I bought my DS some PVC pipe from Home Depot, along with various connectors. (T-joints, elbows, etc.) I used the 3/4 inch pipe, and they were kind enough to cut it up for me at the store. I had them cut various lengths so the kids could "build" with the pipes. They built the "frame" for a cabin, and draped an old sheet over it to make the walls/roof. They've used the pieces to make all sorts of things I never imagined. In the summer, they can make bends and twists to run water through with a hose. They've made small things and big things, and have had more fun than I expected with those (CHEAP) pipes! I paid 1.24 for each 20' length, and I bought the connectors in "contractor's bags" which contained 8-10 each, for a much lower price than individually. For my other son, I bought some tiny bungee cords, twine, mini springs and pulleys, and a roll of duct tape. My DD at that age was happy with craft sticks, chenille stems, glue, googly eyes, etc. Gel pens and colored paper, mini stapler....

:seeya: I've been hanging around this group for the last 5 years or so, hoping they'll rub off on me. ;) I'm not around as regularly anymore, partly because we're not currently homeschooling, (maybe next year) and also because things have gotten extremely busy. I've never been able to "just lurk." I type about as fast as I can talk, and I''m always amazed when I read a two sentence response that covers everything I tried to say in three paragraphs. Maybe that's why the lurkers get popcorn? The rest of us can't eat and type at the same time. :) Psst... lurkers... If you pass me some popcorn, I'll probably stop typing/talking! :lurk5:

I use my Magic Bullet for green smoothies all the time without a problem. I find that spinach blends well, but if you're going to be blending more fibrous greens such as kale, you might see tiny "pieces" in your smoothie. I don't mind, since we're not talking about "chunks" but rather tiny speckles. If you really want to invest, the VitaMix, Bosch, and other high powered blenders do work the best, but in my opinion it doesn't make sense to buy something so expensive, just so I won't be able to see speckles in my perfectly smooth-tasting smoothie. :) Since you'll be blending frozen fruits, any mid-range blender should be fine. I like my Magic Bullet so I can do individual smoothies.

Thank you so much for all the ideas and responses. You had a lot of good ideas, and I felt a bit better knowing there are others in the same boat. :) I agree with those who find it offensive to see boys/men "adjusting" in public, so there's no shortage of reminders that he needs to keep his hands off. :) I think we did figure out the problem, which may or may not be related to the laundry detergent. His skin is very dry, and his eczema has suddenly appeared in full force again. At an appointment for a separate issue, I asked the Dr. about it, and he thought it was most likely a general skin issue. On the bright side, in the process we tried a lot of new things, and DS has a thorough education on personal hygeine. :) And I learned a few new things about boys underwear options. (Thinking I'm going to have to check out Hanna Anderson's boxer briefs, and "sliders" simply because my boys are so active...)

:iagree: I had a long response written, but it basically said the same thing. My daughter is a natural carrier of staph, (as many, many people are). The only time it causes a problem, is if she gets an open wound that she repeatedly touches, and the bacteria that naturally lives on her skin is put into the open wound by direct contact. (cracked lips, itchy bug bite, etc.) About 2-3 times per year, she needs an ointment to help an infected wound heal. ETA: MRSA is a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics, but is otherwise the same. It takes longer to get rid of it, because the usual antibiotics don't kill it, but it isn't any more contagious. Nobody else in our family has ever had the same problem, and unless she was repeatedly touching someone's open wound, she can't spread it to others. In a healthcare facility, where nurses are caring for wounds/sores on multiple patients, precautions should be taken to wash hands between patients, and sanitize equipment after each use. If they aren't already doing this, you don't want your FIL there anyway!

