Keep safe! For awhile they looked like they were going to hit our area but then went south. So much damage! I've heard that a lot of people are trapped in their homes.

We are fine as we are a few counties north of the bad storms. There have been so many tornados tonight (Sterling, coal city, other areas near Kankakee) . I hope everyone is ok.

Continued prayers!!

Did he take ice skating or hockey lessons? My daughter was 17, never skated, never played hockey and signed up for the "learn to play hockey" class. She was by far the tallest, oldest and at first one of the worst skaters out there. She kept on trying though. Ironically after that class a girls high school team practiced. This was during the summer. The manager asked if my daughter would like to play for her team. I was surprised since obviously my daughter was very new and had a lot of work to do. The manager said she knew this but also saw how hard my daughter worked and never gave up. My daughter gave it a try. Her first practice with the team was awful. Everyone was so much better then she was but she didn't give up. She steadily improved and really ended up making some key plays in the 2nd half of the season. She graduated from high school so the following year she played on a women's team where she was by far the youngest. She ended up getting so much confidence and really had a good year. This past year she was on a 19u travel team. She was probably bottom third skill wise to begin but ended up doing really well and ended up being really good at center. This fall she will be playing for a women's club team at college. So really if he wants this I would let him try it. I would be honest and let him know there will be skaters better and faster than he is but that he can still improve. How hard he tries is up to him. All of my daughter's coaches told us he wishes everyone would try as hard as my daughter did. Sometimes kids that don't have sports come easy to them appreciate it more and try harder. He might end up hating it and me might love it.

My daughter goes to a secular school. She found a christiian Sorority (social one, not one with a house). She is very involved with it but is also involved with other clubs. Sure there is a lot of stuff going on around campus that she doesnt agree with but she has done well making friends who are like her. She also has friends with different values but they respect each other's values and get along fine.

It might be a bit crazy in Chicago tomorrow with the Blackhawks winning. I'm not sure when the parade is.

I had that same feeling once about a lady in a Walmart. She kept on appearing in every aisle I was in. A few times she got very close to me but didn't say anything. . I was able to lose her in the store and kept a close eye in the parking lot. I even told my husband that I had a very uneasy feeling about Her. A few hours later I was watching the news and she was on it! She had robbed someone of their purse a little while after I left and actually assaulted the lady in the parking lot.

She will definitely be working all home games which is often 7 days in a row. She only gets a 2 week schedule at the pool but is already scheduled 5 days this week. That is a good idea about asking if she can start later although I suspect it's because she can only work until 2 or 3 due to the other job. The heat in the building with her headaches is also a factor. Either way she will definitely give it another week or so to decide.

Yes this too. The ballpark pays better and she will get plenty of hours there. She had originally thought she would only be working 4 hours a night which wouldn't have been enough. She is not worried about making enough money. She will be fine and has money saved up from birthdays etc. she is quite good with her money. Her decision is solely based on what my husband thinks.

Yes I've also been careful to not try to sway her too much. I listen to her concerns and have agreed with them but I don't put anything new into her head. I don't want her to think she isn't capable of doing something. She just doesn't want to disappoint her dad.

My 20 year old daughter had a rough several years health wise through high school. She still has chronic insomnia and now has chronic headaches. This is the first summer that she is working. She has two part time jobs but they are both more difficult then we expected. One is at a minor league baseball park. It can be very physical (helping with the rain tarp etc) but mostly working with between inning promotions. She is on her feet the whole time. She does have to get there at least 2 hours before the game and is there 1-2 hours after. It is usually a 6 hour shift but sometimes they need them for extra things. She usually leaves here at 3:45 and gets home at 10:30 or 11. A few days ago it was more like a 10 hour shift. Since there are times when the team has away games and she won't work she got a 2nd job. She is also working at a water park in food service. Her first day was yesterday and it was awful since the building has no air conditioning and they also cook in there. She felt like passing out. Of course it's hard due to her headaches. The pool knew about her other job and said they would be very flexible. The pool doesn't open until 10 so on the days she works at the baseball park she thought she would only be working something like 10-2 or wouldn't work at all. She just got her schedule for next week. She will be working Wednesday night at the game and won't be home until 11. Then she has to be at the pool by 7 am on Thursday (she didn't realize they had shifts starting so early). She will Work at the pool from 7-2:30 and then has to leave at 3:45 and work at the ballpark by 4:15 and won't be home until 10:30 or 11. So not only will she be working over 13 hours on Thursday but will have only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before since she can't fall asleep until 2 and will have to wake up at 5:30. I don't know how she can keep this up all summer. July will even be worse since there are 20 home games and the pool will have longer hours. It will also be hot and I'm worried about her in the heat of the building. She would be better off working outside with air circulation. Of course it is her decision. She will make enough money to cover books and expenses at college next year which was the goal. There are a ton of people who work in her department so she wouldn't be leaving them short handed and of course she would give them a 2 week notice. She feels bad since she isn't a quitter. Also my husband feels that kids should work hard and has no problem with her working 12 hour days or working 10 days straight without a day off. I feel that it is setting her up for more medical problems. She has already lost 12 pounds and she is already skinny. Part of it is due to the meds she is on for her headaches since she doesnt have an appetite but it's also due to the fact that she only gets to eat 2 meals a day. She doesn't have time for dinner. I don't want her exhausted and in poor health heading into the fall either. She is an adult so I feel it is her decision. I tend to worry a bit about her due to all the medical problems in the past but my dh thinks I baby her. On the other hand I think my dh can be unreasonable. Do you think it would be wrong under these conditions to quit her pool job?

