I have a couple of these they are very soft and comfortable https://www.amazon.com/Womens-Stretch-Camisole-Regular-Sports/dp/B07JCPC997/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=cami+with+built+in+bra+plus+size&qid=1563131777&s=gateway&sprefix=cami+with+b&sr=8-9 I also ha r one of these, but the top is short on me so I don’t really like it. https://www.amazon.com/KIWI-RATA-Camisole-Support-Casual/dp/B07TF8FTLM/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=cami+with+built+in+bra+plus+size&qid=1563131948&s=gateway&sr=8-7

Absolutely free and produced by Microsoft...... don’t pay money for MS Office training https://support.office.com/en-us/office-training-center

DD18 and I finished one for her a few weeks ago using this set of instructions. It was pretty easy. https://monicapare.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/how-to-make-a-t-shirt-quilt-for-dummies/ DD18 did all of the cutting, ironing of the backing and the straight sewing. I jumped in to help with putting the back on and the binding on at the end. I just have a plain sewing machine, so no fancy stitching, but it came out looking pretty amazing with all the different colored T-shirt’s she had from various Scout and Music events, Because all the shirts were old, it came out very soft and she plans to take it to college with her in the fall.

About 35F is winter coat weather here. That’s when I haul out my good coat for going outside. Of course, if I’m skiing or something, 30F is still too warm and it has to be closer to 10F before I put on my warm clothes when I’m exercising. For comparison - it’s in the 80s here this week and we are all complaining about the Brutal Heat.

I had it. Contracted after a stay in the hospital with emergency gall bladder surgery. I won’t lie - it nearly killed me before we figured it what was wrong. That’s not an exaggeration - it was in renal failure caused by malabsorption. i think it was Difficid they put me on that worked. They tried vancomycin first but I broke it in huge hives in just a few hours (lovely). Difficid was a big pill, but I felt better after just a couple of days. 30 days to get it fully knocked, but it worked.

I’m so sorry, Qull. My mom chose this. And she was adamant about not telling my siblings it was terminal even though she was living with me and on hospice care. She was only in her 60s and she and my dad refused to discuss any type of arrangements for her either. And since it was her death in question, I had to respect her choices not to plan and not to tell. When asked, I just told my sibs they needed to talk to the parents about it. it hurt my siblings a great deal to have been shut out. And damaged my relationship with them at some level because they felt I should have told. I still don’t know whether that was the right thing to have done, but I do wish I had argued with my parents more to be honest with my siblings. But they “didn’t want any fuss”. ETA- I did win the palliative care argument, but it took playing the “so you won’t be a burden” card on her, which was icky. But that WAS the right thing to do as it made her final days comfortable and pain free.

We did this many times when our older kids were little. DH likes to drive at night and I would sleep in the car until about mid night, then stay up with him the rest of the way. Things that helped - playing audiobooks for the kids to listen too, warm blankets and no snacks (normal eating patterns for kids). When they were in the high backed boosters, I used pillows to prop them up to keep them positioned right.

We were just talking about this the other day for DD18. A little trip on Google spotted us this one: https://www.lowes.com/pd/vaultz-locking-storage-chest-white/1000373197?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-google-_-pla-_-203-_-safes-_-1000373197-_-0&kpid&k_clickID=go_1725264633_68680795438_336385099153_pla-311630864787_t_9033841&gclid=CjwKCAjwxrzoBRBBEiwAbtX1n1xaqVGsasEwiw4BIbc_p0Orgdy7WS1zyLRl6VUcsrgaj1_HoBKX6hoCeZkQAvD_BwE This one is a little fancier than we were thinking as it has dual locks. But it does have the things I think were important in a dorm room safe - all metal, a combo lock (no lost keys!) and a security cable to fasten the safe to something solid so it can’t just be picked up and taken. And yes - I think these safes are pretty common in dorms these days for storing medications, passports and cash.

Four kids here and four sets of wisdom teeth removed. No big problems or drama other than oldest DD having a weird reaction to the sedative they used and cried for four hours after she came out of it. DD18 got here’s removed a few weeks again. 20 minutes in the oral surgeon office, significant discount for paying cash , and a couple of days eating pudding and ice cream and it was all over.

VA gets the info from SSA SSA usually gets notified by the funeral home or you can call them. https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/

We avoid the big chains like Petco because of exactly the problem you describe - bloody nasty frozen rats. DD goes to a small local store where everyone likes reptiles. She goes there to talk about her snake. She (DD not the snake) says you might check out Underground Reptiles as they have a good reputation.

DD buys her frozen mice from s local pet supply store. They also carry rats. If you don’t live a million miles from everywhere like we do, you can also order rats and have them delivered. They come overnight with ice packs. Whether they are fit for human consumption might be debatable, but Sneaky Snake approves of them.

