We did the photo card thing. It just had her graduation year and her plans (headed to college as a German major) with a nice photo. We didn't do a party or anything either..we just took her out for dinner with her papaw.

I just want to throw out a word of encouragement for those that are afraid of homeschooling high school. It really isn't that different than homeschooling middle or elementary school. The texts get longer, the discussions get better, and the math gets harder...but really it is a slow progression. There isn't a giant leap from 8th to 9th grade, you just go on to do the next thing like you have all along. It is very, very doable and worthwhile. As far as putting your child into public middle school, to me it would have to be a very good school or I would have to have some very compelling reasons. Middle school is a harsh place for many. I pulled my oldest out 6 weeks into middle school. Around here, pretty much everyone agrees that their kid had a horrible time in middle school. Hormones, mean kids, cliques...it just is a crap-nado sometimes.

It is awful. Do try all the suggestions above, but don't be surprised if none of them pan out. It feels like a racket. Our CC has either custom editions for everything (and yes, they want that edition), OR require an online code that costs more than the textbook. There are three of us in college classes right now. Pretty much the sum of all my part-time paychecks for the year goes to books.

It really depends for me. Dh has traveled a LOT in our marriage, so his absence isn't a huge deal around here. I do tend to get a few projects done when he's gone that I'd rather not have input on...lol! (things like mulching flower beds, or painting rooms) My cooking and cleaning habits get kind of lazy sometimes when he leaves. It is like a little mini vacation or something, in my mind.

We built our house 3 years ago after 20+ years of dreaming about building a house. I don't really like its location, but I do love our house. Our wraparound front porch. I LOVE it. I love my kitchen cabinets and pantry. We've lived in a blue million houses over the years, so I was able to carefully plan out my cabinetry just how I like it. The fact that we wasted no storage space. We have complete access to the under-stair area, a full sized pantry in the weird little corner between the laundry room and half-bath, walk-in access to the attic over the garage from my office, accessible attic space IN the garage, and accessible attic space above our second story. Oh, and we put in a huge linen closet in the girl's bathroom just because we could. I also like that it feels like a big house, although it is only 2000sq. ft. It is still small enough that we won't be rattling around in a big empty house after the girls all move out.

Mmmmm! I usually do both. When we get peaches, we get bushels of them. I usually get tired of canning them before I get them all done, so I freeze the rest. I prefer the canned ones for snacking, but dh prefers the frozen ones (he pours milk and a little sugar over them while they are still frozen).

If you can be patient, decent deals are out there. But yeah, cars are pricey! Dh wants a new truck so bad he can taste it, but when a truck payment would be more than our house payment? Not happening unless he can work his mojo. (He does have used car mojo though. Our most recent purchase was a 2002 Ford Taurus with only 64K miles on it, in pristine condition...$2500)

Definitely neighborhood. We have built the house we've planned for 25 years. I'd happily give it up to move to a different neighborhood. I miss sidewalks and the ability to walk or bike to places easily. While the land is beautiful, the community is severely lacking.

I was married, and didn't go to prom! :lol: :lol: :lol:

As we are inching ever closer to this, it comes up a lot as a topic at our house. (friends of the girls and young relatives are getting hitched left and right) We will help, but will not be footing the bill for some elaborate ordeal. We have beautiful property they can use for free, their mother is an old hand at cooking for large crowds, and we are very capable of throwing together some nice decor. I won't be saying yes to any $$$$ dress. If they want bling and some great venue, then they'll be paying for it themselves. We keep repeating: "It isn't about the wedding, it is about the marriage."

I took it last semester, and took Micro this semester. The math is very, very minimal. If you can understand how to read graphs, and how a basic equation works, you are good. The kicker for me has been the demand curves and shifts. They want to illustrate a curve for everything!

Usually a ratty old t-shirt and my undies. I cannot stand pants/shorts or long gowns...my legs feel smothery. Dh has the same sleeping attire.

