I ask questions but most of my kids are like OP's DD, they don't like to pry so they don't question, even their friends. What they do though is be very open and forthcoming as do most of their friends. So while they may not know what so-and-so's dad/mom does for work they do know much more intimate details about the thoughts and feelings of their friends.

My kid who also has issues with wordy texts went through a couple different options after Walch (which we used like a Pre-Algebra) but liked and did best with Thinkwell. He finished Algebra and Geometry in about 6 months before moving on to Algebra 2.

:iagree: They're probably not liking being put in a small space that smells like the other cat. Separate rooms with a common central area would be best. Also make sure that those rooms have food, water, and litter box so no sharing.

Mine have D&D games at the library and online, they play XBOX with friends, watch YouTube (mostly political or science type stuff) DS treats DD to days out at the mall and food at local places. DD reads a lot (DS works but I don't think he'd call that fun). We watch movies and play board games occasionally too. I'd like to get them involved in more stuff but we're very secular so there's not a lot of opportunity for us in my very NOT secular HSing groups.

What about with the a local parks and rec center? He would have to start low but could work his way up and maybe take some certification classes later to make promotions easier. Also if you can find certification type classes that go with his interests he might not find school so boring/difficult/etc....

By continuing to help them and pay for things all you're doing is enabling them to live in a house outside their means. I would stop all financial help. They can pay or ask their other sons. I would continue to take them to the grocery store (or other errands) once a week but I wouldn't pay for anything. Oops, didn't realize this was a JAWM... which I kind of do... other sons should step up and it is unreasonable to expect you to do everything.

Yep I would. I might use my influence as the financier to help sway them toward one thing over another but tattoos are no big deal any more. FYI I have a 6 inch tattoo my back right shoulder and DH has one, about 5 inches, on his left pectoral.

All my children including DSD use proper punctuation and write in mostly full sentences when they text me or anyone else. It's my parents who write "k", "wat u want", or "luv u" and it drives me batty because both are more than capable of correct spelling and grammar.

It's really pretty but a journal like that would not work for me. I have a little (journal sized) 3 ring binder where I have calendar and planner pages (from Target for $3 per pack) mixed in with my own hole punched blank lined, blank mixed media , and blank grid pages. I still get the fun of drawing/creating and the functionality of a blank calendar. Plus lots of tabs to separate topics. I love it and it's the only "journal" I've been able to consistantly stick with for more than a few months (almost a year now). Walmart carries a blank drawing/mixed media pad in the right size for $5 I use the lined paper out of correct sized folio type pads the grid paper is the hardest, I have to actually cut it.... still looking for 5x8 stuff that won't break the bank.

:iagree: I'd call and say "I really need to get that check from you to balance my spending (or what ever), are you going to be home tomorrow afternoon? I'll swing by and pick it up before going to the bank."

I might have a similar first reaction but then I'd remind myself that she's still a kid and I would get more joy watching her doing fun/enjoyable stuff even if it was meant for me. So I would say something along the lines of "hey punk (that's is my DD's nickname) I thought that puzzle was for us to do together! (joking tone of voice), you need to wait on me!" If she still did it I'd let it go and pick up another puzzle to work on after that one was finished.

I'm with you in theory but I just couldn't deal. Of course I would never have sex at my parents house, I wouldn't want them to hear, so it is more of a "do as I do" even if you (the general you not specifically you ;) ) think I'm being old fashioned. I do think this will be an issue with our youngest.... which is why we'll probably be ponying up for her to live in a dorm her Sophomore year and after (even though we live about 5 miles from Campus). As for DS I couldn't even imagine he'd ever feel comfortable enough to risk getting "caught" so it's probably a non-issue.

For me it really comes down to the fact that I do not, under any circumstance, want to hear them having sex...ever. I don't have a problem with them having sex I just never want to have to hear/see proof of it. ETA: just to be clear, I have no issues with casual sex, hook ups, serial monogamy or what ever they end up getting into. As long as they are safe and mentally healthy I don't see the problem, I just don't know that I want to hear all the details.

We usually try to get the tree up Dec. 1st and down January 1st. This year I think it went up on the 15th and Dh and I took it down yesterday.... I was just not in the festive spirit this year. We still have lights on the house but since we have a negative wind chill they'll be staying up until the temps get out of the single digits (even if that's February).

I use a dry mop with a swivel head that easily gets in and under everything plus unlike a vacuum it doesn't "blow" the dust and dirt around. No need to move furniture all the time. I also use the same dry mop, except the other side of it, to damp mop the floors. Every couple months or so I'll move the sectional and book case to do a better job, including baseboards, but it's usually pretty quick since the dry mop gathers most of it up. Dry mopping is quick and easy, same with the damp mop (I just use a diluted spray cleaner). I would have ALL wood floors if I could (we rent) I hate carpet.

I am very against getting married young, very few people I know IRL made it "to death do us part" after marrying young but, I was supportive when DD2 got married last summer days prior to her 20th b-day to her 19 y.o. on/off bf of almost 4 years. I would be helpful and supportive if after talking and working through my concerns my younger children were to choose to marry young (over 18 under 25). Why? because I value my relationship with my child and, here's the important part, I can't tell the future and it IS their life.

I agree about the color. Then while you're at it get a couple throw pillows and a lap blanket across the end of the bed the color(s) of the lamp. Maybe a piece of art if that's your thing and voila! your room is decorated.

This is some of the best advice for this kind of situation I've ever heard. I wish I had more patience and understanding when my kids were little.

This wasn't as difficult to do as I thought it would be. I just stopped buying junk. They whined (especially DH) for a couple weeks but that was it. We still occasionally (2-3 times per year) buy ice cream or I'll make a cake for birthdays but that's it on the sweet stuff. Salty has been a bit harder. We still usually have a bag of chips in the house at all times, I just stopped eating them or replaced the kids chips with popcorn, which I don't like, so no temptations for me. Now I can't even imagine eating a little debbie snack cake and I can't eat more than a couple bites of ice cream, way to sweet.

Pretty much always but I have insomnia, DH works 6pm to 6am, and DD is a night owl. DS is the only one who wouldn't usually be awake at that time any way (he was a night owl too until he got a job that starts at 7am).

Sausage and cabbage. I use smoked sausage or kielbasa, slice it thin. I lightly fry it in a large pot (make sure to stir to try to brown both sides). Chop up a head or two of cabbage, probably 1-2 inch squares. I do my best to separate layers as I add it in on top of cabbage. Stir it all together add salt and pepper cook on med-low and stir every so often until it's done to our preferred tenderness. It's easy, cheap and everyone, except DD, loves it. We don't eat a lot of meat, definitely very little "processed" type meat but this is one thing that we make an exception for.

This has always been my issue, sweet tea. I can't drink plain water very well. I mean I can chug it and I do it, about 6 cups a day, that way but to just drink it? No, I need something sweet. I used to put 2 cups of sugar per gallon of tea :leaving: . I got down to 3/4 -1 cup per gallon after diabetes diagnosis, which is the lowest I could do. That's still 8 grams of sugar per 8 oz glass. I recently discovered Splenda (yes, I know it's been around for 20 years) and as long as I don't use a lot of it I can not tell the difference. So I'm going with 1 tsp real sugar and 1 tsp equivalent of splenda. I make the tea by the gallon with about 1/2 cup sugar then add in the splenda by the glass. Eventually I might be able to do all Splenda. I already cut out 95% of sugars in my daily life (other than the tea) several years ago so other than to stop eating fruit I'm not sure where else to cut. ETA- for me Stevia was not an option, it just tastes so gross (I can do Halo ice cream with stevia but only a couple bites). Other artificial sweeteners, equal and sweet&low make me sick, literally.

Both DH's and my family all live within an hour drive of each other, we're the only ones who moved away. Right now we're about 4.5 hours drive but we've been as much as 15 hours and one day I want to move out to the NW so... days away?

*I already cut out the majority of crap from my diet back in April 2015 when I was diagnosed with diabetes. My end goal is to get off the meds and live life normally, weighing less will accomplish that. While I eat pretty healthy I still overeat and I've continued to gain weight, not a lot but enough that I absolutely have to stop it NOW. I've been giving WW (freestyle) a try for the last few weeks and it is not working. Not nearly enough points (23 versus the 30 from before plus weekly). I mean if you eat a lot of meat (we don't) or beans (I have FODMAPS issues) or eggs (again gastro-intestinal issues with those) then sure 23 pts might be enough. I do like corn and potatoes (now free on freestyle) but I like them way to much and if they are free I will definitely overeat them daily. So instead I'm going to try to use itrackbites with 30 points daily. I thought about doing simply filling but I don't think I can keep within the 2 tsp of fats (avocado oil) limit. I know there are weekly points but those are for my barely sweetened tea for which would use every one of them. Although I did recently discover Splenda. Yes, I know it's been around for 20 years but I had never tried it. I lumped it in with equal & sweet and low as toxic (to me, headaches and nausea). I tried stevia years ago and it's just gross so I'd always assumed Splenda would be the same.... It's not great, I mean it's not real sugar and there is a weird taste but I can deal with it. We're moving end of February to an apartment complex with a very nice 24 hour gym that I can't wait to use. I had a membership at PF for a while and LOVED the working out but hated having to drive through our crazy traffic and then wait around for machines. So I'm looking forward to having a state of the art gym mostly to myself (plus a saltwater pool in the summer.... (probably won't be mostly to myself, lol). I'm setting a realistic goal of 15-20 pounds before June 2018 and hopefully 50 pounds total by June 2019. ETA: We also bought an Air Fryer as our family Christmas gift. That way the whole family will stop eating deep fried food and they won't have to deal with me staring at them as they eat french fries.

I started quilting back in November and made lap quilts for many of my family members (mom, dad&step mom, children) Dad and step mom liked it so much that now they have commissioned matching pillows (and I'm throwing in a mixed media piece of art that "goes" with it). My sister LOVED the quilt I made my mom so I'll be making her one too. I've started weaving scarfs but it's slow going (I have peripheral neuropathy) but what I'm the most excited about is my peg loom and the white and grey fabric I bought to make a runner rug for our new place. I'm hoping to start it after the new year. I'll also be making pillows and curtains but they're nowhere near as much fun.