Our rats take Bene-bac when they have to be on antibiotics. It seems to help. And rat diarrhea is really not nice -- looks horrible, smells worse -- so we are good about giving it when needed. We give the small animal formula but I think they have bird and bigger animal formulae too. Check amazon.

I do this for DS -- mainly -- all white sport socks (Haynes, etc.) and a few dark ones for church or if someone dies. DD11 convinced me a few years ago that, at least for her, socks "match" if they are both socks -- ie. not one sock and one glove... If they both have an opening for the foot to go in, a closed off area for the toes, and a bendy part for the heel, then they indeed match! Yeah. Yes, this is the kid who has a green argyle knee sock on the left and a polka dot Little Kitty on the right. Works for me.

Praying still. Big hugs.

Read the first page, the 14th page and nothing in between. This year, I am going to be an asst. leader for my dd's American Heritage Girls' troop and just yesterday took the Boy Scout personal safety training (as AHG has the same personal safety policies as BSA). Anyway, the policies that they use are common sense and could be applied here. For example, never should it be one-on-one with an adult and a child. If an adult needs to correct a child, he'll do it within view of others. Never is one adult with a group -- always two or more. Adults need to watch out for "grooming" behaviors. The training video is free online and your church would be doing well to watch it and consider adopting the procedures in it. I agree with all the PPs: C R E E P Y I worry about the boys who are allowed to go to this. Can someone check up on them?

Okay, now I've read the posts -- CONGRATS. That's wonderful.

Praying for the entire situation. :grouphug:

Guilty of not reading all PPs. When "Thomas the Tank Engine names" came up, I tried to remember some but got stuck after just three. So I found them: http://www.thomasandfriends.com/ca/Thomas.mvc/EngineDepot Hey, it looks like I am named after a Thomas engine, Kelly!

Where is the other option? I've not read all the other posts... BUT, here's what we do during the school year (during the summer it's leftovers, sandwiches, or whatever). I'm afraid I'm going to ramble here. Bear with me. We have a hanging pocket calendar, with a pocket for each day of the month. We've got four dc. Each dc has a "day of the week." We made dozens of little menu cards, each with one main dish, on cut in half index cards. They fit right inside the pockets. So, if today is Monday, for example, Mary makes what she planned for today. Meanwhile, before she goes to bed, she picks another lunch (from the deck of lunch cards) and puts it in next Monday's slot and replaces the card of the lunch she just made with the number "13" because that's Monday's date. The next day, Jamie makes her lunch that she planned a week ago because she's the Tuesday kid. The other two kids make Wednesday and Thursday and co-op day is Friday so we brown bag it then. Oh the kids made the cards. Each has the name of a main dish and perhaps a funny picture (a submarine on the sub sandwich card) and the recipe if needed on the back. Since they pick their lunches a week in advance, I have time to buy anything special for them. Since there is just one lunch card for any particular main dish, we don't get pizza four days in a row. Our lunches vary among cold (salads, sandwiches), easy dinners (tacos, burgers), and breakfasts (waffles, pancakes). If there is a lunch I don't like, I "lose" the card for them. If there is a new recipe I try, I might make a card for it. A kiddo is allowed a bowl of Cheerios or a PBJ if he doesn't like the offered dish. It happens. It works and keeps me from having to think about lunch much...

:grouphug: Privileged to pray for your family.

