So far my projects are all simple (but I have done cabling) wash clothes and scarf. I would like to try and knit a hat but can't decide on a pattern. Anyone have a tried and true pattern for a hat? Using circular needles (I heard that's easier than four needles. Is this true?) I know I can find one on line but there are so many it's overwhelming. Thanks.

Yup I had one and three years ago had an hysterectomy to resolve problems related to the fibroid. I will tell you that I knew I had the fibroid ten years before I had the hysterectomy (although I probably needed the hysterectomy two years earlier than I actually did have it). I'll also tell you that initially the dr thought we could take care of my issues in non-surgical ways. Surgery is usually the last option. BTW, having the hysterectomy immensely improved my life. I was 41 at the time and I think I gained ten years on my life the improvement was so dramatic.

:iagree: Those are my feelings exactly. I download the mp3 file every Sunday evening and listen to it before I got to sleep. Love those guys!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=709855 Hopefully this works.

Praying for you guys. :iagree:

cooking light naan bread It was very yummy. I mixed up some yogurt, cilantro and garlic and a bit of salt to make a dip for the naan. Hmmm. (And afterwards I had a 1/2 slice of the bread and honey, with my tea.) I haven't tried other recipes but this one worked well.

But it sure is yummy. Here's the link the recipe I used: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caras-Moroccan-Stew/Detail.aspx It's a very flavourful vegetarian meal. This is my first attempt at homemade naan. It tastes delicious I just need to get the shaping of the dough down pat. I am trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diet and this week, because we spent all our money on braces, I managed three meals with no complaints. Bean quesadillas, potato skins and spinach salad and today this stew.

:iagree:

Oh boy, now I'm hungry. I cook it the way my German mom did. I put about a tbsp of oil into a pan and saute the shredded cabbage for a couple of minutes. Then I add a bit of water to the pan and some vinegar and I cook the cabbage until tender. (Actually about 1/2 hour before that point I had sugar and salt to taste.) I usually cook the whole thing in about an hour but I do remember my cooking it longer. Anyway the whole thing is supposed to have a sweet and sour taste. I'd say make the rouladen to eat with it but in our neck of the woods rouladen cuts are very expensive so we eat it occasionally.

In the past we have had my nephew live with us off and on for a while. He was a young adult at the time and just needed a place to live and we were happy to house him. I still look fondly upon that time. And truthfully, I wasn't sure how I'd like it because I seriously like my space. I guess love covers a lot of things.

Well I just finished showing my friend my cabling project. She asked me what would make decide to do cabling after just learning to knit and purl (I have a reputation for not reading instructions.) That is what happened in this case. I saw the project. Thought it looked cool. Started. Then realized cabling was part of the pattern. Figured it out. So far so good. (I think I'll study the instructions when it comes to socks.) Anyway my friend brought me a little present (for dog sitting) . . .Knitting for Dummies. So now I have to put down the knitting and do some reading (my most favourite thing to do).

My mom showed me how to do the knit stitch. My friend showed me the pearl stitch. I bought a book from a craft store and started with a couple of dish rags with patterns and two coloured yarns. The book is entitled "I Can't believe I'm Knitting!" a Leisure Arts book. I also use this site because it has some little videos that help "show" me when I'm stumped. http://www.knittinghelp.com/ Someone on here posted a pattern for a scarf-let. That's what I'm working on now. Like I said I am very new, previously not really a craft person, but am really enjoying this hobby. It seems quite relaxing. Oh and of course I've checked out the Ravelery site too.

I'm seriously in love with this hobby. I'm telling you homeschooling is really encroaching on my knitting time :lol:. I am very new at this but am loving it. Today I figured out how to do cabling (when really I should have been studying tomorrow's writing project). I'm going to shock my family with some homemade Christmas gifts (especially my sister's who, up until this point, were blessed with all the creativity).

Because yesterday we shelled out our $2300 down payment on our ds's braces. This is followed by $300/mnth payments for the next year and a half or so. It hurt. Not the braces, the paying. (Well my son's teeth are sore today.) We do have a plan that covers $3500 out of the $8100 but non the less it's like buying a car without a car. We live in a rural area so our options were limited and our son's teeth were very bad. All the best.

My ds and dd are the same age. I began teaching them phonics at the same age (5). My dd grasped everything quite quickly. . . ds not so much. I was so frustrated. He was so frustrated. It took him an additional year to reach the point where he was able to understand the concepts. If I had to do it over, I would recognize that sometimes you need to take a break and try again in a few weeks. Sometimes it truly is a developmental thing. Or maybe a boy/girl difference? If I would have waited a year with my boy I would have saved both of us a lot of grief.

So I asked him the popcorn question. He said he doesn't restrict any foods because it's not realistic. However, he did say to use common sense. It's the popcorn kernels that cause problems, not the popcorn. He did say it's not a good idea to eat hard candies. Anyway, that was reassuring. Thanks for all the suggestions though. I'm sure I will use them.

Well this boy will be happy to hear all these testimonials (and very happy to hear the limitations on raw carrots :001_smile:).

Hmm, the pamphlet says no but I think I'll ask at our next appointment, next month. We too are big popcorn eaters here, virtually eating it every day. I can see eating it carefully might be the key. Thanks, I'll check it out.

Pita chips are a good idea too. I guess I could toast tortillas into chips. Thanks.

English muffins are an excellent idea. And the savory muffins are a good idea too. Once I made a roll (like a cinnamon roll) filled with ham and cheese and onions. He loved those. Thanks.

Popcorn is a (the) staple snack in our home. Now what? The pamphlet says nuts and popcorn don't mix with braces. This boy is a growing teen and is hungry all the time. Any suggestions for braces friendly, healthy snack food? I bake everything so I was thinking maybe I have to make crackers more often. But I'm looking for everyday, filling snacks. Thanks.

Hey, I just came back from the ortho. My ds just had braces put on. They suggested mashed potatoes, smoothies, yogurt, pudding, ice cream . . . soft stuff. It's only been two hours. So far, so good. Hope your child is doing well.

Uh that is good advice. I was wondering about food tonight. He'll be done at the ortho around 3ish and then we have an hour drive home. Maybe I'll stop somewhere and pick him up something to eat for the trip home. (This should be interesting given the appetite this boy, who is growing an inch a day, has.) Thanks.

Thank you. It's good to hear people's experiences. I think you're right that they've come a long way. I too could have used braces and suffer from TMJ now as an adult. (Although I did break my jaw when I was a child so that might have something to do with it.) Anyway we're off in about twenty minutes. I think I'll stop at Starbucks as a treat for me (we don't have one in our community). After all, it seems the parents suffers as much as the child.

My 13 yr ds is getting braces today to correct a severe overbite. Let me preface this with, I have an unnatural phobia of dentist and dentist related things. We made the appointment today because my dh thought he had the day off. Well that fell through so now I'm on my own. And we have to drive 45 minutes to the office. I am a bit nervous about the whole thing. I also think the unknown is a bit disconcerting. This boy is not known to be the most conscientious so I'm worried about the maintenance too. And he's hyper-sensitive so I can just imagine the next few days as he makes the adjustment to the braces in his mouth. Yikes!