Lots of great lists here and suggestions. We just got home from vacation where we had to hit bookstores for new books for my dd4 reading at a very high level. She thoroughly enjoyed 'The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet'. It is a series and is about 2 young boys who build a rocket ship for their space adventure. Very fun, great language, and the first one at least is fine as far as content:) Book Wizard gives it a 4.9 grade equivalent. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/wonderful-flight-mushroom-planet#cart/cleanup

California, right? Turn off the central air:) Suddenly decide that the family will be Freegans for awhile...family can eat in town. Adopt or borrow an annoying pet. A large snake that is allowed free roming, or a dog trained to bark at her. Begin playing loud, incessant music at random times. Sign the kids up for trumpet and violin lessons. Preferably one of each. Or don't, but purchase the instruments and let them have at it. Bribe them to play if necessary. Decide major house renovations are in order. Anything that involves banging and sawing. Restrict parking. Charge for it. Borrow a friends RV if necessary to park in the driveway. Password protect all Internet, wireless, cable, etc., access. That way family can still use it but nobody else. Have daily summer playdates with lots of kids and their parents at the house to maximize chaos. Print thousands of PSA flyers with her picture...nothing libelous or slanderous, just the facts. And so forth. And change the attitude...this woman is obviously hoping to be paid to leave. Don't feed into it.

I think the best companions to single syllable first names are powerful four or five syllable middle names:) Of course, I might be a bit biased as we named our dd Alexandria...with dual middle names. Claire Angelina Claire Isabella Claire Aubrianna Claire Evangeline Claire Lillianna Claire Victoria That sort of thing.

This is absolutely my experience. This is how I was taught. Hubby is British and uses the same conventions. The only way I learned it might be taught differently was when my math-worshipping dd corrected me one day informing me that 'Fred said not to use the ANDS!' I actually had to have her show me what she was talking about, lol. Sure enough, in Edgefield there is a minute mention. The only other thing I would add to your list is when zero is a placeholder. Such as 4,501. Four thousand, five hundred and one....

Well, it sounds as though we get our lists from the same lists or similar:) We have actually worked through the vast majority of these with dd in the last year or so. I actually don't see an issue with them as a read aloud, although there were a couple that were problematic I will talk about. I actually prefer this method with the very young kids, as they will have plenty of time to go back and read them independently. In fact, this is exactly what happened with my kid. Books she would never have picked up on her own, after we read them aloud, she would take them a re-read all or parts of them. Because of the subject matter in some of them, my very sensitive kid did much better discussing them and just having me next to her for some of them. After that she was fine. I would definitely start with some of the shorter, easier books for younger kids. Especially if you are building up read-aloud length. Books like My Father's Dragon trilogy, Charlotte's Web, The Mouse on the Motorcycle, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Betsy-Tacy. We loved Trumpet of the Swan (not on your list but DO consider it!), The Tale of Despereaux (long discussions of child-abuse as she was very upset as to why Mig would be hit), I found myself having to have very frank discussions on race and culture with my 4 yr old when reading Dr. Doolittle. I wish I had pushed that one back a bit. A Hundred Dresses is a book (although there are a few illustrations) that can be read...or can be digested. It does carry a string anti-bullying/tolerance message that was great for what my kid was going through, but just so you are prepared. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH...we started this one and it scared her. We put it away for awhile. We just finished the Ramona books, and I have to agree that she did not get as much out of them as if she had been closer to the age. The first book in the series we read is Ramona the Pest, which will work fine as Ramona is just starting Kindy...but in a public school. After that, the books get progressively 'older' as Ramona herself matures. The Reluctant Dragon- can I just say Kenneth Grahame! The language is a fantastic challenge, but this one is much better as a read aloud. One of dd''s favorite things to do during read alouds--we buy te books and she reads along side of me (usually scanning ahead as she reads much faster than I do!) with a pen. She underlines any words she doesn't know, and we look them up together after we are done reading, even though I will give her a definition as we go. She started this when she wa tiny and can now use a dictionary really well. It also keeps her very interested in new words:). Anyway, The Reluctant Dragon was heavily underlined! Sarah Plain and Tall- we read the series after the Little House books (we stopped those after The long Winter) an they tie in nicely. Caddie Woodlawn as well. If you are going to do any sort of US history or even just discussion of the founding Fathers, The Cabin Faced West is a nice tie-in. Anyway, your list is very optimistic for a year, but I assume you will just carry anything left over. I only see 5-6 that we haven't tackled fairly recently, so if you have any specific questions as to reading them with 4 year-olds I am happy to at least tell you he issues WE had:)

Yes, I was just going to say that so many beach areas are fun tourist destinations...which means lots of shopping, fun little shops for browsing, local art, etc. You don't have to spend all day actually sitting on the beach!

I graduated at 15 and went straight into college...but needed a bit more support, so after a year joined the Army for four year before returning to school:) My dd is too young to make the call. She is extremely accelerated at the moment and we are open to whatever path she requires, as she will have the support that I didn't. That being said, I will not push for early graduation for the sake of. She is a UK dual citizen and we hope that she will be interested in meeting the requirements (and then some!) in both countries with lots of travel.

Wow, I have not actually met anyone else that has gone through this. I don't know if I am really the best person to answer questions as I am in a wheelchair, but mine was a bit of a strange case:( I was actually injured in the Army, and dislocated both hips...if I had undergone the procedure PRIOR to the accident it might of been a completely different story. Also, I had the procedure done on ONE hip. It turns out I also have an autoimmune issue which complicated the situation, so I did not undergo the surgery on the other hip. I also had an osteotomy of the trochanter itself, to change the angle of the 'ball' part of the joint. Mine was also 15 years ago, so I imagine much progress has been made! Still, if I can be of any help, please feel free to PM. Regardless, sending good thoughts your way. Hip problems are the worst, and added in with the unpredictability of dislocation/subluxation are just misery. I hope everything goes well and the healing is complete.

We are on an extended 6 week vacation at the moment and have made more than a few travel toy purchases, both successes and flops:) We started out in Texas with a 9 hour flight to Hawaii, then flew to California, followed by a flight to Idaho. From there we rented a car and have just been driving from National Park to National park to Science museum all across the west. We are just about back to Texas now, so A LOT of travel time:) My dd4 has had favorites, but some of the ideas will work for other ages. Before we left home I made a binder of all sorts of 'fun worksheets'. I put them in plastic sheet protectors. Mazes, logic pages, word searches, etc...I printed out worksheets for each of the states we would visit, which were huge hits. I bought one of those inexpensive clicker-counters an my dd would pick something to count. Say, all the white cars and would keep track of how many within a certain distance. She also loves maps, so she has a kid Atlas which has lots of great info and activities. Another big hit: a cookie sheet with Magnetic Mighty Minds. She has the aquarium and zoo cards which are great, but she also likes to just free play with them on the cookie sheet. That would be fun for even a 2 year old. I also bought a set of Magnetic Magformers and they have worked really well on the cookie sheet. The dry erase markers for the binder I made work on the cookie sheet as well. I bought a couple of Melissa and Doug games and whilst fun, they took up too much room for the amount of time they were used. They were heavy as well, so I ended up donating them along the way. The IPad loaded with books and apps was a big hit, but we couldn't always charge it. I was glad a brought one read-aloud paperback, and we have bought new ones/donated old along the way. I have also bought a lot of non-fiction books along the way as something caught her attention. Volcanoes in Hawaii for example. I also picked 2 'skills' I have wanted to find time to do with her. I brought a tiny sewing kit and a small skein of yarn to teach sewing of buttons and finger crocheting chains. Very fun, and kept her busy. We also use The Private Eye, so I brought along a couple of loupes and a booklet of pages for her to draw her findings, as well as a simple nature journal with room for writing/drawing. Since she rarely had time for this whilst exploring, the travel time was a perfect opportunity:) My kiddo is also miserable if she doesn't have math, so we brought cards and dry-erase boards, as well as polyhedral dice to play games with. She brought her math books and Fred as well:) If your kids have a particular interest it might pay off to bring them. I was reluctant as I wanted her to have a bit of break and they take up so much room/weight but I so glad we did. We also packed Story of the World, and D'Aulaire's Greek Myths which have been fun as a family. When all else fails, don't underestimate the power of foods that they don't usually get at home! We have done reasonably well eating healthy, but I have to admit my kid has had more junk this trip than ever before!

I hate gum for so many reasons. I have gotten in it the wheels of my wheelchair as well. I have knobby tires on it like those on a mountain bike and it takes forever before I can take my wheelchair into the house! And a new kind of punishment for those who stick it to the underside of the table in restaurants! Last week on vacation my dd4 crawled under the table to retrieve her napkin...and managed to get someone's repulsive gum leavings in her hair! It took a trip to to a grocery store, olive oil and peanut butter, and 2 hours of tears and frustration to get it out at the hotel. Ugh:(((

Funny, I totally agree:). I should have clarified...we spent nearly 2 weeks in Hawaii but only 5 days on Big Island. We ended up cutting it short and heading back to Oahu (where we spent the first part of the trip) because we felt like we had 'done' Big Island and had just loved Oahu. And ugh, we really didn't enjoy the resort we had chosen in the Kohala resort area:(

We actually just spent nearly 2 weeks there and had a blast:) I do have a few ideas, but first when in July? If you haven't bought Hawaii Revealed Guidebook, it saved us quite a bit of money. We are still on an extended vacation, but will return home next week. I am happy to send you our nearly-new copy in the spirit of re-using/recycling:) there is also an app, the code for which is in the book...we never used it. We did several tours, but it actually saved money to rent a car and go when/where we wanted. We did that the last 5 days and were sad we didn't realize it sooner. Most of the larger hotels/resorts either have car rental places or will arrange it. You can also do it at the airport of course. We actually enjoyed the Hilo side of the island much more despite warnings to the contrary. It is the lush Hawaii rather than the more volcanic fields! Of course, that depends on where you are staying. All the hotels advertise their special snorkeling areas/ private bays or trips. We did do one such trip on a boat, but had just as much fun and saw just as many great fish and turtles at free public beaches:) There is so much to see and do. We did a submarine ride, and a horseback tour. We had planned to do the helicopter tour over Volcanoes National, but there was no active flow to view when we were there. It was still really cool just to go to the park. And if you have a rental car, don't miss he black sand beach on the way:) Anyway, if you would like me to and you the book and the timing works out for you, send me a pm!

When I was a kid, one Thanksgiving holiday we had an elderly great uncle over. His name was uncle Mark. The man could not eat without half his plate ending up under the table, in his lap, etc. My mom had just battled ants in the house and everytime she thought he wouldn't notice she was cleaning up after him. A couple of months later I was doing homework and had to learn to spell vacuum...she told me, then suddenly started laughing hysterically: Vacuum- Vigorously Attack Crumbs Under Uncle Mark Silly, and maybe because it was a personal mental picture, but I never forgot:)

Oh, and another big reason the handicapped lanes really do need to be near the front, or at least in a highly visible, well-traveled safe area. Falls and mishaps for disabled and elderly happen WAY too often in parking lots. One of the veterans I have known for years (he was 85) died this winter after falling in a grocery store parking lot. He fell between cars and went unnoticed for 2 hours in freezing temps. He made it to the hospital, but died a day later. I am relatively healthy and independent, but there have still been times when I was so grateful that someone was walking past to help!

Absolutely. It sounds like a great program, but with the potential to be unfortunately frightening. I hope you are able to do your job with minimal issues and stay safe! Austin is such an unusual place, and does tend to lead the way in Texas with forward-thinking programs... When I was 8 months into a high-risk pregnancy with my dd, we lived in a large apartment complex. I had to use an electric wheelchair at the time because I was so huge, lol. The only handicapped spot with crosshatches for the side ramp also happened to be the ONLY break/ramp in the sidewalk to allow access to our apartment. Otherwise it was a 2 foot concrete drop, impossible with the heavy electric wheelchair even with hubby helping. People KEPT parking there 'just to visit someone for a sec!' It was frightening and I was so angry. The hospital I had to deliver in was 40 minutes away as it was. The apartment management sent round a letter reminding people, but that didn't help with visitors. One guy in particular parked there daily! We left a very polite note on his car explaining the situation. One day my hubby saw him pull in and tried to talk to him, but the guy kept walking mumbling about it being ' just a minute.' Finally we called the police. They came but were reluctant to ticket...after the 2nd time they did give him a ticket, primarily because the guy was loud and belligerent. The next morning the tires on my wheelchair van, our only vehicle, were slashed.

This is the case for many VA hospitals, out of necessity as so very many need safe, accessible parking. However, that is an unusual situation...these are primarily clinics and hospitals. There has been discussion for years about a tiered placard system as well, but I do not believe it is feasible. There are just too many scenarios medically, and puts someone other than he patient/patient's doc in charge of the level of disability. Way too convoluted. As someone in a wheelchair, I have to say that proximity to the door is not always the biggest concern. In fact, when hubby is with me to help we rarely park in a blue spot as it really doesn't make that much of a difference...but when I am on my own with my dd4? The distance and ability to get in quickly CAN be an issue. We live in Texas where it gets HOT. Some of my medications make me very sensitive to heat. Trying to get out with groceries, or make sure my kiddo is safe, there are lots of little reasons. Any one of them on its own? Completely surmountable. But all those little things DO add up. It is about having a little bit of independence. When I was pregnant I could not use my regular wheelchair and had to move to an electric wheelchair. The weather can be so unpredictable, and I had to be completely aware as the sudden downpours can fry the battery or damage other parts. Outrageously expensive, but it can also leave a person in a wheelchair completely stranded. All of this is to say, parking right next to the building is not ALWAYS a necessity as long as there is safe, designated, spacious (as in side-loading ramp) parking. But there are so many different scenarios to take into consideration for so many disabilities that the simplest, cheapest solution is to put them close to the door. Another pet peeve of mine? Motorcycles! There are so many around here in a Uni town, and so many think the crosshatches next to blue spots are prime places to park them. Arg! I have come out of a building so many times to find that I am trapped...I cannot get into my vehicle because the motorcycle is parked in the way of where my ramp needs to descend. I cannot tell you how many hours I have sat in parking lots waiting for the owners of either errant cars or motorcycles 'just running in for a minute' to return. In heat, rain, with piles of groceries and a miserable 4 year old. Stores will mak announcements but often people will just finish shopping anyway. Ellie, I hope that you will have the power to ticket them as well!

So we have been on vacation for the last six weeks, the last 3 weeks of which have been primarily driving from National Park to National Park for camping. We are pretty tired of eating in restaurants! In an effort to break up the monotony, we taught my dd4 to use a couple of apps like Urbanspoon and Happycow to find restaurants, and she is in charge of choosing them:) A few days ago she chose Lizzie's Bistro. Last night we ate at a place called Grogg's Brewpub...but it wasn't until I vetoed a place called Burger Beast (we are vegetarian!) today that I realized just what criteria dd was using to select our destinations, lol. How has Beast affected your lives in the most random of ways?

Every mothers nightmare:( Hugs. I am sure they will be back soon and safe, but am sending good thoughts your way.

Oh yeah, parking lots are by far the most dangerous thing we routinely encounter. I seriously have nightmares about them. I have an extremely high-energy, tendency to lose focus in surroundings dd4. Because I am in a wheelchair my biggest fear is that she will dart and I won't be able to catch her. So we have a truly over-cautious procedure every time we get out of the car beginning with 'okay, this is a parking lot, what do we do?' This week we were in Yellowstone and I was shocked at how many people never even noticed their kids dangerously playing in parking lots and in roadways as the parents were so focused on taking pictures. Hubby was drivin through a parking lot there and had two 8/9 year old boys tossing a football suddenly run in front of the car! One froze, the other tripped...literally a foot from where hubby had slammed on the brakes. My dd was in her car seat and I actually so glad she saw it. She has mentioned it several times in the past 2 days and we have had multiple conversations. Very frightening! By the way, the two boys just got up and ran off as though it didn't phase them:( One of the dads, Gil I think? in this forum posted about just how quickly one o his boys was run over by oversized wheels in a parking lot seeking a dollar bill...and he WAS right there. I have thought about that so many times when we see kids (or others!) not even aware of the danger. As for toddlers pulling away, mine was like that and I finally never let her out of the car until she could climb into my lap...and she still got away more than a few times. But MOST drivers expect that can happen with toddlers and are duly careful. It is the older ones that you expect to know better that get me!

In addition to stacks of living books, junior biographies, EM books and add-ons like Geo Puzzles, I bought several Intellego unit studies. There are sveral based on the K-2 ae group. I specifically remember the Symbols in America, the Constitution, Geography, and American Leaders. I used these as supplements and they are well done. I just bought the 3 unit economics bundle for my dd as she has become very interested as well:)

Never for a house! But my hubby is a minimalist who came to the US to do a post-doc with only belongings that fit in his pack--by choice! Even now he complains about having too much 'stuff.' We actually live in a faculty housing area and hubby walks 2 minutes to work. We have one vehicle by choice as well. We love how much more time this means for the family, how he can come home for lunch, and can get back in minutes in case of emergency. The only time moving/commuting has come up is in relation to our child's needs. He offered to commute 2 hours each way if it meant that we could get her an exceptional school situation! But we would never see him and I honestly do not believe a 'perfect' school situation exists for her, lol. So homeschooling it is, with a dad that is always around and a house we are not in love with:)

