I mostly do this. I'm right in the middle of the weight range I should be, but have more belly than I should. I try to dress the best for what I have - a few years ago I decided that well fitting jeans were a must, and I researched what style I needed for my figure and bought some online from Next. They were wonderful, and I now stick to those, even if they're more expensive than I would usually opt for (and I once had to send a pair back when I mixed up UK and Australian sizing). I've increasingly used op shops (charity shops) to figure out what suits me - if something doesn't work out it wasn't a huge loss and the styles aren't driven by what is in fashion this season. I either like flowing tops that skim the body or tighter tops that skim the belly - usually some sort of detail in the front that creates extra fabric (like a cowl neck or crossover front). I don't believe in 'if you've got it flaunt it' but I do believe in looking as good as you can - I know my new-improved low-budget wardrobe has made me feel more positive and confident when I'm out. I actually first bought several new tops because I thought I would need them for work experience. Then I wondered why I had to wait to be employed to look good... I feel like I'm now dressing to reflect who I want to be seen as, and it feels great!

I switched to mobile phone only 5 years ago for this reason. I hardly get any junk calls on mobile and it's easy to block calls. Eventually I win - I block enough numbers that they either give up or run out of numbers!

I also had the 6 year gap and ds lived in his sling. I agree it's personal taste - I prefer the simple fabric sling with rings, no padding or bells and whistles. One unusual take on the sling which might help for the upcoming summer would be a mesh, sun-resistant one. I had one made up out of fabric called solarveil - it's a mesh-like fabric with a high SPF. I used it for showering with ds, but also on the beach and in the pool or sea. It was great to be able to be with dd in these situations where she still needed close supervision and keep ds safe and comfortable.

This is almost exactly how I deal with it, except I got lucky the last time and it looked fabulous for the first few months and good since then. I'm always clear that I towel dry and that I have no interest in spending time on my hair. I don't let them blow dry it before I leave, as that's not s good reflection of how it will look on a normal day. The wonder hairdresser convinced me to buy some 'salt' hairspray and it actually did make a difference for getting a tousled-on-purpose look as opposed to a couldn't-be-bothered look!

I agree that a snack at 4pm is fine. I would pack a few little boxes ready to pick one at 4pm - perhaps one of grapes and a few nuts, or olives, feta and baby tomatoes, or even homemade vegetable soup (not a broth, something thick and comforting). I would also get rid of all sugary foods in the house. You can't eat what isn't there.

I use regentrude's method. It works well but yes, because of the shape and nature of the mango pit (fibrous) there always seems to be an unnecessary amount of wastage! I use a similar method to cut avocado, but it's so much easier because of the pit.

I do the same. I listen all night, actually. It gives me something to focus on instead of focusing on not-sleeping, but I don't need to stay awake to find out what's hapoening next. A book with an enjoyable narrator is essential with the approach!

I agree. This probably says much more about tensions in their marriage / family than about you. But I would also feel bad, and I'm sorry you do. I once offered email support to a family moving to our area, spent a lot of time sharing information, then I got The Question. When I answered honestly, that was it. I didn't know the writer or care in any way to know her, but it was still hurtful and insulting. In the end, her action did more to clarify my thinking on her faith than any amount of thinking or praying or reading could have.

I'm increasingly shopping on Sunday as I like to start the week organised. I look through the fridge, freezer and cupboard on Saturday and write down recipes/meals that a) use the remaining vegetables purchased last week and b) use ingredients already in the freezer or cupboards. Then I make a shopping list of additional ingredients that I need to buy. Recipes using last week's vegetables are scheduled for the first few days of the week, the rest depend on time and how I feel on a particular day. Sometimes I replace a meal on the list with a meal from staple items I have on hand.

Interesting! I've never heard the second definition. Jaded often relates to positive experiences - it's not about disappointment at all. So it might go with wealth and being regularly gifted fabulous jewellery for instance - you get a pretty gold ring and you're not terribly excited because you're "jaded". An example directly from my life, of course :-) ETA: Just checked my Oxford English Dictionary - Tired out or lacking enthusiasm after having too much of something.

I kind of like the style as I prefer to wear a tank top or sleeveless vest of some sort in summer but hate my bra strap showing and just haven't figured out a solution to that. I often wear a gauzy top over when out of the house and then just the tank top when at home. As for the very sheer T-shirts - we did that once and never again. It simply didn't stand up to washing.

My husband is often in bed 8:30. He gets up around 4:30 to run before work.

Email the professor and ask for suggestions. I did this when a class I needed wasn't available and they came up with an option for me to do it through an online provider. It didn't work out, but they did try. In fact, I went to the head of the course, rather than the individual professor. Option 1 sounds feasible. How old is your ds? Does the college have a library he could wait in? Or could you hire a student to occupy him during the time you're in class?

