, I definitely suggest the larger models. I think mine is 4.0, which can fit a lot of laundry! It's good for us so far (family of six). Here's a tip if buying from Home Depot is an option. The price on my washer was $100 less on their website, and they honored that price in the store. They also gave me the usual 10% discount that they run on appliances in the store. Also, you can get Energy Star rebates on some items; my washer qualified for that, which was another $50 or so. Plus free delivery. Every little bit counts!

Crissy, I'm so sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family. May you find peace and joy as you reflect on your grandmother's life.

I have an LG front-loader - it's Model WM0642HW . We have a family of six, and I do about 10-12 full loads each week. I love this washing machine! I can get a lot of laundry in it, but it's definitely not too big. I wouldn't want a smaller one. I can also get queen size comforters or a king size quilt in it. I haven't tried a king size comforter, don't have one! I do not have the pedestal. It just didn't see worth the money to me. It hasn't been a problem so far. If I had back problems, I'd probably spend the extra money. I don't really know much about the steam feature, so I guess I don't know if I'm missing something. :D My washer has a sanitary cycle, with extra hot water. I've never used it. I usually just use warm, very occasionally run a cycle with hot. I saved several hundred dollars by buying a standard dryer. That's something to consider if you don't care about "matching" appliances. The dryers that match the front loaders are really better/different, just more features and more money. I just got the largest standard dryer Kenmore makes. It's plenty big for the full loads, and works great. No need for bells and whistles on a dryer. ;) Have fun deciding!

:grouphug: Dorothy, I'm sad for you, as it seems you're working hard but feeling inadequate, guilty and stressed. Battling with those feelings can really wear a person down! As if being a mom of four and homeschooling wasn't already wearing enough! A few thoughts come to mind as I read your posts in this thread: Comparison with others can be so destructive. Trust your instincts to know what is best for your family, your children, your self. Everyone's family, home and schooling is going to look a little different. It's okay. That's the beauty of homeschooling - you can choose which path is best for your family. There's no way to "learn it all". Not now. Not in the school years. Not ever. And learning certainly doesn't have to "fit" into K-12. I would encourage you to think about what is most important to you. What things are essential, not to be missed? What things are appealing, but if you don't get to all of them it's fine? What things are just plain unnecessary? Your children have a lifetime to learn. Strive first of all to ignite in them the spark of desire to keep learning long after you're done teaching them! Last of all, try to see TWTM as a guide rather than a leash. Here's a link to a post Susan wrote about this (you'll have to scroll down to get to Susan's post). Banish the guilt! SWB has given us a wonderful resource, a guide, a goal, a path. Don't let it become a "weight" that drags you down.

It's probably a loss. I think the warranty for stones is 3 years. I'm not completely sure on that, but I know it's definitely not longer than 5 years. I broke a stone last year, and had the receipt from 1998! I was thinking maybe they had a lifetime warranty, but no such luck. :001_huh:

:party: This is occasion for great celebration!!! I'm so excited for you! Hopefully the closing, moving, and building of your new home will go smoothly.

Good to hear! Is it a liquid or is it thicker (like Soft Scrub)? I might has to try it on my kitchen sink (white acrylic).

Ditto to everything that Strider said! Be clear, be firm, be repetitive. Kindly and with a smile when possible, but stick to your guns. Trust your instincts and set the boundaries that you feel are best for your family. Don't go against your instincts because you feel bad for her or feel guilty. If she starts talking on and one about her problems (and she certainly will do so again :blink:), have a conversation ending reason/excuse ready so you can either cut her off at the beginning, or listen briefly, then cut her off. Or be ready to change the subject (just consider it "bean dip passing" practice!). You will probably "hurt her feelings", but your boundary setting may (a long shot, but just maybe) teach her a little bit about appropriate social interaction and boundaries in relationships.

Isn't it wonderful? My kids have been outside all afternoon. I love warm spring days!

Bacteria is not going to be an issue with frozen food. The only reason for a max. storage time would be food quality, i.e. freezer burn. I have ground beef (and other meat) in the freezer much longer than three months. As long as its packaged correctly so that air isn't getting to it, it should be fine.

:lol: Your hair is really blonde, right? ;) j/k...I'm right there with ya with the "40 brain"!

She's registered, but has only posted a couple of times. I don't know if she's here lurking. I miss her!

I did go to one of her posts and bring up the rep box *just* to see if it's possible. But....just can't do it. Must. not. anger the overmind. :Angel_anim: :D

Oh yes! I'd love to have a TJ's that close. The nearest to us is 2 1/2 hours. Get thee into the car and drive....:auto: :D

Bwahaha....now you've made me want to go try. :w00t: Not that I've ever had a reason to leave Susan bad rep; I just need to know if it can be done. :D

Ditto to everything you said, except it's for the Botany book here. We're starting next week, and I'm excited!

I would say after SOTW2 (ready to start the American Revolution), or along with SOTW3 & 4. Biblioplan 1600-1850 and 1850-2000 uses SOTW 3 & 4 as spines but adds in more American Histor, using History of US/A Child's Story of America as well as additional readers.

How sad for everyone involved. Praying for you and your family. :grouphug:

The difference is due to the International Date Line. Good geography study for today!

Welcome, newbies! I look forward to getting to know you all better. Really, it's not hard to get up to 50 posts. Just respond here and there when you read something that you like, or have a thought. You don't have to be profound, or hilarious, or sound super-educated. ;) Just chat, and pretty soon you'll have way more than 50 posts! And anyway, you can't use fun smilies unless you post - just think what you're missing.. :grouphug: :chillpill: :party: Sorry, I got carried away... :auto:

Oh my, I'm so sorry that there's no good news at all from the doctor! Thanks for posting the update...I want to be reminded to pray for you often! Good news on the job front...will pray for that also. Continue on in God's strength and grace. :grouphug:

Well, it depends on what exactly you're looking for with the biblical teaching. If you're looking for Bible study/Bible knowledge, that's not really going to be in Biblioplan (except for the Bible reading in Ancients, of course). But if you're looking for Christian history to be included with your history, Biblioplan does have that. The heaviest focus on Bible/church history is in Ancients and Medieval. We're doing American & the World 1600-1850 right now. There are missionary biographies/stories (Trailblazers, Christian Heroes Then & Now), and the CLP text "A Child's Story of America" is one of the spines. I am also using In God We Trust and will use Heart and Hands when I get it. It's pretty easy to add in extra books like that, since it's such a flexible plan. I am teaching 3rd and 1st now, and I love that I can assign books for them to read according to their reading level. There are readers for K-2, 3rd+, and 5th+. I also get extra books from the SOTW activity books. Not necessary, we just like to read. Biblioplan has the right amount of scheduling with flexibility for me.

Biblio is in reference to "books", as in a plan/list of books, I think. But it does include Bible/Church history, both in the recommended spines and the readers/read-alouds. What year are you ready for? You can look at samples at biblioplan.net