My extended family goes to Corolla every summer for a week. Great beaches, Quiet. Grocery stores close-by. It's not my favorite place in the world but it is a great place to spend a week in the summer. :) We take 30+ people and stay in one house. Super fun!

We dress up every week. Suit and tie for DH (sometimes Dockers, a dress shirt and tie), dresses/skirts and our nicest clothing/shoes for the females. I LOVE dressing up for church. Most LDS people I know dress up but you certainly don't have to. In general, our culture in the US = dressing up. I can't speak for LDS members outside the US.

20th anniversary is in December. Trying to start making plans now. We are both really interested in Puerto Rico. DH went there as a 5 year old (but has great memories). I've never been. We love to travel, want to go somewhere warm, with lots of history, different culture, beautiful scenery, some romance, beach, mountains, outdoor activities. Thoughts?? Anyone want to give me some BTDT advice?

Where did you watch The Hours? Sounds great. We have similar tastes.

Thanks again for all of the advice. I'm taking notes.:)

I love my walkout basement. Two rooms (floors) in ours get damp 1-2x a year if it rains heavily for a long time but that is due to drainage issues (and a 60 year old house). We've mostly resolved that. I still love my basement, even if I do sometimes have deal with dampness.

Yes, Grandma is coming back in 18-24 months. She doesn't own much worth keeping. The garage is huge but not climate controlled so yes, not suitable for storing nice furniture. I will only be storing items in plastic tubs in there that can take the extreme weather changes. We live in a place with all 4 seasons and high humidity. I'm thinking Grandma will be giving most of her furniture to her young adult grandchildren. We will also be giving furniture away. I will be assisting Grandma in culling her stuff. That might be the biggest adventure of all! LOL

You ladies are awesome (which, of course, I knew). Thanks so much! This is all very helpful. I lived in a studio apt after I got married and later we did move across country with only a U-Haul trailer full but that was pre-parenthood and we've accumulated a ton of stuff since then. I know I can do this AND be happy with the result. I'm excited to get going on sorting my stuff.

Thanks for the great advice so far! I'm going to get started on long-term storage stuff ASAP. Some of those kinds of things can be moved to her garage whenever we get them ready. That and getting rid of stuff is high on my agenda. I know 1000 sq ft isn't the end of the world but it seems super small after living in much bigger homes most of my life. There is a decent sized yard so making a nice outdoor living area will help me not feel so cramped.

Anyone moved into a much smaller home that could give me some BTDT advice? We're planning to move into my MIL's home while she's temporarily living elsewhere for 18+ months. Our home (which we will be selling) is about 2600 sq ft with 5 BRs and 2 baths, multiple living areas, etc. Her house? 1000 sq ft, with three small bedrooms and one bath. We only have one child so there is an extra tiny bedroom we can use for our "schoolroom" and there is a detached garage so we can store some things there (her items will also be stored there). I'm a pretty minimalistic girl to begin with. Can't stand clutter. I'm going to have to be utterly ruthless with my stuff. Anyway, if you've done this kind o' thing, what advice would you give me? I have many months until we move but I'd like to have a good plan in place.

Not hike????? What? Hello! Great Smoky Mountains? The national park is our very favorite part of a trip to Gatlinburg. You MUST spend time in the park. Beautiful!!! We've never seen a bear and we go often. No worries! Just read up on what to do, just in case. The visitor's centers and park attractions (including Cades Cove) are fabulous. You've gotten lots of good advice. Have a great trip!

I didn't read the regret thread but I wholeheartedly LOVE homeschooling! No regrets. Actually, I regret waiting until second grade to start homeschooling. ;) Very happy homeschoolers here!

My checking acct is with US Bank. Hate them. Hate them. Truly. We have some lovely people working at the branch we go to most often but as corporation I would never recommend them. I need to switch banks but don't want the hassle. *sigh*

Happens to me often. Blood sugar meters aren't terribly exact. I usually retest after washing my hands if the number seems way off. I'd say it isn't unusual to have the reading off by 10 or more points.

About 20%.

You could also tour horse farms, go to the horse races at Keeneland (if you come in April) and really make a fun time of it. Check the events page at the Horse Park. The Rolex Three Day is HUGE - I'd avoid that unless it's a special event you would love to see. :)

We're getting ready to do a 10-day trip starting in New Orleans (4 or 5 days) and then following the Gulf coast to Panama City, Fl. Should be awesome! We do this a few times a year. Some ideas: Washington DC and the Blue Ridge Parkway Nashville and the Natchez Trace Jacksonville, FL to Wilmington, NC along the coast Ohio Amish country Mississippi River Road

We are headed there on the 11th. :) I'll be happy to post recommendations when we return. We're VERY excited. There is tons to do with kids!

Not photos but text, yes!

We've been many times (just saw Southern Lights there Sunday) and my DD used to do hippotherapy and therapeutic riding there. It's beautiful, fun, not too crowded most of the time I've been. I'm not sure how far away you live (so not sure if it's worth the trip) but we think it's lovely. There is tons to do around Lexington, too. :)

Best thing I've learned in my life: I can say no and take care of myself even while being the mom. You are not a superhero. I hope you can develop boundaries that make you happy, fulfilled and less stressed. :grouphug:

7 Wonders, Carcassone and Forbidden Island are loved as much if not more than Ticket To Ride at our house. Any of those might be a fun choice.

It sounds reasonable. I really struggle knowing how hard to push my DD so I'm often second-guessing myself. It IS hard to know.

So glad he was caught before (hopefully) he could harm anyone else. And I admit to feeling relief that he died. :( So scary. I've found that I can ALWAYS trust my instincts. In this case, now you know why but usually we don't. Trust your instincts anyway, always. So glad you did!

I don't think it's too much at all but I don't know your child and his struggles. I'm curious why you are asking. Does he say it's too much? Does someone else? Does he struggle to complete the work? Does he struggle to master the work? I'd love to help you brainstorm solutions.