Perfect! I just started using a retinol and I ordered the vitamin c you recommended. Did you say what brand of sunscreen you use? I have some neutrogena that I’ve been using, but not sure what to look for in a daily facial sunscreen.

I did the same!!! I have a question, when using vitamin c, sunscreen, and moisturizer in the morning, what is the order for application?

Can you share a bit more about your routine? For the tretinoin, is this prescription? I recently purchased a retinol from the esthetician that waxes/tints my eyebrows (I haven’t used her for anything else yet). It was expensive and I keep hearing about tretinoin. Is it a better option (the brand of retinol that I bought is SkinMedica)? Can you tell me more about Vitamin C serum? What brand? The SkinMedica one that was recommended to me was $$$ so I didn’t buy. I am intrigued by the Jones Road makeup and will check it out.

What is the name of the podcast? Never mind…I see after reading again that the name of the podcast is Criminal. I am going to listen and then watch on Netflix.

“Symptoms range from mild to pure hell…” My 48 year old perimenopausal self is over here cracking up at your description. 🤣🤣🤣

I watched this yesterday and sent it to both my dd (16) and dh to explain myself right now. It was perfect!!!

We really need a new vacuum but I really don’t want to pay the almost $400 price of a new one (the Shark Stratos, which has all of the features that I really want). Amazon has a refurbished one for only $228, which is in my price range. Will I kick myself for buying refurbished? Any other suggestions for an upright vacuum with great suction (pets, girls with long hair, and mostly carpet) that you would recommend? Link to refurbished vacuum - https://a.co/d/cu1ILSd Thanks!!

I want to be a fly on the wall in your classroom (or heck, maybe I would even like to join in!!). You seem to be a great teacher and what a fun activity for a group of preschoolers.

I’m so sorry for your loss. (((Hugs)))

Thanks for all the suggestions!! I ended up following @goldberry suggestion and made a cocktail with vodka, sprite, and cranberry juice. I found a recipe online that matched this, but added orange juice, which was very good! I added some frozen cranberries and an orange slice in each drink and it was so pretty and festive! Oh and I was able to omit the vodka for my 16 yo dd and she loved it with just the sprite, cranberry juice, and oj. Saving all of the other suggestions for future use. Thanks!!

I puffy-heart love YNAB. Seriously. It changed my family’s finances. DH and I started 5 years ago with credit card debt on three cards. Not much, but enough that I could never seem to buckle down and just pay it off. So YNAB first helped us to do that. It was amazing. Then we decided to try travel credit card hacking. We currently have six credit cards that get used regularly and I can only manage that because of YNAB. We import all transactions and my cards are paid in full each month. The credit card feature is what really makes YNAB, in my opinion. Now that we are 5 years in, I have been considering a fresh start, but I’m just not sure. I would love to clean up the Payees (after 5 years, there are a ton of one-off payees in the system for our budget). I know there is a way to do this, but I need to check into it. Also, YNAB has a bunch of new features that I should probably check out. I mostly use the iPhone app version, so there are probably features I’m missing by not logging in on a pc. There is a learning curve. But for my family, it was 100% worth it!

Going to my BFFs tonight to celebrate Christmas and we thought it might be fun to have a cocktail while there. She isn’t a big wine drinker, so taking a bottle of wine isn’t an option. Thinking of something simple and fruity. Suggestions?

I don’t have answers for you (age 48 myself and thinking I need to also start researching this). Can you tell me specifically what magnesium you take? My only real peri symptom has. Reb night sweats and if I could improve that, it would be great!!!

Honestly, as the mom of a 19 yo ds and 16 yo dd, I would be more angry with my kids for drinking and driving. I know that many may disagree with me, but around here, many teens try alcohol, so the girls drinking is not shocking to me. My kids have always been fairly honest with me about it, which I’ve appreciated. But my number 1 rule, no matter what, is that they don’t drink and drive and they don’t ride with someone who has been drinking. I tell them I will gladly come pick them up - no questions asked. (Editing to add - I also talk with my kids a lot about why it is best for them NOT to drink at all!! But I figured they would both try it in high school) So I think in your situation, your girls drinking and driving would my my first priority. I doubt I would tell the 18 yo mom about the vodka. I may just tell him you know he left it at your house and get rid of it. I wouldn’t give it back to him (unless his mom found out and requested it, I guess).

Ds (graduated in 2022) didn’t want a party. He also wouldn’t go to prom and may have skipped graduation if I’d let him! Lol Dd (will graduate in 2025) wants a party and ALL the things! Around here, the kids parents will host an open house, maybe at a park or somewhere else outside. Friends and family will just come and go. I imagine this is what we will do for dd.

My family loves buffalo chicken dip, served with tortilla chips. I don’t really have a recipe, but I cook a couple chicken breast’s in the instant pot and shred. Then I mix in a block of softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup ranch dressing, 1/2 cup red hot sauce, and some shredded cheddar cheese. Top with more shredded cheddar cheese and bake until bubbly. Yummmm!!

I have two kids who are now ages 19 and 16. When they were little, I had an approximate amount that I spent per kid, but I really focused more on the gifts looking the same (one really big gift, the same number of smaller gifts, the same amount of clothing gifts, etc). Based on shopping skills (sales!) I may have spent more on one than the other, but the value looked the same. As they got older, that changed. I remember the year that ds wanted an Xbox. I warned him that his Christmas morning would probably look different that his younger sisters, and he was fine with that. He was maybe 11 and she was 8. So he got an Xbox with a few smaller gifts, while she got way more gifts to unwrap. However, we spent more on ds than we did dd that year. Now that the kids are teens, I just set a dollar budget and that’s that. Their number of gifts don’t match at all, but I spend just about the same on each kid.

On Christmas Eve, we get together with my parents, my brother, and brother’s family (wife and four kids). All kids are basically grown, one is married and two have significant others. This is the first year that my nephew and niece’s boyfriend and girlfriend will be attending Christmas Eve. I am giving my niece and nephew each a $50 gift card to a store their mom (my SIL) told me to buy from. The boyfriend and girlfriend are each in their early 20s. My brother told me not to get them anything, but I feel like I’d like to get them a small something. Any ideas? Maybe something in the $20 range? Another question…my brother and his wife are very successful and have EVERYTHING. My mom is still trying to think of something to get my SIL (her daughter-in-law). My mom will spend around $100. Any ideas for the 40-something year old woman who already has everything she needs? I am my mom’s “personal shopper” at Christmas time, so I really need to help her think of a gift to buy!

Anyone have a beard balm recommendation with either no scent or a pleasant scent? Dh has two different types and they both smell so…earthy?? to me. It’s just an off-putting smell. Would love to buy him something different. Thanks!

Brunch - bacon, eggs, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, hash brown casserole, fruit, and orange juice I never prepare a Christmas dinner, I just usually have sandwich options on hand, with veggies and chips. We typically still have Christmas candy/cookies leftover, so we end up munching on those too.

This is horrifying.

I am very late to this thread, but I live in a more rural area and my family has started to go outside of our area to get medical care with some situations. Recently, I took my mom to the Cleveland Clinic to be seen for a bladder issue and it was very simple to get an appointment (online form…could request virtual or in person). I would imagine other medical practices are similar. I have no idea where you live, but I just wanted to encourage you to seek another opinion. It is really very easy to schedule an appointment like this these days. ETA - my brother recently found out he likely had thyroid cancer and he had virtual appointments with three different practices in three different states before deciding where he wanted to have his surgery. He got his own medical records and shared them ahead of time with each doctor prior to the visit. I also wanted to add that I am very sorry you and your dh are dealing with this. Praying for you both!

I think taking any age child to a funeral is appropriate (with the exception of a baby or toddler, I suppose - I would still take them but make sure I could take them out of the room if they got loud or fussy). My ds went to the funeral home (visitation we called it) for my very close uncle when he was 18 months old. I didn’t take him to the funeral because I wanted to be present and not have to worry about a toddler. My kids went to my best friend’s funeral when they were 6 and 9. They both wanted to attend and I thought it was healthy for them to be given the opportunity to say goodbye to someone who had been such a huge part of our lives. My parents always took me to funerals when I was younger, but they didn’t make me go up to the casket if I didn’t want to (open casket funerals). These funerals were typically of older people who attended our church or even family members that I didn’t know well. I think this was good for me. While I do have some anxiety about death (my parents, in particular), I have never been fearful or felt weird with funerals. They are just a natural part of life. I would never force my child to go, but if it is convenient and I am going anyway, yes I would definitely take my child to this funeral.

I’d like to join! For me this week - Purchase some new Christmas decorations and finish decorating. We bought some new furniture last year and all of my old decorations just don’t work right. Finish Christmas shopping. Would love to get most of it done this week! Do my CE for work which has to be completed by December 31. Yes, I’ve had two years to get it done. Yes, I waited until the (almost) last minute, like I always do!!

Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana (the adult side is Zilara). It was honestly the most amazing experience. The service was like nothing I’d ever experienced and the resort was just beautiful. Our (18 and 15 yo) kids had a blast - it was just a fabulous vacation.