Thanks for all the good ideas. See if there is a local chain nearby that sells dented and slightly expired things. Often they are of perfect quality but you also have to be sure you are not buying things you wouldn't ordinarily buy. Also, keep an eye on the trash can for four kinds of food waste: 1) "Yucky" food. Don't put food on the kids' plates that they are likely to not want to eat. Why bother. And, if something is unpopular (though a terrific bargain) with most of the family, don't buy it. 2) Excess food on the plate. Encourage kids to take smaller servings and go back for more if needed. I started to notice that when we eat sandwiches, often 1/3 of several of the sandwiches (often crusts -- ugh) would end up in the trash. So, we started eating half sandwiches, and the kids can have more if still hungry. Train the kids to take what they'll eat and no more. Often they come to the table hungry and their eyes are bigger than their stomachs and they take a huge helping that is too much in the end. With a little practice they can learn to take smaller servings, then wait a few minutes before puttnig seconds on the plate. 3) Excess food that is trimmed. Save slivers of broccoli stems, for example for stews and such. Eat the apple down to the core. Encourage that behavior. 4) Food that stayed too long in the refrigerator. The other day, I boiled up too much corn on the cob and we had extra. What wasn't eaten in two days, I cut off and froze. When the weather gets cooler, that corn will go into soup, chili, or stew. If I get lazy, stuff will go bad in the refrigerator. So I try to keep an eye on it. Similarly, make sure your kids close pretzel bags and cereal inner liners immediately so that that food doesn't go stale. And if it does go stale, look for ways to still use it. Stale bread makes great croutons. Stale cereal can be crushed up and added to homemade granola or fed to pets. Oops, time to go ... We've got something this afternoon.

That would anger me too. If they cannot find the leaders needed, then the program doesn't happen -- simple as that. I would be very firm with the AWANA commander at your church and say, "I volunteered only to be a listener, not a leader. I cannot be a leader this year. I am happy to volunteer as long as you respect my limits, otherwise my children and I will pull out." If you want, you can tell her that you are praying for God to raise up the right leaders (well, that is, if you plan on praying for that). If you must pull out, do so. Then go across town to another AWANA church and say, "Here is my child and I'll be a listener if you need me to." :grouphug: It is frustrating to volunteer to do something and then be tricked into something else...

Would this be a good Align substitute? The box says "Compare to Align," and it has a chart comparing Align to it and, of course, it has more of the good stuff (or so it says). http://www.samsclub.com/sams/simply-right-4x-probiotic-digestive-care-supplement-84-ct/prod5590696.ip?navAction=push PS Thanks for the good comments on this thread.

Imaginging the society pages of the news paper now after the cotillon. And Deb "Potato" Russett was seen mashing with the best of them, including Shepherd Pye, who is considered to be a real spud muffin. When asked if she is seeing Mr. Pye, Miss Russett curtly replied, "Idaho... I guess at this instant I am." Sorry, I guess I am tired today.

Nope, no cute OB's here, but does a one-day-stand with a gyny count? When DH was active dute AF, we had only military care (I was a full time student). With military medicine, at least at this base, you got who you got. When I went in for my annual when I was about 25, I had a very non-descript femail gyn doing the exam. Well, she felt something. She wasn't too concerned but wanted a second look. So, she had me schedule an ultrasound to take a peek. I went back a few days later and after the ultrasound, the tech said, "The doctor will be in to see you in a few minutes." I still had that nasty paper sheet over my lower half and I was expecting the non-descript female gyn to come in. But no, after a quick knock on the door in walks about the cutest male on the planet. Just absolutely dreamy. Gorgeous. And young. Oh wow. He said, "Great news. We weren't finding the mass that Dr. Ordinary described. I am guessing you just had a hard piece of fecal matter in there during your exam the other day." He reassured me that I'm just fine, shook my hand, and left me there, paper sheet and all. I could've died...

Praying for strength and for resolution of the problem.

It's a great way to get kids excited about music (when they see someone not too much older than themselves doing such a fine job) and give them a good start on an instrument. And it's a plus if the teen comes to your house and if you can pay a little less than you would for a more experienced teacher. If you are at all concerned about bad habits maybe see if you can find an experienced pianist (teacher or not) that can evaluate your student every other month or so and look for things like improper posture or hand position (or whatever matters on the piano). About the time the teen goes to college or gets a full time job, your child should be ready for a more experienced teacher.

What do I do? I sit and "play" on this forum... Duh -- time waster. Do give yourself some healing time and then maybe make some easy to-do lists (nothing like decluttering, but daily stuff like laundry and dishes). Also, go easy when it comes to housework and laundry and cooking... It'll get done eventually. If it happens during summer, take some time to play games and watch videos or drop the kids off at the pool (hire a teen to watch them if necessary). Listen to your body and then start doing a little more each day. If you need to, keep a little list of what you DID do and you might be amazed. Perhaps in a "lazy day" you can pay some bills, do a load of wash, empty the dishwasher, call an old friend, fold some towels, etc. That's a good amount of work... Stay hydrated and eat the best food you can. You'll get better.

