A lab if you're willing to walk it. They shed, but I think all dogs do. It's not excessive IMO. Most labs have excellent personalities. They are loyal and good with kids and loads of fun.

That sounds like my daughter at that age. She was the most imaginative person I've ever known, quite unlike the rest of us. I remember crossing a bridge over a large river when she was about three years old. She told us she could see cows out in the water, and she started counting them. She was so serious about them really being there that I halfway wondered if she had real hallucinations. She's still imaginative, but it's different than it used to be. I don't have any advice for you about curriculum. Nothing formal I ever tried worked until about age 7.5. Reading took much longer than I thought it should because everything was a game to her, and my gentle prodding to turn those games into a reading lesson never went over well. She's been a late bloomer academically, but she's a fantastic, fun, interesting person.

I started researching homeschooling when my son was about three years old. I started out with some very general homeschooling books and websites. I learned about Charlotte Mason and living books, and I fell in love with that notion. Then I got a Sonlight curriculum, which I thought looked pretty great. One piece of advice I heard repeatedly in the beginning was to stay far away from WTM because that kind of education is so rigid and joyless. That just made me curious to see what it was all about. I checked the book out from the library. I could see how someone could take this style of education to the extreme, but I could also see the value in doing it her way. I've always thought the hours recommended, at least for elementary ages were too much. I know we've never had to spend an hour per day on math, for example. I know the publishers pushed for it, but I really think the book would be less intimidating without the time schedules included.

I've had that dream. Also, sometimes I can't remember my locker combination.

I pick pink because it's a shade of another color. I think of all the other colors as being pure color, while pink is just light red. The other explanations all sound good too though.

I admit I didn't look up a primary source before posting that, and I did make an error. His works were condemned three years after his death, not during his life. I know I shouldn't quote Wikipedia, but I don't have a lot of time here, and this is what I found. On 18 January 1277, Pope John XXI instructed Bishop Tempier to investigate the complaints of the theologians. "Not only did Tempier investigate but in only three weeks, on his own authority, he issued a condemnation of 219 propositions drawn from many sources, including, apparently, the works of Thomas Aquinas, some of whose ideas found their way onto the list." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condemnations_of_1210%E2%80%931277#cite_note-Edward47-11

Welcome to the boards. I'm nearby in Summerville. You might look into talking to some of the people at LCHEA (Lowcountry Christian Home Education Association) for support. http://www.lchea.net/

It just occurred to me that Galileo was a Catholic too, but he was still a scientist who treated was treated badly by the church. I don't think that negates my original point.

RecumbentHeart, I can think of a couple examples of what she might be referring to. I have not read that particular book though. Middle Ages Christians considered the Greeks to be pagan, so their scientific works were often banned and burned. Thomas Aquinas was a monk who tried to bring back the teachings of Aristotle and his contemporaries. His writings were condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. Later he was made a saint, but he was censored in his time. Galileo was brought to trial over his writings because he believes earth is not the center of the universe. He was held in house arrest for the rest of his life. I'm sure there are other examples. These are just two that I can think of right away. There have been and still are many Christian scientists. However, there have also been many Pagan, Muslim, Buddhist, and atheist scientists and other religions as well.

Mine is up too.

Rosie, babyhood is tough for me too.

I think the atmosphere of our home is pretty good most of the time. A long time ago I realized I had to lower my standards on cleanliness if I wanted to be happy. It's clean enough for comfort, but messy enough that I don't want my mother in law popping in without at least half an hour's warning, lol. We usually have other kids over here several hours per day, so I guess they like it here. When it comes to homeschooling, the kids aren't thrilled about it all the time, but I think they generally find their work level to be appropriate and they end up learning something and coming away with a sense of accomplishment so they are generally satisfied. I don't put in a ton of effort to make everything seem like fun and games because I know that would stress me out and I wouldn't be as much fun. I do try to make sure their work is meaningful. I try to say yes or at least seriously consider their requests before giving an automatic no. I like my kids to have a reasonable amount of freedom so they can learn who they really are and how to make good decisions. We do game nights and movie nights and building a campfire in the backyard nights. We go on bike rides, walk the dog, play tennis, and work around the house and in the yard together. We love it. If I'm being honest with myself, there are two main causes for those times when the ambiance in our home is bad. 1) Too much screen time. It makes us lazy and less patient. It takes time, so the important things we need to do seem rushed and the fun non-tv things get crowded out. 2)I'm the problem. Sometimes I'm amazed by how much control I have over the general tone in our home. If I want to do my own thing and not be bothered, my husband follows suit. Then we're both getting pissy with each other and the kids, and it's just not good. (Everyone should be allowed some alone time, but I personally need balance or I will get selfish about it.) I think as long as I stay present in the moment and keep a positive attitude, everything is great. If I'm not taking care of my health it's hard for me be the person I want to be. Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and too much sugar will send me into a downward spiral. If I don't take time to socialize with my friends and do things I like to do I find myself being negative. If the best way to lead is by example, the best thing I can do for my family and my home is take care of myself and practice lots of patience. I also think we're all different. Person A may need to be told how to relax and go with the flow. Person B may need to be told to get some structure in their day. Person C may need to take some time for themselves, while Person D might need a reminder to pay more attention to her family.

Oh yeah! That's a good point by grace's dad about the earth being frozen without a sun. I'm going to let my son read these responses when he comes home from karate.

Good link. Thanks!

That's hilarious and true!

I thought some of the smart people on this board might know the answer to this. My son and I were talking about all the ways energy eventually comes from the sun. Food eventually goes back to plants, which use photosynthesis to grow. Oil comes from ancient rotted plants and animals, which lead back to the sun. Same with oil. Wind power comes from moving air, which wouldn't be the same without the sun to heat the air, causing it to move around. We wouldn't have a water cycle because the sun could not evaporate the water, so we couldn't have hydroelectric plants without the sun. Solar power...well that's obvious. What about geothermal energy and nuclear power? Are they somehow dependent on the sun in a way we haven't considered?

Rosie, what are BFSU and MOTL?

Ours is up. I've never made it to the first page before! http://greensummervillian.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/weekly-report-13/

I'm planning to do ancients logic next year in the WTM fashion. We're still doing SOTW modern, so I really have no experience with a logic style history. I have read good reviews about Oxford's "The World in Ancient Times" series. It's supposed to include lots of info from primary sources. I haven't actually looked at it myself yet.

We have about 1400 sq. ft for 4 people plus my husband built a shed for tools, bikes, and the lawnmower. We don't have a garage or basement either. The size is OK for just the four of us, but when you start adding guests and visitors it gets small very fast. I would gladly add a few hundred square feet.

Some males will hump and constantly mark their territory on walks, but that's not necessarily the case if they have been neutered. I've had good luck with male and females. Our last two dogs have been neutered males, and they have both been sweet, obedient, and wonderful with children of all ages. The first one was neutered as a young pup, and he peed squatting just like a girl. The one we have now was neutered later in life. He lifts his leg and marks his territory a little bit, but much less than when we got him.

We don't have one and never have. We have used our debit card for those times such as when renting a car that you need one.

I don't know if they have elastic waists there, but I've had good luck with jeans at JC Penney's. My boy is a little husky and my girl is very slim. They both found good pants there.

Ours is up too. http://greensummervillian.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/weekly-report-12/

I just learned what ruminant means when I googled it.