-One load of laundry a day instead of doing it all in a day. -Minimize clutter- less decor = more time and it looks cleaner longer -Picking up daily is essential, 2x a day (esp. before bedtime) -Teaching the kids to wipe down their bathroom after hygiene. They use the same washcloth they wash their face with to wipe down the baseboards, light switch, sink & counter that night. I have my own bath routine at night so that takes care of 2 bathrooms nightly. -Toys that aren't picked up are taken away for a period of time. -Kitchen is cleaned 2x a day, after breakfast and after dinner. Every surface is washed, floor swept nightly. Spending a little bit of time (5-10 min) sweeping and wiping down exterior cabinets makes a huge difference. -I've put plastic bins inside our cabinets to store things, we can take out the bathroom cleaning supplies easily and move them to where we need them without carrying individual bottles. The kids have their own plastic gloves, ds4 has a bottle of water to spray (his cleaner ;) ) so the kids LIKE cleaning. -Praise is given for all efforts, gratitude is expressed daily. - Turning a blind eye at times really helps.

I'm working on paying off my highest interest debt first and I'm unsure if I should ALSO be trying to build a savings or just focus on paying off the debt as fast as possible. I have a hard time trusting money books, esp. when there are promises of wealth if you just follow my program, lol. I need to learn about this stuff so I can maximize what I can do with what I have and set solid goals to work towards. Currently I have no health insurance, 401K or anything and I need them or at least have them in the near distant future b/c I'm not getting any younger. I just don't know how to structure finances to accomplish what is needed plus a little of what is wanted, like affording a vacation or long distance field trips.

:lol: Thanks for the laugh! I feel this way about a few books myself!

Unable to get it through the library. :( Thanks for responding! :)

I want to get a money management how to book and I know a lot of you love Dave Ramsey. Is Total Money Makeover the book to get or is there a better title or even possibly a different book/author that I should get. I have a gift card burning in my pocket...lol. I'm clueless when it comes to this stuff.

Put it someplace that you don't see it unless you're looking for it, not in a prominent place but out anyways. Now I have squashed my dh's attempts but I've received children's earrings as a bday gift (too small to wear), when I asked for a monogrammed Bible cover, I received hot pink sneaker Bible cover with my name airbrushed. I took the airbrushed pink sneaker to church one time and then I went to spend $5 to get another Bible cover on top of the $40 dh spent for the hot pink sneaker one. I've kept the hot pink sneaker as a reminder to buy my own gifts. The list of "what was he thinking??" gifts goes on...but since telling him that I prefer to just to be able to shop for myself, it has minimized although I still get weird things from time to time.

My hair is very similar to my avatar now just a little longer and I want it to be like Kate Gosselin's hair (Jon & Kate Plus 8)...I've had the cut before but have never been able to get someone to accomplish it and now I finally have a model to base it on instead of explaining and something getting lost in translation! It's a modified bob with a super short back. I think the Beckham woman had a longer version that was popular earlier this year. Kate's is little too spiky for my taste in the back but that's just styling. My hair is more like this right now which means I'll have to grow it out some. I tried to get a cut today but it's Monday- salons are closed. :( but I'll try again Wednesday to see if I can get a transitional cut. I have thick hair so my hair is nowhere near as thin as Kate's.

Silky, s£xy nightwear (not ling£rie in the garter sense, just sophisticated s£xy like a satin nightgown)- it's something I've never done b/c everyone would buy pj's for me which were flannel or cotton top/bottom combos with cute graphics...THIS is such an improvement to my wardrobe and self-esteem. I even felt good carrying the items through the department store to find a fitting room, lol! 3 new pj's -$38 total since they were on sale for 60% off Painted red nails with top coat to protect them for more than 1 day- free b/c I already had the stuff A new haircut Completely free...discovering that I've lost 8 lbs and I've went down a pant size! :hurray:

You could work through one of the World Religion encyclopedias at this stage as an introduction; Kingfisher, Usborne, DK have titles. There are also books like I am a Muslim by Franklin Watts (there is a series) http://www.franklinwatts.co.uk/RELIGION_Books_MY-BELIEF_Series_I-AM-A-MUSLIM_26388_56141_69985_PB.htm but there are other authors who have written similar books too that may be available through your library. I would search your library's catalog to see what's available for each religion from one of the encyclopedias. I found this book list which looks interesting http://ezinearticles.com/?Books-For-Introducing-Young-Children-to-World-Religions&id=1800069 I hope this helps. ;)

:iagree: It's fabulous in my opinion BUT there is planning and prep. Life is hectic for me right now and I was dreading having to send back MOTL b/c I know it is what I want to use with my kids but I need something as a backup so that we stay on a course so I'll be using MUS as well with a reluctant visual learner. I just can't send MOTL back, lol! Right now it's helping me prepare for taking the college placement test.

I bank online and check it every 2-3 days, I don't balance b/c we don't have nor spend enough to balance, lol. I give my dh the weekly balance...and I know what is outstanding and what isn't- it isn't much. The only thing that throws me off is when bills are being paid b/c some are paid within 2 days and others take more time which instead of one big exodus out of the acct., they are staggered.

Sounds like BIL had his own little tantrum about not getting his way. Goodness, this is a 4 year old and the tiff was about food?!? Whatever the underlining issue is, it sure isn't the your 4yo. I'm sorry this happened just before Christmas, I pray there is healing for everyone. You're not in the wrong from taking care of your own child but there are unresolved issues here. :grouphug:

:lol: Um, 240 lbs. ... of not me. I do need to lose 60 lbs. :blush: but I will, probably right after I lose the 240 lbs.

