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Everything posted by J-rap
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How can you diminish a sugar craving?
J-rap replied to J-rap's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Thank you for this information! I'm going to look into the L-Glutamine. -
Too young to marry? How 'young' were you?
J-rap replied to Stillwood's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Golly, it depends so much on the couple. We have some dear friends who were married at ages 18 and 19, and they have said time and time again that for MOST people, that is too young. But, they have been married for over 22 years and are very, very happy and in love. Our son was engaged at age 20 and married a week after his 21st birthday. He was very mature for his age, had traveled the world for a year (alone), lived independently in New York City, and fell in love with his best friend. :) They are very happy. My husband and I were both 23, but I'm sure I wasn't anymore mature than my son was at age 20/21. My husband and I had a common foundation and common goals, and that "secured" our marriage. :) I loved "growing up" with him, becoming a real adult alongside my best friend. -
No joke! My high school senior has always loved sweets, and though she is mostly a healthy eater, she still says that all she ever really wants to eat is something sweet. She forces herself to eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, a healthy lunch, and meat, rice, veggies, etc. for dinner... She tries to limit her dessert intake to two/day -- for example, a cookie after lunch, a brownie after dinner. She does well with that on most days; she is fairly disciplined. BUT, she says she is really never, ever hungry for anything else besides sugar, and it is ALWAYS a struggle to not gorge on it. This is the same daughter who has constant headaches (migraines -- runs in the family, but hers are far worse). Once, she stayed off of refined sugar completely for two months to see if it would help her headaches; it didn't help, and it didn't take away the sweet craving either. It just seems kind of strange! Maybe her body is lacking something that makes her crave sweets. Wondering if any of you have ideas?
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Three of my children had braces, and one of them in particular was very unhappy about it, PLUS, we couldn't afford the older two's braces until they were juniors and seniors, so they had to wear them as older teens. BUT, they are so happy now that they had it done. No aspie experience, however. Would it help him to talk to someone who has gone through it, who can tell him how worthwhile it is? Or look at before and after pictures?
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Will he be in one place, or moving around a bit? When my children were in one place, they liked a rolling suitcase. If they traveled around, then they really preferred a backpack. Not the heavy-duty hiking backpack, with the metal frame and room for a sleeping bag, etc., but something like this: http://www.rei.com/product/780221/osprey-aura-65-pack-womens That's the women's pack, but something along those lines. That's about the size we got too for our girls, although I think our son had a bigger one. (But he was traveling in the winter, so he needed heavier clothes.) It's nice because the straps can be tucked away so that if it's checked onto the airlines, the straps won't get tangled up in any machinery. Another item that my son in particular used a lot, was a lock like this: http://www.rei.com/product/825365/dakine-micro-lock It can wrap through the backpack and around a pole, a bus seat, a restaurant table leg, etc. Just one way to take a little precautions. Lastly, my daughter is going to school in a mosquito infested area, and this is the repellent that has worked best: http://www.rei.com/product/686229/3m-ultrathon-insect-repellent-3434-deet Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for your son!
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This is almost exactly how we are doing it with our senior. One thing I do more than I would like is trying to keep her on schedule for college applications, etc. She is slowly getting things done, but I feel I need to keep gently prodding her. She is very independent and helps me out in a lot of ways. Her next sister down is very different; I can't quite imagine her handling all the same things on her own next year! We'll see. However, my senior is an older senior, and my junior is a younger junior. Maybe that makes a difference.
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For me, it means something that I own already but don't use, and is still is in fairly good/usable condition. It might be funny, or it might be rather nice, but it is not something that I just bought new at the store or even the thrift store. It's something from my own house. It might be something that was never even used. Gifts we've exchanged at white elephant parties include: a good book (a nicer, hard-cover one); a pretty centerpiece/dried flower arrangement; cross-country skiis and boots; a ceramic cookie jar.
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Are you able to brainstorm with her about various options? Not in an instructive way, but in a creative, helpful way? It seems that someone will be less apt to leave/end a bad situation if they do not know of other options out there. I'm so sorry. I really have no experience with this, so do not know if this is practical advice or not.
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It's been awhile since I've read these, but a couple of my favorite modern-day novels are Stones From a River and The Poisonwood Bible. Otherwise Dickens is my all-time favorite: David Copperfield, Bleak House, Tale of Two Cities, etc.
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If you ever plan on flying, then I'd invest in rolling suitcases instead of duffel bags. Also, younger children can help with rolling suitcases even if they aren't strong enough to lift a big duffel. That being said, we always have at least a couple big duffels to use for misc. items: jackets, hats & mittens, etc.
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Whats to love? Water for Elephants
J-rap replied to kahlanne's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Peace Like a River. -
Do you feel that God loves you?
J-rap replied to Cindyg's topic in General Education Discussion Board
I voted for the second option. I am a committed Christian and follower of Christ, but I rarely "feel" God's love. I never wanted to base my faith on "feeling" -- that seemed like too fragile a faith. So, maybe it's my own fault that I've disconnected the feeling part from my faith. We had a horrific tragedy in my family, which completely turned my world upside down and changed everything, forevermore. I never felt God's love throughout this event, even though I sought it. As someone else said, I don't sugarcoat things anymore. If the closest parking place to the mall entrance just opens up, or I get the last ticket available for a show, or even if an unexpected check comes just in time to pay a bill, I don't think "Man, this is so great! I sure feel God's love today!" Many, many people in the world never have those things happen, and yet God loves them. Faith is believing that which you neither see nor feel. So, I continue to believe; I believe God IS love and that He loves me. I can rest in this. -
Can you solve this easy mental math problem?
J-rap replied to distancia's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
Ha ha -- you DO seem to have enough answers, but it's an interesting thing to think about! I am definitely a non-math person, but I'm still quite good at math and accurate. I HAVE to visualize it though, or I can't do it. So, I stare off into space, convert the words into numbers, and set up the formula in the air where I can see it (:-). Then I multiply the 7 X 6, write down (in the air) the 2 and carry the 4 (and I have to visualize the 4 sitting up there), then multiply 4 X 6, and add the 4 I had carried. If I do not "see" it, I absolutely cannot do it. -
We used to make quite elaborate Christmas presents every year. I think that stopped with baby #1. People got over it.:)
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I'm looking for a good book to get each of my kids for Christmas. My two youngest girls (18 and 16) love to read, but are quite particular. They don't care for many of the mainstream teen books (I don't either). My 18-year-old will not read fiction, but enjoys history, cooking, traveling, adventure, and music. These would be something along the lines that I've looked at for her, to give you an idea: http://www.amazon.com/97-Orchard-Immigrant-Families-Tenement/dp/0061288519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322669277&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Be-Home-Christmas-Congress/dp/038533463X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322669352&sr=1-3 My 16-year-old loves stories that take place in the past that have an adventurous/courageous bent. She has read many books about the Holocaust, for example. She enjoys some classics, but not all. She LOVED Little Women. She did enjoy Harry Potter. They need to be about girls though, for the most part. I'd love to find her a new series, but I know she would not get into most modern teen book series. She is not into boys, romance, trends. The ideal series would be like Little Women -- it would take place in the past, about a sweet, courageous family with the "star" being a girl her age. :) However, I don't think such a series exists.
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This post is a little different, because it's for my husband, not my children! He is recovering from a major left-hemisphere stroke, and is learning how to read, write, think, use his arm and leg again, etc. I've read a lot about how games on the Wii can be helpful therapy, teaching limbs how to work better, etc. I'm interested in getting this for my husband for Christmas. I think it would make physical therapy seem a little more fun. I have NO experience with the Wii, and I know there are other similar type systems too. Does anyone have experience using a Wii for therapy? Can you explain it to me better, or suggest any particular system or program? Things I should look for? All we have is a big old TV (not a modern HD TV -- would that be required?), and computers of course. Thank you ahead of time!
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They both sound strange and troubled to me. I'd try and quietly exit the drama now, and just drop it. Don't let other people's weirdness suck YOU into it too. Time to move on.
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Someone else suggested this too, but I often see entire sets of quite nice-looking dishes at second-hand stores and flea markets. Often they are the old-fashioned, every-day china type -- just the kind I really like, actually. Very lovely! Once one of my daughters was setting the table and carrying 7 plates at once (of our lovely thrift-store set :)), and dropped the whole pile on the way to the table. Every last plate was broken.
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That wouldn't bother me. Bright colors are quite stylish right now, I think. :) We have a range of styles between my four girls; some of them I cringe at a little (sometimes a lot!), but usually let it go. Modesty is most important (and that includes dumb sayings on clothes). If there is a special event, we also expect them to dress up. (If not a dress, at least nice slacks and a blouse.) One little style rule we ARE sticklers about: no pajama pants in public! Not for modesty reasons; it just looks so tacky!
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We do. That's also when more extra-curricular activities pick up, too (sports, music, etc.) We don't let them off the hook completely; for example, instead of daily chores, we may tell them they need to do a thorough cleaning of the bathroom by the end of the week. Or, they need to clean the garage sometime before winter sets in.
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I'm so sorry! Praying!!
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It is tricky... there are so many more opportunities these days! My kids have all worked starting at age 15 or 16 (or even earlier), but were fortunate in that they had an employer who worked/works around their schedule. So, if they are in a sport and can't work a season, that's fine. If their extra-curricular choir has a two-week tour, plus another family vacation for two weeks later in the summer, that's fine too. Because of a very understanding and flexible employer, all of my children have been able to hold part-time jobs off and on throughout their high school years, get good grades, and participate in summer activities.
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Dentist twice a year? Once? What does your family do?
J-rap replied to ScoutTN's topic in General Education Discussion Board
When we had dental insurance, we went twice/year. We haven't had it for years, however, and since then, we go about once every other year. Even then we hold off on x-rays and extras a lot of the time. Our teeth have been quite healthy, fortunately, although we have had the extra expenses of teeth pulling (so that permanent teeth have more room to grow in), wisdom teeth, and braces. I wonder how much of that would have been covered by dental insurance? Those extras do add up. -
Muppets, Arthur Christmas or Hugo?
J-rap replied to danybug's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Sorry -- haven't seen any of those, but we DID just see Puss N Boots, and it was really very good!!