I guess everyone is knee-deep in first days back 🙂 Melting here today too. It's not as hot as it was in Tucson, but still hot enough (mid 90s), and I don't have AC or anything except a ceiling fan to help out (and the ceiling fan is rusted to "slow", so it doesn't really make a breeze lol). But, we're acclimating to the constant heat and has the upshoot that the kids want to go outside because it's cooler outside than in, especially once I start dinner, lol. But, we haven't had any monsoon rain for almost a week and I'm getting worried for some of our seedlings that are made for the rainy season. I'm having people go out and "rain" for them two or three times a day. Hope they make it. We started back a couple weeks ago but I just started a few new programs today. Overall going well, but DD10 just had a little tantrum because she doesn't like the new Spanish we're doing. She says she knows it all already. But she doesn't, and it'll just hopefully take a few days for her to get into it. Just wish it was easier on both of us. So, I jumped on here to look busy and give her space; DH already had a heart to heart with her this morning (after a different new-curriculum anger) that SUPER helped, but she doesn't want anything to do with me right now so hopefully she can reset to the herself of an hour ago. We've never had this resistance to new programs before so it's interesting to see how she is expressing herself this time around. (Everyone else, it should be noted, is happy with all choices, and when she forgot she was angry in the middle of the lesson she was laughing and enjoying it too). Re: travel. We don't have any trips planned. My parents have offered to help with a vacation for us, but my problem is when?? We are in the middle of setting up a new business (and we really need to get this going), just finished moving into this house (so behind on everything else) and school just started and we are finally getting a groove in this new place. Pausing for even just 3 or 4 days seems like a bad idea in so many ways, but on the other hand.... And update: she is back to her regular self in the middle of the next lesson, yay!

So, yeah, we don't let anyone drive our kids except ourselves and my parents. MIL is no longer on the list (though we've avoided all situations that would actually let her know that so far). This is a serious pain, and will get worse as they grow up and want to drive with friends/other families. But, I've known too many people killed in car accidents because of texting, and also just teenage driving skills. We've already told our kids this is going to be how it is. They are at the agreeable age and don't see how this will be a problem when they are older, but we're just trying to establish it now so they know it isn't us picking on their friends or friends' families when they get to that stage. Maybe I'll change my mind then...but no, I won't, lol. On the one occasion another mom wanted to drive my daughter I just apologized and said we have a blanket rule on this after a previous incident. (Previous incident was an adult texting while driving kids and almost getting in an accident.) IDK how'd you vet individual parents, unless you take a chance with them for one time and ask your kids later if they were texting, but kids may not notice (because of talking with friends, etc) and this opens them up to danger that first time. Also will make the other parent ask why you're changing your stance if they did actually text the first time.

Backpacks. We have a shelf for my books, and then accordion folders that they put completely done work in (like, if we are on unit 3, they put unit 1 away). But all of their current workbooks and papers go into a backpack. This makes running on errands, doctors appointments, trips to grandparents, etc., really simply because I just have to tell them to get their bags and go. Anything extra we need (like my books or reference books) we have another bag. Art supplies are in a small travel box as well. We have hooks on the wall to hang up the backpacks so the baby can't take open them. She will if they are left on the floor 🙂

Right now, one of the more successful approaches I've had with DD10 was giving an hour window (or more, depending on the number of tasks) to finish things that I know she can get done. So, an hour to clean her room, vaccuum, and take out the recycles. Then we moved to 2 separate one hour windows, with 6 tasks, that she can divide as she wants. But, whatever tasks she starts has to be completed, so she can't have 4 halfdone tasks at the end of the day. Free time is impacted if the tasks aren't complete. We use Accountable Kids (which looks like they've stopped making?!?!) but basically it's just a special spot for me to put up her chores for the day, besides her regular school/activities/duties. She has the 2 hours through the day to finish everything; whatever doesn't get finished in that time eats into her evening free time. This has been successful so far; the past month we've started incorporating "home work" for her to do in a similar setup.

Just saw that our new library has free access to Pronunciator for language learning. https://learning.pronunciator.com Anyone ever use this before? I just bought a Spanish for Children to use this year, but wondering if it would work as a add-on now or as a full program for the kids later. Or even now, I guess, and I could sell the Spanish I just bought. Any prior experience with this?

Hard to beat free! I've used them for a few photography courses but not much else. It was a good course, learned a lot, a lot less fluff. I chose to go onto other platforms more because I prefer "owning" the course and going through it at my pace, rather than a subscription based service. The actual content was good in my opinion. You can see the release dates on the courses to avoid the outdated ones, but older courses may have been updated, just not showing a new date (idk how they handle that). My view of Lynda has always been they are more professional-based, continuing education type. (Edit to add: so: drier, but good information)

We received the schedule last week, that starts this week. However, he definitely asks through the summer if Monday still works, is there a better day or time, or a time we can't do, etc., and would give a heads up if something drastic was going to change. So, while we get official notice late, the communication is there so it's no big surprise.

True Devotion to Mary, by St. Louis de Montfort The Imitation of Christ The Interior Castle I keep Mass booklets on the shelves too so they can open and read. If you do Latin Mass, I find this helpful especially since it gives them more opportunity to figure out the translation. But even for Novus Ordo books it's a good help Things I do not have but have been meaning to get for myself then pass along: Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (Divine Mercy in My Soul). Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen. The Way of Perfection, by St Teresa of Avila.

{{{{hug}}}} That's a lot going on over the next few days, plus the situation that your dad and stepmom have added to the mix. No real advice but a definite hug and well wish for you, I hope you get to have a great couple of days with both of your sons before they leave.

imo, Sounds more like a poke at your confidence to get you to go down on the price. So said sarcastically, yes, but with a more manipulative intent than just being snarky.

So I have little kids with perpetually sticky hands. And a new couch. We wanted to do a "game day" type of thing as a family today, but I'm drawing a blank; all of the food I usually do like chicken wings or ribs or all these things I'm seeing on Pintrest look really messy. So far I've thought of popcorn (which is messy, but at least not sticky). Any other favorites you like to serve kids for celebrations?

Any recommendations? I was hoping for something that was focused on conversational Spanish that could bring them up to basic use. We've used DuoLingo and they like it but nothing seems to stick. I have a very basic proficiency but it's been years since I've had to have any actual conversation, so other than getting the right pronunciation/accent I do not want to be pulling stuff together, and I've already got a full plate to plan. I can practice with them during the day though and it's my mom's first language, so we can give them practice, just not the lesson, kwim?

Well a postcard from Nepal would be pretty cool and would get a pass from most. But a postcard from Albuquerque doesn't quite have the same ring to it (no offense to Albuquerque, after all it was part of our honeymoon LOL). 🙂 It probably depends on how "traditional" (eta: formal is probably a better word) your family is. They would have loved a postcard from the honeymoon, no question, but it would not suffice as a thank you for a wedding gift.

Also, this doesn't have to be a all or nothing scenario, right? My grandmothers would have had heart attacks if I sent a postcard thank you for their wedding gifts. My mother would have gone into hermitage from shame. My father would have shaken his head EMPHATICALLY. But that would be cute and cool with friends and sisters and a few others. So the couple can save money and give a cute memento to the group of people who would enjoy that, and still do a more formal option for the people who appreciate that instead.

Coincidentally, I was browsing reddit and there is a subreddit for "Weddings Under $10K". Lots of brides and ideas about what they are doing to keep costs down. A lot seems to be focused around flowers, dresses, and decoration, but also some people include their entire budgets (or planned budgets), so it can be a good resource for ideas. Since these brides are in the thick of it, they'll have pretty up-to-date ideas on what is normal and what can be done with today's dollar. https://www.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/

Well, I don't think it's nettle, unless it has a delayed affect? I've touched it a few times, no issues. Picking the leaf and smelling it, it's like a tomato plant smell, not minty (or maybe my nose is broken?). Or does it have to be folded in half to release a mint smell over the normal leaf smell? Thanks for the app suggestions! I got lantana or nettle as well for suggestion. I think she has a lantana on one side, I'll check and see what it is and compare the leaves.

Okay, I do not know plants so be gentle, lol. I've found this in the garden I'm rehab'ing. Originally I found in the edible garden area. He looks like he was intentionally planted here. However, this morning I found a few more of these plants in the flowers-only area (or what I thought was flowers only). Leaves have a lot of fuzz/hair on them. Is this a easy-identify plant?

