Thanks, Janet! I'm off to check that site out right now! As an aside... we're neighbours! I'm in Mississauga. :D

I would like to put in a little more effort around exposing the kids (6 yrs and 4 yrs) to French, and am looking for audio resources. Does anyone have podcasts to recommend? Or any other online sources of quality French content appropriate for young children? I will look to the library for some of our favourite books read in French as well, but would love to find some online sources we can turn to on the spur of the moment. Other suggestions also very much appreciated! :D

We have a steam mop that looks basically like a Swiffer with reusable cleaning pads that velcro onto the bottom. So easy to use, and very effective!

What an uplifting, beautiful thread! I have loved reading everyone's posts of appreciation, and am sitting here all teary eyed. My MIL is such a wonderful person! When I first got together with her son, she sent me a card and told me that she had never seen him so happy and thanked me for that. And this is not an outwardly emotional woman, so a very big deal! She's smart, funny, active (more active than me!), heavily involved in her community, loves people, and is so very interesting. When we visit her (in another province) she likes to arrange dinners with other people she has met that she thinks we'll like. (We're all very social, so this is a good thing!) She never offers up an opinion unless we ask for it. Though there was the one time when my first child was a baby and I mentioned I wanted to homeschool... she squeeked out some protest and sputtered a bit before she could stop herself. LOL! But even though I know she feels homeschooling is not the best option, she has never criticized us about it and never brings it up in a negative light. In fact, she will go out of her way to tell me things she hears supportive of homeschooling! She clips interesting things from newspapers that she feels I might be interested in and sends them to me. I find it so very sweet that she pays attention to my interests and then holds me in her thoughts enough to notice these things in her travels. She loves all of her grandkids and enjoys doing things with them. For the ones that live nearby, she spends time with them every week, takes them to museums and shows, and helps facilitate their interests in a variety of ways. (My oldest nephew lived with her during the week this year because the private school his family wanted for him was closer to her.) For my kids that are away, she calls and sends cards and emails them regularly. When she visits, she happily offers to take them off to the library or museum or wherever else they might want to go. Most special of all, she gave me my wonderful husband! And I could write pages more on how fabulous he is, and how much I appreciate his parents for their role in that. (I also adore my SIL, who is one of the most fascinating people I've ever met!) Gosh, I could go on and on! I really love this woman! Thank you for starting this thread, and giving us all the invitation to share our love and appreciation in this way! A great way to start the day. :D

This thread is a gold mine! Thank you all so much for sharing. :D

If you get a Vitamix or Blendtec you would certainly be able to blend so thoroughly as to enjoy blended juices. You could also blend and strain out fiber (with a nutmilk bag or cheese cloth) to make a more juice-like product if you choose. I know many people who use their Vitamix this way. We try to use our juicer pulp for other purposes. It's especially easy with things like carrots (pulp goes to muffins!) but I'm not so creative with other things. I think a lot will depend on what you hope to juice.

Thank you so much! My daughter (6 yrs) is going to be beside herself with excitement when she hears about this! (I got an online poker ad before my video started! Strange.)

I suffered with TMJ from childhood into my early adult life. I tried various guards and splints and saw multiple specialists for advice, to no avail. Then I finally happened upon a wonderful Osteopath and after only four sessions, my jaw improved dramatically. By six sessions I was completely pain-free, and have remained that way for about 10 years now. I will say that the other major thing that helped me was getting in touch with my body's stress response and learning to recognize when I held onto emotions in ways that didn't serve me. The more I improved my emotional self-care, the more I improved my physical well-being. Best of luck to you!