They're omnivores. We had some milk that had gone bad the other day. I poured it over some of their feed in a bowl and let it soak. Kind of like soggy chicken cereal. They loved it!

There is definitely an increase in noise. In an effort to cut down allergens and because I like a pared-down, simplified style, we don't have many curtains, rugs, pillows, etc. I've used rugs and runners at different times, but they end up really dirty, are difficult to clean, or take a lot of time to clean properly (especially if wool). We live in the country, so YMMV re: dust, stickers, etc. Over time, we've ended up with some throw rugs that can be washed in the the washing machine (cheaper, smaller), but mostly no rugs. It's great to know there isn't a lot of dust or dirt lurking. It's super-easy / fast to clean. The increased noise is worth it to us. However...the noise really carries. Even in houses with various rooms vs. open great rooms (I've owned two houses like this - smaller rooms, all hard floors). One strategy is to use fans in rooms or hallways if someone needs to sleep or to block out noise. Another is to talk on the phone outside or in a detached living space. It was difficult when the kids were younger and the noise would carry when we were staying up / trying to get them to sleep. Over time, we've probably grown accustomed to not doing loud things when others are trying to sleep (kitchen noise, etc.).

I've been using these bag attractant traps and they seem to really cut down the population: https://www.walmart.com/ip/RESCUE-Outdoor-Disposable-Fly-Trap-2-Pack/441876414 I'm not too crazy about the idea of just tossing the bags into the landfill, so this is a similar, but reusable, option: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Starbar-Captivator-Fly-Trap/196538844 Here are the attractant "pouches" that can be used to refill the jar: https://www.walmart.com/ip/STARBAR-FLY-TRAP-ATTRACTANT-REFILL/116420891 I watched several videos, read blogs, and tried a bunch of DIY - waterbottle - type things last year. None of them really worked well. Our fly pressure is due to cattle, horses, chickens, so it can be significant. Getting ahead of the population (before it exponentially explodes) helps. If I were hosting a party, I'd buy those netted covers to go over the food or have a fan right by the food table. Was at a party recently with many flies near the food. I'm not generally squeamish, but it grossed me out! 🤢

Hmmm... Yeah, she's pretty cute buuuuuut.... I'm loving Katie's post. I'm currently dealing with 2 new-to-us mares (horses) and learning to establish good boundaries. One would totally sleep with her butt in our bed if we let her...and would do any other dang thing she pleased if she could get away with it. These horses are "adults"... We can't treat them like babies or we'll have some major issues weighing in at 1000 pounds. I think the cat is the same scenario, just smaller and fluffier. 😄

Well, see, now that just changes EVerything!!! Thanks for the update!

One more idea... I use these under a couch for gift wrap, but they will fit a blanket or two, depending on thickness / size. They can be pushed back so they're not so visible: https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Underbed-Storage-Stackable-Latching/dp/B06ZZY2M92/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=under+bed+storage&qid=1592196293&sr=8-8

Also, I've stored dyner / duvets in these Ikea Dimpa bags in the garage. The bags keep the dust off, keep pests out, and I can get bedding out easily for guests, etc. They can be easily rinsed with a hose and hung out to dry if they get dusty. Cost: ~$5 each. Downside: the material began to disintegrate after about 5 years. :( Otherwise, they've been really helpful. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/dimpa-storage-bag-clear-10056770/

How about these Space Saver Bags? They work pretty well for flattening and minimizing feather duvets. I don't know if they would make your quilts much flatter, though. I paid significantly less a few years ago. I'm just pasting this link in for convenience, but it looks like other retailers sell them: https://www.amazon.com/SpaceSaver-Premium-Reusable-Storage-Included/dp/B00X8KSKF6

Saw the other (current) thread on Hungry Teens...and a recommendation for Madras Lentils packets from Costco. I keep seeing those there and am intrigued. I'm going to try this recipe, instead. It looks highly-rated: https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/madras-lentils/

Homemade Hummus. Can be flavored with garlic, paprika, etc. Can be made from dried chickpeas in an Instant Pot. Instead of tahini ($), add sesame seeds (cheap) to the Instant Pot. Sesame seeds = tahini. Bought in bulk or world cuisine aisle. Recipes for Instant Pot hummus are online. Asian Chicken Salad with a base of cabbage and one chicken breast per head of cabbage (not a lot of protein, but some--enough for a few people). Very healthy. Recipes can be found online. DIY everything: Ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, Cream of X (chicken, mushroom, etc.), Thousand Island, etc. Recipes can be found online; cost is probably 10% of what the consumer would pay for pre-packaged versions. Healthier too without MSG, preservatives, etc.

