Vitamin D? Iron? A one time extra dose of either of those is often enough to kick my energy level up. Big doses of a good (easily dissolvable) Cal/mag supp is essential too-- facilitating neurons, etc. Beyond those, B's are often HUGE for good energy/outlook. SAM-e, 5-HTP, GABA, and L-Tyrosine may also be important for you. "The Mood Cure" is an excellent resource for more info. Also, as I'm sure you're aware, people who've had one episode are likely to have more. However, this is something which we (hallelujah) have some say in. There's interesting research re: how to stop that. Check out some of he newer books about stopping depression (and even rewiring the brain) at your library. And if you feel yourself slipping past the blahs into a place where things are darker, please don't hesitate to seek help. Prescriptions can be miraculous! HTH. PS -- stop watching/listening to/reading the news (really) and start a gratitude journal or list. Gather the kids and write a family mission statement. Have treats more often (chocolate, walks, a good book or music or magazine that you normally wouldn't have time for).

I'm glad to see someone else in this boat. I have a girl wanting to do the same thing. I've been wondering if, when she hits high school in a couple of years, she won't be specializing in music performance. Good things to think on, thank you.

Vitamin D? Iron? A one-time bump in either of those is often enough to help me. HTH.

SPAM

The author's use of commas has surely caused some small country to have run out entirely. How rude.

Hmmm -- do you have access to a program that analyzes fat content per recipe? I'd bet that considering portion sizes, the first recipe given has more fat, esp if you add the nuts (which I totally would). If the Aunt Jemima one needed more oil, you'll probably have happier waffle eaters with a higher fat content recipe. Waffles sound nummy.

Good for you. I think I'd get the dr.'s note if I could, because middle school is an artificial environment, period. If he can't hack this, he *can't* -- he doesn't have the tools he needs to pull this off, especially if life at the other house is fractious. Lay it out for the school if you must. I'd die on this hill if I had to -- explaining that he won't be "getting away" with anything, but that he does need at least one safe space in his life and you're prepared to make that space out of spit and baling twine if you must. And then, come summer or vacations, I'd find him a different setting for swim lessons, trading skills with another mom or whatever if $ is an issue (and when isn't it?). But I would make. this. happen. He needs to be safe with you all and he needs to face the fears seperately. Swimming and getting nekkid in front of peers shouldn't combine to become The Insurmountable Thing, kwim? :grouphug: Glad those kids have you.

The prosecutor is up on charges regarding misconduct in another case that parallels what he's done here -- including calling in a palmist (psychic?) who relies on information provided by dead priests. The "evidence" presented in court would not have made it into a US courtroom. The guy who already confessed and was convicted of the assault and murder testified that Amanda was involved (though evidence places her elsewhere) because he's looking for a reduced sentence. If you haven't had a chance to hear from US reporters sitting through the trial, Google it. It makes compelling reading. We're praying for her and her family.

for her to lay down the beginnings of big changes within their family. If her dh is interested in looking at those same issues with her, it could be a really great thing for her. I would give her TWTM, because there's nothing like the shock of having all *that* laid out for you -- it either resonates or it doesn't. Along with TWTM, I'd give her a copy of The Mood Cure -- telling her a friend suggested it, since not all matters of "organization" and "laziness" are volitional. If she's willing to take a hard look at things and be exceptionally frank with/about herself (and it seems she is) both books could open whole new avenues for them -- could be the biggest blessing their family encounters. HTH -- wish her luck for me!

In addition to those above (love Gottman, btw): I Married You Not Your Family, and Nine Other Myths That Will Ruin Your Marriage and Your Life. It is very specifically Christian and the author is heavy on personal responsibility. I think it's one of the best on the subject. :grouphug:

Word. :grouphug:

My dear friend had her husband admitted to the hospital in grave condition, with a 50/50 chance of survival as of Friday morning. She got a hold of her mom early that afternoon to explain the situation and her mother interrupted her to tell her about the place they'd just been for lunch. :001_huh: Clueless appears to happen to lots of mothers. My friend and I have discussed that the only control we have over any of the assorted looney interactions with various relatives is to takes notes on how we want to be, how we want to have relationships with our own kids/in-laws-to-be/grandchildren, and remember that the object lessons can help us keep on track for that. I'm so sorry. :grouphug:

I love that your church does this for you. :grouphug:

Dang, Mandy, now *I'm* sitting here with my mouth hanging open. Depending on which state you live in, those other expenses are absolutely part of his responsibility **completely outside of support** and most require that he pay support until the kid is at least out of high school (even past 18), at which point some have procedures for college expenses. YMMV, yadda yadda, but man -- this kind of thing makes me twitch. :grouphug:

Hoping all is well.

