:iagree: I think the book would be more aptly titled "Created to be His Enabler." :D

I would highly, highly recommend "Saving Dinner Basics" by Leanne Ely. Not only will your ds learn basic cooking skills, but they will get dinner on the table for the family! Saving Dinner also has a printable grocery list for the week, which is extremely convenient for whoever happens to do the shopping in your family. Leanne's recipes will teach all the basic skills, and she does it with humor and in a conversational way. At SavingDinner.com, you can download what sample week looks like, including the grocery list and six recipes. Blessings!

Physical abuse in a marriage is NOT rare. Addiction is not rare. Are you saying that the spouse brings on, deserves, or is responsible for the other's abuse/addiction? Many divorces I have seen are because of these issues. I would hope that a battered woman needing to talk about the emotions she is going through would find more in a friend than one who changes the topic to how she looks or how nice her dress is.

It only takes ONE person to completely trash a marriage through infidelity, abuse, or addiction. If abuse has been going on toward the wife, normally she has been silently protecting him for years. Time turns pain into anger, especially when everyone thinks he's a "great guy." Well, I can tell you that abusive spouses are the suave, slick types who do not display this behavior anywhere but at HOME. Anyway, in this situation, the abuser always paints the wife as "crazy," and as an "exaggerator." He discredits his wife, and many times it works, since outsiders do not witness the abuse that happens in the home: mental, physical and emotional. The loyalty of a wife, however misguided, can come back to bite her in the butt at that point. If there is physical abuse, addiction, or infidelity, I will advocate, help, and go to bat for the wronged spouse. While nobody is innocent or perfect, it only takes one person to trash a marriage. The wronged spouse needs support and love during a time when their world is falling apart, many times despite their desire to be the best spouse possible in a difficult situation. In that type of situation, "neutral" would be very painful to a spouse who has put up with so much, watched their marriage slip away despite their best effort, and it in a crisis situation. I will support that person all the way.

:iagree: Those handbooks are fantastic for all ages, and are a treasure trove of ideas for handicrafts!

We start winding down for a 9pm bedtime at about 8:00 or so. We start with family devotions and then my dh reads aloud. This routine really helps settle my 12 year old down. At 9pm, she is in her room, and she can either turn lights out or read as late as she wants. The kicker is that she still has to get up at 7:30am, so she has learned that it is best to turn in earlier than later. However, if she is in the middle of an engrossing book, she might make the sacrifice and be a bit tired the next day. When she has occasional bout of insomnia, sometimes whe will get some of her table work done for the next day. That way, the next day will be lighter. : ) Tami

I don't know when jeans became so tight in the thighs, but it is not flattering to my figure AT ALL. If you are bigger in the booty, hip and thighs, I would suggest a wide-leg trouser jean. They are fanstastic. I just bought a pair at New York and Company, after seeing them on an episode of "What Not to Wear." The belt is removable. Usually I get a 2" gap at the waist, but these fit my curves perfectly! No gapping. This store had a ton of affordable denim, business casual, and fashion-forward items at very reasonable prices. We are talking blazers, dress pants, and gorgeous tops on clearance for $5! Half the store was on clearance when I was there, and I got a ton of stuff. Jean lengths in average, short and tall - nice to have jeans that actually FIT.

Yes! We use the Reading Log feature of Homeschool Tracker (free version). I like how this organizes everything.

I also would recommend an A-line skirt to the knees. If you have heavy calves like I do, try a pair of cute boots. Boots are so "in" right now! The exception would be a pencil skirt - they can look cute longer.

I like this idea. I have also found it helpful to memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture. Write it out and hang it on the frig. Perhaps a whole chapter that you learn line by line. Think about it, pray it, and study what the meaning of it is. Another idea is to utilize an audio bible. You can listen to a particular book or chapter over and over again, and you will get new shades of meaning and understanding. BibleGatway has an audio feature, and I use it all the time. Right now I am memorizing Hebrews 4. Working on memorizing whole chapters is very simple to fit into your day: just work on a verse at a time, and study as you go along.

Of course, context is King when it comes to Biblical exposition. If we're not careful, we can go to the opposite extreme and use contextualization in a haphazard manner, explaining away anything you don't agree with, kwim? There is a danger of error with either extreme: assigning a wooden literal meaning to every passage, or over allegorizing the text, stripping it of its intended meaning, having "form of godliness, but denying it's power." The Book is written for all times and all cultures, and yet cultural context must be taken into consideration. The trick is serious study, and knowing the Book as a whole. I have learned that the question is not "What do I FEEL it says," but "What does it SAY?" I believe that truth can be known, and that God is desiring to enlighten us, and manifest Himself to us, if we are just receptive. One book that God has really used in my life is "How to Study the Bible For Yourself" by Kay Arthur. Just wanted to throw out that recommendation, since it does a nice job of digging into the text, looking at context, studying some Greek, and doing it all without outside commentary.

