It's summer so I'm getting ready to make a bunch of marinated chicken, pork, and beef bags to stick in the freezer for grilling later.

Education and we told the kid that we'd be randomly monitoring his stuff for a while as he gets educated on the proper context for sex AND treatment of women. This is in accordance with our worldview, so we made sure that he still held to the same one or had decided to forego that for a thought system that allowed him, morally, to look at sexually explicit pictures of someone else's wife, mother, daughter, etc. that he's not in a relationship with (much less married to). We talked about the sex industry and human trafficking, we talked about how solo gratification can be selfish and harmful to future relationships. We talked about the danger of addiction. We didn't tell him that we and/or God are disgusted with him because even though it's wrong that's not how we roll. But we did say it's the wrong choice based on all of the above factors. Not cool to have that stuff in your head, son. https://fightthenewdrug.org/

Dd is beyond basics, fyi.

OK, I must learn more. Can you show me your model or one like it? Can they be found at Lowe's or Home Depot, etc.?

Can you share what brand you use? Thanks!

If he's prone to being lazy about a routine (like mine): Disposable face cleansing cloths. We get Simple brand and I seriously cut them in half and store in an old Charmin flushable wipes container. You don't need a whole one so this saves me money. And then, for acne-prone areas and breakouts, THIS roller has changed the game for a few of my kids because they like using it so they DO and don't have to get product on their hands: https://www.elfcosmetics.com/acne-fighting-spot-gel-with-aloe/300006.html (Say Yes to Tomatoes brand used to have one that we really liked but they discontinued it!)

Research the NUMBER of cervical cancer cases and deaths from the year before the vaccine hit the market up through now. Decide if you think the vaccine should have had a major impact by now and if it has. Look at your family history. Decide. We did not do the vaccine and I'm happy with my choice.

Moms get in free to an exhibit at the art museum that I've been wanting to see. I'm thinking about ditching everyone and going myself. I wonder if they'll want proof I'm a mom or expect me to be with family...LOL

My dd has been battling GI junk for a long time and her last trip to the GI doc a few months ago he basically just said, "It's IBS," which we sort of felt was a standard diagnosis for anything gut related that the dr. doesn't understand, and she was prescribed Bentyl. She has taken it several times during more painful episodes but it doesn't do anything. It says to take it as needed, but should she try taking it daily? It seems that people do both, even up to 4x per day regularly at first. Some say take 30-60 min. before a meal, some with a meal or just when you're having an attack. Dd doesn't feel like she has "attacks", per se, and we're not convinced this is IBS, but I want to give the medication a good go before heading back and saying what else ya got? lol How do you take it?

Thank you!!!

And also, good dudes don't lie about themselves quite like Jesus did. If he's not God, you know. lol

So, this could be summed up by: 1: How do I know that God loves me? 2: He says so. 1: Yeah, but I don't really believe/trust/like the book in which He makes that clear. 2: OK, then. The Bible reminds us of what God has done and is doing for us. This is the key for me. John 3:16 is usually rendered, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..." People take that little word "so" and think it's a quantitative description. He loves us SOOOOOOO much, how can we not feel it?! But that's not actually what it means. The Holman Christian Standard Bible translates it best, IMO: "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only son..." It's qualitative. THIS is how we understand and see that God loves us. By what he DOES. But if you don't believe that He has done anything for you or for mankind or that His very nature IS love, then yes, I can understand how knowing (and yes, feeling to a degree, different for everyone) would pretty much be out of reach.

I agree about the pollen being really bad. My dd who has migraines and other headaches has been a mess the past week or so.

I'm going to be seeing my dr. to be sure I don't have fibroids or some underlying issue causing the bleeding/huge clots. HOWEVER, I have had success with 2 supplements that have enabled me to put off demanding an ablation. lol I am not peddling these in any way and you should always ask your dr. first. You cannot take the first one (Slow Flow) if you are on Warfarin or Coumadin because it contains Vitamin K. Slow Flow by Vitanica (I've found this at local health food stores, yay!): https://www.pureformulas.com/slow-flow-60-capsules-by-vitanica.html Chaste Tree Berry or Vitex (same thing): https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-milligrams-Vegetarian-Capsules/dp/B000F76ISG/?th=1 I wanted to try as many things as I could before resorting to surgery or even burning/freezing/microwaving my lady bits. LOL This may not last, but for about 5 cycles I've had relatively normal periods compared to gushing and clots that kept me home and periods lasting 8 days rather than 12. Not perfect, but doable. I have been amazed at the number of women who suffer during their periods and wonder how the female human body has gotten to this point. ? A topic for another day! Good luck to you. Sorry if this sort of derailed your thread!

