:iagree:

I agree- find exercise you enjoy and/or can commit to, and go from there. I'm a huge fan of Walk Away the Pounds as a low-impact, easy, in-home exercise program for when you're just starting out. You can start w/ a gentle 1 mile workout and build from there (Buy DVD's that have multiple workouts) Exercising 30-45 minutes 5x a week & eating a lower calorie diet helped me to lose 50lbs. For me, there was no magic other than moving more and eating less. The hardest part is starting...just take one step, then another. Laura

It's DD turn to help cook, so its mini-meatloaves, mini-potato gratin (both made in cupcake tins).

It seems that DD is on a diagonal trajectory...more, new, onward. She doesn't like to repeat things (with the exception of reading), and does very well with new subject matter. Laura

I agree. The NeilMed rinse has helped me to avoid sinus infections- I use it 2x a day when I start to get really congested. I cannot believe the difference that it makes, really- its a completely different kind of 'clean/decongestant'. Please try it. :) I've heard from more than a few allergy sufferers that it makes the single most significant difference in symptom control, but also helps to avoid sinus infections. Medication wise, I take Zyrtec on a daily basis and now that fall has hit (My mold allergies are at their worst) I also a daily decongestant/pain reliever (Generic Tylenol sinus).

Thanks for the replies. Her teeth are fine. Her dentist said, in front of her (sigh & groan) that the thumbsucking was no big deal because it wasn't negatively impacting her teeth. Her teeth are tightly spaced together, so there is no overbite etc, and so far no cavities. I sucked my thumb (far too long) until "I" decided to stop. My parents tried bribery, burning substance on thumb etc, so I"m not inclined to try those tactics with DD, although am curious if they have worked for others. So maybe keep talking to her about it? She was doing much better w/ only sucking it at night (to fall asleep), but we've been catching her sucking her thumb when watching TV/movie, and I just don't like that 'caught-ya' game.

My DD really enjoys listening to Magic Tree House books on CD during her 'rest time' everyday. She averages 1-2 hours of listening everyday. We've already borrowed and listened to all the MTH books that our library has in circulation, so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend another series for us to try out... She is almost 6, has pretty decent comprehension and attention span. However, since she is listening to some of this on her own I want to make sure that the content is appropriate. Would Boxcar children be on the roughly the same age level? Thank you! Laura

Any tips on how to encourage this behavior away? :D She'll be 6 in December and she only sucks her thumb at bedtime (occasionally when watching a movie). We've talked about and she says that she'll stop when she's 6. Hmmmm.... Any thoughts? Laura

Mini-meatloaves (in cupcake pan) Enchiladas (add can of black beans, toss w/ salsa & cheese- top w/ salsa etc & bake) Shepherds Pie Meatballs w/ mushrooms & cream sauce over noodles

Yes, I bought one from Craigslist about 4 years ago. Still great. ;)

Another vote for Vonage (Voice over internet connection, but uses regular telephone). All around, its been the least expensive option for us- local, long distance & world-wide.

-Vegetarian Chili w/ fixings -Asian Meatloaf (Hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, soy sauce etc) w/ mashed potatoes -Ginger/galic/maple syrup glazed salmon -Honey mustard curry chicken -Soup & Grilled cheese

We just finished "Adventures of Pinocchio" & started "Black Beauty"...."Heidi" is up next. I supplement (because my voice is strained from too much reading) with "Magic Tree House" CD's- about 3+ books a week.

Any tips? At this point I can only read for 15 minutes before my voice starts to hurt and then my throat hurts for the rest of the day. I'm trying hot tea & cough drops (and books on CD when possible) but nothings really helping, long term. I WANT to read, but am finding my voice just can't keep up anymore. Anyone else had this happen? :confused: Laura

Individual meatloaves, roasted new potatoes, green beans w/ garlic & honey roasted carrots Boring, but energy friendly (for me & my oven). :)

That made me laugh aloud- I feel the same way about my DD. ;)

That is SOOOO cute- nice work!!!

I, too, only opt for outside work when I'm not in a hard-core homeschool mood. We use clipboards for worksheets, or use chalk on the driveway. And I love doing science outside...even just reading the info sheets seems more organic when outdoors. :) Soon enough we'll be cooped up inside because of the cold.

I voted "other"....what I love most about cruising (other than feeling small on a huge, amazing ocean) is the fact that the moment you set foot on the ship, your worries are over. It's similar to going to an all-inclusive resort in that your biggest decision of the day is what to do for fun or where to eat. I've cruised with Royal Caribbean & 2x w/ Norwegian. I prefer Norwegian because of their freestyle cruising (you can eat where-ever you want, whenever you want-unlike other cruiselines that assign dinner time & table mates)- to me, that is a huge factor. ;) Enjoy!

That is sooooo wonderful. :grouphug: Good job mom!

Dyson Animal- 3 years and counting. To those who have Dyson's, remember to change/clean the internal filter. I didn't even know it had one until I complained that it wasn't picking up as much, and my DH figured it out. ;)

Yes, DD is academically advanced. I struggle to find the balance in keeping her challenged while promoting a gentle education. You make a great point about the tension between CM & TWTM. That's been tough for me as well, and I'm still sorting through it all. I was drawn to HOD because of the CM/gentle approach and the beautiful way that faith was integrated throughout. It really is lovely, and with a toddler to look after, I am very grateful for all that it DOES have. ;)

We just finished our 3rd week using Beyond HOD for DD (5.5) and I will admit, I've tweaked it so much that I wonder if I'm really using it anymore. ;) I do use it as a jumping off point 2-3x a week. DD really likes the history book selections & I pick the best 'hands-on' activities in the unit to accompany that, as well as using the verse of the week. But I didn't like the poem selections, and DD is very interested in science so we are using Real Science Odyssey. I am using Singapore for math (at our own pace, as DD is moving quickly) but an eclectic mix for reading/phonics. We are loosely following read aloud selections, but on week 3 we've already read 8 books. I'm not good at reading 1 chapter and stopping. ;) It has some great strengths, but not a perfect fit for us, so I've tossed out what doesn't work and have kept what does. ;) Laura

Thanks for passing that along. It's such a creative idea for younger kids, and fun way to add excitement to the start of the week. I'm going to get started this Monday.

Thanks for advice & ideas... I've really been connecting with your honest perspective. You're realistic and optimistic. ;) Mostly, aside from attitude outbursts, DD really loves school/learning. I'm realizing that its likely the distractions from DS that complicates things- its frustrating for all of us. He's going to a mother's morning out program at a local church 2 mornings a week, starting in a few weeks. That way, he'll have age appropriate activity & attention, and DD & I will have 2 mornings a week to concentrate. Also, I'm going to scale back content even more. I will keep it at 1st grade level (because that's where DD is at) but lighten up. I'm using HOD (hearts of Dakota) and will scale back to bare minimum and gradually add back certain components. Thanks for that advice. Last night we finished "Helen Keller" at bedtime (it was supposed to take 2 weeks to read, but DD loved it, so we read it in 2 days- LOL). Then we had a chance to talk about what it means to serve others and make a difference in someone elses life. We talked for 30 minutes. Out of that discussion came DD"s idea to have a garage sale and donate all the money to charity. THAT is why I'm homeschooling.