Watch cooking shows with them! My kids have enjoyed watching something on Food Network and then trying it. Allow about three times more than you need for it - I would say weekend night or even a Friday night at home. It is nice when they can cook a little on their own. Linda

A lady I was a nanny for used this and I do (sometimes) Monday - Pasta dish - add chicken, beef, or not Tuesday - crockpot Wednesday - Mexican something - quesadellias, tacos, burritos Thursday - leftovers or soup and sandwiches Friday - fish - we love the breaded tilipia from costco and shrimp, I have the hardest time with this, as I don't cook shrimp Saturday - pizza, hamburgers, fast American type food Sunday - your nice meal, like a roast I always keep frozen veggies and apples and grapes on hand the kids always gobble them up. You can really vary the above the a lot and I followed while the kids were young and didn't have time to think about meal planning. Linda

spelling Power is designed for someone like you - I don't have much experience with it, but I am sure someone on this group does. Also, I would teach her to type and use spell check - I was able to enable my spell checker to not automatically correct the words, but make them go back and fix them.

I like the idea of a salad bar, too. Don't forget fruit.

We LOVE Wii fit - I have the kids use it on rainy days for "PE". I also just bought My word coach (under $15) and will have them do that over break. They also like Mario and the Olympic games - gets them up and moving. My girls like the singing games. I stink at all the games, I can't use wii fit because I have had ankle surgery, but I can't wait to use it. Merry Christmas

My youngest daughter looks just like I dreamed her to be. It sounds silly but I had an intense dream about having a girl named Noelle with long brown hair and gigantic blue eyes. She is the sweetest thing in the world. My middle child can light up a room in under a minute. She is almost contagious when she is in a good mood. My son is incredibly bright and never stops asking questions. You can look at him and see the wheels turning. Thanks for thinking of this one - it is nice to reflect on the goodness of your children.

I would also vote for the Twilight series - book 1 and 3 are very romantic.

We pack our kids lunch/dinner even breakfast for the car ride. I put it in a shoebox to catch all the crumbs and the novelty of it has not worn off. I always "splurge" and buy a throw-away water bottle with the little push top to avoid spill (don't buy the big ones or you will make more pit stops!)You could get really creative and put in a wrapped toy. Merry traveling!

I have one (was on crutches this year and couldn't clean) and I will not let her go. I work part-time and homeschool full-time. It comes down to what is more important - My Time won!! Yippee enjoy it.

We have a giant brunch around 1:00 so after church about 7:00 we come home and have white chili (already made and in the freezer, I will just pop it in the crockpot), sandwiches with the leftover ham, fruit, and veggies. As a kid we always had fondue, but that doesn't work well for a crowd. Have a Merry Christmas!

Check around to see what hospitals offer the best New Year's Baby stuff - free diapers, college tuition (ha, ha) and have the baby there. I am just kidding of course, Good Luck. There is something very special about being very pregnant on Christmas Eve.

Oh! how I can relate! This too shall pass is the only way I got through it. Use the store wheel chairs, or scooter things (it is humbling) and let people help you. I just got out of my second cast this year and am finally walking without a cane. I hope you can get some rest - Tylenol PM helped me. Good Luck.

It sounds like the croup. It can get very serious quickly. Watch your child carefully for signs that his airway is closing. A round of steroids or breathing treaments are recommend for children who suffer. My two year old was hospitalized for three days with it. She gets it every year and really has a hard time breathing, my other children get it and have no problems, but the seal cough. I would call the nurse line and have them go over what to watch for (tripoding, blue lips, hysteria). We will say a prayer for you.

I have used TT a year ahead - a fifth grader can easily complete the sixth etc. I would have them follow the other ladies suggestions!

I have used them for level four and thought they were great! They had excellent essay questions. I would recommend them for level four, as a great way to teach your kids how to answer an essay question, and to see if they mastered the material.

Yes, I think reading aloud leads to discussions and that will give you insight into how your child processes the content. My kids were very focused on the power of friendships in the book and that led to an interesting discussion. Personally, I love the books and look forward to the day when I can discuss with my kids how the "wizard" government tried to control the schools, the police, ... alot like Nazi Germany. There is good stuff in there. That being said the Narania books are excellent, and have a Christian theme.

I worked at a private school - things to consider: The tuition discount still leaves a lot for you to pay out of your salary. The uniforms, lunch fee, sport fee, the yearbook fee, the artclub fee, the annual fundraiser... The extra income put us in a higher tax bracket. The little one still needed afterschool care $$$ On workdays I had to pay babysitter. We were gone from home from 6:30 am until 5:00 in the evening. We were all together and the kids did a lot of afterschool activites there. But I was tired and cranky alot. The kids were tired and cranky alot. However, they got a great education, they socialized with nice kids. There is a trade off for everything; just figure out what yours is.

I taught second grade for years and now homeschool - practice, practice, practice. It is boring and tedius, but if the kids don't know the math facts - math is awful forever. Good luck and know that the time you put in, is indeed time well spent. I also have found out that the kids gets much better after they master 3 sets - I don't know why.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest a simple lapbook that could be completed in a day or so. My oldest two kids attend a hybrid school and will have assignments on election day, but I want to try one - any ideas?

When Gymboree has a sale - you can't beat the quality. I was able to get my daughters shirts and pants for under $10. The jeans can be on sale for around $20 and sometimes less. Their website has the best deals. These clothes have good resell value on ebay if they are not stained.

I have an electric throw blanket - it is perfect to put on your lap while you are reading or teaching. I had a cast on my leg for 6 weeks and never felt hotter! ;) I also agree that drinking something warm helps.

I am so sorry. Take some time to remember you special cat. Linda

My physics teacher gave extra points for a diagram. I would draw two or three diagrams per problem just to get the extra points. I learned how to draw; I did not learn physics. I have taught public school and some of the guidelines are insane. You will have make sure the material is learned at home and not rely on a grade to reflect his mastery.

A good friend of mine just got her black widow spider bite lanced today! She is ok - black widows (according to her) don't usually kill adults. She is on antibiotics and steriods. Great picture by the way!

There are programs on Dish network and on United Streaming that teach Spanish. I would ask around if there is a Spanish teacher at a preschool that could use an assitant in exchange for 1/2 instruction.