I now have double wall ovens. Got them about 18 months ago, and that is the first time I've had proper double ovens. I love, love, love, love having two ovens. It would be fine if one were smaller (although mine are both full sized). It's just GREAT to be able to cook rolls while the main course is still in the oven, or start dessert while the main course is still in there, etc. If you can't have two full regular ovens, then for sure, having a smaller second oven is still WAY good. In one house, we had a normal range, but a fancy over-the-range microwave that also baked (and convection baked), so although it was a bit smaller (microwave size), you could use that second oven for a pie, etc, while the main oven was busy. If you have space for it, and if you like to cook a lot, then IMHO, it is super awesome to have two ovens.

1) I'd go to the DR ASAP. 2) While you are waiting to get to the DR, I'd take Nexium every day for a week or so (or until the DR tells you otherwise).

I agree. When we were active church members, I liked to donate in cash anonymously. I'd just put cash in the plate each week . . . I hated pledging. I did it a few years because that's what everyone was supposed to do, but I hated it every time. I think that churches should aim to have a year's funding in cash on hand, and budget for the following year based on what is on hand . . . If I managed a church, that's what I'd do. :) But, then, they wouldn't be able to twist folks' arms for weeks/months each year . . . manipulating people into donating more than they want to . . . I HATED that stuff. I was apoplectic when my mom's long-time former church cashed a check she mailed them . . . At the end of the pledge year, soon after a visit back to her home church . . . She's already more than met her annual pledge (I was managing her finances, as she had Alzheimer's . . . ) but that visit hearing about pledge stuff made her more worried about the money . . . They were always talking about money and figuring out more ways to weasel more money out of vulnerable people. Even months/years after they'd known she had Alzheimer's and could not understand or manage her finances! She was so stressed about it, and that's why I'd made sure her pledge was met to honor that wish of hers . . . (And she'd moved away in JANUARY . .. and had ALZ, so needed to preserve every dollar of her funds to ensure HER care . . . But, we honored that entire year's substantial pledge, even though she was gone, and now supporting a NEW church . . . and also even though she'd made the pledge when she was already very compromised from dementia . . . STILL it wasn't enough for them!) Anyway, she mailed them a $500 check TOTALLY filled out wrong (like TO: FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, signed in the wrong line, etc) and they knew she had advanced dementia which was why she'd moved away to my home . . . Anyway, they cashed that check, and I had no idea she'd even written and mailed it until I saw the image on a bank statement. I had a conniption fit. They offered to return the funds, but I told them to keep it, with the warning never to cash another check over $100 from my mom . . . (who wasn't even supposed to have access to her checking account . . . I just hoped that my fit helped one or two of the folks there recognize the wrong they had done and reconsider their future treatment of vulnerable members. . . That experience reminded me (AGAIN) just how hypocritical and awful that church was. All about serving the needy, supposedly, but very eager to take advantage of a vulnerable member. Anyway, rant over.

I have about 3500+ square feet of hardwood (oak) flooring in our house. And 3 dogs and 3 cats and 3 kids. :) I know a little something about cleaning wood floors, lol. My main clean up issue is dust bunnies -- so same problem for any hard flooring (and I have another 1500 sf of other smooth floors, lol -- and for that, I find vacuums are the best. I LOVE my Roomba (800 series if you have pets) because it goes under couches and beds and drives ITSELF. Best $800 I ever spent. I have several other vacuums, and the best ones are either a canister vacuum with a smooth floor head (swiveling hair brush) and a very light weight (cheap) upright for quick jobs around the kitchen (every night). A "dust mop" also does a great job if you prefer and if your family isn't as dirty as mine is. Bona floor cleaner IS the bomb. You get a big flat head mop with washable covers (microfiber or cotton) and spritz the floor with Bona (sort of like using window cleaner) and then wipe it up. Magic. Streak free. Clean. Get at least 3 or so covers for your mop, as you want to change them as they get dirty, and you don't want to run out of cleaning covers before you have the floor cleaned. I go through at least 3 in 1000 sf. (I actually have two flat mops, each with 3 or 4 covers. . . the idea being that makes it easier to draft a child to clean at the same time as me, lol) You can spot clean with a rag, too. You can use the same Bona on your wood cabinets, etc, as needed. I use this a few times a week around the hot spots (kitchen/dining/entries) and probably monthly all over the floors. If I had more time (or a housekeeper), it'd be weekly. I don't get these families who say they don't have to wash/wipe their floors regularly. Y'all must have very clean families!! My family is DIRTY. LOL. One of our family members spot cleans for a few minutes most days after dinner during our evening family clean up time . . . And we do need to do a full Bona wipe down if we want things to look clean and spiffy, so we do that at least every few weeks in the main living areas. When we do, those cleaning rags get DIRTY. I mean, wood isn't a magic dirt-repellant material, lol. It's a bit of heavy work to clean with the flat mop and Bona. I mean, if we didn't have such a LOT of wood floors, it'd not be a big deal, but we have a LOT. For me, it's an hour's hard work (and I'm strong, a runner, etc.) to flat mop the 1000 sf or so of main living areas . . . If I do it all by myself, I'm cranky and sweaty by the end of it. I try to get a kid or two to help. The bedrooms, office space, etc doesn't get nearly so dirty so fast, so that's a breeze to damp mop as needed (and usually just a room or two at a time) . . . But our daily-hard-living areas get dirty and need real wiping down with a damp rag or damp flat mop (damp with Bona for me -- love that stuff) frequently. I love wood floors. I love wood. They do scratch. A broom is NOT gonna scratch it, but normal life (dogs, high heels, kids with sharp implements, lol) WILL scratch them. I personally choose lower maintenance floors . . . so mine are natural colored oak. Doesn't show dust/dirt terribly like a very light or very dark or very "clear" wood. However, you have to realize that wood will wear. Think about old chapels, old farm houses, etc. They have old wood floors. BEAUTIFUL old wood floors. It's OK. It's natural. It's pretty. My floors are just a couple years old, so they don't have lots of marks yet, but I expect them, and I don't freak out when they happen. In 10-20 years, maybe we'll refinish them . . . Or not. :)

