Mine just used a fitted sheet and lightweight fleece blankets or a sleeping bag on top

In the fridge my mom had butter, the real stick butter, that expired in 2014. I suggested she buy new butter. For the freezer, when we cleaned one she offered me some apple turn overs....that expired in 1998. The tops though was butter in the freezer that expired in 1994.......I said it had to go and she said, " that isn't that old" until I pointed out that it was 24 years .....older than my daughters who were helping me. Needless to say, I tossed it all. In her defense, she is in a power wheelchair full time and couldn't see it empty this stuff out.

As a spin off from the food tossing rules......what is oldest thing in your fridge or freezer? I helped my mom clean her fridge and I think we will win but let me see what you can come up with.

I am interested as well. I have a.LOT of weight to loss....but want to start with 30#. I used (with success) the old points program. I am wondering if the new program is that much better/easier or if I am better off using the program that did work before (before an injury, major life stressors, and menopause).

That is what I was wondering. Some recycle the water. My issue is that I have a TINY freezer as mine is a side by side model that I HATE and my chest freezer broke. I had to work very hard to even fit in ONE icecube tray. Maybe I need to bite the bullet and get my fridge repaired. It is a tiny plastic part at the bottom that has a small crack in it. It only leaks when the freezer calls for water and there is higher pressure.

My fridge had an ice/water dispenser in the door but twice it has broken and leaked on my laminate floor. Just not sure I want that risk again.....plus the cost of repairs. I am thinking about getting one of those table/counter top ice makers that make that cute little hospital/hotel type ice. I love love love ice in my water and drink about 4x as much water a day if I can have ICE water. Even plain old cold water is not the same. I was just wondering if anyone had an experience with these. Do they suck a lot of electricity? do they work well? Do you leave it on all of the time or just as needed?

My fridge had an ice/water dispenser in the door but twice it has broken and leaked on my laminate floor. Just not sure I want that risk again.....plus the cost of repairs. I am thinking about getting one of those table/counter top ice makers that make that cute little hospital/hotel type ice. I love love love ice in my water and drink about 4x as much water a day if I can have ICE water. Even plain old cold water is not the same. I was just wondering if anyone had an experience with these. Do they suck a lot of electricity? do they work well? Do you leave it on all of the time or just as needed?

She can ask her employer now for the insurance information so you can help her start comparing the costs/benefits/doctors, etc.

Thanks. Due to his situation I can't give his name or his medical needs.

He ended up with a procedure Friday that was successful so right now things are looking much better. It is still very touch and go but he is home now.

I have a lane couch I really like. It is a burgundy leather so a bit dated but comfortable. I found it used on CL almost 7 years ago. It still looks new. I understand what you mean about spending the money and too many choices....esp growing up poor. I did have to go buy my brother a couch a few years ago and I went and started sitting down on them. I found one I liked and bought it. Took about 10 minutes as comfort was number 1

If you live in a wet area....lots of rain, mud, snow, etc or have people in the house that spill, pets, etc I would caution against laminate. It is terrible for water. I did almost the entire main floor in laminate and regret it. I didn't know about LVP floors back then or I would have chosen that.

Thanks for more ideas. Little guy is currently hospitalized so everything is on hold. If they can't make some amazing progress very soon he will be going on hospice care.

Several friends and I have talked about this recently. We saw we need to decide what we want to do/be when we grow up. Neither of us is in a position we expected to be at our ages (closer to 50). She was widowed at 41 and I am finding myself suddenly single parenting and looking at moving, finding a career, etc.

Great ideas. I will pass them on. They are very rural but they do have a library they can visit and maybe the school playground. All of those fine motor things are great ideas. Little guy is spent a lot of time in hospital so missed out on a lot of typical toddler/preschool experiences.

Little guy has lots of holes in his background. He is foster for now. Chances are he will be missing a great deal of school this year due to medical appointments, illnesses, possible transplant, etc. His 1:1 aide isn't a school aide but a medical aide as the slightest things can send him to the emergency room/hospitalization. He has to go to public school per foster care rules. He attended K last year but in no way meet the standards for completing K (meaning knowing what he needs to know to move on to 1st grade).

Good Ideas. I used the R&S ABC books with mine and the ETC ABC books and some of the CLE K stuff.

They want this to be very hands on.....so even suggestions of books with ideas for the caregiver to use would be welcome.

My friend just took in a delayed just turned 6 year old little boy with severe medical needs. He is slated for public school 1st grade in the fall but she is going to push for repeating K. He is between 4-5 in most things but has gaps so is missing some younger preschool things as well. I am going to be getting her the I See Sam books/materials to slowly start with. What other resources, books, apps, etc would you suggest? They have a 1:1 aide for him this summer so things she can do with him would be awesome. Library books that are "must reads", preschool workbooks, idea books of crafts/activities for fine motor, etc. Child can NOT eat orally and can NOT get wet....other than a standing water table type thing due to his ports. He knows his colors and shapes but not concepts like over/under/behind, etc.

My friend just took in a delayed just turned 6 year old little boy with severe medical needs. He is slated for public school 1st grade in the fall but she is going to push for repeating K. He is between 4-5 in most things but has gaps so is missing some younger preschool things as well. I am going to be getting her the I See Sam books/materials to slowly start with. What other resources, books, apps, etc would you suggest? They have a 1:1 aide for him this summer so things she can do with him would be awesome. Library books that are "must reads", preschool workbooks, idea books of crafts/activities for fine motor, etc. Child can NOT eat orally and can NOT get wet....other than a standing water table type thing due to his ports.

I just got back from a trip worth my 3 who are all mild to moderately cognitively impaired (along with some anxiety issues and spectrum stuff) and the boyfriend of one of mine who is also cognitively impaired. It was a trip NOT a vacation for me. For the most part they did well but the first day was ROUGH as we crossed the border into Canada, visited a few hours and then crossed again. That was very anxiety producing. I paid extra for a 2 room suite with 2 bathrooms, 2 TVs, etc. I also let each kid pick one must do/see/eat thing on the trip and then I filled in the rest. I did not count it as a vacation, esp since I am single parenting it. My vacation day comes next week or later this summer when I get a night away at my friend's boat house on a lake.....all by myself.

Check out the I See Sam books for learning to read. They are very phonetic and have pictures but the pictures won't tell the kids the words like they do in many early reading books.

Could you live in the garage space while you remodel? I would hire a very experienced builder to evaluate the structure, foundation, roof, electrical, plumbing, etc before proceeding. I have a feeling it will cost way more than $50,000 to do that much work.

Did they do a CT? My DD had severe pain and while.x Ray showed constipation, a later CT showed infectious colitis. Did they check for kidney stone?

Today was more progress. I got rid of 90% of the VHS tapes, 80% of the DVDs and 75% of the CDs from the living room along with almost 75% of the kids books in there. Most of the books and DVDs are going to a friend for her rural "little library". The rest are going to my son's nephew, my "grandson" of sorts. I rearranged the living room a bit and did a deep cleaning....down to the fireplace and conditioning the leather chair and couch. Tomorrow if I have energy it will be the kitchen but my kids will protest there so better done when they are not home.