I have one of each, and my ds has always (since infancy) been more difficult to raise than my dd.

Ours sounds very similar - open rooms with seating for family in each "room" (along with other very family friendly and fun policies - they give tickets out things like being on time, no broken brackets, etc., and about 2x a year, give away a big prize, like an Ipad, laptop, TV).

I take magnesium glycinate (from Swanson Vitamins) - 600 to 800 mg a day, all month long. It has really helped with cramping, and my neurologist also recommended it for migraines, so I take it all the time. I've taken Vitex for years, although for most of those, it was tea made from the herb itself. Now I'm taking a perimenopause formula (Enzymatic Therapy) that has 40 mg in it. I don't know about taking it with progesterone, though.

Can you baby proof his room and put up a baby gate at the door? Mine weren't crawling out that early, but once they did, we put a baby gate at the door and if they got out of bed, they couldn't get out of their rooms.

I agree. I the optometrist won't work with me and tries to make me feel guilty because we can't afford buying glasses from them, I won't continue to give them any of my money.

We go to Sam's Club for our eye exams (the drs there are wonderful!) and they don't have any issues with us ordering from Zenni. We've taken in at least one of the pairs to verify that the prescription was correct. The only comment I've had from one of the techs there is that the glasses my dd was wearing weren't polycarbonate and just regular plastic, and by law, they're supposed to be polycarb for kids. I had just ordered the regular lenses and didn't realize that when I placed the order (next time, I'll get the polycarb). The techs at Sam's will often replace the nose pieces for us, because the Zenni ones are cheaper and not as comfortable as the ones Sam's has, but that's it. I think many eye drs don't like the competition. I stopped going to another eye dr because of her attitude with me purchasing contacts online. I won't go to drs (or other sales people) who act like I don't have options or might know enough to make my own decisions.

I put ours in the dishwasher, but they are Klean Kanteens with just one layer of stainless steel. Dh has also used ice and salt inside (fill it halfway full of ice cubes and add some salt) and then you shake well :) He said the restaurants he used to work at would use that method to clean out containers.

Welcome! I've been an email subscriber of yours for years :)

I agree. My dh does this for people and we'd be rich if he charged that much - lol. He has a friends and family rate and charges a very reasonable per hour fee. If the harddrive has completely failed, there is a trick to put it in the freezer for a period of time (Google it and see what you find) - but I think it's very rare that he isn't able to recover stuff off the harddrives he's given.

I didn't have a preference either, I just knew I wanted more than one. My stepmom just had a feeling on each of them (first was a boy, second was a girl) and she seemed so sure, that I expected it to be that way (it was, although I never had a strong feeling about whether each was boy/girl).

Yes, although I really don't like using power saws because of the noise. . .I used to change the oil in my car myself (and even taught dh how to do it), and my big project this last fall, was refinishing our kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

My dh was having issues with his shoulder from side sleeping awhile ago and what helped him was to make sure he had a high enough pillow so his neck/back vertebrae were horizontal and his neck wasn't bending towards the bed. We ended up having to get him 2 thick memory foam pillows that he stacks on top of each other (he's a big guy). I don't know if it's the same type of pain you're experiencing, but that seemed to relieve some of the pressure on his shoulder and it doesn't bother him now.

We have this one and I like it quite well. You can set it for radio or bird songs along with the light: http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Hf3470-60-Wake-up-Light/dp/B003XN4RIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325732320&sr=8-1

I'm so glad for you! I know how important it is to have someone you feel comfortable with and trust.

:grouphug: I'm sorry.:grouphug:

I don't think they do, either. My mom had an old one (I think 30 years old or so!) that would cook things on low, w/o boiling, but she thought she should replace it because it was so old, and the new one boils on low (as does mine). I ended up getting a 6 qt Nesco roaster that I can set from below 200F up to 425F and I love it: http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-4816-12G-6-Quart-Porcelain-Cookwell/dp/B003I4F6NG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325688496&sr=8-2

I don't have any recommendations for beginning patterns, but would be willing to help you decipher instructions if you get stuck and don't know what they're saying to do. I've been sewing since I was a teen and worked in alterations for several years, and I still find that sometimes the instructions aren't all that clear.

I do all our laundry on the weekends, sorting the loads in the laundry room. The kids each have their own load and after it's dry, they're expected to fold it and put it away. For dh and my clothes, I fold them as they come out of the dryer, into a laundry basket. Once all the laundry is done, the basket gets taken to our bedroom and put away sometime during the week (but since it's all folded, it doesn't get wrinkled). There are some things that i use a drying rack to dry (mainly shirts and wool socks) and those things get left until the next weekend, when I put them away before starting that week's laundry. Bath towels get hung up after they're dry, and the basket of kitchen and hand towels doesn't get folded as it comes out of the dryer, but usually folded and put away in a day or two. Sheets get put back on the bed after washing/drying (I usually have one set out at a time, so I don't have to worry about folding and putting them away).

Well, I do. I don't know if that's standard practice or not, but since you cook stock for 12-24 hours, and they're only in the stew for a couple hours, I figure they still have a lot left in them.

Well, I usually cook them until the meat is tender and falling off, then remove the bone and make my stew. I save the bone for making stock (until I have enough bones) and then cook the bones for the stock 12-24 hours.

We bought them for both dc and the extra space has been very nice (their rooms are about 10 x 12), but making the beds is a pain, and I won't do it for them. So they are always in some state of messiness. And in the summers, they can get too hot up there and end up sleeping on the floor (no high ceilings).

:grouphug::grouphug:

I thought all the models (older ones at least) were basically the same, and just had different standard attachments. So I'd think the clear canister would be removable.

I agree. Talking to her about it isn't going to change anything, and the less expectation you and your family has from her, the better off you will be. That way, she can't fail meeting the expectations (which are low or none) and if she ever does do something better, it will be a nice surprise.

I will be 41 in Feb and started getting hot flashes and irregularities in my cycle length several years ago (cycle irregularities started first). I used chaste tree (vitex) for that, but then when the hot flashes started, got a recommendation for Enzymatic Therapy Perimenopause Formula. There's a pill for AM and one for PM. I haven't had hot flashes since being on it and it helps keep things regular and more on an even keel, although I have found that a B vitamin complex also helps me with the mood stability.