My rising 4th grader is interested in this anyone have a good place to start? I'd love recommendations for him and for me to sortof learn ahead of him.

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I would be very upset it I could help one of my parents that way and they wouldn't accept. Personally, I am willing to do this for another family member, not nearly as close and beloved as my parents, so I would certainly have done it for them. It's hard to imagine myself as the recipient. I can't say for sure what I would do in that situation.

I feel like this is a weird conversation. Of course, a minor should never donate a kidney and that is why doctors won't let that happen. And no one should ever be pressured into organ donation either. But really, everyone thinks that it is horrible to accept a kidney from your child? Really? Even if the child is an adult? I'm in the process of finding out if I am a match for someone in my family (someone I am related to by marriage, not blood) and I know that his daughter is also in the process of finding out if she's a match. (She's 26) A lot of people blood-related tested, but they all have the same disease. (Hs daughter is adopted) His sister recieved a kidney donation from a co-worker. It's okay to accept that, but not from an adult child? My opinion of this family member could not be higher. He is a wonderful, generous, caring man who has given a LOT to his community in so many ways. I can't believe that people would judge him for accepting a kidney from his kid. Granted, the OP's situation is completely different. But this is a response to "no caring parent would EVER take a kidney from their child.

Beautiful! Congrats!

One time, in a thread about cool old houses, someone posted her house listing, and I recognized the house! I did send her a pm. She didn't live in my town, but in a town I drive through on a regular basis. Her house isn't for sale anymore and sometimes I wonder if she sold it or if they gave up.

I would go with Keens if you're planning to get wet.

I bought some Sketcher Go Walks a few weeks ago. They are heaven! I had been having sore knees and after a week or so of wearing these, my knees don't hurt at all! You'd have to find them on sale though, maybe with a 30% off at Kohls?

Well, she's a BIG fan of Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious. We've read all of those over and over. She has an older brother and I've been immersed in dragons and magic so long, I don't know what else is out there.

I would really, really like to buy these for traveling. I don't have any personal experience with them, but they look awesome. https://www.amazon.com/Disc-O-Bed-Youth-Kid-O-Bunk-Organizers-Teal/dp/B00U7R4XAE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1465585150&sr=8-5&keywords=Kid+cot

Thanks for the ideas! I'm making a list to try over the summer. She loves picture books, but I thought going into 1st grade, she should be developing a longer attention span. She hasn't cared for the Fudge books, Ramona, Charlotte's Web, Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Boxcar Children. I don't know, maybe I should just embrace the picture books awhile longer.

I bought one, a backpack with a detachable strap. They wore the backpack in airports and such when they were tiny- but I never needed to attach the strap. I just needed the peace of mind that I could if I needed to. My first two were very early walkers and as soon as they could walk, they did NOT want to be in a stroller. I used carriers with all of them, but they didn't much like that either after maybe 18 months or such. My last was a much later walker, he isn't opposed to a stroller, but he doesn't love the carrier anymore. He's heavy too! So I use a stroller much more with him than with the other two. Sometimes, I don't like to drag around a stroller. (In airports and such) I do see people using them at museums, zoos, airports, amusement parks, etc. I don't give it a second thought, although I may have had a negative reaction if I had seen it when I was young and childless. I don't remember ever seeing it back then. 10+ years ago.

My dd who is in between K and 1 is not very interested in read alouds besides things like Fancy Nancy or Pinkalicious type stuff. She has never been interested in any books that I am reading out loud to her brother. I thought you guys would have some great suggestions that would make her excited for read aloud time? Thanks!

I am so sorry that happened to you. I would certainly confide in the leader of the group that this happened and hopefully they would deal with it. If someone in one of the groups I am in did something like that, I would want to know about it, I would want to be able to reassure the person left out that not everyone felt that way and if it wasn't dealt with swiftly, I would resign my membership in the group. That is just so awful.

Our local high school is the Trojans. Dh's high school was the Chicks. We lived somewhere where the high school was the Brickies (bricklayers). Dd's Little League team is just a color, but the kids voted on dolphins as their favorite animal, so they are the Green Dolphins. ETA: I was a comet in high school and our mascot was a big yellow ball with flames coming off, like it was a comet in the sky. However, we were actually named after a train that was called the Blue Comet.

I understand! I do not use essential oils, and my MIL knows that, but that's what we got for Christmas. I felt like it was a passive-aggressive way to try and make me use them.