I cried when my daughter was diagnosed. I didn't cry because of her diagnosis, I cried because I had finally learned how to cook and all of my recipes were wheat. It was a new learning curve for me and not an easy one. You find your new normal. Now, it's easier to cook, but it's been several years. :) I'm wondering if perhaps you mixed up your information about him becoming less sensitive over time? He will definitely become less ill (if he's had daily stomach aches, 'tummy' problems, etc) but my understanding is that sensitivity increases over time. My daughter becomes ill over the smallest amount and her reaction time has increased. A reaction can put her out for about 7 - 11 days. Good luck. It's not easy on anyone. (I agree with the others by the way - no wheat grinding).

My girls love to eat nuts - we currently keep walnuts, almonds and pecans on hand. After a trip to Sam's, I bought huge bags of nuts with the thought of keeping them in the freezer and only pulling out a small bag's worth to eat through the week. My oldest is in braces (she just got them a couple of months ago) and has quit eating nuts. My middle daughter gets braces next week. My youngest will eat walnuts like a fiend, but doesn't overly care for the others. Can I grind these up and use them in recipes? And how to I grind them? With a coffee grinder? Any suggestions on recipes?

It's similar to what I want, but yes, I need them a bit deeper. I want the basket on the floor of my pantry and the bread sticking up out of it. I want to be able to look in occasionally and make sure that no critters/bugs are in the bottom without having to remove all the bread to do it.

I'm linking the kind I buy on amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Schar-Baguettes-Parbaked-12-30-Pack/dp/B0048IISX6/ref=sr_1_15?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1348355455&sr=1-15&keywords=schar Schar has really good bread. This is soft and we love to bake it and then spread with butter or goat cheese. We also use it for sandwiches or simply for bread with our evening meal. They are bulky to stack on a shelf though. We just tried their rolls tonight and they were good as well.

I am looking for a tall wicker type basket to put in our pantry to store bread in. We eat gluten free and I buy wrapped baguette type bread in bulk. They aren't large, maybe a little over a foot long. I'd like to stack them on end (standing up), rather than laying down though. I was hoping to find something on amazon, but I can't locate anything. I need to be able to store about a dozen or more loaves at a time. Suggestions?

I'm on a destructive path with my FIL and his wife. We used to get along well, but things have been going downhill lately. One odd thing we've noticed for the past few years is that they no longer acknowledge the girls' birthdays. They don't send a card or call (much less visit or a gift). I've explained this to the girls that this is something that they just don't "do". Some families acknowledge birthdays and some do not. The odd thing is that DH and I always get a card and sometimes a gift from them. I'm not in a happy place with them at the moment and I'm thinking about sending my birthday card back (should it arrive and this year it may not). My birthday is in a few weeks. Or, to send a thank you note to them and maybe casually include that the girls would enjoy receiving birthday cards or phone calls on their birthdays as well. I just don't understand. This set of grandparents are very active in church and teach 3 yr olds (a fairly large group at that). Their "kids" at church get birthday cards (and get well cards). They are too busy to visit us (and complain a lot that we rarely visit them) but brag about how they make visits to their "kids" when they are not feeling well or have missed too much church. I know it's silly to be jealous of 3 yr olds. I feel like they visit other kids just for appearances. Their church positions are very rewarding to them. I know they love our girls but I don't get it. It's such a weird relationship we have with them. In a weird way, I also feel like they would love them more if we went to church more often. I typically ignore the odd things they do, but at this point, I have reached my limit with them. It takes a lot to goad me to action, but I'm there. (My middle daughter had a birthday recently and received nothing as usual. A week later she was hospitalized with appendicitis and they both drove 3 hours to visit her). At the same time, this is my husband's father and I feel obligated to not be too out-spoken. DH won't bring this up with them because he doesn't want to talk to them. At all. I hurt when my kids are hurt. I need some tactful and thoughtful responses for a situation that is already difficult.

My girls have done many things with DH. For a while, they were interested in computers and he showed them how to repair them. (I know it sounds odd, but they enjoyed it and now I can get dd11 to fix mine when I can't figure it out). Currently, they enjoy doing legos together. We have a second house which he uses as a 'man cave' (and the house is old, so it's nothing fancy). They go over there. For a while, they took over the attic portion of a storage shed. I try to buy new legos every now and then and I always ask for legos when grandparents want to know what to get the girls. The highlight is for him to take them to a new movie. (We live an hour away from the nearest movie theatre, so it's a big deal for us as well). Sometimes, we'll buy a new dvd and they watch it together. They play card games, board games together. They walk through the woods and are currently trying to figure out a treehouse. They play soccer and sometimes jog together. Occasionally, they decide they will cook dinner (usually something fun like pizza). I think it really depends on what hobbies or interests both your DH and your girls have. Then look for some overlap. I think Daddy/Daughter time is very important and I work hard to make sure they have materials to foster that togetherness.

I would tell the Dad (and send cookies). But, I would tell the Dad while you are inviting the children over to play. I would be worried that he might think you are complaining about his kids coming over.

Something similar happened last week-end at the game my daughter was cheering in. With 4 minutes left in the game, a player on the other team was hurt. He tried to sit up and passed out. He was taken away in an ambulance. He left the hospital the next morning and was just fine. :) I hope things work out similarly well in your situation. Prayers being sent. :)

I am not sure how to deal with the current situation because I would truly just tell her if she doesn't want to do something that is safe for our family, we wouldn't do it. In the future, I wouldn't give her a choice, "Hey Mom! We want to invite you to our house for a special dinner for Mother's Day! Is Friday or Saturday better for you?"

Honestly I did at first but felt better with your second post. I have been in counseling before for many things. Something I learned was that I can't control other people, I have to figure out myself first. I'm not opposed to asking him to do more, but it needs to make sense to him. If I can show how I have A, B and C under control but can't get D without his help, he will understand. Thanks again :grouphug:

Heart Mom- thanks. I’m working on a rotation today to simplify things. Mommy2alyns – agreed and I think I have the bathroom solved. :) Rosetyler – Most of our medical appointment problems are recent crop-ups. Middle daughter had an appendectomy a couple of weeks ago. Her appendix ruptured during removal and we were in the hospital for five days. Oldest daughter was diagnosed with a UTI last week. Dentist told me this week that we must fix middle daughter’s mouth and there’s a strong chance that her permanent teeth are being damaged so I need a second opinion from a different ortho. I haven’t thought about taking off the whole month from school, but that sounds appealing. I need to lower my academic standards and what I want to accomplish in each subject. (To clarify, even with lowering they will be miles above PS, but I like to do extras with them). Hiring a babysitter to come over and help out so I can go shopping would be a lifesaver. SKL – DH is also diagnosed with narcissism. He feels badly when I point out that he’s been inconsiderate. I spoke to him last night and while I’ll still do the meal, he will consult with me next time prior to volunteering me. Mamakim – I don’t know. It’s a gas stove and when they are near it, I see them going up in flames in my mind. DD12 can’t use the stove. DD11 has been allowed to stir things on the stove but that’s all. She also can’t reach it very well without a step-stool (she’s very small). She is allowed to use sharp knives and I’m teaching my 7 yr old to use a sharp knife. DD11 can use the oven, a rice cooker, the microwave so she can put together simple meals, but the stove still alarms me. I’ll consider asking DH to do a trial shopping trip (sticker shock and all!). DD11 would love to go with him and she is an expert at picking out her food. I have no qualms sending her anywhere as she can educate people on what she can eat and how to prepare it. Spryte – no shopping services here or within driving distance. :( I do order special items online from amazon because they are cheaper and easier to purchase. (A decent store is about 45 minutes away – the gf stores are an hour or more. If I can order most of my gf stuff online, then I can go to the store that’s not that far away).

Sorry it took so long to reply! A cell tower was damaged nearby and it knocked out my internet and cell until late last night. I’m going to combine replies and thank you all again for helping me out. To update – I made a list (long) of bathroom rules and a bathroom schedule based on suggestions from here. I take care of my oldest first, and tidy up anything that is out of place (nothing big, just tidying). My littlest bathes next and brushes her teeth. She cleans up her mess. My middle daughter inspects after her (and will find me if littlest doesn’t clean properly) and then takes her bath and brushes teeth. Then she wipes down the counter and changes the trash can. I put limits on towel usage. (It was a very long list). It went well last night so I’m hopeful. I also set up a chore system for the kitchen which has the two girls cleaning after breakfast and dinner (which frees me up to do oldest daughter’s personal care). They also have a list for laundry but that will need some tweaking. Fairfarmhand – I did mention in my first post that DH probably can’t do more. He and I have a good relationship but part of that is because he has space to unwind and demands on him are low. He has his own stress to work through and I don’t want to complicate it. If suggestions are made for things that I see will fit well in his schedule then I will suggest them. I know it may not make sense to many people. Thank you for your concern. I feel overwhelmed but I don’t think I’m about to breakdown. Nestof3 – I spoke with DH and he’s helping look over the chore lists and enforcing it with the kids. He would also be willing to pay for extra cleaning or other help. Once I have my thoughts and systems clear, I don’t mind putting down rules for him to follow (such as cooking his own chicken or looking after his own friends). He’s typically reasonable if he feels that everyone is doing their part. Yes, please link on amazon for bed pads. My oldest occasionally has medicine reactions which cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. Susan C – my house does slide a bit. It makes me a bit crazy though. I can’t seem to think when I’m surrounded by clutter. My family teases me but I cannot cook any meal unless the sink is empty and clean. I have a great housekeeper. She never knows whether she’ll walk into chaos or calm. She does whatever is necessary (which has occasionally included telling me to go to bed and she’ll bring me some soup). Soror – thanks for the list. It’s helping to see how much others expect of their kids. I worry that I will overwork them. The gf cooking is one of my main problems I think. Amo mea filiis – yes, she needs order and routine fairly consistently. Her anxiety flares up mostly if I’m not around. She doesn’t have to take a bath nightly, but she’s getting close to 13 and puberty is VERY close (which will change a few things). She has body odor so we can’t skip too much and her skin is starting to break out. Plus, the oil around her eyes causes eczema type reactions which lead to bacterial infections in her eyes. The ointment (after insurance) is $40 (plus 40 for the eye doctor to prescribe it). We have a complicated eye wash routine we do nightly. I agree with you about DH but it is what it is for the moment. I can’t straighten out his stuff until I have things organized here. (And there is a VERY high chance that MIL will be moving onto our property as she is having significant struggles with her husband in the hospital). Continued....

I didn't read all the replies, so forgive me if this has been posted already. I have a non-verbal child with autism who is in public school. I would love if her teachers offered to come visit. (They are great, but home visits aren't really done around here). I would see this as a powerful opportunity to share what we do at home and our overall home life. My daughter is very fixated on her schedule and her way of doing things. If they are doing the smallest things different at school, she wouldn't be successful. Here, they would see the things we work on and I would hope they would make suggestions on how we could improve things we do. (I feel good about what we do with her, but I am so used to doing things for her that occasionally someone steps in to remind me that my daughter can do certain things herself).

The bathroom is completely abuse on their part. I agree. I'm reading and replying one at a time so scroll up for my bathroom thoughts. I just finished writing a bathroom schedule that should make things much better. I usually only notice it after they are asleep. I struggle with gluten free cooking. I can get it right, but then I get bored. I do need a menu rotation with tried n true type recipes. I'm in the middle of a bored phase which is why I'm trying something new (plus, it's helpful to have something ready when we get back). I was worried that i would come across as saying that my snowflake was so brilliant she needed constant stuff. :) I hope it's not sounding like that. She does have a constant drive for activity and learning. She takes karate on Wednesday and a dance class on Monday. We signed her up for cheer because last year, cheer practice was one night a week. This year, the coach decided they needed three nights a week plus game night on Saturday. So, she has cheer practice on Tues/Thurs. (This is our last year for cheer because of it. We skip the Monday cheer practice for dance). She also has piano on Thursday, but that's during the day and right next door to the library so it's easy to arrange. (My other daughter and I go to the library, since we go weekly, and she just walks over after piano). My youngest daughter has dance on Monday and baton on Tuesday. My youngest has low self-confidence so her activities are important to us (actually more important than my middle daughter's activities). My plan was to do school in the morning, unwind in the afternoons and extracurriculars at night. I also just finished a kitchen plan which will have the girls doing dishes for breakfast and dinner. DH might be able to take our oldest to school. I'll check and see if he can arrange his work schedule. That would be awesome. Thanks :)

I have a reputation as a great cook. I mostly cook homemade (and around here that automatically puts you in the category of a great cook), so he likes to brag about my cooking. His friends brag that they get to eat here. (Honestly, I consider myself average but I use absolutely fresh ingredients which makes the difference in my opinion). That's why he volunteered me. I'll probably double up on a freezer meal. I am going to turn the man-cave into his project and I'll just pop in once a month or so to make sure it isn't getting too creepy-crawly. Screen-time has become a problem. We haven't been taking anything to doctor's offices other than books, but I can probably change that. I just finished writing a bathroom schedule that will limit them to sharing washcloths, one towel (that will be hung up) per child and sharing a dry cloth for brushing teeth and wiping the sink. That should help immensely. Whenever possible, I already strip beds, wash and remake them. We eat little amounts of things for lunch which the kids make themselves (fruit, cottage cheese, lunchmeat, crackers). I don't know how to do a gluten free picnic type lunch that would be easy. I'm drawing a blank.

No, she started tearing apart diapers so we discontinued those altogether. Her night-time is okay unless she is sick or stressed. It tends to come in waves. Right now, we're in a wave where she wets the bed 1 - 2 times a night. I move her from one bed to the mattress on the floor and then in the morning I change the sheets on both beds and wash. I have used multiple layers on the bed and it does help. When things get really bad, we go back to that since I may not have time to make up the other bed (during the night, I will put off many things until morning unless it's an emergency). We use waterproof plastic covers with a soft top to protect the mattress. I have about five of them (one for each set of sheets). Also plastic and cloth covers for the pillows. I'm not sure what you mean about tools? We use reading milestones to work on reading (teaching a non-verbal child to read is difficult and took a bit to start and continue encouraging the public school teachers who are very good once they realized she could read). We use PECS for communication and she is a whiz at it. We cannot afford voice output devices and they aren't covered by insurance (she isn't on public anything). She has trouble answering questions and the only thing she is consistent about is answering "How are you?" (I am mad, sad or happy for answers). If we ask her to point to her nose she has trouble. She does better if we show her things and is very compliant once she realizes what she needs to do, even if she doesn't like it. She's considered very bright, all things considered. She is not expected to ever live independently. The other girls have stepped in before to help bathe her, but the last time I was gone (DD11 appendicitis - hospital 5 days), oldest dd wasn't bathed. My youngest daughter wiped her down with a washcloth. DH said he forgot to bathe them. (Not sure if that's the truth). If he had to, I think he would, but bathing includes washing hair, washing her face and eyes (she gets eye infections) and medicating her eyes, using special soap on her eczema spots (and then medicating), brushing teeth (she now has braces on some of her teeth) including flossing and fluoride (she can't spit). Occasionally, we clean ears (she covers her ears so dirt and food are trapped in them at times), cut nails and do random inspections of moles, looking for weird bruises or scratches, ec. He can't take over that job. It's very time consuming. Since he does breakfast, he doesn't feel like he should have to do dinner dishes. (After bath time, I just wish the kitchen would blow up and go away). I agree about the bathroom. It's absolutely ridiculous. I just haven't taken the time to completely address it. I'm glad they are attending to personal care, but it's unbelievable how it looks. (I tidy before they go in while oldest dd is soaking in the tub). I'm making that list today for them.

Thanks, I'll try both suggestions. I do wash DH's laundry separately because he keeps his work clothes simple - it's basically 5 pants, shirts, socks, underwear. That might work out for the girls and I as well. Sheets can be brutal if oldest dd isn't feeling well. Sometimes she can soil sheets multiple times a night (it's anxiety related). We keep a separate mattress on the floor in her room to make this easier. I'll pick out some chores and ask him for help. His stress level is such that he can't do much more, but I do think he could do more on the week-ends.

DH has anxiety and OCD. Things were under control until his best friend (of over 25 years) was arrested for a child related crime. DH and his friend worked together and after the arrest, DH had to assume more work. This was not quite a year ago and really, DH hasn't been the same since (and won't seek counseling). (For the record, after investigation our children were not involved but we had several months of questioning by law enforcement over concerns that they might have been involved. This was very stressful for all of us.) I think DH feels betrayed by his friend. His new job duties are more stressful and he wants to quit his job. He comes home and unwinds next door. It was at that point that he started going to bed early. He wakes up around 5:00 am and goes next door (he has his computers linked to his job) to trouble-shoot problems before going to work. He comes back at 6:00 and starts making his lunch for he day and breakfast for the girls. He gets them up and fed (and medicine for my oldest) and leaves for work at 7:00. (He has an hour drive in). I might be able to consolidate doctor appointmens and will try to do that. I might even see if I can rearrange some that are coming up. The biggest problem is that my oldest is in public school from 7:30 - 2:30. It takes an hour to get to doctor appointments, so it's a tight squeeze to drop her off, do the appoinments and make it back on time. I go to bed around 11 or 12 (closer to 12 and sometimes later, depending) and I wake at 7:00.

I used to do martial arts and I loved it. I went twice a week. But, it was an hour there and back, plus two hours for class. I would come home exhausted to a dirty kitchen and house. I tried various things (including only hot dogs on my nights out), but then realized that everything was slipping on those nights - homework, baths for eldest dd (she's at an age where DH is not comfortable bathing her), so I gave it up. There's nothing local, not even classes on flower arranging, etc. Yes, dd can follow a picture schedule and she is bright and sweet-tempered. She loves to help me cook, but the only thing I've ever had her do consistently is prep asparagus (breaking the stems off) or shelling peas, etc. She can't use knives. She can set the table with help. The other two girls love to teach her things but it's typically dance moves, fist bumps and imitating "Roll Tide". (She's functionally non-verbal). We're trying to teach her to soap herself off, but she lacks a lot of hand strength (she doesn't like to firmly grip things which makes cutting, brushing, bathing, hair difficult). She can fold towels that are perfectly square (like washcloths) but she can't tell the difference between bath and kitchen so we have to go back through behind her.

No. I can send him for a few things, but my lists are typically long and sometimes the gluten free ingredients are complicated. I can send him for 5 or 6 things. I think he would die of sticker shock if he knew what stuff actually cost.

I think so. I saw someone posting about it recently and followed it and fell in love. I have all my meals ready through Saturday, waiting in my freezer. I also have salad material prepped and veggies already chopped to be steamed. All I do at night is either make potatoes or rice and iced tea. This is my first week doing it so some of the recipes are hit/miss. But I think it's going to be grea for us.

The week-end makes the mess. I spend most of my week-end planning a menu that works for the week (taking into consideration a lot of different diets and schedules), shopping, prepping, cooking, and planning school for the week. (I write out assignments for each day and put them in a binder. It works perfectly for me but it takes some time). DH sometimes takes the girls next door to play games but sometimes he's at work. If I'm busy shopping or cooking, (and if I'm really busy, I don't like them helping me) they are left to their own amusement. My optimistic description of them is that they are very creative and their creativity lingers all over the house (paper, glue, scissors, crafts, etc). The bathroom at the end of the night is a disaster. I bathe my oldest dd first, then the other two fight over who showers next and by the time teeth are brushed, there are towels everywhere, toilet paper on the floor, tubes are missing caps sometimes toothbrushes are in the sink,........and they are fast asleep. I hate waking up to a mess. If everything is clean, I feel at peace with myself. At the end of the evening, the dinner dishes need to be done and I'm exhausted. I typically go to bed around 11 or 12 once I have things straightened up, but I need 8 hours of sleep or I'm drained the next day. The kids are the problem on the week-ends and DH is not often around to help. (Part of that is not his fault and part of it is his fault.) (Sorry for the disjointed reply. I'm tired and stressed with their current medical stuff.) Oh and yes, we do have help. The lawn is completely taken care of. The housekeeper is for three hours and she either cleans if the house is a wreck or does floors, bathrooms, windows, etc. She is here today which means that tomorrow is our best day to start fresh with a new cleaning schedule.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I am trying to catch up on paperwork and get some medical files today, so the girls have 'homeschool lite' today (not horrible, but it's not what I want for them). I am trying to write out a schedule for them to do. Every time I write it out, they do it for a few weeks, but then it slides when my attention goes elsewhere. To clarify, my 12 yr old can do very little in the way of chores. We are trying to teach her to put dirty clothes in the basket (but she cannot sort yet). Her autism is such that when I say her personal care takes about an hour and a half, it's because I'm washing her hair and her body. I am brushing her teeth. She isn't able to cook, we sometimes have to feed her. However, my 11 yr old is very good at things. I won't let her use the stove (personal fear of fire after being in a fire when I was young at my grandparents house - my grandmother walked away from the stove and the pan caught on fire which then spread), but I do let her use the oven. She is able to prepare simple meals but our extra-curriculars are at night Mon-Thurs and some Saturday evenings. She loves school and has taken over teaching history (SOTW) to my 7 yr old. She is a huge help (when she wants to be) but the trade off is that she gets lots of extra-curriculars. (She's highly competitive and tests as gifted). My 7 yr old is getting better at helping but her anxiety has been high lately (for various reasons - she gets stomach aches/vomiting when she's excited or upset). My main stability is my husband waking them up in the morning and breakfast being taken care of when I wake up. (I usually then get my oldest ready and take her to school). I like the idea of having the girls take care of breakfast dishes while I drive my oldest to school (it's about 30 minutes round trip). They could also do laundry of some sort at that point.

Updated in 42 and 43 - I am feeling seriously overwhelmed today. I don't know how to accomplish everything. I should also add that while DH and I have a wonderful relationship, he has a lower thresh-hold (sp?) for stress and so I take on more of the division of labor. Currently, he works 5 - 6 days a week at a high stress job. When he comes home, he usually hangs out at our second house (which is next door and has been converted into a man cave of sorts) for a couple of hours to unwind and then comes in for dinner. After dinner, he hangs out with the girls either helping with school work, watching a movie or just talking. He goes to bed around 8:30. On week-ends, he spends a lot of time with the girls (which makes up for things he doesn't do around the house in my opinion). He also makes breakfast everyday if I have the items pre-cooked and wakes the girls up (which gives me an extra hour to sleep in). So, solutions of "Have DH do more" won't work (in my opinion). I can't seem to keep the basics down. I can do schoolwork and do it well and completely but then I scramble for dinner and laundry piles up. If I do housework (and we have a housekeeper come in once a week) then schoolwork seems to slide. We need gluten free meals three times a day. If I try to advance cook, I can't do the planning for school or laundry falls apart. The complications are: gluten free household, autistic oldest daughter who needs a lot of personal care (baths, teeth and such take about 1 1/2 hours a day) and still soils the bed at night about half the time, two households to manage (the second house is older and family property - no getting rid of it), lots of extracurriculars (and I'm not willing to drop them, they are important), kids who are slobs (honestly - if they try, it's not so bad, but if I stay on top of them, something else slides). I handle the bills and general maintenance (I pay someone to take care of our lawns). I keep up with family birthdays and holidays. Every other week-end, my husband has a friend of his come over to cut the lawn and then several friends over on that Sunday (I feed them all). A decent grocery store is a 2 hour round trip. I try to work with my oldest daughter on her academics to keep things moving forward at school and to help her with independence. Dealing with my husband's overly generous nature (he volunteered us to send meals to a family at his work who is having difficulty). Helping my MIL with her husband's medical problems (and her legal ones). (I won't even go into the fact that I complained to the school board about a former teacher of my oldest daughter and she had an attorney send me a cease and desist letter ordering me to retract my complaint. I had to get an attorney to send a letter back explaining that I have every right to complain about her behavior and I think she was disciplined by the school board. But, yes, stress since she has threatened to sue me.) For the next three weeks, we have doctor visits on two to three days a week which will kill school for the day. (All of our doctors are an hour away - one way). I can't re-schedule. We have an emergency ortho (and second opinion), follow up for appendectomy, follow up for UTI, dental check ups, etc. I've had to cancel my last two personal doctor appointments because something always comes up. I can find a routine that works for every single thing, but there's not enough days to put my routines in place all at once. I find that I need about 3 - 4 hours on Sunday to put together schoolwork for the week - make assignments, grade papers, pull books, print whatever needs printing. If I have that, my week typically goes great. But I also need about 6 - 8 hours during the week-end to pre-cook breakfast items and plan/freeze meals (plus DH takes salads to work every day and I cook chicken for that and prep veggies). That doesn't count the three - four hours needed to go to the store. I emerge from my week-ends to find the house a wreck on Monday. If I don't have a doctor's appointment, we can usually clean the house on Monday but school is a wash. (Housekeeper comes on Wednesdays). I need more days in the week. I keep thinking I should be able to balance things, but I can't seem to get organized. And heaven forbid if I take the time to watch a movie or read a book. The kids go to bed between 8 and 9 (our oldest goes to bed first, she puts herself to bed after her bath although she's welcome to stay up later). They wake around 6:30. Any suggestions? I just started crockpot freezer cooking and I think that will be a good thing for us, but I still struggle with some sides and salads.