If you go over to the k-8 boards and do a search you will find OODLES of posts about this from both sides. I happen to think it is a good program but I do supplement it with LOF when they are ready and Singapore CWP. ETA: my ds used MUS from Primer all the way through Zeta then he entered a private school in 6th grade. He was in the top 20% of kids in math...in Asia... :)

I voted spotless but in the interests of honesty...I have a full-time ahma that scrubs it top to bottom daily so I can take ZERO credit for its cleanliness. :D

I would love to have a conversation with my mom and tell her how I really feel about everything in life from my childhood to my beliefs about God, children, homeschooling, marriage, etc. In our family everyone is issued their very own broom with which we sweep all things unpleasant under the family rug. :glare:

How funny! All those links and I forgot my own! :lol: Here it is: http://www.dalat.org/jweb/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=160

Well I do...but only in the way I think is the best and if you do it differently then you are doing it WRONG.

Well I have never lived there but I have been there for conferences and I would describe it as being like Detroit but with palm trees. Big, chaotic, dirty. I didn't care for it. Plus the Philippines gets hit with typhoons all the time. One hit while I was there and it was SCARY.

I know lots of people are out of work and if you are looking for a job in an international environment now is the time to apply. My school has grown SO MUCH in the last two years. So we are expanding our classes and hiring more staff. Our current openings: Full Time Positions: Spiritual Life Director Admissions Coordinator School Librarian Special Services Teacher High School Math/Science Teacher Humanities / Bible Teacher High School English Teacher Technology Specialist Pre-School (4 yr olds) Grade 1 Teacher Grade 2 Teacher HS/MS Health & ES PE Teacher Residence Life Dorm Parents Residence Life / Dorm Assistant You DO need to be a certified teacher for any teaching position. We prefer experienced teachers but that is negotiable for the right candidate. Homeschooling is legal in Malaysia but you are more likely to be hired if both you and your dh are coming to work here (it costs the school a ton of money to fly families here, ship all their stuff, etc. so we prefer to get two employees out of the deal). This is a salaried position with full benefits and free tuition for your children. If Malaysia is not your cup of tea then check out these links for other options for job searches in international schools: The biggest job search engine is TIE...you will have to subscribe which requires a fee of $39 but it is the biggest: http://www.tieonline.com/ If you are interested in working in a christian school you can look here (it is free): http://missionteach.com/ Here is a list of international schools on the U.S. government website. You can search by continent and get direct links to the schools themselves: http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/c1684.htm You can also look into Department of Defense schools here: http://www.dodea.edu Happy job hunting!!!

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My dh cooks breakfast on Saturdays. Every other day of the week my kids eat cereal for breakfast that they make themselves...even the 6yo. :tongue_smilie: I cook dinner at home about 4 nights a week and the other 3 we go out. But who am I kidding? The ahma does most of the work. :D We don't have cable. Can I get points for that? Ah, forget it. Those points will be eliminated by the fact that last year we watched all 8 seasons of 24. Yes, all 8. In one year. Oh, and my 12yo ds watched them with us. I cannot understand why anyone would make rice crispie treats at home when the boxed ones are really good! I never lie about my mothering. And I am known to counter any and all competitive mothering or competitive "woman-ing" with my ugly truth just to make the liars uncomfortable. Example: a colleague and I recently decided to do the couch to 5K thing together. I need to do some form of exercise eventually so I agreed. Yesterday was our first day out. As we are jogging (and I am trying not to pass out) she says "I used to run 5k every day on my lunch before I had kids." My response? "I have never run 5k. Ever. Not even if you added up all my running together from my life would it add up to 5k." The funny thing is, after that, she relaxed and we had fun and she admitted it was hard for her too, etc. I feel bad for women who think they have to lie. ETA: I take that back. I do lie to my mom but seriously, if you met her you would know why.

Now I am forced to look that up. It sounds hilarious! :D

I've been called worse. :D

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Once and for all would be nice. I also do not want to go "gray" down there.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE seared tuna. It is heavenly!

It sounds to me like you ARE trying to go the extra mile with these guests and honestly I would make chicken. It's just easier that way. You'll do it well, no one will get offended about how the other one eats their steak. ;)

I always love your posts. :grouphug:

We were at a restaurant once with my mom for her birthday. SHe ordered filet mignon well done. The chef came out of the kitchen and practically scolded her! He refused to cook it well done... it was the principle of thing to him I guess. On the one hand people should get to eat their steaks how they like it (even if I think it would taste like an old shoe...I am a medium rare girl myself). But cooking a filet mignon well done is ruining it... it's like serving chicken burned to a crisp...and I can see you not wanting to ruin an expensive piece of meat. But in the end, this person is a guest and deserves your hospitality. So serve the burned shoe leather according to their specifications and try not to stare open-mouthed as they eat it. :tongue_smilie:

Try living in a tropical climate year-round. I have to shave my legs EVERY DAY. UGH!!! When I lived in Michigan I would go weeks without shaving during the winter. But not here. If I could mentally get past the shaving legs issue I would do it. But for some reason I can't let my armpit hair grow. I know it is irrational but it just grosses me out. I have already given up on eye shadow of any kind and I haven't worn pantyhose in almost two years and I wear cute "croc" sandals pretty much 7 days a week here so no more heels....well, I do have some crocs sandals with heels (they have such cute stuff now). My next step? OK, big confession....deep breath.... I want to stop getting waxed. Dh loves it. But it hurts and it is time-consuming and expensive. So I am thinking about ditching it. I certainly don't do THAT for other women :D.

I lived in Michigan for 38 years. That's 38 long, dark, bitter, snow-and-ice-covered winters. I NEVER got used to it. I hated it with a passion that cannot be described. Now I live in a place where it is 85 degrees with 12 hours of sun every single day of the year. I am a MUCH happier person. :D

:grouphug::grouphug:

"Heather's homework again"??? What an odd tag for this thread. I guess this person didn't read my first post where I said this is about a fictional novel I am reading right now. Of course I DO have plenty of homework to do if you are inclined to help. :tongue_smilie: Now back to the topic at hand... because beauty IS culturally determined and is NOT set in stone it makes me wonder HOW? How does something like foot binding for instance become "beautiful"? Because for a long time it wasn't. Then for a long time it was. And now it isn't again. The same goes for other "beauty trends". And if the definition is so fickle then why do we fall prey to it? For instance, why do I wear heels? I would say it's because I like them. They make me feel pretty. But do I REALLY like them? Why would I want to walk around on the balls of my feet all day with my toes jammed into some pointy contraption? They are not good for your feet or your back. And yet I continue to wear them. Why? What if women everywhere just stopped altering any part of their body? No more make-up or heels or dying our hair or shaving or waxing or cosmetic surgery, etc. Would we all then be "ugly"?

That's what I am wondering. So I started asking myself questions this morning as I was gettingg ready... do I shave my legs and armpits because I want to? do I style my hair, blowdry, curl, hairspray, etc for me? do I wear make-up for me? is my lingerie chosen for comfort/function or for sex appeal? why did I pierce my ears? why do I get my hair highlighted? etc etc etc It IS hard to determine how much of what we do is ACTUALLY because we want to and not because it is expected by society or husbands or others. So then I started asking...what would happen if I STOPPED doing XYZ? very interesting...hmmmm....

That was an awesome article!!!!

They sell skin bleaching chemicals everywhere here and there are commercials about it on TV.

Me too! The Big Lebowski is a favorite of mine.

I know several women IRL who have had this done and they all say they did it for themselves. But I wonder how true that is?