Oh - I hear ya' on the baseball schedules!! We have three boys playing baseball this year. The older two are on the same team (thank God!). My 10 yo just made the tournament team, so we'll be juggling three teams. We don't have hard and fast rules about it. Our boys do karate year round. If they aren't involved in another sport that requires as much time as baseball, they go to that 3 x/week. During baseball season, they go down to once/week. Our boys are usually involved in two sports/activities at a time. BUT, we live in an area where everything is close. Karate is less than a mile from my house. Baseball is three blocks. We walk to both of those (unless it's too cold). Soccer is across the street. The longest we have to drive anywhere is 20 minutes and that's only once/week. It really depends on the situation and your family. We LOVE sports, so we do quite a lot with the kids. But, if activities are getting in the way of family time, we'd cut back in a minute!!! Good luck finding a balance!

I'm so sorry!! Can you have a re-do? Next weekend?

I'm fairly new to my kids being left home alone (my older two are 11 and 10). But, I don't let them play outside when home alone because I'm worried that they'll get hurt and nobody will notice and get them help. My reasoning has nothing to do with stranger abduction (which I don't usually even consider!). We're also new to this neighborhood. So, maybe my views will change as we get to know our neighbors better (but first this darn snow has to melt!!).

No. Not a fever. I would take a child with a cold, however. (Heck, if I didn't, we'd nearly never go! LOL) I'm so sorry you've been so sick. How is you little guy this evening?

Yup! I can commiserate. We're expecting 3 - 6 inches. We're under a Winter Storm Warning!!! We're going to have to start calling it a Spring Storm Warning!

I have a Viking and it is wonderful!! I got the 7 qt. 1000 Watt machine. That thing could mix anything!

We love the washable wipes!! I just use those washcloths that someone else mentioned. I wet down about 10 at a time and keep them in a container. I make up more wipes every time I wash the diapers. I don't have to swish out the poop from the wipes unless there's a huge chunk. If that's the case, I just dump it and stick it in with the diapers. Good luck and have fun!!

We had 1 1/2 days in Albuquerque. We did the Petroglyph National Monument. This was REALLY cool. There are a ton of messages telling you to watch out for rattlesnakes. My kids thought that was awesome! You also can climb an inactive volcano here. (Right? I think this was here.) We also spent a lot of time in Old Town. It is gorgeous! I had wanted to do the tram, but we ran out of time. We were there when there was a really bad fire (in the state park maybe?). Anyway, we got to see the helecopters taking water from the Rio Grande River and dump it on the flames. (We could see the smoke from the Petroglyphs.)

making money - DH paying bills - ME budgeting - ME mortgage/loans - ME home repair/maintenance - I hire someone after dh tries!! LOL banking/investments - ME taxes - DH car care - DH health insurance - ME scheduling (making/keeping track of) - ME phone calls or correspondence re: all the above - BOTH teaching/school work or homework - ME discipline (planning and implementing) - Mostly me, but both spiritual guidance (who actually carries it out, not just the "head") - BOTH kids mornings - BOTH kids bedtimes - BOTH transportation for kids - ME grocery shopping - ME laundry - BOTH eating at home - BOTH eating away (pack lunch, etc) - ME daily chores/cleaning (really need sub-categories!) - Mostly ME lawn care/snow cleanup - DH garden or bed maintenance - DH

I use cloth wipes too. But the few times I've been out and forgotten to refill the diaper bag with wipes, I've just used the disposable (borrowed!) wipes and stuck them in with the dirty diaper. They wash up well and I throw them away at that end. I've found cloth wipes to be really easy, quite honestly. I think it'd be easier to use them and just stick them in with the diaper than to have to have a trash can near your changing station. JMO!

I have two "bags." One is in dd's bedroom with her changing table. I use that one for wet only diapers. This one is just a bag that hangs from her closet. It gets washed with the diapers every time I wash. (I got it from Green Mountain Diaper.) I also have trash can with a lid in the bathroom for the poopy ones. I dump the poop in the toilet and then just stick the diaper in the can. No odor. On wash day (about 2x/week), I combine the poopy diapers with the wet ones in the washable bag. I clean out the trash can in the shower. Then I wash. Pretty easy. Yes, there is a very strong ammonia smell when I put the diapers in the laundry, but it's pretty quick. It is much worse now that she's older. I don't know if you know, but if you are breastfeeding, you don't have to dump the poop in the toilet first. Once you add solids or formula, you will have to. That was nice for the first six months though!! Oh - and I also don't ever use disposables. Our cloth diapers have been everywhere. The only exception is if we're going away for more than a week and I don't have access to laundry. (I only have 6 days worth of cloth diapers!) Good luck and have fun!!! There's nothing quite like a full load of clean diapers. I don't even mind folding them!!

Oh man!! I'm with ya'!! I hadn't been to the dentist in 3 1/2 years until I finally went about three years ago. Luckily, all was good. I decided to get caught up on all MY appointments this spring. So far, I've been to the eye doctor (I haven't been to one since HIGH SCHOOL!!!). I still have 20/20 vision (at 37!). But she said I had some calcification in my eyes. Easy enough - allergy drops. And, I feel SO much better! I have my physical appointment in three weeks. I'm dreading it. I've written down all my "problems" that make me wonder if there isn't something more going on. I'm SO nervous!! Anyway, it's been three years since I've been in for one. (Since I got pregnant with dd!) I still have to make my ob appointment. I'm taking them one at a time. And, I hope you don't get yelled at and everything is good!

Very nice!! I love the curtains! Oh - and those pictures on the wall - just perfect for the theme!! We just did my dd's room too. I'd post pictures but I don't know how!!

LOL Good try though! You gotta' give him points for every trying to get away with that one!

Ouch!!! I'm glad to see that he's better this morning! He sure deserves a black eye (in a good way - you know, they're SOOOO cool!!!), so I almost hope it does bruise! LOL My sister was actually struck by lightning when she was younger! It wasn't a direct hit (we don't think) - she was standing next to a basketball pole and got hit. She has scars from the entry and exit wounds!

My ds (11) talks about how different feelings that he has have different tastes. I'm not sure if this is the same thing though. He has Aspergers and he, for example, explains the feeling he gets when listening to other people talking about something they like as like the taste you get when you take a taste of orange juice after brushing your teeth. It really sets him on edge.

Quite honestly, I don't buy many of their prepared foods. I shop there for my weekly shopping (one just opened a mile from my house!!). I buy staples - fruit, veggies, etc. But, a few things that I find especially good are: Peanut butter Organic jelly Ketchup (no HFCS!) Wheat wraps Fresh fruits and veggies Frozen fruit and veggies - one in particular - they have a frozen pepper medly (green, yellow, and red) that is AWESOME!!! Corn Chips (in 32 ounce size!) Whole Wheat pastas Glee Gum Soap (there's a tea tree oil one that is really nice!) Wine!!! Nuts (There's a Thai Cashew that is to die for! I also love their wasabi pecans and their peppered cashews. Yummy!) Salsas - be sure to check out the garlic one I know there's more, but I'm too tired to go look now. I find their cheeses and meat WAY too expensive. (Although there is a package of frozen chicken that's a decent deal.) Have fun!!! Plan to spend time just looking! When I go, I always leave in such a great mood. People are so nice there.

We'll stick it in savings and use it for one of these things: 1. Redoing our fireplace/mantle (it's brick and brass right now) and adding a plasma tv and blueray player. 2. Staining our deck and fence, re-doing our front porch, and working on some nicer landscaping. 3. Finish finishing our basement. (We still need to add carpet, paint, and another closet.) If we don't use it for these things, it'll stay in savings and get used toward: 1. A new (used) car in about 3 years. 2. Our European Vacation in 2011 3. Other various vacations between now and then! So, I could really use about 10 times the amount I'm getting!!! LOL

HURRAY!!! Congratulations! My sis had the same thing happen. Her baby is almost 2!

We got the 5/8" real wood that already had the poly on it. It's wonderful stuff!! It came with a 50 year warranty!

I think it's very interesting that this is Karen's post number 666!!! How dare you diss David A???!!! Seriously, I really like his humility. I find it refreshing.

Oh my gosh!!! Thank goodness you weren't inside when it was happening!!

Last September, we paid $7000 for 750 sq. ft. installed. This included all the demo work - taking out all the trim, toilets (we had tile installed too), stove, fridge, ripping out the old tile, repairs to the subfloor, etc. - as well as all the other expenses - new trim. So, we paid about $10/sq. ft. installed. But, we chose the really nice wood. You can get it done cheaper.

You know, in your case, I'd just go with something simple! Cook your favorite foods - provided they're easy. You're pregnant! Take is easy! Or do something totally different and fun and serve ice cream as the main dish. As for us, we're going out to eat!! We do this every Easter and I LOVE not having to cook and clean on such a busy day. (Dh is an Episcopal priest.)

Yup! I love the Britax seats. We have the Boulevard and it truly fit our dd at birth and should work until she is 65 pounds (in a five point harness). Oh - and it's rear facing a lot longer than 20 pounds. Dd is 2 and still rear facing (and will be for quite a lot longer!). It's supposed to be much safer.