Bosch 800. :) I love, love, love ours.

No. No. No. No. No. Never. Never. Never. If this were my own biological child, I'd feel somewhat within my rights in physically restraining them for a reasonable (short -- few minutes) period of time at that age for some sort of behavioral chat/calming/whatever. In any other circumstance, I think physical restraint is a terrible idea unless it is for a very short period of time in an emergency situation. (I.e., hold child back from throwing themselves off a bridge . . . or hold child down for the EMT to insert a catheter . . . or hold child still while waiting to be evaluated for a spinal injury . . . ) So, no, I would not allow this whatsoever absolutely never. No. I'm sorry, but that person sounds like a dangerous person. Run, don't walk. And, I would never, ever, ever let any young child of mine (or in my custody) be in a therapeutic/medical/whatever relationship that I was not allowed to witness 100% of what was going on. And CERTAINLY not if that treatment involves restraint! Good God, no!

Seems to me like the local police forces need to get a ticketing system -- non criminal, but a financial fine -- in place. Just like in college towns where they'll ticket folks for public alcohol, etc. Personally, I hate the smell of tobacco smoke but I think pot smells groovy, lol. That said, I wouldn't want my kids exposed, and I'd be pretty irritated if other folks' smoking was making it hard for my family to enjoy being outside in a public place. Hopefully, local law enforcement will step up some sort of a ticketing program for public use . . . Seems like another easy money maker for the government, lol.

Sounds lovely!

This is my go to artichoke dip. Love it. Super easy. http://www.food.com/recipe/5-minute-delicious-artichoke-dip-food-processor-make-ahead-179080 Serve it with nice baguette bread sliced thin.

We brown ground beef and onions and garlic, and add a can of diced tomatoes. Otherwise, any jarred sauce tastes too salty and sweet for my taste.

Google up some good beef broth recipes. I use one out of Joy of Cooking. In general, for beef broth, you have to slow roast the bones (and maybe some veggies) for many hours, then simmer those roasted bones (plus a bunch of fresh veggies) for about 12 hours. And you have to skim out the foam/scum every hour or so during the simmering. BUT, be sure you look for a recipe for CANNING if you plan to can. (I freeze my stock.) When you can, you MUST use tested/approved recipes to be safe. If I were you, I'd google up a pile of "beef broth for canning recipes" and then I'd pick one I liked best, and I'd follow it to the last dot. Be meticulous about following salt, etc, amounts, as these things can be critical for safe canning. I'd look for recipes from extension offices (Utah had a great one when we lived there) and other "official" (i.e., printed published books) sources. Canning is awesome, but you really should be extra careful to follow tested recipes to avoid killing people with your canned goods. :) FWIW, freezing is easy, and you don't have to follow a canning recipe. :) The broth will take up much less space than the bones do. :)

At that age, although you'd think they'd "have everything", much of their "everythings" might be pretty worn out and not-so-fancy-anymore. I know that I was helping my mom replace a lot of her basic kitchenware when she was in her 60s, as she was ready to move on to All Clad/Wusthof/etc from her basic RevereWare/etc that got her though her earlier life. She enjoyed having fancy stuff, and now she could finally afford it. The darn thing about those functional basics -- TupperWare, Pots, Knives, etc, is that it lasts FOREVER, and, ya know, Tupperware from the 70s that had been in regular use for 50 years looks a little tired, lol. (FWIW, I just sent a load of that 70s Tupperware down to college girl's house!) I'd check to see if they are registered anywhere. If they aren't registered, then I'd treat it like any other wedding -- probably give cash if I can't buy off the registry. But, if I were to go out and buy something not on the registry, I'd make sure it was either consumable or very high end (small is fine, but really nice), assuming they already have all the basics covered.

That really stinks but it is GREAT that you had cash in savings to pay for it!! That's a big hit all at once, and it's super awesome that you avoided debt to pay for it!! That's one of the best things about savings, IMHO. Hopefully your electric bill will go down some with the newer (and presumably more efficient) A/C units, making it a little easier to replenish your savings. Give yourself big pats on your back for managing your finances so you could handle such a big unexpected expense without debt. You done good.

I'm so sorry this didn't work out!!! Have you decided about putting the older kids in school in the fall? When does school start?

Off the top of my head . . . "Sally is having a rough time right now, and she needs our help. She is ending her unsafe marriage and is transitioning into life as a single mom. I know that her friends/church family/homeschool family would want to support her and help her be safe and well, so I'm organizing meals/rides/whatever for her. Can you help? Here is the sign up sheet/link/whatever. Also, to respect Sally's privacy and need for safety, please do not share any information at all with Sally's soon-to-be-ex-husband or anyone else without Sally's permission. Sally has authorized me to share this much information, but she's not ready to talk about this widely at this time. Thanks." And, of course, run it by Sally before you say or write anything to anyone. By simply stating that the marriage was "unsafe" and that she is seeking "safety", presumably anyone with any brains will understand the meaning. Most people would know better than to ask questions (pry). With these words, you are not defaming anyone. Be especially careful about anything you put in writing. If you are talking to a close mutual friend, you can share more if you like, but only verbally, one on one.

And this is why most states have exceptions for close-in-age sexual contact. In many states, it is 2-4 years age difference. I am sure it is variable from state to state, though. It's also why I taught my son that sexual contact with anyone under the age of consent was a very dangerous idea, even if they were close in age. In fact, I didn't tell him about the close-in-age exception, as I figured there was no need to muddy that water. I just told him not to consider sexual contact with anyone under 16, ever. Period. And I made a very big deal about how dangerous it would be to him. I have to say I've been relieved that he's only dated girls his age or older and has shown no interest in younger girls. It is very scary to think of even being involved in a criminal proceedings, not to mention the significant risk of (where we live) a family member just shooting/killing my son if he crossed a line. That certainly still happens, and my son was made well aware of that long before he was dating.

Of course she didn't allow a sex offender on her property for any purpose. I would not allow a sex offender anywhere near my property, my family, my children, myself, or anything else I could control. The government might consider your "time served", but I have no obligation to put my family or myself into contact with anyone I don't want to. And, I don't want to have anything to do with a sex offender, period, end stop! I wouldn't employ them, wouldn't speak to them, wouldn't rent to them, and wouldn't be a member of any group that would require/expect me to have any contact. You do the crime. You do the time. AND you face the social and other consequences of your actions. The consequences for a bad act are sometimes legal, sometimes social, sometimes financial, sometimes . . . The entire purpose of the sex offender registry is to allow individuals to choose how much (if any) contact they want to have with an offender. I choose zero contact.

FWIW, this is the story that screams in my head when I read this OP. http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=16052 A lone employee of the vet hospital arrived earlier than other staff, and she was stalked, raped, and murdered at the clinic while there alone. Security measures are critical. This situation of a lone female alone in a building just scream DANGER DANGER DANGER to me. Whether or not the man in the OP is a risk, the entire situation is a risk. I would not allow it a single time. If I wanted my child to continue to serve/work in this manner, I'd only permit it if I or another adult were available to hang out during her entire shift. I'd sit and play on my phone or read a book or even help with a volunteer church task. But, I'd be there, with my phone in my hand, the entire time. Period. And, personally, I'd question the judgment of the church for allowing this situation to exist. They need to correct their procedures. If the church must remain unlocked at all times, then no one should be there alone -- at least not at the church's request. Ever. Personally, even if the facility were locked, I wouldn't allow my underage child to go there alone.

I would take this opportunity to reign in a very dangerous practice of having one person, alone, in an unlocked church building, EVER. It is VERY dangerous. The church should not allow it! You should not allow it! Safety precautions should require two people there at all times. The only exception would be if someone was there and had all the doors locked. For sure. Even that is risky!

Well, if the Carvan is cheaper and comparably good car, then that's great, because now you have two new vans to compare and to let the dealers compete with each other to get it to you for the best price. Find good Kia and Dodge dealers (hopefully 2 or more for each brand) and let them give you their best price and best deal on the trade in. Check out TrueCar for price ranges and for incentives, etc, so you know what to look for in a good price/deal. Ask around locally for the best salespeople at the dealerships you have available within a day's drive. (We drove 100 miles to get our Kia -- it was several thousand dollars cheaper there than at our local dealer.) We found a great sales person at our local Subaru dealership, and we've bought 2 new Subarus from him in the last 7 months -- having a great sales person makes it SO MUCH less painful. (I hate car shopping and I hate haggling!) Also, be aware that car loans are generally MUCH MUCH easier to get than mortgages, etc. So, just because you can't get credit for a mortgage doesn't mean you can't get a car loan. Go ahead and ask the dealers for financing; you might be surprised. Super cheap financing (1.49% on each of our new Subarus -- one for 3 years, one for 4) can make it more financially sensible to finance a new car than pay cash, sometimes.

Ugh!!! Sounds to me like time for a new car. I'd personally prefer to use savings first, then dip into investments. Have you looked at a new Kia Sedona minivan? We bought a new one 5 years ago, for, IIRC, right $25k. WAY cheaper than alternatives. We had a DEAD AND DEADER, barely running, beat up, 120k+ miles, 6+ years old, body damaged, broken doors, broken entertainment system, needing over 5k in repairs for body damage and defective doors, etc, almost dead Toyota Sienna, and the Kia dealer gave us about 12k (yes, you read that right! It was insane) for it. So, our net cost on the new van was like 12k. Nuts! That Kia minivan is now 5+ years old with over 155k miles on it, never a single problem with it. We just tuned it up and cleaned it out for our college girl to take back to campus next week. I'm hoping/expecting to get several more (lower mileage) years out of it, and I don't have any reason not to expect that to work out. I've bought one used car, and it was a total disaster. I won't buy used, so I'm no help there. Other people can do it, but not me, never again. If I were you, I'd find a Kia dealer, find the cheapest NEW Sedona I could, see what they'd give me for trade-in on that dying old van, and probably just go with that. See if the dealer will do financing for you (doesn't hurt to try), and if they won't, then spend your savings + however much investments you need to cash out, and call it a day. You'll have a reliable vehicle until your eldest is "up and out" and then you can consider a smaller vehicle next time (which are a lot more affordable).

You might be surprised at how long your old van can limp along if you're willing to muddle along. We had a 2003 Volvo that "needed" $4500 in repairs 2 years ago, according to the three different shops we took it to . . . As it was old, beat, high mileage, and worth less than half that, we skipped all those repairs and did only $500 worth of stuff that was safety related. It kept running for 18 months with no significant problems, then got increasingly "rough" the past few months. It finally died last week after a relatively minor accident shook things up too much, lol. When it was officially totaled and dead, we went out and bought a new car. Anyway, we were shocked and very pleased to have gotten 2 "free" years out of that car. It allowed our teens to "get their accidents out of their systems" in a car that wasn't worth anything but was still very safe. Since I calculate that we "use up" about 5k of value per year per car (we drive a lot of miles), pushing off the new vehicle purchase by 2 years saved us nicely, especially if you add in the several minor accidents that the "old" car got in that we didn't bother to fix (or fixed on the super-cheap) but DEFINITELY would have fixed properly on a new car . . . During these entire 2 years, we knew we'd need to replace that car soon, but we figured we'd just eek out as many miles as we could, and replace it when it drops. That was fine. I kept in mind what sort of car we'd get to replace it with when needed, and when we finally decided to replace it, I had the deal struck on the replacement vehicle in under an hour, and bought it later that day. Realistically, any car, even new cars, break down every so often. So, I wouldn't let that drive your replacement vehicle purchase just yet. If the van was breaking down regularly (say more than a couple times a year) and you couldn't figure out how to fix it (or it wasn't worth the $$ to fix it), then, sure, it's not reliable enough . . . But age alone isn't something I'd replace a vehicle for. So, anyway, my vote is to take whatever money the insurance gives you, add it to your savings, and start adding a "car payment" amount into that savings as well. Hopefully, but the time your van actually drops dead, you will have the cash ready to replace the van. At that time, if needed, cash out enough investments to make up the full cost. I wouldn't cash out the investment accounts since you have cash in savings. I'd use the cash first, then take investments if you run out of savings.

Your vet can give you a good guess. They can look at his teeth and guess how old he is (even better if you know for sure his birth date, but that's pretty rare). I think dh's (he's a vet) rule of thumb is something like "at 4 months, they're about half their adult weight" or something like that. I think that works about right for medium size dogs, but would under predict size of a giant breed and over predict a tiny breed. For a 50# dog, it works about right. :) Google up "puppy growth chart" for some ideas. My best guess is that he'll be a small size dog (20-25lb), if your age is close and your weight is right. And, FWIW, the vast majority of mixed breed dogs are smallish to mediumish. You rarely get a giant dog from mixed parents. Probably because not many giant male dogs run around un-neutered.

Life of Fred had a statistics book.

You're entirely welcome. I'm happy to pay forward some of the infinite helps I've received on these boards over the last 15+ years. :)