We use Seventh Generation or Citra-Dish because we can't use chlorine bleach products (asthma trigger). Otherwise, I always had good luck with Cascade, Palmolive or Sunlight.

I did! And I actually felt like I did when I was a child and had horrible nightmares and couldn't get away from the monster who was chasing me.

I live about 40 miles west of ATL. Probably close to Cafelattee, if she's in Ranburne/Heflin, etc.

We are very fortunate to have found The House for our family of 5. We have about 2,500 square feet in a split-level design including a finished basement, so it's compact but roomy. We moved about two years ago from a 1,500 sf house in which we also were content, so this house still seems like a mansion to us. Wouldn't want anything bigger.

This healthy eating post from Wise Bread may be useful.

We have found both Bite Blocker and Buzz Away to be effective.

I am so sorry for your loss.

That is a great thing to take away from this thread! It really does put things in perspective to fill a personal need, and I have found peace and contentment in my own circumstances when I serve someone else.

How wonderful! :party: I am so happy for your sweet boy (and you!).

I voted "other." My children all know the proper names, but we use general terms when we have to talk about them: privates for front parts and bottoms for back parts, and chest. DH occasionally refers to manly parts as "wheeters" or "ting-tings" but only to make us laugh.

Thank you! :)

We had to give up a few things to get our children to summer camp this year, and it never would have occurred to me to ask for help. We're not destitute by any means and we do try to step in and fill needs when we can, but I would have a difficult time providing someone's luxuries. A friend of mine once worked as a church secretary, and she told me about two "have needs" cases that came in. One was a transient couple who drove up in a battered van and asked for a cooking pot. They had very obvious needs but said they were fine, that they had plenty of cans and boxes of food but just needed something to cook them in. The other was a young person in a very nice car who wanted the church to help with his/her (can't remember which) gym membership and cable TV bill, along with other utilities. My friend was blown away by this person's attitude of entitlement and what s/he perceived as "necessities." Could someone link the thread to which the OP referred?

Rest or read. Eldest sometimes listens to his MP3 player and memorizes drum parts to practice later, and youngest sometimes plays with Legos on his bed and sometimes rests in my bed with me (if I think he needs to sleep). DD reads and occasionally drops off to sleep for a few minutes. I really need this time, so I require that they all be perfectly quiet so I can nap for 15-20 minutes. I started this when they were all very young so they are used to it, even though they don't like it very much some days.

Red 40 can be a significant migraine trigger and can cause behavioral problems in children (mine included). I'd rather eat the bugs!

I'm working my way through the library's Erle Stanley Gardner collection. My nonfiction-in-waiting is Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, Food Fight by Kelly. D. Brownell, and Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (subtitled "Nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality). I've been waiting since February for Black Like Me and it looks fantastic, so I'll probably read that one first. Next week I'm all alone during the days -- the kiddos will be at junior police academy and DH at work -- so I hope to finish at least a couple of books.

That is very cool! I'm afraid I wouldn't be smart enough to catch on, and disappoint the designer. Boy, wouldn't I love to try, though!

I absolutely will. :D

I am so incredibly sorry for your loss.

Your church sounds very much like ours, Kelli. I have absolutely no qualms about worshiping apart from my children once a week and studying separately from them once a week. I need to refill my well so I can have something to pour into them.

I got into my car yesterday and there was one sticking to the window -- on the inside! :confused: ;)Have fun!

Another music fan, another non-censoring family. (Also, a Green Day fan.) Music is art and my children have to choose what's beautiful or meaningful for themselves.

We like ours very well.

I'd be happy to marry him again on a Hawaiian beach. :D

Thursday was our 15th anniversary. Neither of us is particularly romantic, so imagine my surprise when we pulled up to our church -- me thinking DH was picking up a Bible study book -- and found my family and some of our closest friends there. DH had made a slide show of our engagement, rehearsal, wedding and honeymoon set to our song, "Follow You Follow Me" by Genesis, and words popped up asking me to marry him again. So I did! One of our pastors wrote a special service for us, and he read it and we repeated new vows for the next leg of our journey. Anyway, I was blown away. DH has never done anything like this before, and I was just so honored and felt so special. Ain't I a lucky gal?:001_wub:

Tonight! I have been discouraged because I was recently diagnosed with acid reflux and stomach bacteria. I said hi to a nice Publix employee, an older woman restocking the cereal aisle while I was passing through. I stopped and backed up to sniff the hazelnut coffee, then made the comment that I wouldn't be able to have coffee for awhile. Of course she asked why and I told her. I was nearing the checkout a half-hour later when she found me. She had looked all over for me just to tell me this: "I just know you're going to feel better soon and I wanted to tell you." For some reason, that meant so much to me! I think people underestimate the power of a simple encouraging word as a random act of kindness.