I chose to not call out certain names in this thread because 1) it's too long and 2) I'm not trying to start a fight. I was taught to only give respect to those who give respect, so you are right, my post isn't mannerly. There are a handful of posters on this thread that are acting mature and respectful or plainly have excellent examples of people being jerks. Yours is certainly one of them. Those people are not the ones I was speaking about. Perhaps I should have mentioned that, to be fair. I apologize. For those that ask if xyz was tried, if it's something I'm not willing to try, I would simply lie and say yes, but it sadly didn't work. Or I would say that I discovered that I was allergic to their cure. I've had my fair share of pushy people in my life. They don't just give health advice and yes, it can be quite aggravating! Honestly, after five pages in to this thread, I was getting irritated and skimmed through the rest. Then I made my post. I apologize that you took my words as directed toward you. I assure you that they were not. And I hope that you do find relief for your pain, whether it be western, eastern, or alternative medicine. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

What I hate is seeing so many people belittle and deride the consideration and compassion of others caring enough to offer information in hopes it could help that individual. Who cares if they found it on a gum wrapper, it's the thought that counts. Just smile, say thank you, and be grateful. Didn't your mothers teach you manners?! Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

What medium is she most interested in? Perhaps a change of that may be in order. For instance, if she is amazing at drawing, buy her a wood burning kit. What is her favorite subject? If it's the human figure, get a friend to be her live model. If it's landscapes, take her on site to beautiful places. As an artist, I'm actually very much against art curriculum and feel the child should be encouraged to use their own creativity after they have reached a certain level of skill. Exploring new and exciting mediums like glass, wood, metal, etc. is also an excellent option. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Nothing Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Glasses and mugs on the counter so they don't break, everything else in the sink on the left side (I have a double sink). Ideally scraped and rinsed or soaking. If they aren't scraped clean, on the counter. The one thing I hate the most is gross rotting food particles floating in water or in the drain...But I live with animals too and this happens more times than I like to admit. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

It's about the owner not the dog most of the time. I walk my chihuahua around my neighborhood every day. I have had to pick up my chi while another dog charged at me to get to him over a dozen times in the three years I've lived here. Some were pits but the scariest was the German Shepards. None of them listened to their owner as they screamed their name. Nearly every one of them jumped on me, trying to get to my dog (in my arms) as I turned my back to block them (I'm 5'4" so if I don't turn, they can reach my dog). Every owner had to manually come and drag the dog away from me. Every owner apologized repetitively afterward. In this same neighborhood I've had a dog jump a fence and another race out of a car to approach me. I also had a pit bull charge me from an open gate (with no owner in sight). The pit bull chased me until I was about 20 yards from his home and then stopped, to my relief. Before I moved here, I never experienced such things. I used to live in completely urban areas. This is the first time I've lived in a neighborhood that includes some farm land although it's far from "country". Many of the dog owners here just let their dog walk around their property without a fence or leash. Very few have their dogs trained well either. I really don't consider the breed when a dog charges at me. If it's big enough to put it's paws on my stomach or chest when it stands on its hind legs, I consider it a potential threat and prepare myself for what may follow. Thankfully, regardless of how many scary incidences, no dog has actually bitten me or my chi. I hope it stays that way. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Avoid patterns for sure. If you don't want the embarrassing "is it a girl or boy?" question, put the girl in a long dress. My husband used to get so offended when people thought my daughter was a boy at that age, so I started putting her in nothing but dresses and Mary Janes. I'm not a girly woman so it wasn't exactly something I liked, but it corrected the confusion 100%. Color doesn't matter as long as the dress is obvious. Have her color match at least an article in yours to associate the "ladies" together in the picture. And make sure the guys don't include that color in their outfit. I think you can go one of two ways, bold and bright (candy apple red, cobalt blue, greens, purples, etc) where everyone has their own color and no one stands out more or less. I love dressing little bitty ones in bright red. It brings out the natural pink in their face and makes their complexion "rosey" in photographs. It also brings attention to them since they're so small! The other way you could go is earth tones (brown, sage green, blue, black). If you went that way, I'd go with white (with a colorful flower and or ribbon on it) for the baby. Again, she will stand out without looking out of place. (I'm an artist not a photographer) Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I time my daughter because otherwise she will take hours and end up losing focus and making mistakes. Dragging it out causes the mind to lose focus. A timer set to 30 minutes in front of her does the trick. What was being done in 2 hours is now done in a quarter of that time with better accuracy. My lesson and any questions she has is not included in the 30 minutes but once she's on her own doing the "homework" part, the clock starts. Whatever isn't finished is added to the next day's work with the same time limit. If we get set back for whatever reason, she catches up on the weekend. My daughter will be 10 in June. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

