I just got an anniversary card from MIL (she always sends us a card). She wrote this big thing in there about how in 2 years we'll be celebrating our 25th and oh gee it's going to be their 50th. She's usually more passive-aggressive than that. I guess that's my clue that she wants us to do something for them. :gnorsi: She isn't talking to half of her siblings and they're planning a move 800+ miles away from family. I don't have a clue about any of their friends. Guess SIL better get onto the planning. :lol:

The kids in karate have to do push-ups for the physical fitness part of their belt test. The instructor would rather them be on their knees and get the feel for how they are supposed to be done instead of on their toes with their butt up in the air. Does that make sense?

I have a 12 passenger Chevy Express. It can be tough when there are narrow rows. I try to park so I can just pull through. I did have one time where I had to go back & forth about 4 times to be able to pull out of a spot. I'm still getting used to it as it's only been a couple of months that we've had it.

I agree with the others. Just be direct and tell her that you're not interested. I use essential oils but also rely on a medical doctor when needed.

This is the reason I didn't find out the gender for our first child ahead of time! My MIL insisted that if baby was a boy that he had to be named after the paternal father for the first name and the maternal father for the middle name. Then she proceeded to tell me that she used her father's middle name instead of the first name for my DH because she couldn't imaging calling her son by her dad's name. :smilielol5: Anyway, my dad and my DH's dad have the same first name and my dad has a really awful middle name. We named our son what we wanted and he has DH's first name for his middle name. Our 2nd son has DH's middle name for his middle name.

It should be fine. I have ground venison that's about 8 months frozen and it's fine.

Regular because they always put too much spice on the cajun ones. We get the large because we share it.

My kids don't have step-parents but I do. I called them by their first names. My dad remarried when I was very young and my mom remarried when I was 5. I do refer to my mom & step-father as my parents since they were the ones who raised me. As an aside, my MIL wanted me to call her mom when we got married. I refused since I didn't call my step-mother that and I have know her almost my entire life.

Read the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. He talks about taking mini-retirements throughout your working years. I think Dave Ramsey is a bit militant in his ideas.

The year we were married was my IL's 25th anniversary. They expected a party that they wanted their children to plan & pay for. We had just gotten married, I was still in college, and SIL was in college. We took them to a very nice (expensive) restaurant. SIL didn't give us any money to pay for it and they complained about the whole thing. :glare: That's all that we could afford to do for them. Our 25th will be coming up in a few years which means their 50th. I mentioned it to DH and that's the last it will come out of my mouth. :leaving: Their plan is to move out of their home state so I don't have a clue how to plan a party for them. I figure that SIL can plan it and we can chip in. If she doesn't plan it then there won't be one from the kids because I don't have the time or inclination to do it for them.

Nope. Have a better relationship with her than with my father.

:seeya: I was that child. My dad had my sister and me for spring break/Easter weekend and then 2 weeks in the summer. That summer visit consisted of us getting dropped off at YMCA camp for the early session and picked up as late as possible. My step-mother did the transportation. The weekend that we were there she would take us to a historic site, swimming, the library, etc. My dad owned his company and worked the whole time we were there. He would take one day to take us into DC to visit grandma for lunch and do the Air & Space Museum. I hated it.

We were self-pay for one of my births. The hospital reduced the cost to 40% of the original bill as long as I paid in full before discharge. We put it on a credit card and that was the same to them as us paying cash/check. Check with your facility to see if they will take a credit card (if you have enough available credit to do it). You'll have the grace period from your card if you need the 2 weeks to get the rest of the money.

A fly buzzing around my head! :willy_nilly:

I agree with the others to call the doctor and see if you can get a different med. I used to get it all the time as a kid. My doctor advised me to use ear plugs to prevent the water getting into my ear which stopped subsequent infections. Can you get plugs so he can swim? I just used the wax stuff that molded to your ear.

Mine have been doing karate since they turned 4. I still have issues with the 10 & 7 year old when it's time for class. Like your child, they have fun once there. It's just super annoying to have the same argument several times a week every week.

We like TN and NC. It's just our little family but we usually rent a cabin/house and do day hikes.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I use a neoprene Ace bandage on my ankle when it acts up. I have sprained each multiple times. First time when I was about 10 and we thought it was broken. Ice & rest back then. Another time when I was in my 20's and ended up with an annoying ankle brace. The last time I really sprained it we were on day 1 of vacation. I iced it and got a new neoprene wrap for it. Spent the next 6 days hiking all over the place. Healing took about as long as in the past. The key for me is to keep the ankle from moving around too much in the first few days after injury. But when in doubt having it checked out is best. I just don't go to the doctor very often (time & money issues) so I just deal with it on my own.

:hurray: :hurray:

Two story family room. That's the only thing I really can't stand about this house.

:grouphug: :grouphug:

I love catalog choice. I was even able to use it for the catalogs that were coming to our new house in the name of the old owners.

We went through this. I vetoed all grandparents because of the age factor. We each have one sibling. He wanted his sister and I wanted mine. My sister has no children, doesn't want children, doesn't like children, but is very good with children. His sister has children. It took us several years to come to an agreement to name my sister as guardian. A couple of my kids have food allergies. My sister not only remembers which kids & what they're allergic to, she doesn't have to be reminded. My SIL wouldn't stop eating ice cream when she was nursing her dairy allergic child because she had to have ice cream every night. That was the situation that I pointed out to my DH that she couldn't make a small sacrifice for her own child how could I expect her to sacrifice for my child. He was not happy with my sister but agreed that she would be the better choice. We need to update our wills to include the baby. As soon as our oldest turns 18 we're going to name him guardian of his siblings.

:hurray: Congratulations!!