Mommaduck, i have barefooters feet as well. . .I don't like the looks of them, so I know I don't have to worry about anyone else!

Well regardless of what this person thinks, know that for everyone who says you are "Just" a sahm/house mom/whatever, there are many more who are jealous that you are "Just" a house mom. I am one! I wish I could be "just" a mom. shell

YES. . .I love to play it!!!!!! I have a Nintendo DS. . .shhhhh. . .don't tell. . .I'm a closet gamer. I found Guitar hero on Tour for the DS used at game stop a couple weeks ago. I got to save $5.00. And I rock much better on it than the full size one.

It IS hard to kill a spider with insecticide. . .maybe someone needs to invent arachnidcide. I've found that spiders like to PLAY dead. They'll shrivel up when you spray them and act like they're dead. . .but wait a while. . .they're really just playin' possum. I'll have to try the lysol and bleach! I usually have to get DH to squish them for me. . .I just can't do it! We've seen a few this year. . .ya'll be careful in your garages too!

Yeah, how could I forget the foil bundles!!!! You can also add carrots to them! I love, love, love foil (we call them Hobo) bundles.

We do a lot of one pot meals (less dishes to wash). Mac and cheese with hot dogs in it is one. Ziti is another (cook pasta, drain, stir in spaghetti sauce and LOTS of cheese). A stew, I know there are more, but I'm in a fog today.

Here we go. . .everyone else is doing it. . .so that means it's OK. When I initially read your e-mail the day you posted I had thoughts going through my mind and I didn't think that I was going to respond, but now that your pastor has blown it off, I have to type this out so I feel better. Obviously, their definition of success and mine are two different things! "Success" in a youth group, to me, is not getting more and more kids to come to our youth group by making it seem like a party. "Success" to me is taking the kids that you have (be it 2 or 200) and mentoring and discipling them. Letting them know that they have an adult in their life that they can come to or call at any hour of the day or night. No matter where they are in their spiritual walk (even if they haven't even started) they need to know that God loves them through everything a teen goes through and that the foundation is strong and deep. There are games you can play that are fun. . .believe me. . .we've had some doozies, that build fellowship and comraderie. I'm not saying youth groups can't be fun, but I could think of at least a dozen other activities that are fun rather that a copied piece of paper with questionable material on it. I think that part of the problem with youth groups today is that we are so quick to look online or go buy a book to get our lessons from that we don't even stop and think if it would be relevent to the kids in OUR group. . .not is it relevent to the group down the street at X church or relevent to what church movements as a whole are focusing on, but is it relevant to "teen tommy" sitting in the chair in front of me. Is this going to help him see God's love, is this going to help him get through his next tough situation with wisdom. I think so often youth leaders think that just because it's in a book means it's gotta be a proven success and it will work. This is so often not the case, and just b/c a youth group is "Fun" doesn't mean it's having a positive effect on your child. DH and I were youth leaders at a previous church and I'm sure there are some on this board, so I'm not saying this to slam anybody, and if any one is offended by anything I've said maybe it's b/c God is speaking to you. Many times DH would have a little lesson planned. . .that he didn't need to get out of a YS book, and by the time he stood up in front of them. . .he had changed the lesson to something else. It was what God laid on his heart. It had nothing to do with what was written in a "Youth" guide, it was based on what was written in the bible. I don't think I'd be able to find ANYTHING in MY bible that would support a "Name the Candy" game on a piece of paper. Sorry this got to be so long. . .I'm passionate about helping youth cause it's tough for some of them. . .and I will get up on my soap box any day of the week to discuss this b/c from what I see, we get it all wrong with trying to be so worldly. We're missing the mark b/c we want our youth group to be large and it's just wrong. Ok I'm stepping off. . .and I hope this made sense it's kinda jumbled in my head.

I agree. . .mandatory through employers is not the solution. My dad owned a small business. When he needed extra help, he went through a temp agency, b/c he couldn't afford to take on all the costs/taxes associated with having employees.

I stand corrected. . .wow, I don't admit that very often. It just stinks too, it seems like everywhere you turn small business owners are getting the short end!

You're not given him money, you're giving him a benefit. i don't know what the law is, but at the corp. I work for, as well as DH's. Our health insurance premiums aren't taxable and they pay a significant portion of the premiums. These are both facts, I confirmed it on our pay stubs!

