I want to be a grandparent just as you describe, right down to the bread! And, that ring is beautiful!!

Aww! Congrats!

Great analogy for discussion. And, the comment below makes me think of an idea I read once that I have not known how to share with my own, but will now. I have hesitated to share this idea because it strikes me as so 'lay down an accept it-ish', and I have always wanted to empower, But ... something awful may happen. After all the rehearsing, preparing, following 'the rules' of protecting oneself normally or in practice. Maybe a situation scares them differently, maybe they give in without fighting hard enough for many reasons only they understand in the moment. It is vital that our daughter's know 100% - It is never their fault! Even if they don't fight against it for some reason.

Your rose gold ring sounds amazing - I love heirlooms! I am sorry for resurrecting this thread, didn't realize how old it was!

That is weird. DH didn't get it, but there was a company-wide alert broadcast throughout his office building.

Who does she work for? I'm not even sure the source ... Homeland Security? General Big Brother?

It was an alarm, not a ring or text alert like I was expecting. My phone was in my purse in another room at the time. On loud. The dog is still looking for it occasionally LOL (she needs to get out more)

2:21 by my watch/phone. Anyone else jump by the TEST alert?

This thread has me remembering a joke DS shared with me: Mom says: What does IDK, LY, and TTYL mean? Teen says: I don't know, love you, talk to you later. Mom says: Okay, I'll go ask your sister.

I'm sorry that I am too lazy to turn off my filter in order to watch that video, so I hope this is an appropriate recommendation: We used Peggy Kaye's Games for Math for enrichment during grade school a lot. Loved many of the games. Often, they were simple enough for me to pull out of my hat when sitting with a child struggling with times table memory, for example. So, many are simple 'just use a pen and paper' games. https://www.amazon.com/Games-Math-Peggy-Kaye-ebook/dp/B0070O5EG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538572284&sr=8-1&keywords=peggy+math

?

Because I was a stickler for making DC complete the IEW checklists for each assignment, they were good about using varied words. So, I thought I needed this. We did not need it. My students preferred to use the regular or computer thesaurus. If your student just loves words, they may like it, but we were under-impressed. Quite expensive, IMO. Now, I liked having the Student Resource Notebook by IEW in spiral bound version. Not sure how this varies from the PDF Student Resource Pages/Binder, but it was definitely different from the student pages we received free from the regular IEW student package. It is only half the price of the WRN, and it contains word lists. After successfully using IEW for years, I can honestly say, what you need to successfully teach writing is consistent use of a plain old IEW writing program, a red-pen, and lots of praise & encouragement.

Now, that is a wonderful idea...a cooler! I remember that being something that we needed so often during our YA adventures and borrowed all the time. Didn't like parting with my money for one at all, but as a gift, I would have loved it.

Someone on the boards gave a good idea -- the 'POL' or proof-of-life text. Quite helpful, and sons learn to take the hint that it's been too long. I joke to boys, "Please answer when able, and you have three choices of text answer, 'OK', 'Thumb's Up', or 'You're the best mom ever!' " Now our eldest son, almost a graduate is at least 50% as communicative as our youngest child, a girl. This is a huge improvement, percentage-wise, and I am loving it. Hang in there!

Awesome list, thank you!

It is a stereotype that is certainly true here - boys are pretty non-communicative. But, humor is fun with them over text and just about always receives a reply. I screenshot comics I find on google images and send all the time, BC, Snoopy, Far Side ... love them all. Although there'd be eye-rolling over cute animal photos, I send fun ones like our kitty doing her 'Alfred Hitchcock impersonation'.

When the stuff becomes just stuff and cash becomes the only idea, it seems that practical gifts for life might be welcomed. I know one standard idea for a soon-to-be-on-their-own is luggage. We are looking at college graduation this year, but everyone will be heading out on their own quite soon and need all sorts of items to stock that life on their own. We are practical gift buyers; books are still welcomed, but not in the same volume as when they were younger, and money is so boring. What can we give to young adults now that they will use/need soon enough? Furniture? Artwork? Can you help me brainstorm?

My DH and I have a good marriage. He is absolutely my peace and stability. Honestly, what I wonder about is not finding the perfect man for me...it is being the perfect woman for someone else. DH and I have been together for a very, very long time. He loves and forgives me through my utter failings and faults. He has his share too, I assure you, and I forgive him and love him through them anyway. But, we seem to revisit the same faults and problems, working through them in a deeper way each time. They are all, fortunately and by our standards, trivial faults, but they can really push our buttons and cause heartache! So, what I cannot imagine AT ALL is trusting anyone besides my Dear Husband to put up with my faults when they rear their ugly head!

Blessings to you, Quill -- May you receive lots of grace each step of the way.

Blessings for your family and all involved. You are being a good and loving mother & wife!

Ours died 3 years ago; we have never replaced it. I used it for boiling water, baked potatoes, frozen vegetables, and leftover warming. Oh, well! Found other ways to deal with those. I think my heating of leftovers is just as fast: place food in ceramic skillet on high. Wait about a minute until it sounds 'sizzle-y'. Turn off the heat while keeping skillet on the burner and cover with a lid. All hot in about another minute. This is only so-so for meat pieces like pork chops. Use same method, but make sure I have gravy or something in bottom of skillet to help with heating and takes longer. DH still misses it for leftovers. Guests are forever opening our beautiful, nearly new before dying above stove microwave to use it for their contributing dishes when over for meals, only to be told it is broken. They are usually amazed we live without it!

That 3 dimensional backslash is bringing out the OCD housekeeper in me. I could not stand it. Beautiful, though.

My first job as a young teen was at a movie house; I worked behind the candy counter with the two screen rooms behind me. After the purchase of tickets, I would smile broadly and hand the ticket stubs to the patron. So, if the patron was attending the movie on their Right, I would point animatedly with my Left arm to the screen room behind me saying, "The movie is on your Right!" I am forever befuddled!

I just found the campus crime reports buried under the Campus Life section of our youngest's private college - eye opening, indeed!

Driveway is going up a hill; terrain on both sides of drive do not allow for sliding gate. In case you visit, you will see a sign on gate alerting you that gate swings open and to stay next to/behind keypad.