I'm so sorry. last month one side of my face started to swell and I was beginning to look noticeably lopsided (I assumed it was the beginning of cellulitis). I decided to try some essential oils to see if that would help before getting medical attention. So I put doterra's onguard in some carrier oil and rubbed it on my face and the swelling went down noticeably that night. Within days it was gone. I'm not suggesting that you do this instead of antibiotics but maybe it can help? If you do decide to give essential oils a try I've read that Tea Tree (melaleuca) is good for cellulitis. Aura Casia is also a good brand that you can get in any health food store. If you want the doterra's blend I just order mine from amazon

There were many early Christians who did not believe in the concept of the Trinity. Until the council of Nice when Constantine decided to try to unify Christianity's beliefs it was not a "given" that if you were Christian you believed in the Trinity. After the council the sects who persisted in not believing "Nontrinatarians" were eventually killed off as heretics and the concept of the Trinity became standard. I only post this to point out that its not a new idea to be Christian and not believe in the Trinity. I think what's most important is a person's relationship with Jesus and their willingness to share His love with others.

[quote name="Mytwoblessings" post My son tends to get overwhelmed when has too much technology time. So, he is limited to one hour and can't do technology until all work is done or 4:00" I love this. It takes all the fight out of the situation. It's not a power trip and its not a punishment, it's just a family rule no technology until 4:00. I think that it is absolutely right to moderate your son's use of technology, even of he did buy those items. What kind of future is he looking at if he doesn't have a work ethic?

So are you going no/low carb like a paleo or ketogenic diet? If so then are you okay with lots of fat? Here's a link to some keto desserts that look yummy. How do you react to coconut? Eaten fresh its crunchy and yummy. Jicama is crunchy and yummy too. I like it plain but I know others who like it with lime and a little salt. Good luck! http://www.reddit.com/r/ketodessert/

If fruit is a control issue, maybe a bit of reverse psychology could help? Could you get a fruit bowl and make a big production of how this is your fruit (for your special diet or whatever) and how no one but you is to touch it. You could even label it "Only for mom". Then put it in a place where he can easily get to. It could literally be the forbidden fruit :D

First of all lets get one thing straight. Chocolate is a health food.

Smallville: Chloe just spent the whole episode being mean to Clark and now she's apologizing... Chloe- I'm afraid that one day I'll go too far and you're not going to want to be my friend anymore. Clark (shaking his head)- Well, it's not today Swoon

Public schools have a dictated schedule that the teachers have to follow. So the kids may have harder spelling words and do harder math problems, but are they getting any of the concepts? Are they even getting any of the problems right? Who knows? If not, they get poor grades and the schedule moves on. Many kids eventually learn to study for the test so that they can get good grades but not much is absorbed. Is this really education, or is it hoop jumping? The great thing about homeschooling is that you can take time you need to make sure that your children are really learning.

Holy cow, yes I've been there! I have found many ways to help this. 1. Keep your surroundings as happy as you can * put on happy, peaceful music * open the blinds and turn on the lights * burn a candle or use an essential oil diffuser with a smell you love *try to keep your house, or an area of your house clean enough so that you are at peace when you are there. 2. Take care of yourself *try and get enough sleep * eat three healthy meals a day plus snacks *exercise daily ( try for 30 min, but even 15 will help) *regularly spend some time outdoors 3. Attack it head on! *pray *positive affirmations- say the things you want manifested in your life as if they have already happened (ex: I am bold and courageous) make as many affirmations as you need and then either write them or read them out loud daily. *positive books and meditations- I really like Joel Osteen's books for great encouragement. I have recently discovered Jonathan Parker's meditations and am loving them. *smile - it feels silly but if you smile continuously for 15 min a day it sends a message to your brain that all is well (this is more effective if you look at a mirror when you do it). 4. Evaluate the stressors in your life- Now is the time to simplify and let go of the extras that are causing stress ( for me that looked like not watching One Tree Hill anymore because I got way too into it and found myself very stressed with all the drama. Ha!) As someone who has lived with anxiety since I was tiny, I know how hard this can be. But by using these tools anxiety is just not an issue for me anymore. Largely my life is anxiety free, and those few times I do feel it I can easily manage it. Good luck!

