I have zero guesses as to what this may be. I demand, however, to be kept in the loop as to further developments! Around here the popular thing seems to be lighthouses. I guess people are worried about ships of the line being blown off course and into their front porches? I don't know.

Time almost always stays the same. The IP actually cooks each piece of food individually so it doesn't matter if you're cooking 3 chicken breasts or 10, they all need the same cook time. Same with grains of rice, etc.

We kind of have a mix this year. Math and Culinary Arts are on a full-year schedule. So are English lit and English comp although technically we are doing a credit of each so we're spending 90ish minutes a day on those. All of dd's other core and elective courses are blocked. This semester is Apologetics and Chemistry. Next semester Eastern Civilization and Asian Lit. We like block scheduling for the most part; dd likes to focus on fewer things at at time. But a drawback is the long break between similar subjects, which is one reason we've gone for a combo and kept math full-year.

This. This is the one that blows. my. mind. DH had to do one of those last week. I mean, really?! You can't even bother to read my resume and determine whether I'm worth the time for a phone call? I have to talk into this camera and try not to feel like a total idiot doing it? How can they even get meaningful information from a situation that's likely to be irredeemably awkward for the vast majority of applicants??? And my DH is in sales. He's completely fine with video-based calling, presentations, etc. But this is a whole new low. 95% of sales is being able to read and play off your audience. The "you show us yours before we show you ours" salary requirements burn me up too. Job seeking is a humiliating, disgusting process. Only slightly more so than actually working for a faceless corporation.

Maybe you should introduce this person to the JAWM acronym... 🙂

First day of school is in the books! Well, I should say first full day, since dd technically started two weeks ago, but today was the first day with ds and all of dd's stuff going. (And I just realized that I didn't take a first day of high school pic -- but I'm not even sure which day that would have been 😕) Headed off to take her to her first official high school crew practice in a few. Trying to decide whether to hit the gym. Looks like possible thunderstorms and I don't want to be too far away if I have to unexpected pick dd up at the lake!

I came across this book today. I'm not familiar with the author, but for a buck on Kindle I decided to give it a try. I'm only a few pages in. Thought it might interest one of you! I Am God's Creature: Martin Luther and a Theology of the Body

No advice, but I'm very interested in what you come up with. I think a theology of the body is sorely lacking in Protestantism, as well as Lutheranism, my neck of the woods. The miracle of the incarnation is proof that our physical existence is as important as our spiritual one. Please do share what you find!

Saxon is a solid curriculum, but it is somewhat different in philosophy/approach. So when it works, it works. And when it doesn't, it really doesn't. It has been a great fit for my dd. She switched from CLE to Saxon 87 at 11 and hasn't looked back. She's tackling Advanced Math now. It's too early to tell if it will work for my ds, but I doubt it will work as well for him. It's likely to overwhelm him. But we will see. If it works for your student, go for it!

If it wasn't frozen before, and if you've been marinating in the fridge, I'd freeze it. If you want to be extra safe, go ahead and cook and then freeze.

I feel you. I've been trying for months to help my dad find employees for his small home improvement company. There is more work than they can handle even with a full cache of workers. But there aren't any decent employees to be had anywhere. Thank goodness he is retiring next year. I am out of ideas to help him, and he is running himself ragged trying to keep up with demand. I'm honestly worried for his health.

Have you tried posting on the Site News & Discussions board?

Of course. The general advice I've seen is to start with level 1 regardless of age so you cover all the information. A 4th grader could probably speed through the lower levels pretty quickly.

Full disclosure: My dd has not taken the SAT "for real" yet. (She did take it in 7th grade as part of a talent identification program.) I really like Erica Meltzer and her approach. Her website is www.thecriticalreader.com. Her blog is also really great; it's not all about test prep.

