I drove a 2011 jeep wrangle 6 speed stick in tight traffic on a hilly road. Its a lot of work driving in that traffic. I feel like I was on the clutch the whole dang hour. I'm very comfortable with manual and off road 4 wheel drive. I've taught both of my boys for "just in case" situations. My dh collects cars/trucks. WE have 4 that are manual not including our diesel tractor. I prefer a manual but usually drive one of the stick shifts one a week. We prefer our sons drive the automatics just do to inexperience and high traffic. Its not like when I was a kid and you rolled back and touch bumpers. Are any of you old enough remember this happening and they lock up. We would jump on the pumper unlock and drive off in high school LOL. Am I that old?. IF you drive a manual now - you better be good. There is no forgiveness with a roll back like the old cars. I drove my dh's street race all pimp out 2011 dodge challenge 6 speed and yes its a ticket magnet :laugh:

grew up Nazarene which is a more fundamental version of Methodist when I was a kid. They are both from the wesleyan theology. I still actually agree with this theology but choose not to attend the denominations that follow it I choose non denomination protestant church because I dont' like the whole "joining" the church to be a full participant . Then with that membership you are suppose to have all those "same" convictions. I like the non denominations because they are about 'loveing and serving Jesus" without memebership. They don't call each member to a particular life sttyle. There are those that attend that dont' believe in any alchol and others that believe in moderation. There are those that choose to wear dresses only and others that wear shorts. I like its a real community of people loving jesus and respecting each individuals convictions.

We have a over whelming supply of pears each year. My sons have always used them in their potato gun :lol: They built it about 10 years ago and still its like a fall tradition. My 18 yo was just saying it was time for new igniter :001_rolleyes: OK I no that's not the kind of idea you were wanting but really cheap entertainment for boys. My nieces even love it. My nieces come over each thanksgiving and always wanted the potatoes gun. The pear are lighter than potatoes and fly further :D

No guilt you have a great husband IMO. I have always had all the care of my boys while growing up. My dh was a good material provider but emotionally stunted not available . My sons will tell you I raised them on my own. My youngest had hearing issues/tube issues. I was in the waiting room by myself through 6 different procedure before he was 5 I personally think that your little one waking up from anesthesia and having daddy their is a bonding for life type event. He may be young but its subconscious memory daddy is always their for me. My sons are young men and just don't have that with their father. They understand and forgive him his issues but potential relationship was lost because my dh chose work cause he couldn't deal with life. So don't feel guilty you and your dh are sharing all the emotional difficulty times of parenting. The children will absolutely benefit from having both parents equally doing the hard stuff.

The girls that my sons' grew up have been much worse than their brothers so that's where my comparison was being made. I know its hard either way "parenting" an adult. We make the transition with our kids to an adult/adult relationship vs a child/parent. They want to fall to the parent/child relationships when they think we should purchase them stuff. We have to stay strong and explain that the are responsible for themselves. I know the mother in me wants to give and help but I know that no is the best answer to helping them learn self sufficiency.

I have sons and they tend to be easier than girls thank God. My now 21 year old son had it all figured out how he was going to have it all without the school -of -hard- knocks. He wised up and is living at home saving money. I'm sure your daughter will do the same in a few years. I just hope she doesn't go into debt and have to move home to pay that off. My sons was money wise but not life planning wise kwim. He has a job with a great German company that will be sending him to Germany for school in January. He is so excited and currently learning German. He would of never got the job had it not been for moving home and starting a home improvement business. He happen to do work for one of the german managers at his home intermediately for 6 months. The guy like what he saw and when a position open he literally was hired that day working the next. He is moving up quickly and really enjoying the work. He now thinks I'm a good parents at 19 he was going to do it all different. When he was 19 I was afraid he was going to mess up his life so take heart your daughter may grow up more in the next few years and life decisions may become more responsible. He had all type grandious ideas that just weren't reality

