Oh my goodness Christina! :grouphug: I will certainly be praying.

I'm glad things are going so well for you. :001_smile: We started this week too. Today was day 2. I honestly can't believe how smoothly everything is going. We are having to start school earlier this year so that my 11yo can leave for gymnastics at 11:30. We started on time (7:00) yesterday and today. Everyone got up at 6:00 a.m. without grumbling, straightened their rooms, made their beds, ate breakfast, and did chores with pleasant attitudes. My 11yo came home after 4 hours of gymnastics and was ready to do the rest of her school work after dinner. I didn't even have to remind her. Everyone has worked hard on their school work and everything is getting done. I feel like I'm in Never-Never Land. My 11yo ds even set his own alarm to get up at 5:30 this morning so that he would have plenty of time to take care of the chickens. It has been the best start to a school year I have ever had - and this is my 15th year. Woo-Hoo!!!

Hendersonville is a nice town with lots of transplants, but it does snow there. We live about 45 minutes north (Asheville area), but I go to Hendersonville every day for dd's gymnastics and my dh owns a business there. There is a great homeschool group there.

Since your MIL asked your dh about "coming to the beach with you," I would take that as permission to tell them that you really need this time alone as a family. I would pitch a raging fit if my in-laws thought it was okay to crash our much needed family vacation.

I would have to say Aeneid. I read Church's Aeneid for Children (which is not an especially easy read), aloud to my youngest three last year while my high schooler read Aeneid. As a side note, my high schooler's favorite Roman work of last year was by far The Reflections of Marcus Aurelius. He, even now, will pick it up and read passages on his own.

My sisters and I have talked at length about our abusive childhood, but it would do no good to talk to my mother. She changes the past around in her head to suit her. My father passed away a few years ago. He was the sweetest person and loved me very much, but I have realized that he allowed abuse and he wasn't perfect either. I don't dwell on it and have healed through the grace of God, but talking about it would serve no purpose.

My dh and I had a conversation about these very thoughts today. I am not quite there unless I stop and remind myself. It is so hard to let go of perfectionist tendancies, even when they make me miserable.

I would do it in a heartbeat. We have talked for years about doing the same thing, except in Costa Rica. It sounds wonderful to me. You have inspired me to start the conversation about getting on with it with dh.

Praying for you to make the right decision.

Can everyone not understand that the Nutella is MINE!! Geesh.

Congrats on 5000 posts Mariann!! A party with cabana boys - you are one lucky lady. :party: I'll bring the Nutella.

You'll figure it out, no doubt. At one point I was schooling 3 and had 3 more 2 and under. I don't remember how I did it - it's all a blur. :001_smile: I'm sure you'll do fine. Congratulations!

I am so very sorry. Prayers for your family.

This is exactly what I think you should do. Your own family has to come first, and part of taking care of them is taking care of YOU.

Hello!

I'm going to bed now. Not sure if I'm going to dream of goats or cabana boys. :001_smile:

Oh my gosh. She reminds me too much of my MIL and I got chills down my spine when I read that. JUST SAY NO. :001_smile:

Did you get into my Nutella while I was gone??? With the cabana boy???

Oh my gosh! I leave for a couple of hours to watch a movie and you guys have gone from goats to cabana boys!

Yes, there are a lot of us! Welcome! :seeya:

Hey! The Nutella was MINE!

We have taken vacations without our kids several times on our anniversaries. Never with one as young as 2 though. Our kids absolutely love staying with my sister and their cousins. The last time we left for 5 days and left them all at home with our oldest, who was 23 at the time. They had a blast. I always feel guilty at first and then realize how much dh and I needed the time away to be a "couple" again. If your kids are comfortable with the grandparents, I say go.

This exactly.

Or Nutella?

Having lived in the southern US my entire life, I am very accustomed to ma'm. My children were taught to use ma'am and sir. With southerners it is a way of showing respect. My children use ma'am or sir to any and all adults (and so do I, especially those who are elderly).