He's a real cutie. Congratulations. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

At the age of 5-6 my daughter was in love with Dr Seuss. We went to the library and eventually borrowed every last one they had, then began buying them. I'm a fan because I watched her leap from reading Green Eggs and Ham and Fox in Socks at 5-6 to a full 250 page novel for the 8-12 yo age group at 7. She completely skipped the 20-120 page easy readers and mini novels. You can buy very nice sets of Seuss. At that age she also loved the Fly Guy series. The librarian recommended them because they were extremely popular for children her age (6 at the time). I also agree with Golden Books. The Pokey Puppy, The Red Hen, and Kitty on the Farm are among the family favorites. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Thank you! :D Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

1933, 1949, or 1994? I'm having my daughter read Little Women (she's 9) but when she is finished, I'd like to have her watch the movie. It's been ages since I've watched any of these, and I'm not sure which one to choose. There is no way I'll be able to talk my daughter into watching more than one. [emoji14] I'm a Hepburn fan, so that's my initial response to the selection, but the star doesn't always make the movie the best of its kind. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I like buying the heavy cardboard/paper mache ornaments at craft stores (small ones the size of a baseball are $1 a piece) and have my kids paint them with acrylics. You can also add glue/glitter if you don't mind glitter (I hate it!). Sparkly metallic fuzzy sticks are also nice to make ornaments with. I like spinning silver and red ones together to make little candy cane ornaments. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Honestly, I found a BJU textbook for 5th grade for my 4th grader for $7 used in perfect condition on Amazon. I have heard that they are one year behind on material, so I bought a grade ahead. I can definitely see that it is true. My daughter is doing great with it. I have always been very good with math all the way through Algebra, so I don't need an answer key or a teachers manual. But then again, you would be ordering 7th and that could be a whole different animal. Each lesson is easy to teach and takes me about 15-20 minutes. Most sections include "class work" in addition to the individual work. I believe it's the perfect amount of problems. The chapter reviews are huge and thorough. I really like that. We divide that up to 10 questions a day for 3 days so we can truly "review". What I like about BJU most is how clear it is in its explanations and how much it focuses on mental math along side solving the problems normally. I've noticed a big change in my daughter's willingness to "do the math" in everyday life instead of asking me to. I'm also surprised at how they're already sneaking in basic algebra in 5th grade and my daughter is doing it without any difficulties. She used to hate math. Absolutely HATE it. Since the switch to BJU, there is far less stress and although I won't say it's her favorite subject, she no longer dreads the words "get out your math book". I've noticed her performance and confidence with it is much better. It really is very agreeable to children. Whatever it does differently, it does it right! I'm hooked on BJU at this point. I don't think we will be switching any time soon. I'm definitely planning on starting my son on it when he is old enough (he's two, so I have a few years to go). I wish I had found it sooner for my daughter. She may have actually grown to like math. I don't plan on buying all the bits and pieces. The textbook alone works just fine for me and my daughter. Maybe the whole kit just over complicates things? Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I stopped using the library since I moved to a new town. I really hated that they wouldn't allow me to take books back out more than once. There were times I hadn't finished a book and had to either pay fines or give up the book. For the past two years we buy books at thrift stores, good will, yard sales, etc. I spend on average $1 per book. Being able to keep them and donate or resell ones we don't like is so much better. If it's a specific title I want and can't find it, I'll consider the library. But I find that a little patience goes a long way. Book swaps are also fun, especially if you build up a lot of literature you don't want to keep. There are many online book swaps but you may be able to find local ones too. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I believe the repetitive surgeries would be cause for a law suit. It seems a little money hungry. he should have recommended the eye specialist hospital at the first sign of trouble. But only a lawyer would be able to tell you for sure. As for your mom's eyesight, I recommend that you check out billberry as a natural treatment to help her (if anything can). Take care to check with her doctor first. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

