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caayenne

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Everything posted by caayenne

  1. We have pretty much never used first names for each other. We both called the other Baby for the first several years we were together, so I still revert to that some of the time. But these days I am more likely to call him Love, My Love, or Sweetie. (I only use his first name when I need him to get to me quickly, like when there's a spider or other icky-crawly thing!) He calls me Love, sometimes Sweetie, and my favorite, "lassie" (said in a wicked Scottish accent with a certain twinkle in his eye). :svengo::001_wub:
  2. A favorite around here is something we call Pineapple Chicken. You just cut up the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and then saute the chicken in some olive oil on medium heat. When the chicken is no longer pink, you add either bbq sauce or teriyaki sauce along with some pineapple juice. (I don't ever measure for recipes like this, but you want to use more pineapple juice than sauce.) Then add one chopped bell pepper (I like red the best for this recipe, but any but green will work) and a cup or two of chopped pineapple. Stir, then turn up the heat until the sauce starts to bubble well. Turn the heat back down to medium, and cover for about 5-7 minutes. Serve over rice. We always use a rice pilaf, but I don't have a recipe to make that from scratch. I think you have most of the ingredients on your list, though. Hope that helps!
  3. :iagree: Awesome game! The Cardinals are a tough team!
  4. Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! Love the name! :001_smile:
  5. I understand how you feel. If I had known the serial-killer thing was in the book ahead of time, there is no way I would have handed the book to DS. I think our culture is becoming really desensitized to violence and killing, and I feel that many times an author (or writer if you're talking movies or television) will just add in a murder as an easy plot device. Having read a few too many books where the characters are suddenly in danger for no other reason than to make the book more "exciting," I try to avoid those for my kids as much as possible. If you want to skip this one, you should. There are so many awesome books out there for kids. They won't suffer for not having read one specific book.
  6. I agree with you, but DS9 loved it! My little sister (age 22) gave it to him, and I didn't pre-read it because she told me it was one of her favorite books at that age. She did specifically say that there was nothing scary or weird about it, because DS normally doesn't like books like that at all. So when he told me (after he finished the book, unfortunately) about the whole serial killer thing, my reaction was something like :001_huh:, followed by :glare:. But he and I had a talk about it, and he reassured me that he didn't find it scary, just "a little bit stressful." It was an interesting conversation, because it really made me realize how differently kids see books from the way we see them. I was annoyed that the author felt the need to add unnecessary violence to a children's book, but DS said that because there were no details of the murder and the author didn't focus on that part, he wasn't bothered by it. He also said that it added to the plot in a way, because it created a conflict of sorts for the kids (you can't go out to play with your friends when a serial killer is on the loose), and that it added an element of mystery, which he always enjoys. I read through it quickly, just to see if I needed to run my sister through the wringer :tongue_smilie:, but while it wasn't my kind of book, I can see why my son liked it so much. He loves to make up extremely elaborate imaginative games based upon real ideas, whether from history or fiction books. He identifies with the kids in the book because he plays the way they play. Are you reading it aloud, though? Because I have a really hard time reading anything to my kids if I'm not enjoying it. I seem to be incapable of pretending to like a book! :lol:
  7. I agree that I wouldn't be too worried about the numbers. My DS6 is right around the same height as your son, and he only weighs 45 pounds at the most. He's really delicate in build, but he's not underweight. He is not a fantastic eater, and his appetite comes and goes, but he's always been like that. Now, a sudden weight loss might be something to worry about, but maybe your DS is like mine and his weight drops whenever he's actively growing. :grouphug:
  8. This sounds scary...are y'all okay? :grouphug:
  9. Many prayers for you and your sweet family! I'm so glad to hear such a wonderful update! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:
  10. It looks great and looks to be a great use of space! Is the fireplace already built in? I couldn't tell from your wording. If if it is, great!, but if y'all are planning to put one in, that seems like a lot of work for a place you're not planning to stay long term. I know CO is super-cold in the winter, but maybe you could get a wood-burning stove or something less permanent. Where will the baby sleep? I assume the other kiddos will be in the other room downstairs and not up in your mom's domain? You have no kitchen stuff showing; will you have a microwave, crockpot, and /or maybe a small fridge? Where will they go? I love your bookshelf layout! I wish I had half that many... :tongue_smilie: You are awesome to be trying so hard to make this work. I hope that y'all can be as comfortable as possible there, for as short a time as possible. I know that all of us are hoping and praying that your family will be in your own space again really soon. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Andrea P.S. How did the job interview go?
  11. You are an amazing person to be able to stay positive and hopeful throughout all this...those kiddos are lucky to have you as their mom! Lots of luck to your DH with his job interview! It might not be a dream job, but it's a start! :grouphug::grouphug: Hang in there!
  12. Also, I know you're worried about hurting your mom, but you just can't add that stress to your plate right now. Your family has to come first in every way. When your mom does finally admit that she needs help and gets a diagnosis and rx, she'll realize what a mess she made of things and make amends. You are not doing anything wrong to look out for your kids' happiness over your mom's! :grouphug:
  13. I completely understand how you feel about not living with DH. I'm not kidding when I say I'd be a basket-case without mine; I feel lost if he has to go out of town for a night. I almost didn't even suggest it, and I agree that it would be very stressful on any marriage. As another poster said, I don't know what it's like living with your mom. I just know that it sounds toxic, and....I don't know. Anyway, could your husband maybe wait tables or deliver pizzas or anything more reliable for money while he finishes the classes? And do you have to pay your mom rent right now, or can you save anything he earns?
  14. Maybe an apartment complex in Colorado might be hiring a leasing agent or a property manager? My DH worked as an assistant property manager at an apartment complex in Arlington when he was putting himself through school. It didn't pay very well, but he got very cheap rent, plus he automatically qualified because he had to live on property to get the job. My other idea is that maybe you and the kids could live with your DH's parents for a few months while your DH stays in Colorado, either in your mom's basement, or in some sort of temporary, single-occupancy housing (ie. rent a room in a house, maybe some sort-of hostel, possibly something through someone at a church, etc.). That way, you guys could live as close to expense-free as possible, your DH could keep looking for work, and hopefully he would find something soon and y'all could move back to him. If he didn't find anything within a couple months, he could come back to TX when the air quality improves more (hopefully soon!). I know that living with your in-laws is unappealing, but it sounds like it would be a much safer and saner environment for you and the kids. It might allow your DH to quit the courier job completely and just wait tables or something, while finishing his classes and looking for a job. But he wouldn't have to spend time fixing your mom's house and he wouldn't be spending hours a day waiting to make $20 :glare:. I don't know what I would do in your situation, because living apart from my DH would probably make me a basket-case, but I think I would consider it for the short-term if it meant a possible end to the long-term stress. I don't know if I could live with my in-laws happily for very long, either, because MIL is very interfering and managing, but I think I could do it for a few months (maybe :tongue_smilie:).
  15. Yay!!! Good for him for thinking of the children first! Here's hoping this year is much better than the last! :001_smile:
  16. FWIW, the air quality here has been much better this week now that we finally had some rain. My DH was having chest pain every time he was outside for more than a few minutes, but it's completely gone now. And I do not say this to try to make DFW sound more appealing, because it's still crazy hot and all! :glare: Just letting you know in case you really need to consider it. I am so glad to hear that you aren't going to put any more time or energy into your mom's house. Whether it's an apartment or the in-laws, seriously, anything has got to be better than the current situation. :grouphug:
  17. This. You guys can make it work. Just hang in there a little longer. Many prayers and :grouphug:.
  18. This is all very good advice. I was wondering about your in-laws, too. Have you spoken with them at all since you've been in Colorado?
  19. :iagree:completely. And until you can get out of this situation, please stay clear of your mom as much as you can. There very likely is a medical reason for her behavior (I agree that it sounds like unmedicated bipolar, or maybe Borderline Personality Disorder?), but that doesn't mean that it's okay for her to treat you and your children this way. It's emotional abuse either way. You talk about how she's treated you this way your whole life. That was not okay then, and it's not okay now. And it's really, really not okay for her to treat your children like this. It's manipulative and awful to say bad things about you, your husband, or your children to anyone, but especially to a 10 year old child. Do not let this slide; tell her to stop. Please do anything and everything you can to get your family into any other living situation as soon as you can. I've met you and your kids, and it breaks my heart to think of your kids crying themselves to sleep from stress. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Andrea
  20. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: to all of you, Andrea
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