Sorry , accidental post

:D

Maybe make proof reading and other corrections part of the assignment. That way it's not a negative thing just something that needs to get done. I would break down each writing assignment into 3 parts: writing, editing, final draft. Then work on one of these parts a day: writing the first day, editing the next ( you could make it fun by giving her a special editors hat and a red pencil only used by her on her editing days), final draft the last (also could be fun if you give her special paper and color pencils to decorate the margins and make it look festive). Maybe keep the final drafts in a special portfolio where she can see her quality work in one spot. That way she can see that it is work to be proud of.

Well because the flour is used as a thickening agent, I would use either tapioca flour or cornstarch. It looks yummy, good luck!

Oh wait! I think Santa does make an appearance in The Snowman. I think it's just a Cameo though. Definitely not the focus.

Muppet's Christmas Carol - Its really fun and is pretty faithful to the story. Mickey's Christmas Carol- this is a must at our house:) The Snowman- this is an artistic cartoon about a boy and his snowman. The music in this is jaw droppingly beautiful.

I've heard of one family who had a rule that each child gets two extracurriculars: something physical like karate or gymnastics and something cultural like music or art lessons. This makes good sense to me. As I have a tiny family, we can just go where the wind blows on this one without worrying about conflicting schedules or diminished family time.

Put me in front of the tv shows 24, Modern Family, or The Bachelor and I'm miserable. Put me in front of The Brady Bunch, Andy Griffin, or Heart to Heart and I'm as giddy as a school girl.

I have had great success using sandpaper letters. One little girl I taught had CP and she had poor control of her hands. I made her some letters and work on it daily with her and her handwriting went from barely legible to very good within the year.

Michael Dahl has a series of grammar picture books (If You Were A Noun, If You Were A Verb, etc). Maybe she would benefit if you picked up the Noun book and casually read it a couple times a day, then through out the day point out nouns you encounter in every day life. After awhile if you see she is retaining the info, see if she "gets it" in a more traditional school work kind of way. When she does totally get it, do the same thing with adjectives (making sure to review nouns periodically). Good luck!

Anno's Counting Book. It's beautiful.

I think it depends on how old your son is. If he is still young (under 12). Why not keep it light and fun? If he is approaching adolescence a more serious school might be the way to go. If it is not a strain on your family a little extra driving time for a superior school is worth it. It would be awful if your son were affected by those catty attitudes. I drive 30 min for my dd dance class because its the only one in the area that lets children be little and does not promote provocative dance. To me a joyful and wholesome experience is the most important factor right now.

Your son is still so little, I would be wary of pushing him to choose one hand over another. I was late at developing my "handedness" and in kindergarten I was still ambidextrous. I remember my fellow classmates discussing "which hand they were" and I remember feeling very wierd that I didn't have a perfered hand. When I asked my mom which hand was best to use she told me that most people are right handed. So from that day forward I chose to only use my right hand. The thing is, I'm afraid I made the wrong choice. Later I realized that I'm left legged (I could only kick or start off a cartwheel or really do anything well with my left leg) . I have always struggled with handwriting and other fine motor tasks (I could do it just not super beautifully). If I had a magic wand I would go back and let my handedness develop naturally without any outside influence.

WishboneDawn, I agree the set is not magical and you could definitely assemble Froebel's gifts cheaper. This one is just so pretty ;) Mergath, would it be fair to say that you're just not a fan of Froebel's Gifts or his approach to education?

People spend $400 for the newest playstation without batting an eye. $500 for the newest iPhone? No problem! So why is it so hard to swallow when you're talking about that kind of money for your child's education? If it speaks to you (and it does to me), and you can afford it, then absolutely it's worth it. If you look at the price of high quality blocks you see that the price is pretty on target with what's out there.