Physical health? Spending less time here. :p Started a part-time job. the rest will take losing about 240 lbs.

Good to know! I canceled my card before Thanksgiving due to being tight financially each month and being unable to get dh on a budget- he kept saying, "we can use the credit card..." so since it was only in my name, I canceled it. I didn't realize they can't touch the interest rate, that is wonderful to know, thank you for sharing that. (I have to double check now) I think there are a lot of changes on the horizon that will be 'for the good of economy' that personally we will not like, but that's what every one wanted- isn't it? Good for you for canceling your card instead of paying the economy 'fee'!

I guess I'll have to buy it. I rented it and watched it once and I was actually SAD that dd8 couldn't watch it with me. I wanted to watch it again before taking it back but I didn't have time. Now I think I'll buy it to have.

Our last 2 weeks in one report http://triviumacademy.blogspot.com/2008/12/week-11-12-report.html

I don't know how much this will help you with a naysayer (I have a few too) but... 1. Homeschooling allows me to be my children's mom in all ways. I have full parental rights with them, to be able to help them as they need it instead of waiting to be told they need help (most of the time, it's too late or past the point of being a small problem). I can see when they need to be pushed to achieve more and not just academically. I can identify the source of a problem more quickly and respond naturally. I can be a role model for them instead of allowing Hannah Montana or someone else to be. I can teach subjects they would never be taught and avoid the topics I wish they would NEVER be taught. I can mold their education to their talents and work on the areas they need help with at their pace. 2. Time. Time is so fleeting. We only have children for a little while before they are starting to break away from us and be their own adults. As a mom, I want to provide my children the BEST childhood they can have and I don't believe being away from the family unit for 8 hours a day is the best way to accomplish that. I want my children to have a childhood filled with dreams, imagination, adventures and discoveries. Also under the category of time...with homeschooling the kids can do more social activities, share in the real world more and learn a myriad of things that public school students don't have time for. We can have piano lessons at 9am, karate lessons at 2:00pm, participate in more contests and service opportunities such as volunteering in the church or community. I have plenty of more reasons but in my experience with naysayers, they are concerned that: 1. The child won't have enough social interaction with other people, mainly other children. 2. The child will be sheltered, which will cause a social disadvantage for the child when they are older- that they will not know how to conduct themselves within society. 3. That you are not qualified to teach or don't know what you're doing, b/c public school teachers have degrees. This also comes from the media representation of homeschoolers, which are mostly unschoolers from what I've seen. These are all laughable but it really depends on each person's situation. The decision to homeschool is yours and your dh's decision- no one else in your family has a say in it b/c they will not be DOING it and it's highly unlikely they will even help pay for it. I would set the boundary right away that the topic of whether it is right/wrong is off the table for discussion. Homeschooling is legal and a viable option for educating children- end of story. Hold your ground now and your path will be easier as the years go on. The kids will be in 'school' no matter what form that takes. That is what is important, nothing else.

Not that I will switch b/c I like WT's games but how does IEW Myths, Fables, et al. compare to Writing Tales?

Today, I got a new car. Well...it's the same car I've been driving and it's not entirely new. But it's newly in MY name!!!! I feel fabulous. No details just rejoicing. Oh, I also bought myself a nice new bathrobe for Christmas, it's under the tree waiting for next week.

I do a lot more NOW for myself than I did just two months ago. But for me, it isn't just about doing stuff for yourself, but forgiving and loving yourself- laughing and just 'being'. Ever since going back to work, I put make-up on every day, I dress myself better and every night I have a 'night' routine for myself and while that feels good...there's nothing like cranking up a Shania Twain CD and letting loose singing and dancing through the house as if no one's there. "Man, I feel like a woman....owww!" Lol.

Week 12!

Summer gets too hot to be outside at times, 100° weather is not fun to play in, so we end up doing school anyways b/c kids inside with hours to kill is not always good. It would truly be a "new" year if we started each year in January and we could have more time off when the weather is pleasant. I would start the 2nd week in January and try to finish by the week before Christmas with three weeks off before starting the new year. In my mind, it makes homeschooling work for you, instead of doing the same as the school system.

Lol, I'm glad it made y'all laugh- it did me too as I typed it, that's why I finished the question inside :lol:

First, a school year running from Jan to Jan is something to consider. I'd love to have a Jan to Jan year so I would reconsider that. You can get her current attendance report from the school, send a copy of that with your first attendance report and start counting from there. She should have about 90 days of school from ps. On the attendance report, you mark January (if this is the first month you'll be reporting) and mark the days you had lessons. I put the total number of days in Jan. , let's say 18 days. Then I put 18 (days attended this month)+75 (the running total of days)=93 (total number of days for the year) I put the equation in the Total Days Year to Date box so I can keep better track, it's not necessary though. After 30 days, turn in your first attendance record, declaration of intent and a copy of her attendance record- KEEP COPIES for your own records. I print out 2 attendance records at a time, fill them out and send one/keep one. You will fill out one declaration of intent for this school year, 2008-2009 then another for 2009-2010. No matter when your 2009-2010 year starts, you need to have the DOI turned in by September 1st even if your year starts in January. You have to fulfill 180 days within a 365 day period. At least that's how I understand it. I know some that prefill the attendance records and just turn them in, I don't - I fill it out for each month. Hope this helps