everything outside is hazy & has a pink-ish-orange cast to it. We are getting the smoke from both the north & the south. We all have sore throats, and wheezing. Various family members live from Sacramento, north to Shasta and it is just miserable. I can't imagine anyone being able to use fireworks this year. My crew is going stir-crazy inside. Amber in SJ

I am known as the freaky comment magnet because I receive so many. Many happen in the grocery store when I have all of my children with me. One little old lady in the store admired my toddler daughter's platinum curls & asked if DH is a blond. I replied that he has bright red hair and she said...."Oh! Maybe someone else is the daddy!" Another woman stopped us in the freezer section of the grocery store and upon learning we are homeschoolers said, "Aren't you worried they will be mentally ill from spending so much time with you?" Once in the grocery store a woman took some time out of her busy day to lecture me on zero population growth and how families with more than one child are using more than their share of the Earth's resources. She even offered to buy me condoms. I had to laugh as we loaded up our reusable bags into the stroller and walked home as she roared out of the parking lot alone in her H2. At my brother's wedding, my new SIL's minister approached me & asked me to point out my children. I did & he asked if we were going to have anymore. My stock answer is, "We don't know." to which he replied, "Because they are beautiful....perfect Aryan children...we need more of them." I was so shocked I almost snorted my drink out of my nose. When voting in the last major election I was 6 moths pregnant & the sweet elderly woman handing out ballots asked me when I was due. When I told her I was due in January she opened her mouth in surprise & said; "But you are soooooo BIG!" After voting & returning my ballot, I turned to exit the room & she yelled after me, "It must be a boy because you are big from this side too!" Two weeks after my 3rd dd was born, I was waiting outside the grocery store for my dh when a very nice woman mistook me for a homeless person & tried to buy me some food & take me & my daughters to a shelter. My in-laws are always good for a comment or two. but theirs tend to be mean, so I choose not to share them. I hope some of these make some one laugh, because I always think they are funny. Amber in SJ

I grew up with a very beautiful older sister who did not make my ugly childhood & awkward adolescence easy. I learned how to spell around well meaning aunties "I may be U-G-L-Y, but I am S-M-A-R-T." Fast forward to a church marriage/relationship class we were enjoying as a way to ditch Sunday School (don't tell anyone.:D) The instructor went around the room and asked each husband to say what he admired most about his wife. We heard some great ones; "She is super organized." "The house is always clean" "She is a great mom." When it came to my sweet DH he said, without hesitation, "My wife is the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen." I just about melted on the spot. Many of the other women in the class later told me they wished their husband said the same thing. :001_smile: In fact, years later one of those ladies was my teenage daughter's youth leader & she told my daughter how lucky she was because her dad really loves her mother. That was my very favorite compliment. I still get warm fuzzies. He is out of town right now......drat! Amber in SJ

Of course this is only my second post on the new boards, but I may have an answer. After 4 kids, one bad tear repair and one bad tear in the opposite direction (near my urethra) I needed therapy. After one session, I couldn't go back. It was too invasive & icky! I had a difficult time doing kegels on my own. The sheer number seemed too daunting & I couldn't tell if I was using the right muscles. My Dr recommended this little doo-hicky; http://www.gyneflex.com/ The fact that I am making something move isolates the correct muscles. The "squeeze, hold & release" is more effective for me than the "pulsing" I no longer have the problem even when I sneeze and the other benefits are pretty great, too HTH Amber in CA

so I can believe it will be close to $4/ gal this year. I don't drive so the kids & I walk everywhere. When we have to get a ride from someone we offer to pay for the gas. Between Dh's commute, errands & activities we put about 150 miles/ week on the car. When the weather is nice many of those miles go on the motorcycle. Amber in SJ