The league our club participates in determines eligibility- usually either birthday range or grade level. In our lacrosse club (our soccer club goes by bdates) girls goes by grade level and boys by birthday. Going by birthday causes an issue when kids start school at an older age because they can end up not being eligible to play at some point because they age out sooner than the kids in the set age range. They have an advantage early on because they can start playing earlier than the other kids in the same grade.

Bump!

How are you feeling now?

Code Names has turned into our group game. There’s no limit on how many can play, at least the way we play, and everyone is engaged at the same time since it’s two teams

I was going to bake it in the oven, but I wanted it to rise in the machine because I didn’t have time to mess with the rise and I wasn’t sure if my machine would stop after the rise and not bake it. I think if I selected just bread dough it would have, but I’ve never tried that before. On Thursdays, I have a three year old who wants my constant attention so I need convenience even though I’m home.

We do have a Goodwill around. I hardly ever have a chance to run around to different stores though.

I don’t use it often. I tried making a loaf in the fall for soup, but it failed. I assumed user error. Today, I tried the same recipe and I made sure the container was pushed down all the way and all the right selections were made. I could hear it turning, but I didn’t see the mixture turning, so I took out the container and watched the gear - it was spinning, then I saw it was cracked along the inside and I have no idea if it was that way before, but looks like it was dropped. Dd has it at school last year since I could make bread the old fashioned way. I salvaged the dough by finishing mixing/kneading in the food processor and I put it back in the machine to rise and bake. Looks like that is working. I’m disappointed because I don’t use it enough to justify buying a new one, but it was convenient to dump and bake. At least can probably repeat how I did it today by starting in the food processor and finishing in the bread machine.

As soon as I saw the tree in the field, I knew it was the one! My kids make fun of it saying it’s a Charlie Brown tree. Youngest is the one who decorated. It has fallen a couple times now because dh broke the tree stand last year and I’m skeptical of his fix. It has more ornaments than what shows up in the picture. I don’t smell a tree scent from it, so we burn a Christmas tart for the tree smell.

I think your ornament will be a hit! I went to a party with an ornament exchange. It was supposed to be a new ornament, which some were homemade. My favorite ornament that I didn’t get, was a hand knit minature sweater from wool the lady bought on vacation in New Zealand. I was hoping she would make another one for the exchange the following year, but she didn’t. The ornament that I came home with was a very used, too large for a tree foam snowman head. Not sure if the lady who brought it didn’t understand it supposed to be a new, Christmas tree ornament or what. She was the guest of her daughter who brought an appropriate ornament. I kept that snowman head until a year or so ago and I finally threw it away because I never enjoyed it. I felt guilty in the prior years of tossing it in case it was a prized possession the woman could give.

Congratulations on your move! Enjoy your new home. I’d go ahead and give up the pc desk for a fresh start.

Got the rest of my cards last night. Excited to start working on the list!

Congrats!

This reminds me of a meal at my dad’s and stepmom’s. She assigned me to bring au gratin potatoes from a specific recipe that she emailed to me. When I brought the dish in, the only thing she said was, “This is au gratin potatoes and NOT scalloped potatoes, right?” Like there is something terribly wrong with scalloped potatoes. I don’t even know the difference, I’d have to compare recipes.

I went to the dentist for what I thought I was a tooth ache (it felt like the only way for relief was to lose the tooth), but it turned out to be a sinus infection. Dd just finished antibiotics for a sinus infection which led to a double ear infection and possibly strep throat. The minute clinic said it was just a cold. After she got worse instead of better, her dr diagnosed her with a sinus infection. Hope you are feeling better after starting antibiotics.

(((Hugs))) Going through this with our ds too.

I am so sorry your friend is going through this. I’m thankful to hear she was able to enjoy Thanksgiving at home.

I don’t think this was an issue at our gathering (although now that I think about it, someone there was a mandated reporter but he came afterwards). A teacher friend of mine turns down invitations where there might be underage drinking because she said she would have to report it. She asks if there might be underage drinking and will decline the invitation if it’s a possibility. I wonder how that works at family functions?

I think in your case, either consider your travel enough of a contribution or you provide the paper goods by reimbursing whoever is willing to buy them ahead of time. But, it should be understood that you can’t provide a food dish! Good grief!

I would get a 6 qt. Any smaller, it’ll be hard to do Pot in Pot. A bigger one is able to cook just as well as a smaller one even for smaller amounts.

As far as I am aware of, there wasn’t drama a Tday this year (other than mil trying to get me to let 19 yo dd have a apple cider vodka drink - which was pretty light hearted even though it frustrated me). We have had some pretty major drama in past holidays, so thankful it was a calm year.

In the state we were in, consuming alcohol in a private residence is only ok with the parent’s consent, which I did not give for various reasons. I didn’t expect to have to argue with my mil about it especially after the history with other gc which she also “encouraged” drinking so she can be the cool gma. The kids already think that of her, so no need for her to do this.

I meant underage, and she is technically not out on her own yet

Do you have family members encourage your underage teens to drink at family events? Someone offered 19yo dd a drink and I said no. Then mil jumps in and tells me it’s fine, blah, blah. Dd just laughed and was fine with me saying no, although I’m sure (I know) she would partake at school or if I wasn’t there. Mil kept insisting that it was fine. Does this happen at your gatherings?

I just ordered a pair since they have some on sale, I thought it’s worth it to try. My back is acting up, so I’ve been wearing sneakers to work lately.

Nope. Our school requires an FBI clearance which you used to have to drive 30 minutes away to get during business hours. Now, you can get it at the local library during their hours, but I work during school hours now.