I like your style, Cat. Except that instead of a plastic gargoyle, I'd go with one of those fake-moldy lions. And a gigantic faux lighthouse. Preferably with working light that shines in her window. Seriously, OP, I feel for you. This is exactly why we live in the country. (((Hugs)))

I wanted to express my condolences as well. I think you are making a wise decision. I believe I would want my baby at home with the rest of us too, for whatever time we had. Prayers for you and your family as you walk this road. :grouphug:

I am definitely a non-runner (caution: understatement alert), but I am currently using this version of Couch to 5K successfully: http://c25kfree.com/ It's just enough to present a challenge to me each week, but not enough that I've become discouraged. I like that it runs simultaneously on my iPhone with my podcast app so I can listen to something else while I jog.

I don't have any meal suggestions, per se, but around here we work off of a "school menu" like the public schools do (I like to think my meals are healthier though). I came up with a four-week rotating, simple meal plan, so we don't eat the same thing more than once a month. On vacation weeks we take a break and have sandwiches or leftovers, or occasionally grab take-out as a treat. The menu makes it easy for me to grocery shop and to make sure the kiddos are getting a balanced lunch instead of just pb&j and chips every day. They are easy meals -- dd9 can make most of them herself if I need her to -- because I am not a good cook and making a decent dinner is usually as much as I can handle! When it comes to food, the less I have to think about it, the better! ;)

Meh, I hate yoga too. Tried it again just this week. It's not for me. It's too slow, and what's with all the breathing? I do fine timing my breathing when I'm running or doing other exercise, but for some reason I get all out of whack when I'm doing yoga. If you want to keep trying, do. It's like anything else -- it's bound to get easier with practice. And it's supposed to be great for you. But if you really hate it, find something else. The exercise you enjoy and will actually DO is always better than the exercise you won't!

Today is the last official day of our first year of homeschooling! We not only survived, we thrived -- thanks in large part to the hive! (And yes, we just wrapped up a poetry unit...) I've lost almost 40 pounds, and dh has lost 50+!

That reminds me of all the kitschy souvenir shops in Myrtle Beach that are holding a perpetual "Going Out FOR Business" sale.

This is one of our new favorite hot-weather recipes: Asian Ramen Salad: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/ridiculously-amazing-asian-ramen-salad/#.UxvMNaq9KSO It uses cole slaw mix (just the cabbage/carrots -- you make an oil/vinegar dressing) instead of lettuce, so it keeps great in the fridge without getting soggy, and it's so refreshing. We actually cook the noodles first (dh misread the recipe the first time around!) with the seasoning packets, but you could just add them when you're ready to eat, although cooking ramen literally takes 3 minutes. And I throw in a couple of cans of mandarin oranges (drained). We're a very meat-and-potatoes kind of family too, but with the nuts and seeds, we eat this as a meal. Chicken or shrimp would be yummy in it too. And may I add: Bless your heart, living in TX with no a/c, you poor thing!! :grouphug:

Right now, I have that perfectly tired feeling that comes after a long, productive day, topped off with a nice dinner, a great workout, and a relaxing shower. I'm curled up on the couch for a little down time and can't wait to stretch out in the bed in an hour or so. :001_wub:

nm

Happened to me a few of months ago when I really upped my routine. I had one period that was unusually heavy as well -- heavy enough that I called my GYN to see if I should be concerned. Of course, I haven't seen him since ds was born 3 years ago (my GP does my annuals) so they wouldn't talk to me. But it only lasted a day or so and my next period was normal.

In general, I find store-bought cards to be ridiculously overpriced and a waste. I almost never buy them -- unless I need something to stick a check in! When we were kids, my little sister made our mom a Mother's Day card. In her very best 6-year-old handwriting, it said: "Happy Mother's Day. I hope your day is full of mothers." :D

:grouphug: I'm sorry. I had a yucky Mother's Day too. The kids sniped at each other all day, dh yelled and threw things (which never works, it just makes us all miserable), we had decided on a nice lunch which I wound up having to cook myself, and we were so late finally getting over to see my mother that she texted to make sure we weren't lying in the ditch. Nobody cleaned up anything all day long, so I have that to look forward to tomorrow. And we have a Japanese hornet nest somewhere near the house. We've killed three in the garage in the past 48 hours, and when we got home just now, there was one in the house. Great. :glare: Oh well. As Scarlett O'Hara said, "After all, tomorrow is another day."

Congratulations!!

My dd and I are also very much NOT auditory learners. She aces copywork and narration like a champ (ETA: I do allow her to read the narration passages herself. She does much better answering the questions when she has seen it.). But this is one reason I continued to push dictation, even though she dislikes it and finds it extremely challenging. There are some situations in which assimilating information via audio is necessary (e.g., college lectures), and I want her to develop those skills. That said, it wasn't until someone suggested watching "Dictation with Dan" that I discovered that I was doing. it. all. wrong. SWB does not just rattle off the sentence three times and expect him to repeat it back. Maybe that's a really "duh" thing to say, but that's exactly how I approached dictation. (Amazing how many dumb mistakes I have to look back on after only one year homeschooling... :bored:) Dd was so burned out that I decided to take the rest of this year off and start back with dictation in a few months. We will be doing WWE4 because I think she needs the challenge in the narration exercises, but I fully expect to go slow and/or modify the dictation sections. I think refining my technique will make an enormous difference. I had dd watch the video as well, and she agreed that SWB's technique would be much easier for her than mine!

I am so very, very sorry. :crying:

The 90-Day Bible is kind of like that. It is designed to read cover-to-cover over (surprise!) 90 days. I'm not sure of the translation, or if there is more than one version. YouVersion is another app you can check out.

Yes, this. And all the descriptions of heaven in the Bible come from visions, not NDEs. Paul was expressly forbidden to disclose what he saw there.

I know exactly what you mean. To make things worse, I read it not too long after losing my 19yo sister in a car accident. I REALLY wanted to believe it. But I just... can't.

Seconding Old Salem. We're very near there, and I love it! It's especially fun around Christmastime. (And DEFINITELY do the Winkler Bakery for cookies and sugar cake!!)

I guess it's no surprise to anyone that I would choose Narnia. But only if the door was the door of a wardrobe... :laugh:

I didn't say they were. I understood betty's point to be that some folks who call themselves "unschoolers" are, in reality, educationally neglecting their children. I can't imagine that the mother I met intended to say that by referring to herself as a "not schooler."

That's so awesome! Congratulations!

I understand what you mean by this, but I wonder: In some areas is "unschooling" actually called "not schooling"? Are they the same thing? Something different? I ask because a couple of months ago I heard a mother describe her homeschooling style as "not schooling," and I don't think she meant it in the way that you do. At least, I can't imagine someone boldly proclaiming to a group that she is actively choosing not to educate her children. This occurred at a planning meeting for a new co-op, where we were all introducing ourselves to the group. I had to slip out before the meeting was over, so I didn't get to ask her what she meant. Others introduced themselves as "unschoolers" so I don't know if there is a difference. FWIW, the meeting was absolutely a free-for-all, and I knew when we left it wasn't the group for us. (I don't do well with chaos, lol!) Kids were literally running all over the room, screaming, jumping off furniture (did I mention we were at the library?). One kid, about 6, repeatedly interrupted the meeting by running into the circle of adults and demanding everyone's attention, while his mother sat there and giggled. That's my only experience with un(not?)schoolers, and I'm not willing to lump them all in the same category, but it's clearly not the style for us.