The best way to keep costs down is to not know too much about weddings, lol. I was clueless and so didn't do many things that may have been considered "necessary" even though in the end they didn't make a jot of difference. The main thing we did to we keep it down was renting a restaurant during the summer months (in Tucson, so the slower months). We were able to rent the main dining room of a high end restaurant: we didn't have to pay for tablecloths or centerpieces, since they are a regular part of the restaurant, and same with the china. The reception was a little more than half of our entire cost: We paid $29/plate with 4 options for 80 people; it'd probably be much more now, but if you are having 100 people, even $50/plate comes to $5000. (In contrast, some of the more popular wedding venues were $8K for the hall, then you'd need catering, tableclothes, decorations, etc. The average reception hall rental I priced was probably $4k). We didn't really have alcohol, which looking back on it we should have had something (we just did champagne for toasts). They did have the option to order for themselves at the bar in the restaurant. At the time, since I was 20 and my mom who was helping me never drinks, it didn't seem like a big deal because in our family culture drinking isn't on the radar. I do remember one guest semi-complaining (which is why I even think about it now), but looking back this guy wanted the best of the best they had to offer for free, and so I guess he wouldn't have been pleased anyway. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have kept it to what we did or a case of house wine. For the cake, you can get a small wedding cake, then a sheet cake to make enough pieces (we got one from Costco, it used to be $16 for a full sheet. It can be put in a backroom so no one ever sees it). I didn't even know groom cakes were a thing until we went to a wedding a couple years later. Our wedding party was basically a maid of honor and best man. I told my moh she could pick her own dress in preferably the wedding colors but I wasn't picky. Best man could supply his own tux and then we just got a handkerchief that matched the moh's dress. DJ was my husband's equipment and one of his brothers at the computer; we had already made up the lists so that all he had to do was push the button and stop as necessary. We didn't really have an MC, but the restaurant manager was very kind and did announcements for us every so often. Again, I think he saw the cluelessness, lol. Another friend had just hooked up an iPod to the reception hall speakers and had one of her sisters stop/start the music on preplanned playlists. Favors can be small. Flowers: we just did the main bouquets and then a couple nice arrangements for the altar area. We didn't do anything for the pews (again, clueless), and I didn't need anything for reception. It still came out to an enormous $500, but part of that was because my MIL insisted on using a particular place. My dress was expensive and it killed me, but yeah I got the dress anyway. If we had more time to plan I would have tried to go to trunk sales and try to find a deal.

Oh, I envy you!! Well, not as much the nausea, true. But to be pregnant, yes, I'm full of envy 😛 (eta: and obviously congratulations!!)

I'd be inteested in seeing what you create! My rising 5th grader has been doing fractions for a bit (same with the rising 3rd grader).

I envy people who can focus on their work/hobby/current task without being interrupted over and over and over and over. Bonus envy if their non-existent interruptions do not have a periodic "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting you?"

This is how we do iced coffee: It's pretty painless, recipe from Pioneer woman. We do the coffee part as described, though our fridge is smaller now so have to do smaller batches.

My nana needed assisted living the last 7-8 years of her life, but insisted on staying in her house. She finally caved to having someone non-family live with her full time (2 women, actually, each were 1 week on, 1 week off). She died at 95. My grandma just moved into a full time care facility last month, she is turning 98 in September. She is very despondent since this development, just a couple years ago she was still traveling on her own to visit family across the country. My tata had Alzheimers and had a habit of wandering off. After he went for missing for 6 hours in 110+ weather, he was moved to a full time facility. He was there 3 or 4 years before passing away. I think he was 84.

Here's a cheaper binding machine : Minicoil binder. This one only does spines up to 11", so you couldn't bind larger books, I don't know what sizes you were intending to do. This allows for books up to 2" thick. You still have to get a crimper (like $30 usd I think) and the actual coils. I did go to the business paper supply store to buy clear covers, I think here it was $8 for 100 covers. You could also just use coverstock which would be cheaper. (Just to show the range of options on this solution.)

We have a Coilmac M41 Akiles coil binder. I love it. I absolutely love it. We got it originally for business use, so the expense of it was excusable, but I don't know how I'd do homeschool without it, as almost all my classes I print workbooks now. It's simple and quick to use, it really is a cinch, and much cheaper than going to the local printing place for binding services. The workbooks stand up all year to the kids. There are cheaper machines (and more expensive), so if you can find something in your budget I definitely recommend this. Just make sure that you look at the average number of pages you'll be binding together to get the right coil size when buying coils. I have 2 different sizes for my books and that has worked pretty well, there is a pretty big set of sizes you can do. I do split up my huge workbooks into 2 or 3 workbooks for the kids. The Coilmac we have, price has gone up slightly or I got it on sale. I also prefer oval holes over circle, but for kid workbooks I don't think it actually matters; that's why we chose this particular model, though.