We tent camped at Yellowstone. Yes, you do have to take extra precautions, but it is not that difficult. I would tent camp if we went again, but I love camping. Yellowstone is definitely worth it. You're not going to get anything like it anywhere near you. It is unique. I only wish that we had allowed more time there, that we had camped our style, and that we had attended the ranger talks in the evenings. We were with my in-laws, and while that was fun, MIL and SIL are not the camping type. They needed to be able to use hair dryers and curling irons to be happy. It probably would have been better if they had stayed in one of the lodges and we had tent camped and met to look around the park. We also did not do all the things we would have chosen to do because we were trying to accomodate everyone's tastes. Even so, it was a fantastic trip. If you can, spend a few days up in Montana while you're up there. We stayed in a Days Inn just outside of Big Sky for a few days. Again, we would have camped if it had just been us, but this place was very affordable and had a nice indoor pool with big waterslide. The Gallatin River is gorgeous and there are places that offer whitewater rafting and trail rides. When we asked everyone what their favorite part of the trip was, it was very difficult to choose between Montana and Yellowstone. You just can't see anything like what Yellowstone has anywhere else though. Do not miss it and make sure you allow plenty of time. Do remember the park is HUGE, though. Just the time it takes to drive to different spots can eat away at your day. Plan a day for each of the major areas and several days for things like the Junior Ranger program and hikes.

It depends. It's kind of hard to say sense you didn't include scratch and sniff in your post. Ew, I just gagged a little thinking about that. I've noticed that some smells that older people seem to have are due to the fact that they can't see and/or smell as well and do not notice they're not getting things as clean (homes, things in them, clothing, and selves). When dh's great grandparents were still alive and we'd go to visit, I'd rewash their dishes for them. Both of them had very poor eyesight and there would be dishes in the cabinets that had not been properly washed and some smelled a faintly sour or like spoiled food. There is this other smell which really bothers me, and I've noticed it on people of different ages. I encounter it often at Salvation Army Thrift stores (which is why I only shop Goodwill and DAV now) and a few other places. It's a smell I often equate with poverty or with elderly people, but I've come across middle class, younger people that smell that way, too as well was many poor people who do not smell that way. It's so hard to describe smells! I have noticed that certain cleaning products smell somewhat similar. I have a orange scented soft scrub that I can barely bring myself to use because rather than oranges, it reminds me of this awful smell. The smell is like that cleaner and dirt combined, like filth was not really removed but only covered over. I'm a little sensitive to smells. Can you tell?

Funny that just now this was directly above the "What the World Needs Now" thread.:lol: I'm not much for romance novels unless you count Jane Austen and other books which contain romance but are not all about romance and do not belong in the same genre as Harlequin:D I can give a few movie recommendations though. Chocolate and Australia would probably be at the top of that list. Mmmmm...yummy!

I don't believe people are innately good. I do believe what others have said about our fallen state and sin nature. However, I don't believe that humans are bent toward evil as one poster put it. Yes, we do have that sin nature, but I believe man was also originally created with a propensity for good. I believe there is something in our nature that tends to seek out, to crave, that which is good. In looking at the natural world, I see so much which leads man in the direction of God. God makes Himself known in so many ways--not just through reading His Word. The Bible says that the heavens declare his handiwork and some believe that God's plan for man's redemption is literally written in the stars, or at least that He devised a way for the story to be told through the stars and planets and their groupings and movements. I believe when God created man, He created within him the desire for good. However, He also created man with freedom of will and the power to choose good or evil.

I never used to like holiday hams that much. Maybe that's because we always had the boneless, pre-cooked, perfectly formed things. (Are those real? What's the deal with those anyway?) They're cheaper, but I prefer using that kind of ham chopped up in other dishes rather than sliced for a holiday meal. Dh's cousin made the ham below for a Christmas Eve dinner a few years ago and we have had it the past two Thanksgivings alongside the turkey. It is one of the best things I've ever tasted. If you wanted to go a cheaper/easier route, do up one of those perfect oval hams and then serve with the sauce in this recipe. The sauce is so good! I also make some for people to put on top of the ham after it's cooked. If you have any leftover sauce, save it to use on English muffins along with cream cheese. This is one of my favorite breakfast/lunch/snacks, so I always double the sauce recipe to be sure I'll have some left over. Cousin Keith’s Ham Recipe 2 lb brown sugar (Yes, 2 pounds!) 1 c Mogen David wine concord 1c pineapple juice 1 T nutmeg 1 T cinnamon 1 T ground cloves Mix all in a bowl 1 ham shank cut in 2 in. slices (weight doesn’t particularly matter) Put ham slices in dish and pour half of sauce on top cook 2 hours at 350°. Flip over and pour other half of sauce on top. Cook 2 more hours at 350°. Sauce 1 jar apple jelly 1 jar apricot pineapple preserves ¼ cup horse radish 1 t ground mustard Mix all in a bowl.

