I've seen Shelagh Gallagher speak at the RFWP conference and enjoyed her talks. Just tossing that out there. I'm about to order her Problem Based Learning Units for One on the plague, so her things have been on my mind.

We have a lot of Expedits and they've been great. The new model is similar but a different name and slightly different style with different proportions. Our Expedits are used for book and toy storage mostly, have been moved 2x, and are still sturdy. We also have a long desk, which is one of their long desk counters and some legs, nothing fancy, but we use it as a work station for two computers in our study. Not fancy, but it does the job and has been easy to deal with.

Yes, consider a recording device or recording with your phone if okay with your doc, or taking a third party along who is less emotionally involved to be a note taker. When you are overwhelmed, it is so difficult to process what you are hearing, and you may find yourself wondering afterward if you really heard what you think you heard. I say that as someone who worked in the medical field. That way you won't be doubting your recall afterward. I agree that the type of MS makes a huge difference in what you can expect. Physical therapy can be very helpful to those with MS. A PT can help with energy conservation for times of relapse, can help you with assistive devices if they become necessary, and aquatic PT is often recommended for MS since it is gentler on joints than many activities. Balance, coordination, endurance can be worked on in the pool in many cases. You may want to look into therapy when things settle down a bit.

My4cowboys, my thoughts are with you and your DH. You'll get through this together. Medications for MS have improved considerably, and I hope that he'll end up doing much better than you may be anticipating. I'll be thinking of you.

I am thrilled to read this!

I did a little over a half hr on the treadmill this morning, but ran most of the time and at a faster pace. This isn't a big accomplishment, but I'm happy I've been squeezing in workouts on days even when it isn't terribly convenient. That's been the bonus of finally getting a treadmill. I don't have to worry about DH's schedule as much, etc. which makes it easier to fit things in during the morning or evening. Everyone is doing such awesome stuff. One of my long time good friends was into HIIT like 15 years ago, was really into the research, and used it with sports teams as a strength and conditioning coach. I need to get back to doing squats, lunges, etc. in addition to running, but just trying to get myself back into good, consistent habits after about 6 weeks of slacking off. Last year was the first year in 10+ years of parenthood that I was consistently doing workouts 3 to 5 days a week for about 11 months straight, so it has been an interesting road back ;) Last year I did a lot of cross fit/circuit type stuff and occasional running. This year so far I've been doing more running since I'm having epicondylitis issues.

Any luck with Khan? It may not be deep enough but is easily accessible. In the past we've paired picture study and a project with relevant lessons on Khan on occasion.

SEARCH conference in PA was previously not my cup of tea in terms of speakers, but they had SWB last year and I was thrilled! They have a mix of vendors. It is not an overwhelming size but not super small. eta: in the past I've gone solely to shop the used curriculum sale, but this past year I actually attended talks since there were finally speakers that appealed to me. In the past I've been unable to find any of the talks very appealing. They don't have it every year, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Fireworks Press Conference in Valley Forge. Michael Clay Thompson and Shelah Gallagher were both wonderful. It is small and geared toward just RFWP materials, but I thought it was far more appealing than many conferences I've looked at. I like the secular focus and lack of "lifestyle" stuff on the speaking schedule.

We used ABF U-pack for a long distance move 9-10 years ago and had a positive experience. When we looked, PODS were not inexpensive at the time. I think we ended up deciding U Pack would meet our needs for moving on a budget at the time. We did not have an HOA so having the trailer there to pack didn't violate any ordinances, but I agree that would be worth checking depending on where you live.

I did 35 min of running with a little walking mixed in on the treadmill this evening. Not a lot, but getting myself back in the groove :)

We did a light day today (originally the kids thought they would have the day off to play in the snow with PS friends, but the public schools were open due to snow amounts being less than forecast). My eldest is up cleaning his room because he wants to have a sleepover this weekend with a friend. I don't want said friend to have to wear a dust mask to deal with DS's room ;) It isn't quite that bad, but his room certainly could use a tune-up ;) We school year round too, and I think days like that are a-ok once in a while. We also baked, watched a documentary, and started a puzzle.

We ended up with about 2-3 inches. Neighborhood kids had a two hour delay, and my kids were thinking all day yesterday they'd be playing outside today in the snow with the neighbors. As a result, we did a shortened day of school and will do some baking and puzzle assembling later on today. We were supposed to get 9-14 or 6-12. DH's work decided to close even though the roads were not that bad. He drove part way to work, got the call, and turned around, so the kids are happy he's working from home.

redsquirrel, have you been tested for insulin resistance? 2 or 3 hour GTT with insulin levels? Any history of diseases asrisociated with metabolic syndrome in your family tree? I'm not overweight and I don't think my BMI has ever exceeded 21-22 when not pregnant or a year post partum. I have PCOS though, and as a result am more insulin resistant than many. Fasting numbers won't give enough info in most cases to diagnose insulin resistance. I do have family history on both sides that matches up with issues common with metabolic syndrome (hypertension, high triglycerides in my dad, elevated cholesterol in my mom, etc.), and metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance are commonly associated. When I do gain, I gain weight in my stomach area (typical for those with insulin resistance but not diagnostic, obviously) As a result of my insulin resistance, I choose to eat a lower carb diet, and have been for most of the last 11 years or so. I can pack on pounds quickly if I am off plan, even if my calories aren't very high. Just tossing that out there, as many people assume insulin resistance means that you are diabetic and will think it doesn't apply to them, or that if they aren't overweight they can't have insulin resistance. Insulin issues can make it difficult to lose weight. I would also consider discussing with your doctor more extensive thyroid testing. I would bring food logs, etc. and explain to your physician you've been tracking what you eat and exercising consistently without much improvement. If you are menopausal, I think it just can be considerably more difficult for many women to lose.

The taste is quite good in the pressure cooker. Much preferable to say a crockpot IME. You get more depth of flavor than any other method of cooking in a short time in most cases. I have made rice precisely once in ours. We generally eat lower carb, so rice isn't something I make all that often. I have not done steel cut oats either. With grains like oats you can only fill about half way so the release doesn't get gunked up, at least that's my understanding from the manual. It does take time to get up to pressure, so like I said, not all cooking times are incredibly fast. It works well for very peelable hardboiled eggs, although they still take quite a while to cook.

We have an Instant Pot and like it. It does take a while to come to temp before it starts cooking under pressure, so it isn't always as fast as I would have thought. It does a great job tenderizing otherwise tougher to cook cuts of meat, and some dishes are definitely faster. I feel very safe using it. There's a bit of a learning curve in operating it but it is pretty foolproof in terms of safety. Just read the manual first. Honestly, i was a little scared the first time or two that I used it but it was totally not a big deal at all in the end, and now I find it very easy to use.

Taken together I would say that they'd be wise to pursue an eval if she's truly not talking. And again, lots of kids don't talk at 16 months or have only a small # of words that may be more borderline, but if she's quiet and not babbling (assuming what you saw is her norm), that's a concern. At 16 months you'd expect to hear a variety of sounds even if DC doesn't have many words.

EI will come to them for an eval pretty much everywhere. The standard for EI is evals and treatment in the child's natural environment, which is generally home or daycare. Is she not babbling? From the OP I wasn't sure, but I may have missed it.

Definitely very big red flags flying, and no there is no truth to the European baby comment. Really. I worked in early intervention as a physical therapist for several years. They definitely need a comprehensive eval team to take a look, and that's really the only way to know. Overuse of walkers, saucers, etc can definitely be a problem, particularly in kids already prone to delays for various reasons, but this description goes well beyond what I'd expect from overusing devices. Additionally, it isn't just whether they walk or crawl, but as you said in your OP, you really need to look at the precursor skills to those "big" milestones. If I saw a child that age not just crawling, not walking, but also not cruising, not babbling, who was very floppy, I'd be concerned. They need a professional evaluation without a doubt IMO. If a child isn't walking at 16 months it can be within the range of normal, but not crawling, incredibly floppy as an infant (could be indicative of hypotonia but obviously they'd only know with a comprehensive evaluation), combined with not cruising, etc would concern me for sure. Obviously online advice is not specific to this particular child and isn't a replacement for an evaluation, but yes, I think you are right to be concerned. eta: not sure you can do much about it without offending.

Yes, I think sometimes that I am part squirrel, because I always want to cook on a snow day or hoard food in advance. Not rational, but there's something to that instinct I guess. Even on a rainy weekend I like cooking and stocking the freezer, and every fall I go through a stage of wanting to fill the freezer with meals for the upcoming school year. I don't do it in August; the urge hits me right as the weather turns cooler ;) See, part squirrel :) We are skipping our evening activities even though I'm sure we could get there with 4WD. I despise driving in the snow. After a few not so bad winters and then 5 years in NC, I still feel rusty after moving back to an area where we get more snow. I just avoid it whenever possible. I also like hunkering down with a nice fire, a hot cup of tea, and my people :) If it is bad tomorrow I imagine DH will work from home. I know the kids will be begging for him to be here tomorrow.

There are two separate storms. One was a little clipper or something that was only supposed to give 1-3 inches. We've gotten that here in NW burbs; it has snowed all day lightly and accumulated maybe 2 inches? However, there's a second storm, a nor'easter, that is supposed to drop the larger quantity of snow. So two totally different storms with today's snow vs what's coming tonight. They are just hitting back to back. In my area they are saying 10 pm to 10 am will be the bulk of the nor'easter. It will be interesting to follow what the models say tonight, as they keep adjusting totals since the 4 big weather models have apparently been all over the place.

A puzzle just came from Amazon in the mail. They had a good deal on Ravensberger puzzles the other day so I got a 500 piece one for a decent price. Dh ran out yesterday for gas for the tractor (we have a plow for it) and a few extras, and the store was mobbed. We are in the range that may get 6-12, but every site says something different. It seems like the models just aren't in agreement and the ones I check have indicated models are saying everything from 4 inches to a doubling of the original prediction. I guess any small shift in this storm is going to really change how the snow is distributed. My college BFF is in eastern Long Island hunkering down. The kids are excited to have a light or off day tomorrow. I'm on board; I know they will want to wear themselves out in the snow. Always a good time for them :)

Holding you and your family in my thoughts today, Rosie. You know we are all thinking of you and your precious boy.

I just got a treadmill over the weekend. I asked for one for Christmas, along with 1-2 small and more fun gifts. Dh gave me GCs to pick what I wanted out, so I finally purchased, and we lugged the beast into the house and DH built it for me. I normally do not love working out on a treadmill, but as a HSer with young kids, it is nice to have the option to squeeze in a workout. Going for a run only happens on the weekend most of the time, and i've been battling epicondylistis in my right elbow for a while, which has limited some of my lifting and cross training/circuit training options. Gripping is pretty painful right now. I did 35 mins of intervals walking and running the last two days after taking 5-6 weeks off in the last month. In addition to workouts, I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in a few 5-15 min bursts in during the day here and there just to up my activity level during the day.

Yes, and I would say we value that highly in our relationship. eta: We have many shared and some unique interests, work(ed) in different fields, but can understand enough about the work and interests of the other person to formulate thoughtful questions or engage in discussion. I can't imagine being with someone who didn't enjoy reading the paper, attending a performance or exhibition, or listening to an NPR piece and then thoughtfully discussing it.

Label boxes according to the layout of the house you are going to if you are packing yourself. If you have packers, make sure they are aware of where things are going vs. where they are in your existing house. This comes into play IME when you move from a house with one type of floor plan to something quite different. For ex, if you didn't have a playroom or school room in your old house, but will have one in the new house, make sure you label so that everyone knows where items will go in the *new* house. I know how we split up tools and other long term storage changed from house to house. Think about what you'll want to store in the attic, basement, shed, whatever you'll be using at the new house. You can move it later, but if you have a decent idea of where you might want it, label boxes with where things will GO vs. where they are coming from. It sounds obvious, but I think when each house has a different floorplan, it helps to think about it and label accordingly in advance. When you get to the new house, label all rooms clearly so everyone knows which bedroom is which and so forth. If you are using the dining room as a school room, make sure any helpers know that, so label accordingly. Measure, take notes, etc. about the new house . Don't move things that won't work in the new house's floorplan. Don't move curtains that won't work in the new house, for example. Moving is one of the few times in your life you will touch most of what you own, so be brutal in purging. We also used a priority system for unpacking. I put green labels on open first boxes, yellow on things that could wait a few weeks if necessary, and red on things that were seasonal/more long term or less urgent in general. We always moved our own photos, important documents (financials, passports, etc.), computers, jewelry, that type of thing. We kept them in our personal vehicle. We packed open first boxes: Pillows, bed linens, loveys for any kids that need them. Extra diapers, etc. if needed. Eyeglasses, medication, basic toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cosmetics, hair ties, blow drier) some bath towels paper towels, paper plates, plastic flatware or some of your real stuff, napkins a pot, a pan, a spatula, a serving spoon, a strainer coffee/coffee maker/coffee mugs cleaning supplies (gloves, sprays, bleach, whatever you'll want) vacuum and mop drawer liners if you'll want to line anything after wiping down before unpacking your stuff basic food: boxed pasta, cereal, whatever you want to get you through. Creamer for coffee, milk for cereal, a few other things in a cooler. garbage bags dish soap handsoap for bathrooms dishtowels nightlights flashlight basic tools (hammer, screwdrivers, allen wrenches, nails, screws, cordless drill, etc. all handy and accessible for assembling and disassembling furniture) shower curtain(s) if you'll need one to take a shower (like if you don't have glass doors) phone number for realtor(s), utility companies, closing agency, bank tip money for movers pet food, pet dishes, pet crates if needed 2-3 outfits, underwear, pajamas for everyone