I was in your shoes when I was pregnant with my now four year old. I had placenta previa and bed rest before I was twenty weeks. Let me start by saying, your DC will be fine. You can even do SOTW with them while on bed rest. I did it, and it really helped distract me. I had dh pick their reading books up at the library. The kids would even read them out loud to me. It made them feel like they were helping mommy out and taking care of baby, as well. Depending on their age, they can do math semi independantly or you could do flash cards. Things will slow down and even be slow once your baby arrives, but you CAN catch up. Once I was back in the saddle, I had my dc double up on short lessons, and even did a semi year around. We ditched science(aside from reading books, NOVA, Discovery channel). The kids were fine. The oldest two actually entered charter schools this past year, so three years later. One entered seventh and did very well over all. He really blew his science teacher away. The other entered ninth, and ended up being the go to guy for anything History. Both their teachers kept asking them how they knew so much on certain History topics (not studied in ps earlier grades). One teacher even called and asked me about it. All this to say, documentaries and books (audio and written) are your friends. Use them. It will relieve some of your stress about those two subjects and allow you to rest. I know you said the libraries in South Africa aren't great, but the is ambleside online, project Gutenberg, and Librivox. I relied heavily on these. Good luck!

Wow. I just posted because my boys listen to the original quite a bit and got a kick out of this version. I saw it more as seeing two sides to one story. Plus the tune is catchy My 15 year old said he thought the dad was simply expecting the young man to grow up and become a responsible adult before he could get a blessing.

For those familiar with the song Rude. My oldest two ds thought this version was great. A father's rebuttal.

A Case of Red Herrings?

Isn't marijuana a drug that stays in your system a very long time? As to your question, I am not too sure. I guess I never put much thought on to it because I rarely even have a drink, much less use marijuana. Is there a test that can be done to tell if the person is under the influence at that time? Or when they used it?

I have gotten a similar call like that three times. In my case, the person had looked up the name connected to our phone number. Then they called and acted like they knew one of my kids and said, "guess who from Blank family this is." Basically trying to get a name to use. People some times give out info without realizing it. I have since made it very clear to the kids never to give out their name, and if the person calling doesn't give a name after asking twice get are to hang up. This was a very common scam in Mexico.

Oh my goodnes. I am just glad to hear that yout little precious baby is ok. I hope mama is doing good as well. Thanks for letting us moms know. It never would have occurred to me.

Ooooh. This sound soooo yummy.

Angel hair pasta tossed on marinara sauce, thin pork chops, and steam broccoli and carrots.

Not just Canada. It seems to me that Mexico should help as well. Afterall, they are passing through Mexico and in some cases given documents that allow them to travel through. In Mexico, people love to criticize the US for the border crossing deaths and deportations, but offer no solution that includes contributions from Mexicans. It seems that, if this situation is gng to be seen as a crisis, it should be seen as a crisis of the American Continent or at least North America. There is proof that this is happening. It is nothing new, though. It has been common knowledge, even when I was a child in the 80's, that cartels have high ranking officials, police chiefs, soldiers, etc working for and within their groups. It seem that the reason people are so concerned now is the huge increase in violence. Cartels do away with those that cross them in terrible public ways used to warn others. It is scary. It escalates every few years when there is a power struggle due to a death or arrest of a high ranking cartel member. As for the soldiers coming into cities, I have met many people that are appalled by this. It is important for us to understand that we see things from a different view point with our experiences influencing how we see the same thing. In Mexico, the military isn't what the US military is. When was the last time Mexico had to deal with and invading force? My point is, people in Mexico are used to seeing military forces driving around, just like we see police driving around. They adopt streets and do clean ups. They have check points to check for drunk drivers, drugs, and fruit from other parts of Mexico. We would be horrified if this was going on in the US, but in Mexico they seem to be used as support for local police quite often. Maybe even as a check and balance type system. When the Military is brought in to completely replace police while the police force is restructured, people know things have gotten more serious. At the same time, people feel it has worked. It has been seen as a sign that the government is cracking down on police corruption. I am not saying people see everything as wonderful. Feelings are very mixed. Sometimes people are hopeful, sometimes not so much. Others don't care either way as long as they are not directly affected. It is very common for people here to say that Mexicans are conformist, but they don't want any one else saying it. All this to say that there are just so many ways to interpret the situation. Thank you for the link. I think it is a wonderful idea to try to educate myself on the differences. I may be wrong, but some of these people may qualify to seek Asylum. As I understand it, they would be sent back once things are deemed better in their home country. Another thing to ponder, if these immigrants ( whichever label you prefer) are only fleeing the dangers at home, why not seek asylum in Mexico when they first arrive? Probably because they know Mexico will likely deport, and there is this idea floating around in Latin America that everything will be handed to you for free once you arrive in the US. The American dream is sold in such an unrealistic way by coyotes and those who have made the trip. It make it very attractive to risk your life getting to the US.

http://news.yahoo.com/un-pushes-migrants-called-refugees-040404169.html I saw this article this morning but was unable to post until now. It looks like the UN will be having a meeting about this very topic.

I hope this clears up some of my mis-steps. Honestly, I in no way want to offend anyone and usually try to avoid topics that I feel can spiral out of control or be seen as controversial. It took me quite some time to decide to post in this thread despite seeing it when it only had about three posts. I have a unique experience, though, that I felt could allow me to answer some questions and bring a different perspective.

I know someone has already addressed this comment, but I felt I needed to do the same. First off, I 'd like to say that nothing I am about to say is meant to offend or insult you. I am not sure how it is all going to come out on the forum and hope you will give me the benefit of the doubt when reading my response to you. I am going to take some liberties and assume that some of your response is coming from fear, shock, a little anger, and (for lack of a better word) ignorance on the subject of Latin America and its people. (Again, I am so sorry. I know people use the word as an offense, but I mean it in reference to lack of knowledge/expertise on a subject.) Many Americans are scared of what a large influx of Illegal Aliens or refugees will do to system. Will these people be able to assimilate if allowed to stay. Are there gang members, rapists, and criminals among the arriving teens? Why are there so many coming here? Why now? These are all likely questions running through many people's minds and reflecting the feelings of fear and shock people are feeling. I think any offer of territorial status would be looked on suspiciously at best and an attempt to invade at most. Historically, The US is seen as an invading imperialistic force by many foreign countries. Even when The US has gone in to provide humanitarian aide, history often sees it differently. I think much of this has to do with cultural differences. You think you are offering them something fantastic, but they do not see it this way. We must remember that people see things through different eyes. Furthermore, Latin Americans are very patriotic. It isn't just their country. It is their culture, the very essence of who they are. As for the children currently here. They should be processed as quickly as possible into valid relatives' homes. And they won't find homes in the foster system unless the foster system and the adoption system gets a genuine reforming too. People are always asking who will take the babies/children of unwanted whatever conditions as though there are not people who would take them. This is not true. There are MANY who want to and would give good homes but the system for them to do so is such an expensive nightmare to contend with that many are turned away from it. We have to change this. An effort is being made to reunite these children with their families, but many times doing so means releasing them to undocumented parents already in the states. Many people take issue with this. Other children are being returned to their home country and relatives back home. As many here mentioned, one was even returned to the 'wrong' country. I use quotations, because she was returned to the country of her birth, just not the one she had been raised in. (if I remember the article correctly) There may have very well been legal reasons for this. I think it would be naive of us to think trying to absorb Mexico and other countries further south would not be seen as an act of aggression or lead to war. Of course it would. As for the cartels, yes they are a problem. But remember, you are seeing it from the outside. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently in Mexico. I do not live in fear of my children playing outside, going to the store, or generally being out in public. I think I lived more in fear growing up in California in the late 80's early 90's with the street gang violence, even though I did not live in the ghetto. When I am here I move around freely, drive at night, and am perfectly willing to call the police if need be. In Mexico, we all complain about the government and the police that are more than willing to take a bribe when pulling people over. I recognize that, and the system is far from perfect. I also know that if someone is breaking into our home, calling the police will get them arrested. Believe it or not, they (police) do do their jobs sometimes...not always but sometimes. Simply put, the issue is not that cut and dry. Lanny, Thank you for posting this link. I forgot to mention that in my last post last night. May I also add, that many of these people are arriving and requesting refugee status. I know someone was asking about that up-thread. Faith, regardless of whether everyone agrees with your proposal, the important part is that you are trying to think of possible solutions. Hopefully it encourages others to really think critically about the situation and consider what possible solutions there may be. I am glad I was able to answer some of your questions. I am no expert, of course, but I am happy to help when I think I can. :iagree: For those interested in learning a little more about the History of Violence in Latin America, may I recommend Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin America, by Tina Rosenberg. It is not for the faint of heart, but I think it illustrates very well the History of Violence in these countries. I think, to an extent, younger generations in some of these countries have been desensitized to much of the gory violence we see coming from cartels, etc. There is a history of it the likes of which we Americans are not used to and we find it shocking.

