I know! Dagnabit. I pay for boxes to be delivered to my 23 yo dd in another state all the time, so I have a ton of deliveries for myself & her scheduled between now and the fall, too. I decided not to wait & filed a dispute with my credit card company for each charge. A few people are waiting for Zaycon to get back to them, but when all accounts have been deleted and phone numbers have been disconnected, it is a bad sign. Amber in SJ

So I saw this today: https://www.zayconfresh.com/ Saying as of today they have suspended business and to email if you have questions. The Corporate Facebook page is gone. The employee Facebook pages are gone. No answers to the phone numbers either. I have a couple hundred dollars in orders out that were due to be delivered in September & October. Anyone else in this boat? Should I try to dispute the charges on my credit card? Any recommendations? Ugh! Amber in SJ

I am sorry you have to deal with this silly-ness....It can be exhausting to hold firmly to your boundaries, but it sounds like you are dealing with it maturely. In the words of Taylor Swift, "Shake it off, shake it off," Amber in SJ

I am glad that I am not the only one who treats their sourdough like a pet :) My original sourdough was named Horace after the sentient cheese in Wee Free Men. When Horace was divided & 1/2 given to dd in another state for some reason his name changed to Roscoe. Because it is Summer & I am not baking as much Roscoe is sleeping in the freezer. Amber in SJ

Check out her blog. You can try the basic recipe/ method there. My kids love this bread. https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/ Amber in SJ

Wonderful news. I hope for the most calm and uneventful pregnancy ever! Amber in SJ

I don't know if I'd qualify the relationship as contentious, not do I consider her my step-parent. I am 47 and she is 53. My dad married her just a year after my mom died, unexpectedly, two years ago. She is perfectly nice & she makes my dad happy, so that is fine. However......she shows a definite preference for my youngest siblings and their kids, some of whom are young enough to not remember my mom. I think the fact that some of us have married children, meaning she could be a great-grandma soon is upsetting to her so she pretty much ignores us. That isn't my concern. My problem is my dad goes along with her and we don't hear from him very much either. Unless you count the group texts to me & my siblings with pictures of the demo that is happening to my childhood home so they can sell it as quickly as possible. My adult kids don't hear from him at all. Now lest you think that this is a two way problem, it isn't. My adult kids miss their grandpa and talk about sending him texts or facebook messages & he doesn't respond. He is tech savvy enough to manage both of those things, and he does for the younger grandkids and her grandkids (the eldest of whom is 11) but not the older teens or young adults. This Spring my dd(23) and her dh graduated from college. An invitation was sent to them, I texted him the details of where we were staying & how much it meant to her. I even called. Nothing. Nada. Not even a card. Meanwhile, she is posting pictures of them traveling across country to see the high school graduation of her niece because "Family is everything." I am sad that he is willing to lose contact with us to make her happy. Amber in SJ

Is anyone else excited for this? I will admit to being a total bandwagoner and I am watching because my son-in-law is from England & a huge fan. I have watched games in the past & am familiar with the rules of the sport, but I don't follow any teams. My questions for the real fans out there are: What do I need to know? Which teams should I be rooting for (other than England, of course)? Thanks Amber in SJ

I have issues with the names of the proposed new states. So......Fresno is in northern Southern California, San Jose is in southern Northern California and LA is in southern California, but not in Southern California? ? Amber in SJ (in plain ole California that I adore and will only leave kicking & screaming or if all my hypothetical grandchildren live too far away, but really who wouldn't want to go visit Grammy in California?)

I have a friend who, as a grown woman, went to Hawaii with her husband for a second honeymoon and bought her 9yo dd a t-shirt that had (in her words,) "a cute bunny" on it and the word Hawaii. Yes, she brought home a small, low-cut top with the Playboy Bunny on it for her daughter without recognizing the trademark at all. Her dh recognized it, but thought it was funny not to tell her. Her dd wore it to school. Pretty risque for the 4th grade. Amber in SJ

Any outdoor camping around here comes with a real risk of tick exposure. It is in everyone's best interest to expose as little skin as possible. Dh & ds give each other a tick check before bed on backpacking trips. I can't imagine having to check butt cheeks for ticks. Because my kids not only go to camp every year, but also spend a week camping at the beach and go to the beach at least once a week during the Summer they all have several swimsuits for the season. My kids also prefer swim shorts with rash guards, but I make sure that one of the girls' swimsuits meets the "modest one piece" camp rules. We usually find them labeled as competition suits. Other than the mountain lake for camp, most of their swimming/ surfing is done in the Pacific Ocean, so they can be found in a shortie wet suit much of the time. Amber in SJ

Our rules for both camps for dd & ds are: Knee length shorts for all, modest-cut one piece swimsuits for girls (no monokini, no super high cut legs or super low cut tops,) swim shorts & rash guard for boys, covered shoulders (no tanks, muscle ts with giant armholes, halter, "cold shoulder") no rude/ inappropriate words on tops or bottoms, no bellies showing, no ripped or shredded jeans, no underwear showing (visible bra straps, sagging or extremely low rise pants that show underwear) closed toe shoes at all times even in the water, but flip-flops in the shower For girls only yoga pants & leggings are allowed but top must cover crotch when standing. Particularly, no see-through yoga pants/ leggings while rock climbing or rappelling. I totally get this one because most of the girls don't wear undies with their yoga pants/ leggings (panty lines) and if I am belaying I do not want to spend my day staring at sweaty lady-parts. Talk about TMI. There are plenty of thicker athletic leggings or yoga pants that will not show all, you do not need to be climbing up the granite rock face in sheer light colored leggings. Unisex t-shirts & mesh basketball shorts will be provided for those who show up inappropriately dressed. None of this was a surprise and are the usual standards for church (LDS) activities as well as in our home, except I don't allow leggings to be worn as pants ever. Tops covering leggings have to be pretty close to the top of your knee. Amber in SJ

Except 3 states would give us 52 (take away current CA from 50 to get 49 and then add 3 for 52) So 4 states would give us 53. Totally "indivisible" in a way that we haven't been since AZ became the 48th state in 1912 :) Amber in SJ

I will say that t-shirts figure greatly into the high tech culture here in Silicon Valley. Companies give out t-shirts. When Dh goes to conventions, t-shirts are a common swag item. It does become a part of your geek cred to have a shirts from the bigger tech companies or from the latest start up. It is totally bragging. "Ha! I worked at 2Wire at the height of modem tech." It makes me laugh Amber in SJ

When oldest DD moved from sunny CA to Utah for school we scoured the thrift stores for sweatshirts with names of places in CA. She really identified as a CA girl and wanted everyone to know :) We only chose places she had been. Dh gets a t-shirt from the local Harley Davidson store whenever we travel. The one & only time we went to Disney, I stocked up on Disney related souvenirs/ shirts at the thrift store or the clearance shelf at our Disney Store. All the kids got shirts, those spinning flashlights, a few beginner pins and a toy. I doled them out once we got there. For many years my kids did the turkey trot at Thanksgiving with my mom. She would push them in strollers or walk with the slowest, and she got a sweatshirt every year. She also visited us every year and bought an otter sweatshirt at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and she got a sweatshirt every year from the high school where she worked. It is also the high school from which Dh & I both graduated. When she passed away I took my favorites and wear them 3 seasons of the year when I walk the dog in the early morning. It would never occur to me that it was bragging because you don't actually have to go to get a shirt/ sweat shirt. My Dd & Ds both get pins or patches from the parks to go on their backpacks. Ds also gets stickers that go on his scout binder. The souvenir I usually choose is a pack of playing cards with the name of the place on the backs. The cards get used for War, Go Fish, Crazy 8s, Spoons, Scum or Nertz or any other family card game and the kids each have their favorite deck that they think is lucky. Amber in SJ

Totally off topic, but a family at our church named their baby Claire Annette. Amber in SJ

My family (except me) loves both Betrayal At House on the Hill and the sequel Betrayal At Baldur's Gate. The players here are 48 (dh) to 13 (ds) and I wouldn't go younger. It is just too scary for me. But they play it constantly when 23 yo dd is home. Dd also has a game group among her YA peers that have regular game nights. Amber in SJ

My 20 yo dd with Ehlers-Danlos also sees a cardiologist annually now. She has a murmur as well as aortic insufficiency. Her last visit for chest pain turned out to be Costochondritis or inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and the sternum. It was very painful, similar to a heart problem, but not life threatening. I'll send good thoughts your way for peace & clear-minded doctors :) Amber in SJ

