For the price of shipping EDM will send you samples that will give you a number of applications. I have dry skin so I use a different formulation, but she does have a matte finish too. It's a great product at a great price! http://www.everydayminerals.com

I have read APDL but have not done it in a group. Between the two, it's the one I would choose. It is very basic, but I think there is room sometimes to meditate on the basics since we so often get off track. I did PPW in a group and did not care for it. I think some of it depends on your situation in your marriage. I know women who feel it has changed their lives. For me, it was a bit depressing. I think it's probably very helpful for someone in a broken, fragile marriage. I think if your marriage is strong and intimate, the author's views of men and marriage can seem a bit pathetic and it's definitely heavy on her opinion. That said, I think that if your are called to women's ministry, knowing how other women handle their own sad marital situations in a godly, graceful way can be helpful. Her prayers and her use of scripture are good and for a woman who lacks insight into the inner life of men, she has some good thoughts.

"The history of the twentieth century is, again and again, the story of men who fight against tyrants, win the battle, and then are overwhelmed by the unconquered tyranny in their own souls." No, I guess I am not trying to raise leaders. I am trying to raise people who choose to do the right thing, the courageous thing, the good thing. That may lead them into the role of "leader" and it may make them the oppressed and persecuted.

I would write a polite but frank letter to the school documenting what happened and requesting that this woman not be allowed to drive your children or assist in their classrooms. And of course I would CC to her. I would not contact her directly.

I can't see us moving for the simple reason that we have parents here that we will eventually be taking care of. Plus this is my home. All our friends are here, my sisters are a couple of hours away, we have roots here. I think that's *so* important and I am just not someone who would pick up and move in order to save money (though of course if DH's heart were set on it or if we were desperate financially, I would). I do like the climate. I do think DH will stay in his job until retirement - not necessarily the specific job, but the profession. I think he will retire on the early side or go to part time (as any lawyers seem to do) in order to paint more. We have a lot of house for our income. Sometimes I regret that, other times I am happy because I like the house and neighbors. I believe we are in the only major market in America where housing prices have been increasing, so I haven't been as worried as some about whether a home is still a good investment. I do think of our home as an investment. We plan to live in this house until our boys go to college, and then we plan to move into a tiny two bedroom condo for a while so that they don't get any funny ideas about moving back in:)

4 of the family sized bags of Luzianne. I boil the water, steep the bags, remove them, and then add the sugar after I take them out. I usually add about a cup of sugar. I will drink it year round, but I am trying not to so much because of the sugar. But it's good:)

I'm glad that we have programs to help families who are struggling. This is *food.* I can't tell you how in favor I am of people getting help buying food if they need it. Honestly, that would be my favorite use for tax dollars.

My kids mostly get along really really well. They have shared a room their whole lives, and almost never really have a serious agrument. They also have friends whom they seem to get along with really well, so no, I have no worries about my children growing up to be mean to each other or anyone else. They are really sweet hearted people. It's possible that I just have a very low tolerance for this kind of verbal ickiness. And actually, I agree with all of Colleen's post, except the part about how a Dad would handle this. My husband is very polite and insists the boys be that way too, and I think he would have shut this down immediately if he had heard it. But typically, neither of us would take a privilege away. I do think that was probably making too much of it and I wish I hadn't done that because these two boys are so well behaved I almost never have to punish them at all, and in retrospect, this probably shouldn't have been the thing. Honestly, I think part of it was that I was listening to Rosalyn Whatshername (who wrote Queen Bees and Wanna Bees) on NPR that morning, and it probably inspired a little over reaction on my part, lol. She's so convincing when talking about shutting down teen meanness! Anyway, that's for the input. You are all really helpful and I always appreciate a place to get balanced Mom perspective!

