If you are into dinosaur footprints, there is a park an hour and a half away, called Dinosaur Valley State Park. I liked it, but I really like dinosaurs and think it's uber cool to see their actual footprints.

I don't think there's anything you can do. I have an ex-relative-by-marriage who was like this. Everything anyone said offended her in some way. It messed up my relative pretty good for awhile (they divorced eventually). Big red flag. Continue to maintain a good relationship with your dd is all you can do.

Yes.

It seems like you want her to go straight from meters to yards, using a conversion factor that she is unfamiliar with. She wants to from meters to centimeters to inches to feet to yards, using conversion factors that she is familiar with. I would let her do it her way. She's got the concept down and just taking a longer path. Sometimes our math strugglers need the longer path first (you would not believe how I had to teach my math struggler to multiply multi-digit numbers at first. She now uses the "regular" way but it took a couple years for her to decide that she liked it better.) It actually is very important for her to make these "connections to prior knowledge" in order to learn this new concept. She'll probably get to where she likes dimensional analysis better because it's shorter. But it may be awhile and I wouldn't worry about it. Whatever works for her.

Yes, but it's really because I love to own teacher grade books. I'm using a Peanuts themed one this year. It makes me happy. (By the way, I only grade tests and major papers, generally speaking. For random things like PE, I just give A's on the report card.) And yes, I give out report cards every quarter. Card-stock pre-printed ones that I fill in because I love them and remember them from my elementary school days when a report card was a "card" and not a slip of paper. I also give out end of year award ribbons and certificates. Because they're awesome.

Abeka's third grade history book does exactly that. You might check out their table of contents: http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=104728

1. Your frustrations are justified, but this is also typical neighborhood stuff. 2. You can expect a lot of backlash. This will not go over well, no matter how you do it. 3. I'm not sure there is a good way to bring this up to the neighbors. It won't go over well. They are letting their kids behave this way. ((hugs)) I am shy as well. I would have a very hard time living in this neighborhood. I would go to the pool when fewer people were there. I would say to the dive-bombers, "Hey, let's not do that in the lazy river. It's not safe. Go to the main pool, please." and hope they listen. I would have someone watching as I back out my car every time. Like have my big kid get out and watch to make sure no kids are there. (By the way, this is not just your neighborhood. If there are little kids out and cars backing out, it just happens. Little kids are clueless.) Best of luck. Honestly, unless you are a great, diplomatic talker (and it sounds like that is not your strength area), it's probably not going to go over well.

Seconding Hanna Andersson. You also might like cwdkids.com.

I'm not clear on what would or would not be acceptable, but I have some suggestions. I own two of these, one in black and one in navy. The skirt is longer in the plus size. It comes to about mid-thigh in plus size. (I don't know what size you are, but if you are plus, then that would be relevant.) Also, you don't have to cinch it up at all, just tie it, and that keeps the skirt longer. https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-swim-crop-leggings/id_269396?sku_0=::BLA Lands End also carries a ton of long sleeve rash guards. They are great. There are some in tunic styles as well, which look like that might work well for your needs (possibly?): https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-swim-tee-rash-guard/id_246954?sku_0=::WHI https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-long-sleeve-swim-tunic-rash-guard/id_305695_57 LL Bean makes swim capris which are wonderful and light weight. I own a pair, and cannot say enough good things about them. https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/58772?feat=624-GN1&page=beansport-capris&csp=f My dd got swimtights from Swim Outlet, and they are great. (Similar to below but navy with a design down the sides.) https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/sporti-swim-legging-8132437/?q=1&richrelevance&PersonalizedViewedPurchased&search_page.rr1 HTH!

Academy Sports and Outdoors. We just got my dd some nike shorts. There's a whole wall of them.

done

How about a five gallon bucket with a lid, with some oxiclean and water in it, shoved under his desk? That should keep the stink in.

Stash it in a cooler in his trunk? I mean, it will be super disgusting, but it doesn't seem like there are tons of good options.

I think it's important to remember that some classes are credit based on content and some classes are more count-the-hours. So, for instance, if you finish your Algebra book in a semester, you still get 1.0 credit for Algebra. You need to decide what constitutes a credit (or half credit) for each of your non-outsourced classes. Once those requirements are fulfilled, then you are done. Take as long or as short as needed, depending on if it's hour-based or content-based. IMO, U.S. History could be content-based if you are using a textbook that is intended to be completed in a whole year. If it's a design-your-own thing, then you decide what is needed to fulfill a year's worth of credit. Hope this helps!

I love MUS for my math-hating dd. We are using it for Algebra on up. It's great. She's really learning and has solid knowledge. My degree is in math, and I have no problems whatsoever with the program.

Hanna Andersson lasts for years and years and years. Encased elastic, flat seams. In fact, my 16 year old refuses to wear anything else. She's in the xl girls size and needs to move up soon. I joyfully discovered last night that they are starting to make women's sizes. Yay!

It is listed as a menopause problem on a website that is called something like 34 symptoms of menopause. Maybe check with your ob/gyn? I take low-dose bcp which greatly helps my perimenopause symptoms. I never had burning tongue, though, sorry. But it is listed as having something to do with estrogen and pain sensors on the tongue.

You might look into pricing out power companies. We switched many years ago to a not-for-profit co-op and our bills are about half of what they were. Service is the same. And wonderfully, they always give us December for free.

The Beginner's Bible is my favorite. I actually prefer the older version but the new version is good, too. https://smile.amazon.com/Beginners-Bible-Karyn-Henley/dp/0310926106/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499515038&sr=8-3&keywords=beginner%27s+bible https://smile.amazon.com/Beginners-Bible-Timeless-Childrens-Stories/dp/031075013X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499515038&sr=8-1&keywords=beginner%27s+bible

((hugs))

She's manipulating you. You are not responsible for her feelings nor her boundary crossings. Tell the kids "Grandma changed her mind and decided to leave. Shrug. That's just Grandma." Move on with your day. ((hugs))

If he does plenty of writing already, then all you really need to do is look at where he needs improvement or what he needs to know for college that he's not yet getting. It might help you to look at the 9th grade planning thread. I can tell you that for my dd, who is by no means a person who enjoys writing but is okay at it, we will be doing (for 11th grade), Sentence Composing for High School because she needs to work on making her sentences more elaborate, followed by Jensen's Format Writing. For 9th grade, we used Seton's Composition book. For 10th grade, we used Abeka Grammar & Composition. YMMV.

I get a lot of math manipulatives from Lakeshore Learning. Love them! Learning Resources also has lots of hands on stuff. What concepts were you specifically needing? Prealgebra can cover a lot of stuff. Nasco also carries many math things.

Glue sticks must be Scotch brand. Sharpie highlighters Sharpie Extra fine point in assorted colors Sharpie fine point markers in assorted colors Ticonderoga pencils Arrowhead pencil cap erasers Pink Pearl erasers Post it notes that are sticky all across the back Pretty composition notebooks, with matching binders and folders Index cards Binder clips

Ooh, I think you should go as Princess Leia. Although, personally, I prefer the ice planet of Hoth Leia. Mostly because that's what I dressed up as a couple of years ago. I found the perfect white quilted vest at Goodwill. And my hair was long enough to do the braid across the head thing.