I mentioned Hebrew National upthread because that's the best we can get around here. However, if we had our way, we would only eat what we call Michigan Dogs. I have no idea what the brand is because we only get them when we visit family in MI. Dh's grandma buys them at a meat market, and they're strung together and come in natural casings. They crunch when you bite into them, and they're not greasy nor do they leave a nasty aftertaste.

Hebrew National

I have acupuncture regularly and have never had a reaction like that.

Kitchen Aid (I did have a problem with the first KA we purchased, but they offered to replace it w/no hassle, and overnighted a new maker to me plus a label to ship back the defective one). This one has been going strong for 6 years. I now only use it when lots of people are over, though, since we've had our Keurig for the past several months.

My child was a car screamer, too. We sang endless rounds of Old McDonald to distract her. As soon as we'd quit, she'd start screaming again. I really despise that song now. The posters who mentioned car sickness could be on to something. Dd now gets VERY carsick very easily. She also has SPD, and one of the things out of whack for her is the vestibular system. The vestibular system would be engaged during a car ride. Kind of like swinging. She hates swinging and screamed in the baby swing just like she did in the car. Not really sure what you could do for a carsick baby, though.

We have two we purchased from a pet store a few years ago, and we haven't had any trouble at all. They're in excellent health and very sweet. I do suggest getting at least two, though. They're very social creatures. We started with one but could tell she was lonely, so we went back for her friend who was thankfully still available.

We enjoyed Discovery Streaming when we had it as part of the now non-existent G3 $59 social forum package, but, no, I wouldn't pay full price (or even half price) for it. The $59 we did pay was for a combo BrainPOP/DiscStreaming.

Magic Cabin has very nice dress up items, but I don't remember seeing full costumes. Chasing Fireflies has GORGEOUS costumes, but the prices are up there.

We pay for it.

:party: YAY!!!!!!! That is fabulous news!!!!! Congrats to your dh!

Thanks!

:grouphug: Your MIL sounds like my mother. I haven't had contact w/her in years, and the prevailing peace is priceless. ETA: I would leave any decisions regarding cutting ties w/her up to your DH, though, if you all feel such a step is necessary.

Thank you, ladies, for sharing your experiences with me. I appreciate it! The wait continues . . .

I saw the doctor today. I'm being tested for many things and should have results back in a week or so, but the one thing the dr felt most strongly fits is PCOS. In fact, he felt like I've received a misdiagnosis of perimenopause (which I've been under the impression I've had for the past several years), and test results will point towards PCOS. I've never heard of this before today and what I've read online so far doesn't sound very encouraging for someone who tries to avoid long term meds. I would love to hear from anyone out here who has this and is successfully treating it w/o bc pills or other maintenance meds. I prefer natural or eastern treatments over modern meds, so if you have experience to offer in that area, please speak up! Also, I suppose just to consider all sides, I should also hear from people who are taking modern meds for this condition. Have you had any side effects? How is your quality of life/general health since beginning these meds? If there are any risks associated with the meds you're on, do you feel like the benefit you personally are receiving outweighs those risks? Not saying I definitely have this, but since it's the one thing I'm unfamiliar with out of the group of things they are testing me for, I'd love to have some info just in case the doc is right. If it is just perimenopause, I feel confident I can continue as I have been; I just have to alter my expectations. If it's diabetes, I hope like heck that, while I might never be as thin as I was, I can at least control blood sugar through diet and exercise. If it's thyroid disorder, I am aware of a few natural things to try but have not met anyone who has had the success they hoped for in that area. Anyway, thanks in advance for reading this and for sharing whatever you can. Hopefully, this doc is wrong, and it's just the dreaded but "this shall pass, too" perimenopause.

It's kind of a culture shock, huh? I've lived many places in the southwest and southeast, but I never encountered anything like this until West TN. I was actually confused when first meeting people with such attitudes. Sorry you found the same attitudes in Maine. Perhaps you have some transplants from here or vice versa?! ; )

This happens in West TN. The snubbing doesn't just occur because one doesn't go to church at all. It may just as easily occur because someone is of a different denomination. The pp is right, too, about those conversation starters (which might also be, more often than not, conversation enders). So predictable!

Yes, just the smell alone is enough to bring on an attack.

No, I don't make my daughter attend funerals. One of us stays home with her while the other attends. Besides us, her paternal grandparents are her closest relatives. If one of them passed, I'd ask her if she wished to attend. If not, I would hire a babysitter or leave her with a friend. She will be 9 in a month.

We did ES Earth Science and Astronomy last year and really enjoyed it. We still can't bring ourselves to take down the giant solar system we created and hung on the ceiling. There are so many add-on possibilities for these subjects. Bonus points if you live close to a planetarium or space center. Look into a local geology club, too.

BRONCOS ROCK!!!!! :001_smile: Though I did feel sorry for Roethlisberger. He took way too many hits.

:grouphug: I feel the love in your words. I'm so sorry for your loss.

:iagree:

Yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid I'll be incapable of doing. I know I'll be looking forward to being drawn into another one of her worlds, and I'll be disappointed if that doesn't happen. Knowing this about myself, I pledge not to write a review if I ever do read the book and do not love it.

Dd has dust mite allergies. She will wake up with red, watery eyes and stuffy nose. If I continued to let it go, she would end up with a sinus/respiratory infection (before we knew she was allergic, she was constantly sick and in and out of the ped). I have asthma, and I will begin to have trouble controlling my asthma if things get too dusty (I don't THINK mine is related to dust mites but just a general "surroundings need to be pretty clean and fume free" plus a few other triggers not related to housekeeping), and the steps we took/take to help control dd's allergies also help(ed) me. It sounds like it wouldn't hurt for you to try washing your bedding on hot to see if your symptoms disappear. Or you might be allergic to whatever detergent or softener you use, though, and perhaps it becomes really evident when your eyes and nose are in contact with the allergen.

School was safer than home, so no. If I could have lived consistently with my grandparents and they could have homeschooled me, though, then yes.