We all find that annoying to the EXTREME! Boys seem to act this way from a young age, excluding girls from their play. Perhaps it is brain damage from testosterone. :D Even when parents avoid gender stereotypes, the boys do this. I wonder if it is ALWAYS learned, or if it is something internal. Well, I call it "pride," anyway! I take a pass on doing business with those macho types.

of God's Word. Line by line, precept by precept. God speaks, instructs, counsels, and reproves us in His Word. Without serious study, it is too easy to go off and make a "god" to suit ourselve and our culture, that is nothing like the God of the Bible. I don't know about "quiet time." I have Bible study, that as meaty and in-depth as I can muster. Discipline is part of this - in a way, it is not different from exercising the body. If I waited until I "felt led" to exercise my body with aerobics, or my spirit with Bible study, I would be waiting a long time, indeed! Having a time set aside for study of God's Word is a spiritual discipline that will renew your mind, keep you from error, encourage your spirit, and strengthen your faith. During the day, I am conscious of God's presence in all I do. There is the Divine Presence there with me, and it is a pleasure and joy to commune with Him. It is so hard to explain, but I do believe that we do everything for God, whether dishes, homeschooling, or meal prep. He is with me whatever I do, but without the Scriptures, I would have no idea of Who He really is, what His purposes are, or what He requires of me. He left us His Word for a reason, and I cannot afford to neglect it. I haven't read the other posts, so not sure where my opinion lands, but, there you go!

:iagree: Coming from the opposite end, as a conservative Christian, and I couldn't agree with you more.

Just off the top of my head: 1) I don't take recommendations for Biblical exposition from secularists very seriously. I would not consider them to be experts of Christian faith and practice, so I don't tend to change my way of thinking based on what they say. This type of question sounds like a "Jump on the bandwagon" type fallacy to me. 2) History shows how the spread of Western Civilization and Christianity brought freedom, rights, and value to women and children. Generally, women in countries touched by the Reformation enjoy a high degree of freedom. 3) Slavery in ancient times was common. It is amazing how we put our modern values and culture on others. People even sold themselves into slavery to pay off debt. I would view the modern counterpart as an employee/employer relationship. There is a valid principle here: if you are an employee, you should strive to do your work well, and not only when your boss is looking, demonstrating submission of the heart. 4) Gender differences were created by God and He called them good. I see no evidence that the NT mandate to submission to each other in marriage would cease. Gender roles are clearly laid out in the New Testament, and it is up to each reader to decide what to do with that information. When a husband loves his wife, like Christ loves the Church, he is wonderful to be married to. He is a servant, following the example of the Savior, who washed the disciples' feet, never Lording His authority over them, but instead, taking the form of a servant. Submission can never be demanded by a husband-- that is coercion. When a husband is a loving servant, it is easy to give one's self to him in trust, respect, and submission. This does not demean the wife in any way, nor does it imply a lower position. It is a choice by the wife that is made freely, and without coercion. Though both lead and both submit, I believe that the wife has the greater responsibility to be sensitive to her husband's leading, and the husband has the greater responsibility to serve and love. We find that it works beautifully, and I couldn't be happier or more at peace with my husband -- we complement each other very well. Just a few quick thoughts!

but simply use the reader for devotional-type, Godly reading. My dd loves it, and it is a great way to build a Christian worldview. We don't use it for literary analysis or for literature at all.

We spend about 15-20 minutes. We warm up by reading the list (across or down, as fast as possible). We review the rules for the list given in the TM. Dd does any workbook pages and I do any dictation needed. I end by asking her to spell 5-10 words (orally) from her list (these are starred). When she feels ready, we try the assessment for the list. This is all explained in the TM, and there is a place to record assessments in the back of the book. Goal setting has been motivating for dd. When she has reached her goal for reading speed and spelling accuracy, we note it and move on. We are liking this program. It's been a hit for both of us!

Megawords is thorough, and doesn't need a supplement if you use it according the the publisher directions. It covers rules, reading speed, spelling. I'd use it as directed in the teacher's manual, and only supplement if you feel you REALLY need to after using the Megawords program.

:iagree: Macy's had some amazing evening dresses by Calvin Kline and others for 60-70% off. LOTS of inventory still. If you really don't feel like shopping, take your measurements and go online. Overstock.com has some lovely dresses.

Just to clarify, when I say "readable" I mean that the curriculum is more independent for the student. You can just hand it to them, and they can read it and answer the questions. It is the opposite of mom-intensive, or activity-based. Abeka has the entire program right in the student book. Imo, Abeka does not have the "wow" factor that BJU has. I think BJU is fantastic, but some of us will not be able to devote the teaching time it requires. Without the Teacher's Manual, BJU is half a curriculum; activities, discussion, and labs are really integral. BJU is more teacher-intensive, but so worth it if one can swing it by combining grade levels, block scheduling, or otherwise carving out some time. That said, the best curriculum is the one that gets done. ;)

If you want lots of activities and inquiry, I'd definitely go with BJU. You could use BJU 2 with both, and even buy an experiment kit from Home Science Tools. We love BJU science! If you aren't a fan of activities and want "readable" science, than Abeka would be a better choice. HTH!

I always eat something (especially carbs) before a workout. If you are going to expect your body to perform, it needs fuel. Skipping breakfast will guarantee that your body will have to pull fuel from somewhere in the body - and this is as likely lean muscle tissue as fat. I usually grab a glass of milk and a banana or slice of wheat toast. I generally drink 2 cups of water upon awakening as well. Early breakfast and water drinking get the metabolism going right away. Post workout, I will have protein and some carbs: eggs and oatmeal, or a protein bar and milk. Check out sparkpeople.com for tons of free resources. There is also a TWTM SparkPeople group that has lots of new and returning exercisers. Good luck!

:iagree: MOH fits the criteria very nicely. Great post!

If you want more traditional daily assignments and assessments, then Mystery of History or Veritas Press are going to be right up your alley. Christian Liberty Press's history program is more traditional as well. I have a feeling MOH would work well for you. Happy planning, Tami

Breyer's Natural Vanilla is the only one I've found.