AMDG A Hahahahah! Freezing on your behalf! Enjoy and have a piece of pie for me!

AMDG I came down for the coffee in the lobby of our hotel and saw a bit of commotion outside. I asked what was going on and it's the setup. So exciting! I love parades and they all say this is a big one and a fun one. If you're here amd near and not a crazy stalker/murderer, look for us just west of the SW corner accross from the Drury. You'll know us by the ridiculously ugly but much loved quilt my grandmother made from some 1970s era double knit pantsuits! Crazy, colorful, cherished . . . Decidedly unattractive. You can't miss it in a crowd!

AMDG I voted "I just like to vote . . ." B/c we almost always go camping for Thanksgiving and I love cooking over the campfire so I prep before as little as possible. For the second time in 20 years, we're not camping. At the last minute we changed plans and decided on a road trip. It was so last minute we didnt even pack snacks. Our camp destination is 3 hrs from home and we can all easily go w/o a snack so I didn't have any prepared. Our road trip destination is . . . Oof, hard to say . . .about 10 hours from home so, we missed the snacks . . . An amish bakery kept us from resorting to cannibalism.

AMDG RELAX, call the midwife or whatever, and let her reassure you. Im sorry that happened. I know the tension factor just ratchets up and you're probably pretty upset. I'm sure everything will be just fine. Relaxing, calming down will be best for the babe and you. Do that first. One nice way if it isn't too awful out is go for a wee walk with you husband. You and babe can get a lot of nice, fresh air, you can relax a bit, and when you get home maybe you wont feel so upset.

AMDG This is interesting. I'm am only child and my child is an only child. I have zero experience with this and find it a very compelling question.

AMDG My daughter heard that there are people who go out at four in the morning and act like crazy people in a mad dash when the door opens. Now she's begging us to take her see this phenomenon. In her case, it's the people and the crazy she wants to see and has nothing to do with shopping (which she loathes). We told her it would be in bad taste, like rubbernecking an accident. She doesn't care. She wants to take a folding chair and thermos of hot chocolate and go at 3 to watch the show and then come back home for bed. I told her that if she showed up at 3 and marched to the door and set up her chair, they'd probably kill her. Her response? Are you kidding???? I have got to see this!!!

AMDG I also almost always leave the skin on but when I do peel, I do it b/f boiling, toss with olive oil, s/p, and crisp in the oven for a chip-like treat. Mmmmm!

AMDG We've followed angelicum.net, the Angelicum Academy. There are a few ways to access their lists but the easiest is the click on the bookstore and then the grade you're interested in. Going this route, you'll also see everything else for that grade but the great books are pretty much listed together and easy to see right away.

AMDGYes, I wonder this, too. I'm afraid juicing doesnt make nutritional sense to me. I hope that doesn't sound harsh. I'm not being that way.

AMDG I had NO IDEA how far away from me the restroom had gotten. The doors all close; the drawers all close; somehow . . . no . . . I was in denial, plain and simple. That wore me out but, for the most part, it's done. I'm actually paying my daughter to scrub the tub, sink, counter, toilette. It's okay to delegate, bribe, pay, whatever it takes!

AMDG Oh, my! I congratulate you! I'm saving the kitchen for the last thing before Christmas b/c it's such a chore. Great job! Nap with baby . . . heaving sigh . . . oh what a blessing! Enjoy every second!

AMDG Well, I didn't finish mine yesterday, either, but the important thing is that we have goals, objectives, can see where our objectives need tweaking, and can adjust and still be successful! Yay, YOU! And your snowman stuff will be so fun to have around. Enjoy!

AMDG Is it too close to Thanksgiving??? Anyone decluttering today?

AMDG Today I'm supposed to start and finish the main restroom. I will . . . however, I haven't yet completed yesterday's project. Yesterday was the hall and I know that sounds so easy but it is really a big project. We have a lot of storage in the hall and all of it needs cleaning out. I did get it all cleaned out AND organized but My shoes are still there. I'll move them when I get off here. I now have a big pile of laundry there b/c it came out of the hamper in the hamper closet. I'd like to just wash it all today but . . . I doubt it. I'll get to some but some will have to go back to the hamper. I can live with that. Well, as soon as I decided that it would be okay to return some things to the hamper, my hallway job was practically done. I just had three pair of shoes to remove and then a quick vacuum and mop. Done! Crazy workload in there yesterday made me doubt I could get it done quickly. I'm very happy to have that behemoth decluttered, organized, and clean!!! Now, on the the restroom! The restroom will be easy, I think. AND I need to bathe the dog today. We're going to the Sloppy Dog. I like to bathe the dog but don't want that catastrophe in my restroom today. Sloppy Dog is a good compromise. (Sloppy Dog = a place where you can have your dog bathed/groomed for one fee or use their facilities to bathe your own dog for less.)

AMDG On the negative reviews of the Bitman book. I was looking up cookbook reviews once and when I saw the scathing reviews of Bitman's book, I perversly wanted to see the book that got so many negative comments. I ended up buying it the same day. Having said that, it's not the book I would recommend for a beginning cook. I say this b/c there are a number of recipes that, to be good (imho) need a technique or something that isn't mentioned but that is needed to make the thing taste really good. My suggestion is the moosewood or mollie katzen books. I love those recipes. They can be complicated but some are very simple, too. If this is for someone you love and want to spend time with, you might consider a cookbook and then some sessions with you to learn some basic skills. Forgive me for waxing nostalgic but there is something so beautiful about one woman passing on domestic knowledge to another. And aside from that, there are tons of youtube videos that can help her. My current favorite cookbook is mollie katzen's mediterranean.

AMDG I really do not like waking up to a messy kitchen.

AMDG Thanks, gardenmom5! Off to google that!

AMDG Thanks! I'm going to give it a try and see if they'll stay on.

AMDG Oh, NEAT! Thanks! Does it slip off?

AMDG Thanks, Greenkitty. I mentioned in my op that I fold them over pant hangers. I don't hang them in the sense that there would be stretched shoulders. I'm just looking for a new hanger; something that won't sag in the middle and won't let the sweater slide around on or slip off the hanger.

AMDG I certainly could fold them but I tend to prefer to drape them over a pant hanger. Sometimes they stay put, sometimes they slide around, sometimes they sag in the middle. I want the perfect sweater hanger. Do you know of one? Do you know of a better system?

AMDG That IS swell, Swellmomma! I just knew that overwhelming myself with just one enormous job (declutter the house) or one enormous list of jobs would be my undoing. Doing it this way, for me, has meant success! One small step at a time and little tasks a couple of times per day really, really, add up. You're getting so much done this week! Yay, you! By Christmas you own house will be a gift to you!

AMDG And what a blessing to those who can't afford but would love to provide books for their littles. Those are such memory-making books. Yeah . . . I hear you about the magazines. I've gone through the same kind of self torture. For me? I tried clipping and keeping in a 3-ring binder but eventually realized that if I need a cute craft, someone out there has it pinned on pintrest. That and knowing that I can trot down to the library any time I want to see one freed me right up. You are right, it is a start and it's a great start! Remember slow and steady wins the race!

AMDGGREAT! I'm so glad you're joining! Don't wear yourself out or burn out early! Small steps to success is so much better than a giant step to burn out. Have a great holiday!

AMDG My kiddo says movie only. There are a ton of fun songs from the book he could do, though. My daughter suggests Frodo's song from the Prancing Pony at Bree. Any of them could be spoken instead of sung. If you want mournful, The Balad of Gill-gallad. Cheerful: Sam Gamgee's troll song kinda mournful and kinda rousing at the same time (quote from my daughter): the road goes ever on and on Also, she suggests the ring's inscription. Not the part where they're in the shire and galdalf tells frodo what the ring says. Later, at rivendell, gandalf tells the whole prophesy/oracle . . . that One. There are some good fun ones from The Hobbit.