Oh definitely. We don't really choose our siblings, and some days, we don't even like them. I only brought up my DH and I by means of saying that no one else in the family thinks they can be mean - I'm not mean to my DH or my children, my dog or my MIL. So why should I allow my sons to be mean to each other? And of course, one reason is that they lack maturity and are still working out their relationships and ways of communicating and dealing with stress - and they aren't really "mean" anyway - just rude, maybe. Which is probably why I am conflicted about the tension between saying, "knock it off, if you can't be nice, excuse yourself to your room," and just ignoring it and letting them work it out. You all always give me a lot of think about!

No no, I hope you didn't think I was implying that boys should get away with something girls don't. I came from a family of three girls, and we were pretty nice to each other. I don't remember *wanting* to tell my sister she was an idiot or mocking her in a mean way. Mostly it seems to me that girls aren't has hard on each other, but that's probably not true. Maybe it was just my sisters and I. Or maybe we were meaner than I remember? I was just thinking that it seems like the constant "put down" just seems more the way boys relate to each other, though that certainly wouldn't make it more acceptable, even if true.

I'm not asking to be contrary. I'm just trying to sort out my ideas about this ahead of time. Do you think it's okay, then, for 15 year olds to say ugly things to each other? As a Mom would you ignore it? And at what age would you stop mentioning it to them? Would you explain that rules change with time? I guess I am thinking that it's not okay for DH to call me an "idiot" or for me to tell him to "shut up." So is there an age when kids are teens when you just say it's okay for a while but they better grow out of it?

I have two ten year olds and a 20 year old. The reason she brought up 15 year olds is that I was asking "is this 'no speaking disrespectfully' something that can be successfully and reasonably maintained through the teens?" It seems like it's easy to tell a 7 year old "if you aren't nice, you can go to timeout." But for two 15 year old (which I will have in the wink of an eye) is it reasonable to enforce a "must speak nicely" rule? Or is some of that "put down" banter part of the process. The are definitely intendeding to be hurtful when they say these things. I don't think my twins have ever stayed mad at each other for more than 10 mintues. Seriously, they are really good buddies and play great alone and with friends. But when they do get really intense about something, I just wonder if I am odd to think that "idiot" isn't acceptable, and what will it look like if I still find that unacceptable in 15 year old? I never let my older son talk that way, but of course he would have been talking to a five year old, lol. I wish Ria where here!!!!!! Or Amy in Orlando!

Yeah, that seems to be a common experience. I'm not really concerned about their long term friendship. I think it most likely that they will love each other when they grow up - they love each other and their older brother now. I just don't want to listen to ugliness. I guess maybe it's my own need for kindness more than what is necessarily "best" for the kids. But I wonder if I am being unrealistic.

My twins are together a lot. They are ten year old boys. They are very sweet hearted, polite children. Except sometimes with each other:) Yesterday they were playing basketball, and I could hear tensions rising. One said to the other, "what, are you going to cry about it?" And a few seconds later, the child accused of being on the verge of tears called his brother an "idiot." Now, I know this kind of stuff goes on on playgrounds everywhere. I'm sure when they are with their friends, calling someone an "idiot" is not really unusual. It seems to me that boys challenge each other this way a lot. On the other hand, I want our home to be a place where no one ever has to deal with being mocked or belittled or called names. I want it to be a place where ugliness just isn't acceptable, so you can relax and know you are 'safe' here from that. And that's what I told them. I took away a privilege and told them that no one else in the house uses insults - I don't insult them, Daddy doesn't insult me, and that we are not starting down the road of allowing them to insult each other. I told then I know they hear that kind of stuff on tv and from other kids, but that we are not going to be part of that. But I am wondering, has anyone ever raised brothers to adulthood without that kind of nonsense? Is it realistic to think that a 15 year old boy won't call his brother an "idiot?" Or do you just know it will sometimes happen but continue to address it when it does? What does it look like when you have two or more teenaged boys in the house? Is this just something they feel compelled to do, or has anyone managed to set the bar high so that brothers are kind and respectul to each other?

I got up today and the boys presented me with their "business cards" which they had been working secretly one. "XYZ Bros. Lawn Care Service." They charge as a team $5 an hour and "no job is too small." Lol. I guess they don't want to have to do school work today. I think we will do Latin, Math and Violin and then start weeding!

