Yes they are, there's so much more they can do outside, even if it's just on the porch.

I got enough done to feel accomplished :p I accidentally smoked chicken for dinner, so it looks like it's time to clean out the oven :glare: I've got the racks in the bathtub soaking with some Dawn and baking soda paste coating the oven over night. Can't believe I have no ammonia... well, I sort of can believe it, because I only use it to clean the microwave and oven, but still!

Tread lightly. You might want to remember what was in 1 John as far as loving our siblings. Sure, we all sin and we can screw up, but really we should tread very lightly when it comes to condemning one of His children as not having His heart. I thought you had a beautiful thing going till you got about there :)

It never crossed my mind to do this with my youngest. Although, I did used to put him on the porch in the summer with a cup of water and a paintbrush :p He'd paint and paint and paint and splash and paint all over that porch :p

One last thing, when my youngest wanted more than anything else to sew, I cut the top off an oatmeal container to make a hoop, drew a simple picture on a piece of cloth with a red marker and had him do redwork. They do it on their own, once you show them the basic stitch and it really is a beautiful little accomplishment to hang up when he's done.

This page almost makes me wish I had another little one........ http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/preschool_activities.htm#Susie So-many-activities!!!!! --------------- Okay, I will not barrage you with more. I really hope that you find a few things you can put together for the younger ones that will give you the quality time you hope to get with your little big man.

The first link - the lady gives her little one tasks to do during school time, pre-set in a work box. Little things like transferring pompoms to what looks like an ice tray using oversized pinchers (like tweezers, but not sharp) and then transferring them to a cup. Egads, the second link is a page of links to a million different lists of things to do o.O I'll check that out later...... Third link - some good stuff here! Hole punchers are amazing. Hand them one and let them go to town. Find the puzzle pieces... “Hide puzzle pieces in a tupperware bowl with dry beans. He fishes them out and puts the puzzle together.†For younger kids you could just hide fun items – figurines, cotton balls, maybe even a box of raisins at the bottom. Special school-time-only crafts Bring out a special box of stickers, stamps and paper that are only available during class time (or in the case of my tattoo happy toddler, just stickers and paper). Fourth one - more links to links :p She does have a nice list set up, these two are good: Lacing Beads~ string and beads can keep kids entertained for a while. Lacing cards are also lots of fun! Regarding lacing - You can use old shoe laces or yarn or whatever, big macaroni type noodles. Granted, you probably won't want to eat them afterwards, but if you play your cards right you could end up with a nifty necklace. Card stock and a hole punch work for lacing cards :)

So, I know you have all the time in the world to go reading various web pages :sarcasm: but here are some links to various pages listing various ways to busy little hands during the school day :) I'll scan through them in a minute and copy/paste whatever pops out, but you may want to peruse them yourself... if you get a free minute <3 http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2011/09/keeping-your-toddler-occupied-during-school-time.html http://www.pinterest.com/LaurenVHill/keeping-the-littles-busy-during-school/ http://kellythekitchenkop.com/12-tips-for-keeping-toddlers-busy-while-homeschooling.html http://teachbesideme.com/keeping-toddlers-busy-during-homeschool/

I can remember tying a ribbon to the door knob and having Luke tie knots.... it was amazing how long he did that. For an active little guy he managed to be quiet for a while with that one.

Bible missions are one of those things I'm a little passionate about :blush:

Bible missions that are strictly Bible missions (missions dedicated to translating and sending out Bibles) tend to be inter-denominational. They have people from different denominations working together towards the common goal of reaching all peoples with the Word of God. In many cases, they don't just fly Bibles in via balloon (although that does happen), they have a person or church or group that they get the Bibles to who then move the Bibles out into the hands of believers. Usually, the person/church/group is from the area that the Bibles are going to. I've sent Bibles to Ghana, for instance, to a friend there (who is from there) who was in a church with only two Bibles for all members. That situation is a common one and fixing it is one of the biggest aspects of Bible missions. Now, balloon droppers (Voice of the Martyrs has a lot on them) are also sending Bibles towards believers, but because they're illegal in some countries, in order to protect lives, they're sent over in such a way (balloons) that no one will get hurt getting them into the country. Believe it or not, but there are a LOT of believers around the globe that are begging for Bibles. So, while in the US a lot of Bibles get given away to anyone who shows the slightest amount of interest, Bible missions tend to be sending them to believers who want them. Now, as far as the idea behind giving Bibles to people who do not believe, or even Bible missions in general where you don't know who is going to end up with it, that really depends on your ideology. The two main categories (I guess) of protestants would be Calvinist and Arminian. Calvinists would get the Word out believing that those who are called according to His purpose (the elect) would receive the Word, repent and believe. Arminians would in the hope that having the Word the person would read it and choose to follow to Christ. The end result would be the same, the goal is the same, reaching people with the Gospel. How it would happen or why is a little different. Since the goal is the same, as far as protestants go, getting the Word out, in all languages, to all peoples, they can work together through groups like Missions Without Borders and Open Doors International. There are denominational groups (Bibles International) as well, of course.

LOL Jean, if you find one be sure to pass on the address :)

As far as crafts go, try giving him some supplies to go nuts with, on his own. Group crafts are possible, but rather than forever saying "later" (btdt and hated myself for it) let him do most of it on his own. I hope that helps :grouphug:

Actually, from all the missions I've had any part in at all, the effort is to present the Gospel and then the Word. Most Bible missions are intent on getting Bibles to believers in countries where it's either hard or impossible to get otherwise.

Headed to the store (part two). This day is taking for-ev-er. On a happy note, Luke just finished his first multi-paragraph composition. It was worth the fuss, it really was :D

Fwiw, Garga, I don't think that's manipulative at all. My dh does the same thing. If I put it so that he hears a command, he balks. Granted, if he does that I balk too :p If I give him a chance to have input, then it's us cooperating to find a solution (not me putting the hammer down). It is important to keep in mind that he may have a solution of his own and the same way we would want our spouses to consider our solutions, we need to consider theirs. If I already know what I want to do and he has a totally different answer, then I have to consider it. If I don't, if I keep poopooing his responses in favor of what I wanted to do, then he'll whip out the old, "You're going to do whatever you want to do anyway. I don't know why you bothered to ask."

I had MM a few years ago and could NOT remember the name of it this summer when I decided I needed to get back on track. Even if it feels like mission impossible to do it all, it brings up things that I would never have even thought to clean :)

I still cry a lot, but I'm guessing that's normal. I've been a grinch for a long time (my mom was one of those people who started cheering about Christmas in August), so I put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving and have really tried to be all Christmassy for her or to remember her or maybe to feel closer to her, but I vacillate between happy she was here so long and just sad. Ack, sorry for the derail. :leaving:

My mom died last month. I know just what you mean about dreading this. On one hand, I know this was her favorite holiday and she'd want us to rock it, but on the other... we survived Thanksgiving, God will carry us all through Christmas too.

Ah, see, I was a false convert for years. Not because I didn't believe in total depravity, it took me another two years after trusting Christ to even *start* to believe that was true, but because I thought Christ was just a nice option. I had been an agnostic-Christian growing up, if you get my drift, and it wasn't until the full of weight of the truth of who I was and who He was fell on me that I was actually a Christian. So! I know that I was saved before I believed TULIP ;) Because I know I repented before I could even hear half of what Calvinists said without bristly up.

Ime, people knowing those other adjectives can go either way. In some cases, finding out a person is Baptist, is Calvinist, is Pre-Mill, is Reformed can lead to people discounting them immediately or making huge assumptions about them. The same way Catholics feel like people believe things about them that are completely off-base, Baptists, Calvinists, Arminians, Pre-Mills, A-Mills, &tc get the same thing. :shrug: I remember, years ago looking into what "Fundamentalists" meant, reading the definition and realizing that *I* fit that definition. I said so and was immediately leaped upon as one of *those* people. I was the same person I'd been before finding out what that word meant, but as soon as I said the tag could be applied to me, regardless of the definition, people were ready with the tar and feathers. The same thing happened when I realized I fit the bill for a Calvinist. So, the tags may help people have more meaningful conversations, but it can also lead to people going from meaningful conversations straight to zingy one liners. I think that's why some people are reticent to state their adjectives.

Hugs and prayers.

I've been through this with Mom and it's why I switched to a more independent curriculum for my children. There's plenty to learn watching radiation being done and talking to doctors and nurses, but when it's time to sit down and teach... I just didn't have enough of me left to do that. The curriculum I use is Christian, it's set up so that the children do their work, for the most part, independently. They schedule themselves, check their own work, and at the end of each 'PACE' there is a short test. You might want to look into it. It was a huge blessing for me, allowed us to continue homeschooling, even while I was running all over the place.