I lived in So. Cal. and have experienced several earthquakes, 2 of which were deafeningly loud. Now I live in No. Nevada and we had a period where we had several hundred (yes, really) earthquakes in a 2 month period and not one of them created a loud rumbling sound.

Ball makes a No sugar Needed Pectin. I have done some playing around with it and our favorite way is to sweeten it with a fruit juice concentrate and about 1/2 cup of honey: http://premeditatedleftovers.com/mixed-berry-jam-sweetened-with-honey/

I am looking for a computer game for my son. He is in kindergarten but reads. I don't need it to be educational (definitely don't want math/phonics type) but I do want it to be stimulating. Do you have any recommendations?

Have you thought about combining it with a trip to Montecello and Montpellier? We stayed at a campground near Appomattox and visited all three.

Here is a link to my chicken and rice soup: http://premeditatedleftovers.blogspot.com/2009/05/preventing-food-waste.html

My husband wakes me up M - F at 5:00 a.m. to say goodbye and tell me he loves me. It seems really bad form to kill a man for waking you up to tell you he loves you, but if he really loved me wouldn't he leave a note and let me sleep?!?

I usually only cut my hair once a year. I don't get split ends, but I also do not color, perm or use a curling iron on my hair. I rarely blow dry it, so I don't do anything to damage it. (swimming in chlorinated water is hard on it too). Really the hardest part is just not cutting it! Most people are so accustomed to getting their hair cut, that they just have a hard time not doing anything.

I was like this before I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. My dd was also like this, but I noticed the signs and got her to a doctor. We are fine now that we are medicated. My husband is like this when stressed and sleep deprived.

I like the name Josephine Marguerite. I also like the middle names Isobel, Grace, and Louise.

I homeschooled my oldest without the aid of the internet and I am actually finding it a distraction for my second child. I used the library a lot and I met with other homeschool moms IRL and we discussed what was working and shared resources.

Your mother sounds very similiar to mine and I would absolutely never put one of my children in her care! I say to my mom, "I am sorry, but that will not work for us" as many times as I need to before politely saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. If necessary I let my best friend, the answering machine, answer the phone.

I just blogged today about a vegetarian minestrone soup: http://premeditatedleftovers.blogspot.com/2009/12/vegetable-garden-minestrone-soup.html It is very filling!

Here is a recipe for scalloped potatoes: http://premeditatedleftovers.blogspot.com/2009/09/improved-scalloped-potatoes.html If your kids don't like peas, you can skip them, but still add the basil.

I can't wait to start gardening again! I will be expanding my garden to include potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower this year. If anybody wants to recommend varieties, I'd love to hear what you like.

Two of my children have gone through an active phase where they have not wanted to sit still and be read to, so I just read to them like a library lady. ;) I let them color, snack, or play while I hold the book where they can see the pictures (if they choose to look up, which they usually do) while I read.