Our house favorite Happy Meal toy is a set of Monsters Inc. figures. I actually bought them on eBay because I liked them so much. Roz is my favorite :001_smile:, but they are all cute.

Very nice! :001_smile:

Another idea for the call name Ranger: Seelowen's Keeping the Peace (or Keep the Peace)

I'm not from Kansas, but I also spent my childhood summers there, on my grandparent's farm near Gypsum. I remember flat fields of crops, heat, tons of kittens, chickens, horses, a pond ..... good kid fun but nothing that comes to mind for a call name. BUT, I have met a couple of dogs named Blue, which I really liked. That would fit with Kansas Sky.

Another for your consideration.... Seelowen's Kemo Sabe (call name: Ranger) Or, if you love the name Grover you might consider Seelowen's Kid's Play Or, Seelowen's Kaleidoscope (call name: Clyde) Stop me if you've had enough .........

I agree! :iagree: This is a cool name!

I keep seeing the name Khan (as in Genghis) when I see Katahdin. That could work as a call name. It's certainly a strong name, anyway.....

I agree with Cooking Light and Cook's Illustrated and I'll add Bon Appetit.

More ideas.... Keep Your Shirt On Kangaroo Court (Roo?) Keep It Real Kick up your Heels Kindred Spirit (Spirit?) Knuckle Down Knocked For a Loop So you are getting a Leonberger? Gorgeous dogs -- I'd love to have one! ETA: Well, of course you are .... I just noticed your Avatar.

Hmmm.... Kiss and Tell Kit and Caboodle Kryptonite Knock on Wood Kick the Habit

We're using it this year for the first time, and I know exactly how you feel! However, I love the program overall and I am determined to see it through. I believe the problem lies not with any incoherence in the ideas, but in the lack of a step-by-step schedule (there IS a schedule, but it is a bit confusing), a loose, teacher-driven style, and the need to switch between several different resources to pull together a lesson. Honestly, I spent the first full two weeks I had the program trying to puzzle out how it worked and writing down a schedule that made sense to me day by day. And I worked hard on it each day! Still, I scramble each time I sit down with my son to do it justice. Some days I feel like a babbling idiot, and some days we have great discussions. I can tell he is getting some great tools, but he is a bit confused as well. After we have gone through the program I am going to play the discs again for myself and have my son listen in. I think that we will make great strides this year using LToW, but it is my most difficult subject to teach and I wish someone would take this great program in hand and rework it so it would be easier to use!

That's sweet :001_smile: I've seen a number of confirmed cat hating men get turned around by the "right" cat (including my labrador-loving BIL, who DOTED on his first cat like it was a small helpless child). Cats are all so very different from each other, I do believe that this one spoke to him. Enjoy your beautiful cat.

I don't know if I'll be much help, but here's my experience. I've had 3 bread machines: a National/Panasonic, a Breadman, and a Zo. I tend to research like crazy before a big purchase, so none of them were bad machines. My Zo is the 1 pound mini, so I really couldn't speak about lopsided loaves. My experience is that they all were about equal. They all seemed to produce good loaves most of the time and doorstops occasionally (most of the time these were a mystery to me! I'm sure I am doing something wrong, but darned if I can't tell what....). My favorite may have been my first machine, the National. It made a great french loaf, and I liked the separate yeast drop. But they are all good. I know that doesn't clarify much! There are a lot of reviews out there, but sometimes they just confuse the issue (I'm going through it now with pressure cookers). I hope you end up with a machine you love.

Maybe you could ask your husband to oversee an Epsom salt bath after they wrestle. They are supposed to be calming for most people.

You might also be thinking of a pump pot (aka thermal carafe or airpot, etc)

Aw, poor kitty. Good thing you're willing to take her in. I would confine the kitten in a smallish area (like a bathroom) with the litterbox nearby. Make sure the box how low enough sides for her to get into easily. Most kittens will instinctively use the litterbox, but not all. Better to be sure she gets well-trained to it at a young age. If she is showing a marked preference for using soft surfaces (towels, bedding, carpet, etc), this needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Some cats will have a strong preference for what type of litter they will use, so you may want to offer more than one if she doesn't take to the first one you try. Definitely get her in for an examination. Make sure she is checked for feline leukemia/FIV, and internal and external parasites. She should be evaluated for dehydration as well (was the urine yellow or clear?). Oh, and it is really challenging sometimes to determine the gender on a young kitten. So, even if you think you are sure.....have it double checked. Good luck!

Good work! This thread made me remember a couple of years ago when my son kept putting dirt in the dog's water bowl (outside). Reminding him did not work. So, the next time I got him a glass of water at dinner, I stepped outside for a handful of dirt to add to it. The shock! The outrage! I told him the dogs don't like to drink dirty water any more than he does. It worked. Sometimes I think having kids has ruined me for polite society, what with all the mean tricks I've had to think up.....

If you really want to stop her looking you could purchase an opaque cover for the keyboard (Ultraslim by Speedskin is one brand). I have a clear cover to protect my keys and it is comfortable and doesn't slow down my typing. The one listed above only covers the letters and numbers (leaving function keys exposed). The TypeRightNow Typing program even includes a Speedskin. I haven't tried the program, but it gets pretty good reviews on Amazon.

Here's an idea I've been wanting to try from Bon Appetit (maybe with only carrots?): Beet and Carrot Pancakes 1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely shredded peeled beets (from 2 medium) 1 cup coarsely shredded peeled carrots (from 2 medium) 1 cup thinly sliced onion (or less) 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup all purpose flour 3 tablespoons olive oil Low-fat sour cream Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Combine beets, carrots and onion in large bowl. Mix in egg, salt and pepper. Add flour; stir to blend well. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Using 1/3 cup beet mixture for each pancake, drop 4 pancakes into skillet. Flatten each into 3-inch round. Cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven; keep warm. Repeat with remaining beet mixture, making 4 more pancakes. Serve pancakes with sour cream. Or this one for Pickled Carrot sticks from Gourmet: 1 pound carrots, cut into 3 1/2- by 1/3-inch sticks 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed 1 1/2 tablespoons dill seeds 1 1/2 tablespoons salt Blanch carrots in a 4-quart nonreactive saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer carrots to a heatproof bowl. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil in saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Pour pickling liquid over carrots and cool, uncovered. Chill carrots, covered, at least 1 day for flavors to develop. Cooks' note: Carrots keep, chilled in an airtight container, 1 month. This soup sounds yummy from Bon Appetit: Indian Spiced Carrot Soup with Ginger 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 3 tablespoons peanut oil 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (preferably Madras) 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger 2 cups chopped onions 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds (about 4 cups) 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel 5 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice Plain yogurt (for garnish) preparation Grind coriander and mustard seeds in spice mill to fine powder. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground seeds and curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add ginger; stir 1 minute. Add next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 5 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with yogurt and serve. Happy Cooking!

Do you love the house, too? If so, I'd do it! It can be a TON of work, though, and DH should step up to do his share. I clearly remember getting our last house ready to sell 10 years ago. I was 6 months pregnant, had a 3 year old, and my husband had mono and was useless. Not a happy memory, but I'm so glad we moved.

Lindt Lindor truffles are fab! I am also fond of Trader Joe's milk chocolate that comes in a huge bar.

No, but that sounds like an very smart and high energy mix. I'll bet your pup is going to be adorable

I'm sorry.

TEAth floss. But the last food item was a Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffle. Just one! I wanted the whole bag. Man those are good.

How are the pups doing now?