This sounds exactly like my child:) And she would not fit the stereotype either! She is incredibly social and verbal. We have a hard time getting through a grocery store or out of a hotel, lol, because she is busy speaking with everyone from random customers to bellhops. She has NO filter, and her language skills seem to draw people to her. I rarely make it through an encounter without a well-meaning comment on how amazing she is... BUT....her passion is math. Numbers, classifying everything from the cup of crayons in a restaurant to her huge collection of Schleich animal figurines to the laundry I am attempting to fold. When we read aloud I am only allowed the odd pages because she wants the evens. She looks for symmetry in everything. We were recently in Hawaii at the Disney Aulani resort where she had a fun-packed morning of play before asking to go up to the room to find her SM book. I think personality is the major difference. Her love is math and science, and she has not learned that societal norms seem to redirect that. Her verbal ability appears stunning primarily (IMHO) because she is so very vocal and social about it. And, as I said, she has seemingly no filter! She is very apt to bring up the most embarrassing of details: Tonight at the hotel we were in a pool and sat in a hot tub for a few moments. She enthusiastically began conversations with everyone...things like asking their age and then telling them exactly how much older/younger than her parents are common:) tonight she met a woman who was planning an 80th bday. She told the lady the year she was born it, the capital of the country in Europe she was born in, then told the woman that, in her estimation, the lady would live to be 21 more years to become a centenarian! At four, those verbal skills tend to demonstrate the extent of giftedness much more. That is NOT to say that it is tied to sex...just personality.

Okay, I have a more personal question:) I have a young dd4 who will be attending a traditional Montessori (or rather call themselves that) school starting next month for summer, then in the Fall. She has been on their waiting list for 3 years, but we have always turned down a slot that arose as we only want part time...so finally, she will try it MWF mornings. She is SO social that I have high hopes, but we have plans to homeschool full time for the following Kindy year unless we see pretty much the unexpected! So...questions: the primary reason we are insistent upon part-time is that dd is radically advanced in several areas. Reading, LA, and especially math and science. They have assuredly over and over that they can pull materials in for her, that tey are trained to work up to 3 grades higher, etc...but dd will be in the 3-6 age group. She can read anything put in front of her, reads advanced chapter books for fun, and is currently working through various math strands including SM 3B/4A. I do think there is something important in working through the same things she has covered already from a different perspective, but don't think it will keep her attention long. Do you think it is even feasible/realistic to expect them to work with her on this? Also, she is definitely NOT what I think of as a Montessori kid! She is incredibly high-energy. When she wants to do math it is usually bouncing, spinning or swinging. She will sit in her Tripp chair, with a rubber therapy band to bounce her feet on for hours working on math...otherwise, not so much. I see her going from work to work with a basket picking up random pieces, enlisting the help of the other kids as customers, clerks, security, etc., to organize a pretend grocery store. I just know her:) How on earth is this going to work?! I see much of this as her spirit. How will they 'normalize' this without sublimating her intense spirit and individuality? Honestly, she is such a social creature that for this age I am pretty much fine with her not learning a single new academic fact. I want her to go and have fun with other kids, maybe reinforcing things from a hands-on, different perspective. It cannot be worse than the play-based preschool we sent her to 6 hrs/week last year where she developed behavior issues and learned to hide the things she does with glee at home 'because the teachers and friends don't like it.' And last question: I have intentionally been very vague as to what she is doing at home as I want to give her new teachers a chance to see and evaluate independently. I really don't want to be pushy, but we ARE paying a lot of money to send her:). Is this too much to expect? Should I be prepared to be up front, or hang back?

I developed oral allergy symptoms to avocados as an adult, but it was very strange. I thought I was losing my mind because it seemed to depend upon the season I ate them, how ripe the avocados were, and where they came from! After a visit with my allergist I was quite suprised. Some docs actually refer to oral allergy syndrome as pollen allergy syndrome...because it tends to develop in those individuals who are highly sensitive/allergic to pollens. It is thought to be a cross-reactivity between certain proteins in fruits and veggies (allergens) and those found in weeds, plants and trees. The way that your body fights the allergens in seasonal pollen with an immune reaction (specifically IgE antibodies if I remember?) can also react with proteins in the fruits and veggies you can normally eat:( So, as in my case, during seasons when my pollen allergies are giving me grief I have to stay away from avocados and even tomatoes sometimes! That being said, my reactions are irritating. Swollen mouth in patches, puffy lips and itching. I would definitely see an allergist if he is having serious symptoms, or if they seem to be getting worse! I am on my phone, but if you google OAS and pollen you will find a ton of info:)

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