My husband won a blueray player from a local business. He used to enter contests all the time back in the pre-internet days. Sometimes he won some minor prizes but overall, I think he spent more in postage then he received in winnings.

I see that you and your dh need to have a serious discussion about what your goals are as a family and reasonable expectations. You are not him and he is not you. Balance between his expectations and your capabilities needs to be found. And I will repeat-get a cleaning lady at least 1x a month to help.

It depends on the subject. Math I usually carry on forward. Science I usually stop or just explore a topic they were interested in in more depth.

Too much. On average it is about $800. per month. I haven't changed what we are eating and I am spending about $100 more than last year. It is very frustrating trying to cut the budget when it seems there is nothing left to cut. I make my own cleaners from vinegar and baking soda, I make my own laundry detergent, I purchase dried beans. I make my own kefir. I make just about everything from scratch. We don't do soda or junk food (well, I will buy potato chips 2x a month). It is getting harder and harder to keep my eat everything that is not nailed down teenager in food.

***Emeril's Chocolate Pudding Extravaganza*** Ingredients: 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 8 large egg yolks 2 cups sugar ½ cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 7 cups milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened 3 ½ teaspoons vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup salted butter, melted 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 4 cups heavy cream ½ cup confectioners' sugar plus 3 cups sifted 16 ounces cream cheese, softened Directions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. To make the pudding, melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates in the top of a double-boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk in a stream, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. Remove from the heat. Add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolks and whisk until smooth. Add the beaten yolk mixture to the saucepan with the hot milk and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate, unsalted butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate to cool. To make the crust, combine the flour, salted butter, and walnuts in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Using your fingers press the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, covering the bottom and coming a little bit up the sides. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. To make the cream cheese filling, combine 2 cups cream, ¼ cup confectioners' sugar, and ¾ teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Combine cream cheese and 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar in a large bowl and cream using an electric mixer. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until just combined. Reserve for pudding assembly. To make whipped cream topping combine remaining 2 cups cream, remaining ¼ cup confectioners' sugar, and remaining ¾ teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form. Reserve for pudding assembly. When ready to assemble pudding, spoon chocolate pudding into prepared dish over walnut crust. Top with the cream cheese filling, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Garnish with whipped cream just before serving. Makes 10 to 12 servings

I made chicken legs and roasted root vegetables.

My great grandmother's first marriage was arranged. She cried rape on her wedding night and went home to her father. He agreed she did not have to return. I am not sure if her second marriage was arranged or not but she stayed in that one. So, I don't think it worked out so great for her. That said, I think if both parties are committed to the idea it can work. I think a professional matchmaker can be a big help in that. Really, isn't that what eharmony and match.com are? Modern day matchmakers?

Why is it failing? No Child Left Behind. The emphasis on testing being all that and a bag of chips instead of testing being what it is supposed to be. A tool to determine where a child needs assistance. Teachers from pre-no child left behind are retiring or have already left. There is no one who remembers how great a public education could be and how to implement it. Overcrowding in the classrooms is also a factor. The other reason it is failing, imo, is parents. Parents expect the schools to do their job. It is a big part of the problem. Before anyone flames me, I know it is not all parents but it is more than enough of them that it effects the learning of everyone in the classroom. Economics also plays a part. When you are exhausted from working 40+ hours a week just trying to put food on the table it does not leave a lot left over to help children with homework.

My dh is type 2 but so I don't know if this will apply but when he eats a bowl of oatmeal I make it with a tablespoon of coconut oil. Then he either puts in a tablespoon of either a nut butter or sunflower seed butter. If he doesn't do the butter then he adds a sprinkle of blueberries and/or blackberries. This seems to keep him from spiking.

We had a big inflatable one when the kids were little. They loved that thing. I had also bought additional balls to go in that thing. It was awesome until one of the cats got in it and poked a hole in it. Knowing now what I did not know then-I just would have bought a hard kiddie pool. Although, that bathtub idea is also very appealing.

No. I did give him an engagement gift. A personalized fishing rod (much to my father's horror who thought it should be a watch). And I only gave him that gift because all of our friends did. Otherwise it would not have crossed my mind. They all also did the wedding gift thing but dh and I discussed it and could not see the point in it. We were getting each other. Wasn't that the gift?

I drive way more than I want to be driving. I am fortunate that the majority of the things I do are within 30 minutes. What takes its wear and tear on me is swim practice. 4-5 days a week and it is just far enough to not make it worthwhile to come home during practice.

I used to get tipped when I was a babysitter. Most likely because it was easier to round up then to give me exact change when I was only earning a couple of bucks an hour. Everyone tipped. I would have been surprised if I wasn't tipped. With the going rate around here being $10-$15 an hour I don't know if tipping still happens.

:iagree: I stopped shopping LE 2 years ago when the tank tops I bought dd were poor quality. I was so disappointed. I don't mind spending the money on quality but to shell out the $$ to get garbage really ticked me off. IT is moot now since dd no longer fits in their clothes but I stopped buying my stuff there as well.

Been there, done that. My worst fine was $78.

I switched my teen to the men's department when the boys clothes no longer fit. He likes to shop at: Aeropostle Old Navy JC Penny Sears American Eagle

Must be something in the air. I did a declutter deep clean of the living room yesterday. It looks and feels a 100% in there. I moved artwork, cleaned behind stuff, tossed all those lego bits that have not been touched in forever, and doll parts, and beheaded action figures, and really cleaned it up. By Tuesday the feeling will be gone. I hate cleaning but I am with you when you say a clean house makes me happy.

That happened to us once at a restaurant my dh frequented for business to boot. When dh questioned the guy on the amount he admitted to being a cheapskate. Dh made up the difference and we never dined with them again. Plus, we graciously split the bill 50/50 when in addition to the meal they ordered bar drinks and their oldest ordered 3 cans of some special soda and all we drank was water.

If it is going to be over 80 degrees upstairs for more than one night.

My kids college funds are worth less then what they started with and ds is only 4 years away from college. I worry a lot about how we are going to help our kids pay for college. In this economy over the past few years our retirement funds and emergency funds were wiped out as well. Dh will not be having an early retirement as we had hoped. He will most likely be working until he drops at his desk.

I am a burner so I live in hats and slather on the sunscreen so I can stay outside for more than 10 minutes. I seek the shade. I do try to make sure I get some sunscreen free time every day for vitamin d.

I just don't think I look good in shorts. Spider veins plus incredibly pale, sparkle like a diamond when the sun hits it skin. If it is super hot I will wear them but I usually wear capris or a light skirt.

My cleaning lady is the one thing I miss the most from when I worked. Over the years I had some who did more than others.. Some just cleaned around my clutter and some cleaned up my clutter. If it was important you best have put it away where you wanted it before she came or you may never find it. One even cleaned out my panty and rearranged my daughters bedroom furniture to a much nicer arrangement. I also had one who washed the sheets and towels. Sigh, I long for the days when I can have one again.

I will add to the run for your life gefilte fish (although my ds loves it) list: Stuffed Derma - that is all kinds of nasty. Sweet Breads

We went about 4 years without insurance. Thankfully dh's new job offers insurance. Things we did without: Eye exams (and I desperately needed a new prescription but did not have the $$ for the exam and the new glasses). Routine dental exams were put off and off. I couldn't have my fibroids taken care of. I didn't go to the gyn at all in those 4 years. We paid for dh's cancer check ups out of pocket. He couldn't go for a colonoscopy during this time and in his family it is not if but when will you get colon cancer. They all have polyps removed regularly. I am so thankful for our new insurance because dh was finaly able to go to the doctor to have his symptoms checked out. Turns out he has type 2 diabetes and his blood sugar was 375 when he went to the doctor. He has high blood pressure, low testosterone, and an assortment of other things that will be corrected as he loses weight and manages his diet. The reality is, it is very likely he was going to die soon had he not been able to go to the doctor.