Stick with the weight training you will be amazed at how much your body will change. I workout at home using dumbbells so I don't do crossfit weights mine are more moderate weights. I started off years ago getting fatigue with 3 and 5lb dumbbells. I couldn't'' do a push up for nothing. I tried Jillian's 30 day shred and couldn't get through level 1. I can now do all 3 levels together. I started Chalene Extreme yes it was cheesy but I got strong, could do push ups on my toes with in about 3 months of really building up to heavy weights. Then I went on to do her Turbo Fire and increased my cardio endurance I'm now 4 years later doing chin ups and working up to pullups. I can do around 70 push-ups on my toes. I do p90x level cardio workouts routinely. I'm in the best shape of my life. I hate p90x but I use that as an example cause so many people have seen the info commercial. I'm an advance fitness person who would of thought I love being physically fit and feel so young for my 45 yo self. I here literally everyday that people think 10 years younger. I guarantee that's do to being muscular fit and great posture (thanks to the weight) and not getting the middle age spread which having lots of muscle keeps your metabolism high so you can actually eat. I'm 5'3 and if I didn't weight lift the recommend calorie count for my body is like 1300 calories a day. I eat around 2000 (I love muscle) and no I"m not overweight. I weight 125lbs So hope this post was motivating. I

for me I used antibiotics and azediac acid cream (finacea cream) when it first started happening after I figured out the bumps were not acne stuff. I did that for about a year then started researching. I have found for myself that going on a low inflammation diet, getting into fitness big time (p90x cardio level is my regular workout speed) and drinking lots of water that I haven't had a break out in years. I will still get redness from wine, spicy foods so I limit those but put ice on my face immediately to cool the skin and closes the capillaries I do occasionally get a nodule on my hairline of my face, neck or back but they come witth hormonal times. I have the Finacea cream for the occasional bump I"ve had the same cream tube for a couple of years and its still over half full (getting out of date soon)

not sure if they will do a spin off with the married daughters but i'm sure them being in this documentary is about the money. Jill and family have already left for mission work so I don't know what the logistic would be if they choose to do a spin off. I think more than likely in a year or so they will do some special were are the duggar's now.

I couldn't do a push up before doing Chalene Extreme years ago. My goal that year was to do push ups on my toes. I was 40 and accomplished that goal and have gone on to be in the best shape of my life. She got be started on moderate heavy weight lifting. I'm now doing heavier stuff. I can tell for myself that I had weak shoulder/arms. WHen I started getting heavier with my weight (I was getting stronger upper body) I was able to do push ups. I do a lot of Cathe friedrich stuff. SHe has one workout that has drop set push-up so you get a total of like 72 and I can do them all on my toes. I also got to my goal of unassisted chin up this past year. My goal this year is unassisted pull-up. I still have a weak shoulder and I'm 45 so I listen to my aches kwim so I don't progress as fast than younger women. Ok enough about working out but its my passion. I'm all about fitness goals so you go girl and get those push-ups on the toes. My opinion if you have a weak upper body muscle like myself is train weights heavy. . I also suggest the elevated push-up using a coffee table or even the wall if your really weak . This doesn't put all your weight on upper body its more distributed. Then slowly get lower until your fully down on the floor.

I don't deal with animals but have treated humans that have had gangrene (mrsa) really gross draining wound that would not respond to antibiotics that required frequent debridement's and lots of drainage. The smell of these patients is just beyond anything you could think off. The only thing worse is the burn unit. The pony is on antibiotics with no swelling, no heat at wound and no odor from the wound then my guess is the drainage is normal part of healing. THe wound needed a drain but your vet may of chose not because of location. I don't know a thing about horses but maybe the vet can give your something to calm/pain for the horse so you can keep the area clean. I do understand your worry and hope that the vet finds all well

I'm there with you. I'm filling out my youngest son's final transcript. I've been going though shelves of stuff. The cool stuff that's still cool to me we never used. Lord of the Ring curriculum, Sonlight complete years, just so much money wasted and the dream of what my homeschool could of been had I had different sons LOL They made their path and I'm proud but it was not what I wanted for them. I wrestled the past few months with the same feeling of failure but have come around to my son's received a great education. It was tailor made for them and no one else in the world learned exactly what or how they chose to leaned I'm happy and over the guilt. I encourage you to accept you did the best you could with the kids given you. I decided not to sell the curriculum but donate to a family in need. The high school years can be expensive so if all this curriculum can help someone that wants to go through high school but doesn't have the resources I have plenty. I'm even giving a very nice hardly used microscope .

