I want to have a tea party! [foot stomping] But this is Hawaii. They proudly celebrate taking federal money to fund sea turtle research and promote Native Hawaiian language instruction! :glare: I'm making calls though.... Good for your hubby! Liberty, liberty, liberty! Jo

Lord Peter fan club members please check in here! :lol: Swoon. Have you read the most recent Sayers that was completed after her death? It was full of relationship depth. Thrones, Dominations....I think that is what it is called. Jo

And I'm wondering how different his response would be if he was in public school? Football with Dad versus school? Please. He's normal. Don't be overly sensitive. I haven't read the other responses. I hope this is a repeat.;) Jo edit- this sounded harsh. Sorry. I didn't intend to direct this at you- just the general concept of a 7yo preferencing football over school.

I like this one. It is similar to mine, but bigger. I found mine years ago on sale at JoAnn Fabric. I recognize the very practicality of the fishing box, but I could never look at it in my family room. I love to see embroidery and sewing sitting in a large basket with a handle. If you have a lot of items I would consider a two handle wicker laundry basket. I'm of the mind, that if it is in a basket it can be left out and considered decoration. :) Jo

I'm a $5 tipper. On my most recent stays at nicer places I have handed a $5 to both the valet and the bellhop and it has been well received. Last month when we checked into a hotel with *all* our children and had tons of luggage we tipped more because the luggage was overflowing. :D Of course if they stink in service- I tip less. If they go out of their way to be helpful I may tip more. Have a wonderful time in your travels!!!!! Jo

I need an idea for workplace sandwiches. I have to bring a work team lunch tomorrow, but I'm planning on overnight crockpot cooking them. The only thing like this I've made in the past was a little fussy (red ginger pulled pork) and required tending throughout the day. What can I throw in a crockpot the night before and slow cook without checking on. I'm already making the buns- so I'm commited to some sort of sandwich/bun product. Thanks. Jo

Aubrey, I actually checked the link earlier. I have to admit I was confused.:blushing: Is it an inside joke? Jo edit: btw- I don't get the connection between you being an author.

The purses only worked on the 4yo. :glare: My 2yo is killing me. Nothing is holding her. I even set up a tent under our school table with full darkness and a flashlight. It didn't work. I'm doomed. The tub is looking like a better option. I might resort to a sprinkler later. Those are the "big guns" around here. It must be bad..... Jo

Excellent suggestions. I just got back from floating leaves down the flowing storm drain- this was highly entertaining, but now I *have* to work with the older children. I'm going to get all my purses out of my closet and let my 2 and 4 yodds go at it. This should hold them for a while. Beans are on deck- but the mess factor might keep me from starting that activity.:D Thanks. Jo

My 2 yodd is on my leg. Needy, needy, needy. She needs a fresh activity. Can you briefly tell me your favorite to spur my brain? I'm at a loss. Thanks. Jo

Moms Packin' Nerf Join the revolution :D

That doesn't change whether my husband is at sea or not. It has to do with health and sometimes behavioral issues. I'll go alone with all the kids, but my older kids are a great help. We have wonderful sessions of home-church when one or more children are under the weather. We read, pray, sing, etc. The kids get to discuss what we are learning. It doesn't substitute meeting together at church, but it isn't like we're home watching Square Bob what's his face. But then again, I've made my case for being ultra-concerned about illness (giving or getting). :D Jo

Yesterday I turned 38. We had some social commitments so we spread my b-day over two days. My gifts do a good job summing up my personality. A pedicure. A fancy Italian dinner in downtown Honolulu. A new helmet and bike seat for my mountain bike. My very own Nerf gun (with "battlemaiden" written on the side:D). A bag of peanut M&Ms. My husband rocks. He *will* regret getting me the nerf gun though...;) Jo

I keep telling the people in the stores, "it is for pickling" and they give me blank stares. No one seems to know what this stuff is. Jo

Some sort of science experiment crap! ;) Darn homeschooling! I think it is a crystal growing thing. My son gives me a list and I oblige. Jo

And don't say in the spice section, please. I have been to three grocery stores today and called the Walmart pharmacy. Could it possibly be called something else? Why can't I find this stuff? Jo

"We aren't allowed to use glue and playdoh on the same day, honey" *And* it worked! I know ya'll have BTDT. :D Jo

Do you still do fun days? I used to regularly take the kids on fun outings during the week- museums, parks, the beach, a hike, etc. I'm finding that with my oldest's work load (Apologia GS and TOG) I have *NO* time. We struggle to get it all done by friday. I'm sure this is only going to get harder as my oldest enters high school. I don't want my younger kids to miss out on those great "close-the-books-we're-going-to-the-beach" days. How do you deal with this? Jo

I had a meanest-teacher-ever day too! Although he said it with his eyes only. It is the standard glare I receive when I hand the paper back to the child and say that I "cannot accept work that sloppy. Do it over." Then I may or may not add a statement about how they can't possibly be proud of that work. Mean moms unite! Jo

I'll play. And I have the outspoken 4yo to help me too.:glare: I'm horrible about actually holding other people accountable. I tried this recently with another virtual friend on this board and I failed her completely. [sorry] But I'm feeling the need to drop these last 6-10 pounds. I'm just out of my comfort zone of weight. I have buns and belly issues too. I'm not out of control, but I don't like what *I* see. The problem is, my body seems so resistant to drop scale weight while I'm nursing. :glare: Instead I'm going to focus on my fitness level. I haven't quite found that perfect rhythm to the week yet. Sometimes it is easier to go after dinner. Sometimes it works better for me to take several walks around the block during the day with the baby in the stroller and drilling an older child on their latin vocab- I'm a big believer in marching and vocab. ;) I've also hopped on my bike after lunch while the kids are cleaning up. I take one really fast loop through the neighborhood- it only takes me 10 minutes but it hurts my heart, so that must be good. Not that my buns show it. :001_huh: Those are my issues. Jo

I believe this reflects the ethics behind keeping the embryos frozen, or worse to destroy them. I don't think they should be destroyed either. I agree it is a problem to have freezers full of embryos. But the answer isn't to destroy them. The problem is in the indiscriminate creation in the first place. In my medical ethics course in college we discussed the ending of life support. The rule in most cases of life support withdrawal is whether or not the person has the potential to survive on their own in time. In other words, do they have the potential of life? You can not withdrawal life support if the person has the potential of recovery. The same rule should apply to embryos. They all have the potential for life. Even when they are in the blastula phase. The *potential* is still there. To do research on these "cells" is truly objectionable to me.

I'm against embryonic stem cell research of any sort. Other stem cell research- placental, epithelial, etc.- I'm all for. We should be pouring research money into what works without destroying life. And I believe an embryo is life. The results have so far proven more promising in non-embryonic research anyways. As an added issue. Embryonic stem cell research will put a dollar value on embryos that will make the "business" of acquiring and/or creating embryos. That is unsupportable in my world. Jo

Because of your post I rechecked the invitation! It didn't exactly specify a board book. I thereby insist on adding Animalia to their library. Brilliant. Hip, hip, hooray for Rosie.:001_smile: I'm also throwing in Moo, Baa by Boyton...because I love Boyton and I can recite that book by heart. ;) Thanks everyone. Now you can just pray that Amazon will get it here by this weekend. :) Jo

What would you consider "must have" books? This is for a baby shower for a neighbor's first baby. Isn't that exciting? :) She wants books. Thanks for your suggestions. Jo

I had a virus last week that gave me head-aches and jaw pain. Like you, they really killed when bending over. I also had a little instability, but nothing more than light-headedness. I almost went to the clinic because it was so wacky and lingered for over a week. Then poof it went away. Could you be fighting off a sickness? Maybe you could try and get a massage- or better yet one of those lymphatic drainage massages. I've wanted to try one of those. I hope you feel better. Jo Jo