My hubbie will be leading a training class in Kuala Lumpur, we will arrive couple of days early so we are thinking beach then. On Monday I will be on my own with my kids so we could do day trips ---sorry I have emailed a number of people and just forgot

I tried but is says she cant take any new messages :(

We may be making a trip to Malaysia in the very near future (like this January) for just a week and half. I am hoping Heather or any of you other world travelers could weigh in and give some ideas of day trips (if that is safe and feasible). I have 2 kids 9&10 who have never been out of the country,one very adventurous, one not so much. We want to see the beach for 2 days or so and then we are open to historical, cultural or just fun sights. If you have things to not bother with...that might be just as important! Thanks!!!

First of all prayers for all of you.....after that... is there a Catholic homeschool co-op you could do? We have 2- 2 day initiatives that meet the need of those kids that want "school" but mom and dad want homeschooling. You give up some control but all in all do a good job. Also there is Classically Catholic Memorywork (CCM) that is a 1/2 model that gives kids that "school room" feel. You may have investigated all this, and we are not a homeschool or bust family but I have started, joined and investigated options so it hasn't been a big issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions, they are 9&10...Dad has read the Series of Unfortunate Events, previously

My hubbie reads to the kids every night.. during the day we are doing Narnia currently but hubbie just finished the Mysterious Benedict Society series.. he bought Vermeer on the author's recommendations, but does not like it. Any suggestions ???

BTDT I gave up my tech recruiting job making 100k yr...do I miss the money, yeah kinda, do I regret the wonderful time I would have missed, the struggles that I have figured out for my kids, the aha moments, the yeah I saw that to moments and what did you think of it to help guide and mold them....no amount of money could replace that. That being said we are not struggling to pay the bills, we arent rich but have enough-that might make me change my mind if every month was a financial worry.

which level and disc? I lost our first disc of level A and called to have it replaced ...it was only $5 ...but they shipped in error the second disc twice!!! They fixed the error no problem, but now I have 3 of the second disc...you are welcome to it if it helps

I had over 5500 just a few days ago...probably 100 in there now...VICTORY

I have to run off but, the convalidation of your wedding is a very short ceremony...but be aware they will meet with your husband with you and with out you to talk about the state of your marriage. This is to protect you as the Catholic. If you were to divorce then remarry a Catholic you would need an annulment because you were married in the Catholic Church. As to a baptism or rebaptism it is just to make sure you have had this wonderful sacrament. To tell you the truth when I came back to the church (last yr much in your situation) I was a bit jealous of those who got to go through all 3 sacraments...it was so beautiful. As to the conflict of your faith and your hubbies, only you can make that choice. I felt convicted that I needed to return to the Catholic Church and I am happy to be there. Has it created conflict in our marriage yes I wont lie but I know in my heart that God will have graces for us and hopefully by my faithfulness and love of the Church my hubbie might in time follow me. God speed and if you need to PM me please do....I am or have faced all you are (with the exception of the baptism). Also realize that the Catholic Church has records that go back hundreds of hundreds of years or more. They are big on paper to show things have been done. My friends father became a priest (death of spouse) and her own father held her at baptism....when she remarried she had to get her baptism papers for him to remarry her....and he was there!!!!!

When my daughter was young we did a princess party with a castle cake, a castle jumpy house, a bin with "gems" and sand to dig and uncover, blow up wands and did a wand relay, homemade capes and tiaras they could decorate with glue dots and gems, but you could also use glitter glue and markers. We did castle turrets with flowing fabric to enter into......oh wish she was young again.....I want to have another princess party!!

:bigear: We too are looking

let us know if you find out...that is a very cool map

Do tell how it helped with reading, I have a DD who is struggling and I have held off on writing and formal spelling until she is more confident...after Christmas I think we will start the spelling process but I was holding off on writing to not have her head explode!

me too...bump bump

My kids watched the Liberty Kids...we are baking a flag cookie .... BBQ ribs..... the 4th rocks, with the exception of no fire works...burn bans too much of a drought.

Thats why my daughter is in American Heritage Girls...much more like Cub/Boy Scouts...badges, camping and all the fun ...with none of the cookies :)

American Heritage Girls are GREAT

In the military I was asked to take off my shoes at our officer's home and put on slippers (not a problem)...but the lovely oriental wife had to add" we are newlyweds you never know where we been" :tongue_smilie: YUCKKKKKKK

We paid $20 kid but that included a T-shirt, VBS trinkets and lots of snacks--the kids loved it

voted.....he has a cushion but not a large one

I have lost 17 lbs in 7 weeks, WW is a great program for me...I think age and maturity (and not trying to lose for a specific event ) has helped a lot

My daughter loves American Heritage Girls!!

I used A Reason for Science B last year. The whole kit is a bit expensive, I got mine for 75% at Mardel's. I thought it was good and included almost everything you needed for the experiments

Talk to your parish priest. I am going thru a similar thing and will not need an annulment but something called a "Lack of Form" (Lack of Formation I believe). You meet with the Deacon or priest -- he will ask a number of questions, you submit your baptismal cert, past marriage, divorce decree and current marriage cert. You will need to fill out a form, it will be submitted to the parish priest for approval, most often it is approved at that level. I was a non confirmed Catholic at the time of my first marriage to a Methodist by a military chaplin (I did not get approval through the Catholic Church for a dispensation), got divorced, now remarried for the past 11 yrs to an Episcopalian in an Episcopalian Church. I am currently attending RCIA to be confirmed. I can not take communion until the Lack of Form and Convalidation of my current marriage is approved. It is not costing me anything to do the Lack of Form. You may also want to google the Lack of Formation and/or the Pauline Priviledge (you may fall under this). You should be able to find the "restrictions" for both thru google.. I would recommend following up with the Deacon -they do this sort of thing often and it is much shorter and less expensive than an annulment. Sorry I don't know how if both of you were not Catholic at the time works---so I don't want to get your hopes up and didnt see your post stating that till now...sorry long day! Also check the Petrine Privilege--I don't know if this dissolves the previous marriage or it is part of an annulment process