I just ordered 2 different kinds of bath caddy things that I was hoping to have my kids use to keep all of their stuff in. 8 people share one bathroom in this house and there is just TOO MUCH in there! But I don't like the caddies so I'm returning them. ? I can't seem to find what I want. Too big, too small...blah.

In light of today's news, I'll plug I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara. One of the best true crime books I've read and I jumped up and down to see the news that this bastard was caught today.

How do home warranties work? Are they purchased through insurance companies or are they their own thing?

Eeek! This terrifies me as we get ready to become homeowners. *shudder*

I agree. We have 4 services and I certainly don't know many of the people, but there are ways of creating communities within the community that just don't make it seem excessive to me. We have very few programs but a lot of groups for study and serving with a common purpose, which I like. We send out many missionaries and that is so satisfying. It just seems to grow smaller the longer I attend for some reason. LOL (Of course, we have our issues, too, from being larger. You just trade issues, IMO, depending on size and other factors.)

I get a pouch of Korean BBQ type sauce and throw it in the crockpot. Eat over rice with a side veggie.

I hope no one is feeling badly about what you'd have to do to save this much even in a hypothetical situation. I didn't mean to make anyone feel the crunch of their budgets more than they already do. I have NO idea if we can even do this. It's just a goal and one that I am totally OK with doing in two years if we have to. (My dh works 2 jobs AND a 3rd very occasionally and we don't make 6 figures by any means!) But I really, really want to be done with renting.

Not a downer at all! It's one of the things I'm nervous about when we become homeowners at long last. We were lucky to have a cushion recently--unfortunately, it went to purchasing a reliable car for dh to commute with and so our savings went down to basically 0. But we're now in a place where it won't take too long to get at least $1k in savings for a non-housing cushion. Not a lot, but after 25 years of NO savings, EVER, it's pretty nice to us. LOL

Great ideas! I am a pencil and paper kind of budget-er so we're working on reducing expenditures and so far have about $250 a month. We had 2 cars in the household die in a month so we all pitched in for those and the adult kids' savings are down because of it. We stopped charging rent for a while during that episode but will have to start up again. They are good about paying it, though, no problem there. Some good ideas here for me, thank you! I think the hardest part is that dh isn't willing to part with certain things that I consider luxuries. A year of bare bones entertainment would be FINE with me to get us FREE, you know? Just trying to compromise here. It helps to break it down to that $200/week. I'll pitch that to everyone and see where we can get!

It is SO slow going trying to save up for a down payment on a house. Our goal is to be able to put $10k down. We will never get 20% of the home price together for a down payment so we are trying for something doable. I HAVE to get out of this rental house. I just can't take it anymore and finding rentals is too difficult for a family our size with no young adults moving out any time in the near future that I can see, unfortunately. (But I'm willing to get a smaller house with a bedroom less just to look to the future AND motivate them to move on! lol) So how would you try to rack up 10 grand? I'm not working and it would have to be very part-time, but I'm definitely willing. Our family situation is tough (not bad, just complex with lots of young adults who are also paying bills and can't seem to save for their own cars, etc. that would make them more independent!) but I'm going to have to be the one to make a change and light a fire under everyone else.

I'd give Suave Professionals a try. We like several in that line. There is a volume one called Bamboo and Aloe Vera that you could just try and if you don't like it, you're not out a lot of money. I personally like the Almond and Shea Butter one. (I love the smell. Honestly, I would never use Pantene because it's SO perfumey to me!) If your hair is somewhat dry, choose one from the Moroccan line or one with an oil in it. That will not give volume. http://www.suave.com/product/category/661365/suave-professionals