Smiling and praying too. Olivia IS a great name.

I am sorry. I am praying for healing for both your sister and your relationship with her. :grouphug:

Hardwood especially since your DD already has hardwood. It will match better and buyers might assume that the other 2 bedrooms don't have hardwood underneath b/c it makes more sense for grownups to have hardwood floors than kids. If you do decide to recarpet, I'd recarpet everything and have your realtor list "all new carpet." I agree with the PP who says it shows better. We are in contract on a house and plan to yank out all the carpet the day we close. My kids and I have allergies and its easier to have washable rugs than deal with carpets. Christine

I actually have about 2/3 of those ingredients. I live in the Bay Area so everything on the list is easy to come by here. My youngest has a soy intolerance so we're moving away from many Asian foods, but I'm not sure I could go a week without my curry powder, coconut milk, or almond butter (preschool is peanut free but permits nut butters if they didn't we've often subbed sunflower butter). Christine

Dr Wakefield is the worst type of scientist--a dishonest one. I don't know what is causing the rise in diagnosis of autism; no one does. I have anxiety every time I take my kids to well checks for shots. I'm careful. No more than 1 live vaccine, no more than three vaxes total and no vaxes if the kids show any sign of infection or if anyone else in the house is sick. But at the same time, I'm pretty familiar with the legal system in the UK. It is pretty hard to lose a libel case in England.The burden of proof is on the defendant not the plaintiff. If you imply that someone is less than golden, you had better have solid proof that they are the devil. Just ask the WSJ. Dr Wakefield sued the Brian Deer for libel. He lost. Deer and the Lancet had to prove in court that their article was true and they succeeded. Wakefield could sue again based on the new accusations, but having already been through the ringer in court I bet Deer and the medical journal were pretty thorough in their fact checking. And these facts are ****ing. Horrible, horrible if true. because the OP is right, Wakefield's bluster and refusal to admit to any wrongdoing make those who believe that vaccines should be safer look nuts. Its Wakefield who is the problem here, not the parents, not the press. If Brian Deer had any financial motive beyond being a freelance journalist someone would have dug it up by now. No one has. Deer is being paid significantly less for his story for the BMJ than Wakefield was being paid by the plaintiffs attorney firm that originally hired him.

Dh's bonus actually came in--and he gave me some money to spend on myself. I recently used gift cards and bought myself a stand mixer for mother's day (using a stash of gc to Williams-Sonoma). I love it, and I'm wondering what other appliances I might "need." Other than a microwave and a crockpot, I have nothing. If you had $200 to spend in the kitchen, what would you get? I love to cook--FIL bought me pans last year--good ones-- and I was so happy I cried so this is truly buying something for me. Christine

LLC is a corporation for most debt obligations but not for taxes. For tax purposes, the LLC is a pass through entity and its members are personally liable for taxes owed on their share of the LLC. The state can seek whatever remedy it has for personal taxes including seizure of personal property and criminal prosecution. The LLC members should get an attorney ASAP; I would not go to the attorney who formed the LLC because he/she should have warned the proprietors about the tax consequences of forming an LLC.

I'm done with bio kids. The last pregnancy was too taxing on my body. I wouldn't trade my baby bear but I'm not willing to do it again--being sick every day, a kidney infections, bleeding at 24 weeks and two months of bedrest (especially since each of the two miscarriages prior to her put me in the hospital.) Three is good. Three kids five and under is about all I can handle anyway. Christine

What probiotics do you use? I've started using fish oil (Nordic Naturals lemon) for my son and we're working hard to eliminate dyes (this was a recent duh moment for me--if dyes in laundry detergent cause a rash in my son then it can't be good for him to injest) but I'm hoping to find a good probiotic that isn't going to upset the bank account. His sisters love the trader joes probiotic yogurt drink but he doesn't.

Books. I have 36 books on my Amazon wishlist and I didn't get a single one. And for the first time in memory, the ILs didn't get me a gift card to Borders or Barnes & Noble.

DS5: Jurassic helicopter and megarig space shuttle. He also stole his 18 month old sisters unicorn pillow pet. Any one know of any deals? DD4; superstructs pinklets and her bumblepee pillow pet. DD18months--whatever anyone else is playing with. She does love her sleepy time Scout though. Christine

Can you go back to California and sign it? A valid trust crosses state lines, but until its signed the trust isn't valid. If the trust is signed in Virginia, I think it has to comply with Va law to be valid. It wouldn't hurt to consult with the attorney who drew up your papers to find out if there are any major discrepancies between the laws in Va and CA. Christine W

I also hate that terminology. I had a miscarriage at 7 1/2 weeks with life-threatening hemorrhage. I was employed by the Federal government at the time and my insurance initially denied me coverage because abortion is was not covered under my health plan. I flipped out when I received that notice. I understand the suspicion with a D&C at 7 weeks, but I had spent 4 days in the hospital and needed 2 transfusions after my first miscarriage--once I started bleeding heavily with my second miscarriage, I needed surgery. After two letters from my doctor and a threat to take my appeal to court, they finally paid the hospital. It was a total mess.

