We make most everything from scratch...including some (but not all) bread, granola, yogurt, salad dressings, and even beer (yes...we brew our own European-style beer and it's spectacular!). I aim for lots of produce (but admit to needing to step this up). Organic is not a concern; I won't pay extra for it. We use real butter. I have no problem with white flour and sugar as long as they are in the yummy desserts that my kids make for me (as we speak my 11-yr old is making blonde brownies!). Since we don't buy any packaged cookies, etc, I'm not worried about the relatively small amount of white flour and sugar that we consume in our made-from-scratch goodies. Sometimes dh will buy the kids a bottle of soda; I will not. :) I avoid HFCS but again, since most of my cooking is from scratch this is really not a concern. Ria

Oh, Colleen, I understand what you are saying...not because I experience the same thing, but because I've listened to you, care for you, and heard you.I'm thinking of you, girlfriend. You are in my prayers. Ria

Cheese and butter keep well in the freezer; if we buy extra that's where it goes. As for powdered eggs....bleh. I just couldn't do it. Too many bad memories of the breakfasts at Bucknell, lol. Ria

I keep a large box of powdered milk in the pantry for the occasional bread recipe that calls for it, and for emergency situations like the one we had a few days ago: the boys wanted to make homemade pudding and we were out of milk. Neither dh nor I felt like running out to the store, so the boys used the powdered milk to great success. Powdered milk is expensive...no great savings there. It's nice to have in a pinch, though. Ria

Constant swearing strikes me as vulgar and crass. I don't like to be around people who talk like that. Ria

If it helps any, this is NOT happening in our district's public schools. Dates are dates in their original form, lol. Ria

I have an LG Tron Steamwasher, 4.0 cubic foot capacity. I have no clue how full is "too full" when loading it with clothes! I've read the instruction book, and it didn't say. I remember (when front loaders first came out ) reading an article that said you could put more clothes in them than you could in a top-loader. This does seem to be true. But how much is enough? How much is too much? I do know that I can stuff it pretty full and the clothes come out wonderfully clean (using my homemade laundry soap, no less). Is there some type of guideline anywhere? Ria

clean inside of refrigerator: once every two weeks dust knickknacks thoroughly: Well, I have few knicknacks sitting around. But I lift everything off every shelf and dust them and the shelves weekly polish wood furniture: I don't. I have a lot of antique wood furniture, and I dust but do not use polish/cleaners scrub bathtub/shower: weekly mop floors OTHER THAN bathroom/kitchen: Well, the kitchen is hardwood, as is the foyer. We've got oriental rugs on the floor, so not much is exposed. I vacuum daily or every other day, but only mop every two weeks since so much of the floor is covered. We have carpet everywhere else except the bathrooms, and I vacuum those each week, but don't often mop them Ria

If it helps you any, my parents (both 72) came over for dinner tonight. After dinner we played Mario Kart. Dh, my parents, and I have never played it before (my parents gave it to one of my kids recently as a birthday gift). Mom and I laughed until we cried. It's now been 30 minutes since they started playing tennis. Doubles right now...the grandparents and two of the dc. It's fun. Heck...if my 72-year old technologically clueless mom can enjoy this, it's worth the money! Ria (who is enjoying watching her parents enjoy the Wii as much as I enjoy playing it!)

I've got five sons and one dd. Believe me when I say I understand how laundry can stink, lol (especially in soccer season!). I make my own laundry detg for my front loader and it is excellent. Here's a link to the recipe: http://plainoldkristi.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-make-homemade-laundry-soap-step.html I do not add the essential oils and the soap has a very mild pleasant smell. A friend of mine has a son w/ excema and he needs fragrance/dye free laundry soap. I have her a few loads worth of this stuff and he did just fine with it. Hope that helps! Ria PS I have twins, too. Mine are 19 yr old b/g twins.

Yeah, I think it sounds like these moms need to step away from the teenagers, lol. Kids need to have some space and not be micro-managed! Ria

I agree. Ria

The likely problem is that lint built up somewhere in the drain line, eventually forming a large enough mass that the pipe clogged. Ria

Oh, do get one! Wii Fit is an absolute blast! I love the skiing. I'm terrible at it, and the entire family gets hysterical watching me run into the fences. As for finding a Wii, go to http://www.wiialerts.com/ and register. They'll text your cell phone and send you an email whenever a Wii becomes available from a major retailer online. It took us about a week, but we got one from Sears online. It's a free service. If you are one of the lucky few to get a Wii from Amazon, they ask for a $10 honor payment. Ria

EEEEWWWW!!! LOL! Ria

Oh, gad. I would have felt violated. I think I might have screamed something like "Get your hands off my butt, you pervert!" I have no doubt that I would not have handled it with gentleness, lol. I would have been too freaked out. Really. That's off limits. That's beyond. Way, way beyond. Ick. Ria

Thank you all so much. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone. You know, most of the time I'm just fine, but there are moments...and today I had one, the first in a while. I've had a few dreams lately where Lucy was there...and then I wake up. It's just so hard. Despite the heartache, though, I am so blessed to have had her in my life. Thanks again, Ria

Who do you think you are, eh? Superwoman? LOL! You rock, sister! Good for you!! I feel crampy and gross and managed to eat chocolate pudding and drink a glass of wine. I did one load of laundry. Sigh. Glad to know someone is on the ball!! :lol: Ria

I'd ditch the idea of a nap. He's 3 1/2. For a lot of kids, that's about the right time to give up a nap. I'd try really hard to keep him up longer for about a week or so, maybe even two weeks. It won't be easy, and he''ll be unhappy. Do it anyway. My guess is that he'll *gradually* adjust and start sleeping later. Ria (mom of six, has bee through this, lol!)

Thanks, Camy. I've been using the powdered milk, but I'll try adding the cornstarch next time. By the way you guys, you do know that you can use plain yogurt instead of buttermilk in recipes, right? If you have runny yogurt, don't throw it out, especially in today's economy! Make gingerbread, or buttermilk pancakes/waffles. Just use the plain yogurt instead of buttermilk. Ria

In mid-August we had to have our sweet 13-year old lab, Lucy, put down. She was diagnosed with a fairly rare type of cancer, there was no treatment, and it was aggressive. It was a hard summer for me, watching her grow weaker and knowing what was coming. I pretty much thought I was past the hurting part. But today I came home from work, walked in the door, and started to say, "Lu, I'm home!" like I always did for so many years. I just forgot, I guess. And now I feel just as sad and upset as if it she'd just died. I miss her so. Has this happened to anyone else? I think I'll go hug a kitty. Ria

He looks like a very cute, fun kid. You have a beautiful family, Joanne. Any time you are up in PA, you all are welcome here. Ria (a curly girl who especially enjoyed the curly mohawk!)

I think you did knead it too long, sorry. I did the same thing when I first got a Bosch. I ruined four batches of oatmeal bread before I figured out the secret: stop the mixer every 2-3 minutes and see if you see any "webbing" (long strands of gluten) when you pull on the dough. If you see this, it's done. Good luck. Ria

Use a 50/50 mix of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (this is found in the laundry aisle) and Borax. You can add a drop or two of liquid detergent as well. From what I understand, this is a tried and true recipe. We've been using it with great success. Ria

It's incredible. Probably the best history program I've ever seen. Ria