I would call it a full day, and I wouldn't worry about not accomplishing more. We have all been sick here. I was very ill on Friday, so we did no schoolwork. Ds and dd were sick yesterday, so we did no schoolwork. We are all recovering today, but were still kind of tired. So, we slept in this morning, and did absolutely no schoolwork again today. I let the kids watch tv and play while I tried to salvage our house and did the laundry. We'll start back tomorrow, and everything will be fine.

What are some of the elements that you think help create/sustain this bond? I don't have a close relationship with my mom. It's not that we argue or don't speak to one another or anything of that nature, it's just that we're not close. Our relationship is not deep. She is very much willing to help me if I need something, and she loves seeing the kids and buying them things or taking them places. We just are such different people that we don't connect on a deeper level. It has always been this way, ever since I can remember. I do have some emotional baggage related to her hyper-critical ways (not only with me, but also with every member of our family). I never had the kind of relationship in which I could confide in her or go to her for comfort. And we never had the kind of relationship in which I wanted to just hang out with her for fun. But that is the kind of relationship I desire to have with my daughter. Right now, dd and I do have fun going places and doing things together, and she does talk to me about all sorts of things, and comes to me for comfort. I don't want to lose that as she grows up. What can I do to nurture our relationship so that it doesn't fall apart in the teen years? I know that dd and I already have a better relationship than my mom and I ever had, but I just have a huge fear that I will somehow mess it up. Thanks for any input.

I agree with Angela that I had a lot less time to do anything intellectually-stimulating when ds was still a toddler. When he transitioned into the preschool stage, I found that he would play independently for awhile each day and I could squeeze in a few minutes of reading here and there throughout the day. Like, Mrs. H, I will be learning Latin with my dd when she begins next year. Unfortunately, I didn't have any Latin in hs or college, so I will be starting fresh. I did major in Spanish and minor in Linguistics, though, so I know I have the ability to learn a language and definitely the interest. I actually think it will be wonderful for dd to have my partnership in learning right along with her. She loves it when I sit down and try to do an art project alongside her, instead of just reading the lesson with her and then watching her do a project. (And I have very little artistic ability!) MFS had a great entry at her blog http://http://mentalmultivitamin.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html about learning to play the piano along with her daughters. It really made me think about the value of jumping in and learning with our children, rather than just making it possible for them to have learning experiences. I also think that it is rather daunting for dd to have to be taught or told new things all day long that I already know. Sometimes, because of her personality, it makes her feel discouraged, and she begins to feel that she needs to act as if she already knows everything. For her, it will be fun and refreshing to be learning something with me, rather than from me. I hope this helps a little.

Sense and Sensibility was the first one I read, but that was because my high school English teacher recommended my seeing the movie when it came out my senior year (the one with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, etc.), and I loved it. I proceeded to buy a copy of The Complete Works of Jane Austen. It seemed like the logical place to start.

I am just recovering from the flu and ds 4 is still sick:(. We need some homemade chicken noodle soup to make us feel better, but I have never made it from scratch before. I have a chicken in a pot of water boiling, what should I add? Thanks!

A canister is a really good idea. Unfortunately, we don't have any empty ones right now. I'll have to keep that in mind for next year. Thanks!

Thanks so much for the instructions! Dd and I made it this morning, and it is very cute! She wanted to put the cat face on the end of the box, so that she could make a pipe cleaner tail for the other end. We cut a slit in the lid for putting in the Valentines. Thanks again!

Our library has a limit of 50 items per card. I have a card, dd6 has a card, and ds4 just got his card when he was able to write his name by himself (my guideline) a few months ago. Before ds got his card, we did have to be careful and one time had to put items back at the checkout because we were over the limit. Now that we can check out 150 at a time, we haven't had a problem. :) My problem is lugging them all to the car and back to the library when it is time to return them. We use 3 to 5 large tote bags, depending on how many we are checking out, but I have to carry them all because they are too heavy for the kids. This is horrible for my back and shoulders. I wish I could think of a better way. :confused: We have been like this since the children were toddlers and we first started checking out library books weekly. It has gotten a bit worse since dd learned to read, though. :)

Obviously that should read pattern not patter.

Any suggestions?:) I am not a crafty person. Thanks.

