While I love my children dearly, the world does not revolve around them (contrary to what they believe). As parents, especially homeschooling moms, our daily lives do tend to revolve around our children. Therefore, it is easy to feel bad about taking time without them. But...there is nothing wrong with taking 2 weeks to spend with your husband (with or without friends). Parenting is a long journey, but so is marriage. Your children will be safely with family, and you will enjoy reconnecting with your husband. You will all return to "regular life" with a new appreciation for each other and hopefully some deeper relationships with ones you love (the kids with their extended family and you with your husband). I'd say go and have a great time!

Can't hear her song Brainwash without dancing!

Have you talked to your ps to find out if your dd can just take "music"? My sons are full-time homeschooled students. Yet, the middle two went to the ps for a 9 week agriculture class (so that they qualified for FFA) and the 15 year old will be taking a 9 week engineering course beginning in March. Albeit, I have been very blessed with an agreeable ps system. Maybe you can talk with the county homeschool liaison (or I spoke with the principal and the guidance counselors) to find out your options. HTH...

I made "white trash" for a bake sale. I forgot to buy the peanuts, so I made it with pretzels, rice chex, white chocolate, and M&M's. Some other suggestions I have received as add-ins...popcorn, mini-oreos, reeses pieces. Hope this helps...

I am looking (I think) for a simple review program for grammar foundations and parts of speech. My 7th grader is a bright boy, but does not seem to have good retention of the parts of speech (adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc.). I know this is important information, but also know that he will soon enter high school writing courses where the focus is on the mechanics of writing, not on parts of speech. Do I look toward his future academic requirements and focus on good grammar (punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, writing skills) or should I backtrack and focus on remediation of the parts of speech? Does it really matter if he knows that the word is an "adjective" as long he knows how to properly use it in speaking and writing? This is son #3. DS1 and DS2 have never had any problems with grammar/writing (both take advanced coursework in these subjects). DS3 was in public and private school during the formative years of grammar, and I honestly did not realize that he had such learning gaps until last year when we returned to homeschooling. Not blaming the school...it was my job to oversee things as his parent. But now I must decide my course of action. Any thoughts, advice, curricular ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA!

The day after the "massacre", Michael was out back checking on his 3 chickens in the coop. He noticed the dogs looking out the back fence into the adjoining acreage and saw...one of his favorite Barred Rock hens running around! He quickly jumped the fence and retrieved her. Except for a few missing tail feathers, she is fine :001_smile: The injured hen is still alive. She laid an egg the morning immediately following the attack, but none since. She is currently living up at the house in a wire cage under a heat lamp. She is eating and drinking well and does walk around quite a bit. She chirps at us when we go talk to her, so we expect she will heal up and complete our flock of 5. As for the dog...he is now chained up (30 foot chain) in the back acre. It is sad, but I'm not sure what else to do. Who will want a Catahoula/Black Lab mix 2-year old with hip dysplasia and a taste for chicken? For the time being, we figure it is a better option than the local animal control facility. Another funny thing in this is that last Wednesday, Michael was applauded in an article in our local newspaper for winning the Laying Hen show. He was also written up as the 4H Member of the Week. The article highlighted the perseverence, determination, hard work, and patience involved in being a 4H member. The writer told the story of his chicken massacre, but also of his determination to strengthen his coop and start over with a new flock. What a great reinforcement of this life lesson! Once again, you all are the greatest! Thank you so much!

Thank you for all your kind notes and sympathy. Michael (my son) keeps coming in saying, "I can't believe all of my chickens are dead. I really loved them!" He was/is so faithful about tending to them twice a day that he feels a bit lost. He does still have a few, but is really feeling the loss now. Again, he has appreciated reading all of your kind words. CalicoKat...so sorry to hear about your bunnies. It sounds as if you may be blessed with a cat that recovers! Daisy...I fear that what you say may be true. This dog has never bothered any of our livestock. But this past month, we have found him in the steer pen and in the hog pen, and now the chicken fiasco. I am scared to death that he may hurt the boys' show animals (expensive ones at that). I'm just not sure if we should get rid of this dog (we have two of them, so that would leave one alone) or keep him chained (which is may be too cruel since he is used to running in a fenced acre). Thank you again for the hugs and kind hearts!!!