Oh gosh 20 direct hours with my dh heck no LOL. He has always been a work-a-holic and it doesn't stop when he is home. He works on cars, cuts grass and well just always moving. I'm more of a sit and read a book person. He drives me crazy always moving and I drive him crazy sitting around reading. We hashed out our opposite personality the first years of marriage when he would be up at 6 on off days ready to go and I would sleep in till 12. We do hike together but its several hours after he gets up LOL I won that one. He wants vehicles clean like brand new so he just keeps them clean instead of expecting me too. Man we use to argue over all kinds of crap. Then we matured figured out that our marriage we are partners but still individuals and stopped trying to change each other. We both live our own lives but still have great s*x so ever how many hours of the week that is pretty much our only alone time. The rest of the time when we are all home we spend as a family. We do talk on the phone several times a day (does that count) Usually short get this, do that, pick that up. :laugh: Oh and today is my 25th wedding anniversary so it works for us. We are going to spend 5 days together on our anniversary trip so I guess undivided attention for the first time in 14 years. We haven't gone on a trip just us since 2001. I'm guessing some people are more needy and maybe do need undivided attention from their spouse to feel connected But for me it would lead to divorce. We are both very independent people

Gosh sounds like my life a few years ago. I had a bad period of time well, fridge, washer, car etc all needed money to fix it all at once and my parents came to live with us major health issues. We made it through it and now years later. We actually have a saving and most of our stuff is newer (since it all had to be replaced when we were broke as crap LOL) and my parents are livng on their on again (thank god) Mike's just aren't strong enough. Tequila is cheap and you need fun tequila songs ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMTl9zHQ9Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue2-ZVxpVjc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj2700em-JQ

I married July 1990 and it will be my 25th so you have 2 years on me Happy 27th anniversary :cheers2:

without being to political the redstates like Georgia and Alabama are very "the school is the ultimate authority" because they need the federal money. I just and a conversation regarding all the ways the we in Alabama are a "nanny state" with some off the largest Medicaid and other social service but in general vote republican. I happen to be republican so its just funny to me I also had a run in with the School police because I pulled my straight a students out to travel and see grandparents without getting permission from the school. I got a nasty first warning letter and that was back in 2003 in Alabama. I pulled the kids out that same week because I had the fund for private school. I just can't stand the fact that "the state" has a say in my children and that's my libertarian leaning LOL The schools are only doing what the voting public has allowed to happen I personally know back when I graduated from school in 1988 the local parents still had a say the school. The introduction of the Department of education (another pig government program that hasn't done anything right formed when I was in school 1979) has lead to the schools laws and parents advocating their responsibly in my opinion mainly for federal dollars and programs. They sold their rights and this is what you get when the program/laws are out of control 3 decades later THe states get federal money on how many days a kid is in class so they are very strict cause they want the money The teachers union pretty much ran our state until the past elections. We are finally getting charter schools and I hope that there will be more reform but the federal dollar programs they will never give up so all future generation of public school student/parents will be at the contra of public school bureaucracy They establish the rules cause their are bad parents in theory but really it still comes down to the kids in the class room federal money. They can swing it whatever way but you bet the federal department of education was closed up. The school would go back to local control and the whole draconian truancy stuff would be gone

this is everyone that we know but us LOL My sons think everyone around here are rednecks. I crew up small town and they just aren't well educated on snakes. My son tries to educate the local folks. He got really mad at mothers day when visiting my MIL the whole family wanted to kill a rat snake. They think my dh and sons are crazy for relocating them or allowing them to stay in the barn. LOL I do know some farmers that want kill a King snake, its pretty well known they kill venomous snakes.

black snake under my front porch, 2 gray rat snakes and a king snake in my barn that we have left alone just this spring. I will kill a venomous snake near the house. We live on a lake so there are lots of snakes. I haven't seen a venomous one near the house in years just the non venomous. I pretty sure its because of barn friend the king snake LOL. Oh and a couple of weeks ago I went out my front steps and one of those gray rat snakes was right there and I went right back up the stairs LOL and called my son who moved it. I don't like snakes they are a phobia of mine but I do realize I'm bigger then them LOL I've learned to tolerate them years ago when my oldest son was all into the Australian snake guy show and he had to have a pet snake. We had a large gray rat snake which did bite him several times so the non venomous still have a not so nice bite and snakes are covered in salmonella so if you do have them around remember to really clean well.

