Hi Ya'll, My family is moving to East Texas at the end of the month from SC. This is a good change for me, personally, because I am originally from West Texas. It will be nice to be 6 hours from my family versus 20. However, in the town we are moving to, there are only 2 homeschool groups I can find. Both of these groups have a very strong Christian base. Nothing wrong with that, but they are not for my family. The closest inclusive group I can find is just under 2 hours away. Since I consider myself a leader, I have been thinking about starting my own group when I get there. Any advice? Small confession: We've lived in our current town for 5 years now and I don't have a single friend less than an hour away. I am really hoping this move is a great new start for us all.

I have super short hair now and get it cut every 4-6 weeks. Until this time last year, I would get a major cut every 2 years and donate 10-12 inches. But, after my last was born, my hair never stopped falling out. DH kept having long red hairs static cling to his work shirts. LOL so I cut it all off!

When I was a kid, I wrote to the first President Bush twice (we share a birthday). The first reply I received was a form letter, but with his signature. When I took it to school, no one believed me except my teacher. The reply to my second letter was much better. The White House sent a large envelope with a letter, information about the presidency and a signed photo. Currently, my kids are making up a care package to send to "any soldier" in Iraq. That's not quite as cool as the president, but I know they love getting letters and packages.

This is going to be long. ;) Our oldest DD was born missing a part of her brain (agenesis of the corpus callosum or ACC). Right before we found out we were pregnant with her I had gotten a job a school for kids ages 0-5 with disabilities (divine intervention anyone?). They had PT, OT, and ST on-site as well as interaction with "typical" kids. At 2.5 months old DD started school. It was a great set-up, she went to school and I went to work in the same building. The school was fabulous and of course I knew and worked with all of her teachers; they all cared about her. When DD1 was 2 years old, I quit work to return to school myself, ironically, to become a teacher. DD1 still went to school, but as she got older I started to worry about what we would do when she aged out of her current school. Good public school programs for kids with special needs were few and far between in our area. The idea of homeschooling first became of interest to me. Then, when I was 8 months pregnant with DS1, only 15 hours from graduation and DD1 was 4.5 years old, DH's job transferred him to a new state. We moved into a temporary apartment while we house-hunted and DD1 attended a preschool program in our new county. It was so different from her old school! She only went for 3 hrs a day and it was all special need kids. I didn't like it much, but I knew she wouldn't be there for long. In the meantime, we had focused our house search in an area reputed to have good schools for kids like DD1. We found a house and moved into it during the summer. Then came DD1's K year in public school. :angry: Her preschool teacher had assured us DD1 was ready for K. I had my doubts, but all through the years my greatest wish for her had been for her to be in a regular classroom with "regualr" kids. Only three weeks into the year her school started suggesting that DD1 be moved to a learning disabled classroom at another school. We resisted and refused until it was time for 1st grade. DH and I wanted her to repeat K, but they said that wasn't an option so we let them move her to the L/D classroom for 1st. DD1's 1st grade year in the L/D classroom wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. They had hired a girl right out of college to teach and the classroom was 10 boys and two girls, DD1 included. DD1 started to act like a kid with ADHD, except it wasn't ADHD, it was her ACC. She was also picking up attitude at school. Because he teacher just didn't "get" DD1 we started thinking more seriously about homeschooling. But soon the school year was over and the teacher was moving to a new school. We thought we would give the public school one more chance during DD1's second grade year. This is where the real fun begins! Once again, the school hired a brand new teacher for the L/D class. :rolleyes: Once again, DD1 had behavior problems that look like ADHD but are not. It was a constant struggle to get the school to understand and accommodate her. DD1 never could seem to please anyone in the school. We never heard anything good about her. :( It was just so, so sad. Homeschooling was looking better and better, especially after DD1 came home with lice--twice! Then the straw broke the camel's back: In late November of her 2nd grade year, DD1 got suspended for going inside during recess without permission. :mad: I had never been so mad and upset in all my life. What actually happened is that the teachers lost her during recess and punished her for it. The L/D classroom and about 70 other kids had been out on the playground. The L/D class had lined up to go inside and DD1 was "line leader". The teacher went to round up a stray kid or two and when she returned, DD1 wasn't there. The playground has no fence around it and it is close to two major roads and lots of houses. DD1 could have wandered off and gotten hit by a car, abducted or molested. The whole thing sickened me. And then to blame her for it! As it turns out, DD1 had just gone inside like she thought she was supposed to as line leader. What was worse was the attitude of the school officials after I called to complain. I won't get into it all since I am already writing a novel, but basically the director of special services didn't give a hoot that DD1 had been suspended. He told me, "Well, special need kids can be suspended for up to 10 days a year." WTF? By January we were homeschooling. :lol: E, (DD1) may have the hormonal emotions of every 9 year old girl, but in the year+ that she has been home, her overall attitude has done a 180. She is curious, funny and imaginative. She still lags behind her 3rd grade peers doing mostly 1st and 2nd grade work, but she is happier. I can't change her disabilities, but I can allow her to go at her own pace and most importantly be herself. She still exhibits some ADHD-like behaviors, but they are on a much, much smaller scale. I'll be starting K curriculum for DS1 in the 2010-2011 school year. He'll be ready for it, but because of when his birthday falls, he wouldn't be able to start public school until 2011-2012.