I just happened across this today, and I thought it seemed germane to the discussion. I'm posting not to convince anyone, but to give perhaps another perspective on a Christian theology of suffering for those who are interested: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/glory-versus-cross/

Here's what worked for us when Santa brought ds a new kitten (much to dd's older cat's chagrin): On the advice my cousin (a vet), we kept the kitten in a large dog crate in ds' room. For the first day or two, we kept the door to his room closed. DS or one of us would go in and let the kitten out to play periodically, with the door still closed. But he was so small and the crate so large that he had plenty of room, his food and litter, etc. so he was happy. The older cat never spent much time in ds' bedroom so he didn't mind it being closed off. After a couple of days, we opened the door to ds' room when the kitten was in the crate. It took a few days, but the cat started very slowly to come around. First, he would come and listen/sniff at the door when it was closed. Then he started to peek in when it was open. Eventually he started to come into the room. Keeping the kitten confined but visible let the older cat feel in control of the territory while adjusting to the new arrival. Finally we were able to start leaving the door the to crate open while we supervised, and then they became comfortable enough that we took the crate away altogether. We've never had another problem. Our cat was not typically an aggressive personality outside this incident, so whether this would work with a cat that was, I don't know.

Agreeing that this sounds like dementia. My late grandmother wouldn't speak to me for weeks because she was convinced I had stolen her car. When she got over that, she went after my mother for stealing the bowl she liked to keep her mixed nuts in. It's sad and frustrating, but I would suggest reading up on how to deal with those suffering it. You can make things a tad easier on yourself by understanding what's happening, even if you can't do much for him. And definitely talk to his doc about possible medical intervention.

I thought so too. Thank goodness she had the wherewithal to have the deed to their home transferred into her own name only! How on earth did he manage to accidentally sign a contract leasing them the house (a multi-million dollar home for $1500/mo!!)?? He's a law professor, for crying out loud!

I don't disagree, but I do think it's important to make a distinction between classic Reformed theology (which finds much of its roots in Calvin) and the so-called "New Calvinists," who take certain Calvinist doctrines to new extremes. Not every Presbyterian, Anglican, etc. falls into the latter category, although some might identify as Calvinists.

Has anybody else seen this story from New York Magazine? It's wild! https://www.thecut.com/2019/07/bruce-hay-paternity-trap-maria-pia-shuman-mischa-haider.html

I did this for my mom a number of Christmases ago. She always kept a file box of random slips of paper that would inevitably spill when she tried to use it. I typed up all the recipes and formatted them and then had it printed and bound through lulu.com. It was easy. At the time I had access to InDesign, so I used that for page layout, but you could easily use Word for a cookbook. Be sure to make extra copies for your kids!

Thanks everybody! After talking it over with dh and dd (much easier since I had worked through my thoughts already), I think we are going to go with option 3, working through the book at our own pace. DD much prefers this option. She was overwhelmed at the thought of trying to complete the book in one year and likes Art Reed's approach of 1/2 lesson per day. So do I -- we do not need to rush here, and as y'all pointed out, there is always time to go with a different option later if this one doesn't work and she needs a repeat on the material. DH is going to have a conversation with his aunt to see if we might be able to work something out regarding occasional tutoring. 99% of the time, dd is just fine working through the text on her own. The tutor is for my peace of mind as much as anything. I made good grades in math all the way through calculus, but truthfully I was floundering and didn't ever really understand what I was doing. I'm afraid that I am not providing the support she needs, even though she doesn't seem to be struggling. If we just have someone to review her tests and be on call if she has questions, I will feel better. I think dd thinks I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, although she's too polite to say so! She's probably right, but... I am so not a math person.

