No. No. No. Yes. He very much dislikes the chaos and fighting that goes on in families with more than one kid. Bored? Ha ha ha ha!!! That would be a no. :) Higher quality of life? Who knows. But it's a great one. He definitely gets to participate in the activities he wants, gets all of our attention, and doesn't have to forego for someone else. That said, he doesn't ask for much, is as generally independent as other kids his age, and isn't spoiled at all. Plus, no whining or bickering! :) When DS is out of the house I'll be WELL past the stage of wanting kids around. At 41 now, I wouldn't have nearly the energy, interest or patience with a little one as I did at 30. I fully appreciate the various seasons we go through in life, and there's no way I'd want to extend this one. Live and love it fully now, yes, but when I'm 50?! No way! :)

Thanks, for whatever reason the first episode doesn't come up for me on the PBS site. I did find it on demand, though. Hopefully it will be available for awhile. Looking forward to this one!

This isn't a difficult topic unless you make it into one. Tell her the truth and enjoy following rabbit trails. People had been living in this land for thousands of years, they had enormous cities ( like Cahokia), varied cultures, rich agricultural practices (those plains didn't just make themselves)...and then the Europeans moved in and stole it. We don't need to be ashamed about something that happened hundreds of years ago, but we should be if we don't own up now to the truths and injustices. She may enjoy learning about various tribes in the areas where the Ingalls lived, how the native peoples survived in Wisconsin vs on the plains and so on. Likewise, following the common paths of the settlers as they moved west is a fascinating cultural study. By giving her an understanding now of how and why those cultures collided you'll strengthen her compassion for similar events throughout history and the world.

This looks perfect for my wannabe astrophysicist! Do you know if their courses are always available, or does he need to take it now? I'd like to hold off until fall but don't want to miss the opportunity. Thanks!

Does anyone know where we can access the first episode (full, not preview)? I'm planning to start a unit next week, but don't see it on the website?

Coat closet in entry Large corner built in unit in living room with bookshelves and huge drawers--perfect for storing games, puzzles, science kits etc out of the way but easily accessible Desk with built in cabinets above and below in kitchen Pantry Baking storage and dishwasher in island Cabinets over refrigerator (great for wine glasses and liquor) Canning shelves in basement landing just off kitchen Huge deep cabinets in downstairs powder room Closets in every bedroom, including a walk in master 3 (!!) linen closets in upstairs landing, one used for out of season coats Built in desk with drawers and built in dresser in bonus room over garage Full attic (though we don't use it) Full basement Garage Mud room I've never had a house that had this much storage before, and even though we don't have lots of extra stuff, it's well worth it for the organization.

Well in Maine we have winter quilts and summer quilts so... That's probably not what you're asking. :) I'd say lightweight blanket.

We have a son who is involved in a number of sports, including hockey. My take is 1. Family balance, then 2. Extracurriculars (first as a family and then as individual pursuits). I do not view it as my obligation to spend uncontrolled amounts of money, time, and energy on a child's every whim or desire. As a functional member of my family, I have the equal right to pursue my own interests, and in the interest of remaining a strong family unit, we also must reserve the time and energy to pursue activities together. My life will not be controlled by preteen desires. If that sounds harsh, it's because I'm learning how to reclaim the balance in our family, particularly during hockey season. It doesn't hurt a child to play house instead of travel, or to miss games here and there for other family adventures (or even just cause mama needs a break from stinky locker rooms). I worry about the kids who get too serious about any one sport at such a young age; I've seen it happen and seen the fall out and it's pretty heartbreaking. And taking it so seriously can have enormous impact on a marriage as well as other family dynamics, for many reasons. So honestly, I wouldn't pay for the elite program, though I do get paying quite a bit for a sport the child is passionate about. I just think limits are healthy, and I know everyone in my family is happier when our lives have balance. Good luck. It's a big decision.

DS **loved** this class and highly recommends it. He's completed the HTML 101 and the 3 CSS courses and is now working on JavaScript. He does it completely independently and is getting a ton out of it.

Maine requires it once in middle school. Of course we already enjoy so much history here on a regular basis, but I'm still super excited to create a more formal (and very fun) study around this awesome state. Basically I'm using it as an excuse to travel around more and dig deeper. Everything related that we do all summer long will count (my school year runs June-May)--forts, parks, nature studies, local skills classes, etc--plus museums, mapping skills, learning about local government, reading books by local authors...it's going to be fun! :)

Strawberry jam. Freezer jam is so simple if you haven't made it before, though you can use a lot less sugar making regular jam ( I use Pamonas Pectin for very low sugar). Eta: duh, I didn't see in your original post that you are already going to make jam. Maybe I should drink my coffee before commenting! :)

My doc told me that she sees the biggest rise in PF after summer, when everyone goes barefoot or wears those really thin flip flops and ends up injuring their feet as a result. I cringe when I see the things some women put on their feet! Ouch!