I've never had to work in my 25 year marriage cause my dh and I are frugal and he has a good job. He is 52 and still not slowing down. I choose to work because I happen to be the daughter of a women who has never worked. I'm going to spell out the worst case for those women who don't' have their own retirement. My dad and mom got married young. He didn't want her to work old school BS. He had a stroke in 2004. He has short term memory issues so not employable but at the time was physically ok with a slight limp They had to move in with us because they were living in a parsonage (had no home they owned) I work to support them until we were able to get him on disability. Which they could live on but it was in government subsidized housing. They made it with my dh and I helping. He is now 69 and she just turned 66. He really needs to go into some type of assisted living. The thing is if she puts him in a home then all his social security and small pension goes to his care. SHe only gets a $600 dollar a month check for being married to someone that invested into social security. My dh refuses to have her live with us we've already done this several times She had cancer a few years ago and lived with us I took care of both of them. MY dh is just tired of taking care of my parents while I was a homeschooling SAHM and I don't blame him he went beyond the call. I have 2 siblings that don't help. So I work cause I know I'm still going to be funding my moms elder years and I don't know what the future hold and want to be very prepared for my elder years so I'm not ever putting a financial or marital strain on my children My dh and I are financially stable with assets but honestly I want my OWN even if I didn't have to take care of my mom. I don't like dependency if it can be helped. I know that could change with chronic health or accidents so as long as i'm healthy I want to work. My youngest graduates this month so I'm done with homeschooling. I've worked part time and doing volunteer work with redcross. I'm going fulltime employment and still doing the volunteer work . I'm also only 45 so I got plenty of years for putting back for retirement. I had my kids young and now i'm done.

Alabama is like florida a parent would be charge with delinquency to a minor. I personally think that so much of Alabama laws are antiquated. We still have no liquor sales on sunday in most of my state. There is also no hard liquor sold except in separate door entry area of a store so not going to see them on the shelf at walmart.

oh wow those people are nothing but what a southern would call "white trash" they are lazy and using the off grid as an excuse. It reminds me of a punch of homeschoolers I've seen in groups here in the past 10 years. THe parents don't' work and they give a sob story to get money from other homeschoolers. I've meet lots of folks like this family except they usually live in an old think 60's camper with no water/power and lots of tarps around plus the trash etc. I grew up southern poverty so I actually get that but this is trashy people not poor rural folks. We were poor no a/c or phone but we manage to have power. There were times our indoor plumbing didn't work. I would wash outside with a garden hose and use a out house (this was in the 80's) We did have a burn pile for garbage. We kept what we had clean and neat. It wasn't much but it sure didn't look like homeless camp. By todays culture it would be considered bad but we had clothes, shelter and went to school. My father worked 16 hour days paying for what we had which wasn't much These adults are just lazy sorry ass people. THey both need to get a damn job and put the kids in school until they can actually afford to homeschool. I'm very pro homeschool but I really get tired of seeing homeschooling families that neither parent works and will make some "religious" claim that its god's plan for us he will provide. I'm all about god provide but he gave you a healthy back and mind get up off your butt and use it. I have seen similar crap like this in Alabama and someone will call cps and the family disappears. Oh this whole thing just pisses me off

wow you sure are enthusiastic about the usps LOL I never had a problem with them until a few years ago when they lost a whole life of fred book set I was selling I even know my rural couriers nice group of people but I'm not going to cheer them. I work my ass off and try my damn best not to mess up but know one cares or cheers my effort but when or if I mess up it will be bad cause I'm a nurse and my mistakes have all types of life and death implications I've seen people on this forum complain about nurses, doctors etc I would love for folks not to complain about my profession but ITS just what folks do and we expect whoever is delivering a service or good to do a good job and when they don't folks complain Just life glad you had a good experience

I know she may be uncomfortable but I would take her for gyn appointment. My sister had several years of this type stuff and my mom finally took her to gyn at 16 and she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary . The doctor told my mom to put her on the pill. They refused because of religious issues. I think now days their are all types of bio identical hormones that could be tried verses putting a young girl on the "birth control" I know for myself on the other end at 45. I was having "hell" type PMS similar to your girl. I stared calcium and progesterone cream. It totally cleared up all PMS symptoms and regulated my cycle. I really hope you find a solution for the poor girl those type of periods can really affect quality of life.

she is a single mom of 6 with a teenage son and I knew just from his reaction to her that he was well raised the best she could do if this was a dysfunctional home he more than likely would of struck her back. I have sons 18 and 21 and although I was not single my dh worked out of town a lot. The teenage male thinks they are "adult" "man of the house" I really had to crack down and keep authority when he was away and sometimes they were still mouthy. They did apologize and know better but its the age. My sons said I would of done the same thing but without the cursing LOL. I have gone after them with a broom one time while dh was gone. I really wasn't going to hit them but they were pushing my last buttons and they knew it. I at least had another parent I knew would be home soon. I hate to say this but there is a lack of fathers staying and parenting in the African American community. I really think having a male to be accountable too help these young men to stay on the right path. I would hope its their father She IMO is doing the best job she can. I work inner city hospital and see way to many black teen boys being raised by a elderly grandma or single mom. The guardian tell me they don't know what to do and scared for their boys. I imagine the mom was scared for her son.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/nogozones.asp