I just got an email that the precalc class dd was scheduled to take this year has been cancelled. Yay. 😒 So now I'm scrambling big-time to find an alternative. Until now, we have used Saxon at home, supplementing with the videos from Virtual Homeschool Group. DD is mostly independent, but we have always gone over the practice problems daily and I of course fill in the gaps when she doesn't understand something. She's maintained an A test average with no problem doing this. But about halfway through algebra 2, the material started to get harder for me to teach, especially on an ad hoc basis. So in the spring we brought in a tutor to make sure dd was staying on track (she was). I know that Saxon sparks some strong feelings, but for various reasons we want to stick with it for now. Next year dd will be able to dual-enroll and hopefully will test into calculus. The co-op where she was supposed to be enrolled this fall spreads Saxon Advanced Math out over three semesters, which I prefer because dd is only in 9th grade (just turned 14) and looking at a potential math-related major (current interest is applied statistics/actuarial science), so I really want her to be solid. I'd even be okay with taking two full school years on it because we've got the time to spare and, frankly, I just don't want to spend two hours a day on math. Obviously at this late date options are limited, but here's what I've got so far: Advanced Math 1 at Freedom Project Academy Pros: Only online provider I've found that uses Saxon and breaks AM over three semesters. DD watched part of the sample class and thought the teacher seemed fine. Having a dedicated teacher with whom dd can interact/ask questions is a huge plus. Basically takes all the stress of teaching/grading off me. Cons: I know nothing about this school at all. Cost, while not out of line with similar providers, would put a strain on our budget. We'd be locked in to two years at FPA so that she could complete AM (the second half of AM is paired with Saxon Calculus for a second full year of credit). We don't love the way the school calendar is structured; a winter vacation that we planned around the co-op schedule (won't make that mistake again) might be in jeopardy. Enroll at a different local co-op that teaches Saxon Advanced Math (I've found two possible options) Pros: Similar benefits re: dedicated teacher and less stress for me at a much reduced cost. Live class setting would be a better environment for dd than online. Cons: Both options are 2x/week and 30+ minutes away, which means a lot of wasted drive time during our day, and time at low productivity trying to school ds while we wait for dd. Both move at a faster pace that we'd prefer, completing the entire book in one year. Similar potential issues re: calendar and vacation. DD doesn't love the idea of giving up her morning twice a week and is concerned that the pace will be too fast. Continue doing our own thing, potentially adding Art Reed's DVD's for instruction Pros: We can go at our own pace. More cost-effective, unless she needs a tutor. Cons: Very little support with questions or problems. No one to really make sure dd is reasoning through the material correctly (I am pretty much limited to checking answers at this point). Caveat: There is the option of continuing with our tutor, although that will quickly become cost-prohibitive at more than 1-2x/month. While we liked the tutor personally, she was a bit timid and I would prefer someone who will take the lead in planning assignments and ensuring that dd is on track. Alternatively, dh's aunt is a former high school math teacher (now dean at the local CC) who might be willing to take on the tutoring role, hopefully at a more affordable rate; not sure how I feel about combining business and family though. Thanks for letting me think out loud; I'm someone who really needs to talk through a problem like this, and all my "in that case"s and "on the other hand"s send dh and dd running for the hills, lol! But any input or ideas are welcome.

We started attending a new church about two years ago. It is a small church but we are an introverted family and so we don't know that many people, beyond the usual pleasantries at Sunday services. There is an older lady who is usually at the service we attend. She is very sweet but I've always had the impression that she might be a little "off." Anyways, not long after we joined the church, she took to calling dh "Darren." This is not his name. We have how idea how she came up with the name, as it's nowhere close to dh's actual name, but it never bothered him, and we just sort of laughed about it. He answers to Darren when she talks to him -- which is every Sunday. She makes a point of saying hello to him. Just him, not me or the kids, although we're usually together. In hindsight, he should have corrected her when it first happened. But it seemed harmless, and she seemed so pleased to see him each week, and he didn't want to embarrass her, and he didn't mind answering to the wrong name. But today as we were leaving service, she brought over her elderly mother, whom we'd never met before. And it took about two seconds for him to realize that they don't just have his name wrong. They think he is someone else altogether! (The old woman going on about how she loves to see people she knew when they were tots pretty much gave it away.) This time he panicked and just sort of laughed and nodded and said it was so good to see them and beat a hasty retreat. So I guess he is going to have to fully assume his identity as Darren now. Which I guess makes me Mrs Darren. And our kids... Darrena and DJ??? I feel like I'm living in a sitcom!!! 😂😂

That's one way. I eliminated some chapters and focused on the topics I thought were most important.