IMHO, this is normal kids play. I might let them know that I was unhappy that they disobeyed me, since you DID tell them not to mix the two, but I'd let it go at that. My kids are older now but water was always involved when they played in the sandbox. Pegasus

I remember hearing about the rule of thumb to study 2 hours for every hour in class way back when I was in college. Considering that I took up to 18 hours of classes and worked 20-30 hours a week, there was no way I was able to squeeze 36 hours of studying into each week. I still managed to finish the engineering program with a high overall GPA. On the other hand, I knew engineering students who practically lived at their desk, studying all the time. I thought they were nuts. :lol: Pegasus

Actually, ALL umbrella schools in TN are Christian. HomeLife Academy is one of the few that does not require a statement of faith from their member families. They have a statement of ethics instead. I have found them to be very easy to work with and very responsive. We've used them for 7 years. Pegasus

I take out a pair of socks every day and never put anything into this drawer. It never runs out. It makes me feel loved and cared for. I'll run several loads of wash and fold and put them all away, but I leave the dreaded socks in the bottom of the basket. So, what small task does your spouse do just because you hate it so much? Pegasus

I found it critical to ALWAYS check back in if I told my DD that I would. Honestly, she was almost always asleep by the second time I checked in on her so I thought she wouldn't know if I had popped in or not. One day, I got involved in something else and forgot to check back in on her. She went to sleep just fine but when she woke up in the morning, she started crying that I didn't come back. Somehow, even when she was asleep or falling asleep, she could tell when I came back to check on her. My condition was that I would come back and check on her but she had to stay in bed and stay quiet. If your kids are still wide awake and wired when you come back to check on them, you will probably need to extend the time between visits (maybe start with 10-15 minute checks instead of 5 min). Also, checking in on them does NOT mean that it's time to ask questions or start a conversation. It was a simple "Goodnight sweetie, sleep well." and if she was still awake I'd add "I'll check back in 10 minutes." Good luck. I know it seems tough now but it's just another stage. Pegasus

I'm an atheist and am open to my DC choosing other beliefs. We've exposed them to religious beliefs, read Bible stories, and they've attended church/VBS with friends. When they ask questions, I usually respond with "I believe . . .. Other beliefs are . . . " Pegasus

What worked well for me when my youngest was young and she was resisting letting me go at bedtime was to tell her that I would check back on her in 5 minutes. I popped in after 5 minutes and said good-night again. Usually she was pretty sleepy at this point and would just say good-night. If she still seemed wide awake, I'd tell her I'd check back in 10 minutes. This was repeated at longer intervals as needed. I didn't have to do this for very long. Maybe a few weeks? Somehow it was much easier for her to let Mom go if she know she would be coming back. I cheated with my second and just tucked her in bed with the first. :tongue_smilie: Pegasus

I've had salsa go bad. It takes a long time and it had a fuzzy white growth along the top of the jar (above the salsa). If nothing is growing in it and it smells fine, I'd definitely use it. I'd even eat it cold. Pegasus

We have a carefully designed system. We stack items on the right side of the stairs to go up and walk on the left. When that becomes dangerous, we start to remember to carry stuff up when we go. Stuff to come downstairs is easy, it usually gets tossed from the top of the stairs and lands at the bottom. Mission accomplished. Are you telling me that not everyone does it this way? :001_huh: Pegasus

You could have your DC request vacation guides from each state's Travel and Tourism website and plan a virtual trip through each state. What national parks, important landmarks, etc. are found in each state? Where would they like to visit? This makes the state study more fun AND can provide ideas for future family travel. Pegasus

The Wordsmith that I have (1994) has a suggested plan of study of 36 weeks so I guess they consider it a full year program. Pegasus

You are welcome. The only half size clear overlays that I have are the one marked with eighths (has seven black lines running most of the way across it) and the one marked with sixteenths (has 15 black lines running part of the way across it). I wouldn't be surprised if MUS has changed their fraction overlays over the years. Mine is pretty old. I bought it second-hand almost 7 years ago so there's no telling how old they are! Send me a PM with your e-mail address if you want me to lay out the pieces and take pictures to send you. Pegasus