Yes, a barfing child is a departing child for something fun and optional like a party. Barf upsets other people. Even if you are 100% certain that the child is not contagious, it makes others at the party uncomfortable to be around the kid who "might be germy." It's just the kind and right thing to do, leave. It makes the kid more comfortable and certainly makes the guests more comfortable. Now, other times it's more difficult such as when you're catching a plane and can't reschedule. Then you do the best you can. Or you are in labor and are arriving at the birthing center! But, a vomiter needs to leave. FWIW, I don't always trust a parent's assessment of "He's not contagious." How does that parent know? Yes, maybe the child does throw up after long car rides or whatever but just because the child throws up after long car rides doesn't mean he doesn't have the latest germ going around. The line "he's not contagious" means about the same to me as the puppy owner's "he's just very friendly" as the dog jumps on me and scratches me... And, I agree, the head bump earlier in the day warrants an ER visit. DS did that years ago (and threw up after the ER when he conked his head -- on the carpet inches away from the tile floor of the bathroom -- sigh -- why did the ER give him an ORANGE popsicle???).

Oh wow, don't ever let me complain again (I guess it IS a big check at the beginning of the school year). This year we will pay $1700 or so for nine classes a week, nine months a year. I have three dd's dancing and each takes three classes -- the two older ones do the pre-professional level and the younger one is in it for fun. We do one recital a year and the cost for that is about $300 for outfits, tickets, photos, and the video they make of it. And, there are always leotards and shoes and such, but our studio has a nice exchange program for outgrown leos, soft shoes (if they still have life in them, as many do when little girls outgrow them). We do get a price break because the older two help in little girl classes which earns us class credit. This stretches our budget a lot -- we aren't able to pay much more so I am very glad that all three girls can afford to dance here...

Wow, all our mattresses are old. When the kids graduated from the toddler bed, they each got a nice, new twin mattress. The dc are now 11 to 18 and that means that the mattresses for them are about 8 to 15 -- and they feel great. DD16 has decided to sleep in the basement in the queen bed that we had when we got married (24 years ago). Our king bed upstairs must have a 15 year old mattress now. We stuck a foam topper on it and it feels pretty good but I'm ready for a new one. When you get a new matttress, be sure to encase it because it will otherwise accumulate a bunch of dust mites. An unenclosed mattress accumulates dust mites so that by the time the mattress is 10 years old it has doubled its weight: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2009/06/fact-or-fiction-mattresses-dou.html Of course, this is disputed: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2545/does-a-mattress-double-its-weight-due-to-dust-mites-and-their-debris At any rate, it's a gross enough thought for us to have encased all our mattresses in good quality covers (they don't feel plasticky). A good idea for allergies anyway.

Sorry Clue Ticket to Ride (we've got about five versions of this...-- my fave) Dominoes (not exactly a "board game") Catch Phrase (also not board game) Apples to Apples (card game -- we like the Junior version for including the kids so we don't have to explain to them who Burt Reynolds is, etc.) Carcasonne (sp?) Journeys of Paul (CC -- only decent Christian game I've found)

I'm going to be printing out this list for my family. We just watched The Perfect Game -- found it at Redbox. Predictable but a nice baseball story (based on a true story). Rated G I think. Or maybe mildy PG.

I think we need a date overhaul. Last night DH took me on an impromptu date right after dinner. We went to Lowe's and looked at toilets. We decided we like chair height with a round bowl and perhaps the one that has two buttons. The one that says "1" has a one gallon flush and the one that says "2" has a 1.6 gallon flush. And did you know that there is actually a toilet with overflow holes? What will they think of next? We didn't spend a cent but it was strangely fun to get out with DH and look at the loos.

Didn't read the links (I really DO have a house to clean...) but think his mom could've simply said, "With his busy schedule, he doesn't really have time for a girlfriend." Couldn't that have worked?

Google "lucid dreams" -- is that the term -- I heard it in college.