I make waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. If I did not make them, I'd have a mutiny on my hands. It's one of the traditions the kids love the most. MIL, FIL, SIL always come over for breakfast and opening presents afterwards. Sometimes my mom and/or one of the great grandparents comes. Since I saw a waffle thread, I'll say also that I use Bisquick with the waffle recipe on the box except I beat the egg whites separately. I also serve sausages and sometimes different types of pancakes (blueberry, pumpkin ginger, apple, etc.). I am the Pancake and Waffle Queen!:D Waffles are usually reserved for Christmas and special occasions, though. The kids complain, but they take longer than pancakes and it keeps them special.

I voted "tried it, didn't like it". I knew I'd never be a smoker, though. My mom smoked and I couldn't stand it. One night when I was about a senior in high school, some friends and I were at a club. Someone we were with had a pack of cigarettes and we decided to each smoke one. It was as disgusting as I'd imagined, but I smoked the whole thing. I wanted to see if there was any possible way I could ever like it. I wanted to understand what the attraction was. And I wanted to be just the tiniest bit rebellious. I have never, ever tried drugs of any kind though. I kept my rebellion to that one cigarette, getting drunk a few times, and, oh yeah, getting pregnant before I was married. But at least I stayed away from cigarettes (for the most part) and drugs, LOL.:D

We have a 1999 GMC Suburban that we are trying to sell. We loved having it when gas was cheap, when there were four kids at home, and when we were doing a lot of camping. Right now it just isn't practical for us. We live in a rural area and it's nice for the rough dirt roads around here, but it's so expensive to drive. For the past three years I've had a Saturn Ion which I use for running the kids around and doing my errands. I've really noticed a difference in how much money I'm saving on gas. At one point I was using at least $80 a week in gas for the Suburban, sometimes $120. Since my kids are older now, we don't always go everywhere together and my oldest is no longer living at home. The Saturn works fine for getting us where we need to go, though I do miss the space and the four wheel drive. The kids are also not doing 4-H dog training any more, so we don't take the dogs anywhere but the vet (2 miles away) most of the time. You really just have to consider your family's specific needs and whether or not you can afford to pay extra for gas or a smaller car will meet your needs just as well most of the time. We do have dh's work truck (5 seats) for when we need to haul things or need a little more room. Another thing to consider is resale value. Suburbans and other SUVs used to hold their value, but nowadays you can barely sell them for what they'd bring in scrap. No one wants them because they cost too much to drive.

I don't mind the reason the Salvation Army folks are ringing the bells. I think it's a good way to make their presence known and ask for a donation without asking each and every person as they go in and out of a store. It's less direct and, therefore, easier for me when I don't have anything to give. (I always wish I could give, but it isn't always available or best.) The sound, however, can drive me batty, particularly if the bell ringer is very loud and enthusiastic. I am very sensitive to noise, especially noise that is beyond my control. Add the bell ringing to all the noise and stimulus of a crowded holiday shopping center, and it's sensory overload for me. If I've skipped a meal, am late in eating, or haven't eaten properly--and it's usually one of those when I'm out running errands this time of year--you have the recipe for a complete meltdown.

Really it depends on the context. Without any context, I guess I'd think of my favorite color. I didn't vote in the poll, though.

I also recommend ABeka's insect flash cards. Their expensive as flashcards go, but they're very nice. I laminated ours (for cost of lamination) at the local parent and teacher resource center USD 259 runs, and they have held up very well.

I prefer books with very good photographs rather than drawings. If they do have drawings, I want them to be in color and very detailed. I also prefer excellent descriptions since sometimes it can be hard to tell from just a picture. Audobon field guides are very nice and you used to be able to get them at Sam's for a good price. They're a good size for carrying in a backpack, too. Get field guides that are specific to where you live and make sure you know where the dividing line is. (It seems I had a bit of a problem determining whether one field guide included Kansas or not based solely on the description on a bookstore website.) That will save you a lot of looking.

Change the item stolen to food, and I think there would be a much greater difference in the crimes and in what punishment should be given.