I thiink there is something pinned on the college board about this. My kids went to college pretty minimalist due to the long travel distances, but there were a handful of things that really made things easier. Scissors Tape - both clear and duct tape a multi-tool like a Leatherman Stapler and some office supplies like paper clips and binder clips big box of mechanical pencils/pens

Disclaimer - I travel a lot for work, it so much for pleasure. To help maximize packing space in my bag, I use packing cubes. I have this set and and they are amazing. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LEHAZYY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I don’t fly JetBlue often, but I would encourage you to look for a carry on bag that is at least an inch smaller in every direction that their stated dimensions. That probably means buying a very small carry-on suitcase or rolling duffle. My current suitcase has been showing its age and mileage. I’ve been looking at this set to replace it. Both bags are under the size limits for US airlines, including JetBlue. https://www.amazon.com/Traveler-Lightweight-Expandable-Rolling-Suitcase/dp/B000QPD7QI/ref=sr_1_17?crid=2BL7X167DJRYQ&keywords=jetblue+carry+on+bag&qid=1559423842&s=gateway&sprefix=Carry+on+bag+jetblue%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-17

Viewing the Northern Lights: this site has some good advice on how to see these. I have the aurora.cam notification that comes to my phone. It really is all about catching the right weather and being able to see the horizon without light pollution. http://www.alaska.org/things-to-do/northern-lights-viewing

Hi all! i just dropped back in to say that DD18 was inducted into the Order of the Arrow this weekend as part of this chapter’s first ever Call-Out to include female youth. She and the other two girls inducted were all from her Venture Crew, but it is expected there will be female youth from Scout troops in the future. DD18 has earned her Summit Award this year (highest award for Venturers) and inducted to OA is a great cap to a good year. She was recruited to work on staff at two different scout camps this year - with the inclusion of girls at camps this year, there is a real need for young women with leadership experience to serve as staff and mentors for the female campers. DD will be teaching archery at the camp in Juneaa and the High Adventure camp at Denali. Then, she heads East to work staff at the World Jamboree this summer. She is on track to complete her Ranger year as well - most likely before heading off to college in the fall.

With my meal-avoiding kid, I found that low-effort food worked best. Low effort as in I didn’t even ask him what he wanted - I just made something I knew he liked and handed it to him. Sort of like your sandwich from the local shop - food is there with zero effort so they eat it. Even waking to the kitchen seemed too much trouble for him some days I figured my kid was using his mental energy in just coping most of the time and didn’t have anything left for interacting about food. These days, he lives on his own and eats a limited variety of food, all of which can be made with little mental effort. He is healthy and doing well. I would not secretly track his eating - my kid would have resented that greatly. Providing easy food was the key for us during the growing years.

Re: Northern Lights. You may see them if you stay up late (or get up early) between 1am and 4am on a cool clear night that was warm during the day. Re: Sleeping. Bring the mask with you and get used to using it before you come. Few locations have sufficient black out curtains to meet your needs. Trust me on this one. Re: What to do. Arctic Mama’s train suggestion is my favorite to recommend to visitors. You see great stuff - amazing views and historical things - and the stress level is very low. Mama Geeks car trip would be my second choice. A wonderful thing to do is A Fjord boat trip out of Seward and they coordinate with the train schedule too. Enjoy your trip! Bring a rain coat and a fleece jacket regardless of when you come because Alaska’s a big place and it has its own weather. ETA: Re Pizza. Moose’s Tooth Pizza has a sister restaurant nearby called Bears Tooth with the same pizza. You can call BT and order the pizza for pick up without the wait and then eat in one of our many parks. It really is something amazing. Menu is online too.

Biolage makes a shampoo for colored hair that is the bet I have used for maintaining the color after I dye it, but I always cringe at the price ($15+ for a small bottle). I snagged a really giant bottle of it for $10 at Ulta’s post-Christmas sale this year and now I have enough to last probably a full year. I have dyed my hair for 20+ years after my hair went full on grey in the two years between the births of kids #1 and #2. I have found that having a quality shampoo and conditioner makes a difference in how long the color lasts.

I keep a drink within hands reach all the time. Also, I bought myself an expensive (for me) keyboard that I refuse to touch without washing my hands after eating. Total investment - $95 (Contigo coffee cup plus fancy keyboard), but it helped me eliminate the Snacking While Working habit.

Kid #4 graduates on Thursday and then I’m done. 1 public school grad who is off flying planes for the Air Force. 2 that did a mix of public and homeschool. Oldest DD is a music teacher and about to go back to get her masters in the fall. Kid #3 is working out things his own way and slowly getting his undergrad in computers. DD17 will turn 18 next week and graduate on her birthday. She is off to college in the fall out of state after being homeschooled since 1st grade. We always used an eclectic mix of coursework including outsourcing music classes and lessons as well as some classes at the local college. It’s been a good run, but I’m glad to be done. ETA: WTM has been a source of great inspiration to me over the years. While the traditional classic coursework was never a good fit, I used many of the ideas to keep our work interesting. DD17 loved story of the world and also the high school books rom Peacehill. Thanks, WTM!!

I’m not sure what it’s called because I saw it in a magazine years ago and remembered it. I suppose Cheesecake Pudding is a good name. You make a base crust of sugar cookie dough (the roll out kind) and bake it in a cake tin. Then you mix up pudding, pour it in the baked crust and let it set I. The fridge for many hours. Top with whipped cream and dig in! i will try to come back and post a pic when it’s done.

Organ meat - liver, tongue, kidney, whatever. Just gags me - I ate it as a kid because that’s what we had to eat but no thanks. There are a few other things I do t choose to eat - chicken salad - but mostly because I dont like the taste. DD17 dislikes the taste of Mexican food. I’m not sure where I went wrong raising her......

Age 12 or 13 is about the age when oldest DD started self medicating with caffeine for her ADD. Not necessarily “better” than meds but more socially acceptable. She started with tea or a coke in the mornings before school and these days does well with large cups of coffee. Please no lectures about teens and the evils of caffeine. Yes, I know it’s a drug. It is one that works well for both DD and DH and has for many years to help them focus. Stimulants work well for some folks with focus issues, so it’s probably worth a try.

I had IKEA dishes for years and they held up great. But I live a million miles from IKEA so when I needed to replace them, I bought Fiestaware on sale at Kohl’s. Excellent in the microwave and dishwasher and my family of Hard Users have only chipped one bowl in many years of daily use.