Valerie in Chicago
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Posts posted by Valerie in Chicago
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Seriously, living in Chicago, that's about all you have to say. Most people here know that if you don't score a slot in a handful of select magnet schools, that there is really no point in sending your kids in there. I add that DD misses the Sept 1st cutoff, and then wrap it with, "so we're just getting started now instead." Plus I might throw in all of her activities around town and shrug -- "we figure that's preschool."
As I get to know someone, I'll mention that we're homeschooling. No one has had a problem with it to my face yet. In fact, most everyone seems to know someone who either is doing it or has done it.
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I can't do LASIK due to my corneas being too thin. (who knew?) So I'm signed up to do PRK in May. Anyone else done this specific procedure? Would love any feedback on recovery times, etc. TIA!
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My MIL is a psycho. Thank God, the DH is NOT. Every once in a while, she unravels on us. He makes it clear to her and everyone else that there is nothing more important to him than peace and tranquility in these four walls. Anyone wanting to mess with that is not welcome. In other words, be nice or get out.
Now, you'll notice that it's HIM doing the heavy lifting here and not yours truly. But it is absolutely amaaaaaaazing how well it works.
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Bookmarked ya!
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A friend who is chronically disorganized once asked me about a "day in the life." As if I'M the example to follow????? But here are some broad strokes:
DD is 4 1/2, other DD is 13mo.
We go all over town doing activities -- Spanish, soccer, swimming, art and piano.
Over breakfast, we do phonics/reading. While the baby plays, we do some handwriting and piano practice (all of 10-15 min each).
During the baby's nap, it's math, so that we can spread out on the floor.
Might give her a Dora episode in Spanish, if I need to focus on the baby exclusively for a while (eg: getting her down for said nap).
Otherwise, it's run here and run there. I take them to the gym 3X/week usually to play with other kids (and I get to play with other grown-ups!).
So that's K4 @ home. What will I do as they get older? Probably post your question again!
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That is, the store... Lucy. If there isn't one in your area, go to lucy.com. I love their stuff lately. I always buy on-sale, and if you get on their mailing list, they keep you updated with coupons, etc. In fact, in January, I got about $450-$500 worth of stuff for about $200. It keeps me out of jeans now and then, plus I don't panic if the baby gets drool or, well, anything else(!) on most of it.
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I just wanted to thank those of you who responded so positively! Also, just a quick follow-up. Today, while 4yo C was in Spanish class, I took a big bag of baby clothes to the neighborhood food pantry. That seriously brightened me because 1.) it cheering to do something for someone else, 2.) reminds me of how fortunate I am in so many ways and 3.) it ALWAYS feels good to move out things that are not being used!
Then I had an hour to kill. Ugh. I drove by the Lincoln Park Zoo and happened onto a PERFECT parking spot out in front, a rare and wonderful find. So I grabbed 13mo J and hurried inside. We hung out in the Children's Zoo, where a river otter was gleefully doing backflips off the glass and splashing into the water.
That, and the sun is actually SHINING. SHINING, I tell you!!
Oh, and C & I are going to the Art Institute this weekend while DH stays home with J. There are several pieces there that she's familiar with, so we'll make a beeline for them, then decide how long to linger based on the crowds.
Anyway, since I easily come here with woes, I figured I'd at least balance the scales a bit by coming with good things too. Thanks for always being such a great sounding board, WTM'ers!
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Can you get ProActive there? It worked well for me. My sister used it also, and it worked well for her. My sister has VERY acne-prone skin that is set off my nearly everything. As a 35-year-old, she finally took herself to a dermatologist, who was also very helpful.
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Ok, it's cold AGAIN. WAAY COLD. 1-degree with a -20 windchill. Again. I am so ready to lose it. How do you keep the winter doldrums at bay? Or from getting to severe? I can barely even stand the idea of leaving the house with the kids -- it's such a production to make it happen. But I'm getting a case of cabin fever too.
How do you hang on for the last stretch of winter?
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I'm blind as a bat and have always been interested in LASIK. Everyone that I know who has had it done has been thrilled with it. This includes my college roommate who had even worse eyesight than me! I also posted on the old boards about it and got rave reviews from those that replied. A friend of mine who also has blue eyes says that she HAS to wear sunglasses on sunny days, as her eyes seem more sensitive to bright sunlight. But other than that, she would never go back. I don't know if we can afford it, but I'm going for the consultation next week. Would love to hear how you progress through this process.....
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I have curly hair, and this is the only stuff that works anymore. I cut corners everywhere else in order to rationalize it. www.ouidad.com
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One of the best postpartum gifts I got was a huge fruit tray from the grocery store. Snacked on that for days.
Many years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) had double-hernia surgery that knocked him on his backside for several days. His mom is not local, so she had a dinner for two from a local rib joint delivered to the apartment. We grazed on that for at least two days, and I still remember that fondly. (i was not much of a cook -- only somewhat less scary at it now)
And the childcare for the older child is priceless.
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We figured that we'd do it the old-fashioned way. Besides, one you know, you know for the rest of your life! So we opted to enjoy the anticipation.
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A while ago -- back on the old boards -- someone was kind enough to post a website that helped you choose which candidate was the closest aligned to your priorities. I have told friends about using this site, but neglected to bookmark it for future reference and sharing! Anybody know of a site like this?
Also, I'm out of the loop here -- haven't been on the board for a while due to some travelling. So if this is a repeat of something that's been on here recently, I'll apologize now!
Thanks so much!
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Getting PRK instead of LASIK. Anyone else done this?
in General Education Discussion Board
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Seriously, I'd love to hear how you do. I'm blind too, -6.5 in both eyes. I asked if I was 20/200 or what. The doc said, "you're not even on the chart! you can barely make out the E at the top!" So it's my "i've been blind since 10yo" gift.
Best of luck!