My daughter wants to be a zoologist. You may also want to check out volunteer work at animal shelters or animal rescue/conservation organizations. I would pass up on that "deal". It doesn't seem like a fair position to give a child and there are no guarantees that they will live up to their promise in a year. Cleaning out faeces could cause health problems. They are linked to several diseases. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

It sounds like it's your water. Hard water? My well water smells like blood when the salt gets low in the softener. But I remember the odd fragrance hard city water could produce too. It can make my dishes smell...questionable. I solve this with vinegar. It's my rinse aid in the dishwasher. You can add it to your dish liquid bottle or use this recipe for homemade dish liquid. Just save your old bottle and fill it up with this (mix first) 2 cups of castile soap 1 tbs white vinegar 1/2 cup of very warm water You have to shake it before using it because it can separate. If you don't like the smell of vinegar, you can substitute vinegar for lemon juice. It could also be what you wash with needing to be replaced/cleaned. I put damp sponges and rags in the microwave for 30 seconds or dunk them in boiling water for 30 seconds any time they start to stink. I find that just washing them in the laundry doesn't get rid of the smell every time. Also if it is just one mug, a smell may have attached to it. Some ceramics are more porous than others. Try soaking it in baking soda and warm water overnight. If it's red, personally I would throw it out. Certain glazes contain small amounts of lead, especially red ones, and it could be leaching. If you're really attached to your mug, you could test it instead of assuming it's harmful. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I'm back with my report. My daughter has now been using fountain pens for 5 weeks. She absolutely loves them. She has zero complaints about hand pain from writing. She prefers her fountain pen to even the nicest of gel pens. No more tears during writing assignments! It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however. The first two weeks, her penmanship worsened. She was also quite frustrated with relearning how to hold a pen and write with it. During this time we only practiced with the pen by copying down poetry, but other school assignments could be completed with any type of pen she desired. That stage passed quickly and she soon became comfortable with the new pen and preferred it to all others. After she became accustomed to using the fountain pen, her penmanship has actually improved. I've also noticed far less mistakes/cross outs. I'm not sure why that is, but it's apparent. Speed is still an issue, but she is working to increase her pace. If we are out and she uses a regular ball or gel pen, the improvement in penmanship is tremendous. I believe this is due to the fountain pen's limitations which unintentionally cause the hand to move differently when writing. Gel pens and ball pens keep consistent line thickness and therefore look "neater" but with better fountain pens, more practice, and increased speed, I'm sure that will eventually cease to be an issue. We ordered these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FK3Q83A/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1444771820&sr=8-5&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=fountain+pen+disposable If I could go back in time, I would have chosen the fine tip over the medium. It's more difficult to write small without the lines running together unless the pen tip moves very swiftly without any pausing. I don't believe that would have been a problem with the fine tip. When they all run dry, I plan to invest in an authentic fountain pen (not disposable). Any suggestions for nice ones that won't cost an outrageous amount? Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I gather clutter that collects on counters, tabletop, desks, etc into a box and put the box to the side. If I don't miss anything in that box within a few months, I throw out or recycle what is inside. I will of course remove anything that actually has a place first or is valuable/necessary/used daily. I use containers/bins/boxes to sort important things like office/school supplies, important papers/bills, and clothes that are floating between too small and too large to be useful (hand me downs). Rubbermaids can be stacked, labeled, and tossed into a back room. I recycle all old shoes, clothes and linens with stains, holes, etc. that are being held onto for reasons I can only imagine. Also the ugly unused ones that are just there and never used. I donate those to Good Will or homeless shelters. I was sick of picking up toys all over the house but I don't throw out toys unless they are broken (they're too expensive!). So I converted a rarely used room into a "toy room". I took ALL toys out of the bedrooms and set up shelves, bins, chests, etc in the one room. Toys on high shelves are those that my daughter plays with that my son is still too young for. If my kids bring something out to play in, say, the living room, it's only that one thing or bin that needs to be recollected. If they want to play with everything at once, they stay in the toy room. If I don't feel like cleaning up, I shut the door when company comes over. My kids bedrooms only have books, clothes, stuffed animals, and non-toy personal possessions. This makes it so much easier on my kids to keep their room clean themselves. It's also good for them mentally to have their space orderly and quiet. No TVs in bedrooms either! My daughter keeps all of her school work and books in a small locker. I have a strict rule that all school work is stored there. If something goes missing, she is responsible and grounded until it's found. But I'm not a hypocrite. I make sure that I too keep my possessions in certain rooms and places. We really do need more furniture for storing things and the lack of such makes the house seem more cluttered, but clear floors and tidy shelves, countertops, tabletops, etc is enough to keep my mind at peace. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Pasta salad is great and as long as you don't use meat, it will last many days and taste even better the day after you make it. You can also do a 3 bean salad and a cucumber salad. Pile them in Tupperware in the fridge and let them know to help themselves whenever they are hungry. For meals you can also pre make bruschetta and pico de gallo which will taste amazing after the flavors marry overnight. Throw the bruschetta over pasta. Throw the pico de gallo over fried up meat on a tortilla. Personally, I ask preferences for lunch an hour before and give 2-3 options because what I hate more than picky guests is cooking for people that don't eat what I made because of (enter excuse). Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Audio books? There is a pretty good free app called LibriVox to test how she may like it before investing money. They can get pricey. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Have you considered financial assistance with the government? I'm all for saving money, but food is where I draw the line. I buy smart and abuse sales to make our money stretch further, but I won't reduce the quality of the nourishment of my family. If you have trouble purchasing your grocery bill, take advantage of food stamps or whatever is available to you. With that said, buying bulk especially during sales and freezing to preserve food longer is your friend. Even tomatoes can be frozen. My freezer is filled to the brim with raw meat, veggies, and individually portioned home cooked meals. Cheap but filling meal suggestions are perogies, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut with sausage, shepherd's pie, chicken and dumplings, home made mac n cheese, spaghetti, chicken scampi, beans and rice, creamy potatoe soup, biscuit chicken pot pie (make with a drop biscuit recipe instead of pie crust) and meat less chili. I would be willing to share my recipes for any of the above. Cook more than enough and freeze what isn't eaten in individual portions for lunches. Slice or shred left over meat and mix with a gravy or bbq sauce and freeze for future hot sandwiches. Cook big batches of pancakes and french toast and freeze in individual portions for breakfasts. Oatmeal can be delicious if you add the right ingredients. Cream of wheat is also a good breakfast choice. Everyone deserves a treat too, but buying them pre made in stores can be costly. Make homemade cornstarch chocolate or banana pudding, your own popsicles (I fill my molds with yogurt --buying the big container not the tiny ones--and fruit chunks), or freeze bananas and blend them with milk, vanilla extract, and sugar for the most nutritious and delicious milkshakes. If a meal is light, I like to follow up with one of the above for dessert. No one wants to look at food for the rest of the evening afterwards! Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Exterminator have the ability to repel instead of poison. It's more expensive but worth it, especially if you have pets, kids, or health concerns. The main issue is where they are getting into the house. You have to seal that off. Sprinkling flour on your basement floor and around walls will help you to find their entry points. You can do similarly outdoors if you have flat ground. I don't. I found my mouse problem entry points outdoors when it snowed. Their tracks were prominent. Seal all gaps and spaces in you basement too, and plug up drains when not in use. Check around pipes. Mice only need a dime size hole to fit through. Especially if you have fields or woods in your area, new mice will smell the old mice trails and come back year after year. The holes must be eliminated! Rodents don't like each other. Usually any large rodent will deter mice. But at this point, you have an infestation, and they may not care. Killing mice doesn't help because mice are territorial and will smell the dead mouse and move into the now vacant territory. That's why it always seems like it's a never ending battle. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I make my dough. I've yet to find the perfect dough recipe so I won't recommend mine. I make one large pizza for my husband and I and then these fit my kids because no one can ever agree on pizza toppings. They also have fun making them. http://richestoragsbydori.blogspot.com/2012/01/muffin-pan-pizza-ooohhh-myyyyy.html?m=1 If you want good pizza then be sure to use melted butter instead of oil for the crust recipe, a flavorful spaghetti sauce not the canned bland pizza sauces, and use 5-6 Italian cheese blends and toss in herbs and spices, don't use plain mozzarella. You can get a better crust by adding an oven proof bowl of water in the oven when you cook the pizzas. I find that quality negates the need for quantity. Everyone fills up much faster and for longer on homemade from scratch pizza than from the best Italian restaurants. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk