Pre-pay phone here. I'd LOVE a smartphone- just for fun.... but not the cost. It amazes me how much people spend on their phones. DH has one free from work, and it IS very convenient at times.

Me! I'm due August 14th. So hot and tired. My last pregnancy I was dilated to 3-4 for weeks. I thought he'd fall out, but it ended up being a little bit of a difficult delivery. I'll get checked tomorrow- the doctor let me defer for a week, since I've never been early with the others.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I put my dd in ps after one year of hs. She's still difficult and the academics aren't what I would chose, but our homelife has been much better. The break IS nice. I've been able to focus on my other two kiddos while she is there.

So much support in favor of continuing homeschooling. Unless you are getting a lot of support, and I mean actual helping not just cheerleading, from dh, I would personally consider sending them to school. When will YOU get a break? I would feel stretched thin with twins alone but more so having to ensure my older is getting some kind of education while the laundry/dishes pile up. Socialization IS important, too. The fieldtrips, etc. might need to take a backseat for the year. Just my two cents coming from a grouchy mom who was woken up at 5 by ds2.

Thanks. DD gets confirmed tomorrow. This makes it extra special. :)

Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful replies... My poll was very thorough, but the forum only allows for short choices which forced me to drastically cut what I had written. I also updated my tag line. She's not 88. Lol. To answer questions... Yes, I do feel like ps is giving up on her, even in our "excelling" school, especially as she moves up in the system. It just seems so mediocre. I did try after schooling her in "fun" topics like history when I sent her back to ps, but it was a fight. She has absolutely no interest. When things get to be "work" she puts up a stink. I called the charter school re. homework for clarification. They say it's about an hour and a half of homework a night. Admittedly that's a fair amount after being in school all day, and it could take longer given her attitude. I have considered a LD, especially since DS10 has one. His struggles were always very apparent, though. There's no way the school would test her since she's performing at an average level. I wonder if our new insurance would cover most of the cost.... I'll look into that. It's not just school that is in conflict. I feel that it takes such monumental effort to bend her will to obedience. (That's probably putting it too harshly.) Like even brushing her hair/teeth or doing chores. If I'm not hovering, I'm ignored. She obeys school rules. But, she's so darn insolent. On one hand, even if she's struggling to get by with a more elevated curriculum (Singapore math, Great Works, Spanish language), isn't it better than never being exposed to it? Is it worth the battle?

In a nutshell... I homeschooled my dd last year and for the first month of this school year. She has always been strong-willed. We butted heads constantly while schooling, she started exhibitting signs of depression due to I think lack of social stimulation, and I restarted her in our ps. Our ps is supposedly excellent. I personally think she's receiving a mediocre education, which is one reason I pulled her in the first place; however, she really puts a minimal effort into her schoolwork. She really doesn't care and grades don't motivate her. The conundrum: She was accepted into one of the Great Hearts schools- it's a classical charter school- for next year. The waiting list is crazy long- ds is #117. It's really a fantastic curriculum, but it's also a lot of work- like 2 hours of homework a night, so I've heard. DD, of course, doesn't want to go. She never demonstrated much curiosity about anything when I was schooling her and just wants to be with her friends. When we toured the school she grimaced at the chess boards in the front lobby and the (admittedly pathetic) playground. (Her recess is only 15 minutes now as it is.) I will not homeschool her- she made things very unpleasant for ds, who really does want to learn and please others. Poll to follow...

So, we've decided to cross over to the greatest of mom-mobiles as we are expecting our 4th and our '96 Explorer is rapidly fading... the mini-van. Are there any recomendations from the Hive for a make/model used mini-van around $12,000? Any warnings on what NOT to buy? Thanks for any advice. Good storage is a must.

DD has wanted and wanted a cat for almost a year. We finally relented and found a cat from a foster home through Craig's List that fit dh's criteria- friendly and already declawed. For a $20 rehoming fee yesterday we brought home a 3 year-old cat, neutered, front-declawed, and friendly. He wasn't interested in the toys dd waved at him, but he was adjusting to his new environs, of course. He is very patient with ds2. I did suspect he was older than 3, maybe 5 or 6. Today I called the Banfield number from the tag on his collar. Turns out this cat is not only not up to date on shots, according to their records, but 10 years 3 months! Gar. He's really sweet and cuddly. We won't return him as he is fitting in well- I don't know if the foster mom (the second of 2) even knew, but I'm a bit irritated. :glare:

My first BS is in nutrition. I graduated feeling like we (the human race, that is) really didn't know anything still about nutrition. It was back when Atkin's was being reintroduced, and there did seem to be a lot of merit to cutting out all the refined carbs. I had a friend who had a lot of success on South Beach, a more moderate approach, but then she got pregnant.... I look at my obese mother and worry about myself. Her mother died of a stroke, and yes she was obese as well. I think part of the trick is not gaining the weight to begin with, of course, that isn't so useful if you're already heavy.

Someone mentioned they are giving up Facebook and this forum. What else are people giving up?

DH and I talked more last night. His mother is truly an exceptional and generous woman. Even though it's not how I'd like to spend that much money, I'm going to go ahead and go. I think she would be hurt if I didn't. I'm not at all close to my own mother, and she has fulfilled that role in so many ways. You all have made very good points, on both sides. You're right, I probably won't have to talk that much. Getting a place away from the group, although cheaper, would just be logistically and socially awkward, I think. Thanks so much for the advice.

