I wasn't impressed with Paula's Choice products, either. I really wanted to like them, because they were fairly inexpensive, but a few of the items I tried broke my face out, and the others seemed to do absolutely nothing. I don't know if they still do this, but Paula's Choice used to be wonderful about sending free samples so you could try the products before making a purchase. If you wait until a holiday weekend to order, they often offer free shipping on your purchases, so it may be worth waiting until Easter weekend to order, in case they run the special. One last thing -- I tried the products when they were first launched (years ago!) so the formulations may be dramatically different now than they were when I tried them Cat

If you were talking about girls, I'd suggest videos by Susan Scheewe, or even Donna Dewberry, but I'm not sure that they would be of interest to boys. How about Terry Madden videos for the boys? He has a PBS series called, "Watercolor Workshop," and has also produced a video series. I have his tapes, but I have to tell you that they aren't cheap, even on eBay, and they aren't specifically designed for kids, so they may not be the best choice for you. Your local library may have them, though. Frank Clarke (Simply Painting) is an Irish artist who has produced a PBS series, as well as several instructional books and DVDs. He is very personable, and most of his projects are perfect for beginners. (He also has a painting video for kids, but it's just a single tape, so it wouldn't really be an "art course.") The only issue I see is that your boys may not be interested in painting things like buildings and landscapes. Another artist you might consider is Jerry Yarnell. His videos aren't designed for kids, but he made a series of beginner videos for acrylics, and he's very thorough, but again, not as "kid-friendly." If the boys would like drawing, I would highly recommend the Draw Squad books and videos by Mark Kistler. They are a lot of fun, yet are still very educational. If you would prefer painting videos, are you interested in watercolor or acrylic painting? I have been painting for years, and have a ton of videos, so I'm sure I can find something to recommend to you. I just have to come up with something "boyish." Cat PS. Have you looked at Barry Stebbing's art courses? http://www.howgreatthouart.com/ His classes are designed especially for children, which could make them more suitable for your boys. We're also using Drawing Basics with Thomas Kinkade, but I'm not sure if they would be a good fit or not -- Thomas Kinkade is very nice, and a likable instructor, but Mark Kistler (Draw Squad) is more FUN!

Wow, what a horrible thing for someone to have done! I'm so sorry that happened to you, JoAnn, and I don't blame you for being upset. I find it very creepy that someone went to your blog, seemingly with the sole intent of posting something hurtful. It's going to be hard for you not to keep wondering who did it, and I'm sorry you felt you had to remove the link to your blog (although I'm sure I would have done exactly the same thing.) :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Cat

:lurk5: Cat

You always have such great ideas, Rosie! Cat

Just thought I'd bump this up for you, Sally -- hopefully, you'll find someone who has used these books! Cat

Hi again! I just found the link for the set on the Calvert website: http://www.calvertschool.org/accredited-homeschool-curriculum/enrichment-courses/discoveries-in-music/ Cat

Calvert still sells the program, although it's now called, "Discoveries in Music," and includes a few small musical instruments. I believe it costs around $150, so I'm sure you could probably re-sell your set on eBay or the swaps for a pretty good price, even though it's VHS. I have the same set, and have to admit that we never used it. I wonder if it would work with a 9yo. (I think it's called Melody Lane, and I'm assuming that's the set you have, too!) Cat

That's very interesting -- I didn't know whiteboards were repairable! Cat

Urinary problems are very common in older male cats, and from the behavior and symptoms you describe, it sounds like that may be your kitty's only problem. Please get him checked out by the vet before you do anything drastic -- I would never consider euthanasia before exhausting all of my other options, and in your case, your cat's problem could be a very simple (and curable) one. Cat

THANK YOU!!! I'm heading over there right now! :auto: Cat

:lurk5: Cat

I haven't used them, but the book selections look excellent. My biggest concern is that each book is only 72 pages, including the entire "book," the illustrations, and the workbook part. It would appear that the story must be quite watered-down, and without actually seeing and looking at the books, there's no way of knowing if the writing style even remotely resembles that of the original book. I hope someone has tried these, as I like the concept, but I'm not sure about the reality. :confused: Cat

