Sizes up to 8T? I’m not familiar with that. Do you think that means they will have kids size L and XL?

The risks of a non-active lifestyle are much higher, especially in our family with known heart disease and diabetes risks. I really struggle to find exercise that I enjoy. I hope that since I’ve pushed my kids into some rec league level sports that they will become adults who think exercise is tolerable and a norm for life. For the soccer league that we use, heading the ball isn’t allowed for kids under 12. I have seen concussion risk from falling on a wood gym floor (indoor leagues) or two players colliding. However, I know that my kids have amazing running endurance. I have never ran a comfortable half mile, even when we had to every day in high school gym class. I doubt that they will play soccer beyond high school but I hope that they continue to run, swim, bike or ski as adults. Their long term health is very dependent on remaining active.

I wish they would have bought 5 types of beans. The picture shows box of Lima beans, can of pinto, green beans, yellow wax beans and jelly beans. I think since the rest of the grocery list is food for a meal that we should expect to count 5 types of beans not confuse the readers that jelly beans are beans or give the impression that the characters think they are.

The bean page bothers me in that book. I know it’s supposed to be a joke.

I was just on a google trail on a similar issue. Some American men with English-German heritage in my family wore Afros in the 70s. I’m still unclear if that is the proper name for my family members’ hairstyle. Research shows Jewish-fro as a term, which isn’t the religion of my family. What is the proper term? Is the hairstyle itself cultural appropriation? I’m somewhat expecting it to come back around and my children have the hair texture to support it. I do think I’m finding a trend of assumptions that people with white skin have straight hair. So clearly not the case here, it’s damn humid lately. I’m a firm believer in natural hair and skin. I also don’t have the sensory capacity for heat from a hair dryer or the weight of makeup, so it’s great that I’m confident as I am. I wish everyone could be.

I had to look up the date, but I remember in 1993 that Ted Danson did a black face roast of his girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg. I think she wrote it? It definitely became a conversation topic that year.

Did you skip your son’s wedding?

I have spent most of this thread wondering if you were rejecting a birthday party invite. I’m feeling so sad to be guessing it was something much more important.

I completely agree. I did not get married in my dad’s church. It was upsetting to him and he had to bear my decision in regards to his siblings. However, the place of my wedding was a decision made by my spouse and me. We certainly expected our parents to be there even though it wasn’t the religion of any of them. Their love for us is bigger than their thoughts of locations.

Only 3 hours? I grew up in a house that had to watch all 3 Sunday games, every Monday and sometimesthe Saturday college games. I have barely seen a game since then.

I have over 10,000 unread emails. I love the metaphor that it is a river flowing by me and I can fish out what I need. The amount of notifications on my phone made a friend cringe. She suggested that I get something called unroll.me I haven’t looked into it but it was described as a filter to group certain sales emails together.

I’m sorry.

This will prove to be good advice. I think they have had 2 mini bagels each with ham and cream cheese, plus cheese cubes and veggies.

Games are underway! They sound happy. Thank you all for ideas. I admit, totally forgot to think dessert. It’s in the oven now. I didn’t get house as clean as I wanted. Some unnamed people told me family room was ready except for vacuuming. Some people evidently didn’t see the dust, or the school books completely covering coffee table, and then put a load of unfolded laundry on the couch. I think this feels hard because it’s one of the few times that I don’t know the guests or their parents.

Sometimes I struggle with raising kids who are less introverted than me. I do want them to have friends so I occasionally try to create social events, but I never feel comfortable as a hostess. Today, we will have some young teens coming straight after school with others coming before dinner. I’m getting take out pizza. We drink water with meals. I feel like I should buy soda to be a “ hostess” but I’m not thrilled with kids drinking soda. Is lemonade better than sprite? Any alternatives? Do other families just drink water? We usually eat salad with pizza. I’m not sure if most teens will. What else should I offer with pizza? I do have fruit and couple kinds of chips for after school or snacks.