Me too (I like Flonase and I find the smell pleasant, like daffodils). Zyrtec and Claritin affect me emotionally too, but they make me anxious, not depressed. I have never felt anything like that (like I was going to jump out of my skin) so I stay AWAY from those drugs!

Same situation as yours -- I had a bit of crampiness for a day and was tired. That's it!

I would't be able to sleep with headphones or ear buds but I could try a white noise machine.

I'm going to frame some family photos and his diplomas for his office (new job). Also a pair of cuff links with his alma mater insignia.

I've been up since 2:30 because of my snoring dh. I was immediately flooded with stressful thoughts and so couldn't get back to sleep (also due to the noise). I use earplugs. Any tips? It makes me sad to have to leave my bed and try to sleep on the couch. Plus I am so exhausted. It's hard to figure out what causes his snoring; it seems like he'll have a few weeks where it's intense and then not so much.

Yes, this.

Yes, this is part of it for me too, now that I think about it. This friend and her husband are smart. They delight in intellectual pursuits. Constantly calling their kid's interests "geeky" feels like a kind of bridge-building (?) that shouldn't be necessary... like they have to let the world know that they realize it's a weird (while simultaneously being secretly proud). I don't think it's weird to love robotics or math... so it feels funny to have this stuff couched in "relatable" terms.

OP here (I've been out all night). Thanks for this. Yes, I'm fine with bragging about a kid's accomplishments, funny moments, whatever. I love that stuff, actually! I don't like the veiled "my kid is so smart" thing of calling him "geeky" EVERY TIME you post about it. It's like what a PP mentioned about someone calling himself a "nerd" because he listens to podcasts and likes theology. It just strikes me as a way of saying "look at me, I am SO uniquely intellectual" versus just being who you are (or letting your kid be who they are) without the "deprecating" (but not) embellishment of a label.

I have a friend who is constantly posting about her "geeky" kids. It drives me up a wall because I feel like it's a veiled way of bragging about how smart they are. It sounds sort of deprecating (which would be weird if it were true) but it's actually like "Look! Our kid goes to robotics competitions! He reads thick books! He is brilliant!" I'm all about being proud of your kid. And I love smart kids. But I feel like this is weird... like she thinks no one notices how often she draws attention to her kids' intellectual ways/pursuits because she disguises it as... what? Ribbing? Sigh. I am sure I'm being petty.

I'm really surprised she talks that much. I haven't ever encountered that. I would be frustrated with that dynamic.

Pre-made guacamole from Trader Joes. Use by 11/28. It's still green but that's almost a week ago. Boohoo, I am so sad to think of throwing it out...

When people sign the names of kids who have moved on (post-college), it kind of seems to me like they are holding onto the past and not really embracing their present reality. I realize that's a big leap to make but there you go. I would sign from "The ___ Family" or (maybe better) "from John and Susie" (or whatever your names are). There is actually something sweet and grounding about the reminder that after the birds fly the nest, the couple is still an entity all by themselves. Oh, I see you have a dd at home. I would sign her name along with yours.

Too similar. Plus Leah Claire sounds like Lee Eclair. Oooh, that's almost Sara Lee Eclair! (Sorry, I have a weird brain.) Claire and Katherine are beautiful names. I'd choose one of those for the first name (or something else). Lydia? (Biblical, L, ends in a vowel. But Lydia Katherine.... because, eclair.)

Yum! I think this might be the winner. I like the idea of something cold that doesn't have to share oven space! And this one looks amazing.

I agree. It'll be incinerated!

We do have something green (green beans, see OP) but something else might be good. And yes, we will be serving champagne with appetizers, wine with dinner.

Talk to me about this. I don't know what you mean, but I'm intrigued.

In your opinion, what would you add to this menu? Turkey with gravy Stuffing Mashed potatoes Cranberries Green beans Sweet potato casserole Rolls and butter (Don't comment with a dessert item; that's covered.) I am just toying with introducing something new this year, and I would love to hear what favorites you can't live without. Truth be told, I find making this meal a little boring because my family HAS to have the same old stuffing, etc... so since I can't mess with any of the current items, I thought maybe I would add something different.

Done! No flames or catastrophes. I didn't do it to avoid judgment, I just don't want something nasty smoking on the bottom of my oven and messing with the flavors of the food!

n/m

Hmmm. The only thing I wear during the winter that aren't boots or flats are sneakers. I have grey low top Converse, navy Vans, and a pair of the new Rifle Keds (which I adore). I have the Kickstart Queen Anne ones. They go with everything and I love wearing gold jewelry when I wear them -- makes me feel coordinated. :lol: I wish those wool clogs were still in style. Those things were the best.

That is beyond dumb. And surprising, because usually Kohl's is really customer-friendly. ARGH!

Thank you! Great call!

I agree with the PP who said don't use a big name service. More expensive and the quality is much lower. I got a reference from a friend. I think this is the best way to go, if you know anyone who has a housecleaner. She came over to see my house and THEN gave me an estimate -- initial cleaning (more) and then every-two-weeks price. It makes sense to me that they would want to have personal contact before quoting a price. They don't know low large your rooms are, how dirty your house is, what your expectations are, etc. I think getting a solid recommendation and then having an in-person estimate is the way to go. I didn't commit to keeping her for any length of time. I wanted to see how long it took her and how good the work was. It was excellent. I always leave the house when my lady comes. It's awkward and weirdly stressful for me to be here. I love, love, love coming home to a clean house. I honestly cannot articulate how happy it makes me. It is worth EVERY PENNY. I also like supporting the woman who cleans for me. She is an immigrant and she works very hard to support her family. I respect her and trust her completely. I do crate my dog because he makes her a little nervous. If you can't think of a friend who has mentioned getting her house cleaned, maybe ask a realtor. They tend to know who is reasonable and good.

I agree with all of this. The Office for Mac stuff is great. My MacBook Air doesn't have a DVD drive but I don't miss it. We stream everything and dh's MacBook Pro has a DVD drive if we really wanted to try to watch one of our old (probably scratched) movies.