Have you seen communism/socialism work well in practice or theory? Why would anyone work to better their lives if they could either be a.)given things without working very hard or b.)taxed such that there's no point in growing their business? -just askin'.... ETA: Oh, and one more thing, sometimes it's not the working harder that produces the income, but the willingness to take on a risk in business to earn more. ETA: Really, this is the last thing I'll add, lol! If everyone is taxed so that they all end up with the same middle-income, who will be rich enough to hire other people to work? Only the government? Will we then all end up working for the government like a queen bee?

I once did 15 loads in a day. It was winter, I had 5 kids, a husband, a dairy farm, and broken laundry equipment at home. I saved up my loads for a few days and then took it all to the laundromat. It was actually really, really great to have all 15 loads done, folded, and ready to put away in about 3 hours. On a regular basis though, I do about 3 loads a day. If I skip a day, or even (gasp) 2 days, I have a mountain to contend with.

I had 5 babies in 7 years, and for many of those years we had wee ones sleeping with us. I took the side off of my regular crib, adjusted the height of the crib matress to the same height as my bed matress, and pushed the crib up right next to the side of my bed. When we were done with that sleeping arrangement, we put the side back on the crib and it went in the other room again. I didn't see the price of what you were looking at, but it might be better to buy an inexpensive crib and give this a try. Then you could sell the extra crib afterwards if you didn't need it. Blessings, Julie

We had french dip sandwiches with caramelized onions and monterey jack cheese. Yum! So easy and fast--I can't believe I never thought of using deli sliced roast beef for this before.:drool5:

My dh goes to work at 5:45 a.m. *every day*. Seriously. I've learned that a holiday is more a state of mind than an actual event or day. Many times we celebrate by making every-day activities special. We will have a bbq dinner tonight, and focus on making our work as light as possible, while still getting it done. When dh gets home, we will probably laugh more than usual, joke around more than usual, and remember the reason for the holiday in our conversation and our prayers. I do sympathize with you though, and hope you find a way to make your day special!

I'm sure there are tons of ideas, but my ds17 loves: A small thermos bowl filled with taco meat, a ziploc of tortilla chips, and some shredded cheddar cheese. At lunchtime, he opens the thermos, dumps the cheese on top (the meat is usually still *just* warm enough to be good), and then scoops it up with the chips. Piles of sliced lunchmeat (including pepperoni) and cheese, and then he eats it with whole grain crackers. I've also found that the plain old sandwich is made more interesting if I make an effort to switch the bread to other varieties occasionally. Sometimes: pitas, sourdough, croissants, bagels, whole-wheat, sandwich roll, etc. My ds craves protein, I think, which keeps him full longer, so he also sometimes takes a whole bunch of hard-boiled eggs and some seasoning salt. We keep everything cold with a Blue Ice pack, so that's no problem. You could also do deviled eggs, if he likes hard-boiled eggs at all. Peanut butter is also good, and my ds will take a small cup of pb and some celery to dip, or some of those graham cracker sticks. Oh, and I send lots of granola bars (I try to look for the ones that aren't just a candy bar in disguise) and small bags of nuts. It's not as protien-filled, but my ds also likes it when I put frozen strawberries into a plastic container and then dump a vanilla yogurt on top. By the time he eats it, the berries are thawed. You can also send along a bag of granola to sprinkle on top, if that's his thing.

I would be *running* to get a second opinion on this, and when looking for a doc to give the second opinion, I'd only see one that would consider using the meds that the other ladies here have suggested, should they deem the procedure really necessary.

My answer doesn't really fit any of the choices. When I see larger families, I still oooh and ahhh, because I think the more, the merrier. With that said, we have 5 dc, and I'm definitely not giving birth to any more. Having the 5 we have within a 7 year span really just "did my body in" in terms of baby-making. I'm pretty content, as is my dh, but I would love it if a few more dc just "arrived" in our home. About 15 years ago, when we couldn't afford more than we had, I met 2 sweet little boys who were headed for a group home (orphanage). Oh, how I wanted those babies!! There is no way anyone would have allowed us to have them. Our teeny tiny falling-down shack of a house just wouldn't hold any more--but that didn't keep me from longing to bring those boys home to be a part of our family. I still think about them occasionally, and because that happened once, I know it can happen twice. If the Lord wants our family to grow, more children will just arrive. My dh is not the type to seek out an adoption situation, but he is the type who would accept(and love) it if a flock of children walked into our life and stayed forever. :thumbup: p.s. When I was young I wanted 6.

