:grouphug: I'm so sorry. I wish I could make it all go away so you could get some rest and comfort. My prayers are with you. Denise

Praying for Emma. :grouphug: That's a scary situation. Fwiw, my oldest had similiar problems. After yrs. of allergies quickly turning into pneumonia and asthma attacks, we had his adenoids taken out. Now, he's fine. He gets colds now and then but never asthma or pneumonia. I hope she is able to fight this off and recover w/out having to go to the hospital. Denise

:grouphug::grouphug: That is awful. I'm so sorry this is happening to you all. You will be in our prayers that he finds something soon. Denise

:iagree: With my oldest, I restricted him and he wanted it more. Once he was older, I relaxed and let him play. He plays a bit and then becomes bored. My younger ds, I started out more relaxed w/him and he's so addicted. We have strict rules on when, what and how much he can play. It's kid dependent and it can also be age dependent. If they don't start at a young age, they learn to do other things for entertainment. Once they're older, the draw might not be so addictive. But, personality plays into it a lot too, so consider both. Denise

:grouphug::grouphug: I am so sorry. Yes, we will be praying that your dh finds a good job quickly. Denise

I haven't read all the posts but I vote for Erol Flynn and the French actor Alain Delon. They were hunky! Denise

I'm a fairly conservative Catholic and I discontinued my membership w/them last yr. I had become increasingly uncomfortable w/them but couldn't put my finger on what exactly made me feel this way. Then, I found out about some dirty pool that went on several yrs. ago and decided that was enough to make me quit. I had vaguely heard about the situation when I first began homeschooling but did not understand it at the time and was too overwhelmed to try. Anyway, I vote no. Denise

I'm looking at Little Pim for my 4-year old dd. We would use either Russian or Spanish, I think. For those of you who have tried the program, will you tell me about it? Likes, dislikes and so forth? Thanks. Denise

Oh my! You are a really good mom and forgiving wife. If it escapes, you can come here. We have no pets - I'm a bad, bad mom. :D Denise

I had no idea that the horses were treated so badly. Is this most farms or just some? There must be a better way to operate these farms. Justamouse - are you unwilling to take prempro because of the way the horses are treated or the side effects? Or both? Some of the sites I read are scary. But, then I kept finding sites that said the medication is ok and doesn't negatively affect most women. It's confusing, which is why I came here to ask you all. The Estroven site said there are no side effects to their supplement. Is that true? Do you know where I can find out if this statement is true? This is all confusing and I really don't trust the info. manufacturers give out. They have something to sell and they want people to buy their products. Thank you both for your input. It does help in making this decision. Denise

My dr. prescribed a hormone replacement drug called Prempro. When I went to fill it, the pharmacists said she wasn't sure it was still on the market. Apparently it is b/c they filled it. I haven't taken it yet b/c I'm still struggling with this sinus cold and taking medicine for it. In the meantime, my neighbor and mother are urging me not to take it and to try Estroven instead. Does anyone know the difference between the two? Will the Estroven work as well as the prempro? Is the Estroven safer? Any info. you can offer is greatly appreciated. Denise

My experience was similar to yours. Both hospitals we used gave us a warm, home-like room with a recliner, rocking chair, shower with a bench and kind staff. If I hadn't had my first dc in a hospital, we both would have died. For my dd, it was no question, I had to be in a hospital. Also, the nurses were very supportive of breast feeding and co-sleeping. Maybe I was lucky but my experiences were good. Denise

:grouphug: I'm happy the chick is doing better and you're finally getting some sleep - at least for now. I was 43 when I had my dd. The first 3 years I lived in a hormone induced haze. This year, I'm tired. She's older and much more independent but it doesn't seem to help. Maybe it's that I'm beginning menopause so not sleeping well. I do hope your chick grows up to be healthy and robust. All the things you've done, you're a very kind-hearted person. Another Denise

I went to high school in Honolulu and we celebrated May Day. We had a 1/2 day of school followed by an assembly where part of the activities was a May pole. It was fun! To the OP: If there was a kindergarten near me like the one you describe, my dd would be there. It's what I want in a kindergarten. Denise

For those of you who have used or are using Thinkwell's AP Amer. Govt. & Politics class, how do you schedule it? Is it 2 days/wk. for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. or do you have your dc watch and study daily for about an hr.? We just got it and I need to get it scheduled in with the rest of the curriculum. Thanks. Denise