Today we arrived home from church to find that one of our dogs had gotten into our 11 year old son's chicken coop and killed 16 of his chickens. Four had escaped and were hiding in the corner of the yard. It has been a long afternoon. We buried the dead chickens, poured concrete around the chicken coop, and are attempting to nurse back one chicken that has some serious bite marks/scalping. My son is handling it fairly well, but is so disappointed. He had just gotten to where they were laying enough eggs each day so that he could begin his "farm fresh egg" business. Now, he will have to start over in the spring with some new pullets. One thing to be thankful for...last Friday was the "Laying Hen Show". He had to pick three of his best birds to compete based upon physical structure for laying. His 3 Barred Rocks won first place. None of them survived the massacre, but at least he has a trophy and the knowledge that he had done a good job with them. Thank you for letting me share. I've not wanted my guys to see how sad this has made me, so I appreciate you letting me share with you.

I was at a loss as to what to get my parents for Christmas. Our relationship is a bit estranged, and that is probably not going to change any time soon. But, it is Christmas, and I'd hate not to get them something. I got them the Henry and David tower. It was perfect! Thank you so much for the idea!

Michael's pullet healed up just fine. In fact, when we watch them in the coop, we can no longer tell which one was injured. He is now gathering between 5 and 10 eggs per day. He has placed a lamp in their coop to give them 16 hours of light per day, hoping this will encourage them to lay more consistently. In two weeks, he will participate in the Laying Hen Project Show (4H). He will select 3 of his best pullets (either 3 Barred Rock, 3 Rhode Island Red, or 3 Black Sex Link) for the show. He is learning how to tell by the bone structure which ones will be the better layers. (As the 4H coordinator was explaining how to check the bone structure of the pullet, I wish I had my camera. The look of incredible disbelief on Michael's face was priceless. Of course, once he realized that it would help him select his best pullets, he got with the game!). We wanted once again to thank you for all your advice and encouragement. He is thoroughly enjoying this project and has learned to make a fabulous fried egg (which he eats every morning!). Sincere Thanks to you... Christine

Husband - Army (14 years) BIL - Army (8 years) Dad - Army Grandfather-in-Law - Army Grandfather-in-Law - Navy Sons' Godfather and adopted Uncle - Army/Air Force (still serving) Cousin - John Thomas Wroblewski - Marines (served his country through the sacrifice of his life in Ramadi, April 2004...buried with honor at Arlington National Cemetery) Many friends still serving faithfully...

My name is Michael. My pullet is doing fine this morning. We moved her up to the house in a dog kennel. She is chirping, but she is limping on her left leg. My dog Ruger is a good dog. He was just being a dog. He has done a good job protecting my pullets. I don't think he meant to hurt her. Thank you for asking about my pullet.

Thank you for the information on how to care for the bird. It is a 5 month old Barred Rock hen. Our dog is a mixed breed (possibly Bulldog/Lab) that we "saved". He just ran around with the hen in his mouth...no shaking or placing it on the ground tearing at it. We will set it up away from the other animals and tend to it. This is our first attempt at layers (a 4H project gone way out of control :lol:). All of our babies survived and all were hens, so it has gone smoothly thus far. As for the dog...I know that many may say that we should get rid of it for the hen's sake. But, he has saved the hens many a time by taking care of the possums that try to get near the coop (it is an enclosed structure). We just got two new steer last evening (just taken from their mamas) so this has been a traumatizing day in our household. Between crying calves and injured chickens, it may be time for a Mike's!