As long as they have adequate shelter, they can be left out in all but the most severe weather. We found that our dog house got perhaps a little too warm in the winter time with three dogs (now two dogs and one pygmy goat) in there and both side doors closed. The kids said they could go in there with the dogs and take their coats off and be very toasty. If there's snow, that provides insulation and it will be warmer than if there is no snow and a bitter wind.

Family members mispell my name all the time, but I do spell it different from the standard. We have several family members that cannot pronounce Naomi. They say Nay-oh-muh or No-em-ee or No-mee. I didn't realize it was so hard. Then we have one family member who refused to acknowledge for a long time that oldest dd's name was Jordan. She called her "Jordy" and "Gordy" when she wanted to be difficult and "Dolly" when she was being nice:glare: Some people are a bit odd and then some people are just completely off their rockers.

The reading and spelling problems make me wonder if he has a vision problem. Dyslexia is not the only vision (and really it's in the brain rather than the eyes themselves from what I understand) problem though it is better known than some others. My 14yods had problems learning to read and with spelling. We took him to a regular optometrist at the end of his kindergarten year and he tested better than perfect for vision. The optometrist thought I was being ridiculous for being concerned about his reading, but I had already taught two children to read and knew something wasn't right. I didn't know where else to look. Toward the end of his second grade year (and after a lot of frustration for both of us) I saw an ad in our local homeschool magazine discussing vision problems which can affect learning and offering a free exam. We found out ds had a convergence deficiency. Though his vision was very good for most things, his eye muscles were having trouble pulling in and focusing together on words on a page. He was having blurred and double vision that were giving him headaches and making his eyes hurt, but because he had always experienced this with reading, he thought it was normal. He went through vision therapy and quickly began to catch up in reading. This year (9th grade) he tested at above 12th grade level in reading. His eyes still get tired occasionally, but he can read anything. His spelling is still a little behind, but he is improving every day the more he reads and becomes used to seeing words correctly. I would suggest you have your ds tested by a developmental optometrist or someone who does vision therapy. Vision may not be the problem. I'm sure there are other possibilities to investigate. It may be nothing, too. I've known some people who are absolutely brilliant in one or two things, but who seem clueless about very practical things that most of us take for granted. They aren't autistic savants or anything, they just think differently or have their minds on other things. I think sometimes we are too concerned about everyone being normal and thinking/seeing/acting similarly. Perhaps your son has a special way of thinking that will enable him to do things or see solutions others can't. Of course he still needs to be able to function well in areas in which he may not be so profficient or naturally inclined. I would encourage him in his strengths and interests while working with him in the areas where he is weak. I've noticed that my middle two kids are a little clueless about directions. They aren't driving (or at least not much) yet so they don't pay attention to where they are as other people are driving them places. My 16yodd is even a little lost in our very small town of less than 2,000 people! I know that a big part of this is that they aren't interested unless they are the ones behind the wheel. I've worked with all the kids since they were little on knowing where they live (we did move 3 years ago) and where other things are in relationship to our house because I think that's important for even small children to know in case they are ever lost. For some reason the middle two are just so much less interested in this than the other two who are very good with directions. They have to be pushed to think about it. It's my job to get them to practice being aware of where they are and finding their way before they ever really need it. Oldest ds is a born writer, but my younger three have all had problems figuring out how to put thoughts on paper. It's overwhelming to them, and I admit that I have a little bit of trouble teaching writing to someone who is that overwhelmed by it. It's simple in my mind. Think. Write. I'm not good at walking someone through the initial process, but I can show them how to improve what they've written once they have that rough draft on paper. The best solution may be to find someone who has had that kind of difficulty with writing to help teach ds or find a course that walks him through baby step by baby step. One thing I noticed about my 14yods with writing is that he is not short on ideas! He is very creative, very artistic, always thinking, always asking questions. I think sometimes he gets a sort of log jam of ideas in his head and he isn't sure where to start or how to sort them all out. It isn't that he doesn't know what to write, it's that he's can't write fast enough to keep up with his thoughts and he hasn't completely learned how to slow those thoughts down and keep them going at a manageable rate. Many times when he seems spacey or clueless about more practical things it's because his mind is very busy working out ideas. He is learning to harness that brain of his and make it work the way he wants. It requires a lot of practice and discipline, though. If you can recognize the signs when your son's brain is starting to stray off task or if you can see a direction in which he needs to steer it, you can help remind him gently and show him how to train his own brain to go where he wants it to. I hope that makes sense to you. You said biology is a problem this year because of vocabulary. Is it just written vocabulary or is he having trouble with identifying vocabulary words when spoken as well? Have you tried working with flashcards? Using pictures or experiences to tie the vocabulary words into? If he does well learning with his hands, are there tricks you can use to help him learn? If you find something that works, remember to teach him to use those tricks to help himself learn. Some people need a picture to associate with a new idea, some people use mnemonic devices, some need to associate ideas with actions to get them. Each of us learns and thinks differently. The human brain is such an amazing thing! Help your son find how his brain works and teach him to use the methods that will work best for him.