DD10 is a lot like that, especially when she was younger. It was sort of shocking how cheerful she could be later after going to her room so angry/frustrated. When she couldn't retreat to her room, she would ball up on the floor, hiding her face. This was just her way of blocking out everything until she could calm down. We thought it was an excellent coping mechanism (as opposed to a child who throws themself down kicking and screaming). She doesn't do this anymore; she outgrew the need to. She will still retreat from the family to her room when she's very upset. Usually when I check in on her later she's calmly reading a book or quietly playing. Pegasus

We've ordered The Elements and Carbon Chemistry. We were pleased with everything except that some of the suggested activities require multiple children and/or were a bit silly. The texts were excellent. Pegasus

:lol::lol::lol: Meat pops! Come get your meat pops! We have pork, we have beef, we have chicken! Pegasus

You don't need to document service hours unless you need the hours for an organization or award requirement. So, my DDs have gained service hours for specific Girl Scout awards and one is now working on a Congressional youth award that requires service hours. I think they were just asking if you needed them to sign something to document the hours he was putting in. Pegasus

Ok, I have to know. Did they have a refrigerator truck or did they have a regular deep freezer strapped into the back of a pick-up truck? We get the latter. We enjoy eating meat in this house but DH has threatened to post a "Meat is Murder" sign in the yard to discourage these visits. So. . .what did you buy? :lol: Pegasus

Here's my list: COLOR 1 green whole 2 white wholes 2 orange 3 pink 4 yellow 5 blue 6 violet CLEAR 2 halves 2 thirds 2 fourths 2 fifths 2 sixths 2 tenths 1 eighth 1 sixteenth Contact your MUS representative and ask about purchasing just the pieces you are missing. I had one piece destroyed by a rampaging dog and MUS was able to replace just the missing piece. *whew* Pegasus

I find things very occasionally. A few weeks ago, I found Daddy Campbell and the study guide for $1 each. I snatched them up but now that I've looked at them, they are way more than we will tackle. I need to find Baby Campbell. :lol: I'll probably list them on the FS board for the cost of shipping; I imagine they'll be heavy! Pegasus

Have heart! We recently cleaned and sorted one of my DDs bedrooms and she was FINALLY ready to let go of many of the very young toys. She still kept the Fisher Price farm play set but we filled the hallway with stuff to go! She's 10. Also, recently, she asked if she got rid of 10 existing stuffed animals if she would be allowed to buy a new ONE with her own money. Of course I said yes and she ended up filling 2 kitchen size trash bags with stuffed animals that could go. She bought one very small stuffed toy. :D I can't face doing the whole house at once. Pick one room, or one closet, or even one drawer to get started. Pegasus

Thank you, CarolW! I tried a search and didn't find anything. This one that you linked looks great. We'll definitely give it a try. Pegasus

Here's an explanation of Point-of-Service (POS): The POS plan is like a combination of the HMO and PPO plans. You are required to designate an in-network physician to be your primary health care provider. You may go out-of-network if you choose, but in doing so, you will have to pay most of the cost yourself, unless a primary care physician refers you to that specific doctor. In that instance, the health plan will pay all or most of your bill. Personally, I like choices so if I could afford it, I'd use a POS before an HMO. I prefer PPO even better. Pegasus

I appreciate all the input so far. I do make sure there are some low carb choices at mealtime. He COULD eat appropriately at my table but I admit to also having high carb dishes and he usually piles those high on his plate. I do not make sugary desserts while he is here. I'm mainly talking about things like potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits or bread, fruit, etc. He should be testing his blood sugar several times a day and takes shots after eat meal. Honestly though, this is hit or miss. Sometimes he remembers to do this on his own, often his wife reminds him, and sometimes he just forgets. He just doesn't take this very serious illness seriously. I think I'd like to try to fix some yummy but appropriate meals for him the next time he is here (and leave the potatoes and bread off the table!) and see how it goes. Any favorite meals to suggest? Thanks, Pegasus

Please share more about using honey. Do you smear it on and wash it right off or leave a thin layer on overnight? Pegasus

Yes, they should be able to pack for themselves! I have my DDs make a packing list and then I look it over to be sure they haven't left off anything vital. They can then pack from the list. I still use a list for myself every single time I travel. I've never forgotten anything vital. On the other hand, my DH managed to forget underwear once on a weeklong trip. Good thing that Walmarts are easy to find! Pegasus