I THOUGHT that was what you're doing when I saw your FB post!! Best to you, Chris. Please let me know how it goes. I've thought of doing this myself, but think it will have to be during summer break. Blessings, Lucinda

As a grandparent myself, I can tell you that going to kids' birthday parties is not always that fun. Dh and I have found that the parties are noisy and busy and it's very hard to give the birthday child the attention they deserve from us. We would rather spend some special time with less people around when we can celebrate our dgc's birthdays in a more personal way. Please note that I do, of course, call my dgc on their birthday and acknowledge that it is their special day. Oh, and we also live an hour away from our dgc. In our family we plan a combined celebration for any and all birthdays that happened during that particular month. The kids have fun with their friends at their regular birthday part, then we have the family gathering as a separate thing. We have birthday cake and presents along with a special dinner either at one of our homes or at a restaurant. Everyone is happy with what we do now, and none of the kids feel slighted. Blessings, Lucinda

I really hope that when ALL is back on the front burner there will be some sort of grading rubric or point system offered. Dd would like to see a grade on her paper after it's checked, but I have a hard time calculating it. What do you do, or do you? Lucinda

We will be taking the whole month of June off from all schooling except reading. In July dd will go back to her math lessons with dh and get an early start on her Latin studies. We'll officially begin the new school year with all other subjects in September. My own plans are to do some of my own art work in my studio plus teach a few art camps as summer courses for kids in the community. Other than these things, we'll spend a week at the beach for our vacation and hopefully get some hiking and camping in. I'm really looking forward to summer. Blessings, Lucinda

You're all so wonderful!! Thanks VERY much for all of the great suggestions. I'm for sure going to check out Clinique, Ulta, Bare Minerals, and maybe even Mary Kay. We may even have a party with other girls. So much to think about!! But anyway, after having raised all boys to manhood and then finally getting my dd later in life, these things are really special. tntgoodwin, your post was especially dear. Thank you! And yes, dd has been interested in makeup for a long time. I've just been holding her back, making her wait until she's a teenager. The goal has always been to have something to look forward to at the right age, learn how to wear it appropriately and in a way that promotes good hygiene. Blessings to you all, Lucinda

:grouphug: So sorry, Chris. Prayers going up. Bless you, Lucinda

I realize now that I should have clarified that I'm looking for specific stores and brand names, not each type of product that is appropriate. I'm open to suggestions and ideas though, and hope there are those that might help me make this fun and special. She knows about it and is really looking forward to it, as she is kind of a girly-girl that loves fashion, hairstyles and the whole works. Blessings, Lucinda

Same here. Dh, dd and I have enjoyed a number of lessons together. We used FD last year and part of this year and she was 11 when we began. There are some examples that were over her head and I had to explain or just skip, but the majority of the lessons were presented really well and she got a lot out of it. Blessings, Lucinda

Bill, if you read the op's siggy you may notice that she uses Christian curriculum. Why bash her on her choices of programs? Your popping in on this thread comes across as extremely disrespectful and harassing. You have a right to your opinion on this very diverse forum, but please don't be rude about sharing your views. Lucinda

I had a friend who did this for her teenage girls as kind of a rite of passage that was very special for them as mother and dd, so every since she shared it with me I've been waiting for my own dd's 13th birthday. Well, dd turns 13 next month and the plan is to take her somewhere for a facial with a cosmetician to demonstrate how to apply age appropriate makeup correctly and how to take care of her skin. This will be my birthday gift to her along with a starter set of some of the products. Since we're on a pretty tight budget right now I know we can't afford to go to Macy's or some other high end cosmetics counter to have this done. What or where do you suggest for us? Have any of you done this with your teenager? Let's please not turn this into a conversation about whether young teen girls should be allowed to wear makeup or not. I'm asking those that agree that teaching young women to use moderate amounts is permissible and a normal part of growing up. Thanks for your input and suggestions. Blessings, Lucinda