My advice? Giver her the time and materials to explore art in ways she finds enjoyable. Encourage her to play with different mediums. Don't worry about formal instruction just yet. IF she wants to learn more about a certain craft, by all means let her learn if you can afford it. But otherwise don't make it a subject. When she gets into high school, then she can work on a portfolio. Also, get her some books/videos on form, perspective, and color theory. Those are basics that she can hone on her own through drawing, painting, and even sculpture. Expose her to lots of different types of art, either through museums or books and video.

We don't now. After a certain point, if they are doing something bad enough to warrant punishment, then it is going to be tied directly to the offense. (Something I really haven't had to deal with as teens, thank goodness). I have only had to ground my oldest and it was back as a pre-teen. It was pretty much just extra chores and no fun stuff/phone calls for a while. She went through a stubborn phase...lol.

I'm a total window shopper. I browse Amazon allll the time. I love to wander through stores. I just like looking at new things. It doesn't really bother me to look at things we can't afford.

My dd is planning on doing just that this fall. We will count it as a second Biology.

Yes, online apps are the norm, as are those insane personality tests that you have to complete. The ones with no good answers, you just have to pick what you think is the lesser of two bad choices :/ I despise the job hunting process right now. One of my 15yr olds lucked up and applied at a local thrift store..first application, first interview, and they want her to start as soon as she turns 16 (in a couple of weeks). My other 15yr old has filled out a blue-million online applications, and has had one call back: Olive Garden.

Here, there would be no way. Our no-shoulder highway has people driving at 60-70mph (speed limit is 50), large trucks, and jerk drivers that think they own the road. Biking is extremely dangerous. Even walking along this road is dangerous.

My childhood was not good, and I lived most of it in fear. There are many things that has affected. I conflict-avoid to the extreme. It is extremely hard for me to do anything that I think will start a disagreement with my dh. So we never argue. And stuff builds up until I reach a breaking point. Ugh. I have irrational fears related to trust and safety. I've worked hard to keep them from outwardly affecting my life, but they are still there. I still, after 25 years of being married to an emotional rock, have the fear that he'll snap and go crazy. (no basis in reality, I assure you) If he gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water, I often feel complete terror until I get myself under control. (I've never told him this, btw) It is because of things that happened when I was a kid and has nothing to do with him as a person. I used to have a fear of knives that I've managed to cure myself of. At one time I couldn't leave a knife out in the open at all. I always wait for bad things to happen. The better things are going, the worse the feeling is that something bad will happen. I've even sabotaged myself several times and ruined good things. Some good that has come from it though: I have tried so hard to be a good, kind mom to my girls. Coming from the mess that I grew up in, I was able to know the damage, first hand, that words and actions can have on a child. I'm not perfect by any stretch, but I did give my kids the stable, loving home that I never had.

My dds want to do an elective course on the history of film (as in movies). I can cobble something together, but I was wondering if there was some wonderful curriculum/guide out there that would require less work from me?

We don't talk about it much. I know he has different views. His ideas about voting in general are different than mine. Like many things in our marriage, it isn't worth fighting over. I'm not going to change his mind. I vote the way I want to vote.

Most of the dogs I see around here are Aussies, Labs, Hounds, or terriers...or some mix. We live out in the country, so many of the dogs are farm dogs.

I don't even walk alone around our neighborhood, at least not without our dog. We live in an area with high drug activity, and sex trafficking abduction/abduction attempts are on the rise. Our area is secluded, and in some areas you could scream your lungs out and no one would know. My girls are not comfortable walking alone here. Creepy men DO stop "Hey, you need a ride?". I do, however, let them walk together to their grandmas over a mile away.

I'm another PC user, that has had one for 20 years with no problems.

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Computer-International-External-Blu-Ray-SBC-06D2X-U/dp/B007581HB6 I had to download a program to get it to play Blu-ray on my Mac, but otherwise it works just fine.