Same here! When we used the Sonlight Science DVDs (for K and 1,) I mostly used them instead of doing the experiments. I know the experiments can be fun, but much of the time (especially in the lower elementary grades,) they don't really teach very much, and the only thing we get out of doing them is a big mess in the kitchen for me to clean up. Also, some of the experiments don't work that well, which leads to frustration... and did I mention a big mess in my kitchen? ;) We enjoyed the DVDs when we used them, and I liked Sonlight Science. Cat

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: No real advice here, just hugs! Remember, though, that your dh is coming home to you, and Ms Gorgeous probably isn't as perfect as she seems, anyway. I hope she's a nice person, though, because her dh is going to need her -- recovery from a liver transplant is rough, and I hope she is spending a lot of time with him. Really, when you think about it, she might be gorgeous, but would you ever want to trade places with her and have all of the stress she has had with her dh being so ill? The way I see it, you're the lucky one -- and if the picture in your avatar is you, you're very beautiful, too! Cat

:lol::lol::lol: I nearly spit my tea on the keyboard when I read that, Aubrey! Cat

LOL! Mine is too -- but all I really care about is that our dss make better fashion and hair styling choices than Einstein did, because isn't that what really matters? There's a lot to be said for shallowness. ;) :iagree::iagree::iagree: Cat

Wow, that's really something! How old was she when she said it? I wouldn't have thought of anything like that -- I would have probably come up with something earthshaking like, "Looks like it's going to rain. Did I leave the bathroom window open?" Your dd sounds very creative -- you must be very proud of her! Cat

I'll bet if you'd told them you were an alien from Jupiter, they would have thought it was even cooler! (Well, at least my ds would have!) ;) Cat

Marshall's sells them, too! (same prices as TJ Maxx because it's the same company, but the selection is usually different.) Cat

I just wanted to say, WELCOME!!! If you can give us a few more details about what your goals are for your child, as well as whether you're looking for a Christian or secular (non-religious) curriculum, I'm sure you'll get more suggestions than you'll ever be able to use! ;) Also, are you looking for a "curriculum in a box," where everything arrives in one big package and there's a schedule that tells you what to do and when to do it, or are you looking for something a bit more laid-back and non-textbooky? Might you be interested in the type of program where all of your son's subjects would be taught to him online, on the computer, or on DVDs, or do you want to be your child's primary teacher? Do you want to work with him or her quite a bit, or would you prefer that he or she be able to learn more independently? Sorry to ask so many questions -- I'm just trying to give you a few ideas as to what you'll need to consider over the next few months. One thing I learned the hard way -- don't start buying anything and everything that sounds wonderful, because you'll end up with a ton of stuff that you'll never use. Take your time, check out several curriculum options, try to get samples of the programs you like best, ask for advice here at the WTM forum, and then make a final decision after you've had a lot of time to mull everything over. Also, you may want to consider your child's learning style as you make your curriculum choices, as some kids learn well by reading on their own, some from hearing things read aloud to them, and others learn by doing related activities, etc. Sometimes as moms, we tend to choose the curriculum that would have worked most effectively for us, but if our kids learn differently than we do, that's something we really need to think about. Take a deep breath, try to relax, and know you've found a great place to ask your questions and get the support you need! You're going to do just fine! :grouphug: Cat

Thank you for posting your wonderful news! Cat

My ds9 calmly walked into dh's office this morning and started up a little conversation. Then, he casually looked down and said, "I think there's one of those cave crickets under your desk, Dad." Dh practically leapt to the floor to see it, because he'd had a problem with cave crickets in the office a few years ago, and it was a real nuisance to get rid of them. Ds never even cracked a smile until his dad finished crawling on the floor under the desk, and then he just gave him a little smile and said, "April Fool's," and walked away. The kid is going to be dangerous when he gets older. Cat

Has anyone used any of the courses for grades 3-5? A few of the classes sound interesting, but I'm not sure if they would benefit my ds enough to make it worth spending that much money on a single class. If he were in high school, I could understand it, but does anyone have any compelling reasons why these courses would be a good idea for an elementary-aged child? Cat

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Cat