I don't expect my kids to like everyone. I think it is a rude thing to say and would tell my child so. The child was asked about camp in general not about whether they liked certain people. I would tell them very simply it is rude to talk bad about someone. My kids aren't perfect in this manner as they are kids but it is an expectation we keep working on and I try to model this as well. I don't think it was good modeling to say in front of the other mom how bad the other kids were and how they were right not to have liked them. I don't think there was a need to defend it or such or explain. I would/do tell them later it is ok not to like someone but it is a rude thing to say to others, I think it is gossiping in that case. I don't like plenty of people for various reasons and they don't like me but I cannot see that as being an appropriate response unless specifically asked what I thought about somebody, and then it should be left at that not going into all about how horrible they are.

I think one can live fairly well on that amount BUT it could also be crushing. There are too many variables, debt levels, savings amount, cost of living, extraneous circumstances, med issues, etc. However, that is of course living without a lot. I think at that level you do have to go through it with a fine tooth comb. We really had to cut back even further this year and we've done all the normal frugal things for awhile. Our bills and we've done to cut : electric- Only hang dry clothes, only wash in cold, never use heated dry on dishwasher. Air is at 83 during day and 80 at night and when it is cool enough at night I don't use it at all. Yesterday it got up to about 88 or so in here as I cranked it up higher as we're having another heat wave. I try to only use hot water when needed and keep it very short, shared baths and short showers. Lights off whenever possible, cook using crockpot and try to cook multiple things at a time. - phone/internet (slowest speed dsl)- last year I found out that they had lowered rates for new subscribers so I called and had mine lowered- saved me $20 month car insurance- just raised our deductible house/tax/insurance gas- Dh does errands when in town for work, we skipped a lot of co-op this spring(and everything that cost money- other than a $5 skating trip) and have tried just not to go anywhere. groceries-Aldis and basic produce only along w/ my bulk items. I only buy produce that is the cheapest and stretch the meat I have. Used more rice and beans. netflix ($8) The kids only activity was scouts for ds at $5 a month, he sold enough popcorn for weekend camp and dh got an overtime day which paid for daycamp. Dates have been at home and we haven't ate out. Dh has $20 a month for spending money for poker and I don't take any. I've spent maybe $30 this year for clothes for everyone(mostly some skirts from Goodwill to accomodate my pregnant belly), we've made do with what we have, although everyone could use some underwear). I make all my own cleaners, so far this year I've spent $25 total for all cleaning/house products (vinegar and 1 gal of dish liquid) and all paper products for the year have been $31(tp). We use cloth everything but tp. I've been tracking every penny spent and if it is not a need then it isn't bought and even then we've tried to redefine what is a need. We only have tracphones and our avg per month is $10. I think it would be prudent to get those med bills out of the way and an emergency fund built up as well, because if you are just barely making it and then something happens you will be in big trouble.

I'm sorry for your loss.

#2 and #3 were born at home, both waterbirths. #4 is due in November and we plan a hb as well. My last babe was born w/ an elbow by her head, very not fun. #1 was posterior and just cocked in there funny. I think I'm shaped weird or such, I hate pushing but labor isn't bad. My last labor was about 5 hrs, although I would have had her sooner if the mw had came a bit earlier, she was trying to finish up her Thanksgiving dinner and didn't believe I was going that fast. I used all my might and willpower to stop labor until she came and started pushing about 5 minutes after she arrived. I see an OB for backup as it makes dh feel more comfortable and I need Rhogram which midwives cannot get here, but I don't see him very often.

We can have some milk products here but not a lot, it would be nice if we could have more. Perhaps at some point ds will be able to drink milk but after so many years without dairy products we are taking it slow. I do use butter(grassfed) and coconut oil. We are gluten free so for grains we have gf porridge, gf oats, rice and rice pasta- I don't use a ton of those though as it isn't ideal to me. We eat a lot of eggs here, a fair amount of meat and lots of fat and veggies. They love fruit as well. I do baked goods but make them healthier, usually any baked good is made w/ almond and coconut flour, coconut oil and sweetened w/ some honey(and a good amount of eggs as those flours require it) upping the protein and fat over regular baked goods. I serve those w/ butter and coconut oil and pancakes I fry in coconut oil and serve w/ sausage or bacon. On the weekend I often serve eggs, w/almond/coco flour biscuits and bacon/sausage. Butter on the side for biscuits and eggs are fried in lard. Yesterday we had eggs and homemade hashbrowns fried in butter and lard along w/ blueberries in coconut milk(full fat). They each had 1-2 servings of fruit besides that. For lunch- I don't remember we snacked so much. I fried some green beans in lard, we had lots of sliced tomatoes and a bunch of other stuff. For supper it was brown rice pasta w/ pork/beef italian sausage, tomatoes broiled w/ evoo and parmesan and crustless pumpkin pie made w/ full fat coconut milk.

e I agree I'd be leary putting it on the walls. The glue will adhere to the sheetrock paper making it impossible to remove, it is not the same as wallpaper glue. Plus, there is overlap between each piece so even if you scuff it then it will be uneven all over the place and every little wrinkle is going to take the paint differently.

