As far as appearance goes, I think that warm and neutral colors make a home more inviting. We just repainted our entire home....for all the main areas of the house I chose a yellow/gold and accented with dark brown. We used to have everything painted white and I think it is much more inviting with the new color scheme. I think that carpet or hardwood (with rugs) is much more inviting than a cold tile floor. My aunt/uncle have white tile floors throughout much of their main living areas and it feels kind of like a museum. No clutter, yet looking like people actually live there. I have my kids drawing/art work on a bulletin board, there are shoes by the door, a few toys lying around, a blanket on the couch, etc. If there is clutter lying around, I do not feel like it feels very homey. Photos. I love walking into someone's house and looking at the photos that they have displayed. I display a lot of photos in our house. Meaningful mementos and decor. I have shadow boxes of our two children's hospital clothing, birth photo, first pacifier, and hospital bracelet set up on some shelves. I have wooden figures purchased from craft shows with our family members names on them. I like frogs so I have some frogs sitting around. Background music can sometimes be inviting. Soft lighting (but not like a cave). My mom keeps her house like a cave and it drives me nuts LOL. Nice smells. And of course family traditions, meaningful conversation, hugs/cuddles, quality time, and a secure/safe environment.

I'd go to the doc and get antibiotics if I were running a fever. Aside from that, I'd try to wait it out. I feel for you though....I have sinus issues and I know that they can make you feel absolutely horrible.

Just curious.....I'm quite sure that my 5 year old DD has OCD. Do you think this book would be appropriate to read regarding that? She is quite spirited.

Kindle. I like it.

What a wonderful thing you did for this family!! They will cherish these photos forever. One of the things I love most about being a photographer is being able to freeze a moment in time for someone. You have really captured her in these photographs. Not only was it a wonderful thing that you did, but the photos are also really really good! The colors are beautiful!

I think I would have wrung his neck. :D

Keep the Duplo's. We just got rid of all of our Mega Blocks....they never got played with.

These are absolutely adorable. I want an excuse to purchase one LOL. www.zoobies.com . The caterpillar, turtle, and alligator are my faves.

I think it is normal....I've heard quite a few women mention that it happens to them. It never used to happen to me until the last few months. My tummy will tear up on the day that my cycle starts. Wonder why it just began happening?

DH wants me to go and see this with him. I'm afraid that I won't enjoy it. Two and a half hours is a long time to sit through something that I'm not enjoying. I read that it stresses the whole "one with nature" thing. Not sure about that. And they are all naked? Yikes. I'm sure the graphics and stuff are simply amazing, but not sure the plot will hold my attention.

Confusing enough title? LOL See, I have an old friend in town. I've only seen her probably a handful of times in the past ten years. We had plans to go over and visit her tomorrow while she's here visiting her mother. However..... Her son (just turned a year old) got the MMR vaccine a few days ago. Long story, but she didn't want him to get it but the doc gave it to him anyways when the daddy brought the kid into the doctor. Anyways, he woke up this morning with quite a few red spots on him. She called me and let me know this. She's not 100% sure that it is a reaction from the vaccine (possible mild case of measles) but she's thinking it may be. She's supposed to call me back in the morning and let me know if the spots had spread. My kids are not vaccinated. Well, actually my 5 year old had the vaccine when she was 18 months old (before I began non-vaxing), but has not had the booster. My 2 year old has not had either MMR shot. My question is this....if she calls back in the morning and says that he still only has a few spots, should I go over there? I dont want to risk my kids getting the measles....but I havent seen my friend in a long time. Is he contagious if it is a mild case of measles from the vaccine? What would you do?

Me too. If it is not close family that I know very well, I'm rather unsociable LOL. MIL is staying with us for 15 days. I'm on day 5 right now. I need some chocolate and some solitude.

Well, I don't drink. But I'd bring chocolate.....lots of chocolate. And go find a back room and sit and stuff myself full of chocolate while listening to the ruckus in the living room. ;)

They are talking of doing this mid-year?? That seems crazy to me!

Are my kids the only ones who do not care what they wear? LOL They are 5 and 2. Occasionally, I will give them a choice....I'll hold up two shirts and say "Which one?" But 99% of the time I just put clothes on them and they don't care what they are wearing. So I still dress my two kids.

I would replace it no matter what. My husband and daughter were in an accident where no one was injured, but we replaced the seat anyways. It holds precious cargo and I wanted it functioning at 100%. It's nothing to take a chance on.

We have two right now. I would really love to have about 4 or 5, but I hate being pregnant. If God wills it, we will have at least one more. We play to start possibly TTCing in the next year.

I don't think that I would. Friends can post things on their Facebook pages and you have no control over it.

Someone gave DD one for Christmas and they got it at The Children's Place. It is adorable!! And I know they purchased it just a few days before Christmas, so they should still have them there.

Ummm, yeah, I don't "do" heights. You would NEVER catch me on a walkway even remotely like that LOL!

My kids are very young, only 5 and 2, but we just love Zingo. It says for ages 4 and up but my two year old can play it and loves it. We all sat around and played it this afternoon. We gave my parents Imaginiff, Farkle, and LCR for Christmas, so I cant wait to try those out with them. Probably on New Years Eve.

We sell them. :D Yes, it is supposed to be tight so they do not drop them.

LOL!!!

Wii Active. I LOOOOOVE it. We have Wii Fit but to me, that is just fun stuff. It does not get my heart pumping whatsoever. Wii Active includes cardio as well as stregnth training. After I started it, I was SO sore, so I know it is doing something LOL. I use it every day for my exercises.

We have a Samsung fridge with the french doors on the top and the freezer on the bottom. I LOVE it!!! I love not having to stoop down to look at everything in the fridge. I rarely go into the freezer so it's nice having that out of the way on the bottom. Our left french door opens into a wall but that hasn't been a problem. The right french door opens wide enough that it is really easy to clean even if the left one cannot swing past the wall.