I do not like clowns. Well, really more clown dolls. People dressed as clowns I can deal with better but still don't love them. Dolls-it depends on the doll. Rag dolls are okay, Barbie dolls are fine. Those Madame Alexander type dolls=freaky. I don't like their staring eyes. I am shuddering just thinking about it. A room full of dolls-I will go out of my way to avoid.

Now I am at peace with my name. Growing up it was a pia. "Oh, Kathy. Is that short for anything? Katherine, Kathleen?" "No, it is just Kathy." this was always followed up with "Are you sure?" As a kid I desperately wanted my name to be Julie. I don't remember why.

That is exactly what I was thinking! I have seen a couple of women wearing stirrup pants. I died a little on the inside. Dh and I saw some teenagers awhile ago and I looked at him and asked "Did we look that stupid when we wore that? They look pretty stupid." It seems we did look that ridiculous. * sigh * I miss my Jou Jou purple and pink striped cigarette jeans with the matching denim jacket.

Bought our tickets on July 5th. For the last couple of years a friend and I go to the 10am showing the day it opens. You should have heard all the kids complaining that it was opening in the summer and all those school kids will be there.

I have been wearing glasses since I was 3. Hmm, just did the math on that. I have been wearing glasses for over 40 years. Now I feel old. So far, the children have inherited dh's excellent eye sight. He started needing reading glasses after he turned 40.

My dad took me to a large empty parking lot for my first few lessons. It worked out well. When my grandfather taught my father to drive he put a milk jug filled to the top with water, placed it on the floor of the car between his feet and told my father not to spill it. No pressure.

Things I buy on a regular basis at Trader Joe's: Graverstein Apple Sauce Sunflower Seed Butter Peanut Butter Almond Butter Chicken Stock/Vegetable Stock Roasted Tomato Soup Cereal Cheese Crackers Frozen Veggies Frozen Fish Greek Yogurt Holiday Time-Peppermint Jo-Jo's.

Seltzer mixed with juice. I like cranberry and seltzer. Sometimes I will mix orange, cranberry, and seltzer.

Another swim mom, here. Our summer swim team is a bit different as practice is in the morning. We have an early dinner around 4pm (3 if it is a meet night and we have to be at the pool by 5:30). Then I pack snacks. Usually fruit, yogurt, and cut up veggies. For after the meet I usually have a portable sweet treat such as cookies. For nights when we were on the go all day and no time to sit down for an early dinner I have my own the go meals ready: Hard boiled eggs Burritos Sandwiches/Panini Pasta Pancakes/Waffles I try to always keep a big salad and/or cut up veggies in the fridge. I have found for me that prep work is the key. I need to do the advance planning and the prep work so that I can just grab and go.

Co-sleeping family. We all slept better when sharing the bed/room. I had friends who never let their kids near their beds and friends who co-slept. Friends who claimed not to co-sleep but by morning everyone was in the same bed.

I think it was '92. Shortly before or after we were married. Dh has always been a techie. The job I had required me to use a computer but I was not high enough on the food chain to warrant internet access. I recall thinking it was useless or me when dh showed it to me. I had been living life just fine without it and never used it even though dh used it all the time. I started making my way into the internet world when pregnant with my oldest in '97/98.

I'm the youngest and dh is the oldest. We each bring a unique perspective to parenting. When they squabble I immediately think the oldest is at fault-he must be bugging his sister. Dh immediately thinks dd is at fault as the youngest must be doing something to bother the oldest.

I don't personally know any angry homeschoolers but I know they are out there. I do know one angry homeschooling mother. She is only homeschooling because her ds begged her to homeschool and he was having problems in school with boredom and acting act. Her son is thriving. She makes sure he has social opportunities along with the educational but she resents every minute of it. She wishes he was back in school with his siblings so she can have her life back. My kids love to tell me all they are unhappy with and when they come to me with their various grievances I tell them I will add them to the list of "All the things my mother did wrong" that I keep. This way when they are in therapy they can save some time by just handing over a copy of the list. So, if they are unhappy homeschooling I know they will tell me.

Painting with ice on Wed. I usually different sized containers with water and freeze. Then I dump the different sizes of ice and let the kids create on the slate walk. My kids also like drawing with shaving cream (the shaving cream also helps clean the outdoor furniture).

We school in the dining room. There is a bookcase in the kitchen which holds current curriculum/reference books, an the globe. One cabinet in the credenza holds pens, pencils, scissors, glue, rulers, etc. Part of the breakfront houses notebooks, paper, the atlas, and the dictionary. The walls are decorated in what I call "early middle school" There is a map of the USA on one wall and a World Map on another. They share the walls with my pretty mirror some decorative plates. This is what works for us. I always dream about a dedicated school room. One of my friends has one and it is dreamy. I fear that if we had one I would come to hate the feeling that we had to do school in there every day.

Count me in! I will help carry the flag.

I loved it when I was part of a CSA. The one I was in for a few years closed as the person who ran it had to stop do some health issues. I loved it because it forced me to try new veggies and I discovered some things I did not know I would like. This year I joined a Food Co-Op. I have been very happy with my half share and unlike the CSA in my area it runs all year.

Yes, yes I would compliment him the same way. To be totally honest my ds had a bit of a vanity problem during his toddler and early childhood years. I am an equal opportunity complimentor.

I did see it. I have always made an effort to praise my dd's brains more then her cute factor. In all honesty, I find the author's idea of ignoring it totally a little extreme in the opposite direction. Who doesn't like a compliment or two about an outfit or hairstyle we put some thought into?

a quick macaroni salad. 1 lb elbow noodles veggies of your choice (I have used carrots, peas, broccoli, peppers, celery -really anything I have had in the fridge) 1 tbl olive oil 2 tbl white vinegar fresh parsley if you have it mayo salt and pepper to taste

Does your library carry them?

So envious. One of my friends was there this weekend and I can't wait for him to return and tell me all about it.

My kids use UltraSwim Shampoo. It seems to do the trick. My dd does not like the feel of conditioner on her hair before we put on the swim cap so she just wets her hair and puts the cap on.

Some favorites here: Scrabble Yahtzee Cranium Apples to Apples Boggle Othello

We use the Land's End Rash Guards. My children sparkle like diamonds in the sun because they are so fair. I don't put lotion on underneath and so far they have never gotten a burn while wearing one.