I had no opinion with the first, we were thrilled with a girl with #2, and completely confused with twin boys. So, ok, the biggest part of the confusion was that there were two of them (we're still not completely over that and they're 7) but the psychology behind that goes something like this (just in my mind, of course): the boys are non-standard. I am a girl. First child is a girl. Second child is a girl. These two are Not Girls. Their not-girl-ness messes with my head. FWIW, I am the second girl in several geerations on my dad's side. He wanted a girl and was pretty darn ecstatic when I turned out to be one. :D I honestly can't think of a negative or even lukewarm response to our announcement of girls, either.

Forgive me, I'm confused, as I always am by this argument. (Not just in educational choices. This seems to pervade all areas) When did "good enough" become a goal? "Good enough" used to be what you settle for when you fail to meet your goal.

Yes, of course. Yoga is for everyone. Everyone works to their own ability. Do ask the instructor for modifications. Definitely use props like a block to put your hand on and a wedge under your heels for positions like downward dog. The idea is to not stretch past the point of resistance. When you hit resistance, back off slightly and hold the pose. That point will move forward each time you go through the sequence. If you overchallenge that point, your muscles want to respond by clenching.

I love that alot!

Yeah, that. And the first time I had it, someone used it to make cookies and it left a weird, sweet taste in my mouth for a really long time, which kept causing me to go back for another cookie... Not so great in the "diet" department, eh?

The reddish, oddly textured ones, right? Us, too.

Count in another exclusive, extended breast feeder who would be leery of acquiring milk privately. I would go through and organization, or I would supplement with formula via SNS while doing what I could to increase supply. Situations where mom is unable to nurse or produce enough is the reason for infant formula, IMO.

My thoughts exactly, though I would also suggest looking for a Chi running clinic in you area. I stopped a number of ongoing, recurrent injuries just by taking off my shoes. My Five Fingers have become my go-to lifting shoes as well; you can't lift well on unstable, cushy soles, either. For indoors, I wouldn't suggest an elliptical. Or, I would not suggest a traditional elliptical. I would look for either a Gazelle type or an AMT (adaptive motion trainer - Precor is the brand we have at the Y). Both give your the ability to adjust your stride (AMT will do anything from stair step to full on sprint) but they have pedals and articulated arms so there's no impact. Most outdoor runners I know (my husband included) prefer those to, say, the treadmill for indoors training because the subtle changes in gait that you have are there, as opposed to being locked into a constant speed. The resistance is adjustable, so how hard you work the muscles with each stride is entirely up to you.

I dump on my bed all day, then we sit in bed watching something completely mindless and fold into stacks, put away and take dd10's folded stuff to her room to put away in the morning.

Me too!! Woohoo! (I had that psycho low blood sugar shake thing with the boys before I thought to check. Both my husband and SIL figured it out before I did. )

No lie. Mine light up and make a bright little happy-to-see-you noise when I push the power button. I've had them for 8 years and it never gets old. Clean refrigerator. I can't help but smile every time I open the doors. Red lipstick. I have 5 or 6 different colors in my bag, from brownish brick to fire engine. Happy!

My husband was totally afraid of my razor. He got over it at the first shave. He'd asked for a rechargeable electric on for Christmas, but then was so excited about mine, I took it back. Lol. Next thing I know, he'll have the guys at work hooked on these, too. (he already got them with wool socks, my homemade deodorant, and Kiss My Face shave stuff.)

:lol: Does it work? :001_huh:

I am so, so very sorry. :grouphug:

We ended up getting the Lenovo K1.

The best $3 I ever spent was for a vintage travel/ladies razor. It takes double edged blades and those bad boys are cheap and last for MONTHS. My husband go sick of paying a fortune for blade cartridges for his whatever-it-is, so he started using mine. Closest.shave.ever. He got his own, with a slightly longer handle, from an Etsy vendor for Christmas. Seriously. First time since my teens I haven't had razor bumps.

Um... I have the Overdrive app on my iPhone. Do they not have one for iPad? (we also use Nooks and have Kindle/Nook apps on pc/android/iphone)

You're addled from 20 years of the crazy. ;) Seriously, you would not believe what I send myself text reminders about.

