Thanks Wendy, good to know I am not the only one who wakes up with thoughts like that some days.

Thanks Navymom, so 2 kids can fit at that table? It's smaller than the mamut and would leave me with extra room, so that would be good.

I have the same magazine boxes right now filled with printouts, worksheets, dry erase workbooks, etc. I guess I am looking for a more "organized" way to do it. I am seriously thinking about pulling out all my resource books and tearing out all the pages and printing everything I like and hole punching it all and making a big "reading" binder and "math" binder for pre-k. I just was so trained, you don't tear up books LOL, it is almost painful to do ! Like: week 1: letter a, with all the a related worksheets, manipulatives etc......

PS is not an option for us. Kids wouldn't go to PS or private for that matter without throwing a fit. They pity those kids who have to sit 8 hours in a classroom everyday. LOL Only way kids would go to private school (and not here, DH would move to be closer to his family) would be my death or such a serious illness I could not homeschool through it (and we would be willing to hire help, so it would have to be an extreme illness, like terminal cancer and even in that case if they were young, I might hire help/tutors and keep them home to spend my last days reading to them and cuddling them). OK sorry for that depressing thought, but having chronic anxiety and immediate family that all died from cancer, I have thought about that scenario :( .

ok thanks for that info, maybe we will look at sansad table, since it is adjustable. Are the mamut table tops bumpy or smooth, I can't get to an ikea to check them out? I am thinking about writing and coloring on them..would the surface be smooth under the paper?

I am discovering I do best with open and go curriculum. I have TONS of resource books from my days as a K teacher, but I do NOT have tons of time to go through and pull and assemble a notebook/curriculum for my 2 youngest who are ready to start some work. Right now they do tot boxes (like tot trays but in workboxes), but DD3 is begging for MORE. Is there a open and go secular preK curriculum? We read and have a large home library, so I don't need read aloud ideas, that is easily covered. I am looking more for math/letters (they know most letters, shapes and colors). So far I have looked at: singapore math essential (kg A) mep math (reception) critical thinking company prek books (I am really tempted towards these, but kinda pricey) AAR pre level 1 (but then I think I probably have more in resource books laying around if I could just spend a weekend going through and pulling/copying them all, maybe that is what I should do?) Cofessions of a homeschoolers K4 download (but it is not secualr, but I have used some of the printables from her sight, so maybe it could be used secularly? But for $15, if everything is in one folder and I can print quickly instead of searching through pages....hmmm) Any thoughts? Have you done this? Gone to tons of sights print everything you want and then assemble your own open and go plan? I don't mind about the printing and I can spiral bind at a nearby office store.

So after moving in more than 6mos ago, I almost ready to buy furniture for our school room. The twins will be starting preK type work this summer. I am looking at the mamut table and stools from ikea. Anyone have them? Are the chairs better? Also can you or dh sit on the stools, debating whether to get 2 or 3 (1 for me). I am not small and was just going to use my desk chair on wheels to sit next to them, but not sure if having my own stool would be better? I was going to get the rectangular table, do you have 2 little ones working at one of these tables? Is it roomy enough? Thanks for any input!

I too would go the "to make sure your milk is plentiful and rich" route and talk to her about snacks you could have on hand for her to take. Snacking all day may be her best bet. Stable things she can keep in her bag/car/desk. Nuts, homemade muffins (you can add in flax seed for some healthy fats), even larabars or the like. A hearty breakfast would be good too. Shake or breakfast burrito. And think outside of the box for breakfast (I do not like breakfast foods) but think leftovers made into a sandwich, etc. (meatloaf sandwich,yum!) My DH's metabolism is like that and he needs snacks all day long to maintain his weight. A supplement would make sure she is not missing any nutrients and might help her energy level. There are tons of multi vitamins for nursing moms. And she would feel like she is doing all of this for her girl.

How about "you don't have to like it, just get'er done" (math and writing ugh)!

Balance is what needs to learned basically. She does not need to go extreme since she has no weight issues, is young and will be busy at college. She is not going to be baking on the weekends or searching for an "alternative" grocery store. Understanding that sweets are a once in a while (maybe weekly, maybe monthly) thing and that white rice/pasta/bread is about the same as a hershey bar to her body. When she gets older she will appreciate it. Good fats are also important, avocados or nuts like someone mentioned. low fat for the cheese and yogurt options. Protein before bed and upon waking will help her with studying. Trust me it is really hard to study for finals with a sugar headache (that is what I called them lol not the technical name I'm sure).

probiotics do NOT (sorry typo) need a prescription. I got some for DH from amazon, most health food stores would have some (whole foods, etc).

My issues that sound similar (esp. the bathroom) were related to soy, not gluten or dairy. Just might want to check your current diet, do you eat a lot of meat "substitutes" or nutrition bars(can't remember the brands)?

