I have the best grocery totes and people regularly ask me where I got them. Mine are like these only in a different color and pattern. I like them because they stand up and don't fall over, especially on my drive home. They are super tough and can hold quite a bit. I've had mine for years and they are still going strong. They collapse down and don't take much space at all when I'm not using them. Not only are the straps great, but those side handles are much more useful than you'd imagine. You can also get insulated ones. I use them for so much more than just my groceries.

Thank you so much everyone! I'll keep my eyes out at all the shops you mentioned. You would think IKEA would have them, but I haven't seen them there. Maybe as we get closer to Christmas. I've never heard of Lehmans - looks like a nifty shop. I'll add the website to my list of places to check.

Thanks KarenNC. I came across that etsy shop, but it's located in the UK. It'll cost almost as much as the candle to ship it. Thank you Gardenmom. I've never seen one of the candles I'm looking for in the US. What stores have you seen them in? I have Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and JoAnns near me.

Please don't shoot for me bringing up Christmas already... lol! I have no idea where to start looking for a kalenderlys (Christmas advent candle) in the US. I found precisely one on Amazon (US), but it's not really a design I like. I'm wanting something more like one of these: Pinterest Link 1 or Pinterest Link 2. I prefer something that will burn over 50 hours total. Does anyone know of a store that will ship one to me?

Then you'll migrate them to whatever new thing they'll have by then. But you have to know that I had an external hard drive that one day just quit working. We were able to eventually retrieve most of the photos, but since that time we use the cloud. I have more faith in Amazon sticking around longer than whatever hard drive. Also, if something happens to my home (fire or natural disaster), I'll still have my photos.

Amazon Prime photo storage.

Excellent advice!

I'm another poster recommending Mystie! I don't follow GTD to the T anymore, but I still brain dump and list next actions.

Umm, are there no closets in the bedrooms? Are those hangers to the left of the bed in #22?

Why your 99% could be a total bummer article From the article: A partial eclipse that covers 99.9 percent of the sun’s surface will be still be 1,000 times brighter than a full moon. “Even at 99.9 percent, you do not get to see the corona. You do not get to see the stars, all of that. The sun is just so bright.†The notion that the Aug. 21 total solar is just a different version of the more common partial or annular eclipses that people remember from childhood is a major impediment to understanding its significance. “Every single program I do, that is the hurdle I have to get over,†she said. “I say to people, ‘You have to forget that hole you punched in the box and projected on the other side.’ People have that in their heads that that’s all this experience is going to be. They’re so very, very wrong.†Speck and Beucher [professor of astronomy and vice president of astronomy association] tend toward what seems like hyperbole in describing a total solar eclipse. Both insist they are not exaggerating what it is like to see the blackness of the black hole that the eclipse creates, surrounded by the sun’s silvery corona.

Total eclipse nerds here. We made t-shirts like these. They turned out super cute. We're in 99.8% but we are traveling a bit out of our way to get 100% totality out in the country (read: AWAY from the tons of people coming into the city). We'll be watching from a rural airport grass runway where the owner has graciously brought in port-a-potties for the event. I'm surprising the kids with bubbles and fun outdoor games because we plan on being there for several hours. We're packing a picnic lunch, and I've purchased celestial-themed junk foods like Starburst and Cosmic Brownies. In addition, we'll be toasting the full eclipse with a bottle of bubbly. It's our first total solar eclipse and we're pretty excited about it.

Try this website to find if theaters in your area participate: http://mdudetm.com/moviepass/ It's not associated with Moviepass, but as far as I can tell, it's accurate for my area.

I like the Gadsden flag. I HATE that it's becoming associated with racism due to the protestors. It's from the American Revolution, not the Civil War, and it has strong military ties. Makes me wonder if states are going to stop offering it as a speciality license plate. Montana's Gadsden license plate

Tread carefully. It doesn't take long for it to catch on and then, before you know it, you hear your kids bellowing about the Button of Power in a style that reminds you of the opening scenes of He-Man "By the Power of Grayskull!" It's all downhill from there: the blanket of fuzziness, the animals of stuffing, the fries of France. :lol: It's been immensely fun having a lesson capture their imagination. I wish all their lessons were this fun.

My two middle kids are working through Writing With Skill. Their favorite lessons are the ones turning adjectives into nouns using prepositional phrases. Now everyday conversations include turning all possible adjectives into nouns. We no longer have a power button on our television. It is now referred to as "The Button of Power!" With a zeal known only to pre-teens, your lessons caught on quicker than the dab dance at our house.

loowit, still thinking of you and your family. :grouphug:

I have no expectation to be thanked for my time, so that wouldn't bother me. The chiding (and three messages of it!) would NOT fly for me. I'd let them know they need to find a new volunteer. I would gladly take my time and energy elsewhere.

I would check your laws as they pertain to cyclists. Many areas allow for an "Idaho Stop" for cyclists. There are some news articles about what happens when cyclists follow motor vehicle laws as opposed to cycling-specific laws, particularly in regard to the Idaho Stop.

Really depends on where you are hiking, but I'd say everything Jen500 said, plus great socks and an extra pair in your bag. Also, I don't leave home without my rain jacket (it's super light and packs up easily). I almost always hike with two poles. It makes a huge difference for me, especially on downhills, and it saves my knees.

Well, I thought this quote from the article is a good start on looking at the cause.

I don't get too worked up about how today's teens are different in regards to driving or interacting with one another in the world. However, I would like to see more emphasis put on the emerging studies regarding mental health and social media use. To me, it's the most alarming part of the article. The author touched on it:

Here's a sample of what I have for my older children. :) ------ Week 6, Day 1 <---- Note that it is planned by the week and day, not by a particular date. Math: Lesson #21 (we use Saxon) Math: Go to enter website and play around with the Sieve of Eratosthenes History: Read History book p. xx - xx History: Add this figure to your timeline book History: Color and label this map about the Roman Empire Literature: Read this book with Mom, ch. 8 Literature: Review these vocabulary words and be prepared to define them to Mom Literature: Here I have a series of questions to check for understanding. I have them written down in my planbook. Read: On your own, read this book, ch. 7 Writing: Complete Week 6, Day 1 lesson (we use WWS) Memory Work: Memorize The Brook by Lord Alfred Tennyson ----- On most days our science and history alternate, as does art and poetry. I mostly plan by the week for a total of 36 weeks of school. I have written down what dates I want to do each week, but life happens. Last year we ended up taking a week-long vacation only six weeks into school. It didn't mess up hardly any of my plans. I switched the dates I had written down, but since everything else is planned by the week, it didn't throw anything else off. (I hope that makes sense... lol!) Someone said that her children would chew up and spit out any plans she made. Hilarious!!! That was definitely true for me when my children were younger. I'd be hesitant to do this level of planning with my younger kids. You just never know when you'll need to spend a lot of extra time on learning math facts or basic reading skills.

I use booklists to help me pick quality picture books. Read Aloud Revival puts out a monthly booklist of picture books if you need a place to start. I put lots of books on hold, so it's not a big deal to me if I have one or two flops in each order. I simply return them to the library at my earliest convenience.

This is almost exactly how I plan. Started off doing the next thing and over time I've needed more advanced planning. I do two sets of 18 week hanging file folders. I have a written-in-pencil long term plan for high school. We also have a shelf of books for assigned reading. At this point in my life, I can't imagine NOT planning.

Small steps, small permanent changes that I can live with. I tell myself that I don't need motivation (a la ).