Dh & I just finished our first Whole30. I lost 8lbs and he lost 12lbs (stinker.) But that business is really time consuming or expensive because you end up making everything including salad dressing & ketchup, pasta sauce & salsa, or finding a sugar-free version that usually cost $$. Dh had it pretty good. Every week I'd make a huge frittata filled with veggies, cut it into pieces and individually wrap for breakfasts. Monday morning, I'd wash 4 heads of different kinds of lettuce, one big bunch of spinach, 4 huge carrots julienned and make it into 6-8 individual salads with carefully measured grilled chicken, dressing and nuts & seeds. I pre-portioned fruit, nuts, and veggies for snacks. And that didn't even touch dinner. In short, meal planning & preparing took over my life. Dh thought it was a pretty easy meal plan to follow and didn't know what all the fuss was about. Here we are at 2 weeks after the end of the strict phase, I added back in some of the things that had been cut in very small amounts. For example Whole 30 is no dairy, so I added back in 2 Tablespoons of no sugar greek yogurt to my chicken salad. Whole 30 is no corn, so I added back 1 cup of popcorn, popped in a small amount to coconut oil for a snack. I have gained back 2 lbs ?. Apparently the very strict, no grain, dairy, sugar or sweetener, corn, soy, etc is the only way my beginning of menopause, 48 year old overweight body will lose. Sigh. I also walk 4-5X/ week & water my garden by hand, etc, but that is not new. Amber in SJ

I will add everyone to my prayers, too. I also practice meditation so if no one minds, what I try to do is visualize each person who has a need and then surround them in light and try to mentally hold them in my thoughts for several breaths. I am a Christian and I believe this is just my way of praying for others, but it is a little new-agey for some people's comfort. Amber in SJ

I know I am late to the party & I had to submit my course plan to the charter school already, but I can change it until the first day of school in the Fall, so I usually put down the most basic framework and then flesh it out over the Summer. 10th grade dd: English 10 A & B: This is usually a homegrown stew of whatever lit she wants (this year was all Shakespeare; next year all Sci-fi,) writing assignments & ACT prep work. I also usually put Logic here. Math: TT Geometry (shares this with her 8th grade brother) Science: Fascinating Chemistry with all the add-ons she'll stand :) Driver's Ed/ Driver's Training: eeek! The Driver's Ed is an online course to get her permit and the Driver's Training is the time in the car with the instructor World History: She tolerates Crash Course, so I develop some kind of worksheet page for notes & then add in reading, quizzes, maps, primary source assignments & tests. Dance: She takes dance classes 4-5 hours/ week. She fills out a log of time spent, reviews 2 performances a semester, writes a final research paper about something pertinent or develops a final project. Community Service: Yes, this is a real high school class for which she can get credit :) Her regular community service gig is assisting at the outreach program our TKD studio 2X/ week. She also participates in other service projects year round. She usually volunteers with the Special Olympics 2X/ year, and most recently with the Grateful Garment project which provides clothing for victims of abuse, trafficking, assault, etc. who are found naked by law enforcement or whose clothing is taken as evidence at a hospital and would otherwise leave the hospital in a paper gown. She keeps a log of time spent and does a short monthly write up about something pertinent. French II: Monarch French 1 was meh this year, so I am trying to figure out the French syllabus for Hewett Homeschool. I don't even speak French. I tried to get her to take Spanish or ASL, the two languages with which I have a passing acquaintence, but no. It had to be French. Maybe because of the ballet. In the Spring, instead of Driver's ed, I will put together a Film class. Again, Crash Course :) Whew! I'd better get to work. I have an 8th grade ds to plan for as well. Amber in SJ

I wear loose dresses, T-shirt style, trapeze style, etc, with super light shorts/ short leggings underneath to avoid the dreaded chub rub. Amber in SJ

A new wading pool for the back yard. My kids are too big for a wading pool so it is really more of a bird bath, bee & dragonfly drinking bowl & drinking fountain for my dog & cats. I also float a solar fountain in it & it makes me happy. You might ask why I don't just get a pond or water feature for my yard. I have tried many different types of those things and none of them has worked out. Therefore a wading pool it is. Also in my package were a pair of hand crank flashlights & cell phone chargers for the 50 mile backpacking trip. A pair of new slipcovers for couch & chair because company is coming (if my oldest dd & her dh are company.) And a book called "Grading With A Purple Crayon: A Developmental Approach to High School Composition." I literally don't know anything about this book other than the title and it was recommended to me by a friend. Amber in SJ

And here I was watching the first episode thinking, "I wonder if finally it will be realistic and Jo will smack the daylights out of Amy?" Of course this is based on my experience with three sisters of my own and three daughters. I did enjoy the first episode. Off to watch the others :) Amber in SJ

Based on today's Mother's Day photos, I am extremely un-photogenic and can not remember any of these tips. Amber in SJ