Thanks, gals. I don't think there are any prepubescent issues... but he is our oldest boy, so maybe there are things we're not anticipating? He's around the size of a very slender 8 year old, though he'll be 10 in a few weeks. He has only grown one inch in the last year, and DH says there are no physical changes in that area. His complaint is about "things" moving around too much when he walks, so wouldn't boxers, or loose underwear make this more of a problem? Since he wears a size 8 pants and underwear run small, he had been wearing size 10 boxer briefs. We tried his brother's size 8 briefs and they were still too big. I bought some size 6's, and they seem to be a good fit. (He wears pants with adjustable tabs, so a size 6 may be appropriate.) I also had a thought, that we did recently change laundry detergent, so I'll have to ask if any of his other clothing bothers him. The "adjusting" is so obvious I may have overlooked other things.

My son is almost 10, and has some sensory issues. Recently (within the last 2 months) he's been "adjusting" himself often, and has started to seem very uncomfortable walking at times. I asked him about it, and he says it's because things "move around" while he's walking, and it bothers him. *DH says everything looks fine, same as usual. (He's a small boy, a bit young for his age, so no "changes" that might be causing the problem.) *We tried smaller, more snug underwear. He felt better in those for one day, then went back to being uncomfortable. *We made sure he's getting things clean (and dry), on a daily basis. *He was wearing boxer-briefs, and is now wearing regular briefs. Any ideas about what to try next? He does have sensitive, dry skin that sometimes reacts to elastic/certain fabrics, etc. But it's the same underwear that he's worn for months without a problem.

Is this completely new, or has it been a problem all along? I know you mentioned it has been getting worse, but has it been an issue as long as you've known this person? If not, how long has it been going on, and how rapid a decline in memory/attention, etc?

Ditch them. I finally gave in, and quit waiting until I lost some weight to buy some nice new clothes. I bought a whole new wardrobe, and wouldn't you know it... That's when I started losing weight! I have gone from a size 18, to a size 10, and let me tell you, it was hard to get rid of things I had bought. I don't have a lot of clothes right now because I can't afford to go out and buy much, but each thing I buy now is something I love, and it is so worth it! But, like you said, when your clothes start fitting tight, it's so much better NOT to have a fallback pair. When you're uncomfortable, it makes you aware that you need to pay attention to what you're eating again. :)

As someone else mentioned, have you cleaned out the filter? We had an old dishwasher in an apartment once, and it didn't seem to be working properly. The repairman came, and he pulled all kinds of things out from under the center post, that had been clogging the filter and drain. It kept the food particles, etc. from being rinsed away as they should have been. It was one of those dishwashers that required a good rinse before putting the dishes inside. After that, it worked fine!

I brought home 2 parakeets that were offered on freecycle as a gift to my husband who loves birds. Honestly, I've always been relatively ambivalent toward birds. I'd had a couple parakeets when I was growing up, and they were fine, but I thought they were boring and messy. These birds, however are a whole different story. Your experience with parakeets will depend on the personality of the birds, and the amount of time you're willing to spend with them. At first these birds were untrained and afraid of people. Within 1 month, one of the birds was willingly coming out of the cage to sit on our finger, and was repeating specific whistles we make to the birds. We got these birds just before Christmas, and they are to the point where the cage is open during all daylight hours, and spend a lot of time on top of the cage playing with toys. One of the birds is so attached to us, that he'll fly to us from across the room to sit on our shoulder, or come up and give us a kiss." Everytime my husband comes home from work, he'll immediately fly to him and land on his head or his shoulder. He doesn't fly all over the house, (although he does sometimes make a lap around the room to return to the top of his cage). The other bird is a little more shy, and is just now becoming comfortable enough to come willingly to us. Until now, he had the tendency to retreat in fear. We didn't push him, but we did end up clipping his wings at one point so he wouldn't fly outside, or hurt himself. I can't believe how interactive, friendly, and how much personality these birds have. Quite a difference from the parakeets I had growing up. The main thing is that these birds have had a *lot* of interaction. All of our kids love the birds. Even our 3 year hold has bonded to them, and loves to sit still while they sit on her finger, or eat out of her hand. Honestly, as far as pets go, I seriously thought it would be boring, and a bother to have them around. Now I'm trying to figure out how to move cross-country in a car... and take the birds along. I can't imagine getting rid of them.

Well, there are several options, depending on how much effort you want to put into it. The easiest way is to get a few of these from the store: http://www.hookandloop.com/extra/cinchstrap.html WalMart carries some for bundling cables and cords (we found some near the bungee cords, etc). You can also check electronic or sporting goods stores, or your local hardware store. You can usually get a 5 pack for under $2. They come in various sizes. Another option is to buy a child's premade D ring belt. If you can sew, *at all* you can make one very easily, and it can be as complicated or simple as you like. Here's a tutorial on how to make custom D ring belts with two kinds of ribbon. You can simplify this, and use D rings from any fabric store, and plain ribbon. http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=JC&Screen=BELTS If you have a handyman around, the best option is to follow these instructions (which I didn't do, because we didn't have access to a drill at the time) http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-4-55-362,00.html Even if you don't have a drill, or don't want to put forth that much effort, that last link also has good instructions on how to layer the cardboard, and other tips for the center of your flower press. Hope that helps. If all else fails, grab some oversized rubber bands, or anything you have around the house that will wrap around the outer boards to keep them pressed tightly together. :)

:iagree: If you're just doing a flower or plant once in a while, this is by far the best way to go. No need to get a special press! If you have a hobbyist, or someone who is going to be using it often, or for display purposes, it's well worth having a press. A press will allow a little air flow (in the case of the homemade one I mentioned, the corrugated cardboard does the trick) That way they'll dry quicker, and if you need to do a bulkier plant, you won't risk having it mildew.

I made my own, but I modeled it after one I saw in our local art supply store. Try looking at places like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or other craft and hobby stores, or in the crafting section of Wal-Mart, Target, etc. I did see one a few years back at Target in the girls craft area of the toy section. Toy stores, such as Toys R Us might have some. Also, check educational stores. We have had a few such stores every where we've lived, and they usually have them with the science kits. Making one really isn't hard, I just bought some wooden placards from Wal-Mart in the craft section for .88 each, cut several squares of cardboard to fit in between them, and used some adjustable straps to wrap around the outside (like a child's belt with rings. or some really strong, adjustable velcro straps) Then I just placed the flowers between the cardboard, between sheets of paper, and tightened the belts. You can always add more cardboard if you have more flowers to press. If you can't find straps, heavy rubber bands would work, but wouldn't be as user friendly. It's also not necessary, but I eventually got creative and found several different strap options, and different ways of making flower presses. If you change your mind and decide to make one, I'd be happy to share.

My uncle changed his name as soon as he turned 18. He was named after his grandfather who had an unusual 18th century Dutch name, but he went by a much more common nickname/version of the name while growing up. He regretted changing his name. It wasn't long afterward that he realized that his family name/legacy/heritage was important to him. Since his given name was only used for official reasons, changing his name only served to take away the connection to his namesake. (Which wasn't his intent.)

We have had persistent problems with croup here. It sure is scary when they sound like that in the middle of the night, isn't it? I have had to call 911 only one time for croup, and we have had a separate overnight stay due to severe croup. The question you have to ask yourself is whether they are getting enough oxygen. When kids are croupy, *usually* it just sounds scary. You did the right thing. A steamy bathroom sometimes works, alternating steam with cold. Like someone else already said, bundling them up and take them outside to breathe the cold air (or leaning into the freezer if it's not cold enough outside). IF you hear what they call a "crowing" sound when they're breathing IN, you need to get help right away. You'd recognize the sound if you'd heard it. They bark a cough, and can't really get air back into their lungs, so it makes a high pitched sound as they try to breathe in. (That's when I had to call 911, and his oxygen levels were very, very low.) Or, if it looks like they're really working to breathe, then you need to get help. Most of the time, if they have an episode or two in the night that doesn't get to the point where you need to take them to the ER, and they sleep the rest of the night, it probably won't get any worse. Give lots of popsicles, ice-cold drinks, slushies, etc. The cold will help with the swollen airways.

I lost 55 lbs over a period of around 6 months or so... I wasn't tracking terribly closely, I think the majority came off during a 4 month period with a little more each month and then I've been around the same lower weight for at least 5 months now. My main weight loss happened because I had to watch my carb/sugar intake, as it was getting out of whack because of my years of poor eating habits. I didn't do a low-carb diet as such. I did learn about different foods and their effect on blood sugar. From there, without doing it intentionally, I ended up eating a lot more foods in their basic form (raw veggies, salads, seeds/peanuts) Fruits were an occasional treat when my body was craving sugar. I'd have an apple, orange, grapes, etc. maybe once daily or every other day. When choosing bread, I would choose the least processed option, within reason. That way my body had to do the work of converting the food into useable calories, instead of having it preprocessed. I also intentionally cut portion sizes/calories at first, and made sure my meals were balanced. I chose leaner meats, and cut those portion sizes way down. It didn't take long at all, and my body felt the difference. Then, when I would eat things I used to eat... I instantly recognized the way the food made me feel. Something I never realized before. Now I tend to avoid those same foods I loved before because they make me feel sluggish, and it's not pleasant. I'm rarely hungry anymore, and I have to remind myself to eat. I no longer watch what I eat, but my eating habits have changed so much that I don't seem to have the same problems I did before. And I prefer the foods I eat now, and the old way of eating makes me feel sick just thinking about it. Not that I don't indulge now and then on something totally unheallthy... I can appreciate a random calorie/sugar/fat laden processed meal. But it doesn't take more than a few bites for me to feel satisfied with my indulgence, and I don't even *want* to finish it. Long story short, the most helpful thing for me, was to choose foods that were closest to their natural form, and to cut down as much as reasonably possible on sugar and simple carbs... including a serious limit on fruits with a high sugar content. (Even some veggies with high sugar content were temporarily eliminated, like corn and carrots).

I have done several military moves with full-service movers. They may have slightly different rules for military moves, but here's my experience: You do not need to empty drawers, closets or cupboards. But, you'll want them so that like things are together, and as organized as possible. They will not sort your things, simply put what's on the shelf directly into the boxes. I found it very helpful to buy gallon sized ziploc bags and "contain" things in my drawers, like pens/pencils, office supplies, etc. As far as furniture, they did take the legs off our table, and disassembled our beds (but we had all the bedding removed). But they left our entertainment center intact, bookshelves together, etc. They did all disassembly and reassembly themselves. I found it helpful to have one room that was completely off-limits to the movers (whether it is a bathroom, or other room doesn't matter). That room is where I put the items I didn't want them to pack. I put a sign on the door that you couldn't miss... stating DO NOT PACK this room! I did this after having the movers pack up library books and borrowed items even when I had told my husband, marked the bags, and mentioned to the packers that they were not to be packed. ;) They are also not allowed to throw anything away... at least with a military move... and I've heard stories of people opening a box to find a carefully bubble-wrapped garbage can... complete with the garbage that hadn't been emptied before the movers arrived. We were also required to take all the pictures off the walls. I also brought our photo albums, jewelry, and non-replaceables with us just in case something were to happen. We're doing this again in a few months, so I'm already going through and getting rid of anything we don't need, and making sure cupboards, cabinets and drawers are as organized as possible.

I am clueless... My daughter has some cute dresses and skirts, but it's too cold to wear them without something on her legs. Some would look great with leggings... the only problem is, I don't know what to do about socks. Do you wear socks with leggings/footless tights? Would it be better just to have her wear tights? I'd buy no-show socks, except they would show in shoes like her ballet flats, z-strap shoes, etc. And... while we're on the subject... I hate wearing nylons, and in the summer I skip them when wearing dresses or skirts. I have some great skirts for winter, but I tend to avoid them because I'm not sure what is currently "acceptable" for legwear... so I chicken out and wear slacks. Could I get away with wearing dark tights in the winter, under dresses and skirts? Any help would be appreciated! FWIW, my daughter is 11, and loves fashion, and I do own nylons, I just don't like them because they snag so easily with small children.

:grouphug: Oh how I remember those days! My poor little second child had ear infections repeatedly. Unfortunately not all ear infections are created equal. His would not go away on their own, and not all antibiotics worked for him. I would contact the nurse at the clinic/office and ask if they think he needs to be rechecked. We had to switch antibiotics for more than one ear infection. Ibuprofen helped, tylenol seemed to do nothing for his pain. Two hours at a time sounds pretty classic for an ear infection. Have you tried suction (bulb syringe) to help clear his sinuses? I sure hope you get some sleep... I agree with the poster who said to switch off and take care of him in shifts. (((hugs)))

While I hadn't specifically noticed the kind of cars in the parking lot, I do think people are attracted to a specific church where they feel like they "belong." I don't think it always has to do with the particular denomination/religion, but I think it would be natural that in their differences they would attract different types of people. If you were a multibillionare, you probably wouldn't feel comfortable, or really relate to those who were barely scraping by, and vice-versa. You would look for a church where you could relate to those around you, and the kind of environment where you felt comfortable and accepted. Some people attend church because it is expected, some for purely social reasons. There are those who are seeking absolution, and those who are seeking a way to minister to others. Some attend because they hunger for a deeper understanding of God's word, some because they are simply curious. Whatever their reasons, they're going to find a place that suits their particular need, and they can find others who can relate to them. Individual churches within the same religion or denomination can also be drastically different. If a church leader (Pastor/Priest/Rabbi) has a heart to reach out to those in need, or who are struggling with drug addiction, or other similar issues. It is natural that the church would then attract those who are similarly drawn, outreach programs would be a natural result, and those brought into the church would be those who have a similar desire for ministering to those groups, or those who have been ministered to by the church. In the same way, a church leader whose focus is on the intellectual study, and further discussion of the finer points of theology will be attracting those who are similarly interested. A church focused on reaching out to families and with a wide variety of childrens' programs will probably attract those in a certain age group, and the parking lot will contain more than a few minivans. So while I think you can find some churches out there that have a wide and varied mix of cars in the parking lot, generally birds of a feather flock together... so it's natural that the parking lots will reflect the similarity of the worshippers/attendees. People want to be where they fit in... even at church.

Before jumping into any commitments that involve money, I would try some simple things first. No one "thing" is the magic answer. I would set him up for success by arranging playdates with two or more children, and use that time to actively teach him how to stay calm around other kids. Take the time to redirect him (calmly) and give him lots of reminders of expected behavior, while doing something with the kids that they enjoy. I would keep the playdates short, and add other (short) activities where he can practice those skills. As his understanding of what is expected and his ability to stay in control increases, you can move into longer/more stimulating activities. I wouldn't hold out longer or better activities as a reward for good behavior, but gradually increase them without mention as he gains a little mroe self control. He's just at the right age to practice and learn those skills. :)

My kids have been alternating between riding the bicycles they got for Christmas, taking apart the old (non-running) lawnmower the neighbor gave them... using the old lawnmower as a sibling-powered go-cart in the backyard, and looking at their new books. My oldest DD taught herself how to knit... I'm going to have to have her show ME how. :lol:

Do you really think so? We made a salt-dough Angel Christmas ornament, thinking it would be something she could hang on her tree each year, (or not.) I was just so taken by the generosity of a complete stranger, I want to make sure she knows how much we appreciated the time, effort and thought (not to mention money) that went into what she sent.

We were given an unexpected gift from a stranger this year at Christmas. It is a long story, but a box arrived on our doorstep from "Santa" (and the name/address of the giver). I do not know this person, but there was also sweet letter inside, asking for our children's birthdates so she could send something special for each of them. I am sending a thank you letter, (one from myself, and one from each of the kids) along some pictures of the kids with their gifts, and some token handmade items as a thank you. Now for the question: Should I write the letter on Christmas Stationery, or something non-seasonal? Second, if I use Christmas Stationery... would it be a bad idea to use the Nativity stationery I have, since I have no clue about her beliefs? We have referred to her as "The Christmas Angel," rather than Santa, as I wanted the kids to know it came from a real person. I thought about using Angel Stationery, but the styles I have seen don't appeal to me.