I'd agree - the ingredients of the dish are too salad-like to need a salad. I'd go with bread - get a few types if you want It to be special, perhaps garlic bread, plain bread and a toasted pita bread. But if you do want a salad, fattoush is always good - it's crunch as someone else suggested and simple. And generally delicious, which is always good in food!

Yes, I am aware of that, but I'm not really a 'believer' and am focused more on looking at food differently and rethinking how I eat, my 'fall back foods' etc. I have no health issues I need resolving etc (although sleeping better would be nice - see coffee issues!). I was thinking I may add a week or so at the end once coffee has gone. I promise not to claim it's Whole30 if I don't :-) I'm keeping a friend company so I don't want to stop completely now.

Does he have a girlfriend? Invite her along for a few photos with him. Let her deal with him :-)

I started on Monday - it was a BAD mistake to start before I had weaned myself off coffee. Monday was fine until evening. Tuesday I spent several hours in bed shivering under two duvets with a crashing headache. I was beyond the 'able to function' stage and it took me two coffees, two codeine tablets and several aspirin to return to more-or-less-human by evening. Soooo... the upshot of that is that I'll do the 'Partial30' - Whole30 with one coffee a day (a latte, black coffee makes me gag) although I'll work at cutting that out over time. I'm more interested in re-examining food habits than anything else - we already eat pretty healthily, I think. A couple of meals that are working for me so far: green fish curry, chicken laksa soup, sweet potato frittata and a salad with baby spinach, tomato, avo, avo oil, nuts, smoked salmon and a hard boiled egg. I made mayonnaise with macadamia oil today which worked very well (usually I use sunflower oil and olive oil is too strongly flavoured). I needed a pre-exercise snack today and had a boiled egg mashed with mayonnaise and curry powder and sprinkled with nuts. Satisfying, but not the choc chip cookie I would normally grab when hungry and in a rush!

DS9 plays a "How much do you love me?" game that involves coffee, too. Loving him more than coffee is about as much love as he can imagine me having, apparently!

Kitchen. Or any area where you spend most of the time. While the idea of a place to 'retreat' is lovely, family life isn't really like that, and if that was the nicest spot in the house, that is where we'd all spend our time.

I deal with cloth by rolling up the used pads and storing in a bag in my underwear drawer and then washing in the shower daily (I drop them onto the ground while I shower and stomp on them a little, then once they are 'rinsed' I give a bit of a hand scrub). Once hand washed I wring them out and drop directly into the washer to await the next load so that they are then 'double cleaned'. I personally found that storing then 'dry' until I could wash them by hand was preferable to the soaking method with released an odour I found objectionable. It's worth experimenting until you find a method that works for you.

We didn't ask for or want any money for a wedding, nor will my kids be getting any money towards theirs. If they're not grown up enough to plan a wedding they can afford, they're not grown up enough to to be married, in my view. Dh shares my views on fiscal responsibility (which is one of the reasons we're happily debt-free) and his mother didn't give money towards the wedding either, so no-one was offended or hurt. Making financially responsible decisions is an ongoing topic of conversation with my kids and my older child knows that I believe 'financial compatibility' is one of the cornerstones of a solid relationship. If the future inlaws hate us because we won't cough up for a wedding I'd probably be far more concerned about my dd and the relationship she's entering into than the inlaws' opinions!

I agree with this. Also, when I notice something they haven't done I call them from what they're doing and insist they do what that should have immediately. So they have to leave the video game to come and puck their shoes up. Then to take the plates to the kitchen. Then to pick the toys up. Then to put the book on the shelf.

Thinking specifically of immigrants, I wonder if it's the combination of already being the type of person to take a risk, plus often coming from more community oriented cultures? Your community can be counted on to support you over competitors. And you may have extended family who help out, contribute funds etc. I recently watched Meet the Patels, basically a documentary about arranged marriage in modern Indian-American culture, but also more generally about immigrant culture, and some of these issues came up tangentially. The narrator's father had immigrated with financial help from his village, he became successful and now gives back to the village, lots of hard work, close family and beyond that a supportive 'clan' of people sharing the same surname. It was a really thought provoking (and amusing) documentary.

I often think that I'd love to hire a boy as a mother's helper to play ride a bike / skateboard / hit a ball around with my son for an hour or so once a week. Dh doesn't usually have time except at the weekend and even then he has work and family commitments. I feel bad about it but I'd rather visit the dentist than throw a ball or ride a bike... I'd be happy to sit at the park and drink coffee / read a book so any traditional concerns about boys babysitting wouldn't apply (not that I'd worry about that anyway).

In Australia you would also be expected to show your residency status, though, and you wouldn't qualify for free public schooling without that.