Ha ha--we once moved out of the country with a giant hole in our dining room ceiling thanks to a last minute toilet replacement gone wrong. We literally had to leave with a fan perched up on a ladder, drying out the gaping space. With an open house later in the week. Talk about a nightmare! Thank goodness we didn't take the well known advice, and DID hire a friend as a realtor! (she sold it that weekend--with the hole repaired)! Yes, be prepared! Declutter and all the rest. If you don't move, you'll still get to enjoy the benefits of your hard work. :)

I wear indoor only shoes. After 2 years of dealing with plantar fasciitis, there's no way I'll go without enough arch support. Otherwise, we don't wear outdoor shoes in the house, either. Clogs are nice because they are easy to slip on and off.

No way. This is when things start to get busy around here. We are so looking forward to it after a long winter!

Seconding all the other responses: maple syrup (or candy or sugar or cream) and something regional from your area that can be used. I wouldn't bother taking chocolate--who in their right mind would choose American over European! Ha ha. Only take chocolate if you're going to Canada (sorry ,but gag!).

I used to use a very economical all natural brand, until it gummed up my dishwasher so badly I just narrowly missed having to get it serviced. Every interior water area was totally jammed up with a disgusting thick black slime. I spent uncountable hours getting it clean. Now I'll only use the manufactured recommended product (in the case of my Bosch, Finish Powerball). I used to think it was just a scam, but apparently they really are made to optimally use certain brands of detergents. It could have been a really costly mistake.

Too much conditioner? For the longest time I couldn't figure out while my son's (long wavy) hair was still so tangled after taking a shower, until I figured out he conditioned BEFORE shampooing! Why?! Sometimes the obvious steps...aren't. Ha! :)

Time Warp Trio. Is that the age group you are looking for?

My DS is easy on clothes, he outgrows them long before they get worn out. He mostly wears athletic clothes: t shirts from races and teams he's on, shorts, track pants, running shoes. Full on winter gear, of course. Hiking shoes. Just enough socks; he doesn't wear them unless he has to wear shoes. He's really picky about the socks he will wear (no irritating seams). He won't wear sweaters but lives in an athletic jacket and fleece hat. Specialty athletic gear: bike shorts and jersey, swim shorts etc. Nothing fancy. Boys are easy. :) But I'll bet girls are fun!

My son stopped at 7. That's probably not the norm, though. :)

The entire front has race numbers from my son's various races, all lined up in rows. Usually I don't have anything on it, but I'm knd of digging the graphic look. :)

I don't run with my son because I can't keep up with him. He runs competitively--XC, distance in track and field, 5ks, and triathlons. I don't stand a chance. :) I'd say--after having fun,of course!--that proper shoes are your number one priority. Thankfully it's the only equipment they need (though my son would argue he needs his Garmon gps watch too). I'd take them to a running specific shop--forget Dicks or somewhere generic like that. They need to be properly sized, and their feet need to be analyzed for pronation or other issues. That said, most professionals will encourage a neutral fit while their feet are growing. I will say it can be very difficult to find proper running shoes before size 3. Smaller than that, they are mostly generic sneakers. If they aren't running much (1/2 mile), that will be okay. Good running shoes will likely cost $65 and up.

DS is finishing up MM6 (old version) and will jump into algebra in the fall. Since he'll finish a month or two before we break for summer, I'm looking at fun pre algebra work for that short in between time (JA?), but not because I feel like he needs a separate pre algebra program. I think, for him anyway, that MM will be sufficient.

So the concern is that your 9yo enjoys reading books written for 9 yos, she has a great vocabulary and excellent comprehension. She loves to read and spends her free time doing so. Am I alone in not seeing a problem? She's 9 (or thereabouts). Mostly it goes without saying that she's going to prefer reading modern, popular books written for her age group. Can she expand her options? Sure, and she no doubt will. But why MUST she? Why must she read old fashioned or more challenging books in her free time? If you are really concerned, I agree that assigned reading--with a specific purpose--is probably the way to go. But I wouldn't insist on your personal preferences for the books she gets to choose; that's just setting up for battles later on.