:grouphug: & prayers. Denise

$3.93 in Panama City Beach, FL. One gas station had it for $3.87 but most others are in the 3.90's. elise1md - I lived in Midwest City, OK for a few yrs. OK is a great place to live! Variety of things to do, nice people, good colleges. So, there are some of us who think well of Oklahoma. :001_smile: Denise

My oldest ds had a tube taken out at about age 7. All was fine until last summer (age 14). His swimming instructor had him repeatedly dive down to the bottom of the deep end. On the third dive his ear drum burst. The tubes had weakened his ear drum. It doesn't happen to everyone, just some. He had surgery to graft skin from behind his outer ear onto the hole in his eardrum. He's can't ever go diving, sky diving, etc. He talks louder than before so it has affected his hearing a bit. So, having the tube removed should be a brief and easy surgery. Your dc will likely be just fine and not ever have a problem with it again. If he ever does complain of ear pain after diving though, take him to the doctor. I waited thinking that he just had water in his ear and that he was being a bit wimpy. Yes, I get the bad mother of the yr. award for that one. Denise

So FLVS remains free. Well, as long as there is no govt. intervention that goes along with the $$, I will support this policy. It is cheaper to pay all of us than to operate and maintain brick-and-mortor schools. We have schools that closed due to recent consolidations and because they haven't been sold or rented, still cost the county a lot of money. Maybe the thinking is that if enough people keep their kids home, the districts can close and sell schools and not have to build new ones. It would be much better than the overcrowding our county is experiencing due to the budget cuts and resulting consolidations. I'll be watching next session to see how far this bills goes in the legislature. Thanks for letting us know about it. Denise

Great news! I pray that he gets bigger and stronger every day. Mother's milk is wonderful! Denise

:grouphug: Unfortunately, I do understand. I'm so sorry. Denise

Wow. Out from dusk till dawn. On Saturday's my dad would let us watch cartoons until mid-morning then say, "you're not gone yet?" I zoomed down a long hill too fast on my bike and wiped out in the intersection. No one around so I somehow got myself home. No broken bones though. Running through a trailer park a dog jumped the fence and ripped my ear in half. An older boy heard me crying and took me in to his mom - total strangers. She sent me home. I was about 5. As a young teen, a friend and I took a ride with some guy we didn't know. He gave us cigarettes (I don't smoke but we took them anyway). Oh, in first grade I walked to school daily, right past a drug dealer who sat on the corner, played a guitar and gave away "free candy!" I loved candy but never got brave enough to ask him for some. There are more of these stories, some usual and some not, but when I think about it, I wonder how I survived. I don't feel comfortable letting my children have this much freedom because of the big things that happen nowdays, not the stuff I went through. It's sad. Somehow, I think it gives confidence and develops problem- solving skills to get your tongue off a frozen pole (I did that too) or make it home after a big bike wipe-out. There's a song that says children play inside so they don't disappear. That's song sums it up. Denise

I agree that it may be an incentive for more people to homeschool, but would we then have to pay user fees at the library, pay for FLVS, etc.? Funds for some entities would need to be cut or reduced if this policy passes, right? Also, when it is known that certain groups receive $, vendors raise prices. I don't think the national curriculum companies would do this but maybe local stores, activities that homeschoolers frequent and so forth, they might. I'm not trying to be negative, just thinking through all of the consequences. If none of these are true and there are no strings attached, then I love the idea! Denise

Wasn't it just last year that FLVS was in danger of being closed or drastically cut? Between FLVS, the libraries and the lack of teachers here in my county, I would say spend the $ on those things. I will say, if they will just spend the $ on more technology, then give it to me instead (no strings though). We only have 1 foreign language teacher at our local high school (2,000 students) but our district decided to spend $ on new technology - again. I know the funds come from 2 diff. pots but still. Keep it but spend it well. P.S. I do like the idea of putting it away for dc college ed. I have to think that one through.

I am so sorry. :grouphug:

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Denise

Have any of you used Florida Virtual School for Chemistry? If so, what do you think? Was it an honors class? I want my ds to take an honors level chemistry class next yr. (10th) so I'm exploring the FLVS option. Any input you have is greatly appreciated. Thanks. Denise

LisaK, I don't know how to scan it and get it sent to you via this board but I can type in the solutions if you want. PM me if you want me to do that. Denise

If I may be so bold, does anyone have a discount code for either Critical Thinking Co. or Timberdoodle they are willing to share? Free shipping would be especially nice for CTC. Thanks. Denise

Continuing to pray. :grouphug:

I'm glad you're feeling better. Do take it as easy as possible until your due date, if you can. Can't wait to see pictures of your halloween costume! Give your sis a poke for making you be the crazy-eyed one. Pajama day rules! :D Denise

My ds says to tell you that your ds will have a great time! We will pray that he won't get sick. :grouphug: Denise

More :grouphug: s. I hope you feel less nauseas soon. Denise

CleoQc - So do Canadians consider Americans the southern contigent? The southern suburb? I might not mind being part of Canada's southern territory. :) Tracing immigration and heritage patterns is so interesting. Apparently, my family also has a line of blue-bloods going back to the 900's. I don't spend too much time thinking about it though. Interesting thread. Thank OP. Denise

Oh wow, ds would love that. I'm sure you were up to their standards and then some. It shows in your posts and on your blog. Are you feeling better now? Is the baby ok? We're all really worried about you. Oh, I'm hijaking the thread. Sorry. Um, controversial - pajama day. Denise

I second the "How to Win Friends" book. Ds told me he feels akward and doesn't know what to say in conversations. Me too. I'll be reading it next. :D Denise

Aubrey - thanks! I will look at U of Dallas. My ds wants to major in physics and math so if they offer those, I'll send him there. I was looking at colleges, then logged onto this board and saw your post. Thanks for letting me vent. Denise

Mexican (a mix of Native American and Spanish) German Irish Dutch Cherokee Scottish So it makes me a Mutt. Why don't they have Mutt on the census form? (don't answer that) I do wonder when it really won't matter anymore. Denise

:grouphug: Maybe it's time for a warm bath, chocolate or a good book. Really, anything that relaxes you and gives you a break. A good comedy maybe? Denise

Here's a depressing one: All the extra hoops (tests, documents, etc.) homeschoolers have to jump through to get admitted to college. Not even the best colleges, just average ones. Denise