I'm realizing that I pretty much have to "pester" my kids through routines that other kids take for granted, and still some things are falling through the cracks. Do your kids get up in the morning on their own, or do you get them up? Do they automatically make their bed, get dressed, brush hair and teeth, because they know it's the right thing to do? Do your kids have a definite pattern they follow for when to shower, trim their fingernails, memorize their catechism, etc? I'm a little frustrated because I'm still running into things like: kids who occasionally don't brush their teeth before church kids who lose things because they don't follow a routine for coming in from work, emptying their pockets into a set location for wallet, cell phone, change, usb flash drive, etc. kids who seem to be getting worse about being in bed on time kids not showering every night after work even though we've made it clear that that's the standard both with words & modeling. I'm mostly talking about the kids who are old enough to do these things on their own. The routines we've tried to teach them just haven't "stuck". Sooo... How regemented are the routines at your house? How much do you expect teens/preteens to remember to do on their own? In other words, how much do YOU have to remind your older dc of what they're supposed to be remembering on their own? Maybe my expectations are off, but I don't think so....!

Any tried & true career counseling on the internet? Free would be great, but anything you've found to be wonderful for helping dc decide what they'd like to do and be. If you know of a book that's just too wonderful to pass up, I'd like to know about that also. Thanks, Julie

...I'm just noticing them here and there. What's a bummer is that I don't really mind the color, just how "contrary" they are! They stick out every which way, and they are dramatically coarser than the rest of my hair. :eek:

Definitely take the meds. Though the pain was brief, it was still pretty strong. My doc told me it wouldn't hurt at all, but I was in pretty intense discomfort for a little while there. Your experience may be different though. Blessings, Julie p.s. My little cat seems to be thriving, but still isn't off the milk yet! He's starting to eat a bit of the sogged out kitten chow though. Thanks again for your advice. :001_smile:

My dd cut the cord to her brother's bedside clock with a pair of scissors. It just happened to be a pair with rubber-coated handles (thank God!). It actually blew the circuit breaker for half of our house, and welded the scissors to the cord. Yikes! :eek: She was ok, the clock was terminal...

I'm kinda sorry I saw Forest Gump. 'Ya, I know, everybody loved that movie, but I didn't. The great moments weren't great enough to make me ok with the bad moments. I also didn't like that Tom Hanks one where he's stranded on the island with just a volleyball to keep him company, and then he gets home and Helen Hunt has that other guy... As a kid I saw Nightmare on Elm Street, and Freddy Krueger and his knife fingernails will forever be in my brain. I saw just a couple of scenes from Pulp Fiction, and wish I hadn't. Don't you wish there was a way to "unsee" those things? I tell my kids that, and I'm not sure they take me seriously. You can't un-ring a bell, kwim? ~J~

A year or so ago, the local homeschool moms' group asked me if I would come to one of their Mom's Night Out gatherings, and talk about whatever I wanted to talk about. Anything. They said that whenever they listen to me talk about homeschooling and mothering, they are awed and inspired. I was shocked speechless at their invitation, and the way it was worded. I did set a meeting night with them, and afterwards one of the moms came to speak to me privately. This is what she said: "You and your family are the reason my Mom and I have the relationship we do now. Several years ago your family visited our church at night every Sunday for several months. I was a mom with young kids, and we never met, but my mom met you and observed your family and your flock of children, and how well-behaved your children were and how happy you all looked. When she found out from someone else that you homeschooled your kids, that was the moment that she accepted my future plans to have a large family, and to homeschool. Suddenly she thought my plans were totally the right thing, and she's been supportive ever since." Now, I don't for a moment see what other people seem to see about me and my family. I'm amazed when I hear comments, and think, "who are they talking about?! Don't they notice that my house is a mess, my kid has been wearing the same socks for a week, we're four weeks behind in history, and I made 3 typo's in the bulletin this morning?" Still, I am so thankful that I seem to be making a positive impression. Hopefully people see it as a reflection of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. ~Julie~

Where they sell the Wilton cake decorating supplies, they sell a gadget for torting the layers of your cake. I can get many lovely layers from baking one round cake. It has a wire that adjusts to cut exactly the thickness you want. They're only about $5, and if you have a Michael's nearby, you can usually find a 40% off coupon.