Here are a few sites to get you started: Disboards.com, mousesavers.com, undercover tourist.com. We like to stay off site at a townhouse (Windsor Hills) . It is only 5 min away from the parks. You can get 3 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, full kitchen for a very reasonable price. There is also a washer and drier. It is in a subdivision and has a pool. Each unit also has a small pool. It is hot and crowded in the summer but doable. We used to like going off season in the fall. Feel free to ask me more questions. We have gone there several times. Also I recommend getting their right at rope drop when the park opens. It is less crowded. Then we go back to our hotel for a nap. Then we head back after an early dinner and stay late at the park. This way we miss the most crowded and hottest part of the day. My kids are older though so it may differ with your family.

We are planning a trip to the San Diego area in August. We will probably spend a day at a baseball game, one at Disney and maybe one at the zoo. I would also like a few days to relax on the beach. I am not familiar with the area and want to find a nice play to stay on the beach. It doesn't have to be in San Diego but in the general area. We have 5 so that makes it a bit more difficult to find a room. Any recommendations? Also any other ideas for things to do in the area? I would also like to go somewhere scenic but my dh doesn't want to drive too far.

Yes this. My mom died of cancer last May. When she was dealing with the cancer she said she was really tired of hearing "I'm sorry" especially from my dad. He meant well but she needed someone to say this really sucks. There is no way around that fact. I would let Her vent to me as much as she wanted and agreed with her that it sucked. I would ask her if she needed anything and then we would change the subject. She still wanted to hear about every day things. At first I also avoided talking to Her about my health problems because of course hers were worse but she still wanted to hear how I was doing and didnt want me to avoid it. She was happy when we would have normal conversations talking about the kids or everyday things. It made her feel somewhat "normal" if even for a short time.

Praying

Be there right at rope drop. You can usually get in several rides before the big crowds arrive. We usually head back to our hotel during the afternoon to rest. It is the hottest and most crowded of the day. Then we return later in the day refreshed and are able to stay later at night. My daughter worked at Disney last spring for the college program. When she gets home later I will ask her for more tips. Have fun! We love Disney.

I'm a bit confused. How did this all come to light now? I know that it was brought to Oprahs attention several years ago but why/how did the public just found out about it now?

Praying

Sounds wonderful to me but my dh and son want to do more active things. They don't really enjoy lying on the beach for more than a day. I'm trying to think of a place that would have excursions (either something like snorkeling or something historical like ruins etc).

I know I should be thrilled planning a vacation but it is truly stressing me out. I also think I'm dealing with depression. My mom died almost a year ago and last year at this time was horrible. I also have a chronic illness so I'm in pain pretty much in pain 24/7 but I'm hoping new meds I'm on will help by August. This trip is a combination 25th anniversary trip, my husband's 50th bday as well as a late high school graduation trip for my dd. I'm bound and determined to make this work out. Every time I try to plan I just give up. Part of the problem is that we have a very specific time window we have to work with August 2nd through 10th due to work schedules. Im also trying to plan something that wouldn't be too hard on me but that wouldn't be boring for my kids (23, 20 and 17). My dream trip would be to go to a beach location where I can relax by the beach under an umbrella if necessary but with a lot of activities for dh and kids. I'm thinking a place like cancun. We could go on excursions like the ruins and I could just relax by the beach while they explore etc. My kids actually would love to go to Disney (yes they still love it even at their ages). I'm just not up to a week at Disney especially in the heat of August. I think it would be perfect if we could somehow go somewhere else and then fly into Orlando and go to the parks for a day or two. I really have no idea where to begin planning. I thought a cruise might work but it seems like most cruises were leaving on the wrong day so we will need more flexibility. Would Cancun or Puerto Rico be better? Any other ideas? My husband wants me to plan this but doesn't want to use a travel agent.

She will be 4 hours away. We don't know yet if she will be in a dorm, a suite or a campus apartment.

