What a wonderful relief, no? I'm so glad that the chemo is working so well and hope for continued success. Keep us updated and take it easy on those after-chemo days!

It will be interesting to see what happens this year. We've been away for 4 years and while the kids are chomping at the bit to go to Target (and me to thriftstores), I wonder if we'll really need all the stuff we think we will...but we have the craziest stuff on our "list" (all the ex-pats keep a running list of "stuff to get"). Organic PB, vitamin C, diatomaceous earth... :)

Well, we don't restrict our kids screen time and I don't pity your kids. Well, unless you were beating the restrictions into them. But I honestly don't think that is happening so no need for pity here. Don't let the bastards get you down. I think Internet really requires if not a thicker skin, then a back like a duck's. :)

Our trailer is 300sqft but that sqfootage includes the beds, the fridge, the couch, dinette, toliet, shower, etc. Not much walking around room. Our palapa (outside shelter - palm frond roof and wooden poles, no walls, is 6m by 13m and the trailer sits underneath it. I guess you could say our house is 78 sq meters but I'd have to find a converter to figure out square feet.

Here in Mexico we have lots of alternatives. When we're in the US we go to thriftstores.

Posting under the influence. :)

Eh, too late. I had a HUGE pot of "tea" and am now sober again. Little tea for myself, little tea for the man, we had us a little tea party... :) Um, was there travel involved in my PUI? :)

Holy Frack, Mindy. I'd be driving for WEEKS! I'm in the YUCATAN PENINSULA! :) Nope, just one glass. I'm a fracking lighweight! :)

We have a MacBook and IBM Thinkpads. I wouldn't consider anything other than a Mac or a Thinkpad. Durable, long-lasting and worth the money. If we lived in a stickhouse (instead of on the road) I'd get Imacs for the kids.

Why THANK YOU. And your dude is quite a gorgeous little dude! He looks so familiar! I must have stalked your blog once or twice before. :)

OMG I'm drunk. :) I've been drinking my red medicine to up my good cholesterol and had a leetle bit too much. one glass. hic. :) just felt like sharing...

Wow, what a DEEP question. I've been thinking and thinking and the only thing I can superficially come up with is, "because it is the RIGHT thing to do". Same reason you help people who need help. But why is it right? I suppose it has something to do with the way I was raised, boycotting grapes, protesting the (Vietnam) war, believing in JFK, listening to MLK, and being mindful that we (white, American citizens) are incredibly lucky and have amazing opportunity. I don't believe in any gods or a god. I don't think there is any higher power but I definitely believe in treating people and the earth well. I really don't know how I came to that belief, but it must have come from parenting. I give lip-service to kharma and it is probably the closest "religious" pov that I can identify with but I am not sure I honestly BELIEVE-believe in it. I kind of do - you get back what you put into the universe, but really, I don't think that starving African children are getting back what they put into the universe so I simply HOPE that the BAD guys get bad kharma back. I guess I hope for retributive kharma. :) What a GREAT question! I'm going to ask all my kids and see what they come up with.

I am very particular to the Coatepec beans and really don't care for the Chiapas beans. We don't buy branded coffee but beans direct from the roaster. So I get a Cuban roast of pure Coatepec beans. Since the roasting is done by hand sometimes the batches are exactly the same. But they are always good. I like the depth of flavor without bitterness and acidity that I get with Coatepec beans. I'll make this offer. If you would like some Coatepec beans, email me at jamnkats at gmail dot com. I only get en grano (beans not ground) and I am not sure if they offer beans that are ground but I can check. The beans run 90 pesos per kilo. I can get 1/2 kilo bags also. If you're interested and can wait until we come back to the US (November 26th, so it wouldn't get shipped out until the post office opens up again - not sure what the USPS holiday schedule is) I'll bring you beans. We spent quite a bit of time in the Coatepec region and the Xico region of Veracruz, looking at the different farms, seeing how the beans were grown and processed. The smaller cooperatives can't afford organic registration but their practices are organic naturally. If you're in love with the bean, here are some photos... Oh! Here's a picture of "my" roaster The magical bean Las cerezas Mural from San Marcos - tiny town between Xico and Coatepec

Wow, I didn't realize this was considered political. But I guess I should have. :) I thought I'd share some links with ideas of what we can do to combat this discrimination. Obviously, if you approve of the legislation you can just click on by this thread. I'll not post more in the event that this is considered political. I guess I should have thought it out more before posting - it was legislation, therefore it must be political. Sorry, I'm sure the mods will clean it up soon.

I'm not sure whether to take offense or not. What a horror to be mistaken for a GIRL! How AWFUL it would be if someone thought you were a (shiver) GIRL! Why would being a girl be such an awful thing? Maybe it much less than that - it is hard to tell from your post what his attitude is, but I think it helps to examine why it would be so awful to be mistaken for a girl. My 14yo looks very girlish and is very secure in his gender. I honestly could not care less what sex he identifies with but he identifies as a male. This is 3 years ago, 2 years ago And this summer I think he is gorgeous, but I'm a bit prejudiced. :)

Good articles and good ideas of what YOU can DO. This first article is about the LA protest and was written by the True Porn Clerk author (Ali Davis) http://www.365gay.com/opinion/report...g-the-mormons/ Hopeful article on the legislation in CA http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sach...oples-mistake/ What YOU can do http://www.proudparenting.com/node/2219

His hair, his body, his decisions. I don't interfere in my kids decisions about their bodies.

I voted other - I have no idea what it means.

Well, it is something I seriously considered a LOT when my kids were your kids' ages, but I have to wonder what exactly you are teaching them by taking all their toys away from them. I don't believe in punishment. I don't believe in forcing a "consequence". I don't think it teaches kids anything I would want them to learn. If it were me, I'd have a heart-to-heart with my kids and tell them that I screwed up big time and ask their forgiveness and then strategize to find a solution to whatever problem you were having that led to the toys being taken away.

Now that I am finally starting to "really" exercise, I thought I'd chime in on this thread with the runners and see what they think. In May i started tracking food intake and began exercising a minimum of 40 minutes a day (walking) 6-7 days/week. I started at 90 kilos and by early October I'd dropped to 78 kilos. No dieting - just watching portion sizes and exercising. I have been using sparkpeople to track stuff. I've been finding a desire to run and a month or so ago started doing it but have no shoes. We just don't have a need for shoes down here. So I was jogging in my walking sandals (Keens, I think?) and one knee really protested along with a calf muscle. So I stopped. I just recently (2 weeks ago?) tried adding running again (bought some running shoes at Costco) but I don't think they're very good running shoes. We're going back to the US in a couple weeks and I have some Adidas SNOVAs ($30 at Amazon) waiting and I hope they help. So my walk can range from 46 minutes to 83 minutes. When I jog, I put a 10 or 15 or 25 minute portion of 1 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals in after a 28-33 minute warmup. I can pick up the Couch to 5K book when we get back in the US, but in the meanwhile, does that sound like a reasonable program? I am currently 81 kilos (178lb) and when I jog it is on limestone covered with sand (sometimes deep, sometimes not so deep, but never on limestone - always on some depth of a layer of sand). I know that is a lot of jarring and attacking of my joints but I really love jogging. (and to add to the idea of the thread) Um, exercised (walked or walk/jogged) 7 days last week but I don't know the mileage. I guess I'll have to check Google Earth and see what the distance is.

Converted to US dollars, we spend about $650 a month (includes all soaps, toilet paper, etc.) for a family of six. We spent the same when we lived in the US 4 years ago.

Well, FWIW, here is my experience. I have a 14yo who is very much "into" the computer. We homeschool (12yo and 9yo) and unschool (14yo and 7yo) and live consentually so I'm certainly not going to box up the computer and deny him access. A few months ago he agreed to try some academics but the last month he has dropped pretty much everything he was doing (Friday Freewrites, daily copywork and daily Teaching Textbooks). The material doesn't interest him and the expectation (even on his own and not inferred by me) that he is to do this work daily really grates on him. I continue to ocassionally talk to him and get his input and feel him out for what he is needing and would be willing to try. I'm continually looking for other ways to engage him and when we make our annual US trip (a few weeks) I'm hoping to pick up some TTC videos. I also read books to them (finishing Sonlight core 5 now) - he and his brother - so he's getting some exposure there - he is usually on the computer while I'm reading though. My children, once past the toddler ages, never got physical with me (that I can remember). My youngest is 7 and I know it has been ages since she did. So the fact that the 14yo is unable to control his body gives me concern that there is a deeper issue here. I think it is really hard to see the value in computer gaming (I'll be the first to admit I have trouble personally) and I'm constantly astounded at some of the stuff my 14yo knows about - all related to Google searches and stuff that has come up in gaming. I'll be perfect honest and say I'd much rather he'd crack a book one of these days though. :) It sounds like there is something deeper going on with this kid and the mom couldn't go wrong really trying to connect with him. I really don't think that public school is the answer unless that is what the kid wants.

Violent crime is very much isolated to the narcotraficante world and not a part of normal day life here in Mexico. One of the many reasons we live here - we are MUCH safer here than pretty much anywhere in the US. (I voted other)

Here in Mexico we're listening to coverage on NPR thanks to Sirius and reloading the CNN website for up to date coverage. We're celebrating already!