My son has 20 layers (to-be). This afternoon, as he was going into the coop, one of his chickens ran out of the coop. As quick as lightning, our dog grabbed the chicken. As my son is screaming, I jumped the fence (I didn't know I could do that!!) and chased down the dog. He did let go of the chicken, and I was able to quickly snatch it up. We did not see any blood or cuts. My son placed him back into the coop. He is breathing with his beak open (probably hyperventilating) and is a bit hesitant about stepping on one of his legs. The chicken quietly moved over into the shelter. Question...should we place this chicken in a temporary shelter away from the other chickens in case it is injured or should we just take a wait and see approach?

Easy, but always a bit hit! 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 1 cup water 15 oz tomato sauce 1 package chili seasoning mix 15oz black beans, undrained 8 oz kidney beans, undrained 8 oz whole kernel corn, undrained shredded cheddar cheese Mix chicken, water, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix in pot. Heat to boiling, reduce. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in black beans, kidney beans, and corn. Heat chili to boiling, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve. I have also made this in my crock pot. Another trick is to put all the ingredients into a large ziploc bag and freeze. When I need a meal, I thaw it out and heat it up. Let us know how the competition goes!!

I try to do a major "freezer fill" prior to each academic quarter. With all of the activities of our family, it is SO nice to be able to pull something out of the freezer. I've also found it to be helpful if there is a family that needs a meal...I can just snatch one from the freezer and deliver! My traditional list: Chicken Pot Pie Southwestern Chili (chicken) Chicken Tetrazzini Lasagna Mexican Chicken Lasagna Chili Pizza Pasta (pasta, beef, spaghetti sauce, pepperoni) Chicken Broth Meatloaf Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Beef Broth Calico Beans My favorite freezer cookbooks are: Once-a-Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg Frozen Assets by Deborah Taylor-Hough Frozen Assets, Lite & Easy by Deborah Taylor-Hough HTH!

Bump

Congratulations on your first eggs!! How eggs-iting! My son has 20 hens that he got for a 4H laying hen project. I am not sure when to begin expecting eggs, but reading your post made me excitedly anxious! How old are your hens? At what age do they usually begin laying? Should we go ahead and place the laying boxes (well, we still have to build them) in the coop (ours are not free range, they live their coop at all times) or wait a bit longer? Thanks for all your help and again...CONGRATS!

Last year, we had 2 feeder steers (ds12 showed a club steer and ds14 purchased and showed his own steer) and a hog (ds10). It was a lot of work; in fact, I don't know how ps kids in after-school sports have time to do it! My sons would go out every day to feed and handle/train their animals. We required them to participate in the showmanship competition at the fair, not just the livestock show. Ds12 and ds14 also were involved in livestock judging (volunteered by mom...not their first choice). Ds10 was involved in dairy judging. This year, we currently have a laying hen project with 20 pullets (ds10). In a few months, we will purchase our 2 feeder steers and 1 hog. The boys will also be involved in livestock, dairy, and poultry judging. Ds10 would like to do the cooking and photography projects, too. I love being able to incorporate this into our school day. Often, we need a break and can use that "agriculture" time as a break from the academics. FYI...we are not "country folk". We moved to our lovely rural town 2 years ago from Orlando. We just decided to jump right in with both feet. The learning curve has been steep and sometimes I wonder if we are crazy! But the people of our community have been very willing to help us out, offer us advice, haul our animals (we don't own a livestock trailer), and teach us what we need to know to have a successful adventure! If your game for adventure, I'd encourage you to jump right in!! BTW...of all the animals, the hog has definitely been the easiest!

