After seeing this thread, I check my bank account and was shocked to see that our state refund is already deposited! I filed it on line Monday!!!! Wow. Now that is service. Guess I better go check on Federal now. Mine goes for nothing 'fun'...but I am thrilled to pay off my parents the last of what we owe them for a car we bought from them (which will now be free and clear!) and the rest goes for stock options. :rolleyes:

I got this from someone on this board.....it is soooooo good. I do increase the roast to 2 cups. Vegetable Beef soup 2 (or more) large potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 medium or large onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped carrots, peeled and chopped (as many as you like) 1/2 cup chopped cabbage 1 cup cooked brown beans 1 small can of tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes, seeded and cooked down (Can you tell Grandma kept a big garden?) 1 cup cooked beef roast, shredded 1 cup beef broth 2 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar Water

I mainly feel it when I am trying to concentrate on something (like taxes or an important post on WTM boards:)) and ds7 is tugging tugging tugging on me (literally). I guess this is pay back because I was/am this exact same way to my mom. On a good day, I calmly say, 'ds, I have to be able to concentrate on this, I cannot give you any attention right now.' Bad days, 'I say, 'go away! I'm trying to think!' My ds was so long coming, is so much a joy to me and I'm so sad that I only got one child that I often find myself ignoring the little part of me that needs 'alone' time. But yeah...I think we can easily justify some seperation. Especially the ages of yours Joanne.

Maybe they are all of our friend/family/neighbors/co-workers spying on us. :p

I have no idea what dh claims on his W4....but we are getting $9K back. I don't care though. I know it is all anti-Dave Ramsey's way, but we need the 'forced savings' avenue as someone else mentioned. If we need it for something, we use it, if we don't, we use it for a vacation.

This is just how the H&R Block on line is. I've never had a problem.

Yep. http://www.hrblock.com/ Soooo....easy. When you log in , all of your info is already in there..you just have to confirm. (after your first year of course)

I've used the H&R Block on line and it figures everything for you. I love it. It only costs $50 for Fed/state combined and that includes E-filing. It even walked me through the steps to see if we were required to pay that stupid AMT....I had heard it was pretty complicated so for some strange reason I figured it myself off of the IRS website and got the same answer that H&R Block got. (except that it took me 4 times as long and then I had a headache. :)) How many kids do you have? 7 exemptions seems like a lot. We always get lots of money back. Mostly due to dh's bonus which is taxed at a high rate initially (when the check is issued).

Beautiful family. You and your dh look so young. He looks like he is about 20 in this photo! And looking at you almost makes me want to get up off my behind and take up running. :D

I taught my ds with beans. And the terminology is important...when I was a kid it was 'borrowing', but I think regrouping, makes much more sense. I honestly believe that understanding place value is the basis for all math.

Why are you scared? Are you high risk? My Mom was diagnosed in 03 with bc, and so every time I go in I am a little 'undone', but the actual mm is no big deal to me. Ok, well, it CAN pinch a bit, but that is pretty much necessary to ensure they are viewing all the tissue they need to view. (((hugs))) though....I wish you weren't scared.

I've missed you! You were one of the first people who responded to me when I first came to this board. So it is weird to think of you not hs'ling...but it does sound like it was a good move for your kids. And you. :)

Whenever I begin to freak out about my own abilities as a teacher I just phone up my best friend whose ds10 is failing several subjects in 5th grade ps and then I feel better. :eek: Seriously, I don't feel better that HE is failing, but I am then forced to remember that I could hardly do worse than the public schools academically and I KNOW I am doing better with the character/social/religious training.

((((KH)))) I'm so sorry.

Not quite 8:00 a.m and ds already has the Warning mark. Sigh. It might be a looooooong day. But I am determined to get this under control.

My last 3 month average per month was $722 on food and household combined. $180 on eating out. Too high. Only 3 in our family. I'm working on getting it under control which is why I have the numbers on hand. :D

Well, at least it will be an even number. I have no complaints about our mail service. I do use on line bill pay for almost everything.

LOL...Hilarious.

I talked to my mom this afternoon while ds was outside playing. She helped me think through some consequences for my ds and also gave me some specific advice---namely to stop discussing things with my son once I've told him no or asked him to do something. So just now, I took him out for a good meal, (dh is out of town) and when we got home I layed the law down so to speak. I calmly told him that the backtalking is not acceptable, and he must obey immediately the FIRST time I speak it. If I get any back talking or non compliance, his name goes on the chalk board--as a Warning. After that a mark by his name indicates no morning outside time on his break. A second mark means no afternoon outside play. A third mark means no tv/computer time at all the rest of the day. So as I'm explaining this system to him, he thoughtfully says, 'hmmm....well, I've always got my cars and microscope set to play with.' I said, 'are you PLANNING on not obeying or backtalking me?' Oh no, he assures me...he is just thinking of what he can do if it comes to that. :eek: Anyway, in addition to that, I told him that I also will not be tolerating the body slinging and the wailing and the whining that sometimes accompanies forced compliance. For those infractions he will be sent to a time out corner for at least 5 minutes...more if he can't get control himself. So that is my plan...what my mom helped me come up with...we considered and threw out several things such as writing sentences and having to do extra chores or even scrubbing the floors. She was a 5th grade teacher and she says kids hated losing their recess time. I know it is important to fine the currency that is important to HIM. I also discussed with him how important it is for him to make himself in to the kind of person that peopel want to be around and that pleases God. He hugged me tight and said, 'I love you Mommy!' :)

This really speaks to me....it is exactly what is happening. I let it slide, let it slide until suddenly I feel myself just really furious...yeah screaming freak sums it up. :o Thanks.

Oh give me a break....:rolleyes: Are they paying for their own raising with a trust fund or something. Please. And we wonder why kids are growing up with a sense of entitlement. Oh, to answer your question, NO.. my ds7 will not have control of 'his' $300.

I'm bumping this in hopes of even more replies. I'm about to go nuts over my ds (almost 8) attitude. Every Single Thing is an issue. Or he has somethiing else to do right now. Or he is suddenly hungry. Things do not improve until I have a melt down, but I don't want it to be that way! I hate it when I yell...it gives me a headache and I'm sure it is NOT good for my ds. Maybe Joanne will stop by and advise us both.

So cute. I had ds convinced of that for a while. I'll never forget how serious he was about standing in the chair behind me sifting through my hair trying to find the extra eyes. Now, at age almost 8 he claims he always knew I was joking and he was just trying to prove me wrong.:rolleyes:

I also recommend Singapore math. My math bright ds used it for Grades One and two, but in conjuction with a VA he is in. I'm not using it anymore because the VA allowed him to skip second grade math, so now he at least has a bit of a challenge.

Thanks all. As suggested I will probably just preview it and then decide.