I'd highly recommend that you stay with the same program if at all possible, maybe give it at least another year before changing. I can understand not introducing him to creative writing under your circumstances, but you could push him slightly harder to cooperate with the lessons. The payoff up ahead could be enormous. And while waiting for WS2 to be released, why not focus on cross curriculum writing and dictation? We found WS to be lacking in teaching. It was extremely light and sometimes abstract compared to the excellent, meatier instruction in WWS. WS additionally leaves out the rich examples of literature and resource information found in WWS. For us, these things help illustrate how important good writing is, and also how to pull out information from resources successfully for the purpose of expositional writing. WS just isn't nearly the program that SWB has designed. I think it would be fair to compare it to the difference between a Ford Escort and a Cadillac. But that's just my opinion. :D Blessings, Lucinda

My elderly mom has lived with us for nearly a decade, and over half of that time we've been hs'ing. Granted we have one dd, but the hs lifestyle has worked well for us while also caring for Grandma. The biggest challenge for us has been dealing with my mom's (very innocent) interruptions of our study time. It took her awhile to understand that she couldn't just walk up to us and start chatting or asking questions while dd and I were doing lessons, or that it would be okay to plan a routine doctor appointment or shopping trip anytime she wanted during the week, etc. We learned after the first couple of years that moving school to our upstairs was quite helpful; not perfect, but still better than the dining room table. I also gave Mom specific time slots that would be best to schedule her medical appointments and errands during the week. The times I've given for those are days that are more flexible for us to pick up and leave the house, taking school books along for subjects that can more easily be done in the car or away from home. I've also asked for a little help during the week in getting Mom out of the house to do something she enjoys. One of her friends that belongs to the church's group of seniors comes and picks her up on Thursday mornings to go to their weekly gathering. Sometimes they stop for lunch on the way home. This gives Mom an outlet that belongs to her, and a time where she isn't reliant on the family for every single thing. Caring for someone in addition to hs'ing can be done. My main suggestions would be to: 1. Have a designated school area and set boundaries that protect your time with the dc. (With the exception of illness or emergency of course.) To balance that out, sometimes it's nice to pull the grandparent into certain lessons for input. Have lunch together during a break. Maybe have the grandparent listen to memorizations, student reading, etc. In other words, set boundaries, but don't completely exclude them. 2. Plan outside appointments on specific days that work best for everyone, or arrange for outside transportation. 3. Don't hesitate to get help from other family members and/or friends. If you try to do it all yourself, you will burn out. Be sure to spread out the responsibilities, delegate them to those in your circle. 4. Set aside specific times to have lunch, coffee, an outing or a time for conversation with your parent at which time they have you all to themselves for a short time. This makes them feel honored and special. 5. Set aside some time for yourself!! Please don't forget to nourish your body, soul and spirit on a regular basis. Being a hs parent AND caregiver can be demanding. You'll be better at taking care of others if you remember to take care of yourself regularly. Having a multi-generational home is both challenging and wonderful all at the same time. I personally believe that it benefits everyone, and is the way family life should be. Bless you as you embark on this journey! Lucinda

I've never even heard anyone say "twenty-twelve". :001_unsure: So I guess I either didn't get the memo, or we just don't say it that way in my region of the country. Blessings, Lucinda

That's really funny because I've tried both and find Wordpress to be the easier one. LOL! Other than that, I love the templates and the customization possibilities available with Wordpress as well. Blessings, Lucinda

:iagree::iagree::iagree: Unemployment benefits are a legitimate source of income for a temporary amount of time. You paid into the system for years and have every right to use it. It isn't a handout from the government, it's a system that you've contributed to should you need it through an unplanned, unexpected job loss... Use it while you have the chance and enjoy your time with the kids while you search for the right job. Use it and don't feel guilty! Blessings, Lucinda

