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EMS83

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Everything posted by EMS83

  1. EMS83

    Today I processed my first chicken. I may have to stick to plants...

    1. Melissa in Australia

      Melissa in Australia

      I find wearing gloves helps. There is something about the smell while processing them that stays on your hands for a long time even after numerous washes that is awful. Gloves eliminate that.

    2. EMS83

      EMS83

      Yeah I noticed the lingering smell; I thought it was psychosomatic, lol. We have a nail brush I used multiple times. I'll have to remember to get some gloves and keep them on hand. Thanks!

    3. Show next comments  87 more
  2. EMS83

    Another group of plants in the ground (finally); that was...hopefully worth the effort.

    1. EMS83

      EMS83

      Thanks!

    2. marbel

      marbel

      We went to a native plant sale last weekend and picked up a few things. We have a poor track record but... we'll see.

    3. EMS83

      EMS83

      Me too! I just keep trying. I have learned that house plants are safer with others, though!

    4. Show next comments  87 more
  3. EMS83

    Got a new denim skirt from The Skirt Outlet. I am super excited! Here's hoping it's durable. :)

  4. EMS83

    On days like this, I can't tell if I'm the most awesome ever, or the biggest loser...maybe a bit of both. :D

  5. EMS83

    Ok update: it was not an auger that DH made; I am dumb. It's a mini PVC well drill. And it is still beautiful. :D

    1. Angie in VA

      Angie in VA

      Well, that is impressive! And way cool. :)

       

  6. EMS83

    My beloved DH made me a water auger for my birthday; this is genuinely the most beautiful thing I've seen in a while. :D

    1. EMS83

      EMS83

      No? Maybe I have the word wrong, lol. It wouldn't be the first time! Google says I did. Ok it's like a mini PVC well drill, lol. It's still beautiful! I'm trying to set t-posts and our dirt is tougher than my sledgehammering skills (which are decidedly lacking).

