I took Tamiflu years ago when my now 7 year old son was a baby. Within a day, I started feeling very strange, like I was getting mentally loopy. I had this shadow of doom over me that I couldn't explain. I started suspecting the Tamifu, and quickly found all kinds of information about Tamiflu psychosis and psychiatric side effects. I stopped immediately and I've never taken it since or given it to my kids and we've weathered the flu just fine. Swine flu and all. One of my sons was at a Boy Scout Camp in 2011 that was quarantined because of an outbreak of Swine Flu. He came down with it shortly after coming home. It lasted about 5 days, but he was just fine. We have never had any complications or secondary infections from the flu virus around here. I would never venture to say that Tamiflu is not appropriate for usage. I just tend to warn people to be on the lookout for psychiatric side effects that do plague some folks who use it. I happened to be one of them, and it was scary.

We had a recruiter visit our home this afternoon. One of my boys is interested in joining to get college paid for. He knows he'll almost certainly be deployed during his 8 year commitment. Sounds like he'll get most of his tuition and fees covered (but not his room and board). He wants to attend Texas A&M. If he joined the Corps of Cadets/ROTC, they would cover almost all costs, but he'd have to be enlisted as active military for 6 years post graduation. I guess the scenarios are: 1. Get less of college paid for up front, but have a shorter commitment in the long run. 2. Get almost all of college paid for, but you belong to the military for a longer time. Any experience, warnings, cautions, advice would all be welcome. What should we be considering? Its such a young age to make such a weighty decision. What things should he understand before even consider Texas Army National Guard? I'd like to hear both the good and the bad. Even it you're not from Texas. Thanks!

After reading some of the other posts, I have to chime in and agree with others on additional points. "Stuff" is a huge issue. My pantry is half full of my mom's food and half full of mine. We have 7 people, they have 2. She has loads of stuff crammed into her living spaces, and would like to let it overflow. She also has a huge storage unit with more stuff. Crafts, very old clothing, who knows what else. She has an old, hand crank washing machine that she wanted me to keep on my front porch. She said I could use it as a planter (I don't garden) or a makeshift ice chest for sodas and waters when we have parties (for all those parties we have/) My sister-in-law didn't want it either. So it stayed in storage. Taking up space. It will never come to my house. When she downsized, she wanted me to want her stuff, and I didn't. "This younger generation just doesn't appreciate good furniture and anitques." Yes, I agree. I don't appreciate it. I love my mom. I don't love her stuff. The more she buys, the more of a reactionary minimalist I become. I wholeheartedly understand her appreciation for and attachment to these things. It was a very tough thing for her to give up all the freedom, space, autonomy. It must be really hard living here. Our boys are typical boys. Loud and rambunctious. We leave messes. We always clean them up, but we have to give extra special daily consideration to them in a way we wouldn't if they didn't live here. Long Term Health Insurance. My parents both have this and have also prepaid and pre-planned their funerals. This is wonderful!!! The flip side of the Long Term Health Insurance is that now we have someone 5 days a week, 4 hours a day coming to assist with my dad. That makes 3 adult women in my household: me, my mom, and the helper. AAAARGGGHH! The lady is really sweet and unobtrusive. It's just that....there are a whole. lot. of. people. in. this. house!!!! Kids: We had to have another talk recently with my mom to request that she not tell my kids what to do. They're bossed around enough by me and my husband. They don't need 2 moms. We told her by all means to ask for help from them if she needs it, or to ask them to be quiet if they're being too loud. But little things like, "whose turn is it to unload the dishwasher?" or "Leave your brother alone and stop whining!" No, this is not o.k. It's creating a problem for my boys, and I don't want them to have memories of being bossed around by my mom. They don't need that kind of relationship. They need a grandma. On more than one occasion, I have found decorative items that have magically appeared in my living space or on my front porch. No comments, no questions like, "would you like this item for your kitchen or living room?" Knick-knacks appear on the mantle, pillows appear on the sofa. She pays for them, and I don't want them. Then it hurts her feelings that I don't want them, because after all, she was trying to be generous. So I owe her a debt of gratitude. The right answer is for me to say thank you and love the items with all my heart and to be humbled by her generosity. If I don't want it, though, I've insulted her. She doesn't want to give me something. She wants me to want something regardless of whether I like it. Complicated and stressful. She set up appointments for the carpets to be cleaned and windows to be washed. This is something we wouldn't have paid for. We have a carpet cleaner and 5 capable boys with long reaches and a good work ethic. I don't mind if she wants to pay for a service like this. No skin off my nose if she wants to spend the money. The window washers wanted to know if we wanted some extra special services done for just a little more than what she paid. She called me downstairs and I said "no thanks." She was perturbed, I could tell. My sense from her was, "we paid to have the bulk of this done for you...the least you can do is pitch in a little more for the extra special bonus service." I really can't win. And I really have to fight hard against being guilted into doing things. My husband is a great help. He has a strong backbone. Running commentary: she chimes in on every conversation. She has something to say about everything. We avoid having any meaningful conversations downstairs because we like our privacy. It's hard not being able to talk significantly about life downstairs in my kitchen...the most natural place for such conversations happen. We sometimes slip up and do it any way. If she's around, she has to say something, solve the problem, suggest an idea, give "words of wisdom" to my boys. She's not only that way with us. She's just a really big talker and places herself front and center of every conversation with friends and family. We kind of react by clamming up, and I know she senses it. She told us recently that she and my dad don't really feel like part of the family because they feel like we don't share enough information with them and that we keep to ourselves a lot. She's right. We do. It's important for us to be a nuclear family and have boundaries. Not because we don't love them. We love them very much. She doesn't understand this and feels left out. She doesn't recognize that she crosses boundaries at all. I agree with what a couple of people said above, too. They really do start to lose their filter as they get older.