We tried for years to adopt domestically. We wanted a pre-schooler. We didn't care about race or disability. In a last effort, we signed up for a foster-to-adopt program through a neighboring county. The training was excellent. But, the social workers, who were African American, told us not to adopt an African American baby because we are not of that race. Then, we found out that there really aren't any preschoolers available in the U.S. We went overseas and it took 1 yr. from the time we called the IA agency to the day we brought our son home. We wanted to maintain contact w/ his birth mother but she is unwilling. We sent her several letters with pictures but she has said she doesn't want any further contact. My son does have pictures of her, along with the names and ages of his siblings. He also has his birth certificate. When he is older, we will help him find his birth family, if that is his wish. Fwiw, ds hated her at first. After all, she gave him away (that was his thinking). We gently explained that she sacrificed a lot to give him a better life and that it hurts her every day to be apart from him. Now that he's older, he does understand this better. He says he feels bad for her and he prays for her every night. I do think he will try to find her one day. I hope he does so they can reunite. We are very open about his adoption. We left it up to him when and if he told his little sister about it. A few months ago, he chose to explain it all to her. She doesn't completely understand it. What she is sure of is that he is her brother and she loves him dearly. We would like to adopt again in the near future but we are over most of the maximum age requirements now. Sadly, it's probably no longer an option for us. I hope that answers some of your questions. Adoption is a much more complicated and difficult process than outsiders believe. It's worth it though! Denise

:grouphug: Oh, that's rough. I'll be praying for you and your dh. Denise

Yes, the bolded part. It seems to be something he needs to do. He seems to prefer lots of noise and then to talk over it. :confused: It makes no sense to me, but he seems to need it. He's told us that he hates it when it's quiet. And yes, he loves to dominate everything. He wants to control everything. He is getting better about that part but it's a long road still ahead of us. Ok, I'll get some ear plugs, and institute quiet time. I'm hesistant to get a mini trampoline w/dd only 4 - but there are some activity type toys (OT kinds of toys) that might help him work off more energy outside. You all have been a big help. Thanks. Denise

More great solutions. It's a too hot now for ds to go out on the porch or backyard, but that will work once it's cooler here. In the cooler months, ds and dd will play in the backyard as a break from school. They do like that. I'm sure that's part of the problem right now. If I'm too sick to take them to the pool, they're stuck inside and can't work off their energy. Still, even on pool days, ds is loud and rowdy. I wish he'd share some of that energy! I like all the ideas on having a set quiet time. I don't know why I didn't think of that. It's in TWTM and many other homeschooling books I've read. I just forgot about that part. Tommorrow is a good day to start it. We don't have a coffee shop near by but the library might work for some alone time. Maybe I can do that once in a while too. Not while I'm sick, but once I'm well again. Thanks everyone for these good ideas. Denise

:lol: That's funny. Yes, I think I will try this too. Thanks. Denise

:grouphug: First, cut yourself some slack. You mother having cancer and then passing away is huge. Your advisor will understand that you are grieving and haven't been in a condition to focus on your thesis. I would make an appointment to go talk to her, though. Make it 2 or 3 weeks from now so you have time to look at the new ps services and see which, if any, will still fit with your thesis. If none will, maybe tweak your thesis? Then, gather your thoughts, jot down some ideas, and go see your advisor. Together, you can break this down into chuncks that are more doable. Once you get back into researching, you may find your old motivation coming back. Whatever you do, don't beat yourself up or let negative thoughts play in loop in your mind. Push those thoughts out, tell yourself you can do this and forge ahead. I hope it all goes well and you get excited about your thesis once again. Let us know how it goes. Denise

It depends on your dc goals after high school, at least partially. My oldest wants to major in physics and math. That means we have to do really good labs, which cost a bit. His math is about $100 for the books and dvd, so that's average. We are beginning to use online classes, which will increase our costs. Another factor is that colleges are becoming more competitive. As this happens, many people are spending more on AP, dual enrollment, online classes and test prep. Those are the items that really drive up cost. I do think parents can give a child a good education using less expensive curriculum choices and still get them into college. It really depends on which college and what the student intends to study, imho. Denise

Thanks for all the good ideas. No, I've never had a mandatory quiet time except to tell them to stay quiet while studying. I'll have to try it. I'll also try having him read to dd. The little ones would love listening to a story on tape, if I can get them to agree on which one. :D My teen uses noise blocking headphones and listens to classical music to study. Maybe I should get the same set-up for my middle one so he can listen to something, SOTW maybe, while I work with dd. You all have got me thinking about solutions now. Thank you so much. Denise

Hmm. I have no blog, probably never will have one and I have no picture posted. Occasionally, I do have minor drama. Once in a while I will argue a point. I never thought about people thinking I'm a troll until all the recents threads. Honestly, I didn't know what a troll was, outside of a fairy tale. I guess if someone thinks I'm a troll, there's not much I can do about it so I'd mostly ignore it. Really, I just want help w/homeschooling and a good laugh once in a while. That's why I come to the Hive. :D Denise

You are in my prayers. :grouphug: Denise