  7. EMS83
    RE: Traffic -- I avoid Atlanta like the plague. We are in Coweta county. Actually, I'd like to know of any non-FB groups around here. I only know of Eagle's Nest, which I'm not hooked into right now. I'd rather more social, unstructured type things than co-ops.
  8. EMS83
    Just replying to OP. Disobedience is either a) doing what I said not to OR b) not doing what I said to. It can be a violation of either a standing rule or a situational direction. I try to stay as minimal on directions and rules as I can, and explain the "why" using ourselves and society as examples as much as possible (after obedience or discipline). My rules and directions 99% of the time are for: health, safety, order. The other 1% is when I'm not able to respond appropriately and need mental/auditory/physical/emotional space. Game time would look like this: "You can play
  9. EMS83
    Just responding to the OP. I think some people are destined to be visibly spectacular. Edison, Beethoven, Olympians, etc. People who just have an innate drive and gift for a particular thing. But I think this is the exception and not the norm. As a Christian, I do believe we all have a purpose in life, but it's not a fantastical calling (usually). It's something that is quietly lived out, honestly, the more quietly, the better (not in a hiding sense, but an unassuming one). In purely practical terms, I think we are all useful and edifying in our own fashion, big or small, visible or not
  10. EMS83
    My 6 and 8 year old may still do that occasionally. It's what we do in response that's important. My now 8-year-old rolled around screaming on the floor frequently between ages 3 and 5. :) I think you handled that totally fine, for whatever a random internet stranger's opinion is worth. ;)
  11. EMS83
    It's only monetarily free. She'll learn. I have had friends (and have been this way myself) who just had to learn on their own. Perhaps monetarily free is worth the K12 hoops. We live in a fairly lenient state, so I just run down the law any time anyone asks specifically ("what about curriculum" or some such thing). Beyond that I observe that children are smarter than we give them credit for, and ask how adults learn anything (in a rhetorical manner). I typically don't explain much. I've had too many "that's unhealthy" or "how can they learn anything" or "you can't possibly teach eve
  12. EMS83
    Haven't read replies, so I'm just responding to the OP. Yes, it's very important to me, but I wouldn't be horrified to learn that it wasn't to someone else. I think often the connotation of obedience is more like that of a robot than an autonomous individual choosing to cooperate with an authority. But to me, obedience is the latter, not the former. It is inherently a choice, and therefore cannot be robot-like. So under my definition, I'd say obedience is a virtue. We do practice instant obedience here, even just a yes ma'am as they start moving is fine--any sign that they are using t
  13. EMS83
    :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: I have no idea what your unique family situation is, but I think I'd feel the same way you describe if I felt I had not control or authority in my own house. We never let anyone stay; we have never really had the space anyway. So of course I think that's a perfectly viable option, if you can let things slide for a few months. But I don't know what all demands are on you, so that may not fit. Regardless, enjoy your family time in between help, and I hope it gets better sooner rather than later!!
  14. EMS83
    Who's paying?
  15. EMS83
    Genius! I've never used our broiler.
  16. EMS83
    I don't do fancy anything, so I can't help you there. :D I do "grilled" cheese in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes on a cookie sheet. Cuz I'm lazy. :)
  17. EMS83
    8circles, I see you feel strongly about this. You are free to do that, of course. You are also free to choose your words, and I am free to choose how I will react to them. :) I feel that all parents are free to parent according to their philosophy, ideals, and/or religion (barring obvious legal transgressions). If anything I said implied otherwise, it was unintentional. All: I might be sorry I commented to begin with, perhaps. I wasn't part of the target audience, sure enough. I'll think on that some. At the very least, I did not intend to offend or derail, so I do apologize fo
  18. EMS83
    I understand it bothers many people to even hear of any kind of spanking, and I appreciate your concern. Understand also that there are plenty of other people that wish parents would spank their kids more. And understand that whatever you see of anyone, you're seeing a tiny fraction of their reality. I'm sure you wouldn't want someone to judge the tiny fraction of your reality they see according to their own ideals and priorities. I'm simply sharing one facet and two (separate) examples of public discipline situations in my family for the sake of group show & tell. It's simply anot
  19. EMS83
    I do, but I try to be firm and kind, unless they ignore me. If they are ignoring verbal directions and horsing around in a store, I absolutely will pop them on the back of the thigh. I used to be afraid to do that, but that resulted in my children knocking into people without noticing, backstroking (on the floor) down aisles in the grocery store, and just...no. I get super stern later, if I don't feel they've really acknowledged the reproof. I won't chew them out in front of people, but if not spoken to at all, they will simply escalate. Maybe that's a parent fail in and of itself? I don
  20. EMS83
    There's no can to kick down the road. You were clear: "what we can, when it works." Obviously when you're available, she can't be expected to drop everything either, but your availability comes first. You don't have to get whatever she throws at you. She may throw it out there, but you don't have to receive it. You can deflect it. I know that's easier said than done, but you can get there. All you can do is all you can do, and that's all you can do. The other party is 100% responsible for their words, actions, reactions, feelings, and attitudes. We're responsible for ours. If you
  21. EMS83
    Thank you and keep them coming! You guys are geniuses! Seriously, all I could come up with was MREs. I might be slightly food-challenged. :lol: I don't think I've ever packed the kids' lunches. The short times I've done that for him, he had access to a fridge and microwave.
  22. EMS83
    My husband starts a new job tomorrow. I think he'll likely be out riding around in a truck most of the day and we're hoping to find some alternatives to fast food 5 days/week for cost reasons. We can acquire a cooler, but I have no idea how long anything will stay cold in the Georgia heat in a truck. Fall and winter will be better, but that's about November around here. And he may not have access to a break room (microwave, mini fridge, etc.). Any ideas??? Or are we just looking at $$/month for fast food? :ohmy: ETA: I realized I used an idiom for what he actually does. It's no
  23. EMS83
    I grew up in Suburbia. I liked it then I guess; it's the only place I ever knew. I never really had a yearning to be anywhere else. But I drove a LOT 17 and onward and had access to the state capital and as much of bumbly as I wanted. I'm not in contact with anyone I actually grew up with, nor regret that fact. I have one friend from middle school, one from high school, and one from college I still keep in periodic touch with. But what I've noticed these days is the older I get, the further away from civilization I want to be. That could change as life does though! I would never w
  24. EMS83
    Prayers!! I'm so sorry! Please do send at least some of that rain to Georgia; we do need it! I hope it disperses quickly and evenly and that no more life is lost. ETA: Hopefully this isn't breaking forum rules, but the Red Cross has a Safe and Well website, for what it's worth. For people on either end who don't use social media (we do exist!).
  25. EMS83
    I'm forbidden by hubby to be a Good Samaritan like that. No stops or offers of rides. I did this once for a woman when the kids weren't with me. He was pretty livid. Helping out a man would be absolutely out of the question. To be fair to him, she had me driving all over that part of town to drop things off at one place, see if someone was home at another place, etc. It was interesting. And it made me an hour or more later getting home. A favorite quote of mine is from 7th Heaven: "It's important to know when to help and how to help. If you don't know both of those, it's important
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