My daughter is getting her Associates In Science degree next week. She had a rough high school experience health wise (major surgery, two concussions and severe insomnia to name a few). . Back when she was 15 I worried if she would ever be able do well in high school never mind college. Things turned around for her later in high school and now at 20 she is graduating with her AS with high honors despite still dealing with the severe daily insomnia. She is transferring to a 4 year university. I would be proud of her anyway but due to the circumstances I feel this is a big achievement for her. We aren't having a party but will be taking her out to eat to celebrate. I've been thinking of a gift to get her and I just can't come up with anything. She has a full size suitcase but I might get her a nice overnight bag. I would still like to get her something else. Any suggestions?

I just came home from visiting dd at school and bringing home a car load of stuff. Dh is going there next weekend to get most of the rest of her belongings. Then I will drive out the following Tuesday to pick her up after her last final. Now that she has an apartment she has so much more stuff but can't store it there over the summer. I have no idea where we are going to put everything. My middle daughter is transferring to a 4 year university and will start accumulating things soon for her dorm. She will be 4 hours away and will probably only be home a few times during the school year so she will need to bring a bunch of clothes. Where does everyone store college gear during the summer?

You are right woodland. My original post had a specific state. Im hoping by taking that out it isn't as easy to figure out. I guess its not a big deal saying specifically what campus it is but I would just rather not. It's definitely not a big city. The robberies that I've mentioned were on the campus police crime list so I guess that must mean that the crimes actually happened on campus. It's kind of a fine line between on campus and off campus. My daughter is considered off campus but still has their wifi. It's only a really a block away from on campus buildings. Of course I would expect some kind of crime to happen in a city every day and of course there is nothing that the police can do to prevent crime that isnt within a few blocks of campus. I'm talking about crimes that are actually on campus or surrounding streets. I think the biggest thing I'm upset about is lack of communication. When the girl was robbed it was on a street that runs through campus I'm just not sure how far down the road she was but if anything she was just a block or two from the main campus. If the police knew that a college student was just robbed at gunpoint that close to the school and they had not caught the suspect I feel that they should have at least sent out an alert warning the students. The other night because the students were told by authorities that shots had been fired and that the shooter was on campus it caused a lot of panic. When the lockdown was lifted but they were told by police that they didn't catch anyone it still made everyone very nervous. I'm sure the police had a reason for thinking that the students were now safe but the kids sure didn't feel that way. This is a pretty small campus so if the person with the gun was on campus he was pretty much within a 5 minute walk to anyone on campus. It would have been a bit less alarming if the police said it was just someone who was drunk and shooting off the gun and that the person had stayed in one area. The students have no way of knowing if this was the case. I just looked up crime info for some other schools and it seems like for a small school my daughter's school has a pretty high crime rate.

My daughter goes to a private university. I would rather not give the name due do privacy issues. The school is in a small city and it is a fairly small campus. (5,000 undergrad I think) The school was on lock down earlier in the week. Apparently there is some kind of technology that will sense if shots are fired in the area. There were shots fired a few blocks off campus. Actually on the street where my daughter has an off campus apartment. It is only a few minute walk to campus. Dd was in the library at the time. They turned off the lights and locked the library as well as ushered the students to the basement. Then there was an announcement over the intercom that the shooter was now on campus. The students were told to stay put and away from windows. They were in lockdown for about 1 1/2 hours and the announcement repeated 3 more times. Needless to say dd was terrified that there could be an actual shooting. (Gunman loose on campus). I was of course a mess as well. The lockdown abruptly stopped but the students were told that no one had been arrested. No more information was given except for the fact that the police thought that the lockdown was no longer necessary. In have no idea how you go from "the shooter is on campus" to the lockdown is over even though no one was caught. The news articles did say that a shotgun was found as well as 9 bullet casings indicating 9 shots were fired. Supposedly they were all fired slightly off campus but some reports say that they were found in two places. What bothers me is they still haven't given any details. Of course there are a lot of rumors going around such as they stole a car or robbed someone and some people are saying that it was just a drunk firing the gun into the air. The police said no one got shot. I just think that if they at least have some details it would lessen fears. The other thing that bothers me is that there is constantly trouble on or around the school. A girl was robbed at gunpoint in April on the edge of campus and the students weren't told until 2 hours later. The robber wasn't caught until a few days later. The campus is pretty small and you can walk to almost any building within 5 min. My daughter does novice teaching 1.5 miles away at a grade school and walks there every day. She goes there in the morning. In March that grade school went on lockdown in the afternoon since shots were detected nearby. The kids had to hide in a closet. My daughter was never informed and she walked there the next day and the robber was still on the loose. I looked at the campus police crime report and there have been several armed robberies this year within a few blocks of the school as well as lesser crimes such as unarmed robberies that happen almost weekly. Is this typical for a college campus? I think the majority of the criminals are non students but it is just in a bad neighborhood. She has one more year before she graduates and I will be so glad when she does. I don't feel safe having her live there. I just feel that more should be done to keep the students safe. They do have those lit up boxes around campus where you can immediately get a hold of police and campus police supposedly patrol the campus at night. I'm just not sure it is enough. Is this to be expected for a college camous especially in a city?