My 2 cents is don't do it. It's better not to be related in any way other than blood. Not money. There might not be a spoken "catch" to this, but they're giving you this "great deal", as you mentioned. It would be hard for *anyone* not to fall back on "all we've done for you" if you have disagreements over things in the future. It will be hard for you not to guilt yourself into doing things you don't want to do. After all, "remember what they're doing for us?" All I can see is unspoken guilt and expectations. And also a sense of entitlement to have input with your kids. My parents moved in with us almost 5 years ago. I think it was the right decision, and I'm glad we did it. AND, AND, AND, it can be very complicated. You get along better from a distance? Ditto that with me and my mom. It's often very uncomfortable. If you know you have a good relationship at a distance, I would not sacrifice the relationship for a good housing situation. Maybe it would work really well, but if it doesn't, the relationship can really suffer. IMHO, family and money always clash. If you all decide that they should live with you (for caretaking purposes either now or down the road), I would try to find a place that you can afford with monthly "rent" from them, but it would be your house purchased with your money. We live in a house that we wouldn't have been able to afford had my parents not moved in with us. They have the downstairs master bedroom (my dad has Parkinson's and Dystonia, and he can't do stairs.) They also have an office and a small living area. We calculated all the expenses for the house, including utilities, taxes, etc...by square foot. We share the kitchen, of course, and the general downstairs living space. If they were to move out, we'd sell the house and downsize, because we not only don't need this space, but we can't justify the expenses associated with this home if they're not living here. I sincerely doubt they'll ever move out, because they can't possibly find any independent or assisted living for anywhere near the price they're paying us for their living expenses. Anyhow, that was way more loaded with opinions that you probably care to read. From experience, an arrangement like this produces lots of tension. It affects not just my husband and me, but my 5 boys, too. It really changes the whole feel of the household. I'm not saying that to talk down about my parents at all. It's just that merging two households or having any kind of relationship where money is swapping hands is complicated.

I second Call the Midwife and London Hospital. Also, Lark Rise to Candleford, Little Dorrit, North and South, Cranford, and Bleak House.

We take walks almost every night. We like to go to Half Price Books together. He comes shopping with me in the evenings sometimes. We're big planners. We go to McDonald's often and sync up our calendars, discuss the kids, schedules, activities, goals, progress, etc...We love to do foot rubs. Almost every day when he gets home from work. We just plop down on the sofa and give each other a decent foot rub.

This has been so helpful. Thanks everyone! I think I've decided to go with Jann. My dss #3 and #4 have been doing Chalkdust Math (Dana Mosely videos). The teaching is just fine, but the extra help they need is not available. My husband tries to help them, but it so buried with work. We also need the accountability of a schedule and teacher, and some real class time. It sounds like a perfect fit, especially given that she can help outside of class. My older boys went through Algebra II at home then moved on to courses at our local community college. Algebra II is all we're really trying to get through at home. I'll be registering later today. Thanks, everyone! Lisa

Just looking for more info. on your experiences with him as a teacher. Thanks!