I'd just use cornstarch in a slurry with the broth instead of flour in a roux. That's what I do when I make chowder and mac and cheese these days. And, no, coconut flour is flour. Fine, desiccated coconut is coarser than that. But, mmmmmm, macaroons....

I've gone through those periods. I realized today that, while my days would be relatively quiet if they were at school, I'd still be piling on the stuff I think is important that the schools don't. At the end of the day. When they're tired and hungry and have been immersed in all sorts of anti-social behavior. And that would just be a pain in my arse.

I'm laughing out loud right now. Glad to know I won't be alone in my perpetual jammies and slippers attire. We can all sit around and talk classical education, religion, politics, crockpot recipes and kilts while the nice staff brings our anti-eyetwitch medication. :D I keep threatening (just to my husband, not the kids) to don a full-on habit, grab a ruler and stand behind them menacingly. Would that be wrong? Here's the kicker: they finally FINALLY!!! finished, knocked out 2 pages of VIE in 10 minutes (with good handwriting, even) and then came in and asked - with great enthusiasm, as if asking for a puppy or chocolate - if we could do spelling. :blink: Are they intentionally gaslighting me to get my stuff?

Seriously. First day back after 2 weeks off. The boys were given two pages of ETC ans a math review sheet at 8:30 (before that, actually. I'm being generous) at the Y. Each came to me while I was working out, to clarify which pages to do. Halfway through my workout, I go to get my gloves an discover the 10 year old has chosen to sit at the front desk and gab instead of at the table where I set her up to do the VIE pages she just plain skipped or did half of in the past weeks (yup, our bad. We had other things going on and weren't following up. Got it.). Redirect. Done, I find the 10 yo watching tv in the childwatch area. The boys are playing Wii. Nobody has done ANY of his/her work. But wait, it gets better. We have been home since 10. One of them, as of right now (2:40) has still not fnished. Nor has he eaten the lunch I made at noon, a full 2 hours after he sat down. :banghead:

:iagree: We lost weight eating regular food and just using recipes from Cooking Light several years ago. The recipes not only try to balance flavor with fat/calories, but they use unprocessed ingredients, and the portion size / nutrition info is enlightening.

I have no constructive answers, but you reminded me of a "family meeting" my eldest daughter called when she was around 15 or 16. She decides that early evening is a good time for this and calls the meeting while the rest of us are in the living room. I'm changing twin toddlers for bed, husband is braiding 4 year old's hair. The child in question has one responsibility: do the dishes in the evening. (No, seriously. No job, no other responsibilities at all) Meeting goes something like this: Her: So, I'd like to not be responsible for the dishes anymore. Husband (thinking maybe a regular nightly thing is just tedious and she would like to have more varied responsibilities): Ok, what would you like to do instead? Her: :001_huh: Husband: Ok, I mean, I'm willing to do the dishes on the nights I'm home, if that's helpful to you. Then you can just do them on the nights I work. What would you prefer to do on the days I'm home? Her: :001_huh: Husband: Ok... so, you WILL be contributing in another way? You know, besides coming out of your room for meals? Her: :001_huh: Um, no. I just don't want to do the dishes. I don't want to do anything else, either. Husband: :001_huh:... ... ... ... ok, yeah, no. Her: screams something about not being a slave, how unfair her life is, and stomps away. Us: :lol: :lol:

Once you get past thinking of all the bread and pasta things, it gets pretty easy. Today's menu is cereal, nachos for lunch, cabbage rolls for supper. I mostly fix things that are naturally gf and/or easily substituted. So, if I make soup, most are naturally gf. If it's chowder, I make a slurry of cornstarch and cream to thicken at then end instead of a butter & flour roux at the beginning. I make rice casseroles instead of noodle casseroles, use roasted potato cubes instead of croutons for salad, etc. The biggest thing for me was vetting ingredients - soy sauce, salad dressing - for hidden gluten. Then, the fun experimenting with the bready, desserty things commenced. :D