I'm glad to have input on this! If I make this tonight (Fri. night) and keep it in the fridge, it will not be spoiled by Sunday mid-day. I just wasn't sure if it tastes good, or gets soggy, etc. I guess I'll have to change my plan. Rats. Unless I actually skip sleeping completely on Saturday night, there's no way I can do a custom-decorated cake, have those sandwiches ready for right after church (and sleep too?) Hmmm...I'll have to keep thinking! Thanks again, Julie

I've never made chicken salad, and I've never eaten chicken salad (no mayo for me:ack2:) I need to make chicken salad sandwiches for a party on Sunday, but I'll have almost no time to get it done. Could I make the chicken salad tonight and put it in a container in the fridge, and then assemble the sandwiches right before the party? Is chicken salad one of those things that gets better with a little bit of time? -Or is it one of those things that just won't hold up well? Thanks, Julie

Ours does that inexplicably when there's a blip in our power supply. I don't really "get" why that happens, but we live waaayyy out in the sticks, so it's not a big deal for us. Sorry it creeped you out though. I can see why it would. ~Julie~ Sorry, this was supposed to go under the original post!

If you google PayPal and problems, you will find lots of horror stories. I personally, think some of PayPal's policies are very intrusive, and I hate how much information I had to hand over to them. I will use non-cc PayPal, but I wish I didn't and I understand why people insist on a check or mo. Plus, waiting on a mo or a check to clear is a good lesson in delayed gratification, imo. If I needed something urgently, I would buy new from a reputable company instead. Otherwise, I don't mind the wait of doing the transaction "the old-fashioned way." Blessings, Julie

I've gotta say, this has kept me laughing since the moment I read it this morning! Fourmother, I LOVE your sense of humor!:D ~Julie~

...but I WANT ANSWERS to all of these burning questions! :bigear: ~Julie~

I want to know, do men really find fake booKs attractive or unattractive? Also, regarding the men who watch p*rn...do they really truly somehow believe that women (normal ones, anyway) find those activities enjoyable IRL? -just wonderin'.....:001_huh:

We seem to have had a breakthrough today! I mixed water-softened kitten chow with about 2 tablespoons of canned cat food, and let him get pretty hungry. After some hesitation and uncertainty, he finally gave in and ate enough to fill his little belly. I feel better because of the progress. Thanks again, Julie

Sorry it took me so long to write an update! I really value your advice, and have considered the things you posted. I had ds take the cat to the vet. The vet examined the mouth/throat, and didn't see anything wrong. The kitten didn't exhibit any weird mouth movements during the check, so the vet didn't get to see that. There's another kitten from the litter, and it shows no signs of anything odd. The strange mouth movements are tapering off, but I'm having trouble getting this kitten weaned from KMR to kitten chow. It would just rather not eat, than eat anything other than milk. I've raised up probably, oh...dozens of stray kittens over the years, and I've never had trouble getting them to switch over to soaked kitten chow. The vet was pretty adamant about the weaning, even to the point of not giving me enough KMR to last through the weaning process. This is just a little peanut of a baby, but it's old enough to eat the food. Okay, I just weighed this little guy, and he's about 20 oz. So, now in addition to not having it weaned, I don't have any KMR to feed it. I tried to switch over to the KMR brand from our grain supplier, but it smelled funny, and Peanut wouldn't drink that either. It just really really wants that one brand that I started it on when we found it, but the vet is insistent about discontinuing the KMR immediately, pretty much without doing the gradual switchover. Will I kill this little guy if I give it kitten chow mixed with cows milk?(it does try to drink the milk out of the kids' cereal bowls) Thanks for any advice you can give me, Julie