#1 Fastest and easiest veggie to grow; fun for kids because they come up and mature so quickly: Radishes! [I've been banned from growing them, though, because no one here will eat them. I used to plant them every year but DH says "no more". 😆😊] ETA: I didn't eat them either, beyond one or two...I just liked growing them because of their almost-instantaneous gratification. Their leaves are happy-looking, cheerful.

First, just want to say that I think your family's MD gift is so sweet! And, it looks great! 👏👏👏😍 On the oak leaves: Good idea to research. We have a ton of oaks and DH dumped a few wheelbarrow loads of the leaves along part of our driveway this past fall. I was skeptical that they'd actual perform weed control, but they did! This spring: No grass--nothing--grew where those oak leaves were dumped! I think I'll keep using that strategy to cut down on weeds. There are hundreds (?) of oak species, so yours might be different than ours...but something to be aware of. Also want to add that we grow veggies in raised beds but have patches of perennial herbs, perennial flowers, and annual flowers mixed in throughout the beds here and there. The beneficials [insects] love them and they're pretty. For the first time, I'm thinking of mixing a few succulents amongst the veggies too. I have a ton of "hens and chicks", aloes, etc., that have multiplied...not enough pots...so I think I'll give it a shot. Have fun!

Just popping back in with a method I wanted to share that's working really for the second student I'm trying this with (DD8): A Gentle Writing Process for a Reluctant Writer Day(s) 1+* - Brainstorm a topic the student is really interested in or can write easily about. If they really don't have any ideas, write a simple prompt that you think will generate interest. Don't make it something that requires them to "analyze their feelings" or something that is too trite, too sappy or too "pat". Really hone in on what they have something to say about, even if that's along the lines of "Why Second Graders Shouldn't Be Required to Write!" (though, hopefully, in time, they'll move off of this type of argumentative piece...) Watch high-quality videos on the subject...find great titles to read together...interview someone... Be flexible and come to some agreement on what they think they could / would like to write about, unless you have some sort of external requirement that dictates specifics (school, curriculum, etc.). This might take longer than 1 day (information gathering, priming the pump), and might be connected to other studies or adventures in life (new pet, how to make a certain craft or recipe, a trip to the zoo, etc.). Day 2* - Show student how to make a brainstorm "web" or how to organize ideas under 2-3 topics; add details. No "wrong" answers; just let ideas flow conversationally. Scribe and organize for them. I try to let this be more creative / flowy vs. rigid organization. Spelling / grammar don't count on this organizer. These are just personal notes for later; to be recycled someday. Day 3* - Have student pick one of the 2-3 ideas from the brainstorm web to write about. Try for 1 sentence, 3 sentences...up to 1 paragraph for the day--whatever they can feel good about without getting too discouraged. If the student has issues with the mechanics of getting it out on paper, try "Share-the-Pen" (parent writes some or most; student fills in blanks or writes what they can...or scribe it for them, depending on age / ability). Set a timer if you think it will get too laborious. Put the piece away. Don't edit. Don't correct. Don't give any feedback on how it's written. Just let the student write in their own way. Encourage any growth or attempt. Don't even read it if they're shy / self-conscious. Just let them put it away; allow it to be private for now. Don't make them show it to you if they are protective of it. Day 4* - Same as Day 3 but different topic. No correcting; no editing. No "helpful feedback from Mom" unless the student specifically requests help. Day 5* - Same as Days 3/4 but last topic. No correcting; no editing. Don't talk about grammar. Don't fuss over capitalization or punctuation at this point. Day 6* - Encourage student to add a brief Conclusion (1-2 sentences summing up the experience, the opinion, what the hope / anticipate will happen in the future - whatever they're writing about). Day 7* - Work on an Intro if that hasn't happened yet. Add a title on top. Put the piece away. Can you "afford" a week of it just sitting in a drawer? Two weeks? 1-2 weeks go by...This passage of time allows the Editing portion, which is quite different from the Creative portion of the process, to become less personal. It feels really bad for a writer to pour their attempts into a piece, only to have it immediately torn apart by editing, even if you try to keep the process impersonal. 2 weeks later...Parent: "Today we are going to put our Editor's caps on. Remember the piece you wrote on X? Today we're going to use this checklist and go through to see if there are parts we can improve." Let them use a cool pen or their favorite color, a highlighter... Copious praise: "I love how you X, Y, Z here. That was really interesting / creative / unique!" "I'm proud of you for sticking with this assignment, even if you wouldn't have chosen it for yourself...", etc. Proceed with using a checklist for editing (Punctuation, Capitalization, etc.); these can be printed off the internet. The checklist also makes the process less personal than if it's all coming from Parent. Anyway, this has solidly been working for us for ~5 years. When we began, my expectations were way higher than they should have been. Writing came easily for me and I'd never taught it to anyone else, so I didn't have a frame of reference for what could be expected each year / developmental stage. I hope this helps someone who's worrying over writing or working with a sensitive or reluctant writing student. I'm sure someone out there has taken much more time and effort to write this type of method into a great curriculum. It's simple. It works. My older student now writes independently (it was a multi-year process) and is becoming a great writer with a confident writing voice...a big change from the tears of 1st and 2nd grades! I sense some internal pushback from my next writer (DD8); little bit of chafing against writing assignments...but a paragraph is very doable for her at this point, so a paragraph a day isn't too much. One paragraph a day is doable. When we first started, I scribed for her...then asked her to fill in blanks from her own dictated sentences...then shared-the-pen...then asked for a sentence a day...two sentences...and so on, as she was able. DD8 just worked on a piece about a new project (chicks) for a couple of weeks. She put a lot of effort into it. I'm not going to fuss over the "voice" of it too much or point out every spelling mistake. We'll fix a few, do some editing, and move on. She really likes to see her work in print, so I'm going to type it out into a small format that can be physically cut-and-pasted into a little colorful book (ordered a set off of RR this year). Maybe she'll illustrate it. In a few years, it will be a good memory of the season in which she raised her first set of chicks! * Ooh - forgot to add: I don't assign these "Days" one-after-the-other. It might take us 2 weeks to get through all of these "Days". We are doing other language arts assignments 4-5 days / week, some which include writing or sentences (our spelling curriculum, for example). I have found that, if I do five of these "Days" in five days, it is quite laborious for a 2nd grader and turns into burnout. I might do 2-3 of these "Days" each week. Hope that makes sense.

