[Puzzling Poll]

I have fond memories of working on 1,000 piece puzzles during the week between Christmas and New Years as a child with my parents. Maybe I'll have to re-instate that tradition this year, although my kids are still young so maybe a 500 piece puzzle would be more manageable...

[Without looking it up, would you know what this phrase means?]

I know it's from the Godfather, and that it means loosely "give it everything you've got" but only because I've watched You've Got Mail many many times, LOL.

[What do you think of this? Family gathering where in-laws aren't invited.]

That is so strange. My husband wouldn't go.

[Can you take another baby naming thread?]

I voted for Margaret (Maggie) because it's my personal preference, but I also think Beatrice/Trixie is super cute. It does make me think of Knuffle Bunny and also Beazus/Aunt Bea from the Ramona books/movie.

[KY clerk refuses to issue marriage licenses]

When Fox News even calls your lawyers "stupid"...

Just what I was thinking!!

[Hits and Misses]

Hits:

Right Start Math

SOTW

Handwriting without Tears

 

Misses:

Writing With Ease

[Baby due in 3 weeks! Help me choose name!]

I have a darling little niece named Lucy (just Lucy, not Lucille) so that got my vote!

[Need audiobook suggestions about slavery and/or the Underground Railroad for 8-year-old.]

I was going to recommend Addy, looks like you already know about that one.

[Let's Talk Fall! What do you LOVE to do in Autumn?]

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin pancakes, and so on...

 

Apple picking is also a favorite, along with apple crisp, apple pie, apple cider, etc. Yikes, no wonder I put on weight in the fall!!! :lol:

 

I also love putting up my fall garlands. There's just something really comforting and nostalgic about fall colors and the crisp, cool air.

 

 

[How do YOU remember it?]

Stain. Berenstain...I always corrected people when they pronounced it Stein. I just thought that my friends weren't reading closely or speaking clearly. The name has always been Berenstain.

This.

[Indulge my curiosity: acceptance of a gift you don't want poll]

Ugh, this is a hard question. Last year I had a very toxic friend give me a random gift- a racy mystery novel (that she knew perfectly well would be out of my comfort zone) and a couple of books on Angels which were nice but again not something I am really into. Afterwards she would always ask if I had read the novel and get really offended when I made up some reason to tell her I hadn't. She also used the gift to excuse some very poor behavior towards me and my family that I confronted her about. In hindsight, I wished I had a never accepted the gift, but it didn't really feel like I had a choice. I'm still not sure how I would have politely declined it.

[Maybe my kids are a little sheltered]

Hahahaha!! Too cute!!

[wwyd]

Honestly, as an introvert myself, this would be an ideal situation for me. A standing arrangement for nice, well-behaved kids to be delivered to my house for my kids to play with once a week. Heaven.

 

I would plan to do a normal, maybe slightly light, school day when her kids are at your house. Then, in order to recoup a bit of time, I would probably tell the neighbor that on her day to watch the kids you would be bringing the 2 year old over in the morning, but then doing school with the 8 year old for a couple hours before dropping her off. I'm betting you could accomplish a lot in some uninterrupted, one-on-one time. Then you could spend the late morning and afternoon taking care of errands and house work without any kids "helping".

 

Wendy

This is what I would do! I would love this arrangement, honestly!!

 

ETA: I saw you already messaged her. Good for you! You know what your limits are and teaching your kids comes first!

[What to do when little kids are annoying.]

My 7 (almost 8) year old can be like this too. One on one time with parents (Dad in particular) has helped a lot with this, as well as ways to channel his energy, like outside time as you mentioned.

[Ramdom question of the day: Were you afraid of your parent(s)?]

Yes, of my Dad. I am the oldest of 4 girls and we all were afraid of him. He regrets a lot of things now, but he just naturally has an uptight, Type A personality. He can be harsh and not understanding or tolerant of views that differ from his own. He's an Evangelical pastor, by the way...

[Miquon, Rightstart, Singapore, Math Mammoth]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. Use RS A for the 4 year old and RS B for the 6 year old. Last year I thought my bright 5 year old DD could just kind of tag along with her older brother in doing RS B, but quickly saw (within the first couple of lessons) that she was comparing herself to him and getting frustrated that she couldn't answer the questions as quickly. A few days into the school year, we ordered RS A for her, and I am so happy we did. The lessons are shorter and simpler, and have given her a great foundation to do RS B this year, without the risk of her comparing her progress to her older brother and becoming discouraged. The last thing I wanted was for her to think she was "bad at math," especially when the opposite is true, and even if they had done separate lessons in the same book, she would still have compared herself to him.

 

Also, it will save you time to do RS A, because it will truly be open and go, instead of requiring you to modify or shorten the lessons.

[Just for fun: ridiculous things people have argued with you]

When we lived in South Eastern CT, almost to the RI border, one of my friends and I were contemplating attending a conference in Washington, DC. She insisted that we could drive there in 4 hours because she has relatives in Virginia and had driven there many times. She was absolutely adamant that I was ridiculous to think it might take us longer (my experience told me it would take 8 hours, the GPS says 6 but considering that you have to drive through New York, it always takes longer...)

 

We never did go to the conference, but I felt a little gratified later that year when she drove down to visit her family and in her words, "What should have been a 4 hour drive took 12 hours!" Granted, she left at the worst possible time of day (just after school got out at 3, so she was driving through NY in rush hour traffic).

[Update Post 1... Did anyone stop having children before they thought they were ready...]

((Hugs)) I know what a hard decision this is. We have three kids and were planning on having more, but I had to have an emergency hysterectomy right after my third was born. I'm truly grateful to be alive and that all my children are healthy, but it does hurt to have the option to have another taken prematurely (I was 27 at the time, 31 now). Like you, our only option now is adoption (or surrogacy, as I still have my ovaries, but that is complicated and costly). I hate when people flippantly say, "Oh, you can adopt!" It's just not that simple.

 

Thank you for your advice, Storygirl. I think it is excellent.

[let's talk about . . . granola]

We really like this one:

 

http://adventuresofgrandmahoney.blogspot.com/2014/09/our-favorite-granola.html?m=1

 

It's easy to make, and great with yogurt and fruit. I also love it with fruit and almond milk.

[That time when my DH cut his thumb so badly even the surgeon he works with said...]

Scary!!! Glad he is okay!!

[Keeping children clothed when company is over...]

I'm way more concerned about parents that knowingly allow thier children to have soiled bottoms than those who allow their clean-bottomed children to be naked in their own homes. Idiots.

Yikes, are you calling Arctic Mama an idiot? If so, then I guess I'm an idiot too, because my 5 and 7 year olds still don't always do a good job wiping. We're working on it, for sure. But yeah, I'm glad they wear clothes and take regular showers!

[Recommend chewelry for 5 year old boy]

I wish I had known about this when my oldest DS was this age and constantly chewing on his sleeves!

[Non-Functioning]

Thinking of you!!

[NOOOOOO!]

LOL, Moxie.

[How many hours a week do(es) your breadwinner(s) work?]

DH works about 50 hours per week, sometimes from home, sometimes downtown at his office, and about every other week is traveling for a few days. He has a work cell so occasionally will answer texts and emails in his down time although he will often leave the work phone home if we're on a date or something like that. He is salary + commission so that is extra motivation to be available when his sales reps need him!