I'm just south of Richmond, VA and I've noticed the prices creeping up a bit. I do about half of my shopping at the commissary on-base and the prices there are rising, too. I'm spending about $25 more per week on groceries.

:lol: I've stopped looking for clothes for my daughter at Target. Old Navy is just as bad. My sister calls their clothing line for girls Tramps R Us. Land's End has a nice selection of cute clothes that aren't so revealing. And I love Mini Boden!

One of the original Star Trek movies, I think... The Search for Spock? Or was it the Wrath of Khan? Or maybe I'm way off. :tongue_smilie: Although one of my first thoughts was The Rocky Horror Picture Show. eta: I see I'm not the only one who was a Rocky Horror fan. :D

I'll be talking to my husband about it tonight after dinner. I'd really love to go and I know the kids would have a good time. We're close by and, surprisingly, we have nothing going on that weekend. So put me down as "hoping to go". :)

Congratulations! Welcome, Abby!

Thank you! :)

We started the year with Real Science 4 Kids, but my daughter didn't care for it. She enjoys hands on lessons, but didn't care for the way it was presented. We dropped that in Novemeber and have been studying the planets and the solar system since then. We just finished today and I'm not sure where to go next. I have the Usborne Internet-Linked Science Encyclopedia and I'd like to follow TWTM guidelines (dd is in 3rd grade) and continue with Chemistry. I'm just not sure where to start or how to go about it. Science was not one of my strong points and I'm feeling intimidated at the thought of teaching something I'm not comfortable with. I want to make it fun and keep it interesting for her, too. I'd appreciate any direction, thoughts, recommendations or ideas anyone would care to share. :)

I started using retin-A last fall for my acne (yay! no more pimples at 40!) and now my skin is dry and super-sensitive. I use Clinique's extra mild cleansing lotion, but am having trouble finding a moisturizer that doesn't irritate and moisturizes enough. :( I use Neutrogena's sheer sunblock and it doesn't make me break out or sting.

Panties. *cringe* I'll say underwear, underpants or unders before I'll say the "p" word. Moist. I don't know why it bothers me. Succulent. It just sounds dirty.

I developed hypothyroidism after our second child was born. I was told it was PPD, that it was becausing I had a nursing baby, that I was depressed because we had just moved away from our families (we were in Okinawa), etc. I even had my thyroid levels tested but, because they came out on the high end of normal, my doctor felt it wasn't a problem. In fact, "normal" is different for everyone and, just because you test on the borderline, it doesn't mean you're not having symptoms.

I won't complain about our overcast, 40 degree day, then. :)

I don't keep snacks in the house. If it's not there, I can't eat it. :) I don't do much baking with the kids and the things we do cook are healthier (low-fat blueberry muffins instead of chocolate chip cookies). I don't deny myself. I found out over the years that strict dieting doesn't work for me. If I want a cheeseburger, I have one - but not every week. I will eat a slice or two of pizza - but I don't gorge myself on it because I know I can eat it and not feel guilty, if that makes any sense. I cut back on trips to the coffee house; now I only go a couple of times a month instead of a several times a week. And I order my drink non-fat and no-whip, and I can't tell the difference. I plan meals for each night of the week and I shop once a week. No more excuses for hitting the drive-thru or the take-out place. I eat off of a smaller plate. The same portions of food look bigger on a smaller plate, which makes me think I'm eating more than I am. We found out that our son is sensitive to food dyes and artificial colors, so we avoid a lot of processed foods. Which means fewer calories and less sugar.

This is our first year. :)

I'm watching this thread, too. We're using MUS and I was thinking the same thing - we need more mental math. :)

Amazon, The Stubby Pencil Studio (I ordered 3 more sets of cards two weeks before Christmas and I had them in 3 days), Mindware, and the very nice young man at Game Stop.

My daughter gets this every winter and we still don't know what it is. Her ped thought it was allergic dermatitis but we could never nail down the cause. His next diagnosis was eczema, but the cream he prescribed didn't help. She has it again this year and it's so bad she doesn't want to wash her hands because they hurt so much. We're going in next week and I hope we can figure it out.

We have a family account and our 8yo dd has her own email address, and all incoming mail is delivered to one inbox. She uses her account to email friends and family, and is only allowed to give it out with our permission.

I don't belong to one, but I'd love to find a secular group to meet with. Not necessarily for educational purposes, but I'd like for my two to meet other homeschoolers in our area. We live in a neighborhood that has a lot of older kids and the classes we attend don't allow for much socializing.

I get extremely dry skin in the winter time thanks to the low humidity and my low thyroid. What really helps is to apply a thick lotion right out of the shower. I pat myself dry where I won't be putting lotion and then start applying - wet skin and all. I'm using Vaseline Intensive Rescue lotion (I think that's the name of it) and it works beautifully. Aveeno Baby Lotion works well, too. I've tried creams and body butters, but they leave me feeling sticky and they don't seem to absorb as well. The "secret" is to rub the lotion in while your skin is still damp. I do the same with my face, still damp, right out of the shower, I put on my face cream. For dry, cracked lips nothing works better for me than plain ol' Vaseline. And for my hands, Neutrogena Norweigan Hand Cream. I apply it every time I wash my hands. I hope you find something that works for you - dry, cracked winter skin is awful.

My adhd daughter loved legos and lincoln logs at that age. She would spend hours building houses with legos, oblivious to the world. She found puzzles to be frustrating, though. How about some crafting supplies of her own? Beads, different glues, glitter, colorful scrapbooking paper, stickers, foam pieces and feathers could keep her busy for hours. Organize it all in a craft supplies box or a tackle box. Throw in a stack of construction paper, some markers or crayons and her own scissors and she'll be set. :)

I'm 40 and this started happening to me last year. My cycles were around 28 days and they slowly started getting shorter. When they hit 17 days, I saw my doctor. She said it can be a part of aging and that she sees many women with this issue. She recommended B-100 supplements, Omega-3's, and a mulitvitamin with iron (to combat the anemia I had from frequent, heavy periods). I felt better, but my cycles didn't change much. I finally went on the mini-pill (progesterone only) to regulate things because having my period every 2/3 weeks was not working for me.

Stress and illness can be triggers, too. I usually get a break out during a round of viruses here at home. Don't kiss your husband, share towels/washcloths or cups. Keep your hands away from your mouth and wash them with soap and water if you come in contact with the sore or your mouth. I'm very careful during an outbreak and neither my husband of 22 years or any of our children have had any sores. You could ask your doctor about one of the prescription medications for cold sores. I finally did and the meds work very well. My outbreaks were horrible; they would spread across my face and would sometimes leave scars. Now they stay small and are gone in a matter of days. :)

I really dislike crowds and do most of my shopping online. I can shop around for the best prices and can usually get free shipping - all without having to deal with hordes of people. :)

I, too, have super-straight, fine hair. I like John Frieda's Frizz-Ease anti-humidity hairspray. It's about $4 and hasn't let me down yet. :)