I can't read through all of the responses right now and it looks like you got some good feedback, OP...I will try to come back "after school" 😊 today to read through details. For now, I thought I'd add that, when I'm planning each week for DD8, I mentally check these 4 boxes for Writing (meaning, this is how I break up "Writing" in my head): - Penmanship (@ various ages would include: printing, cursive, typing, copywork of sentences or poems, etc.). Copywork completed with X skill (printing, cursive, typing). - Grammar - Spelling - Composition (including journal prompts, sentences, sentence forms, paragraphs, short essays, editing, etc.) Sometimes, we combine some of these areas. Sometimes (right now), we are using 3-4 different curricula to address these areas. That's sounds onerous when I type it out, but we've landed upon a few things that really work well and efficiently for us. Some take as few as 5-10 minutes per day, so it's not as crazy as it sounds. We've tried Dictation and it's gone well, but I've never been consistent in implementing it. I see it's value, so that's a goal for me to work towards. I've always rolled Narration into our read-aloud time / SOTW / etc., so I guess I've seen that as falling under Reading in our homeschool. So valuable! A very seasoned homeschooler and public school teacher I knew recommended approximately 1 sentence per day per grade level as kind of a rule-of-thumb / minimum in the lower grades. While it's a bit minimal compared to what I think my students are capable of, it was a helpful rule-of-thumb for me when one DD was struggling with writing. So, for example, 2nd grade would = 2 quality sentences per day. Again, after DD11 got over the mental hump (I think it was a general, developmental pushback stage / control / attitude issue at 7-8), she was capable of much more than that rule-of-thumb amount. But it helped me on the days / weeks when I was really stressing about writing. Obviously, 10th grade does not equal 10 sentences, 😄, so, at some point, this rule-of-thumb breaks down. But I thought it was really helpful in the first few years as just a tiny goal to work towards when we were at odds with each other and my student was having a rough day. This particular student now writes 2-page opinion pieces independently, with supporting evidence, LOL, poetry, funny journal prompt responses, so it's working out. 😉 I think I was the one who really needed that rule.

