I am so sorry, Charleigh. (((((Hugs))))). And I get it about the in laws. I miscarried on Christmas Eve many years ago........dh and I told no one. We didn't go to the ER. A year later, another pregnancy, and a heartbeat was no longer detected the middle of January, we went home, and if I recall correctly, I had a d and c in February. No alarming symptoms that sent me running to the doctor before that. Again, I am sorry.......I think that barring any of those symptoms you mentioned, you can do as you intend. (((((Hugs)))))

I am so sorry. (((((Hugs)))))

(((((Hugs)))))

I am so sorry. ((((Hugs))))

The special is discussed almost every day here. THE only reason we have BBC America is for Dr. Who. THE only reason we have Showtime is for Homeland. Looking forward to the farewell Matt smith show and the special. Merry Christmas to all!

Bethany, I am so sorry. Thoughts, prayers, (((((((hugs))))))).

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/baked-apricot-french-toast-streusel.aspx Dd and I prepared the recipe above at thanksgiving time. It was a hit, and it spawned an entire group that now loves apricots.

Praying. (((Hugs)))

We did an AGA cooker in a kitchen that was decidedly open and contemporary in our previous house. Ours was red.......the cabinets were the palest butter color.........looked white when the sun was shining. Very contemporary glass and chrome light fixtures and a very plain 16x16" tile floor...........it worked well aesthetically. Just keep googling and looking at photos.

I understand. I hope you and your beautiful family make a time to enjoy your traditional meal! Merry Christmas! (((((Hugs)))))

Jeannie.........happiest of holidays in your new home! I am so happy for you! We have a lot of IKEA here in our house........and we also went from from small to rather large when we moved here......the ikea purchases have been fantastic and we are very very pleased with their items. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas!

A calorie is a calorie........right?

http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-393-sleep-balm-natural-sleep.aspx We love their products.

This past summer we had a play date scheduled with one of dd's friends. The mom texted me a photo of a rash that her daughter had presented with the day before.........quite similar to what you described.........fever, rash.........everything else coming up negative. They sat for one afternoon in the ER at Children's in D.C. The little girl was given Benadryl, they waited for test results, and all was negative. They were referred to a Georgetown dermatologist who they saw on Friday. In the meantime, the fever and rash continued and was was going on day six I believe. Weeks later I learned it was follicular meningitis which I know nothing about except that it think it sounds worse than it is.........just a thought. My friend and the doctors were stymied for days until seeing the G'town Derm. If I recall, her dd was given meds, and recovered without incident. Don't want to frighten you, but we were all so mystified by what the rash could have been and the photo you posted looks like the photo my friend texted to me.

Oh, my, Lisa........I have been following your landlord thread. Thoughts and prayers. Our situation was somewhat similar in that we were in an extended stay hotel (350 sq feet) with 2 adults, 3 kids, and our newly rescued dog. The oven was reminiscent of a metal box with a fire inside. It was also this time of year and everywhere the kids went, a tray of cookies was requested. The crock pot idea is a good one........perhaps that is the way to go...........compile a list of crock pot recipes, and adopt that as your routine. Hope your situation improves quickly.

Praying. (((((Hugs)))))

I actually like Brussels sprouts as long as the flavor isn’t too overpowering. This is why braising is such a fantastic way to cook Brussels sprout… that bitter flavor that most people dislike is a result of boiling or steaming. Cooking Brussels sprouts with both fat and water results in a much more pleasant flavor. Definitely worth a try if you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts but have never had them cooked this way. Ingredients: 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and trimmed 6 oz Reduced Sodium Uncured Bacon 4-6 Tbsp water 1. Chop bacon into small pieces (I like to use scissors for this job) and place into a cold skillet (cast iron is perfect here). 2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, stirring relatively frequently, until bacon is starting to brown and is mostly cooked. 3. Add Brussels sprouts to skillet carefully (remember cold water into hot fat can cause the fat to splatter). 4. Stir relatively frequently. As soon as Brussels sprouts start to stick, add 1-2 Tbsp water to the pan. Stir some more. 5. Keep adding small amounts of water every time the Brussel sprouts start to stick. 6. Once the Brussel sprouts are cooked (about 15 minutes, depending on the size), stop adding water. Just when they start to stick again, pour the bacon and sprouts into a serving dish and enjoy!

Absolutely. I will be praying for you. One year ago, that was me! Please rest. Feel better.

BM Linen White.......I used that on cabinets many years ago. SW Analytical Grey and Nuance are two of my favorite SW colors. And the Swiss coffee or whatever color was mentioned above.......love it.

http://www.wayfair.com/keyword.php?keyword=Round+metal+table&ust=&command=dosearch&new_keyword_search=true

Tackling here today: Model trains for ds Dress for cotillion for dd13 (formal is tonight) Join costco as I volunteered to provide hams for youth group leaders' Christmas banquet Buy a Christmas tree and wreaths Bake some cookies Sunday.........Get kids to youth group Christmas hoopla and bring cookies Give house the once over as our agent is having an open house tomorrow Dd14 has midterms exams beginning Monday.......must check with her as to her study schedule and one other mom as we are sharing carpooling rather than using the bus this week Dh leaves on travel Monday a.m., will return in time for twins' Christmas program on Thursday night Thinking of scheduling tooth extraction and dental implant for Friday as it gives me a few days to stay under the radar. Best to all.

Hi, charleigh.......I am so glad you are seeing improvement. Your family has been in my prayers. Years ago the wonderful, wise pediatrician to whom I took my older daughters (now in their mid 30s) told me "trust your instincts. NO ONE KNOWS YOUR CHILD THE WAY YOU DO." (Not shouting.........emphasis mine) You did just that, and if your instincts told you otherwise, you would have taken a different course of action. Kudos to you! I hope your little one continues to improve. (((((Hugs)))))

Cat, thanks again. I don't know why, but I didn't even think of TJMaxx, HomeGoods or Marshall's........those are all in the same place as the 'train store.' Excellent! And, amazon.......even better. Thank you so much.

Thank you! Very helpful. I was hoping it might be as easy as selecting a starter set.....I will be in the area of the 'train place' tomorrow and I will take a look. I do remember the H.O. as being small, and while I don't want one of those humongous sets that one sees around a Christmas tree (they are pretty, but not what I am looking for right now), I guess I need to see stuff IRL. Thank you again! I will pm you if I need to know anything else.

I hope everyone is well. If you have any information to share regarding model trains for a 13 yr old boy, I would be most appreciative. We are considering starting ds with a model train set, but is have no idea where to begin. My dad had Lionel, H.O. Trains when I was a kid, and we loved them and played for hours and hours with them, but I do not even know where to begin today. A friend's husband had an amazing set up some years ago, and it took up more than one room in their lower level.........I am looking for something much smaller and manageable.......something to pique ds' interest and perhaps become another hobby. Thanks in advance. I would use smilies, but I have no clue where they have gone on the 'new' board.....but it would be something cute like an animated train engineer.