[little ones and breakfast]

Add me to the list that tells the kids to grab a piece of fruit ASAP while I'm working on steel cut oats or eggs/bacon.

[Toddlers and Babies ... and getting school done!]

I definitely had to ditch the idea that school had to be done first thing in the morning. When my 1 and 2 year old nap is when we have the best chunk of school time. If they aren't sleeping, I'll often let them play with toys that are off limits otherwise, give them a bath because our school room is oh, three steps from the bathroom, or try to include them in what we're doing the best we can. Sometimes a movie in the babyproofed playroom will hold their attention too.

[What was your biggest curriculum mistake?]

Add me to Real Science 4 Kids. I bought all of the prelevels expecting to love it and hated it. Not enough information for my kids and they are all well within the age range of the prelevels. I also did the same with Life Of Fred. I heard enough great things that I bought the entire elementary set. Yeah, no. My kids kept asking when we'd do real math instead of this. Maybe I'll pull it out again this summer but they were not fond of it last summer.

 

Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons was miserable for us too and I gave it away instead of trying to sell it.

[Alternative Swear Words...]

Son of a biscuit eater, fudgeyfudgers, fudruckers, frick frack... it's clear that my favorite is the F word, isn't it?

[Lemon brownies recipe share]

Mmm, I love lemonies but I think the glaze is the best part. However, cream cheese frosting sounds to die for too.

[Which TV show are you inexplicably drawn to?]

I loved Alaska: The Last Frontier too! I do fantasize about homesteading. I was super into the show until I learned that they live just out of town and it's not quite as dire to hunt food as they say it is on the show.

 

I'll admit to Pretty Little Liars as well, I totally have a mini-crush on Ezra because he reminds me of my husband (cute, nerdy English teacher, not creep-o sleeping with a student and killing people... LOL).

[Has anyone gone from using a kindle or other e-book to reading physical books again?]

I tend to buy fluff books on Kindle. Things that aren't terribly important to me if I lose them. I get hard copies of books that are things I'll want to loan out to friends or keep in my library. I definitely could never give up paper books, there's just something magical about them that the Kindle doesn't quite touch.

[s/o Is there a less expensive way to adopt?]

ASD is autism spectrum disorder. 

 

The only cheaper option is through foster care and there are no guarantees in foster care. It's an emotional rollercoaster and I wouldn't get into it simply because it's cheaper. You have to be willing to do the hard work and stick it out for the kids or else it'll steam roll you early.

 

ETA: I'm a foster mom and I love it but you have to be realistic about what you're going into. I just reread what I wrote and realized it sounded very negative. Fostering is a beautiful thing but there are so many factors that come into play and you will likely have to send several children back to their bio families before there is one available to adopt. But if you think you can handle the ups and downs, by all means, foster to adopt!

[Target Security Breach]

My account looked fine but when my DH went to use the card last night, it was declined with plenty in the bank.I haven't had the chance to call the bank yet but I think they automatically canceled our cards for us.

[a laundry question]

I don't know why I even bother to fold because my older three dress themselves and just rummage through the drawers. Loosely folded is okay for me or else I'd be going insane. As long as the drawers close, I'm good.

[Urgent Prayer Request for DS]

Praying for him now.

[Large family frustration and autism spectrum disorder]

How old are your children? There's no excuse for them not helping you and for DH not helping you around the house if they want to keep up this level of activities. No one person can do it all and not crack. *hug*  

[The misuse of the word "like"]

I do it all of the time without thinking about it. My kids do as well.

[Oy...this is embarrassing]

If it helps, I had the most explicit dream of John Locke from LOST when I was pregnant with my second. Terry O'Quinn (the man who portrays John Locke) is 33 years older than I am. *shifty eyes* Couldn't have been Sawyer or Sayid... nooo. 

[Great TV shows/movies (or Netflix) that I'm not watching???]

Sons of Anarchy, Weeds, Dexter, Supernatural, Orange Is The New Black, The Walking Dead, Mad Men?

[Kindergarten: not enough to do]

You can always add in more if your child is ready for it. My K-er is doing the group work in history, grammar, science, etc that my 1st grader is doing because he's interested. It's not one of his required subjects though.

[So my boss called me into his office today...]

Congrats!!

[What is your laundry "system"? Why do you prefer it?]

Family of 7 and I wash two times a week. Unless a kid wets the bed, then I wash that immediately. I really should do it more because it's always a giant laundry mountain that takes hours to fold and put away. I just hate laundry.

[Favorite playthings for 6 year old boys?]

My kids are obsessed with Legos, tiny toys like little lizards, geckos, or frogs, books, dance parties, computer times. My 5 year old generally spends his time in the Lego room when he's not doing school lately.

[Hana Williams case: long sentences handed down today.]

Good. They deserve it. That child should never have experienced what she went through. Breaks my heart.

[Should I speak up about being overpaid?]

She'll probably well aware and is paying you what she thinks you deserve. I always paid our date night sitters more than they said they charged because I valued their time and wanted to be sure that they knew that. 

[Here's a new one for ya...getting married at recess on the playground...]

ROFL! We did it all of the time in elementary school. My best friend seemed to be a smidge trampy, marrying a new boy every week... I could never find a boy I liked enough to marry in our grade so after the wedding ceremonies, I often sang tragic songs on the swings such as All By Myself. Yep, I was a bizarre kid.

[What Bible version do you read? And other questions. CC, obv.]

I generally read the ESV but I have several translations. I underline but haven't moved up to highlighters yet. It took me a long time to mark in my Bible at all because all I can think is, "Nooo, don't write in BOOKS!" :p

[i am going home today.........]

Glad that you are going home. I pray that you heal quickly and that you have plenty of support at home too.

[So frustrated with our adoption journey]

I'm surprised that they aren't open to licensing for foster to adopt homes for a full year. Most places are desperate for foster homes. I agree, I'd look into the local agencies and see what they have to say.