When I want light and fun I gravitate toward cozy mysteries, as well as titles by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Jennifer Weiner.

So many congratulations to you and your family!

Even though I've read it numerous times, I got the full-cast performance of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods"; it was fantastic.

Ooh, I love threads with book suggestions! I'm a pretty eclectic reader so I'm listing titles I've recently read and enjoyed (warning: they may not be "new" titles). "Slade House" - David Mitchell The Cormoran Strike series - J.K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith "Behind Closed Doors" - B.A. Paris "The Last Lion" trilogy biography series on Winston Churchill - William Manchester "Longbourn" - Jo Baker Books I'm looking forward to reading soon "My Not So Perfect Life" - Sophie Kinsella "Behind Her Eyes" - Sarah Pinborough "Theft by Finding" - David Sedaris What genre are you most interested in for your summer reading?

My youngest child suffers with anxiety and we haven't been able to find a support community, online or in real life. We've been looking also.

My husband has two college degrees. The second he got after his first seemed to qualify him only for retail management (Fine arts degree). I worked from home and we were on benefits while he doubled up at school and finished his second degree. He got his job before he finished school and has been there since. I would strongly suggest your husband look into college (online, if need be - but NOT somewhere like the University of Phoenix). Or a trade school. It might be tighter than usual for a while, but all it can do from there is go up. Best to you guys.

Ooh! I love Christmas book recommendations! Some family favorites of ours - Jean Shepherd - In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash ('A Christmas Story') Truman Capote - A Christmas Memory John Grisham - Skipping Christmas C.S. Lewis - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe J.R.R. Tolkien - Letters From Father Christmas We're doing an audiobook this year also Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol (read by Tom Baker - the 4th Doctor on Doctor Who and my first Doctor!) We have more, I'll take a look and post more titles later. *editing to add: For holiday books, my husband or I read to them, generally about an hour at bedtime. It's a family tradition now - we read many Christmas books during November and December.

If your insurance won't cover therapy, I would call them and ask what it does cover. I would look into low cost clinics, as another poster suggested. I would also, perhaps, go to your place of worship and ask about their counseling services (a lot offer them). Look into state medicaid insurance and sign up for it, if you're eligible. Ask your pediatrician for recommendations. It sounds like therapy would greatly benefit your family, and help repair and forge a stronger bond between you and your daughter.

I'm a mom to 10 and 11 year old DD's and I can't imagine the pain you must both be in right now. Hugs. Counseling - above everything else. Spending more time with her, heavy supervision with electronics, but really I would find the best therapist that I could and start going and opening up. Family counseling as well as counseling for each of you on your own.

It is working and they love it. I tend to worry that there's always something better, with everything we use. They understand it, they both really enjoy it, and it's very easy for us to implement in our day (I have them do a lesson a day). I like the idea of R&S based on what I've read about it along with my desire to have fewer workbooks in the house.

I know a lot of people love R&S LA - we've used CLE LA and my children have really enjoyed it. However, I'm having curriculum indecision. I'm wondering if it would be worth trying R&S or if we should just stick with what I know, firsthand, works for my children.

Duluth - awesome lifetime guarantee also.

My 10 year old has an epi-pen and if she touches her allergen or inhales it, has a reaction. We don't have anything with her allergens in the house. If my child only had a mild allergy, I still wouldn't have it around and would opt for trying to expand my children's palates, choosing to keep the home environment safe from allergens.

We just looked at H&M's offerings. Their girls sizes go up to a height of 68 inches and my DD likes a lot of their clothes. Crisis averted.

Wow, their stuff is really pretty! Thanks for sharing! I might have to order myself a couple of things.

Maybe a blog and an instagram. Depending on how many followers you gain, you might get advertisers. Your talent is a valuable one, treat it as such, and put yourself out there! Best to you!

This is so inspiring. My DD is very into boho-chic, she loves peasant tops, long skirts, and boots. Stevie Nicks is a favorite singer as well as fashion icon in our house! :laugh:

This. That's my issue with so so many of the junior's clothes I've seen.

It looks like Justice goes up to 63 inches in height. She's taller than that. Can I "practically/realistically" sew a wardrobe by hand (I don't know how to machine sew any more)?

That definitely removes women's petite as a possibility then.

I started reading Stephen King when I was 10. In no way would I let my ten year old read him, but she's a different type of child than I was at that age. I think it really depends on the child. There is a lot of explicit language in his books, not profanity, just disturbing topic matter (outside of death), and that can be difficult for some to think about after reading. My son started SK at around 13, with my blessings. He's since moved onto philosophy. :laugh:

I've pored over the Land's End site and can't find anything above a size 16 even in plus, which is too short for my DD. Is there an area that I'm missing, I wonder. She's very, very thin, under 100 pounds. Dad is 6'5 and I'm 5'9, so we always imagined she would be tall, we just didn't imagine it would happen at this age. :001_smile:

My ten year old is too tall for children's sizes, but having seen some of the junior's clothing available, I'm wondering if petite women's clothing is the way to go. She's growing so quickly that I'm not overly fond on spending a lot on any clothes at this point since she outgrows them within 3-4 months at this point. Any brands or stores that you like for good quality, modest-ish clothes?

I married my husband at 31. The difference between who I was my teens and early 20's to who I had grown into in my early 30's was a world of difference. We've been together for twelve years. I needed a lot of time to grow up - I wanted to be able to support myself, to travel, and to live according to my wants and not have to take anyone else into consideration. I understand that my way is not for everyone. As a parent, I'd push more for living together or waiting - both are easier and more financially practical to recover from than a divorce is.

Another vote for the Paperwhite here too. It's much easier on the eyes than the Fire.