This just happened to me the other day. :blush5: A really good friend from church knew that I was stressed out trying to homeschool and take care of a sick/ailing MIL...so she dropped by with a loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread!! :drool: I was in my pj's, the laundry was piled up and I think the PT was here to evaluate said MIL. I was like this... :willy_nilly: I know she meant well but I just felt like I couldn't be a very good hostess at that moment. I didn't know what to say or how to converse...I was SO focused on my hair, pjs, and the mess. I think she knew because she only stayed for a few minutes and then left. I wish I knew how to relax and enjoy these unexpected visitors...

I have this on my wishlist also...it's such a beautiful book!! :drool5:

Try 50states.com...I used this website a few years ago to make a 50 states book. If I remember correctly, I had to cut and paste each flag into a word document...I think I fit it all on 2 pages. HTH

We're in Maine...it has been cooler this past week. We've had a couple of frost/freeze warnings and it hasn't been above 70 during the day. The trees are changing, apples are ready and I can't believe that Fall is here...

Since a cat is not an option, I highly recommend Moth Balls...just put a few here and there around the garage.

I didn't skip any problems when we used Saxon... A friend has her kids do the odd-numbered problems on one day and the even-numbered problems on the second day. (takes 2 days to get through one lesson) **And, she mentioned to me that she doesn't do the drill page every day...I think she said she does them 2 - 3x/week.** HTH

For the odor inside the house, put an open kettle of water on the stove to boil. Add some vanilla...and let simmer... ;) For the odor outdoors, I think it will just have to "wear off"... I feel your pain -- our 13 year old cat has been sprayed multiple times. :svengo:

I really liked this much better than the DIVE & Saxon Teacher presentations!! (Too bad they didn't have the lower grades done as well...)

It could be an ear infection -- my son had multiple ear infections as an infant with absolutely NO OTHER SYMPTOMS other than loss of appetite. I once took him in to the doc's because he just wasn't nursing as usual -- only to find out that he had both ears infected to the point where the doc thought one ear drum might burst!!! :eek: All the doc could say was that he must have incredibly high pain tolerance...

:iagree: Writing Aids is EXCELLENT...can't imagine teaching without it...

Math-U-See has free online drill... http://www.mathusee.com/drill.html

We've used MUS for the past 4 years (after using Saxon) and I am thrilled with the results!! :) I have NEVER considered supplementing with another program. We use the FREE online drill as a warm-up and then move on to lesson time where the kids demonstrate mastery to me and then they complete a page. If they get it right away, we do the test and they move on. If they don't get it, we practice a little more until the concept is mastered, then test and move on. I think my kids have a much better concept of WHY math works than they ever did with Saxon. (With Saxon, they were simply memorizing the steps to get the work done -- without any understanding of WHY they were doing it. Two or three lessons down the pike, they had forgotten HOW and we had to review it all over again.) My oldest learned with Saxon from 5/4 all the way to Algebra 1/2 and couldn't tell me ONE THING about working with fractions. After 2 lessons with MUS and the fraction manipulatives, the lightbulb went on and it's been clear sailing...

We, too, had tried HWT -- it just didn't "flow" for my son. There were too many letters that were formed/looked different than traditional cursive. I wanted him to be able to recognize/read more traditional cursive... so, we switched to BJUP Handwriting and he now has BEAUTIFUL cursive. (neater and more pretty than both his older sisters) :)

your son "helps" the appliance repair man. :lol: (It was SO cute -- he was right there talking the man's ear off while he was testing something electrical...telling him all about circuits and current, etc.)

Do you have a local credit union?? If so, I'd check there...they usually have lower interest rates. (Our local credit union offers a Visa card at 9.9%!!! )

We are!! :) We did the Life series last year with the older version. This year we are going to do the Physical World series with the updated edition...I'm SO excited to get started!!

4th year with TOG...starting Y1 U4 Redesigned then moving on to Y2 Redesigned with 3 children -- LG, UG/D, and D/R

They weren't in debt BEFORE the TV show -- they don't NEED the TV show to support their family...

:iagree:

:iagree: I'm wondering if some of those companies mentioned that *DO* meet the standards are giving some sort of kickback/payoff to the state of CA?? Just a thought...

I was just looking at the Beautiful Feet Catalog that came today and they suggest them for middle school and up...

I usually buy bed linens at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They've been good -- wash & dry well and last a long time...and they don't break the bank. Towels: (different story) I'm still using towels I bought when I went off to college in 1987 and some we were given when we got married in 1992. (mostly Ames, Sears and JCPenney brand)

FWIW, my sister has Pergo laminate and her daughter colored on the floor with marker -- Magic Eraser is my sister's new best friend. ;)

I *thought* you were asking about Rainbow RESOURCE...just now realized you were asking about Rainbow SCIENCE...YIKES!!:tongue_smilie:

:iagree: BTDT with all 3 of my kiddos...