I had one (don't think it was red so maybe the previous model.) It was a $30 piece of junk. It didn't vacuum anything on a hard floor. It just shot it across the room and with any luck, under the stove or refrigerator so you didn't have to go over it again and again. I use a low, thin broom for the kitchen (to get under chairs and cabinets.) And a Fuller brush carpet sweeper for rugs (which works SO great!)

The wind chill is 2 degrees right now. Roads are clear but we do have huge piles of snow everywhere and our temps are not going to help alleviate that situation any time soon.

We just got an Aldi. I walked in, walked down one aisle, back up the next, and then out the door. And I've not been back. I don't buy no-name brands that are here today/gone tomorrow. With the MIC issues, lead and BPA, I don't care to buy questionable items. Maybe stores vary, but I was not impressed.

We've flown through Grammar Island, although I think that my kids are weak on prepositions, which is making me think Easy Grammar. But, since we aren't all that far into it, I am restraining myself. How about spelling? Should I still have a stand-alone spelling program?

My 8th grade son needs something different for the rest of the year. I plan to have him do Apologia in co-op classes next year, so what should I do now?

I have a bunch of Le Creuset. The frying pans I keep closest at hand, in a cabinet. The saucepans I keep hanging on a pot rack. I also have a heavy duty glass and wrought iron baker's rack on which I store the casseroles, dutch ovens and sauce pans. And then I keep the gigantic once a year dutch oven in the attic in its box.

Not the season for it, but I bought a family membership at our county pool last summer. My 9 year old was somewhat chubby and this slimmed her right down. Best $175 I could have spent.

Hits: Zoob sets with r/c Snap Circuits Tupperware shape ball for the 2yo Biggest yuck in history goes to Zhu Zhu pets. I bought 4 but opened one up in advance to see how it was. Yuck! It honks and has a train whistle along with a host of other noises. Since when do hamsters honk? It falls over when running across the floor. It has held the 2yo attention for about 5 minutes. Nobody else even gave it a fleeting glance. Those other 3 are definitely going back. Glad that it only cost $8.

I have level 1 and it is fine to have only the basic package. But is there a level at which you wouldn't go without the student books? :001_smile:

I had an order disappear into Cyberspace. I called and they found it but my items had gone out of stock. If I hadn't called, they wouldn't have even known.

I have 2 sets that we are not getting around to doing. I just bought them a few months ago from CLE. I think that we did the first 2 lessons in the 101. I can list them on the FS if anyone is interested.

Thanks. But now I'm even MORE confused. Am I supposed to get through all the grammar books first?

I just received Level 1. I only briefly looked at it but how exactly do you implement it? Do you do all books simultaneously? I am a lesson planning kind of mom so I am worried that I will have to fly by the seat of my pants with this one.

Alright, I caved and bought level 1. Now I'm $120 poorer. :001_smile:

My oldest 3 got the chicken pox. I was OK with all my kids getting it. But then a family at church had a very serious hospitalization due to chicken pox. That was it for us. I'm not playing around with it.

I need ideas for Christmas gifts for my 6, 8 and 9 year olds. I'm so done with the electronic thing so I am thinking along educational lines. I need some fun and popular ideas. Thanks!

My 9 year old girl lies to our faces ALL of the time. A sibling will cry out in pain and she will deny, deny, deny, until she admits that she did something to inflict the pain. She lied to me about eating a cookie when I saw her chewing. It doesn't matter what I say, it does not phase her. Help! I need ideas on how to turn this around.

I'm in the Shenandoah Valley, too.

We just had to go through open enrollment to choose next year's plan. Originally we thought that an HSA would be our best option. I crunched all of this year's numbers and it was not the best. Our prescriptions is what we based our decision on. I am on a prescription allergy medicine. The HSA (at least the one we were offered) has you paying full price for prescriptions and that counted toward your deductible. That prescription was $1500 per year. My daughter is on a medication for night-wetting. That prescription is over $2,000 per year. So, just with those 2 prescriptions, we would most likely always be hitting our $4,500 deductible each year. Also, we had no out of network chiro coverage with the HSA and my family visits our chiropractor 100+ times a year. That would have been another $3,000 out of pocket that didn't even count as deductible. Other than that, I would have LOVED to have had a medical savings account. I have a Flexible Spending Account but I hate forecasting our medical spending before they happen.

I am using CLE 100 for my K as well. We just don't have to do it that often. He doesn't have any problem at all.

Can somebody please elaborate how to toilet train a kitty? I would LOVE to do this.

We love our Signing Times series. We are only through the 3rd disc and my 2 year old signs better than she talks. We've all learned. A great introduction to signing.

I was given all the VP cards (laminated, yeah!) Also all the paperwork and maps for Cycle 1, a couple of tin whistles, the science book, the Latin book, the world/US history books and the 2 CDs. I am seeing the flashcards for sale on CC but my friend said that they didn't have flashcards when she taught (only for music.) She tossed her foundations guide but another friend bought the updated version and will give me her 2nd edition guide. So I am wondering if as long as the CDs and the guide match if it is OK. Or even for sanity sake, if I bought a new guide if I could still use the last edition CDs.

I get that but it is right under my ribcage. I figure that it is a muscle that twists. It makes me stop whatever I am doing. But usually after 10 seconds it relaxes. It has done that since at least 4 kids ago.

I was gifted a set from someone who was no longer homeschooling. She quit teaching a few years ago so her stuff isn't the newest. But I was thinking about buying an updated guide. Will the CDs still go along with the new guide? How about the flashcards? She never had flashcards so I was going to buy some. Will those match will an old guide?