Thanks for the help. I did some searching on the internet and came up with Goo-gone and liquid dish soap as the two most recommended solutions for chapstick. So, I used all of the Goo-gone I had left and then started with the dish soap. I think it might have worked, but the clothes are still in the washer, so I'm still waiting to find out. If it doesn't work, I'll have to try your method. Thanks again.

It already went through the dryer on high heat, so they're set in the fabric quite nicely. Please tell me there is something that will get it out. :eek::(

I think the idea to take frozen dinners to my sister after she has her baby is an excellent one. We actually stocked up our freezer with quality frozen meals from a delivery service right before the birth of our second child, and it was so nice to just have to preheat the oven and bake whatever we chose from the freezer for dinner that night. I'm thinking that Ree's lasagna would be one good choice, but I can't think of anything else. Any ideas? Thanks:)

I agree. When my second child was born, my mom brought dinner over and took my laundry home with her to wash, dry, fold and bring back the next day. It was great!

My 3yo nephew is soon to be a big brother for the first time. :) He is a *very* active little fellow, who loves guitars, drums, fire engines, and other noisy toys. Can you think of any quieter activity toys/games/puzzles/art supplies that I could gift to him that might keep his little hands busy for awhile? He loves playdoh, but he already has a lot. Also, they should be not too messy so that his mom doesn't have a big mess to clean up when she has been busy with the new baby. Thanks.:)

My twin sister is about to have her second child. So far I'm thinking about a small box of chocolates, a Pilates for postpartum mothers book, but what else? :)

And what is your favorite website/catalog for purchasing these?

for this very reason. I have tried to promise myself not to plan for next year until this summer. And dh and I have discussed it and both agree that we want to streamline things a bit and take a LCC approach. So, I'm sure I will look at the Sonlight catalog. It does give me great ideas for read-alouds, after all. But I'll try not to have my yearly crisis when I do. LOL. :)

We're using All About Spelling Level 2 and loving it!

I am looking for a way to incorporate some hands-on activities into our history and literature studies for dd 6 who really enjoys making things. I'm wondering if the Ancient Civilizations history pockets for grades 1-3 would work with SOTW, vol. 1? Would it be a fun way for her to review what we have been learning, or would it just be busywork? I've heard that it entails way too much coloring and not enough learning, but I'm looking for some way to inject more fun into history for dd. We have done a few of the SOTW AG projects, but I'm looking for more of a lapbooky sort of thing. Also, does anyone have experience with the literature pockets? I thought I saw one for Aesop's fables, and I'm wondering what it is like. Thanks.

I just read The Latin Centered Curriculum at the end of December. I found that it effected this change in me as well. I am still trying to process it mentally and decide how drastically we will alter our curriculum/schedule for next year, but it has already begun to affect the way we conduct our school day.

:)It had gotten tucked into my checkbook, which was in the same pocket of my purse. I found it this morning when I was paying bills. It was the right address. I'm glad, since I went ahead and tried the address last night. I do feel a little silly, though. I guess it ended well, though!

I *lost* her mother's e-mail address! It is the only contact info. I had for this little girl. Dd met her at a homeschool open gym at the local gymnastics center. They hit it off and were both really excited to have found a friend. We have been trying to find some playmates close to her own age for dd since we moved 1.5 years ago, and we were so happy! We were just getting ready to invite her to dd's Valentine's Day party (which we were planning *specifically* so that she could get to know a few little girls better that she has recently met), when I discovered that the slip of paper on which her mom wrote her name and e-mail address is missing from my purse. I did a quick clean out of papers from my purse this weekend and I fear that it might have gotten tossed in the trash inadvertently. Ugggghhhh! I just feel so frustrated with myself. Anyway, I know that her e-mail was a university address, and I can find one person's e-mail that is a university e-mail address on the list of people the open gym e-mail was sent to (all members of an area homeschool group). Should I try this e-mail address, just to see if it's the right one? I don't even know her parents' names, so I can't look them up in the phone book or anything. Would it be weird to try this e-mail address when I'm not sure it's the right one?:confused::(:o Terri

Would sour cream work?

My only jelly roll pan is dark, and I'm afraid it would make the cake get too done and not be as moist. Also, I don't have buttermilk, or vinegar or lemon juice to sour milk. So, would regular milk work? Thanks!:)