FLVS is definitely a different route to take for academics. We have used it for Algebra 1, Keyboarding, Latin 1, and US History (next year). I have found that the teacher definitely either makes or breaks the class. The Latin teacher was very proactive and responsive when either my son or I called/e-mailed for assistance. Keyboarding had limited interaction due to the nature of the course. We found that Algebra 1 was not a class I'd recommend be done online...too many concepts and questions that needed explanation (which means a phone call/e-mail, leave message, they phone back, we're not here, another delay, kwim). As for the pace, they only offer 3 paces...an "average" pace, a "slower" pace, and an "accelerated" pace. You must select one of these paces and then adhere to it. If a student gets more than two weeks behind, their grade is dropped one grade level on the monthly progress report. I understand their intent is to prevent students for taking advantage of the concept of "their own pace"...which may be dawdle and take 2 years to complete a 1 semester course. That being said, there were times that we had family emergencies, community events, family trips, illnesses, etc., that put my sons behind pace temporarily. We would just phone the teacher and explain the situation. They would adjust the pace to reflect the "vacation" week, and we would work diligently to get back on a steady assignment submission schedule. Sometimes, though, the online classes are not a good fit for certain students. Two of my sons breeze through online coursework...I must sit with the other one to help him to process and draw out the important concepts (my other son is too young to take online courses yet). It sounds as if you have gotten some teachers that either do not understand your academic accommodations or do not care. If you have already communicated the frustrations to them and they have not responded in a way that is conducive to your child's academic well-being, I would consider looking toward a different option. BTW...I love Apologia Science!!

After the team has gone to pre-season training and the coaches have worked so hard to create a "team"...the white captain and the black captain have a clarifying moment. One declares, "Left side". After hesitating, the other declares, "Strong side". I always get choked up then. Seeing young men stand tall in their convictions and "man up" always gets me. BTW, we watch this movie very often, especially just prior to the start of football season. My sons think it's hysterical that I cry in this movie (there are two other similar parts at which I get all teary). Everyone asks if I'm crying yet. Oh, well, someone must express some emotion in this house of testosterone!!

Hadn't thought about setting consequence for tickets and accidents. I guess you just hope they won't happen. Ds good friend fell asleep at the wheel yesterday (during the day**) and hit someone. Friend is alright, but other person was taken to hospital. That reality is all to present today! Thank you for the recommendations!

Ds will be turning 16 in July. What rules did you set for your teen when he/she began driving independently? Along those same lines, what rules did you set as they began to hang out with friends? (Some insight...ds is very responsible and tends to have older friends. Recently, he has begun spending time with some juniors from his athletic teams [he is a freshman]. Dh and I like these young men, but want to be sure to clearly state our ground rules.) TIA!

We moved to a very small town (only 1 stoplight in the county) from Orlando. At first, it was a bit of a shock for the boys, but now we love it. In our town, most of the families have been here for generations, so we were concerned about "breaking in". We immediately got involved in a church with an active youth program (although, we have since changed churches, the youth program at the old church helped the boys make friends very quickly). The boys also got involved with 4H for the first time (lots of kids and parents are willing to help with agricultural projects so we made friends there). We volunteer to assist in community events (Down Home Days, Memoral Day Ceremony, etc...we watch for notices about these in the weekly newspaper). My boys are active in sports through the ps and local community. We also found that supporting the local ps teams was a great help (EVERYONE attends Friday night football games and winter basketball games!). The thing that we love best about our town is that people are less concerned with possessions and more concerned about people. They fiercely love their community and are very protective of it. Be willing to stretch your comfort zone and ask lots of questions. I hope your experience will be like ours...everything we had hoped for! (One addl. thing: as far as "support groups"...I also found that most hs support groups involved families with young children. Having 3 in middle/high school, the hs groups were only an option if I wanted to drive 1 hour to a meeting with older kids. That was NOT an option for us!) Christine

I'm trying to incorporate some "computer savvy" into our curriculum for next year. I downloaded "Internet Scavenger Hunt" from CurrClick. The idea is neat, but it only has 2 scavenger hunts. I know that I could create more scavenger hunts, but I just do not want to spend lots of time on that. I'd like to find some guidance (curriculum, e-books, etc.) so that my guys could have some fun while also learning about the computer/internet. When they were in ps, the history and science teachers had the students create power point presentations. The kids loved doing this. Unfortunately, I do not have the knowledge to help them to learn how to do this well. Any thoughts?