I have/had a really great memory, but with each additional kid I find a little bit of it goes away. ;) This year when I went school supply shopping, I picked up a plastic folder for each kid (and one for me and DH) in a different color. I take it with me to dr/dentist appointments so I can stick the receipt in it. I need to tape a sheet of paper with the important dates and stats onto the inside flap. I keep the folders in a plastic file box. That's all I got. :blush:

I'm with the others that said it is time for a break from the ice. Better to have her sit out this competition than one later. I had a concussion when I was in K. I fell from a 10 ft slide. Three weeks later I was playing soccer with my dad and sister when he accidentally hit me in the head with his knee. I suffered a relapse for something that otherwise would have been no big deal.

I wanted to thank you for posting this. You are not alone. My dd's body is becoming ready before her mind and it is scaring me. She just turned 9 in January, but the budding has begun. :crying: I tried to start off gently by telling her that one day she would have hair in her armpits (this was in response to her telling me that DH had yucky hair in his pits). She wanted none of that conversation. I can't wait until I get to tell her she is going to bleed once a month for decades. :rolleyes: What gets me is that she loves science and wants to know all about how the heart or lungs work. I have privacy because I lock the door. ;) Dd has no filter between her brain and mouth so anything I don't want publicly broadcast, I keep hidden. However, she did see everything when my youngest son was born (surprise home delivery). I kept waiting and waiting (and hoping) she would ask questions. She was 6 when he was born. Less than two years later and I was pregnant again. Still I waited for the questions and never got any. I even prompted her this time, asking her how she thought the baby got in my tummy and how she would get out. E couldn't have cared less. I just don't know what to do.

With 6 embryos she could have had 2-3 implanted at a time (the norm). She's only 33 years old which means she had plenty of time to have two or three more pregnancies. Instead she chose to have all 6 implanted at once. That's where my biggest problem lies with her and her doctor. The whole circus is messed up.

We've only been homeschooling for 6 weeks, but so far everyone in the family (except maybe my sister) has been supportive. My dd was in a L/D (learning disabled) classroom that clearly was not meeting her needs. As a second grader she was still doing K work when I know she is capable of so much more. My mom works in a public school and was appalled by the way our school system treated us. She doesn't quite understand our more relaxed approach, but that's probably because she's uptight. :lol: Still, she wants to be helpful and is bringing me some retired material from her classroom. My dad just kind of follows along with whatever my mom does. My sister hasn't said anything negative, but I don't think she "gets" why we homeschool now. She's such a conformist though that I think it's hard for to understand why we aren't status quo. On DH's side, his dad is all for homeschooling which surprised me. He's been impressed by DH's cousin who homeschools her 6 kids. I think if he hadn't been around homeschoolers before us, his opinion would have been different. DH's two brothers haven't said anything one way or the other.