That's pretty much where it's at, Impish. When the cost was about $300, that's when I thought to "suck it up". But now that it's an estimated $450 I'm less enthusiastic about going. I don't just want to stand around and watch MIL play slots and SIL's shop or to sheepishly tell dh that I paid $50 to see a show because I felt bad about being left out. Of course, once again, it's not about me. Argh. And, yes, we CAN afford it, but it just seems like a waste of money that should go toward a double stroller or summer camps for the kids, etc.

Haha! Unicorn, great minds...

Impish, that's not a bad idea. How much would be reasonable? $100?

My mil is like a mother to me. I love her dearly. She is a great support, and a lot of fun. Her daughter and my bil's wife want to take her to Vegas for her 60th birthday to meet up with mil's best friend (whose birthday is near as well) and her daughters. It would be a great girls' weekend out. The tentative plan is to drive there, stay in the Paris hotel, and generally have a jolly time. The cost so far, including paying for mil? About $450. That's a rough estimate for hotel, food, and gas, but doesn't include gambling, spa treatments, shopping, etc. Frankly, and I don't want to be a party-pooper, I'm going to be about 5 months pregnant (as is one of the sil's so I can't really use that as an excuse), and we have a lot of other things to spend this money on, like a car that will fit our whole family. I'm also sort of an introvert, so a whole weekend of socializing sounds exausting. Could we afford it? Yes, but grudgingly. I certainly wouldn't want my dh and I to appear cheap. He already has that reputation with his family, but, gosh, $450?! We've taken all of us (minus the toddler) to Disneyland for not too much more. I suggested a cheaper place to stay, but that idea was quickly dismissed. Paris is somehow significant for the two friends. Anyway, should I just bite the bullet and go? DH supports the idea, but isn't happy about the money. Or, try to graciously back out knowing that it will cost my sil's more and may reflect poorly on dh and I? Both SIL's have asked several times if the money is ok and if I'll be going. It just seems like a lot of money to spend on a weekend that I'm lukewarm about, but, of course, it's about my mil, and not me...

I am really boring here. Butter and salt. I just don't enjoy anything alternative quite as much. :)

I'm a nurse. One of my patients once had attempted to treat her breast cancer with natural methods. By the time she came to us, she had broken her hip with mets to her bones. The lumps in her breasts were starting to break through the skin. She was obviously a well-educated woman, two daughters in college, and suffering from a great deal of denial. She left the hospital in hospice care. She was under 50.

DS2 toddled up to me yesterday at a park with something blue and sticky dripping from his mouth. "Candy!" he said. Total ick factor is high, but he's been my healthiest kiddo yet!

Hey! I spent 6 weeks there in college! It's beautiful, and you can set your watch to the bus schedule. People were friendly. I got by without knowing hardly any German. You can walk/bus everywhere. The university itself, architecturally is a bit of a maze, and it embraced modern art a bit more than I would personally like. I found it to be a great jumping spot to the rest of Europe, which was sort of my ulterior motive for being there. I didn't use my shorts hardly at all, even though it was summer. But, I'm from AZ so take that with a grain of salt.

Oh, my goodness. This hits a little close to home, but not on such an intense scary level. We moved into our house just over two years ago, remodeled, and made my daughter's room from just an extra room into a beautiful attic-style little girls room. And, that's where the problem was/is. After a few months she wouldn't sleep in there and ever since moved onto her brother's upper bunk. And, you know what? The room IS creepy, especially at night. We don't go in there. Even my dh finally admitted it was a little weird. We NEVER experienced anything real, just a general creepy feeling in the doorway to her closet. The closet that WE had added durning the remodel! We did NOT discuss this with the children, as we didn't want to scare them, and were concerned that we were a little goofy ourselves. About 6 months ago we had the house blessed by our parish priest and explained the situation. Although not an exorcist, he spent an extra long time in the room. He stated that he felt a presense himself. He didn't believe it to be demonic in nature...perhaps a lost soul. For a long time the house felt cleaner, but dd still won't sleep in there, and I do feel like the creepy feeling is back, if not quite to the same degree. The priest stated to call again, if we did feel like we needed an exorcist. His advice was to own the room- to pray often, to hang a cross, to use the room. He did not suggest forcing her to sleep in there. Gosh, I don't even want too. At night the creepy feeling feels like it leaks out the door. Frankly, after your experience, I would consider moving. I'd like to and our experience isn't nearly as bad. Call a priest. Seriously. Don't make your ds sleep there. Also, in my research, I read that carbon monoxide can cause creeped out feelings. You may test your room for that. Detectors are fairly cheep if you don't already have one in a garage. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

mocha almond fudge. yum.

I used to travel about 40 minutes for an excellent co-op. The class I taught was in the middle of the day, and I was stuck in an unfamiliar part of town most of the day schlepping the baby around. It was too much and I quit at winter break.

I didn't read the whole thread, but I think this may be an unpopular opinion.... We rehomed our rather neurotic dog after a second bite for ds1 that required stitches. We found a very loving master, as she and her children have been nipped at as well. He was very sweet, but a little weird. We did puppy training classes, etc. We won't get another dog again for a very, very long time, especially after the financial/emotional investment. :( Our house is now dog-hair free!

I understand. I am totally addicted to earplugs. I tried breaking the habit before my first was born worried I wouldn't hear him cry in the middle of the night. I pretty much dozed off and on for nights on end. In the end, I'm such a light sleeper I could hear him fine with earplugs in. Recently I had an ear issue, but I just used them anyway even though it caused discomfort. Sometimes I think it's not just the noise blocking, but the actual sensation of something in your ear- it becomes like a trigger for sleep, like brushing your teeth and turning off the light. Could you try cotton to wean yourself off?