Well, let's see. I had a fried Arby's chicken cordon blue sandwich with some curly fries and a diet coke for lunch today, so I am pretty disgusted with myself! I try to eat 80-90% healthy, clean and organic, but let's face it - 100% would be tough. You'd never be able to go out to eat again, never through another drive through, never have a bottle of Mexican Coke again? I do the best I can, but I am not trying to be perfect. We polished off several (like 12) boxes of GMO Girl Scout cookies last month, I hate whole wheat pasta and broccoli and beets and several other veggies, and I would never think of putting my PB&J on anything other than white bread. I just use organic white bread now. And I blend my smoothies, which is a HUGE lifestyle change for me- I am getting so many more vitamins and nutrients (veggies included) than I was, I am almost embarrassed at how poorly I ate before. I never really realized how bad some of the stuff out there is for you, but I don't expect myself to be perfect, and realistically, I still like my junk on occasion. Just not every day anymore! :thumbup1:

Unfortunately, I know about morbid obesity. My sister was morbidly obese, truly obese (not like your son!). She weighed 250 lbs and was 5'2". It was so hard for her to walk around she didn't do very much. She became very inactive and when you are so heavy and do so little, you have to eat very little to maintain your weight. She didn't eat all the time, she didn't eat very much. She just never could get caught up on it once it passed a certain point. Morbid obesity is what cost my sister her life. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer two weeks before she died. She didn't know anything was wrong until she began having pain, and there was a grapefruit sized tumor growing in her abdomen. No one knew it because you couldn't see it like you would in a smaller person. Her body could not handle the stress at all and she died two weeks after she was admitted into the hospital for testing. At the end, her kidneys gave out before she could start chemo. All they were able to do was drain the cancerous liquid that the tumor was producing, and that was enough to send her kidneys over the edge. My sister is the reason I've gotten so into health foods and getting healthy from the inside out. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside- what matters is what's going on in the inside.

I know of a great one day a week school in Chino Hills if you're interested. I grew up in Fullerton, very close to Brea, and I am about 15 minutes from the Brea Mall if you know where that is. I don't know if that's what you're looking for - it is not a daily school and it is not free. I also know of a great math tutor, but I drive dd out to Corona for that.

Dd has been taking Latin 1 since December with a co-op and doing quite well. Her teacher is amazed at how much she has learned in such a short time- she is even ahead of some kids who have been in the class since August. We took a trip to NYC at Christmas and she was having fun reading the writings on some of the buildings, but the last couple of days watching the RCC choose a new pope has really shown her newfound command of the Latin language. When the cardinals were reading out of the Bible and praying in Latin, she came running into my room, "I know what they're saying!! I know what they're saying!!!" She was jumping around, so excited! Haha!! It's coming in handy already!! :hurray: Just thought some of you might appreciate that story!

I am not Catholic, but dd and I watched this with interest. It is very important for the future of Christianity, Catholic or not. Francis seems like a good man and a good choice. He seemed like more of a people person like John Paul II, hopefully he will be a great pope.

I don't even know you, but I am proud of you! Way to go, Mama!

I agree. If people want to see and want to take the time to go to my profile, they can, but every post is a little weird.

Hi ladies - I have started a group on the social groups thread. For some reason, I am having trouble sending invites to people, some of them go through and some give me an error message of "That user does not exist". I am just figuring out how the new thread works, so if you can help, that would be great! Make sure you join on your own if you haven't gotten an invite- I don't want anyone left out! Caroljenn :tongue_smilie:

I have a dss too. Mine isn't making babies, but I won't be surprised if he is married at least twice. He has a hard time making good decisions until he's made the wrong one first. His mother is a doozy. Lots of screaming and yelling and men cycling through every few years. She has a dd from another relationship and in the 12 years I've known dss, she has had three men living with her and the kids. Dss is, for lack of a better way of putting it, used to it. Dh and I are afraid that he will marry someone like his mother first, end up divorced (hopefulky with no dgc!) and then marry someone more mellow like me the second or third go-round. Dh has been in his life consistently- there were times when they were together for sports or just visits 5-6 times per week. Ds thinks of our house as a sanctuary from his mom's crazy house. He used to come over and just lay on the sofa in the quiet for hours. Dh and I already foresee having less access to ds's kids than dd's. We are just planning on smothering them with love and atention as much as possible to counteract the negative influences coming from the other side. I think that's the best bet for you too. These kids need help and they need stability and love. The more loving adults in their lives the better!! Good luck with your dgc. There is nothing you can do for a grown man, but the kids need you.