Land's End backpacks are good and they are having a sale right now. I haven't had one myself, but I got dd one for her last years of public school. Granted it was 1st and 2nd grades, but I have heard rave reviews about them from adults too. I had a Columbia in college and I still use it when we go on trips and such. I adore that backpack. Lots of padding in the shoulders and other cool features. Plus, it cleans up well--still looks new after 6 years.

The one I learned was almost the same: Kings Play Cards On Fine Green Stools. Learned it in 6th grade.

If you have the time, try ebay. I'm looking there now to find fabric to make a bumper and skirt for the crib. It's a little like a treasure hunt, but there are so many fabrics to choose from! I also like that I can narrow my search by material, yardage and color.

Another vote for Isle of Palms. We just went there in September (my DH had to go to Charleston for work) and had a fabulous time. We stayed at one of the hotel, but if we went again, I'd want to rent a condo. What I liked best was that when DH went to work and took the van, I could still walk with the kids to the ice cream shop, beach and the nice town park.

I agree that there are many reasons why the mom has the party set up this way. However, if my son was the only one not invited to stay, then I would think it was rude.

You can order sugar cane Dr. Pepper from here anytime of the year. ;) My dad has an intolerance to high fructose corn syrup and he gets his DP from Dublin (Texas, not Ireland). They're lucky to live close enough to pick some up without paying shipping though.

Great, I'm new here and one of the first things I am going to do is make a confession. ;) When I was a senior in high school, my English teacher asked our class if anyone wanted to baby-sit her daughter one night. I told her sure, but I wanted to check if my boyfriend had anything planned for that night. He had been in her class the year before, so she told me we could both come. Yep. After the baby went to sleep, we had sex on my teacher's living room floor. :blushing: Later, I remembered my teacher saying she would have no problems setting up a "nanny-cam". I wonder sometimes if there is video out there...... It's been 12 years, and I haven't told anyone that story.

This is our first week. I'd say we are very new!

The Major and The Minor with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland Sergeant York with Gary Cooper Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with James Stewart And while not in black and white, my all time favorite oldie is The King and I.

The one website I thought of immediately is for the Civil Rights Museum. I haven't visited the site yet, but I bet it would be helpful. I'll have to think a little harder for something on the Great depression.

Here is another article with more information.

I know I am O+. I found out when I was pregnant with dd. I don't know any of my kids' types though. I've asked about having it done, but the dr.s all say it's too expensive. :confused: Guess I'll have to have DH teach the circulatory system when the time comes. Just reading this thread is making me woozy.

I'm not going to be much help as I am in the same boat as you. I feel like I am drowning in my own clutter sometimes. The laundry alone is frightening. I have only recently started clearing the dishes away after a meal. I'm trying to make it a habit, but I still forget sometimes. I want to be able to welcome people into our home and right now I can't because there is too much stuff in the way. DH and I went through half of the kids toys on Christmas Eve and it felt so good to get rid of half of those. Now I feel inspired to do some more organization. We don't officially start homeschooling until Jan 6th and I want this house ready on that day. I think starting with a different mind-set would be helpful (to you and me!). Instead of, "I don't have enough space for my stuff" it should be "I have too much stuff for my space". I have a friend from a large city in Japan. Where she is from, the apartments are tiny so the people can't hold onto useless items. She has carried this way of living over here to the states. I love going to her home because it is so refreshingly simple. I tend to hang onto things just because I *may* need them again someday. She doesn't do this and her home reflects that. She only has one set of dishes for each member of her family so she is forced to wash in between meals. I don't know if I want to go that far, but it does give me a starting point. I think Deb had great ideas and I am going to steal some of them.

Another vote for the Corelle dishes. We bought ours three years ago when we moved and didn't have our other dishes moved yet. I liked them so much my other set has been retired.