For what it's worth, I've been in a long-term "friendship" along these lines. I get what you're saying in that it was "stupid" to get in touch, but I also get why you would. It was a caring thing to do. Maybe part of you hoped / wished things had changed for the better on her end with the passage of time? You couldn't have known either way without getting in touch. Unfortunately, getting in touch informed you that things haven't changed. 😞 She might have some really redeeming qualities as a human that make you miss her from time-to-time? There might have been good parts to your relationship too. (?) I never have completely broken off above-mentioned friendship, though I have been right on the edge of completely distancing myself too many times to count. It's created a lot of stress on my end, though I don't even think she'd be aware of that. Sometimes I think it would have been better just to create a lot of distance at the first sign of issues, but life's complicated. We have witnessed each others' kids grow and change so much and have been there for each other, have experienced life together, I think. I have done a lot of the semi-ghosting behavior recommended up above. It's helped to an extent. I don't think my friend understands the distance and I know she has felt hurt or confused by it at times, but she also isn't able to hear, acknowledge or accept many things that would need to be acknowledged in order for our friendship to get stronger / be closer. The line "You can't handle the truth!" bubbles up sometimes when I've searched for solutions; I don't think she could handle me being super-honest with her and I don't want to hurt her. I didn't know certain tendencies about her for a long time (maybe along the lines of narcissism / self-absorption, but not severe enough that there were huge red flags). It took awhile (years) and many different contexts to see patterns and put puzzle pieces together. At first, I explained many things away, wanting to see and believe the best. I thought she'd work on certain things (things that are really important to me: marriage, parenting). As time has gone on, I just can't give as much energy to her issues and ways and she doesn't seem to really work on things or even see a need to do so. The relationship really drains me and stresses me out. It's hard. Life isn't black-and-white. Our kids are friends and we have mutual friends, live in a fairly small town, so I'm not just going to cut the relationship off. My friend isn't a "bad person". She has a lot of toxic ways...always has a lot of drama...victim mentality...superiority complex...needs an audience (as another poster wrote above - good description)...is pushy...doesn't respect others' boundaries...our values don't align often enough that things really bother me. Some of this has changed / worsened over time, so I don't reproach myself as much as I used to (as in, "Shouldn't I have seen this early on? I should have ended this relationship a long time ago." type of thinking / self-blaming). The gray area is that now we've known each other for years, our families are comfortable with each other, there's a shared history. For everyone's sake, I'm not going to burn a bridge. I don't hold any ill will toward this person or her family; I want the best for them. I just can't be that close to the chaos / toxicity. Also, I see all the ways I need to grow and change as a human being. It's not as if any relationship is one-sided in its problems. I do have the vantage point of a couple of really healthy, long-term friendships and can see how those are so much a *joy* to be part of. When I consider what it is like in those friendships, it makes me see that I need to continue "social distancing" to some extent with this person. I don't know if I'll ever be able to really explain the distance in a way my friend could understand or accept because it would cause her to have to look at certain parts of herself and get real / be real. I'm afraid it would just result in more of what OP posted about (though not to that extent / severity)...and that, in the end, the only solution I'd find would be to "social distance".

Just my $0.02... I agree... If I were going to the trouble + time to build a raised bed, even one that would be eventually left or torn down (rental), I'd put down pieces of cardboard to smother the grass. If you have the $ and are able to get to the hardware store, you might check into weed blocker (fabric / material), though cardboard might work just as well and is certainly cheaper. We had a lot of gopher problems when we put in our raised beds, so we attached gopher wire (smaller and stronger than chicken wire) to the bottom of each bed. Hopefully you don't have that problem!

Thanks for the ideas! I'll add some of these into what we're doing! I'd been looking for good info on Swedish Drill but came up empty. Thanks! These sound too fun...looking them up!: So the issue isn't boredom / screens. We're keeping a good academic schedule and doing a lot of of work, creative projects, etc....it's just not as physical as it had been. We don't use electronics other than the occasional show; my kids rarely ask because they're always busy with something generated by their own interests. They're old enough to be getting at least an hour of exercise / day; I think ideally, since we're not getting out to the various errands, social things we normally do, they could easily stand 1 hour in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. Bodies were made to move! 🙂 I think I might just have people who prefer indoor activities and pursuits...plenty of space and stuff available outside...I just might need to enforce being out, or it doesn't naturally happen. Great ideas to add to our rotation--thanks! I thought I was up on all the threads! I'll have to track this one down! 🙂 Thanks!

We live in the country and walk everyday...sometimes drag brush into piles to burn off and that sort of outdoor work...garden... I'm trying to get 2 miles walking in everyday, but, to be honest, the kids are not as motivated to do the same route over-and-over. I didn't realize how much our activities throughout the week easily built in more exercise until our schedule changed to being exclusively at home! I've devised a rewards system for working out and I think 2 hours / day would help everyone sleep better and feel more energized, but, as the days go on, it's seeming harder to get an hour's worth. If I don't *make* everyone get out and get moving, it doesn't happen. So...looking for ways to make working out fun and interesting! Thought about getting a rebounder--

Hello Awesome Boardies! What are some of your favorite ideas for working out at home that include all ages (adults + kids)? Our goal is to get 1-2 hours exercise / day, and I'm looking for ideas to keep things fresh and fun. Our local parks, state parks, playgrounds, etc., are shut down, so bike rides, hikes, and the like aren't great options right now. Classes + sports leagues across the country are cancelled... What are your best ideas to keep couch potato tendencies at bay during the lockdown? Any favorite YouTube channels with workout videos that work for both kids and adults? Any favorite free curriculum / websites with great ideas? What is your family doing to get out (or stay in) and get moving?

Yeah, my extrovert is the one person in the family I would overcome my own preferences for... She does seem to get positive energy / into a better mood after phone chats with friends. I'm now actually assigning / requiring she reach out to at least one person outside of the family every day. ETA: I adore my extrovert *and* in a family of introverts, boundaries have a way of being pushed and tested. I think that's part of the drain; I'm having to provide the extroversion that she generally gets from groups of other people. I might have to reconsider online stuff for her, just to keep all of us sane. I thought during the first week of lockdown that I'd head up a weekly chat / Zoom / etc. online for our coop...now I'm not so sure because of this ^^^. What I've also found is that, once I take on the responsibility to head things up, people start looking for even more in terms of leadership, decisions they need to make on their own, all the details and ways things get played out...ugh...exhausting and I just don't have the energy to commit. Lot of anxiety here too; possibly causing a drain on energy levels.

Got it! It takes a ton of energy (for me) to spearhead new groups and community-building can take a long time, so I can see not wanting to let that unravel. Hope it all works out for you! Your concerns don't seem selfish to me, but I tend towards introversion when things get tough, so... take it with a grain of salt! Blessings-- 🙂

Of course, re-reading and analyzing this thread from a "scientific mindset" 🤓, LOL...😄: You are likely to get responses like this from people who are hibernating or otherwise "checking out" online vs. those who are really craving that Zoom-type interaction. *Those* types [said with ❤️ / humor / in jest]...the ones who want to keep interacting as "normal", even if they have to do it via video, might be the types to request such interaction for Scouts, etc.? Don't these boards tend heavily towards the INFJ/INFP personality type? Types who are introverted in the first place; enough to "hang out" in a forum vs. in person? Just a funny thought / way of looking at these responses-- In other words, introverts are quietly celebrating and don't want any more interaction. 😆 The last Zoom meeting left me absolutely drained: lots of talking over each other, pausing unnaturally, shouting, missed cues, etc. 🥴

Ditto! Some computer work / socialization = ok...then we're ready to get outside, exercise, do meaningful physical work...in "real" life. I'm hearing rumblings from different groups and teachers wanting to get things going online...and I'm not going to encourage any of it. I'm not too keen on the kids learning physical things (ballet) well online 🤔😒, though I understand that some have a heart to make things as "normal" as possible for children... I'm sure it comes from a good place? ...and I'm skeptical about how well humans learn anything in conference calls, Zoom, etc. Limited learning, IMO. Not worth the extra burden to me, unless limited. OP, ...is there some reason you feel burdened to create activities for other people's kids, as in, you're a leader for a group or in a position to be required to do that? Why can't those desiring something create it themselves? [Said in helpful / cheerful tone...I'm just tired and not sure if this is coming across well.] In other words, does it *have* to be your responsibility? Sounds like you already have enough on your plate? Taking care of family = #1 priority?

Can you tell me if this ratio results in a solution that would ruin dark clothes? As in, when using this around your house, have you ever noticed spray ending up on your clothing and bleaching it? Say if you sprayed a countertop and the leaned against it? Thanks--