I don't see our Bible Believing Christians group- I looked twice? Did I miss it?

Me too- I can't read it at all past the 9th line.

I'm sorry to be blunt, but... If he treats you great and his own biological children great - he loves you and his kids but not your kids, at least not as much. You need to run. Right now. Your priority has to be your children. They don't have anyone else to protect them. If you don't leave, anything that he does in the future to your kids will be your fault. You knew and you didn't do anything about it. I can't imagine anything being any worse than that.

Never mind - I hadn't read the updated post when I posted this.

Yes I do. I live in Southern California about 30 minutes from the beach. We could go every day if we wanted to. I don't know what that has to do with wearing a bikini though? We don't dress like nuns and we do wear "normal" bathing suits, but bathing suits don't HAVE to be skimpy. Tankinis are fine. Dd wears tankinis, or tankinis covered by a rashguard, and I wear a normal one piece cutesy bathing suit, not a speedo or something like that (although I have those too). If you live by the water, aren't you worried about losing your top or bottoms? I have had it happen to me because I have lived here my whole life. In the summer, we would go to the beach 3-4 days a week. I've had my triangle bikini top ride up after a wave countless times and I don't want it happening to dd. If I had a pool in my backyard and no one was over, I might allow a bikini, but there is really no need for one. Dd is a conservative dresser from years of private school, and doesn't want to wear one anyways!

You are not the only one. My dd is 15 1/2, 5'8" 115 lbs and has legs that don't quit. No way am I letting her wear a skimpy bikini so all the young, middle and old men can ogle her. Not a chance. She wears tankinis, and even then there is a bit of skin showing between her bikini bottom and the top because she's so tall. She usually wears a rash guard at the beach because she boogie boards (Southern Calif) and that problem is solved. There are so many freaks and weirdos, I am not going to have them zero in on my dd. Let them look at someone else's dd. There are plenty of girls out there barely dressed. Not mine. p.s. she also doesn't wear short shorts and her bra straps are tucked nicely into her shirt. She is allowed to wear what used to be regular length shorts (4 inch inseam) and with her legs, that's plenty of skin showing.

So awful. Poor guy. I will be praying for him. :grouphug:

thanks everyone. I will check out your suggestions. =)

Thanks regentrude and luckymama. I will put the Astronomy Today book and videos on my list. Appreciate the help!

Both universities I am looking at for my dd who wants to be an engineer state that prospective students must have a minimum math score of 550 on the SAT to be allowed into the engineering department. You're not as far off as you think. I think the doing one section of the math test and then reviewing is a great idea - I am going to incorporate it for dd!! Thanks Sebastian and Creekland for the suggestion! =)

I will be praying for you Chris. Dh is going to the dentist for the first time in 25 years today - not expecting good results from that!! As for me, I am now on antibiotics for my sinus infection. Ugh. Still praying for all of you and our little group. =) Here's my verse for the day: Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I used to pick up some friends' kids from public school. When the bell rang, they just let them all out, even the kindergartners!! 800 kids streaming every which way. A kindergarten teacher was standing by a gate but it was absolute chaos. It would be so easy for someone to get grabbed. The parents are either in their cars waiting or not even there - if one of the first kids out was grabbed, no one would be able to do anything about it. Horrifying.

I made a great one this morning. So much stuff in it and it fits in the shaker cup in my hand! 8 oz. apple juice, 8 oz. pear juice (these are fresh squeezed- no added anything) 1 tbsp. chia seed, 1 tbsp. hemp seed, 1 tbsp. flax seed, 1 pkt. organic superfood powder, handfuls of collard greens, kale, parsley, and chard, 1 chopped carrot, 2 bananas, 5 strawberries, handfuls of raspberries and blackberries, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 kiwi, 1/2 avocado, 2 apples and a handful of goji berries. All organic and all fresh. Yum!!!

My dh has coached youth basketball for years, and then coached girls basketball at the high school level. He absolutely would not slaughter a team. He hated it when it happened to his kids, and he hates it as a coach. It is rude and certainly not the way to teach your kids empathy. The way dh went about it was to put in the second or benchwarming team when they were getting too far ahead. He would leave in players who were inexperienced or just not that good. It would give those players a chance to play and make sure he wasn't crushing the other team.

My kids are 19 and 15 1/2. They both still get Easter baskets, but the stuff in them is more expensive!!

Dd is a STEM kid, doing well in math but needs practice in word problems. Any ideas? Would Aops be good? Which Aops book? Thanks!