I called AO Publishing and they confirmed that the publication date of the TM I was trying to buy on ebay matches the current student workbooks. Thanks, everyone!

Any info. on your experiences with either of these teachers would be great. In particular, if you're really happy with one or the other, what do you like best about their teaching and classes? If your child has gone at his/her own pace with Derek Owens, have they moved through their course more slowly or more quickly than the span of an average class? Did your student do the math through the summer?

This has been great. Thanks everyone! I also found another symbol that wasn't a globe or two friends....it was a flowery looking thing. I found out it was really a gear. Anyhow, that means its a custom made list. This is helpful. I've stopped clicking on things I like that have globes!

I was looking at my son's facebook account, and everything that I've "liked" today on FB is showing up in his newsfeed. I'm guessing this is happening with all my friends? I do sometimes see when my friends have "liked" something, but it doesn't seem to be everything. I just don't want to clutter up other people's newsfeeds with all my "likes". Any way to change this?

Bingo! This is sound advice.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti, or something like it. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/ Stretches your chicken a long way. Serve with garlic bread and salad. You listed chili. I would think that would be pretty expensive. Taco salad, though, might be cheaper. Again, stretch the meat. Pinto Beans and Rice with cornbread. Hillbilly Housewife has a good recipe for the beans. I use real butter instead of margarine or pork fat. http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/mybestpintobeans.htm Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.http://allrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup/ I triple the recipe, and also sautee 1.5 cups each of onion, celery, and carrots in some oil prior to cooking the rest of the soup. Also, you can skip the half and half and easily substitute with whole milk or 2%. This will feed a crowd pretty inexpensively. Breakfast for dinner: pancakes! Black Beans and Rice : http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/black-beans--n--rice (I omit the liquid smoke and jalapeno peppers) Here's a great recipe for chicken taco meat: http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-chicken-taco-meat-4957

I'm home sick from church with my youngest, and my hubby and other boys are camping. He's what I'm aiming for; Exercise on the elliptical (even though I'm sick...thought it would make me feel better) soak in an Epsom Salt Bath (while watching another episode of The London Hospital on my Kindle) Create several new Ebay listings enter receipts on You Need a Budget make Crustless Spinach Quiche for hubby's low carb diet make Broccoli Cheddar Quiche for the rest of the family wash and hang clothes to dry (dryer broke yesterday!) Help hubby get settled when he gets home from campout so he'll have time to install the dryer part I had to buy yesterday! make almond shortbread cookies clean master bathroom

Thanks! That's helpful! Lisa

I'm trying to get a good deal on ebay, and I'm confused about publications dates. There are no dates or ISBNs that I can find on the Alpha Omega website, either, and amazon doesn't give me any firm info. on the publication dates of the teacher's manuals. I see that there are teacher's manuals that are one volume, and ones that are two volume. Any help is appreciated. Lisa

I have to create a 1 minute video for the Junior Senior banquet, and I'm having trouble picking a song. I don't want an eye-roller from my son's point of view, but also don't want anything that will be offensive to a crowd of Christian parents and students.

Hoarders for me, too. Sick, I know. It's motivational. I'm a minimalist in progress. Makes me want to jump up, grab a trash bag and start throwing stuff away. I can't get rid of things fast enough. I'm even tempted to pitch my ebay pile because I don't have time to list items as quickly as I want to get them out of my home. I have lots of hoarders in my family, and somehow I've gone in the direct opposite direction (thankfully). I guess my fascination isn't inexplicable, though.

