That's what I was thinking too. Unfortunately, we cannot afford it right now. I will try to implement some ideas from the book but there is no way we can shell out $5000+ right now.

Thanks for the info -- I appreciate it!

Do you know how much the program costs? The woman I spoke with would not give me a ballpark figure. She kept insisting that I needed to come to a presentation and then have my son tested. I do not want to spend almost $500 for testing if we cannot afford the program.

I'm so sorry for your loss. :grouphug: Before my first child was born, I had 3 miscarriages in a row. I then went on to have 2 successful pregnancies.

I would love to hear how it works for your DS!

My DS10 has mild-to-moderate Auditory Processing, Visual Processing, and Sensory Processing issues plus a mild speech delay. We've tried speech therapy, OT, a therapeutic listening program, and a computer program, none of which really helped very much. We had him evaluated by an educational psychologist who told us that his issues were mild enough that he could not officially diagnose him with any type of disorder or learning disability. I am currently reading Disconnected Kids which was written by the founder of the Brain Balance Achievement Centers. It seems to be a great program but I would love to hear from parents whose children have actually gone through the program with successful results. Over the years we have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on testing and therapy for our son with very little results. I do not want to waste anymore money if this program can't help him. Can anyone tell me more about this program? Does it really help to retrain the brain? How much does it cost? When I called the center for more information, they were very tight-lipped about the cost which leads me to believe it is outrageously expensive. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

Tagging my children's clothing for a consignment sale.

I second this! I just signed up at Massage Envy myself; I can't wait for my first massage!

Just wondering, what is Cha Cha?

Oh my! Did she pay for the ER visit, or at the very least apologize?

For me: Victoria Ladies Home Journal Allure Lucky Town & Country For the children: Highlights Highlights High Five

We used to, or rather, I would mark the items I wanted and DH would get up at 3 AM and go get in line to buy them while I stayed home with the children. We haven't done this for at least 4-5 years though. We finally realized that the sale prices usually last for at least a few days after Black Friday so there was no need for DH to get up so early and fight the crowds.

I work as a makeup artist and you'd be surprised how many mothers bring in their pre-teen daughters for a makeover! I am always hesitant but I can't really say no because I work for a major cosmetics company and travel to major dept. stores. These women want a full-blown makeover for their daughers. I always apply the makeup very minimally but both the mothers and the daughters always ask for more. What I always end up doing is putting on a light dusting of face powder, very light pink (practically clear) lip gloss, a light dusting of a very natural-looking blush, and the lightest, most neutral eye shadow. I can't tell you how many times I've finished a makeover only to hear, "I can't even tell you put anything on her, it's so light!" My response is, "That's how makeup should look. You don't want to see it; you want it to enhance your features, not make them stand out."

Hmmm... mine is still there.

I would love to have one of these, for my dd of course! http://home.aol.com/new_in_home/photogallerytall/_a/a-dream-playhouse/20081030154709990001?icid=100214839x1212718084x1200759612

I agree. My dd5 has never had a "very thorough exam of her private parts" either. When she was a baby, her doctor would quickly look in her diaper. When she turned 4 our new doctor quickly looked at the area (it took all of 2 seconds, if that). This year when she turned 5 the doctor didn't look at all. I'm sorry your dd had to go through that; I can understand why she's upset. I wouldn't go back to that doctor.

I wanted to add that there have also been reports of thieves grabbing purses out of cars as women are filling their gas tanks. When I'm at the gas station, I always remove my keys from the ignition and keep the doors locked. It's so sad that we have to take precautions like this, but this is the world we live in. :sad:

Or better yet, just leave it at home. I'm already hearing stories in my area about purse snatchings in parking lots and in grocery stores. Some thieves work in pairs; one will distract the shopper while the other either takes the wallet out of the purse or takes the entire bag out of the shopping cart. In the parking lots, they are more brazen and are using weapons. From Thanksgiving to New Year's I put my purse away and keep my license and debit card in a small wallet that fits in the front pocket of my pants. I thought I would share this with you as the holiday season is quickly approaching. Stay safe, ladies!

We have a steam cleaner and we clean our carpets quarterly.

I honestly don't think it would be worth an hour's drive. However, if you're going that way anyway, I would definitely stop in and check it out. We are just 10 minutes from an Aldi store so it's easy to just stop in to pick up the few items that we do buy there. I get milk ($2.49/gallon), cereal, half & half, cheese, OJ, baby carrots, and ground turkey there. I go to Walmart for everything else.

My children (8 and 5) don't play outside alone. We live in a suburb of a large city, plus there are several huge dogs in the area that are allowed to roam free. I am outside with them at all times (or DH takes them out when he gets home from work).

I have ordered a whole turkey from Honey Baked Ham every Thanksgiving for the last 5 years. They are very tasty! We usually have so much going on that day, it's much easier for me to be able to just pop the turkey in the oven and not have to worry about preparing it. Both the smoked and the roasted are great. Be sure to get a jar of the Chutney to go with it. The side dishes are just OK, although the desserts are pretty decent. My family isn't crazy about the side dishes so I always make them from scratch. HBH frequently offers samples of the desserts and side dishes. You may want to go in and try some, you may like them! Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

We've had ours for 3-4 years. Like Liz CA, we have a section with a glass front. We also bought the lighting that can be attached to the shelves, which I really like. While the shelves themselves are not horrible, they aren't the best quality, in my opinion. Like Crissy mentioned, they do tend to sag under the weight of books. Just recently, we stopped using them as book shelves and converted them into closet shelves. They work much better for us for holding shoes and folded sweaters.

Thanks, everyone, for your great replies! DH called the bank and they immediately took care of it. I am very relieved!

My answer is going to sound really shallow, but I love the scene in The Devil Wears Prada where Andie gets a makeover. They show several shots of her in beautiful couture clothing. Everytime I see that movie, I always drool over all the free designer clothing she gets! :drool5: