I agree with Kate. As a result of my how picky I was growing up, I have adopted the stance, "we don't make anyone eat food that they don't like." I do have a daughter with Asperger's, so I know how frustrating that can be. The only control I have put on my kids is what we buy. They can eat or not eat anything that is in the house, because we do not buy anything I don't want them to eat. For me, this has allowed me to not have power struggles with them, but also not have them consume a diet of exclusively processed junk food.

I agree about moms just packing a meal for their picky eaters. I have several friends who do that when their kids come over, and I appreciate it so much. I take food for my vegetarians everywhere we go, so other people aren't put out by them.

I was the Queen of picky eaters as a child. I loved salad, but couldn't stand salad dressing. My mother would serve me a bowl before dressing the salad, but I was out of luck when it came to having seconds. I got in a major power struggle with my first grade teacher, because she wanted to force every child to eat all of their food every day. I quit eating at all. My mother finally convinced the principal that "It's best to just not make an issue of food." Then there was the time I ate only oranges for a month. My mom still wasn't ruffled. As long as I took my multi vitamin, I could eat what I wanted. I branched out to oranges, carrots, and cheddar cheese. I don't know how long I only ate monochromatic meals. I didn't have the option to only eat waffles, or hot dogs, or mac and cheese, like so many kids I know today because we only kept whole natural foods in the house, so my eating obsessions slowly died out. I have to admit that as an adult, I have sat right down on the floor, and cried my eyes out because my take out order was wrong, but that was years ago, I promise. I think that my mother's refusal to cater to me, and refusal to fight about it really saved me. I did have sensory issues and a learning disability, so I don't think I was just being spoiled. I have really tried to mold my children's taste, starting with making their baby food so they would not become accustomed to bland mush. They have never had sugar cereal or T.V dinners or happy meals. They never asked for them, because I didn't let them watch any programing with commercials. I'm happy with how well all of them eat, even my one with Asperger's and my two vegetarians. Of course, we have to deal with the reversal, and try not to be rude guests. When we go to birthday parties, they just can't stomach the processed kid food. They just don't take a plate at all. If the hostess comments on it, they say that they ate on the way to the party.

I hear you! My dd had a friend over. We had cinnamon toast made with homemade bread. She wouldn't eat it because it was whole wheat. We had a snack of grapes and carrot sticks. Oh no, she never eats that. For lunch, I made homemade fettucini alfredo. She wouldn't eat it because I added fresh steamed broccoli. I was quite happy to see her go home even though she is a sweet kid, and I adore her mom.

I was feeling a real panic this past fall. My oldest is starting high school next year, and I really wanted to give her the best foundation possible. I have an early childhood education degree, so I could teach two days a week while the kids were taking homeschool classes. The more I prayed about it, the more I saw how this was going to cost more in quality of life that I could make doing it. Then I discovered a friend who is willing to teach my older kids math and science 6 hours a week in exchange for my teaching her littles preschool in my home. It is a win/win situation because I get to be home to care for the animals, and cook from scratch while doing what I love, and am trained to do. She gets a break from little people needing her attention 24 hours a day, and her kids get to develop outside relationships. My kids get one on one help from an enthusiastic expert who really loves them. I only mention this to you, because I received an answer to a problem that seemed overwhelming a few months ago. I encourage you to stay open to new ideas, and keep asking God, "I know you want the very best for these kids, so show me what that looks like."

I completely agree with Pam. I still have to do this with my special needs 13 year old. She gets wound up, and I literally have to hold her hand and remind her how to behave. My husband used this approach when he taught Sunday school, and still uses it as an assistant scout leader. The great thing about bringing the child having problems close to you is that it works if they have sensory overload, but it also works if they are just being disobedient.

I'm a former Kindergarten teacher, and those look very, very normal to me.

I feel the same way! Every time I read one of your posts, I think "That is a seriously gorgeous woman." I hope everyone feels the same way about my horse:D

We aren't paying for it either. I'm giving up my career, and the money I could be earning to give my children the best childhood I can imagine now. We just had a history lesson on the front lawn, in the hammock with the baby goat frolicking around us, and the baby blowing bubbles. In my book, it just doesn't get any more fun than that! We pay for expensive camps and private lessons by sacrificing our own desires. It is what we want to do, and what we choose to do. Their childhood is our responsibility. I see college and their adulthood as their own. They have the right to choose anything legal they want to do, and they have the responsibility to pay for it themselves. We will pay at least 2 years at community college before they turn 18. After that, we will give them room and board while they are in college. Dh wants to pay for their books and give them cash for Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, MLK day, Presidents day... Well, you get the picture. I know that the situation is different today, but Dh and I both paid our own way through school, and we think that part of it was every bit as important as the rest of the education we received.

We make Easter "nests". It's a tradition from my German great grandmother. The kids make a wreath of vines and flowers on the floor, and the next morning they are filled with goodies!

We were at a goat show last year, and my daughter's year old doe saw her mother go into the ring. She jumped the fence, and latched right on. We were laughing so hard. They had not lived in the same town for at least 6 months.

making money Dh paying bills Dh budgeting Dh mortgage/loans Dh home repair/maintenance Dh banking/investments Dh taxes Dh car care Dh health insurance Dh scheduling (making/keeping track of) Me phone calls or correspondence re: all the above Dh teaching/school work or homework Me discipline (planning and implementing) Me spiritual guidance (who actually carries it out, not just the "head") Me kids mornings Me kids bedtimes Me transportation for kids Me grocery shopping Dh laundry Both eating at home Mostly me, Dh on special occasions or to give me a break eating away (pack lunch, etc) Me daily chores/cleaning (really need sub-categories!) Me and the kids lawn care/snow cleanup Dh garden or bed maintenance Dh Dh took off work today to do some chores that I have really been needing help with, like building a milk stand for me, and doing some planting. I'm so happy about it, that I want to offer him a day next month where we all work on helping him get done some things that are important to him. Maybe the next month I'll get another work day.

I just thought of something else. A different friend was visiting me, and she was trying to help her daughter quit sucking her thumb. The mom lay down with her, and held her hand while she was falling asleep. I think she did that for a week, and it worked.

None of mine ever sucked their thumbs, although I sucked mine right up to first grade. I did get my neighbor's son to stop when he was 5, and I was keeping him. Every time I saw him stick his thumb in his mouth, I'd say, "oohh. That's germy, You need to go wash your hands." It only took him about 2 weeks to get so tired of washing his hands that he gave up thumb sucking. At the same time, his mom "lost" his blankie. That really helped him break the cycle.

This is what I want to spend it on, http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=4070&cat=21&page=1&featured but I should probably buy everyone in the family new socks and underwear instead.

Love love love my Yorkie baby. I have six dogs, and I love them all, but none of the others come close to my Yorkie. She did have major teeth problems, but other than that, she is 7 years old, now, and as healthy as a horse. I'll try to post some of her pictures.

Yes. My son goes to piano camp at Interlochen. http://www.interlochen.org/camp/summer_camp_programs/music He goes for 4 weeks because that is all we can afford. He would like to go for the full 6 weeks. He also goes to Boy Scout camp, but that is only for one week, and my Dh goes with him. My girls go to Girl Scout camp http://www.gssjc.org/camp/mistymeadows.cfm My 13 year old works with the younger girls in the summer, and on selected weekends during the year.

Thanks, guys. Bartholomew is also heavily line bred on Gem which is what my daughter wanted. Jasper had more faults, so he had to be wethered. It is a good thing Bartholomew could walk before we got him, because he is happy to wear doll clothes and be carried everywhere. He is also good in his crate. Dd slept through her alarm, and missed his midnight bottle. He never made a peep. He is much nicer than a puppy. I think goats should replace dogs as the most popular pet. I can just see Hollywood celebrities with little goat heads popping out of their handbags.

Here is another one.

New addition, and attempting to link pictures for the first time. Our purchase of Jasper fell through because his breeder decided her really wasn't high enough quality to improve our herd. After a lot of tears, we decided on Bartholomew. He is such a little angel.

That looks like so much fun!

I'll try to take pictures tomorrow of our chicken garden. I just use welded wire to section off a corner of their pen. I want to learn how to sprout wheat for a treat.

That is very cool! I have 50 eggs incubating right now. I'm kinda hoping not ALL of them hatch.

I think of scratch like candy. It is good to tame them, and give them a treat, but not a complete diet. My chickens get Layena, and a BUNCH of kitchen scraps. We also section off a portion of their yard to grow a garden for them. I plant wild bird seed and black oil sunflower seeds. Chicks get medicated chick starter, and scrambled eggs, but no scratch.

Thanks for this thread! Dd and I are enjoying a smoothie with Swiss chard and mint from the garden.