:iagree: the only way I would hire a cleaning lady is if I was majorly ill for a long period of time...even then...I don't know...just wouldn't feel right. I have dh, 2 kids and myself...if we can't do it...well, something is wrong then.

the flu can be VERY serious!!! my best girlfriend went to the emergency room friday night - had been sick for a few days, fever spiked up, major body aches...she's STILL in the hospital! she has the flu!!!! I just talked to her about an hour ago and they are keeping her again tonight and will possibly release her tomorrow after lunch!!! Go to the Dr.!

thank you and you are very welcome! these boards are THE BEST!!

yes, so far so good - we have been very lucky with our local library. We are also ready Kaya - The American Girl series along with our study.

thank you!

this is what we used http://www.amazon.com/History-Pockets-Native-Americans-Grades/dp/1557999015

just get the student workbook? I am mainly considering just getting the Math 2 workbook for my 8 yr old or is the TE needed? for my 12 yr old I think I should purchase the kit which doesn't seem to include a TE - it has a student workbook, a solutions manual and a tests and worksheets book. I just want to make sure that I'm not missing out on something by trying to be thrifty:D

Thank you everyone for your responses...I truly appreciate you taking the time to answer my call for math help. I think we will be a Saxon Math family very soon!

I am seriously considering ordering Saxon Math 2 and 7/6 for my girls - we are currently using Horizons 2 and Rod & Staff 7, I'm not happy with either one...it seems I am constantly struggling with the math decision! why is math so darn difficult? we have used so many math programs(well with older dd anyway). Saxon - what do you like? what do you dislike? Thanks!

wow! not sure what to say...:confused:sorry this has happened.

I have never seen these before! pretty cool!!

it's me and I took it while sitting in my car with my cell phone!

thanks everyone!! I have a few questions... how do I go about removing the tv shows...I mean, I have a 12 yr old dd who handles the shows and always has very well...do I tell just my 8 yr old that she can no longer watch them but her big sister can...they watch tv together(they have very limited tv during the week). Actually they spend almost all of their time together and my 12 yr is a great role model for her little sister, she is very respectful, very caring, thinks of others first, etc...as a matter of fact, she puts up with quite a bit from her little sister and sometimes cries over being mistreated my her and will come to me asking why her sister treats her so badly. She can be very demanding and sometimes my 12 yr old has a hard time handling her. School is quite demanding with her also. She can not stand me to work with her older sister, she will come up with a million reasons to interrupt us, she wants my attention 100% of the time, I will try and read with her(even to her)she interrupts me, asks off the wall questions, every little thing that enters her mind - she has to say, I guess she has no control yet of these things at 8 yrs of age. Drama, always drama...white lies, stretching the truth, making mountains out of mole hills...what do I do about this? we have talked about the boy who cried wolf time and time again, we have prayed together about it, I've even heard her ask God to help her be a better person...she wants to tell everyone everything...example: The other day our puppy was very sick, she was throwing up in the house and having diarrhea, my oldest dd starting crying because it scared her I guess and she was very concerned. That afternoon while playing at the park with friends, my youngest dd tells the friends(various ages 8 to 12)that "Allison was bawling this afternoon when our puppy got sick, you should have heard her, she sounded like a baby" - needless to say, oldest dd was so hurt and embarrassed! why does she do these things? why does she feel the need to tell our business to everyone, she will tell the neighbors everything if they let her talk long enough. I know I'm rambling and I apologize for that, I'm just at such a loss. I'm having my dh read these posts in hope that he and I can learn something from all of you and we can improve our parenting or something.

I have a 12 yr old dd also and this post could have been written by me when she was 8 yrs old...I think that is what makes this so hard - I feel as though I'm the same parent then as I am now, but yet, my dds are so extremely different.

she argues and disagrees about everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if I say "up" she says "down"....I mean truly everything is a disagreement - she even argues that she's not arguing!! I feel horrible saying this but I do not enjoy her company lately. Today, her sister was at a friends house so it was just the 2 of us(Dad was at work), we decided to play Wii together...it was torture for me! she was in my face, saying off the wall things, making noises, couldn't stay still when it wasn't her turn, and she never shuts up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no on around here can ever talk because she's ALWAYS talking!!! She watches Disney shows...Hannah Montanna, Suite Life of Zach and Cody, that kind of thing and I feel she's confusing real life with comedic TV shows, she smarts off at me and thinks it's funny...and her new comeback to me is "how RUUUUDE" which I HATE!!! I'm trying so hard to think of examples to give you and of course can not come up with any exact statements or conversations. Well, here's one example - this morning she comes in to our room at 8 am and pushes on me(I'm sleeping)and says, "Mom, you need to get up, I'm hungry" and I say "honey, I'm sleeping, I'll be getting up soon" "BUT MOM! I'm hungry!!! you need to get up NOW" - which of course causes me to sit up in my bed and pretty much lose my temper with her and tell her how utterly disrespectful she's being and that if she's hungry she knows where the kitchen is and she can certainly get herself a banana or some yogurt until Dad or I come downstairs. She huffs and puffs and says "how RUUUDE" and storms out of our room. Help! advice needed! Thanks.

my 8 yr old has been begging to see this movie - she saw the commercial and thinks it look hilarious. Good to hear it's so funny...do you think it's appropriate for an 8 yr old?

very nice! love the little reading nook area with the pillows!

so happy to hear you are home and doing well. ((Hugs))and prayers!

me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! today was a major struggle for me...could hardly keep a half smile on my face...tired of the puppy, tired of cleaning up the house, tired of a "spirited" 8 yr old! everything feels like such a chore lately. on that note, I went to the Dr. on Friday - she ran a bunch of tests(do not have results yet)but she swears I'm in early stages of menopause - I'll be 42 in March! ARGH!

Enchantedlearning.com here too - they have some great stuff! and thanks to the posted above me, I now have the free guide from CurrClick - thank you so much!!

we have recently discussed Indians and Slavery...my 8 yr old dd told me that she no longer wanted to have white skin!!!!

Your children are about the same age as mine...I was wondering why you have opted to not teach about for several years?

I went to enchantedlearning.com this am and printed a bunch of MLK fact sheets, mini books,etc...we found his place of birth and death on the map, read his speech and discussed: racism segregation boycotts assassination protest freedom equality dreams My kids definitely grasped his legacy and the fact that tomorrow our first African American president is being sworn in....my 12 yr old said, "I bet Dr. King will be smiling down from heaven tomorrow." she definitely got it!

add me to the off the wagon list!! but as of today, I'm back on!