Here are some ideas. http://forums.glutenfree.com/topic7233.html

Yep. Planting the seeds of reasonable-ness.

Word.

{hug} It stinks when you're off a day. Ok, pull on your superwoman cuffs, go below, and make him a lovely dinner and dessert treat (accounting for the points, of course) http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/baked-breads-cakes-and-cookies.html?m=1

:lol: My Amish friends' kids have math homework. And don't marry until well after they're 18.

Lifting, hands-down. The heavier, the better. I love the focus, the challenge, the results.

Rise up! My rising up as the more stubborn person often involves near head-spinning on my part, and hard labor on theirs. I always win, but it can be exhausting for all involved. Sigh. Why can't they get it that their lives would be so much easier if they just did their work?

Ha! :)

Given my recent experiences with adults - all social views, not just religious - I tend to be more deliberate in teaching temperance of thought and open-mindedness, when it comes to hearing other people's ideas. It's becoming more and more apparent to me that "maturity" doesn't happen as naturally as I'd previously thought.

I think it's probably a factor of age, too. They start getting very attached to ideas around then, IME, and, as they are trying to create a self-definition, tend to be very black and white. I usually try to temper my 12 yo's black and white thinking a bit; not so much challenge her opinion but help her see how others can come to a different conclusion with the same information.

I raise children that eat beet salad, and other "odd" things. I don't think beets are particularly odd but, as you pointed out, I feel like I'm up against society in terms of what is "normal" food. On the other hand, my kids once got some chicken McNuggets and were completely put off by them - the grease, the batter, the composite "meat"... So I've likely ruined them pretty thoroughly. I think other cultures pause for meals. Even those with a long custom of street vendors. People pause to eat. Here, we seem more interested in squeezing food in among the activities. If we're sitting and savoring, we're not "doing". We value "doing" more than we value quiet appreciation. Thus, we need cup holders, including on our hats.

Ugh. I hope his ankle feels better for PT. Why is it that these things always happen when you're about to start something that requires being well? So annoying. You illustrated why I cringe whenever I hear people talk about "me time". It seems like the more one has, the more one wants. I require some kind of down time during the day - introvert, need some quiet to regroup - and I enjoy getting together with a friend to have uninterrupted chat time once in a while, but when it's the old "I need time for meeeeeeeeee" saw, I get a little twitchy. Maybe it's a flashback to my mother. We don't do much for Valentines day. Grabbed the kids some chocolates yesterday, but my husband is working today, I'm meeting with a training client, teaching Pilates, then the kids have archery. Regular Thursday here. (But with chocolates and Pilates)

Happy anniversary! :D

Yep, that.

Do you ever finally just lose it, demand sane behavior, and find the (previously acting feral) children all gazing upon you like they would the "lady" with the full beard who talks to parking meters? Or is that just me? Hope you guys blow off the plague quickly.

Uh... Ok, I recognize all the words but...

:svengo: I wonder if she lost her mind or pared down as the years went on?

I actually downloaded Scribus (open source desktop publisher) to try and replicate something like WPD, with quotes and checklists that pertain to us, but haven't gotten around to it... I figured I'd either comb bind it or use my Arc notebook.

I would agree, but I seem to block the concept so thoroughly that the stupid/crazy/belligerent completely surprises me. Every time. It's disconcerting. Ooh! 1400! We ARE a chatty bunch.

My 12 year old made a chocolate cake last week for chemistry and followed the recipe in her book, but used Cup4Cup flour. It was fantastic. Cup4Cup really does seem to substitute seamlessly. The batters are a little... Odd? But end product always works.

Of course there is. But Mardi Gras is the celebration of gluttony before the fasting and solemnity of lent. As a floating holiday to kick off the Lenten season, I don't think it has other origins. KK, would that simply be the extension of ostera then?

Actually, my husband pointed out that it's the neighbors who have the power. They were the ones (prematurely) electing a new pope. I just noticed it. ;) I'm actively sending out no-snow juju. Saturday is lax field lining day. Not fun in snow.

Prepositions are more powerful than apostrophes? I'll have to be more careful! Eek!

Here's my funny of week 2: Yesterday my workout buddy and I are doing D1/col 3. She has the paper, we're gabbing. I sit on the bench to start dips and she tells me 21/21/18/18/max. Wow. That's a jump from last week, but, ok... We do the first two sets and she says "uh-oh". Yeah, those are the crunches. So, we did 104 dips yesterday, and 109 crunches (max 30 & 35 respectively). I guess tomorrow will seem easy. :D

Actually, he was fairly pointed about the need for a pope to step down before becoming incapable of his duties when JPII was still in the chair, according to the NYT article. So, if he has gotten a prognosis of impending decline, he is just doing what he said would be best before he was ever elected. If it hadn't been 600 years since the last resignation, it wouldn't be odd at all.