I would not want to HEAR it. I know that doesn't make sense. I would want to know so that I could address it because I would be humiliated. However, I would not want to hear it from the other mother. So I guess I really wouldn't want to be told. I would address it with the child but I would be so embarassed that I would likely distance myself and not allow my child to return for fear of his behavior in the future. It would totally undermine the relationship because I would feel defensive and "on display" all the time and I would hover to make sure my child behaved. So, while it was wrong for that child to behave that way, telling isn't really going to improve the situation. My guess is that the mother already does know. Which does not necessarily equal her not caring or not doing anything about it. Some of the things my kids pull drive me crazy and it is not due to lack of parenting or permissiveness. FWIW, one of mine would have loved your meal. One would have politely eaten as many rolls as he was allowed and declined the rest. One would have eaten a roll but rudely refused the rest (which we are constantly parenting on). Of course, he's only 6, but too old to be rude IMO. We have homemade soup 2x per week around here and the younger boys still won't eat it. And I don't make an alternative meal. Marie

I've had good luck there the last couple of years with the mix and match tankini styles. I got cute board shorts and a racer back type tank top one year and a conservative (although not as much as the racer back) halter another year. I felt like they were cute and sporty but very conservative. I second the Lands End suggestion, too, but if you need to find something asap give Penney's a try. HTH, Marie

Does anyone have a link for an online salary calculator that will tell you the salary range for a profession in a given city? MIL was visiting this weekend and made comments about her salary that had my head spinning (I'm thinking she is grossly underpaid). She just assumes that she is being paid fair market value and doesn't believe she may be taken advantage of or that she could be doing much, much better. If anyone here has any input, she has an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA. She only got them 11 yrs ago but has been an auditor in the same bank for that whole 11 yrs. Her job has at some times required 80% travel. From what she has said I am guessing she is making low to mid $30,000s because she kept saying that $40,000 is "alot more" than she makes. This is in Western NY. I realize that what she likely did was take an entry level job and then never made an effort to improve her position. Maybe I'm wrong - I don't know anything about accounting salaries. Anyone have any perspective? I don't want to tell her that I think she could do better if that's not really true. I now know why she is so short on money all the time. She has a lot of debt and the cost of living is so high there. TIA. Marie

The water running in the sink isn't working for me anymore but goggles are an idea i can use. I'm not above sporting some goggles to get an onion chopped. I don't know why I haven't thought of that. Thanks!!

I have either become increasingly sensitive or I'm buying some super potent onions but it is becoming pure torture to chop them. I have to stop and rest a couple times when chopping one large onion my eyes are so irritated. I cook alot. Almost always with onions. I bought one of those pampered chef style choppers. It doesn't help. I am still overcome by the irritation. Surely someone has an answer for me. I have tried freezing them and I'm not sure I've got the hang of how long to do it for, etc. because I don't find that to be convenient. Is a food processor the answer? I don't need a food processor for anything else but would be willing to purchase for this purpose alone (that's how bad it has become). I've started doing some bulk cooking but the thought of chopping three onions in one session is about to do me in. TIA Marie

I've been loving the CVS program but just getting into the Walgreens. I have only been couponing for about 4 months but I am so shocked at what I'm saving. It about makes me want to vomit at my old trips to the grocery store. I'm looking forward to trying the rebate program. I'm not one for mailing in rebates but the online thing I think I can swing. Thanks! Marie

Can you use the esaver "instant coupon" with a manufacturer's coupon. I'm thinking it's a store coupon but it says "manufacturer's coupon good only at Walgreens" on it. I couldn't find the answer anywhere but figured I could get it here! TIA Marie

Batman

I've gotten into bulk buying/couponing/stockpiling trying to feed a housefull of growing boys. I need more freezer space and have been looking at chest freezers to put in the garage but then I keep thinking how nice it would be to have the extra refrigerator room for drinks, cheese, etc. I keep going back and forth so I need you women to help me decide. The freezer would be less costly to purchase... I haven't figured out the energy costs... Anyone btdt with an opinion? Thanks, Marie

I understand where you are coming from but I do think it can be awkward to insist and to even go so far as to put the shoe covers by the door. I can only imagine my father being asked to walk around a house looking silly with little paper covers on his shoes but he is very uncomfortable at my brother's house because he is required to take his shoes off. It's just not him. It's one of those things and he would likely not come back. Good guy, just a thing. What I would do (and I know I'm in the minority) is set a mat for wiping shoes, set some shoes out by the door so it is implied, go shoeless yourself, ask the few friends you are really comfortable with (if any) to remove shoes to set an example of what you prefer, and then NOT SAY A WORD. I bet 80% of the people with take off their shoes so you aren't dealing with 40 pairs of shoes tracking through your house, just a few. You won't have put anyone out or had to make people explain medical conditions. I do think sending a message out in advance that no shoes are allowed is very much your right but not at all hospitable. I would imply it and then grin and bear it. Someone might wear old socks the first week and not remove but remember it for the future and you haven't embarassed anyone. Just my .02! Marie

I appreciate you taking the time to answer. I have been researching it and have found the Yahoo group. I have a little time and I figured I would try to get a feel for which courses are the best to avoid while fulfilling the requirements. Thanks again for taking the time. I really do appreciate it. marie

and if you don't mind another question- how have you felt about the courses you have taken from Keystone? I'm sure some are better than others but I was wondering about your experience. Thanks. Marie

I am tossing around ideas for high school and have been looking at Keystone. I would probably do the diploma with their minimum requirements from there and then transfer in other credits from classes we take at home/ co-op/ local high school (we have that option for a couple classes)/cc/ etc. I have read mixed reviews about Keystone but I think I could choose carefully the classes I take through them and then I would still have plenty of flexability for other courses while still qualifying for a diploma from them. Has anyone gone this route? Did it work out as planned? Any pitfalls I need to know about? How do colleges look at a transcript/ diploma from Keystone (or a similar school)? From what I see the Keystone transcipt would be accepted by the NCAA. I, for some reason, am still very fuzzy about how I would award my own transcipt / diploma and I would be more comfortable having some guidance in that department. Any input would be helpful. Marie

I believe for every three referrals you can get a free 8 week subscription to the Grocery Game. I'm not positive but it is something like that. Marie

That would be important. There is always so much in the wording. We are registered with state and had planned to continue with that.

I can't tell you how important this would be to our family. I know some would never consider sports to be important enough to send your child to school but the competition and outlet of sports is like oxygen to dc, it seems. I worry every single day about how to manage the team sports issue vs. really wanting to homeschool. This solution would mean so much to our family. Is there really much chance of this passing? Every time I have heard it mentioned it seems as though there is not enough support for it. I dare not even think about it too much for fear of getting my hopes up. This is a really tough issue for us. Marie

what do you use to store water in the fridge? I have some Kleen Kanteens for individual use but we drink a lot of water and I am used to having a couple big plastic jugs of cold water in the fridge to pull out for dinner, etc. Is there such thing as a stainless water pitcher with a lid? I'm not attempting to eliminate all plastics by any means but I am trying to reduce where I can. Thanks. Marie

I hadn't thought of just spending it on the baby. That could even be fun. I certainly wouldn't get into their habits and why I don't want to accept it other than that it is just too much and (again) we don't do adult gifts. I'll let DH decide whether we send it back or spend it on the baby. I just cannot keep up with this gifting dance every year. We go through this every year but to a lesser degree and they have only increased the amount of the gifts and it is just too much. Thanks. Marie

Dh's brother just had a baby with his girlfriend (he is 31, she is 21). They are very immature and have tons of debt. We hear constantly from MIL and FIL how they don't have any money, having to borrow to pay the rent, etc. Dh and his brother are not close. They talk maybe twice a year. We do not do adult gifts. We give MIL a small token item each year because she is alone but that is it. No adult gifts. We've been saying this for our 13 years of marriage. MIL and FIL still gift us but that is their choice and every year we ask them not to. We do give gift the kids. We sent a baby gift when the baby was born and I sent a small toy ($10) to the baby for Christmas. I figured I was setting a precedent that there would be a small gift for child each year. Yesterday ( a month after they received our gift in the mail so they knew what we were spending) we get $100 Old Navy gift card from them. What??? I do not want to accept $100 gift card from people that need to beg and borrow to pay rent. I do not feel like we can take this. I don't want it. If it was $25 I would have said "they shouldn't have" but I'd have accepted it. But, $100 ??? Dh wants to call BIL and say, "Thanks but babies grow quickly and you'll need clothes for him." and send it back. I am unwilling to up the ante on my gift giving to match and make everything even out. What to do? Marie

Miralax literally changed our lives. (I know this has been discussed in the past here and people have not been open to medication for this issue). My poor ds had been constipated for so long that his bowel was stretched leading to a vicious cycle. He would hold it, become constipated, and then end up pooping in his pants when he couldn't hold it anymore. I was at wits end having pooping accidents with a 5 yo who had been trained since age 2. I was frustrated, he was embarassed and losing confidence, not wanting to go places, etc. We tried everything diet/ hydration wise and milk of magnesia (which was just a mess). The daily Miralax normalized things and we kept him on it for a couple years (it can take that long for the bowel to shrink back to normal size). He is now the most regular kid in the house. I never was aware how bad constipation can be and the cycle you can get in. My ped told me that one bout of constipation can stretch the bowel in such a way that it can take 6 months to go back to normal. I had no idea. I can't tell you how grateful I was to have been prescibed Miralax (it's OTC now). Marie

That would give you a more streamlined look as opposed to the colorful vest breaking up the monocromatic black thing you have going on. Just my opinion. Marie

I am dealing with some similar issues. They are to a lesser extent yet so frustrating (and often heartbreaking). Sorry I don't have anything to offer.:grouphug: I don't know what the answer is to this. Marie

I would not make a fuss. I understand annoyance though I wouldn't be as upset as you appear to be. FIL is late on gift for one of my dc and MIL didn't get anything here on time. My dc are rolling with it just fine. It's just life sometimes. I also would not make a fuss because what if there is a really good reason? What if this person ordered online and had it shipped a month ago? Some of these companies drop the ball every year. What if they got you the absolute perfect something and really went out of their way for it? Would you feel embarassed if you had complained? I just don't see how this can be good for you if you complain. Worst case scenario you end up embarassed because this person got you the most thoughtful gift ever, best case scenario you just look really high maintainance. I'd just roll with it and be very understanding on the outside even if you are fuming inside. It's just not worth it. FWIW, I can picture myself in this situation and I might be annoyed if it was someone who generally annoyed me but understanding if it was someone I generally enjoy. I don't know if any of that is going on here but I can be guilty of that sometimes. Hope you feel better about this soon. Sorry it happened to you. I'm not a big fan of exchanges either. Gifting out of obligation is not fun. Marie

When this has happened to me I have called and been told to keep the item or to donate the item. I felt like it was the ethical thing to do to call and ask. I would definitely call before going to the trouble of returning it because they likely will tell you just to keep or donate. Marie

"Mommy, if the baby is growing in your tummy and making your front big what is making your bottom so big?"