WS is not nearly the writing program the WWS is. If I used your plan with my own dd she would throw a fit. She really loves WWS, so it may be different for us. We used WS in the past and she just tolerated it, and it did not teach her anywhere near the skills that WWS has. My plan, should WWS2 not be available when we start the new school year, is to buy the Creative Writer book from PHP and center on creative writing for a little while until WWS2 is released. I don't know if you dc would like creative writing or not, but that is a legitimate option. And there is also dictation and writing across curriculum... Blessings, Lucinda

I printed out the entire file then pulled out all the student pages and stapled them together (some are 2-3 pages or more). I 3-hole punched the teacher pages and put them in a big binder. Student pages are stacked in order in my crate box, so with each lesson I just pull out dd's pages and we go through the lesson. It really is an excellent program. If only we had more......:lol: Blessings, Lucinda

We just finished up Week 23 of WWS and I have to say that it's amazingly evident that my dd's writing skills are improving. She loves the independence of the program as it is directed to her, the student. I love it that I'm involved, but the course is so well written that I'm there to help and guide rather than teach the course. Needless to say, I am thrilled over the progress that my dd is making. It's crossing over into all subject and I could not be happier. Blessings, Lucinda

Yes you do need both because that is how it was set up to be used. Watching by SWB should be very helpful to you. I highly recommend that you watch it before implementing the lessons. Blessings, Lucinda

Oh please believe me, I did work in a corporate bank setting and made a living, but I was miserable. I was good at what I did, but I was withering in my soul. I didn't find happiness in my career until I went into graphic design and then finally art instruction. I would never, never, never recommend that an artist work for a bank unless they absolutely had to. People who are artistic and creative should seek careers in their area of specialty or something related, as I mentioned in my earlier post. Please encourage your dd to be the person God created her to be, not what someone else thinks is more "practical". If you love the work you do, whatever that may be, you will succeed. Blessings, Lucinda

As difficult as it may seem, I believe the right choice is to stay in the marriage. I'll be honest by saying that I'm in a similar situation, so I don't say this without understanding or compassion. The situation is health related and our vows included a promise to stay, "...in sickness and in health, so long as we both shall live." That wording isn't in the Bible as scripture, but it supports scripture never the less. If your friend doesn't follow these points and decides to leave, then don't judge her. Whatever she decides to do, this isn't going to be easy and she needs your friendship. If you feel the need to offer suggestions because she asks it of you, then I think it would be good to encourage her to seek counseling to help her cope. My counselor has advised me to nurture and develop my relationships with female friends and not isolate myself. Another important thing is to nurture the relationship with the Lord, seeking Him with a whole heart. I bring my brokenness, loneliness and heartache to Him daily and that is how I survive. The Lord has helped me gain new insights during this time. I see it as a time that God wants to build something in me that could never have happened otherwise. Praying for our spouses is so critical, and if your friend's dh ever needed prayer, it is now. We don't know what tomorrow may hold, everything could change overnight. But even if it doesn't, there is something to be said about commitment. I believe that God will reward that, and even open up other things in life that will bring much satisfaction. I'd also add that your friend's dh is probably suffering a great deal internally. He no doubt struggles with depression. That and his other problems can be treated by exercise, so maybe he'd be willing to start going for walks with her or join a gym. If he won't go to the doctor, perhaps he'd respond to something like this. It's always worth a try. Your friend really needs you, and for her to open up to you as she has is a great compliment to you. It means that she trusts you. Please pray for her and with her, even when you feel that you don't have any answers or suggestions. Just being there means more than you'll ever know. Blessings, Lucinda

