Went to pay a credit card bill today and noticed a charge for CREDITREPORT.COM. Checked with DH and nope, neither of us authorized this charge. Called credit card to dispute charge and they noted that it is a monthly recurring charge and had just gone through AGAIN as recent activity. They put the two charges in dispute for me but recommended I call the company to stop the recurring charge. Called the company and they questioned whether I had authorized someone with initials different from mine to use my card. They wouldn't tell me the name of the person, only the initials. When I said NO, they transferred me to a supervisor who further questioned me about authorizing this person to use the credit card. When I insisted that I let NO ONE but DH use the card, they agreed to remove ONE charge. She acted like it was out of her hands to remove both charges. Glad that I disputed it with the credit card first. There were no other questionable charges on my credit card account and I find it highly doubtful that someone would get hold of my credit card number and only use it to buy a monthly service from CREDITREPORT.COM. Anyone else with experience with this company? Pegasus

I was thrilled to find Discovering Music at a discount on the CBD website weeks ago when I was ordering curriculum. However, it turned out to be on backorder and the expected date kept getting pushed back and back. I finally decided to cancel and pay full price on the author's website. I hope it's worth it! Pegasus

The favorite phrase on the college board: "It depends on the school." Some schools specifically do not count credit hours earned BEFORE graduating high school against a freshman for scholarship eligibility. However, some schools do. You need to contact any potential colleges and ask how they handle it. Also, if it is an outside scholarship, you'll need to contact them separately. I know it's a pain. We plan to extensively use dual enrollment and it would be nice for there to be a simple set of rules that we can rely on. Pegasus

I highly encourage anyone interested to check this award program out. Follow the link in the post above, click on Youth at the top of the webpage, and then click on Program Book along the left to download the guiding document. A few details: It is for youth ages 14 to 24. After registering (a simple form and $15), the youth, along with an advisor, sets goals in 4 areas: personal development, physical fitness, volunteer public service, and expedition/exploration. The youth logs the hours spent toward each goal. A certain number of hours are required in each area and the youth can earn a series of awards (bronze, silver, and gold certificates followed by bronze, silver, and gold medals). Pegasus

Also clarify if you are looking for a 9th grade schedule or a 4-year-plan for high school. Pegasus

Yes, that is it! You arrange for an advisor (they don't assign one). It can be anyone who is not a peer or relative of the one working towards the award. We chose a friend of mine who has seen several boys through the Eagle Scout program. Of course, I provide the day-to-day advising but DD has to report progress and provide time-logs, photos, and other records to the official advisor and she signs off on the paperwork that is submitted. You need a "validator" for each activity as well but your advisor can be the validator where it makes sense. The validator just signs off that the youth did complete the hours stated on the paperwork forms. So, for example, DD will have a supervisor at the library sign off on her library volunteer hours. We are very enthused about the program but it seems like few folks work towards it. Pegasus

DD14 is making slow but steady progress on this award. She is almost ready to submit her documentation for the first level (bronze certificate). However, we have a couple of questions where the program book is not clear. 1. Does the silver certificate level require 1 more day expedition/exploration (with the 2nd day having been earned at the lower level) or does it require a 2 day expedition/exploration of its own. I seem to remember reading somewhere, months ago, that it is cumulative (1 new day for each of the 3 certificate levels) but neither the program book or website really say. 2. The program book is clear that the final expedition/exploration (4 consecutive overnights) can be completed at an earlier level and then submitted for each of the lower levels. However, it doesn't say whether one of the lesser ones can be done that way. In other words, can she do a 2-overnight at an earlier level and use it through the silver medal level? She did her first level expedition today - a day of hiking at a state park - and learned some valuable lessons. She planned the food for lunch but then didn't have any utensils to eat with and she had directions to the state park but didn't think to print them in reverse for the trip back home. I can really see where this program really allows the youth to learn from their mistakes. I bet she'll have utensils and full directions next time! Pegasus

I researched this a while back and the general consensus is the Princeton ACT Review for study/review and The Real ACT for practice exams. Good luck!

Ha! This sounds like something DH would do. :lol: Pegasus

On the other hand, a family with an annual income of $200K is in the top 3% of American households for income. I should be so "punished." Financial aid given to high income families would mean less for more needy families. Pegasus

Wow. Cats get themselves into the oddest places. The weirdest one for us was when we moved to a new apartment and couldn't find the cat ANYWHERE. It turned out that she had gotten into the drop ceiling in the kitchen! She had jumped onto the counter then onto the top of the fridge, and pushed up on the drop ceiling panel until it lifted up and jumped right up into the ceiling. The panel, of course, settled right back down! I finally saw a shadow pass over the light in the kitchen ceiling and figured out where she went. One other really odd place (different cat) was inside the boxspring of the bed. I guess being UNDER the bed wasn't enough, he had to scratch open the fabric on the bottom of the boxspring and climb right in. Good luck! Pegasus

Atheist. 1. The concept of a soul is a human construct to allow a person to believe they will always exist in some form. 2. The universal fear of death is the reason why the concept of a soul was formed. 3. The things we attribute to a soul are merely biological processes.

I don't understand why folks are saying that they would toss it. It's within it's sell-by date. The store could have sold it today and a person would STILL have a few days to cook or freeze it. I wouldn't hesitate to use it and feed it to my family. I consider myself very cautious with food and throw things out routinely that my DH would consider fine. Pegasus

I'm sure that I've been considered easy-going most of my life but the fact is that I'm just quiet and reserved. I feel just as fiery on the inside as someone who acts out on it. I've run across a few things over the years that have helped me to understand how to handle small upsets or even heavier burdens. First, I LOVE the concept of "Put it in a bubble and blow it away" (Dharma reference from the TV show Dharma and Greg) for small upsets that won't really matter within a week. It's easy to visualize and great for use with upset kids too. For heavier burdens, I like to visualize taking them "off" and hanging them up so that they don't impact my home/family life. They'll still be there later to take up again. This I read years ago in a Reader's Digest about a man who was having a lot of trouble at his job/business. He'd come home after work, stop in the yard, and act out lifting something off his shoulders and hanging it in a tree. In the morning, he'd pick it up again. Pegasus

Was it Spark Notes?

No way. But I wouldn't have made it a "no children allowed" event either. Pegasus

My DDs take charge of their own schedule by 5th grade. We don't wake them up but we have a set bedtime at night. I trust their bodies to let them know when they have enough sleep. They fix their own breakfast and get started on their subjects on their own. I'm out the door by 8 am and DD14 is usually already working. DD11 lounges in bed a little longer but is usually working by 8:30. I do give them a weekly schedule but it is really just a list of which subjects to do each day. Of course, the ability to turn the students loose to do their own work is highly subject to what materials you choose to use, as well as their innate personality. I've purposely chosen materials that can mostly be done independently. The only real rule is that there is no games or pleasure reading until their subjects are done. This has been the only motivation needed here to get started early and get it done. Pegasus

A couple ideas: 1. My DH tells me that Tolkien actually put the songs to music and sang them. He used to have a cassette of this. 2. When I did Hobbit as a read-aloud, I just skipped all the songs. Really, they aren't necessary for the story at all. Finally, I wanted to warn you that my DDs STILL laugh whenever they think about one of the protagonists getting captured and restrained with "thongs." No amount of explanation can rid their minds of the fellow tied up with female underclothing. Pegasus

If you are interested in adding some non-fiction books, this is what we used to supplement Runkle's geography textbook: Material Word Hungry Planet Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius The Riddle of the Compass: The Invention that Changed the World Also recommended to us but not available at our library was The MapMakers, The World is Flat (by Thomas Friedman). There is also an excellent documentary that we got through Netflix for Longitude. The whole family enjoyed watching it. Pegasus

This sounds very similar to my DD14. She is perfectly content staying home with her family. I've decided not to worry about the lack of friends because SHE isn't fretting. She really doesn't relate to the "clothes, make-up, and boys" subjects that most of her age-mates are into. However, I have decided that she needs to be pushed to do some things outside of our house. She is volunteering at a raptor rehab center as well as at the local branch library. She is doing well in both these situations, communicating well with the adults, and receiving praise for her work. This leads me to believe that she WILL be able to function as an adult outside of her childhood home. Pegasus

I think this is key. If you are used to white flour pancakes, the whole wheat ones are going to taste/feel heavy and tough. Once you are used to whole wheat (or other grains), the white flour pancakes will taste/feel pasty, mushy, etc. If you are trying to go whole grain, I suggest changing over slowly. Use 75% white and 25% whole wheat a few times and then slowly increase the amount of whole wheat. I actually think it is the "feel" or texture more than the taste. After I butter and syrup, who can taste the pancake?!? Pegasus

We started Lightning Literature 7 with DD in 6th grade but took almost 2 years to go through it. DD is a strong reader but a reluctant writer so the writing assignments took us a little longer. We rolled right into LL8 and finished it in a year. I like that it uses full books and also includes short stories and poems. DD enjoys most of the reading choices. These levels are a great introduction to analyzing literature and we plan to continue with their high school levels. Pegasus

Here's our science plan: 7th: McHenry's Elements and Carbon Chemistry (along with chemistry experiments with a Thames and Kosmos kit). 8th: Conceptual Chemistry (inexpensive used textbook along with free online videos, worksheets, and more of the chemistry lab kit) 9th: Campbell's high school biology text: Biology-Exploring Life along with online activities and actual dissections 10th: Biology at local community college 11th: Chemistry at local community college AND Conceptual Physics at home 12th: Physics (non calculus) at local community college Pegasus

:iagree: Yes, parental income is the largest factor that weighs into your EFC, along with students savings. The formula used is available and several calculators are available online. You can see exactly what will contribute to your FAFSA EFC. Please also keep in mind that the EFC really means very little. It does NOT mean that colleges will provide funding (grants, scholarships, and/or loans) to make up the difference between the EFC and total cost of attendance. I highly recommend reading some posts on College Confidential about just this scenario. Pegasus

I picked up a copy of Economics for Dummies to preview and see if we want to use it as part of DD's Economics credit. I've only skimmed part of it but I was struck by how conservative it seemed. I think we can still use but I'd be interested in balancing it with something less conservative. . .ok, I'll say it, more liberal. :tongue_smilie: Any suggestions? Thanks, Pegasus