I can't stand much of what comprises "women's ministries" at many churches. I find most bible studies led by women to be vapid and the prayer requests full of gossip. I'd much rather be in a bible study led by a man. I guess you could say when it relates to church and ministry, I'm sexist. Parents whose kids pick their noses need to tell them to cut it out. You'd think many of these kids are mining for gold or something. It's not like the parent's don't see. And the vast majority of the kids I see picking their noses eat their boogers, too...after examining what's on their finger. I know many would think this is not a battle worth fighting. In my house, it is. My kids are disgusted when they see children eating their boogers. I guess we've passed that on to them. Letting boys play video games with any regularity is a huge mistake. I put my foot down on that when my kids were young. We've never had a playstation, wii, xbox, or whatever all the other game systems are. I thought for a while I had created a monster with my oldest. Whenever he had the chance to play at other people's houses, he was obsessed. I thought I had accomplished the exact opposite of what I was shooting for. Now that he's 18, he told me he's so glad we didn't have video games growing up. He sees how much time his friends waste and is mortified. My second and third son feel the same way. My youngest two would play all day if I let them. I already didn't like them from the start, but reading Boys Adrift just cemented my opinion. I watched all seasons of Lost on Netflix, and I'm ashamed. I thought it was going to be based in reality. I was hooked by the time I found out there really were other forces at work. I normally loathe science fiction/fantasy, whatever you want to call it. I just really wanted to see what the black cloud, etc...was all about, so I watched it to the end. The finale was ridiculous, and a huge disappointment. I immediately kicked myself for the time I wasted. I normally don't like reality TV. Hoarding shows are the exception, though. I find it extremely motivating. I can't help but grab a garbage bag and cleaning supplies and get to work on problem areas in my house. I'm not a hoarder in the least. I'm a minimalist wannabe, but just happen to live with 6 people who bring stuff into the house quicker than I can carry stuff out. I've lived in this house for almost 5 years, and I have 2 things hanging on the wall. Three if you count the clock in the kitchen. I hate decorating. I do appreciate nicely decorated homes when I see them. Decorating is just never on my top 1000 list of things to do.

People who worry about being judged or undervalued by other people are usually guilty of being very judgmental themselves. They put themselves in the shoes onlookers and assume that those onlookers must certainly be thinking the same kinds of condemning thoughts that they themselves would think in a similar situation. Then they preemptively respond. I've been guilty of this. Here's an example. I was sold on breastfeeding each of my kiddos for at least 12 months. I would see moms bottle feeding and think how much better for the child it would be if the mom would breastfeed. I put myself a smidgeon higher on the "good mom" scale since I was breastfeeding. Stupid, I know. Then, the shoe was on the other foot. With 2 of my babies, I was only able to breastfeed for 6 months. It broke my heart, because I really wanted to do it for longer, knowing it was healthier for them in the long run. But my milk dried up completely, despite pumping, herbal supplements to increase production, drinking plenty of water, etc... No stone was left unturned, and with a mom who's a lactation consultant, believe me...I did everything possible. Anyhow, I'd be bottle feeding my baby in the church nursery, and another mom would come in to breastfeed. My first thought was that they definitely noticed that I was bottle feeding. Then I would launch into my diatribe about how I had every intention of nursing for at least 12 months, but despite moving heaven and hell, alas, it came to an end and now I was forced to bottle feed. I needed to explain to other moms why I was doing what I was doing so that they wouldn't think bad things about my mothering skills. Immature, I know. And the reason I did this? Because I had judged other moms in the same way during the times nursing was going so well for me. I learned alot about myself through that. I now apply this to other situations, trying to avoid justifying myself or my actions just to cater to my insecurity. I purposely don't go out of my way to apologize for the state of my house when company comes unexpected. Every fiber of my being wants to say something, assuming they're thinking, "What a pit!" I have to consciously not do this. Many other examples I could name. I have to work on recognizing my insecurity and realize that it ultimately stems from my own tendency to be judgmental. It's always a work in progress.

Planning high school schedules with multiple kids is so stressful for me! We have to coordinate dual enrollment, a part time university model school, another co-op for my 7th and 9th grade sons, and Classical Conversations for my 7 year old.Uggh! So stressful! Add scouts, possibly speech and debate or youth in government. I wring my hands about how it's all going to come together and how we're going to juggle who gets the cars on which days. I'll be glad when it's all settled. God always seems to work it out just perfectly, though. Be anxious for nothing!

Make snacks for tonight's high school bible study clean master bathroom do school with 7 year old send transcripts, SAT scores, AP scores, resumes, meningitis vaccines, etc... to 4 colleges on behalf of my oldest son look for local volunteer opportunities for my 15 year old cook pinto beans for burritos make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for this week's breakfasts think about looking at my Motivated Moms list ;) make almond milk toast almonds

Perfect, that's what I thought. Thanks!

If you had to choose, would this be considered national since BSA exists throughout the US? Or would it be Regional according to our Circle 10 council? Or local according to our troop? Help! BTW, Wikipedia lists it as a federally chartered organization Lisa