I think we bought a suit for 14yo(then 10yo)ds for about $40 including shoes, shirt, and tie at Burlington Coat Factory. It may not have been the finest quality available, but it looked sharp and served him well until he outgrew it. It was still nice enough to be a good bargain for the person who bought it at our garage sale.

These are just the type of things I was looking for. Thank you both so much!

We're leaving very early tomorrow morning for San Diego to attend oldest ds' graduation from boot camp. I haven't really thought of things to do while we're there since we will be short on time and money. We will have tomorrow afternoon and evening free and then Friday afternoon and early evening--if we aren't too tired. I just looked at the weather report for San Diego and it will be so warm compared to here and the kids are asking if we'll have time to see the ocean, so... Where would you go with just that amount of time? My three youngest have never seen the ocean, so I'd like to do that. Where is a good place to go that will be fairly clean, safe, and uncrowded? I noticed there are some historic districts. Are any of those must see places? Dh and the kids may have less patience for something like that unless it is just really cool and very different from here. Also, several people have recommended The Fish Market, but it looks a bit pricey. (Multiply by six people.) Any good recommendations for something less expensive? Again, something different than what we can find here would be nice. Seafood? Mexican? California cuisine? Something else? I know it's very short notice, but I'd really appreciate any ideas. Simple things to do and places to visit are fine. I just want something different. The hotel will be like any hotel. McDonald's is the same anywhere. (Well, the McDonald's hamburgers in England have a different texture:tongue_smilie:, but you kwim.)

I'd use the glue. Someone told me Super Glue was developed to be used in place of stitches in Vietnam. There's a product called Second Skin for use in place of bandaids. I don't know if it's strong enough to use in place of stitches. I'd probably try the Super Glue. I mean, I could do thread if I had to, but it seems the glue would be quicker, easier, and less painful. I'd sure as heck try the Super Glue before spending several hundred on a vet. If it was going to be less than $100 and/or it was in a difficult spot, I'd just take the dog to the vet.

That's the method I use...unless you're talking about Tea ("tea"/TEA/tea/tea /*tea*--what did y'all decide was the proper way to type that?) and not just tea:lol:

We've been alternating between Murphy's Oil Soap, the Pledge for hardwood floors, Orange Glo for hardwood floors, and one other product. Our floors are looking dull and mottled. And now I know why:glare: Well, dadgum! I just figured if it says for hardwood floors, it should work. I don't think it is the Murphy's that did it. It seems we were using that first and didn't notice the change until after using one of these other products. I sure hope the Bona can put the shine back in it or at least not leave the floor looking filmy and mottled.

Thank you for the recommendation and links! I have not been happy with the way my wood floors look lately. I was blaming the finish for their dull appearance, but dh says he got the best thing for wood floors recommended to him by a flooring guy he knows. We'll see if this does the trick.

Oh Sherry!:lol:(Is anyone else going to be singing song all day?) That's so funny. It totally sounds like something that might happen here. There comes a point when kids are old enough to realize that, yes, their parents still have sex. Well, hopefully that's the case since it's a sign of a healthy marriage. We tend to handle it with humor here just as we handle most things. I think it helps kids get past the "gross" factor and embarrassment. I agree that the more awkward you act about this, the more awkward your ds will feel. Treat it like a normal part of life--because it is. Being discreet as possible is important, but don't behave as though sex is something shameful. You'll give your kids a whole different set of hangups. Be matter of fact. Add a little humor if that helps in your family. Don't make a big deal out of it. I think it's actually somewhat of a good thing for kids to know their parents are still interested in one another. You're providing a good example of a healthy relationship. I'd keep it to the bedroom unless no one else is home though, but that's more because of personal preference. It's nice to arrange a sleepover for all the kids at friends' or grandparents' houses once in a while, too. We often don't go anywhere at all on our "date nights".;)

Thanks! I'll look for those.