...two different injuries I had when I was young and was horsing around. One was torn muscles which required a lightweight plaster cast to keep things in ther proper positions while healing (urgent care). The other was a break in a small bone in the ankle which required R.I.C.E. and crutches until it no longer hurt to walk on (orthopedist). I vote for a place with an x-ray on the premises -- you'll spend less time driving around, at the very least. :tongue_smilie: (BTDT with the scheduling issues.) Good luck!

I've got... not much. Cheddar and sweet red onion and pickles. It's an addiction. I'd prefer cookies or a bite of some really good ice cream. (Can we say PMS? Yes we can!) My gripe: Too much to do, not enough time, and sometimes (whispering) I don't care. Once in awhile, I'd like to watch mindless TV and not just *know* that the whole place will fly right off the rails because I sat down and ignored The Big Responsibilities for an hour. Next?

May God bless you, Dorinda, and your husband and children, as you continue to heal.

I've wondered the same thing about Narnia vs. HP. The children in Narnia use magic to travel in and out of other worlds. I don't have a problem with explaining this to my kids in order to make the bigger point of the story, which is in *our* belief system/paradigm that all things eventually point toward God. Lewis said specifically that his stories weren't allegorical, though others experience them as such. Many non-Christians don't read the Narnia series expecting to see light shed on the glory of God. HP, *for us*, has been incredibly useful in discussing what good and evil truly are. How they're represented in the real world, what we can do about it personally, and how we want to be vigilant and useful in our own spheres of influence. I found the last book to be especially fantastic, if only for that last series of scenes between the protagonists. Once I read about JK Rowling's experiences while working for Amnesty International, the very dark parts of the later books made sense -- and again, more material for discussion with the kids. To the OP: I imagine that what's happened in your own home is that somehow you're feeling a vacuum created by loss of focus. It could be attributable to many things -- extended illness, excess tv, relatives dropping in or visiting too long. IME, regaining focus for the whole family happens best when the parents have talked about things like writing a family mission statement, what goals they have for their children in emotional/academic/spiritual growth over the next six months, year, two years, five years, etc. After the parents have some framework loosely established for themselves, having a "family meeting" in which you ask the kids leading questions (What makes our house a home? What do you think the purpose of our family is? How do we want to feel when we're here? When we first walk in? When we invite others over? How do you think we could accomplish those things?), take lots of notes, and meet again, for maybe half an hour every week (depending on the ages of the kids), to discuss just this kind of thing, keeping criticisms out of it, letting everyone have their own turn uninterrupted. After you've spent a couple of hours on this, the kids begin to internalize the discussion and take it on as their own. Your question about what to drop or change has sort of answered itself because the vacuum has been filled. It's really cool to watch this process at work. :) HTH some.

The people I know who used the evaporated milk and corn syrup or jello combinations that were passing for infant formula at the time would be confounded at a connection to feminism, as they consider themselves very conservative. My mom nearly gave my grandmother a stroke with her insistence that BFing was the way to go. My mom is much nearer to the definition of feminist than her mother was (not that that's saying much). I'm interested in SuperFreakonomics (on my list, along with Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell). He draws the most interesting comparisons.

Me too. :grouphug:

of vs. have (would of vs would have) mute vs. moot (Mute point -- WtHeck is that?) :001_huh: And the "pique" one makes me cah-razy. It's often rude to correct these in casual settings, IMO, but I feel better having "said it out loud" here. :D

(Notice how I just cut your stuff and pasted together? ;) Give yourself some credit, already!)

I'm hoping for jobs for the primary breadwinners in families of two friends and one brother-in-law, homes for three families who've been crammed in with grandparents for too long, and vehicles that must continue to run and not need repairs. I'm praying for the grandparents who don't understand why their grown and competent children can't find jobs and who are sometimes harsher than necessary with their grandchildren. And prayers for you too, Michele. May you have all that you need and much more.

Seconding the KitchenAid -- had it for a couple of years now and use it at least once/day.