Happy Anniversary! We had the same experience - the furniture that seemed so reasonably sized in the huge store seemed to overpower our room at first. I think it was just such a huge (!) change. We got used to it. It grew on us. Or maybe we just don't notice anymore. Give it some time, and hopefully yours will start to seem normal to you, too. I bet it's beautiful! Enjoy it. And have a wonderful anniversary!

I hope she stops in! For now, I have a sample pot, and some wax. Trying to decide between trying it out on a stepstool or a small bookcase before ordering more. Tackling the cabinets is... daunting. Definitely planning to start small. :) Let me know if you try the mantle!

Can you put the fiestaware straight into a hot oven, or do they tell you to preheat the dish with the oven? Just curious. I always forget to preheat our pottery baking dish with the oven, and if fiestaware can go straight into a hot oven... there is a shopping trip in my future. :)

First... Ooooooh, the colors! I love the colors!!!! :001_wub: Now... Tell me about your experience? Pretty please? We are painting kitchen cabinets, and this is the paint I'm considering using. I like that there is very little prep, but I want someone who's used it to tell me that, "Yes, it's true! There is very little prep!" And for some reason, I'm nervous about the waxing - afraid it will be blotchy. Yep, I've watched a dozen videos and read a thousand blog posts. :) Now I'm ready for the Hive's take. Anyone? (Or am I the only one insane enough to try to do this?)

Very disturbing. On so many levels. We are (clothed) co-sleepers here so normally hearing that someone has a kid in their bed (even at 6) wouldn't make me blink, but what you've described sounds terribly off. And when you add in that the boy's actions don't sound healthy (asking to see another boy's privates, hiding those requests, etc)... Too many red flags. Please don't send your kiddo over there any more. As for reporting, I defer to Joanne and the others who know better how/to whom.

Yup. What happened to spring?

So sorry your mom's feelings are hurt. That's such a bad feeling, and I can understand your reasons and your frustrations. I haven't read every reply, but I did see that you responded that taking the entire family would be too costly. If you're up for it, and the cost is really the issue: if you get the Lego Club magazine (available free - join/order online or pick them up at any Lego store and maybe other locations - you can pick up multiple copies, they are beside the registers)... There is a coupon for a free child ticket with every adult ticket. So if you all went, you'd pay for 3 adult tickets and 0 kids' tickets (if I counted right - you, DH, your mom and 3 kids, is that right?). Also, we were just at Legoland, and found out that it's also cheaper to buy tickets 7 days in advance than at the gate, so you could compare those savings (maybe combine them, IDK), too. Legoland lets you bring food in, in a cooler (we do this, due to food allergies), and there are some great things to do for any lego lovers. The homeschool days look amazing - and some of the science/engineering stuff is very cool. So it could be worthwhile, aside from rollercoasters and the water park. Just a few thoughts, since you mentioned cost being the reason that you can't all go. If there are other reasons, then just ignore me. :)

I vote sour grapes, too. Don't let it bother you. That would be a compliment in many areas, and in my family - for sure. :) How rude to discuss someone else's children that way, with another parent but with a raised voice so you'd take notice. This is her problem, not yours. Celebrate that you're in a good place with your kids right now - that is awesome!

That's exactly why I had to check in on this thread! Window shopping! Fun. :)

The Bill Bryson book looks great, just put in my Amazon cart! Thanks. I think DS would like it. He's going to be so happy. :)

Just checking for an update, hoping for good news. Another idea: does your county or town have a yahoo group? Ours has one, and frequently members post about found animals, or assist in searches.

Love it!

Very nice website. Good job! :) My heart breaks for all of our kiddos going through this. It's a tough one. Rather, it's a tough constellation of diseases, since so often it's much more than Lyme alone. :( Healing thoughts to your DD.

Thanks! I'll check out the books listed on the links. We read, and loved, the George books. And, of course, we love the new Cosmos series. Has anyone read Origins by NdGT? I looked at that one, but the reviews made me think it's not accessible for a 10 year old. Albeit one who can recite parts of the Magic of Reality because he's memorized it! :laugh: If you think of more, especially non-fiction, would love to hear more ideas.

Oh no. :( Hoping that he is found safe and sound soon.

DS loves the Magic of Reality by Dawkins. We have the book, we have the app, we have the audiobook. :) He goes to sleep to the audiobook most nights. Loves it. He has listened to it countless times at this point. Can anyone recommend a similar book? Bonus points if there's a good audiobook version available! I've checked through the recs at GoodReads, and while I found some leads, I'm not sure anything is going to be quite as accessible.

We do the same. Another atheist here. We celebrate the arrival of spring, basically. Growing up, the baskets I received were only filled with candy. Now we do small gifts, to lessen the amount of candy. Candy for us is very expensive - we have to order special allergy safe candy, and I only know of two companies that make what we need, so there's not much shopping around. This year there will be a Rubik's Cube, books, and probably some other small items - art supplies, maybe.

They each have their place in the world. :) PC/Windows for those of you who like to vanquish something. Or tinker with it, rebuild it, whatever. More power to you! And Mac for those of us who don't have the patience for all that. For people who want to pull it out of the box, plug it in, and have it work. No tinkering. Just do the job I bought you to do, you know? My Macs get very little in the form of maintenance or upkeep, but they go forever. I'm good with that. We buy refurbished, same warranty as buying new.

You could post something political, maybe, or bash your significant other. :)

He's beautiful! I lived with a gorgeous Bengal years ago ... She was my roommate's. Beautiful kitties. Enjoy your new friend. :)

This page has a lot of ideas: http://www.thelittleactivitychest.com/easter-egg-hunt-clues/ Is that the type of thing you're hoping to find? Cute idea!

Haven't seen it yet, but interested in seeing everyone's thoughts! Can't wait to see it.

:grouphug: So, so sorry for your loss. You will be in our thoughts.

:( Sad ABQ girl here.

Keep yelling. Don't stop. DS (10) began biting his nails in the last year or so. He hid it from me for a long time, but now it's out. :( We were at the grocery store, and nearly had to use the epipen because of it. He pushed the cart, then bit his nails. Twice. I caught him both times and told him to stop. Sure enough, he had a reaction. No epipen, but it required sitting on a bench with the epipens beside us, open, Benadryl and an emergency inhaler puff. It was around the holidays, and they were giving out various samples. There were walnut products in the store (they always seem more prevalent during the holidays). DS has many allergies, but I suspect walnuts in that case. We are still working on the nail-biting. So scary. Feel free to share that story with nail-biting allergic kids.