Let me preface by saying that my understanding is that crossing into Mexico is not extremely difficult. Yes, there is border patrol but it isn't a heavy presence. People crossing need to be concerned with robbers/criminals that are out to rob/hurt/take advantage of them. As for the children, there are a few different scenarios playing out here. Some of the children are crossing with family members who are not their parents. For example, an aunt or cousin who has cared for a child since the child's parent went to the U.S. decides to head north to meet up with the parent. When this group is caught, the child is classified as an unaccompanied minor. Others are teens anywhere from 13-17 years old. Many of these have chosen to make the journey of there own, either because they have family in the U.S. or because they want to help their family back home. (Obviously there can and often are other factors.). These teens are also classified as unaccompanied minors. Then there are the ones that were believed to be traveling with coyotes and abandoned when the Border Patrol was thought to be near by. They are usually traveling with a group, and the whole group gets left to be found by USBP. In some cases, immigrants can get Asylum (not sure if that's what they call it) from the Mexican government. This allows them to travel through Mexico freely. Although, Mexican officials will and do deport people. What I am not positive about is if this is specifically for them to travel through or if they could essentially become legal immigrants in Mexico. This is very much the case. There has been a lot of mention about la bestia in this thread. La bestia is a train that immigrants traveling through Mexico tend to hop on illegally. The roof is usually covered with hundreds (thousands?) of people. Every year, many people fall off/under the train and lose limbs or their lives. Aside from bodily harm, riders have to fear bandits that get on and rob them, bandits/other travelers that attack or rape them, kidnappers, etc. Authorities know fool well that immigrants are traveling on this train. They do little to stop or protect them. Throughout their trip in Mexico, immigrants must continue to deal with criminals that are out to rob them and coyotes who are not a savory bunch and often rape the women. Further more, they also face discrimination. There is a lot of negativity towards Guatemalans, who are often looked down upon. I also noticed there was a lot of hatred towards Salvadorians, but never was able to figure out what the reasoning was. If you have any specific question, you could PM me. I am happy to answer any questions I can.

I am actually in Mexico at the moment spending time with family but will return this evening to address these things in more detail. @MBM, I just moved back from Mexico this past August after about ten years and still spend my time decided between northern Mexico and the US. Do you gave any specific questions? Yes! This. The media sensationalizes things. I remember my grandmother fearing for my life when I was stateside. With all the school shooting news and what not. Her perception was that gunmen were running rampant in US cities. She was from Sinaloa and lived in Tijuana during the most recent cartel wars.

I am fully aware of this. As I said, they ARE getting the earned income tax credit. I never said they were doing it legally. I don't want to hijack the thread, but simply wanted to share another side in response to what another poster mentioned. Of course, I realize that not all undocumented workers do this and many file with the ITIN.

Actually, having grown up in San Diego and lived in Mexico for almost ten years, I disagree that this is always the case. I have spoken to many undocumented immigrants over the years and have learned that many find ways around this. Quite a few mention actually filing taxes and being able to get the full refund along with the earned income tax credit. I am one person who had heard this from A LOT of undocumented immigrants. I cannot imagine that these are the only ones who have figured out a way to do this. Also, someone mentioned the black market organ sales as a reason for people from Mexico sending their dc north. While this does happen, I would not say it is wide spread. It isn't even a huge concern on the lips of most people in Mexico. Again, this is anecdotal. I know. But after living in Mexico for many years before returning to the US, I am somewhat of a skeptic, as are many Mexicans when speaking among themselves. The reasons that I hear given to border patrol agents, aren't the reasons many immigrants voice when among people they see as not being gringos. Of course, this is just from my personal experience and there are always exceptions.

For decorations, you could do snowflakes, or cut a snowman garland. You could make marshmallow snowmen. There are so e cute ideas at this website, if you are crafty. Unfortunately, it's in Spanish. http://www.forofantasiasmiguel.com/tm.aspx?m=4350041

Is anyone else getting hungry and waiting for Jane to start posting recipes?

When someone deletes their FB acct, they still show up on my friend list. When I click on their name a message comes up that says... This person has deleted their account, you are the only person who can see them on your friend list. If they pay attention, they will know you unfriended and blocked. You could keep them as a friend, but unfollow and restrict. This way they will see you on their list of friends, but won't see any of your posts. You will not see any of their posts, either. It will seem like you have gone inactive. HTH

I am not a native Spanish speaker, but a heritage speaker. Dh is also a heritage speaker, but spent is teen years living in DF. My oldest hated learning and even refused to speak Spanish when we moved to Mexico. He heard it often, but avoided using it. I spoke English in the home, because I wanted the our DC to have a good grasp of the English Language and was teaching English to my BIL's. A couple of things that helped. Watching movies in Spanish once a week. Watching news and soccer games in Spanish. Adding Spanish books to read aloud. Changing the TV language to Spanish. Having him read books in Spanish silently, and out loud. Also reading a newspaper. Speaking to him in Spanish and requiring him to answer in Spanish. The last thing is what really helped his pronunciation/accent. Having heard plenty of Spanish, he really did know quite a bit. I can't say he loves speaking Spanish, but it really helped. I started this about three years ago. We moved back to the states this year, and he easily Aced third year Spanish for Spanish speakers at aB&M school. Everyone else in his class was a native speaker, some were recent immigrants. Good luck! ETA: It might be Good to actually answer your question. I think your idea would work great. It will teach translating skills, reading, writing, spelling, etc. maybe asking him to summarize to you as well. Just yo add in the speaking practice. ;)

For those of you who are familiar with this book, is there a big difference in editions? I found an inexpensive older copy. http://www.amazon.com/Western-Civilization-A-Brief-History/dp/0495571474 I am thinking of adding it to our collection for reference and want to be sure it is not too out of date. Thanks.

Hugs and prayers for you and your family. I admire your strength, and know that you will always treasure those ninety that you were able to wrap Baby Joey in love.

I did my internship with one of California's Representatives. From what I saw, the reps were much more responsive to issues brought to their attention by real people (in person). If you can have a few other people make an effort to mention it in person or call in followed with a letter, you might be surprised. Being calm and well versed is key. I would not recommend a mass mailing of cookie cutter letter or post cards. Those always got dumped on my desk to look through. Letters that were not a template were then passed on to the staffer in charge of the issue or a Chief of Staff.

He'll be taking it at a B&M school. I spoke to the librarian, and she said it would be The American Pageant. I was asking her, because my son wanted me to order a separate book from Half.com, so that he had an extra resource to look things up if need be. I still haven't picked one, though.