When I send gifts I usually include a sheet of stickers for the non-birthday kids.

Mini pumpkins/gourds and mechanical pencils

I chose other. I get it done at the local beauty college. They use a better quality, longer-lasting dye, but because it's done by students it only costs around $30.

Mine wants a new comforter set, as she has 'outgrown' her Tinkerbelle one. ;)

My daughter wanted a Hello Kitty birthday cake one year. I need brain bleach to erase the images that popped up for that search. :tongue_smilie:

DD13 - piano & violin DS11 - piano & double bass DD8 - piano DD6 - (desperately wishing for a violin of her own. )

That is the exact reason we started homeschooling. School was not keeping DS safe, and after repeated conferences ( one where we even brought in the county health nurse with us to explain how serious of a situation this was) - the school still refused to do anything. After all of that, we caught the teacher eating Chex mix (with peanuts) at her desk a few feet away from DS, and we decided to pull him.

Carpal tunnel usually affects the thumb, pointer and middle fingers - the ring and pinkie are affected by the ulnar nerve in the elbow, so a wrist splint probably would not help you - but an elbow splint might. You need to keep your elbow as straight as possible, and definitely don't rest your head on your arm when you sleep. (That was my biggest problem!) There are also exercises you can do to try to relieve the nerve http://cubitaltunnelsyndrome.net/cubital-tunnel-syndrome-exercises.html

I was looking at getting a Flip video camera for my DS11 for Christmas, and I was wondering if it takes still pictures as well as videos? This is the one I was thinking of http://www.amazon.com/Flip-MinoHD-Video-Camera-Generation/dp/B0040702HU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1318995340&sr=8-4 Also - if you have purchased one, would you recommend it or not?

That is the sign of a pinched ulnar nerve and cubital tunnel syndrome. It is much like carpal tunnel syndrome - except with the elbow instead of the wrist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulnar_nerve_entrapment Not immediately serious - but the longer you let it go permanent nerve damage can occur.

Our yorkie can't get up on the couch by himself, because he's too tiny. (I like it that way) ;) Once in awhile I'll pick him up and set him on my lap for a bit, but otherwise I'm perfectly fine saying he stays on the floor or in his dog bed.

Maybe a miniature Schnauzer? My aunt and uncle have always had them and they were mellow, well trained, and great with kids.

My MIL had some crazy ones....that she passed down to DH. :glare: He's had to 'unlearn' them over the years. Instead of: 'Six of one - half dozen of the other' she said 'Six of one three dozen of the other'. And instead of, "Wow, they're really going to town." It was, "Wow, they're really going to house." He also, to this day, cannot pronounce the word ravioli. He says "Raver-oli." (Drives me bonkers.)

The Whipping Boy and Runny Babbit

It's an oldie, but my favorite has always been "Some Kind of Wonderful"

We never used to, but recently we had an incidence with a 'peeping tom' so now we leave them on all night. :glare:

Yes - It was fun, (my DD won a costume contest!) - but busy. Also - the lobby was done up with giant spiderwebs and spiders, and they had several workers dressed in 'scary' costumes which really frightened my little ones. So if you have younger kids - be prepared for that.

I really think that is a loaded question. There are so many variables - most of which, unfortunately, center around money. Most of the schools in our area now, as well as the schools I grew up in, are quite good. But the socio-economic conditions in our area are favorable as well, and the taxpayers are willing and able to support the schools. Parental involvement in the classroom is also very high around here, and I have heard most PS parents speak highly of their children's schools/classes. I can see how in other areas though that this is not always the case. Parents must work longer hours or multiple jobs, and are not able to volunteer their time in (or out) of the classrooms. Lower paying jobs mean less tax money for school funding, and then less pay for teachers - which may lead less qualified teachers accepting positions in those schools.... It's a vicious cycle. :-(

A bit....(and looking at my post count - I'm going to have to make sure I do a double post some time this week.) :glare:

Mine is here http://cityon-ahill.blogspot.com/ and I have a craft blog too (but it's been rather quiet lately) http://homespundreams.blogspot.com/

When I was in college we did a prank pinata for someone and filled it with Cool Whip :lol: (It was very messy - you'll want to wear ponchos if you choose that option!)

He has a group of capillaries( or was it tiny veins?) very close to the surface inside of his nostril, and any slight change in pressure causes them to rupture. Allergies, dry weather, if he gets upset/cries - it causes them to swell and burst open. He has had them cauterized once already - it helped lessen the frequency, but did not completely stop them. At the request of his ENT he uses saline nasal spray and Bacitracin in that nostril daily.

Thanks everyone. The ortho wants to start with a bite plate and head gear first, and then move on to the expander. DS is terrified it will hurt. I'm more worried it will cause more nosebleeds.

We had a consult with an orthodontist today for my son. He needs braces, which we have agreed to, but the ortho also discussed the possibility of a palate expander. I have done some research on them, and I am not sure I want him to have one. If your child has/had one....was it extremely painful? Did it cause a change in their physical appearance? (If so - how drastic?) Did it cause speech difficulties? My son gets frequent (and often severe) nosebleeds. Could the expander put additional pressure on his nose, and possibly cause more nosebleeds? I really do not know what to do. :confused:

:iagree: (I just sent the OP a PM about this very thing)