I want to try a couple of water sports--Jet Skiing and Kite Surfing.

Hey, I know this is a game-thread and Not to be a party pooper, but to those of you dreaming about homeschooling grandkids...I am curious.. What do you plan to do between the time that your YA launches and has a school aged child? Unless you're kids have reproduced at some point between the of 12-18 years old (which is possible, I know) , it's going to be a while until a hypothetical grand child exists and is ready to be homeschooled? Also, who's to say that your Future child-in-law will want you that involved in their childs life? No offense, but I wouldn't let my in-laws weigh in on educational decisions for my children so I feel it would be hypocritical to put my hopes on the idea that my child and their partner will let me make those decisions for their kids down the line.

😆You can't think like that, Clarita! I reject the idea that ever mid-40s to mid-50s person who's living it up is having a midlife crisis! Maybe their just enjoying their life where they are!!! IF you're not supposed to have nice things in your 20s and early 30s (because of debt and crappy pay) and you're supposed to have kids in your mid-30s and be good parents who prioritize them, then by the time that you get to your late 40s, mid 50s, you can't enjoy nice stuff because you're "having a midlife crisis" then shit, what are you supposed to do? Mid50s-80s people are navigating around the need/desire to retire so what are you supposed to do? Ball out on your casket? Naah! Might as well get you a tiny, 2-seater sports car while you're psyched up to enjoy it and will get 20+ years of use out of it!!!

Look ladies, I gather that y'all like your kids a lot, but I'm telling you we stocked up on groceries right before The Boys left for their Summer. That was a month ago. We still have food in this house! There's so much food in this house! I feel so vindicated because usually when they tell me the food is gone in 2-3 weeks, I'm liike How the #$%^ are we out of food? but I was starting to feel like a crazy person who thought that they were buying enough food but wasn't! There's still bags of frozen fruit, there's still pasta, there's still green vegetables and cans and cans of salmon. When I wanted to grill and looked in the freezer we still have seafood and meat in the freezer. We have an unopened thing of Almond Milk and peanut butter still! We have so much food in this house it's insane! We did buy and eat a big thing of chocolates without The Boys, but it was eaten gradually over a couple of weeks! 😏 I've been to the mountaintop ladies! I've seen the "Empty Nest Future" and it's looking glorious and affordable!!! Embrace the idea of an empty nest! Ya'll gotta think up stuff to do!

I'll be 36-37 when The Boys launch, but I'm still taking my butt to Bingo! I've always wanted to know what all the hoopla was about! Now that's a cool idea! When The Boys are done, we want take a cruise as a whole family. When The Daughter is done, Me and the Mrs. will take a cruise all by ourselves.

I'm not so sure about a Skills Tree. It's kind of like building something in the correct order. Once certain pieces are set, you continue to use them (reading and handwriting) then you layer in more sophisticated vocabulary, spelling and composition. I always suggest that one put reading (phonetically) first. Reading and as they gain fluency, the Reading Comprehension should develop naturally so long as you give them strong oral reading skills and expose them to loads of conversation, experiences, documentaries, picture books and include them in just daily life. PreK-2 grade, vocabulary is best acquired through living and conversation, so teach your kid loads of words. You can also be mindful to use "academic" language with your child so that they naturally acquire it. Once the child is solid with their spoken vocabulary and phonetically reading with some fluency, you can do root-based vocabulary if you want. Handwriting--in my opinion--should be taught correctly from the beginning. I would make sure that handwriting is set before I tried to add in any subject that required writing. I would start handwriting in K or 1st grade and be very intentional about them getting it write (haha! Pun!). Composition was the most labor intensive thing for me to teach. We only dabbled in grammar in two particular seasons of our homeschooling. It's difficult for me to wrap my head around the why of teaching it and the execution was always super clunky.

Oooh! I'm going to go play Bingo at the Senior Center! Just cause!