Cod liver oil.

Skinny kids who eat a ton here as well. My son has super metabolism I think, dh was just commenting last night about how we are going to be in trouble when he gets older as at (almost)8 he can eat as much or sometimes more than dh. I try to have proteins, carbs and plenty of fats at each meal. They still eat a ton. They drive me bonkers. Perhaps I'll start making them drink coconut oil with every meal :) I prefer grain free but they have grains it helps to fill their hollow legs. We had coconut/almond flour muffins w/ apple/pumpkin w/ butter and bacon for breakfast along w/ oranges and crustless pumpkin pie(gf/df- made w/ coconut milk). They'll tell me they are hungry in an hour probably.

Dh said he would post some pics tonight. Fwiw everyone that sees our floors thinks they look like leather or rocks, we've never gotten a human skin comment :) A lot depends on how much you crumple the paper before hand, the more you do the more creases, which makes it look more distressed.

LOL, I'll have to see if dh can(I cannot seem to figure out such things), I know he has pics on the camera for showing the guys at work. Bear in mind though the room is not entirely finished and we have a cheap camera. It is very shiny so it is hard not to get glare as well. We used contractor paper as well, we are doing about 900 sf total, it would take a boat load of bags. The tearing and crumpling of the paper is by far the most time consuming and tiring part.

Time between coats is variable depending on the temp and humidity, this winter we could do a coat every 2 hrs, this summer it is several hours between each one. Cost- if you are putting it down on wood subfloor it is about 50c sf IIRC, we are putting it on concrete so using a much more expensive glue/sealer and it is about 75c. Ours is rather new but from what I've read people have put it on high traffic stairs and bathrooms without difficulty, you can "patch" it as well if there is any problem. Dh was VERY skeptical but he loves it now and everyone who has seen it is amazed.

Really, I hadn't heard. We don't have a TJs close(nearest one is 2hrs away) but I stock up when I visit that area, or have a friend stock up when she goes. What is the price per pd? I just paid $2.05 per pd(shipping included, no tax) from Azure Co-op.

The ones doing it here locally are the ones that don't have the best reputations.

Doh, I think I finally figured out who you are as well! Many Congrats!

REgular phone-prepaid. I don't use it enough to justify anything more and I'm too cheap anyway.

We are working on it and have done a few rooms now. It really doesn't feel too hard, especially compared to tile. We've done 5 coats of poly/varathane on ours. You only need 1 layer of paper bag but it has to overlap on the edges.

I used to buy from various online places but now I usually buy from Azure since we have a local drop. I've used nutsonline, Mountain Rose Herbs, and Honeyville grain and various other places, depending on who had the best price at the time I've looked.

:iagree:

I know our pack gets a pretty good subsidy from our church charter, thank goodness for their generosity, it really helps that we don't have to pay too much. We are setting up an American Heritage Girls troop at the same church now and I'm beyond thrilled as they are so generous, plus it is the same day and time as Cubscouts/Boyscouts and now we will have official camp outs for the boys and girls at the same time(although it isn't a huge difference as they are family campouts and the girls are there anyway).

Our pack meets weekly, unless it is a school holiday, our charter is a Baptist Church, although anyone can attend.

Wow, what a horrible day: hugs and prayers.

I just raised our deductible on 2 of our 3 but am not dropping to liability as my car replacement funds are not full yet. I will not do liability unless I have that full at least and even then depending on the cost we might keep it.

Congrats and prayers!

I add garlic, salt, onion, basil, oregano, wine (if I have it), tomato puree and a bit of sweetness (usually honey but I'm out right now). I like to saute onions in olive oil first but don't always I tweak to taste and measure nothing.

I make a lot homemade already but usually snacks are pretty basic, I'm going to have to use some of the recipes posted, dh (and the kids)have been more "snacky" lately and I've been wondering what to have around for him. The instant oatmeal is a good one as well, I use to buy that for his b-fast but we don't hardly do oats being gluten free(gf oats are expensive).