((hugs))

For sweet baking, if you cannot find soy and coconut free margarine, shortening or lard would work as well. You'll have to peruse the ingredients, of course, to find the one that works for your specific situation, but it is a tasty option. Sometimes applesauce can be substituted for the butter in baked goods. I know it's hard. We have a different list of no's than you, but dairy is one of them.

Gently, it's not safe to travel, you know that. Cases are spiking all over the country; Christmas won't suddenly be better. I know you want to see them. I don't think you can and remain safe. What you want them to do is asking a lot. We all have found our ways of surviving this pandemic, physical AND mental health intact. Church, for instance, is absolutely necessary to my family's mental health. We do mask, but we wouldn't stop going. I know it is painful, but it is not a good idea. Stay home. Plan a trip for next year.

It's up. I want to say we usually put the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving. Dh put up lights outside, too, a bit earlier than usual. He usually waits until after Thanksgiving.

It sounds like you're not only asking her to recreate the box (give her all 1's and see if she can do it), you want her to do the groupings too, with the 5's bars. That feels like a separate skill. Also, maybe you need to make a real 3-d box for her to see and reproduce, rather than expecting her to understand that the 2-dimensional box on the computer screen is implied to be 3-d because of their use of perspective drawing. I can see where that would be another skill that might not come to someone automatically.

Critical Thinking has some wonderful, colorful workbooks. Language Smarts and Mathematical Reasoning are particularly good, although not inexpensive. Maps Charts Graphs are wonderful workbooks by the Modern Curriculum Press people, I believe.

We buy kleenex from Sam's Club, if that gives any indication. We use them a lot. We all have allergies, though, year-round.

Rolls and apple pie are the only things I can see that are not on the list. Oh, what about some green fluff? Or ambrosia salad?

#2, but you're not actually fudging. Reading and writing across other subjects is still English, so you are doing that year-round. Just because you, a homeschooler, does not consider that "English" does not mean a public school would not. Double Science accomplishes that task of science, so fudge that. You are complying in spirit. (I actually think they are violating the law by their "clarificaiton" however, but I understand you want to fly under the radar.) Social studies can include being a good citizen of good character, so you do what you want for it and list it for the whole year.

Abeka is very YEC. I am not familiar with Science in the Beginning.

Texas, Up North, East Coast, West Coast. I occasionally reference Up Near Canada, New England, Deep South, Midwest, Great Lakes States, Mountain-y states, and Arizona/New Mexico.

I agree with PP. I think pleaser probably has to do with you volunteering for more than you can reasonably handle. I get it. I used to be that person. I had a really, really hard time saying no.

Dh will dish up the food, masked, and I will serve it, masked. I plan to bring it to the table like a waitress.

We are getting together with my parents and brother who lives with them. They are in their late 70s and have stated that they would rather get Covid than not see us. Fair enough. We will eat outside almost certainly, and I am going to have them at one table and us at another. The weather will probably be in the 70s, so we're good there. We will mask when not eating. We will not do buffet style. I think that's the best we can do.

Some kind of slipper shell?

Me! I hate being forced to discover stuff. Just tell me, I'm busy. I think people who think that "one way" is the only way to teach have not much imagination. And personally, as a student, I didn't mind Socratic questions, but my dd, whose brain works very differently from mine, thought it was stupid. She is a deep thinker, and doesn't need extra help or heavy-handed questions to think deeply about stuff. But if it works for you, good for you.

You have to use their layouts, but you can pick how many photos you want on a page. They have a 5+ section where you can find all different layouts for all different numbers of photos, and if it's not directly showing, you can search and find the number of photos you want. They also have all different layouts options, and, again, if you don't see what you want, you can search for more layout options.

I like Shutterfly. They have a lot of embellishments and backgrounds. I do a 50 page book every year.

What masks do your husbands like? I have made some I like. Dd found some from Plato's Closet that she likes. Dh has disliked almost all of the ones we have. He wears them, but he has not found his mask-happy-place. He has hearing aids and glasses.

I am apple-shaped and these are my favorites for working out: Duluth Trading Company: Women's Hellrassiere High Impact Work Bra. Fantastic for every day wear and working out. Keeps the girls nice and high and doesn't hurt while doing it. I'm in love. You might want to get the size you think you are by the size chart and then also get the next size up, and keep the one that works. Worth it. I have three and will buy more. I live in South Texas, and no stink! https://www.duluthtrading.com/womens-hellrassiere-high-impact-work-bra-33732.html?dwvar_33732_color=VOC&cgid=womens-underwear-bras#start=5&cgid=womens-underwear-bras LL Bean: I know it's weird but I love to work out in these, and they are good for every day wear, and you can also wear them in the pool: Women's Vista Camp Pants, Cropped. I just got my second pair since I now work out two days a week. Elastic waist. Flattering for apple shape. Sensory issue: They are mostly nylon so if that bothers you, that might be the only thing that's a downside. https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/120731?page=womens-vista-camp-pant-crop-misses&bc=12-27-622-516133&feat=516133-GN3&csp=a&pos=2

I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't judge others for doing it. It's not part of our family culture at all, plus we have delicate, highly reactive skin.

I have those!

So I have two pairs of sneakers. One is Ryka, for Zumba, because I kept getting caught on the running shoe soles which stick out. I was doing dance moves like grapevine and whatnot. Ryka is recommended for zumba, and their sole is within the footprint of the shoe, plus they have this circuluar swirly tread, which I assume helps with turns. I like them a lot. I believe they are technically called "Cross-training shoes." They seem to have good support. I only walk in my running shoes. I never ever run. They seem to work great. I use Asics right now. My family likes Mizumo.

All the President's Men?

Horrible Histories videos are pretty awesome. Maybe that would work better than the books.