DH and I are starting tomorrow am. I'm up about 15 pounds (10%) since I started homeschooling DS in September. Before that I was exercising 4 to 5 days a week. Now I can't remember the last time I broke a sweat. Goal tomorrow is to weigh in, cook a healthy dinner, and not eat any sweets. Bonus is to cut back on the diet coke. Will start exercising next week.

Could you start at the beginning of the book and rip out every page. Then you can either hole punch or use a binder clip to hold the rest together.

My children are vaccinated according to the recommended schedule for all vaccines EXCEPT FLU. According to the CDC, these are risks associated with the flu vaccine: "The flu shot: The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that could occur are: Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given Fever (low grade) Aches The nasal spray: The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine are weakened and do not cause severe symptoms often associated with influenza illness. In children, side effects from the nasal spray can include: Runny nose Wheezing Headache Vomiting Muscle aches Fever In adults, side effects from the nasal spray vaccine can include Runny nose Headache Sore throat Cough If these problems occur, they begin soon after vaccination and are mild and short-lived. Almost all people who receive influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it. However, on rare occasions, flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions." Additionally, there is some debate over whether the chance of developing Guillain Barre Syndrome increases with vaccination. The CDC reports that "In 1976 there was a small increased risk of GBS following vaccination with an influenza vaccine made to protect against a swine flu virus." So, long story short - DH and I do not think that the benefits outweigh the risks for myself or my otherwise very healthy children. DH (a physician) IS vaccinated yearly as a condition of his employment.

I voted 5 PM but that was before I read the additional information. If she leases the building and has control over the heat, she needs to be there early enough that the room is tolerable and she can start on time. If you paid by credit card, can you put in a dispute that you aren't receiving the services you contracted for? Another option is to request a refund of unused classes in return for not posting about your experience on Facebook, the Better Business Bureau, etc. Lastly, depending on your state, it may be fairly inexpensive to file in small claims court.

We've seen the animal adaptions video. It didn't include any experiments but the kids really enjoyed watching it. If you are buying them, Disney educational products has their videos on sale-any 2 for $9.99 each with code HDAY13EC through dec 31st. Not sure if these are included.

We pay our cat sitter $20 per day, 1 visit per day. She feeds the cat, cleans the litter box, brings in the mail and occasionally cleans up cat vomit. She is probably here 30-45 minutes a day. Well worth it in my opinion.

I have a spreadsheet with weeks and number of schooldays for that week. Each subject is in a column along the top. Then I figure out what I want to accomplish for the year and fill in the assignments for each week in the grid. I then pull the materials for the next week every Friday and divide it out by day. I also review the lessons for the week to make sure I'm not missing any supplies or to see if there is anything I need to prep.

We bought an Epson Workforce Pro 4020 because it had one of the lowest cost per page print costs which was important to me given the number of pages I print. It is not an all in one printer/copier/scanner because we also have an Epson Artisan but the cost per page is ridiculous to use it for large quantities. What I would suggest is that once you narrow down your choices, that you consider the print cost per page. Most ink websites have the information, but I liked 123inkjets best because it already calculates it in the top right hand corner under technical specifications.

Also check out your local library. Ours had Little Pim and Hola Amigos DVDs. My 5 and 7 year olds definitely showed an increase in Spanish vocabulary after watching them. I supplemented/reinforced them with some inexpensive Brighter Child workbooks and worksheets I printed off online. The library also had the Muzzy DVDs which I personally don't like because I feel the content is inappropriate for this age group and the words sounded fuzzy (not crisply pronounced). We are just about to start on the Salsa series next week.

I have left my children with family at that age for a quick weekend getaway with my husband. Things I considered were - how far away were we in an emergency, how hard would it be to get home if I needed to, how close were the children to who would be watching them, how long the trip was and how important was the trip to myself and my husband. From your description it sounds like the negatives outweigh the positives in your mind and I think, for what it's worth, that you should follow your instincts.

39 degrees now but it was 22 this morning. It still feels very cold but luckily no snow yet.

We read the read and find out science books at night as part of our bedtime routine. Right before that, our kindergartener and first grader read out loud for 20 to 30 minutes. I can't imagine either of them being independent enough to read without a parent. But something ALWAYS falls behind each week. This week we completely missed Spanish and Time for Kids. But we'll just hit them today. What I tell myself is that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Don't burn yourself out.