:iagree: Kari, I think of you so often. I wish there was something I could say that could provide comfort. I hope just knowing you have a cyber family that is praying fervently for you and your family helps a little.:grouphug:

It's a good idea. What about dairy? It comes from an earthbound animal? I don't think I read in your post that this is a vegan challenge is it? Is organic greek yogurt processed? We also like oatmeal but it's pretty true to form. I'm sure we eat lots that's processed so I bet if I tried the challenge for one week we'd survive and find some great things we like. Will put it forth to the tribe. Not sure how my ds will live without goldfish crackers though!;)

I had a similar thing with my dds good friend. They went to camp all one week and dds friend was mean to her a few times and embarrassed her in front of other kids. The tricky thing was that the following week my dd was supposed to go on a small vacation with this girl's family. My mama bear claws were out (and tears too) and no way did I want to send her off 5 hours away to have her feelings hurt for a week. But I didn't talk to the mom. I discussed it at length with dd about her friend's behavior (which did seem out of character) and why it might have been going on. I told her that I thought she should call her and discuss what happened and make sure the friend knew she had hurt my dds feelings. I told her this is the kind of thing that goes unsaid often and winds up driving friendships apart and one or both parties don't know what happened. I thought it would be a great lesson in making her own her feelings and realize she has a legitimate reason to feel that way, and it's okay to make her friend aware of it. So she called and felt that they resolved the whole thing to my dds satisfaction (I didn't listen in but did give her some key things to say beforehand). She went on the trip and had a blast and they are closer than ever. My main reason for not talking to the mom was that I think my friend is often kind of tough on her dd. That's none of my business, but an overly critical mom could have made the situation very bad for my dds friend and I didn't want to do that. It was our first opportunity for me to back off and let her handle it. I hope your dd gets some resolution and an apology. Nothing like that kind of hurt. Straight to the heart!:grouphug:

Praying for her too!:grouphug:

Praying.:grouphug:

YAY! I have an Hyundai Entourage which is basically the same thing now. I lurve it sooooooo much. And on the "Stow 'n go" thing, what we heard and experienced first hand is that in order to make those middle seats fold down into the floor they are thin and quite uncomfortable. Of course a kid in a car seat wouldn't notice, but I often sit in the middle on long trips when we take MIL along and wouldn't have been able to stand it. Good for you!

I can easily stay up until 2am. And then have to drag myself out of bed by 8:30. I really want to change it because our school year will start soon and I want to be on a better schedule. I wish I knew how to fix it because just simply going to bed earlier doesn't make me go to sleep! So, yes! I feel guilty. Especially when my husband has to get up at 6:30 to go to work.

WOW! This is such awesome news!!! We rejoice with you! :grouphug:

Young Oxford Book of Ecology. Its older, from 1995, so maybe you'd want to find something newer, it is science after all. But I think for the topics that I want to flesh out it will do nicely. Of course I'll add other things from the library too.

The Farm song from the Imagination Movers CD. "The roosters, the roosters, the roosters are TIRED!!!" I actually love that CD and don't mind it when my son plays it incessantly!:tongue_smilie:

My dh is a graphic designer and worked for years as a freelancer/principal of his own business. It's so frustrating!!! People have no idea what they are doing. I think they literally think you are sitting by the phone waiting to respond to their calls. You have no other clients and no other responsibilites, right? :rolleyes: If it's a job you'd like to do, instead of blowing it off I'd either call or email him one more time and lay out some parameters of how you work. Like "I only work nights, so email is really the ONLY way I can communicate effectively but I will do so within a few hours of your email". If he can't handle that or it doesn't work for him then turn down the job. You can be clear that you are simply not available for long talks on the phone and meetings and so if he needs that, maybe you are not the right person for the job. If he can work within your parameters, then it's all good. I think this is the most professional way to handle it. Good luck!!!!

Praying!:grouphug:

Precious girl!!! Well, since you got her around the 4th of July, what about a patriotic name like Liberty (Libby), Glory, Betsy or Belle? Congrats!!!

Boo. I liked Uruguay.:glare:

Great. Now I have to go to Target and I'm certain I won't get out of there for less than $50.:glare: :D

Thanks all for these good suggestions and kind words. I had come downstairs to get my medical book out, wrote the post, and by the time I went back upstairs (with a paper bag for him to breathe in) he had calmed down and was feeling much better. These two episodes don't last long and he seems to be able to bring himself out of it. I am going to talk to him about getting back in to see his doctor. He has begun exercising albeit not strenuously, but I think he needs to get in there and talk to her about this. I see the work stress as temporary for the most part, and maybe something like Xanex will help him in the short term when he feels it coming on. My mom does this and it helps her tremendously. I don't have any form of anxiety so it's hard for me to understand what he's going through. Especially when he feels foolish, like he was acting like a baby or something.:confused: I never want him to feel that way and only want to help him manage it. Thanks again.:grouphug:

His whole life he has dealt with anxiety. Mostly in the form of separation anxiety. He was always a worrier and not a particularly self-confident person, but not wimpy or anything either. Just sensitive and definitely attached to his family. He has never liked it when people leave him. He can leave them, but used to break down when his mom and dad would leave after a visit from out of state, when I took the kids to California last Dec, etc. His dad died in April, so that's been tough, and 3 or 4 weeks ago he had what I now think is a panic attack but I don't recall what brought it on. It was after a VERY stressful week at work and he just fell apart from the stress and worry. Today we sent my dd9 off for 4 days with a friend's family on a trip to the beach. It's very safe, we've known them for years, have absolutely no worries about her safety. But when I got back from dropping her off he sat there not wanting to eat lunch and had to excuse himself to our bedroom (away from ds5) and when I went in there he couldn't breathe, sweating, tearing up, couldn't talk to me. He is on Paxil and has been for years. It's been a wonder drug for him for anxiety. He says he's dealt with this kind of panic attack his whole life but I think this is the first I've seen him like this. He hasn't had a change to his script since he got it, so maybe that needs to be looked at? I do know that the stress at work is at critical levels but I don't know that there is anything to be done about it. Men can't show weakness in the workplace in the sense that he can't tell his boss he's too stressed and overworked. It is what it is there. What do I do in the short term when it's happening? Breathing into a bag? I see that helps with carbon dioxide issues. This is very scary to me because I am afraid of the stress and anxiety eating away at him and giving him a heart attack or something. And advice?:confused:

Love this!!!!

I'm in Central TX and we have lots of rain left over from Alex. It's a good thing, temps in the 70s today!:001_huh:

is very funny:lol:

I wish I had found a way to hold my homeschool hours more sacred and limited the interruptions. In a way it couldn't be helped as I was needed a lot to help with my elderly FIL, but by the time he passed away in April I looked around and had no idea where the year had gone or what I had accomplished. Fortunately, it does seem we got through the 3 Rs and maybe a bit more to boot, but not much. I also wish we were in more of a routine with our chores and housework. I hope to create a flexible schedule this year that keeps us on top of picking up and cleaning up, gets our schoolwork done in a timely manner, and gives us some time in the rest of the day that remains for some fun time together playing, hiking, art, music, whatever strikes us.

I don't remember if I put a disclaimer on my post...we are not ultra conservative when it comes to movies. We're kinda movie buffs around here. For example, my ds has watched all of the Indiana Jones movies (except #2 for the cult aspect) since he was 4. Mild movie violence doesn't bother me too much, it's the very dark and evil themes like Harry Potter got in to, or the very very dark spirituality of the LOTR movies that scares my kids. And me to, quite frankly. I also dislike movies with snotty, sassy, smart mouthed and disrespectful kids a la Wimpy Kid. Won't be seeing that one. For being a pretty sensitive kid about other things, dd keeps movies at a nice arms length and doesn't get so engrossed in them that she forgets they are fictional stories. I can't remember her ever being scared by a scene in a movie but we limit PG to what I know will be the most appropriate and ALWAY pre-screen all PG-13 (she pretty much doesn't watch any of those but a select few). I think she enjoyed Lemony Snicket so much because she has read several of the books and enjoyed them for what they were, that kind of funny, strange fantasy...she appreciated it's quirkiness somehow. So then she enjoyed seeing how that was brought to life on film. I'm so glad the sleep over went well!! My dd is in the other room watching Chrissa right now! I think she'll love it. And for her birthday in 2 weeks we hope to catch Despicable Me in the theater that serves dinner. No big sleepovers around here. One kid for sleepovers is all I can do!:tongue_smilie:

Mine is Cornerstone Classical Academy. It used to be something more cutesy but we decided to make it something the kids could actually say with pride if they wanted to. I use Isaiah 28:16 as our verse: Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “ Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

"Head" is awesome. We have a copy on VHS and all the Monkees albums on vinyl. Huge Monkees fans here.

Ohhh. Stickers for dh. That might work! My dh got annoyed at me this morning when I was speaking in a loud tone (just about yelling) to dd about not finding her socks last night. I think he was expressing that I was being harsh and should have more patience in my training of our children. Well, dear, if this hadn't been the 147th time I asked/reminded/pleaded/admonished/yelled about the &^*$#% socks then I would have to agree I was too harsh. I'm with them 24/7 so he doesn't see the many MANY attempts I have at actually *training* a new good habit, like picking up your toys. Not to mention that I have been married to him for almost 22 years and he still doesn't know that when the trash can is full IT SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT, or that if the sink is full of dishes there is a handy large stainless box next to the sink that will wash them for you. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PUT THEM IN IT.:glare: