I didn't really have a strong faith until I began women's bible studies. I have always considered myself a Christian. I was baptized Catholic, although our family was more of the holiday Catholics. Anyway, I was a skeptical christian. "How could a day be a 24 hour day in Genesis?" "Was Christ really completely sin free?" You can find similarities in most religious texts. The answers you need, you won't find in a book. It comes with conviction. Books may help you hear what you need to hear to fully convict your spirit. Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer is wonderful. She is the daughter of Anthony Evans, a Southern Baptist Minister in Texas. She is a writer, speaker, mother and wife. Beth Moore is also a wonderful source of knowledge and encouragement. She has a book titled: Believing God. They are both well educated women that write with a bit of humor and tell stories of personal experience. I have found that when I struggle with something in my life, I pray and open the Bible. Just let it open where it may. I read the verses and somehow, I find the answers to the questions I need. It happens more often than not. My true faith did not start until I was 29. In all things I trust in His grace and mercy to pull me out of the pits that I fall into. So far, it has not been misplaced.

It is usually available at Natural health and food stores. We have EarthFare here, but I think that's a southern chain. You could probably find it on Amazon. They use essential oils not fragrance oils, so the scents shouldn't give you a problem. I wouldn't buy from a salon unless you can't find anything else. I would just ask the type of shampoo she should be using the next time she gets a hair cut. Anything that is normal to oily should work, and a light detangling conditioner. DO NOT use one that says moisturizing or deep moisture, that means it's heavy!!

Essential oils are great and they all have wonderful benefits, but you should never just go grab one that you like the smell of and add it to something without doing your research first. Some can cause light sensitivities, seizures, irritation, and you could develop an allergy to prolonged exposure. Frankenscense is awesome for oily skin, but unless you want to smell like incensce, I wouldn't recommend using it everyday, although 2-4 drops in a regular size bottle of shampoo would give the natural benefits without the overpowering smell. Plus, it's about $25 per 2mls. Lavender essential oil is fantastic for everything! Citrus tend to be clarifying as they are on the more acidic side. I am an Aromatherapist and use oils almost daily in a lot of different applications. I would suggest asking a professional stylist what they recommend for her hair type and texture. Then if you have a natural/organics grocery store, try to find something there that is paraben and PPG free. Giovanni has a great line of organic beauty products.

If it would have been a dog, people would automatically tell you to call animal control. There is a double standard when it comes to pets on a leash. I have 4 dogs. All of whom would rather lick you to death than bite, but they are not allowed out of the house without being on a leash. Any animal that attacks another animal that is not on their property is a problem. I have had cats when we lived in the country and I didn't have neighbors. They were outside most of the time. I did have a cat that attacked a pit bull that my brother's friend had brought over. The poor dog was afraid of cats from that day forward. I have a friend whose dogs got out of their yard to chase a cat that was in her yard. They killed it. Now she has to go to court. Pets are a responsibility and if you can't keep yours under control, then you shouldn't have them. I'd call the owner, and if they blew it off, I'd call animal control. What if it would have been one of your children that the cat "just didn't like"

They targeted all the shy quiet kids. They were hoping that no one would speak up. Well, I had my son tell the kids that he knew were victims to tell their parents because they were about to find out about it anyway. I cannot stand a bully! I felt that the principal should have informed us, and she didn't. I contacted the school board, and never heard back from them. So, I went public with it. I had a couple middle schoolers threatened my son and his friend one summer while they were sitting on my porch. I called the sheriff's office and they sent over 2 deputies. They talked to my son and his friend. Then they went to the boys' houses. They all came back with parents and the deputies had the boys apologize to the kids and to us. The one parent looked mortified, the other, like we were interrupting her plans. It all comes back on parenting! I would have to take my son down to a shelter and to a PO for sex offenders. That way they truly understand that it is not a joke

OK, so DH still has concerns with my ability to teach our children since I do not have a degree.(all of DH's family are teachers at various levels) Has anyone run into problems with Saxon Algebra? If so, were their resources helpful? I rocked Algebra, but it has been 20+ years since I had it.

:eek:

My SIL had a version with her first daughter. It didn't work. She flipped right back around. Ended up having to do a section. I worked for an OB and we had about a 40-50% success rate with versions holding. They are painful as the doctor is pushing on your belly to manually turn your baby. There is the possibility of going into labor because of it. But we only had one patient in 2 years that went into labor. More often than not, we had patients that had to be sceduled for sections.

We had no problems last year! The problem, I think, is that at that age they are hormonal, emotional, and just want to be liked. So for the kids who have little to no parental involvement, that means a whole lot of followers. My son is not a follower, nor is he really a leader. He has his opinions, like them or don't. He understands that the reason he is there is to learn. If he makes some friends with the same forward thinking goals great! But, no 8th grade at that school. And my daughter will definitely never step foot in there!

So, I have been a little preoccupied lately and have not had the opportunity to log on until today. Let me tell you about some situations going on at my son's school: 1) A group of 7th graders started a "gang" and called themselves the "Charlie Rape Gang", CRG for short. These children would randomly select other children, boys and girls, and push them into locker, walls, or onto the floor and "hump" them. The leaders of this group, 5 boys, were given 3 days of In School Suspension. No notification of this group was given to parents so we could discuss it with our children. I know a reporter, so I went to her and we got the story in the news and got the attention of all of the parents at the school. Since then, more children have come forward as being victims of this group and the 5 boys have been charged with simple battery. 2 sent to alternative school and the other 3 are awaiting the county's decision as to what their school punishment should be. What is appauling is that these kids claim it was just a joke. The friends and girlfriends of the boys think that it was funny and parents are overreacting. A girl went around school, the day the boys were in court, and "CRG'd" 2 girls and 2 boys. She was immediately expelled, sent to alternative school, and charged with inappropriate sexual conduct on a minor under the age of 16. The judge ordered a psych eval. 2) New thing now is called "credit carding", I googled it and was mortified. 2 girls were suspended last week for doing this to other girls. I had already made my decision to HS my children next year, but this just drove in the final nail. I have parents tell me that I should not "shelter" my children as they will eventually have to learn to deal with the "real world". WOW! If simulated rape and sexual harassment are normal in their world, I don't even want to be a part of it. :leaving: Thanks! I will now get off my soap box!

Have you looked into my father's world?

I would have tons! If I didn't hate being pregnant. Hadn't had my tubes tied, or an ablation. But, I'm thinking that when my youngest hits the teen years, I want to adopt! DH has no clue yet ;)

Wire fox haired terrier. My bestie has one and her hubby is allergic. They have no problems with her! This is their second

Cursive used to be taught first. The flow is easier for some children to grasp. There is a curriculum called Cursive first that I will be using with my 3dc. 2 to really learn cursive and the other to practice handwriting skills.

i've had my oldest son as ring bearer twice and my daughter flower girl once. I asked my soon to be Sister-in-law what kind of dress she wanted her to wear and whether she wanted white, ivory, cream......... just run your choices by the bride before you buy

sent you a PM

Another note: if you are going to try her on a gluten free diet...It is usually labeled Gluten free if it REALLY is. Anything that contains "caramel coloring", drinks, sauces, etc. should be avoided. It can be made from a byproduct of wheat. Also when you are cooking, if you are making her something gluten free but not the rest of the family, you have to use seperate utensils, pots, oils..... Gluten intolerance, sensitivities, and Celiac Disease are a huge change for the entire cooking process. I was diagnosed at 17 with CD and it was impossible to find anything GF at a regular grocery store. Thankfully, my first pregnancy rewired my system and I have no problems with gluten. I do have bouts with low motility. Which causes nausea and cramping. But, that has also gotten better now that I no longer cycle. Crazy hormones!

There is no gluten in rice. Now you didn't mention if it was just white rice, or packaged rice "sides". You said stomach, but also didn't elaborate. My daughter gets "stomach migraines" and sometimes even water will cause her discomfort and cause reflux and vomiting. If it is the other end, maybe she is not getting enough fiber. Or, maybe she is getting too much for her system. One of the best ways to find the culpret is to eliminate all grains and gradually reintroduce them. Like we all had to do when they were babies. Unfortunately, the majority of dietary problems can be linked to all the preservatives, hormones, and genetic alterations that are used in foods today. I completely understand the money issue! I have 3 children and sometimes even that is a struggle. POTATOES! is she ok with potatoes? You may just have to fix her something completely different. If you can't figure it out that way, you will have to take her to a specialist. Either pediatric GI or Allergist. But, then the testing is QUITE expensive

I believe that you can buy an attachment (if it is a double switch) that will automatically flip up the other switch as well. I tried to Google it, but that's next to impossible unless you know what it is called. Just make a run to the hardware store and ask them. Or you can just super glue something across the switch so they both come on. If it isn't a flip switch, then..... Close the door so we can't see you, Turn on the fan or else we'll hear you!

I was 21, but we lived together when I was 19. So.......I see me being called a HUGE hypocrite when the time comes

I tell mine that, first off you can't have a boyfriend/girlfriend til you can date. And you can't date until you can drive and have a job to pay for said date(for my ds's). Boyfriends MUST meet parents and both brothers before going on date. We were not exactly the picture perfect teens/young adults, but we want our children to hopefully avoid some of the mistakes that we made. We are Christian so I point out that God has already decided the person we will spend our life with. He uses this time to teach patience and that we can have many friends of the opposite sex, but dating is reserved for when you are ready to start looking for that person that is meant to be your spouse. Maybe a little old fashioned, but I really wish that we could have more of the values that our Grandparents had.

My SIL put bandaids over her nips and told her son that she had boo boos. Eventually he quit asking.

I would rinse them first. Not sure how lemon would be in the soup. Otherwise, make sure you add something with sugar(carrots, parsnips) just to counter the acidity of the lemon juice.

"they" said to expect delays with the USPS this season due to budget cuts and the union(?) discussing whether to cut out Saturday delivery.

We had to put our 13yo dog down last year. We had her since she was 5 weeks and she was the first Christmas present that my dh gave me. She had cataracts in both eyes, arthritis in her back, and had begun losing bladder control. She was always a wild one and would bolt out of the door as soon as you opened it. One morning, she didn't come upstairs to bed and she was laying on the floor in the kitchen. She wouldn't even stand up. She just lifted her head and looked at me, tail thumped twice, and layer her head back down. So, got the kids off to school and cried with her, then opened the front door and asked if she wanted to go for a ride. She wouldn't even get up. I had to carry her 65lbs to the car and take her. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I know she was in pain. You really have to just ask yourself, are you keeping then alive for you or them?