Well, early on in my marriage I grew weary of the expectation/disappointment cycle that holidays and such brought. I plan my own gifts/celebrations now. I don't enjoy them any less, and I'm not bitter at the end of the day. 😉 This year, I informed DH that he & the girls were taking me to the Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble for Mother's Day. Plus, I ordered myself some things I wanted from Amazon, no guilt. And it was great. ETA: I will say, my kids are older (tweens) and don't require the constant care and attention that younger kids require. Were I "in the trenches," I'd be p!ssed if DH didn't step up and help with the normal, daily tasks like bathing and such.

I never realized how pricey until both my girls reached that age. Sheesh.

Bible Study Guide for all Ages

We briefly tried BSGFAA when my girls were littles (like K/1st), but I dropped it because I couldn't get over the bouncing around (not chronological). My girls (rising 6/8th) have a better grasp of Bible chronology...but haven't done any in-depth/formal studies. I really like the look of CLE Bible (older grades) but they use KJV, and I don't know if that would be hard for DD's to work around. Then somehow I found myself back at BSGFAA. I think the 6th grader would LOVE it. I'm wondering if the 8th grader would think it too babyish. (I'm only interested in the student pages version.) Anyone use the Advanced pages with a "too old" kiddo?

We have been using typingclub, too. It's pretty amazing for a free program!

What about keeping it braided? My 13 year old has hair almost to her waist, and she sleeps with it in a braid to cut down on snarls (we braid it after her shower, while still damp). Then when she wakes up, it still looks *relatively* tidy, so she just leaves it in the braid. (Unless we're doing something or going somewhere, then she unbraids it and brushes it.) Very low maintenance.

I love these threads because every now and then I get a bit of baby-fever. I just mosey over here and set my 39-yr old self straight. I had miserable pregnancies when I was in my mid-20s, for pete's sake! Best wishes, all you preggo mamas!

We have a weed eater/leaf blower combo. Ours is a 20v Worx brand, maybe from Lowes? I don't remember. The battery runs out sooooo quickly. Luckily it came with a spare, so DH can kind of bounce back and forth between batteries (but they run out faster than they can charge).

Not to be alarming, but often blood clots in the leg present similarly to what you described (unexplainable ache behind the knee). That's probably why the nurse wants you checked out -- just to be safe and rule that out. It's likely nothing (a pulled muscle or something) but the two things can feel similar.

How very sad and confusing and scary for her. You sound like a wonderful daughter-in-law. (Hugs)

I think walnuts are my fave. Close behind: pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts (if they're UNshelled). Pecans and almonds are everyday, good nuts. And I like sunflower and pumpkin seeds...though I suppose those are seeds (I somewhat group them together.) LOL.

I haven't met a nut I don't like. I mean, plain peanuts are just so-so but even then, I love all things peanut butter.

Does she acknowledge that she could be forgetting? Do you tell her? If so, could you encourage her to write things down in a certain, visible place? Then she could refer back to it regularly? That's a tough situation. 😞

I turn to Amazon. Read reviews and see what size people order. In general, I've had good luck (and I only buy things with free returns). Here are some cute things: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LCGSG8F/ref=twister_B07MHTG3Y8 https://www.amazon.com/Miusol-Womens-Vintage-Cocktail-Evening/dp/B01FJ6VOBI/ref=pd_sbs_193_36?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01FJ6VOBI&pd_rd_r=9d863695-7103-11e9-acff-01df0530b2b5&pd_rd_w=SNoVp&pd_rd_wg=kRynu&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=14BYE7R14PY23DK87WGV&refRID=14BYE7R14PY23DK87WGV https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Flavor-Vintage-Sleeveless-Cocktail/dp/B07QNTLW3R/ref=sr_1_134?crid=37LTXYTLRCC9F&keywords=dresses%2Bfor%2Bwomen%2Bparty%2Bwedding&qid=1557258587&s=gateway&sprefix=dresses%2Bfor%2Bwomen%2B%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-134&th=1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWT2V9C/ref=twister_B07QWSB1XT?_encoding=UTF8&th=1&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/HOMEYEE-Sleeveless-Cocktail-Embroidery-Wedding/dp/B07L8RV6JS/ref=sr_1_11?crid=37LTXYTLRCC9F&keywords=dresses%2Bfor%2Bwomen%2Bparty%2Bwedding&qid=1557258491&s=gateway&sprefix=dresses%2Bfor%2Bwomen%2B%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-11&th=1 https://www.amazon.com/KILIG-Womens-Sundress-Dresses-Pockets/dp/B07QM5PPXD/ref=sr_1_4?crid=14XD7Q9B61BQN&keywords=dresses%2Bfor%2Bwomen%2Bcasual%2Bsummer&qid=1557258397&s=gateway&sprefix=Dress%2Caps%2C358&sr=8-4&th=1

I like them! My DH isn't a fan of nuts, but hazelnuts are his favorite and he requests them.

That video is incredibly endearing.

Vaseline has been helpful here. My eczema girl also gets irritated at the corners of her mouth. We initially used Aquafor there and it helped, but then she developed low-grade redness/irritation. The dermatologist said that some people with eczema/allergies/sensative skin are allergic to the lanolin in Aquafor. Who knew?!

I may have to try this. My youngest has eczema, and she's been using Cetaphil's gentle bar soap with good results. She might prefer a body wash.

Thanks! It sounds close enough to what we've done that I think I can teach it fine. (For intermediate, I used the guide for just a few lessons before going on without). Thanks again, everyone!

Thanks. I think they are quite similar. I'll probably get both student books. She could use the practice... @Jess4879 - are the lesson components basically the same in both levels? I know how to teach the Intermediate level (how to do the different sections in each lesson) but I'd love to know if the Secondary level has different types of activities (in which case, I'd need the Teacher's Guide).

Eh. If you pick at the details, it all falls apart. Otherwise, it's a fun ride. The costumes, the music, the dancing...

Youngest DD has been through REWARDS Intermediate and it was very helpful. I would like to go through it again this summer (she could use practice with multisyllablic words), but was wondering if I should redo Intermediate or try the Secondary version. DD is a rising 6th grader (Secondary is for grades 6+). If you've been through both, how do they compare? From the samples I can find, they look quite similar.

Yes! I see the big t-shirt look a lot here. We drive through the university several times a week, so most of the people I see are on their way to class. I'm often wondering if there are shorts under there!

.

I'd do it myself. And by "myself," I mean my dad would do it for me. He's relatively handy but he's not in construction or anything like that. Eta: for me, DIY is born of necessity. We don't have the money to pay people to do "doable" things (like painting, tile work, replacing flooring, etc). Google teaches everything. If I had money, I'd totally hire out. And I'd sit next to my pool, sipping an umbrella drink. 😉