Oh, Living The Life in T-minus-2 Months! @Eos, you gotta get ready! One Time Experiences: Strip Club (Sober ) Bar An Expensive Meal in a Restaurant A Day Trip Do a Dangerous Excursion (But not a Submersible with Well Known Safety Concerns) A short vacation in the middle of the week Small Life Style Changes: Grocery Shop for all your favorite snacks/goodies and enjoy only you and spouse being around to eat them Walk around the house in your drawers Take classes in the community Teach classes in the community Take up an expensive hobby Go to Pound Town with your spouse in the middle of the day or any room of the house just because you can Get a Pet Get Rid of a Pet Sign Your self up for Xpensive, short term Activities Google a list of Things To Do before You Turn 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70. Compile a list of things that you would want to do.

I've got two Sophomores and a two year old. When The Boys launch, the 2yo will be 5 and will be probably be treated like a grandchild. She's just going to accompany us and reap the benefit of being there as we live our best lives without The Boys for a while.

😈Gil's Quick and Dirty Guide to Getting Adult's Belongings Out of Your Home. 😈 1) Create an eBay store per child and list all their best stuff. 2) Send them Links to the eBay store letting them know that you will be selling items online until a-You have enough to hire a junk moving service to move all the stuff b-They're motivated to come and get their things!

Naah, I hope that they eventually come back closer after a while, but man I hope the Boys Go Far and Fast when they're ready to launch! I love 'em to bits, but I would love to not have them in my space for a good couple of years. They've been gone this summer and it's so good to not have them around me and I'm kinda just a little bit dreading them coming back full time, lol. I've been working from home for the last few years (Thanks COVID) so I'm feeling more than a little saturated with with "Family Time".

Naah, I hope that they eventually come back closer after a while, but man I hope the Boys Go Far and Fast when they're ready to launch! I love 'em to bits, but I would love to not have them in my space for a good couple of years. They've been gone this summer and it's so good to not have them around me and I'm kinda just a little bit dreading them coming back full time, lol. I've been working from home for the last few years (Thanks COVID) so I'm feeling more than a little saturated with with "Family Time".

Oooh! Ooh! I got one! I'm going to buy a single lottery ticket for the MegaMillions!

Serious question: Why can't you do cello with the kids in the house? I'm sure you've listened to them generate noise for as long as they've been alive. They won't die from listening to you be a beginner for a while and if they find it that uncomfortable, then they can take the initiative to move out even sooner, lol.

What would you study? Why the cello in particular?

Yes! The more the merrier! When The Boys Launch, I'm probably quitting my job (or semi-retiring) and going to the Beach. I'm just going to be a Beach Bum for like a month straight.

Sleep in late and stay out all night a few nights a month getting into mischief just because I can.

oooh! Buy Name Brand Foods! Buy Junk Food for myself!

Aaw, that's sweet! 💗 That's also the "I have an infant in my arms that I love so much" talking. Trust me, you raise your infants in to kids, and the kids in to cool and interesting people, then you turn the Not So Little Crumb Snatchers loose and watch them be interesting people from afar and on their own. Then you think "Gee, I wonder what other cool and interesting people are out here..." and off you go! Hiking sounds like it could be a fun hobby!

- go out to Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Linner, Dinner and Desert--all in one day, just because I can!

Oh my goodness, yes! I'm so tired of encountering The Boys crap at random intervals throughout my day! I'm going to have them sell every thing that they don't take with them before they move! Mwahahahaha!!!

It was so nice to be an all Male house hold. I guess there's a chance that I'll have to learn to wear more clothes around the house as my daughter gets older. 😢

Oh, poor thing! I see you missed the Raise The Kids Walking Around in Their Underwear BandWagon! We didn't have AC for the first decade of The Boys life. Comfy Boxers for the win!

...Travel The Country in a Luxury SUV (Only selectively staying in Hotels on occasion) to Sight see ...Stock my house with a months worth of food and gleefully watch it last a whole month!

Sorry, I hate my kids stupid Cats too. Fortunately they're predominately outdoor cats. I wouldn't be able to tolerate cats pissing in my house, let alone my own bedding. On the plus side, she ought'a be dropping any month now.