I think if money were truly no object, I would go back to school (again! I can't' get enough) and take classes in philosophy, theology ... whatever struck my fancy.

I'm sorry we've bored you. Perhaps (I say this gently) it's best to start up a more interesting topic when you are bored by the people you are with, rather than announce how boring they are.

Yep! That's what I was thinking too. I was thinking it even AS we were posting on that thread. It was an entertaining thread, but let's be honest, the only reason we think we would never, no matter how poor, cut up raw chicken, buy cheap Toilet paper, or save foil, is because we have never really truly been poor. When you can't feed your kids, you do what you have to do. Even the dreaded raw chicken. I mean, I'm sure we all know that already and that the thread was in jest, but I was wondering how it would make someone feel who actually struggles to eat.

Do you include the households of retired people who are only earning off investments?

I read your thread and sympathize, but then I looked at your child's photo, and I thought of my favorite sonnet. You have such a beautiful child. What a doll! I know what you mean about how comparing yourself to others can result in envy, even when you know that others might envy you. It's silly, when you take a global perspective, but most of us are more inclined to look at the people in our daily lives and compare ourselves to *them* than to more remote and less fortunate (financially) people. A good, reason, I suppose, to make sure we don't isolate ourselves from a broader community. Anyway, when I feel envy stir, I look at my children - preferably when they are asleep - and it all goes away! When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd, Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate; For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Kappa Kappa Gamma. I totally didn't see myself as sororiety material, but it was actually a mostly great experience. It was nice to have a lovely home at which to have dinner with really nice people every night, and I made good friends there. One of my best lovely homeschool Moms in town pledged my sororiety when I was a senior, and I have other connections that have lasted the years. Honestly, I was so *not* a party girl. I think people have really odd ideas about what soroieties are like. The women there were SO nice to me an academically accomplished and involved on campus. On the other hand, pledge week was completely horrible, and I hated everything about it. I also hated the meetings. It was sort of like church, come to think of it. Loved the people, hated the meeting and expectations:)

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I'm not sure you are reading the "thread rating" system correctly. I've never even rated a thread - it's never occurred to me. Whether I like the thread or not - it just wouldn't be on my radar to "rate" it and I bet I am in the vast majority. Further, I doubt when people rate them, they are really saying whether they think a thread topic is "good" or "bad" but rather whether they are enjoying reading the responses. I imagine many threads people like don't get stars because no one is really feeling strongly about it or no one just thinks to do it. As for homeschoolers and money, I'm not sure why someone would think that the average homeschooler has no money. For the most part, the poorest America's CAN'T homeschool because they need whatever income the parent could earn. Something close to 25% of children live in single parent households, and while some of them manage to homeschool, most of them simply can't, and they are often less economically privileged. I think it's more the case that when only one parent works (as is so often the case when a family is homeschooling) the other parents just tries to be extra frugal with what is coming in, even if what is coming in is comparatively generous.

I'm booking tickets for an out of town guest to my church. I need to put this on my credit card, so I need to do the booking for them. I'm looking at Expedia. If they don't want a seat for the child, can you still travel that way? Just carry the baby in your lap? Do parents still do that? Do you still include the child and his/her name when you book the ticket?

For some people, it's never enough. Never. And I think that's true of most of us. I think it takes real emotional and spiritual work to not be someone who thinks "you know, if I just had 10K more, it would be some much easier because....." It's never ever enough. Last year at this time DH and I were starting a Crown Ministry class and I spent so much time budgetting. I showed him the budget, the categories, and how hard it was going to be to live within that budget. And he was surprised because he makes a good living, and the way he wants to live is how all the other guys around him at work live. But they aren't tithing. Anyway, the next month .... surprise .... DH got a really nice raise. It was such a sweet blessing. And now a year later? I found myself thinking last week "Gosh, was April the month we got that raise? Because right now a raise would really come in handy because...." So I have to tell myself, "this is enough. It's enough."