Since she is going to be going off to college soon, I would focus on teaching about balance in meals/snacks to keep her energy levels and blood sugar stable. Myplate.gov might be a place to start? I do not see much protein in there. I try to always do apple w/pb or apple with cheese cubes or some other carb/protein combo as snacks and go over the importance of not carb loading. Some carbs can be ok, but choose whole wheat over white, and balance it out with some protein. Buy natural pb that does not have hfcs in it, etc. I have issues with FIL who is diabetic not understanding why he can't eat a plate of rice for dinner, so I do totally understand. Also a girl that age needs calcium (as most women do). Yogurt would be good and there are plenty of low carb options out there. In college she is going to be surrounded by junk food most likely and short on time, so take the time now to show her good choices at stores to keep in the dorm if she will be living in one or to grab on the go if she will be a commuter student.

The allergy thing is what alarms me, that should have been noted in red or bold type somewhere..I would investigate. Like someone said, ask to see, they are your records.

Slice it in circles, fry it, then make a sauce of garlic, tomatoes, jalapenos, white onions, cilantro and olive oil to put on top. (add salt and pepper to taste) We usually eat it with pita bread. Or make baba ganoosh: roast it on a grill or on a gas range, peel, mash the pulp, add in crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and tahini (sesame paste). Top with olive oil and dash of paprika and eat like hummus with whatever low carb options for dipping (we use pita bread).

To my face, no, even though I have asked for it sometimes. I also have the MIL (who is very nice to me) who is OCD and kicked the kids out to play with the neighbors while she cleaned, etc. She is not familiar with homeschooling and everyone she knows sends kids at 3 to pre-preK. It doesn't help that DH is OCD about some things and so are several of his sisters, so his standards are much higher than mine. He doesn't get that we are here.all.day.long. Even though he called yesterday and gave me heads up he was on the way over with some out of town company for a bit and the house was company ready in less than 25 minutes so it is not like it is a disaster, just not martha stewart. Then I found out the things he says about me to others, that is when/where he praises me. I would rather he does it to me, because sometimes I feel he over praises me. i haven't read the book about "love languages", but I know mine is words (I like to give words and get), but DH's is doing things (he works hard, plans for our future) and he likes things done for him (bake treats, take care of him). So I am just now trying to adjust my thinking to fit that.

I see 3 issues: 1. Get DH on board with a budget in writing and saving goals... put spending money for him in there and hand him an envelope weekly if you can. Same with eating out $, maybe give the kids an allowance. Lay it all out. 2. I buy in bulk protein bars and individual juices for DH for work and just send a weeks worth. Depends if he has storage. If DH wants to spend some of his $$ for that week on snacks or eating out at lunch, he knows what he has. If he finds it in the pantry he might be less tempted to pick it up when out. 3. Seems you work, so maybe having some homemade freezer meals or open and go type things ready for DH and the kids in the freezer, fridge? Muffins, pancakes, Use ziploc divided plastic storage to make ready to eat meals: lunchables made at home, etc.

Amazon, i also get the off brand and they worked fine for 2+ years. I get 12 (black and colors mix) for about $8.

If the listing is too vague, I may just skip over it. I might watch it to come back later and see if more info has been added. But I will say in my email, "I am looking for the xx edition in xx condition, if that is what you have, I would love to get it from you." Or ask for the isbn number so you can verify edition, etc. I have been really lucky on here and all the books I got have been in good condition. If it is really important to you, I would ask about pics, but they might not have a way to take pics (like me right now, camera is broken). If I am selling, I always include shipping info, but if I didn't I would not consider an inquiry about shipping cost as a serious inquiry. The shipping might be too much for them.

BBB might help also. You have all the emails with the fake fedex number etc? I would have those ready and offer them to am ex.

Thanks Elinor, good to know you can print from it and I hadn't thought about online classes, which I may want to start using in a few years.

This is where I get the credit card company involved. (I assume you used a cc since it is online?)

For the roll ups I use the whole wheat soft taco or burrito size tortilla. There are several versions of 7 layer dip, depends what I have in stock. Some use refried beans mixed with taco seasoning as the base or some use cream cheese mixed with salsa (if you do the cream cheese one, use an electric mixer to get them smooth). Then I see what I have in the fridge: tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, corn, black olives, avocado, green chilies, green onion, what ever you would put on a taco or burrito. I like to put the lettuce last with some tomato and green onion for decoration.

One of the twins swallowed some of my blood during the c-sec and we have different blood types (the +/- thing) so she had to be kept in the nicu on the lights for 3 days and then at home on photo therapy lights for 1 week. It took her till about 3 weeks for ALL the yellow to be gone. I think it would have taken longer except for the lights we did at home. And at this time she was only breastfeed except for 2 times in the nicu when I didn't pump enough.