When I was a girl my mom, sis and I always had a new dress to wear to church, and most often we wore bonnets, gloves, the whole nine yards. We had baskets and the Easter Bunny came to our house. We also dyed eggs the night before - which the EB conveniently put into our baskets. LOL! (Boy, were we gullible!) There were egg hunts and and chocolate candy, a traditional ham dinner, etc., etc. As an adult, I learned to understand and appreciate Good Friday - a day that my childhood family never even mentioned. In my own family now we acknowledge that day as the day Christ died on the Cross as a day of reflection and prayer. Then on Sunday we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. We always go to church for these observations and we celebrate Christ conquering death and fulfilling His promise to return. The whole Holy Week is extremely important to us. It isn't that we only think about Christ's death and resurrection at that time, we do have it all in our hearts year round. But there is still great significance in this tradition. It's always a very special time for soul searching and personal thanksgiving. I believe that these traditions were begun by the early church for a reason. Other than this we very moderately celebrate Easter, but it isn't anything like when I was a girl. All of the EB stuff seems so meaningless, but we play along with those in the family that are into it. To me, Easter (aka Resurrection Sunday) is very meaningful, but only as it applies to the celebration of Christ rising from the dead. All of the rest is just fluff. Blessings, Lucinda

In all my checking around for the very same thing, I decided to start dd at grade level in Hake. You can visit the website and view the TOC and sample pages to make sure it is a reasonable thing for you to use though. Blessings, Lucinda

There are a number of really good options for artistic, creative people. I went to art school for four years at a liberal arts university and graduated with a BFA in Art with a concentration in painting. Fine arts, illustration, graphic design, are all majors that one can pursue at a number of great colleges and universities with both associates and bachelor degree programs. The BFA is a concentrated degree while a BA in Art or BS in Art include more in-depth study of other subjects in combination with art. There are art programs within universities, and art programs in schools that are strictly for the study of art - some of which partner together with local universities to offer academic degrees rather than certificates. With these degrees, people become working studio artists, art teachers and professors, commercial artists and illustrators, and then there are the computer based arts that are growing in bounds with careers in graphic design for print, ePublishing, game design, web design, etc. Illustrators and commercial artists can work for advertising or design firms, publishing companies, newspapers or even companies like Hallmark for greeting cards. They can also be self employed cartoonists, illustrators or commerical artists and designers. Art majors can also be found in art related fields such as museum curators, gallery owners and managers, art supply store owners, etc. (Side note: I worked for a corporate bank after graduating art school and learned that creative people are highly valued in business. I didn't stay there at the bank forever, but I did appreciate knowing this and experiencing validation for my chosen field.) All of these great possibilities are rooted in the foundations of drawing and design. Your ds's love for drawing could lead to many possibilities. College programs begin with these very traditional arts, building upon them and then allowing a person to branch off into their specialty area. In any good art program a student has the opportunity to experiment and learn about a number of mediums and techniques before settling on their own methods of choice. Some schools lean toward specific types of art making and philosophies, while others offer a lot of diversity within the arts. Viewing student work would be strongly advised, as that indicates what a program is all about. I'd recommend starting in your own community, state and region and see what is out there, then start searching on the Internet for specialty schools and programs on a national level. If your son takes local classes at the community level prior to going on to higher education, he could learn so much. As he continues to draw, he should keep a portfolio of his best work. This can be a physical folder with turning pages and/or an electronic portfolio with JPEG images. Whenever artists submit samples of work for college entrance or art competitions, the electronic version is what is expected. Maybe I've shared more than you asked for. Sorry, but I'm quite passionate about art and I know for a fact that kids that are gifted in this area need to be nurtured, encouraged and guided in the right direction rather than persuaded to get a "real" job where they can make a living. That is one of the reasons I love my job as an art teacher because I can help create a better understanding by speaking truth into the lives of kids and parents. Our culture is beginning to open up and change, but there are still too many people with closed minds that under value the arts and their important role in society. I hope that your ds gets lots of encouragement and support as he explores options for his future. It will be a joy for you to watch him bloom and grow. Blessings, Lucinda

I voted "Husband doesn't wear a wedding ring" because Dh has an allergic reaction to gold. We've tried two different wedding rings and it causes him total misery. If it weren't for this, he would definitely wear a ring. We actually had to sell both rings at one point because we needed the money desperately. Made us sad, but they were just sitting in the box on the dresser. Blessings, Lucinda