:001_tt2: Party pooper. Now I have to go check my spice cabinet out of curiosity. Not that it will make me feel better. :D Jo

But I made the mistake of reading the back of my McCormick Costco size bottle and then googling "calcium dioxide" and "calcium silicate." ick. Does anyone have a ready formula they use to replace recipes that call for Lemon-Pepper? My dh loves a particular lemon-pepper chicken recipe I make. He is willing to ingest the above chemicals if he has to.....;) Jo

I'm going to keep going in my google search, but it isn't as easy to find a good one as I thought it would be. Thanks. Jo

When you actually muster up the gumption to do something....You are a hero! It was pathetic how happy and thankful my littles were when I let them paint in the garage today. My 4yo kept saying, "thank you so much mommy". :D I'm more of a washable marker, crayon, color pencil type of person. I may bring out a board game later and blow their minds. :D Jo

And if I implied the old days were nothing but good, I would agree with you. I will also say that I do stupid things from time to time and I admit I am stupid for doing them. But I would hopefully correct someone for blaming my military upbringing, or my mother's dysfunctional family, or the size of my family, or the fact that it has been raining and I was feeling a little blue.... etc...... You make assumptions in your post of what *we* tend to do that I cannot agree with.

Woohoo!!!!!:party: Congrats girlfriend! Jo

Why must we search and search for the failings in the "system" when stupid people do stupid things? Why are the police to blame when a looney stabs an innocent woman because he was in jail previously? Why couldn't they "see" he was a risk? How exactly were they supposed to see his future actions? And how would that have changed there actions? He served his time. He was unstable. Why are co-workers blamed if someone goes off and gets drunk and gets a DUI. Should they have seen he was a problem and gotten him help? What exactly does that mean? What if someone knew he was a selfish jerk, with the potential to do something like drive drunk? What then? What if someone took him aside and talked to him, but he did it anyways? This happened to my dh. Why do we blame others instead of the stupid person who made the stupid decision. I despise what I'm seeing. Accountability is important- but it is personal accountability that matters most- because there will always be people who chose to do stupid things, and not enough people to prevent it. Enough. Jo

I think you are hitting the nail with this. It isn't their Dad, as I understand it. But if they were so close why wasn't the dog placed with them? Jo

What I find terribly inappropriate is their apparent disregard for the current family. Did it not occur to them that this dog is bonding with a new family? I don't know all the details, but the dog apparently didn't have a home after his previous owner passed away. Hospice placed the dog with my neighbor because he is "trained" as a therapeutic animal. As I understand it, he will stay with my neighbor until he dies. I don't think he belongs to Hospice, but I think they did the match up. Clear as mud? I know these people showed up on their doorstep uninvited. My neighbor recognized their bond, and has allowed them to see the dog and walk him, but there is a limit. Her younger, healthy daughters freak a little when these people take him. Who asks to take a dog for the weekend? Bizarre.

I usually have a very high threshold for questions...really. It may get chaotic at times, but I usually field the interuptions without a problem. Today was different. A different kind of madness. I found myself reading the MFS treatise on "Bad Days"...M&Ms anyone? I wanted to run. I put on Attenborough instead. The kids were distracted in fascination, which of course led to more discussion and questions. :glare: It is after 5pm on the mainland, I'm getting a Hornsby Hard Cider ready on deck. :D Thanks everyone. I'm glad I'm not alone today. Jo

Chocolate! I hadn't thought of that. The hive has spoken. Off to look for chocolate. Jo

I'm there. Just thought I'd share. I'm here on the computer in a shameful attempt to ignore the voices! I may hide in my closet next. Actually they will all start bickering if I hide and my "mom ears" CAN NOT filter out the arguing. Calgon..............

My neighbor whose daughter is home with cancer has a dog. She got this dog from Hospice. It was a therapeutic dog for a man who passed away and then Hospice gave it to my neighbor. Following? Well the previous owner's family (the one who passed away) wants "visiting rights" with this dog. :001_huh: They apparently have an emotional attachment to the dog- I guess that isn't entirely unusual. The previous dog owner's family found out where the dog currently lives- the details on how that happened are sketchy. They come over and visit the dog. :001_huh: They have asked to take it home for a weekend. :001_huh: My neighbor has declined. Um, did I mention the daughter is home on hospice care? She has younger sisters. It is their family dog now. Are these people as crazy and inappropriate as I think? My neighbor has allowed them to take the dog for walks in the neighborhood. She is a saint. I would have asked them to go away and not ever come back. How was that little peek into bizarre-land?

Wonderful idea. He would probably appreciate this. Thanks. Jo

He isn't our minister. As a matter of fact, he is a family member who we love dearly, but don't particularly agree with doctrinally (word?). :D Anywho, we don't really have any ideas for a birthday/retirement gift. I'm throwing it out to the hive.... Thanks. Jo

My husband: a Marine. He gets it a lot. He's Navy, so close enough. Me: a mom- I think it's the bags under the eyes and the greying hair. ;)

No fair. I think that's cheating. :D You have to tell me how you like to prepare them.

Other than math counting exercises? :D I would actually like to prepare this bag o' beans for eating. Let's discuss.....

:iagree:

And then he didn't call! Instead he just put out fires and rescued people all day. The nerve! ---------Sorry. I hope *I* don't come off as flippant. It still amazes me how you are still sane. I think of that story when I don't hear from my husband when I'm expecting to. It is an incredible story. And for the OP- I know how you feel. I agree with Sebastian. Do a worse case scenario. Get it out there and over with. Get Skype. Try to take it one day at a time. I can relate to your work load, I think. Having just gotten my dh back from a 6mo. deployment I can tell you that the time flew- and we had a move, a baby, five birthdays, our anniversary, all the fall/winter holidays, an emergency surgery for one child (yay, only one!), and...oh yeah....homeschooling. You will do great. Your husband will be fine. And you can come here throughout the tour and vent or ask for prayer. I know I did. ;) Praying for your husband. Praying for you and the family. Jo

Not okay.:glare: Yes, my children are exposed to germs. I go to grocery stores and other gatherings. But intentionally bringing a sick child to my house is not okay. I think it is rude. You do not know what type of events will be ruined because of this. I may have plans...I may have had a Make-A-Wish event to attend for my immune challenged neighbor and now I won't be able to go. And she doesn't have much time left. And just because one person goes out with their sick child it doesn't mean I feel comfortable taking a sick child out in public...therefore, you have quarantined me in my home. There, I've said it. It is only my opinion. I clearly recognize from a recent post I made that not everyone feels this way. I have been mulling over the alternate positions since then. But at THIS moment, as I watch my two youngest starting to decline, and the certain sleep interruptions in my future are visualized, I am convinced it is NOT okay. Jo

sniping? Can you educate me on this? Sorry it isn't an answer, but I hate not knowing. :001_smile: Jo

But I *do* think it is important. I don't really care if they like it or not. :D There are a few other topics they would prefer to skip too. I don't put music up there with reading or math, but I do see the importance of learning the basics. They may not follow through, but at least I would have done my part to expose them to the subject. See, I'm a fan. I'm just not able. Driving to lessons might break me. I honestly don't have a wall left for even a key board- apparently the military housing planners didn't design these homes for seven children who homeschool:tongue_smilie:. And I have not a musical bone in my body (although my index finger can work an ipod screen superbly, which is a skill in itself, no?). Argh! The guilt. Don't get me wrong. I'm having a teacher planning day and I can see easily how impossible it would be to squeeze in right now. I shouldn't beat myself up over it, but....but....I can't quite let it go. :chillpill::chillpill::chillpill: Thanks ya'll! Jo

No piano, guitar, drums, voice....nada. I'm depriving my children, aren't I? :confused: I just can't make it happen. I'm feeling guilty, and need someone to hang their head in shame with me. I of course don't have any musical training and I'm a functioning adult. But! I wish I did. :glare: Hence, the guilt. Jo

I wanted to appreciate these but they made my chest hurt just looking at them! :lol: Only the Army camoflauge looks even minimally comfortable....and for a nursing mother, I am *very* sensitive to even the thought of wearing something like this. :D You can't deny the talent though. Amazing.