Unfortunately, yes. We are driving to Canada at the end of December and have decided to pay for 6 hour PCR tests rather than risk 2 two things... 1) the PCR test offered at our local pharmacy not being delivered within 72 hours and therefore not valid at the border. I usually get the results within 36 hours, but I expect there to be delays 2) getting a positive result after having driven 12+ hours to the border. We could still get into Canada, but would have to isolate for 2 weeks, which isn't particularly useful since I'm only going to be there for 2 weeks (and dd and dh for 1 week) Once in Canada, we will use rapid tests before we see any family members. I have also decided against playing pick up with my teammates and I will probably won't go back to the gym this weekend or next week 😞 Also, if my dh or dd test positive while in Canada, they will either have to delay their trip back to the States, or I will have to drive them to the nearest border town so they can rent a car and drive back home. That would be a hassle, but doable.

Promix Madagascar Vanilla

This looks amazing for my mil. My kids could happily contribute a pic and a few sentences a couple times a month! Thanks for the link!

That definitely makes it challenging! Is your mom computer literate enough to be able to do it? My mil struggles with video calls, so I'm not sure we could do a game together. She gets confused by all the 'business' on the screen.

No time like the present to start! I should do the same with my mil.

😅

Do you play online games? You can play each other in games like Scrabble over the computer.

Are you able to do video calls with her? If so, can you do virtual tours of museums 'together', or watch an online opera or concert with her?

Does he have a way to 'sign' his creations? We got my dh a brand to use on his finished wood-working projects - heat it up and hold it onto the underside of the table (or whatever) and done! He thought it was really cool.

I grew up in Canada (and taught elementary school for a short time) and I don't remember hearing or telling stories about pilgrims. We just talked about it being harvest time and coloured cornucopias. When I moved to the US as an adult we never celebrated American Thanksgiving, only Canadian Thanksgiving and when my friends here asked about pilgrims, the Mayflower, and such, I responded with, 'No. It's a harvest celebration.' I don't think I had any idea about pilgrims or the Mayflower and such until my kids were in pre-school here. I thought it was weird that it was on a Thursday and was followed by a big shopping holiday. Americans were also fascinated that we eat (pretty much) the same food for Canadian Thanksgiving as they did for American Thanksgiving. As for teaching it, I agree with telling it like it is, in an age-appropriate way.

You can get separate T3 and T4 prescriptions, if she's badly out of balance on one, she may need more than the generic combo. My dd has Hashimoto's (so not the same as not having a thyroid, but her thyroid is not functioning properly) and she needs a higher dose of T3, so she takes 2 separate pills. Her symptoms (being cold, extreme fatigue, as well as a lot of hair loss) all disappeared once she went on separate T3 and T4 pills.

I find this extremely funny! It's amazing how much we assume about other countries and cultures based on popular shows. My older ds was enthralled by Steve Irwin and was so upset when he died. I even cried when I told him.

I highly recommend Eat To Perform - regular contact with an online personal nutritionist/coach, eat regular food, track your macros, and walk. Learn to eat to fuel your body properly, do short Fat Loss cycles, and don't get caught up in chaos of yo-yo dieting. You can check them out https://www.eattoperform.com and they have a podcast too. Their clientele ranges from people who want to lose 100+ pounds to those getting lean for whatever competitions they do.

Strep and bronchitis are both making the rounds in my area. Lots of college kids just moved in as well, so it will be worse within the next few weeks.

There is no general sentiment supporting burning any church or cathedral in Canada. And, I cannot imagine that you (as a Catholic) would have any problems living anywhere in Canada. And, yes, I was definitely pissed at that other poster, so she got what she wanted - crazy-a$$ people getting their jollies by riling otherwise even-keeled folks up. I apologize for that. Honestly, you'd more likely get harassed (and by that I mean good-natured teasing) for being an American before you'd get harassed for being Catholic.

Canada does have a page on Medical Inadmissability https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/reasons/medical-inadmissibility.html

Well, if you're worried about that I guess you better stay in the US then. But to answer your initial question... what do you mean by 'wouldn't think they'd want us?'

NM - It's not worth the emotional effort

Regardless, it is a ridiculous statement to make.

Were you intending to give the reasons behind that or just trying to scare people? Or are you simply someone who likes to give the worse part of all stories? Your question makes it sound like crimes against the Catholic Church in Canada are a daily occurrence in every town.

If my eyes are open, I'm pretty much awake and ready for the day. Generally, I would say if I've had anywhere between 4-6 hours of sleep, I can get up easily. However, I do require naps in the afternoon when I don't get 7+ hours of sleep. My dh and kids take forever to wake up - no coffee, no talk is their mantra. It's so annoying when I try to have a conversation with them!

Definitely agree with this - Under Armour ones are thick and heavy while the Happy Masks are very light and 'breathable'. I've never used one of the plastic frames, but my friend at the gym did and she was very happy with it.

My kids all worked at a small locally owned ice cream store and were paid minimum wage. When they became managers (opening and closing the store as well as training new employees) they made a few dollars more/hour. When this place was 'cash only' they got A LOT in tips. Some customers would buy an ice cream for $2.80, give them a $5, and tell them to keep the change. They would easily bring home $50+ in tips for an 8 hour shift in the summer. They no longer work there, but I've heard that since the store started taking credit cards, the employees don't make as much in tips. Personally, I tip at small, non-chain places, but not places like Chipotle or Subway.

That makes pasta a lot trickier to serve. I like Danae's idea then. Can you make the penne/rotini/ziti and your bolognese sauce into a casserole without it drying out/burning in the warming trays?

You can definitely reheat pasta in boiling water, but be careful of it getting mushy. Penne and rotini would fair better than spaghetti.