Cool. Thanks for sharing.

Now that is worth celebrating. Good on ya! :D

IMO this is much more than inconsideration. When it's deliberate, calculated, and planned, it's an expression of anger and/or control. Why are they angry at you guys? What are they trying to control? I assume you've talked to them about it and they denied they are doing this? And I agree with WishboneDawn's idea to call them constantly as a way of protecting yourself. There's no way to be sure they'll ever tell him the truth. But it will make the room to weasel out of the truth a little smaller.

I think he doesn't know what he's talking about. Hormones are chemical messengers in living things. That's their only function.

That I *must* delve into history with my sons as deeply as they will tolerate. :D That reading aloud is my favorite thing ever. That maps are terrific and fascinating. I used to think they were unutterably boring. But seeing *where* something is in realtionship to other places makes history so much more clear. That I prefer a scripted math program. I never trust my ability to explain a concept clearly, and with math more than any other subject a mistake in the first explanation can mess a kid up forever, because it all gets mixed up in their memory. Thus, RightStart was a good program for us. That I can figure out a way to make almost anything into a game. One of my favorite homeschool memories was a game I made up for when we studied the Silk Road. First, a treasure hunt to find articles around the house that symbolized items traded (silk, jewels, spices, porcelain on the Chinese side and horses, amber, gold, and silver on the Western side). Then the boys had to sit down and trade. It was great. They were both happy with the deals they made. I took photos, and it was a blast.

Leafy greens. But perhaps more than what I've added, is what I've eliminated: wheat. WheatBelly and Dr. Wahls gave me the idea. Reading Mark's Daily Apple and Terry Wahl's website have helped me a lot to #1 be motivated, and thus #2 see the amazing results. Benefits of adding vegetables and deducting wheat: Mental clarity, constant low-level inflammatory flu-like illness is gone (unless I eat something sweet like cheesecake. It's my downfall). I get excited at the prospect of roast brussels sprouts now. :lol: Who'd a thunk it?

My 12 year old has extracted a promise from me that I'll take him to the southern IL town of Metropolis to see the big Superman statue. :D I'll try to arrange it so we also hit something good like the Lewis & Clark historical site where they trained their crew before setting out, or the Amish country around Arthur IL. How about Hannibal, Mo? Meramac Caverns south of St. Louis? I can vouch for how very neat the caverns are. Did you know they're privately owned? Our tour group had German and Russian speakers in it. A group of German motorcyclists were there taking the old Route 66. Fun stuff.

I'm so sorry. What a disappointment. :grouphug:

Organ meats! Chicken livers are cheap, cheap, cheap. I haven't tried this recipe from a natural-living board I frequent, but the gal who shared it says it's great. From Encyclopedia of World Cookery by Elizabeth Campbell Liver Terrine (from Denmark) 1 lb pork liver (Suzanne says she has always used chicken liver) 1 small tin of anchovy fillets 1/4 lb of fat bacon 4 eggs 12 rashers of bacon 1 clove of garlic salt & pepper 1/2 pint (1 cup) thick white sauce (3 T butter, 3 T flour stirred over med heat, add 1 cup milk and whisk out lumps, let cook & thicken) Mince liver, 1/4 lb. bacon & achovies twice. Pass through a sieve or just use a blender. Mix in other ingredients (except bacon). Line a shallow, ovenproof dish with bacon rashers. Fill with liver mixture. Bake in a slow oven in a water bath for 2 hours. Cover with grease proof paper, put weights on top. Chill for 24 hours. Serve hot like meatloaf or chilled as pate.

I am impressed by your good humor and ability to give this woman's opinions all the attention they deserve. :D

I read that in Denmark an author receives a royalty payment for each time his book is checked out of a library. :001_smile:

Chuckling at the Nellie comments. But even Nellie has her uses. Namely, she is an example of what we do NOT want to be. Of how small cruelties and snubs can wound a little girl who just wants to be friends. I think literature along those lines would be very . . . educational. What other books feature a girl who must overcome cruelty and small-minded meanness to gain maturity and kindness? The Little Princess springs to mind. Cinderella, and the various other versions from other countries. Help me here, what other books do this well?

I nursed my older son all through my second pregnancy, while he was 2 years old. I had the support of my LLL group and LLL books on nursing. My OB wasn't concerned either. She said it was biologically normal to continue to nurse. She would change that recommendation if I were having health problems, but that wasn't the case. We tandem nursed a long time. Rest, good healthy food, and plenty of water.

"That won't work for us. Can I do some asking around for job openings for you? What type of thing are you looking for? I know XYZ is hiring for their third shift."

LOLOL :lol:

If I have a success story I will be crowing about it from the treetops. My older son did really well with Prima Latina and Latina Christiana, before switching to public junior high (no languages offered) and now is taking French in high school, planning to take four years' worth. He is doing well, except apparently having some difficulty with irregular verbs. (Well, who doesn't? :D) Younger son sat in on older brother's Latin, learned the chants, and then Just. Wasn't. Getting it when it was his job. We plugged along for three or four years, before I called a halt and switched to First Form French. He wasn't remembering much there, either. He loves Rosetta Stone French, but it's only been a few days. I can't call it a success story yet. But oh my, how I do hope it will turn into one. ;)

I read on here to keep the washer door open, so that's what we do. The interior light burned out, but I don't particularly care. No issue with smells. We have had to replace the rubber 'boot' -- it's a large rubber gasket that allows the door to seal. Twice. Reason? Someone keeps putting jeans in the washing machine without properly buttoning and zipping. The heavy metal button gets caught in the soft rubber and stuck, causing a rip and therefore leaking water onto the floor underneath. Forewarned is forearmed. BTW, it gets noisier as it gets older. The repairman said that's normal. If a quieter run is important to you, make sure you don't mix types of articles in your load: heavy jeans in one load, sheets in another, smaller articles together. Mixing types of items will make it run louder because the axel can't spin as evenly with different weighted items.

Phillip and Tawney. Kidding! I'm kidding. :D Elise.

Maybe August isn't the right time to visit, but I loved traveling in Arkansas. Beautiful Ozark Mountains, picturesque scenery everywhere. Lots of fun history and outdoors stuff to do. Fall and spring are delicious. Summer, not so much, but then I'm a wimp about humidity. Iowa is great too. Amana Colonies, especially. Buy a quilt as a souvenir!

I concur. We still recite the poem as recited by Anthony Andrews. Too funny! And Jane Seymour is at her most gorgeous. :001_smile:

I'm so happy for you guys. It's a wonderful thing to have the world of books open up for your child.

That just stinks. We're all busy. But some things are just Important. :grouphug:

Suzanne, I think I have a crush on you. Or at least on your homeschool. :001_smile:

The facebook page for the Saint Louis Symphony had a contest for most romantic story about attending a concert. Only a few people posted entries, so that's how I got lucky. :D It's so neat our little experience was considered ticket-worthy. I used to scrape up the money to go to a matinee when I attended St Louis U, and we were still in grad school when we got to hear the Carmina Burana concert that holds a special place in our 'Couple Memory.' We live in Central IL now, but try to go back to St. Louis frequently. I can't wait. Have no idea when or what the concert will be, and really, who cares. LOL :lol:

Cute!