Sis is correct. I'm sure there's more red tape involved, but health insurance premiums are not taxed. And many large corporations pay a portion of employees insurance premiums. . .that's why many people pay cents on the dollar for their ins. policies, their employer is picking up a portion of the tab. Again, I'm sure there's red tape, but it's worth checking out! shell

LG, I don't know how old you are, but 39 is NOT being kind to me. I have had more health related issues this year than I have my entire life!!!! I'm so glad that it's not a tumor!!!!!!!

OK, OP said it would be an income tax based on purchases. Please explain how that's and income tax and not a sales tax. I guess to me it sounds like a "national Sales Tax".

I'll be praying.

I think it depends on how important zoom is to you. My first digital had awesome zoom, second one was about half that and I really did miss it. Fortunately the camera I have now (DH got it for me) has a higher zoom and I like it better than my last one. I do a lot of things that I want zoom for though.

I they are working quietly or doing "seat work" as they sometimes call it in PS, but I wouldn't if they were reading aloud to me. I don't consider reading aloud "study hall" though. I can't knit and give enough attention to someone at the same time, but that's me. I know someone on this board knits in church during the message. I can't do that because my focus hones in on one thing and one thing only. If I'm knitting, I may hear what someones saying, but it's not really sinking in. So if it were me. . .I would knit during quiet times, but if I needed to pay attention to what they were saying I wouldn't. It depends on if you can do 2 different things at once. . .me, i have a hard time walking let alone trying to walk and chew gum!

I would probably go ahead and do it now. With the economy flucuating we can't be 100% sure that in a year we'll have jobs or steady income. . .which will effect your credit and your ability to qualify for a loan at that time.

You're on. . .wish we could virtual wrestle.

I don't know but don't you all go thinking you could even come CLOSE to competing with me!

You are so right. . .I have a funny story about that too! But I'll save that one.

If you don't your resentment is going to build and leag to very strained relations between the two of you that could be avoided. Trust me she will thank you later. You can do this. Good luck. :thumbup1::grouphug: and they didn't have a high five so how about this guy. :seeya: She is so right. . .DD and I are already there. And that just adds to DH's reasons to do things for her. . .thus creating more tension. . . thus adding more reason for DH to coddle her. . .thus creating more tension. . . you get the point.

Don't even get me started on this! I think yours and mine are clones. . .except that mine doesn't go to school and has her drivers license. DH has ALWAYS spoiled her and has cause much tension between us over the years. This is exactly where I knew it would wind up. She has no skills, can't (sorry. . .won't) keep a job, etc, etc. Sorry I'm digressing yet again. . .this is about you not me. . . You asked about house rules. . . 1. Yes she is 18, but if she's living in your house. . .out of respect for you, a curfew is not unreasonable. During the week DD's is 11pm. DH and I both get up for work in the mornings and 11 is when we go to bed. She must be home b/c when she walks in the door, dogs start barking, doors start slamming. . .you get the picture, and if we're sleeping when that happens. . .it's not pretty. 2. If she's living in the house, it's also not unreasonable to ask her to do her share of the chores. In our case it's to work off her monthly $150 car ins that DH insists we pay (even though we can't afford it. . .again. . .sorry this is about you not me) 3. It's your car. . .she needs to respect that. . .she's not entitled to a ride back and forth (especially if there's publuic trans avail. . .what I wouldn't give for that!!!!) or the use of the car to go to Walmart. If she's needs a car to do those things, she should get her own. There's a few more, but I think this is getting long. . .I'll save those! I'd appreciate any advice you could share cause, like I said, I'm really right there with you!!!! shell

I do kwym! Sometimes I think about how much money we could save/invest/whatever if we moved back into that place! Our mortgage pmt is 3 times the payment on that house. . and it had a huge kitchen. . .my kitchen now is tiny. . .but I digress! shell

me too!!!!

I haven't read all the posts. . .I really don't want to know. . .I don't want it to negatively effect the opinion have of anyone. But on behalf of all the musicians out there (and actors too!). . . THANK YOU to those who don't!!!!! That is all. . .I will not get on my soapbox. . .I will not get on my soapbox. . .I will not get on my soapbox. . .