One of my friends had an allergic reaction to coffee. Not anaphylaxis but still scary--swollen lips, face and adenoids. Christine W

I think that my kids are experiencing it now. During the summer my daughter (3) only wore sundresses and flip flops (except for the garden where she has to wear real shoes); it is so much more difficult to keep her dressed now. She'd much rather be freezing in just a shirt than wear anything on her legs and I haven't found a comfortable pair of socks for her yet so I'm constantly putting shoes and socks on bare feet. You aren't alone. If you have any advice on how to make her happier, please PM me. Personally, I am highly allergic to wool and can't wait to get through the dry, itchy skin season. Christine W

I do. We've only been there a few months but it felt like home the moment we walked in. The sermon was about forgiveness and anger and resentment being a prison. I had been mad at God for 10 years; afraid of Him and hateful but something just melted away in me and I realized that God had brought me to a safe place of peace and comfort long ago (I have PTSD from a childhood trauma) but I had been too mad to notice His gifts. My husband, who had only gone to appease me and who was formerly agnostic, asks me every Sunday to inquire about membership and took communion last month even after the pastor explained that it was only for those who believed in Christ and chose to identify as Christian. He's bugging me to give him my copy of The reason for God but I'm still looking at it. I love that the church is open and nonjudgmental but that they still believe in truth. I love that the Pastors talk openly about their own struggles with faith. I love how much my kids love going to Sunday school and how they talk about God and helping the poor and loving one's neighbor. We're looking for a house and I saw a great one today but it was too far away from my new church community so I vetoed it. Christine W

:iagree: Every word. Its bad manners unless the kid has FA.

When the kids are too wild, I take them to Costco. They'll behave to get the hot dog and Churro dinner. I also think it scares them so they stay in the cart. (To the food police, I do this about every 6 weeks and Costco hot dogs are nitrate free.)

Both Dh's and my parents paid for 4 years of college so if needed we would take loans to put our kids through college--though the game plan is to pay for state school with cash. Grad school though or more than 4 years for a bachelors and they are on their own. Student loans and financial aid is easier to get for grad school students than undergraduates.

Absolutely yes. When DH interviewed for a job in SFthis year, he was able to accept the job without worrying about beincg underwater in SoCal. We're renting now for peanuts in one of the best school districts in California (2700 a month rent vs 4k for mortgage plus property tax assessments. However, we know that we are home in the East Bay and want permanence. So we are home shopping. We have discovered that the key to independence while renting is renting through a property management company. They have an army of vendors ready to fix any problems and aren't the owners so they don't bug you except maybe 2x a year. I currently love our property manager; she's fixed all problems within 12-24 hours and has really been on top of preventative maintenance. We've been here 9 months and no inspections either. Christine W

:grouphug: My dad died 9 years ago on Bright Monday (its strange that I remember that easier than the date) and I still get a bit sad around Easter. DS5 is so much like him and they won't meet until heaven. Breaks my heart. Take the day for your self and let yourself grieve. If you can't swing it today then set up for someone to watch your kids later this week and do something to honor your mom. Christine W

Has anyone tried the new erector sets. We found my dad's old carousel set but the darn thing weighed too much for us to carry in our luggage home this trip. I'd really like to try them with my construction minded five year old. Any suggestions? I know the plastic version is safer but it doesn't look as much fun. Are there any sets like Erector where the bolts are safe but stay put? Thanks, Christine W

I loved Anna K and War & Peace as translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky; I remembered reading Anna K in college with the Constance Garnett translation and liking it as well. I've been a little intimidated by Dostoyevsky, but really want to try Crime and Punishment or the Brothers K. Which do you recommend to start with? Any preferred translations?

My kids are younger (5 and 3) but everyone who visits plays with the magnatiles. DS(5) received the set of 100 for his birthday friday and is already building elaborate cathedrals and space ships. We now have 164 and today I was wishing for more. When I go home next week, I'm going to be bringing my dad's old erector set home. I will be holding off on giving it for a year or so but don't want BIL to steal it either. Christine

I picked other. Travelling with three young children from SF to the midwest or Ottawa isn't an option. I hate the new procedures but I want to see my family and Dh wants to visit his grandmother's cottage in the summer. We only fly to visit family so we won't reduce the amount we fly. But I am not ok with the new procedures--way too invasive. Christine W