We do a load or two every day including folding and putting it away so we are always caught up but never caught up if that makes any sense. The only way to be caught up would be to do all the laundry then walk around naked. :)

In public or in private? In public both boys call me mom but in private they call me mommy. My dd still calls me mommy.

Ah, but you've now created a false dichotomy. I think the Harlem shake is stupid looking and doesn't strike me as even remotely fun. However, that doesn't mean I don't make time for silliness and goofy joy in my life. I just don't derive my goofy joy from that particular weird dance or whatever you call it. And I don't think the OP felt a "need" to spend energy knocking a fad. She merely posed a question. You are welcome to disagree but we are also welcome to disagree with you. It goes both ways and neither side is evil for feeling as they do. You like it. Great. I think it is dumb. My feelings are valid, too. I probably like other things you think are dumb. No biggie.

See, I am the opposite. I think life is too short to spend a single second on something so ridiculous. To each his own I suppose. I admit that I am pretty bored with kilts and cupcakes, too. My dh says I am a tough audience. :)

Growing up in SE Michigan, we called them "party stores."

One I saw not long ago that was a funny take on Voltaire: "I may not agree with what you have to say... And I wish you'd shut up."

Started Reading: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600) Still Reading: The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters by Albert Mohler (American author, DD class 300) The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) Finished: 10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200) 9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300) 8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100) 7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600) 3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800) 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800) 1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

... 10,000 miles away. :)

I called today and they can't get him in until April 10. Grrr.... Meanwhile his eczema spreads. :(

I actually have had to say this twice a year since we moved here but it just happen to fall on today: "Don't forget to take your worm pill!"

Our favorite thing to do is go to Starbucks and drink chai tea lattes and talk about life and funny things. We do this about once a week. We also go to the movies together or watch certain TV shows that no one else in the family likes but us.

I am so very sorry.

I was just talking to dh about this thread and then he sent me this short video: Yelling "He is not my dad!" didn't seem to work after all. Why do you think all those people who heard the child yelling that, kept walking? Would YOU stop? I also asked my dh about the idea of teaching the child to cuss really loudly...if that would draw more people to help. He said no. All he would think was "Wow, that brat has quite a mouth on him!" But he also said it depends on where we were. If we saw that HERE, we would step in immediately because it would be so out of the norm. But if we were back in the Detroit area, we wouldn't think twice because we've seen kids cussing out their parents lots of times. It is not unusual. So we were left with: what WOULD work? What would a child have to yell or do in order to get the majority of people walking by to intervene?

This is so important. How many times have you seen a child screaming at a mall or a grocery store and assumed they were just having a tantrum? People generally, will not step in. But if a child is yelling "HE IS NOT MY DAD!" Someone may step in and help.

Chili peppers??? That's bad news. Everything in Malaysia has chili peppers in it! Sigh... Off to call the allergist...

Do they still do all those skin pricks on your back for this? I had that when I was young and it was awful.

He has only been tested for peanuts after a severe reaction and he tested positive. Oh, and dust mites. Now I think he may need a full battery of tests.

My ds-9yo suffers from eczema. As I was reading about it online, I came across some articles that gluten "might" contribute to it. So my questions are: Do any of you have experience with this? Would going low-gluten or "gluten lite" help? Or does it have to be all or nothing?

Good heavens. A lot. Keep in mind that I have to dress up for work 5 days a week and for church. I just counted: Pajama/yoga pants- 12 Casual Capri pants- 7 Jeans- 5 Dress pants- 13 If I had to count skirts, dresses, and shirts... Yikes.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought my first car when I was 18yo. From that time until I was 38yo I had either a payment on a loan or a lease for a car and we switched out for a new car every three years. Then we moved here and it is nearly impossible to get a car loan here for expats. Everyone buys inexpensive vehicles partly because you HAVE to buy them outright and partly because the traffic here is so awful that you play bumper cars all day and your car has scratches and dings all over it. I have been without a car payment for 3.5 years and I really do like it. But I miss having a really nice mini-van.

My amah who is Indian does all the cooking so I don't have recipes but you should look up recipes for butter chicken masala and naan or roti (types of bread). They are family favorites here!

I had my first at 27 and we got our 3rd when I was 40. So there is quite a spread between my kids. I will hopefully get a lot of time with my grand kids from my oldest but I am not so sure about my youngest since she will turn 18 when I am 58! But nothing in life is certain, right?

Basically, I don't think that much about it. I make food we like to eat. It involves a lot of chicken (I have no clue if it is organic or not. I just buy it at the market). We also eat plenty of veggies because we like them. But we all love chips, drink coffee every day, eat chocolate when the mood strikes and eat out often. We all have good weight, good health and are happy. I have no problem with people who like to spend a lot of time shopping and cooking from scratch and growing their own food and what-not. It is just not my thing. What bugs me are people who think eating a certain way is somehow more righteous than others. You eat what you want and I will eat what I want.

We have always done this and they key is TEAMWORK. Dh and I have always shared the cooking, cleaning and homeschooling responsibilities. As my ds got older it actually got easier because he was able to do online courses, DVD courses, independent study type courses, etc. Then he just needed to be monitored which is not hard. If her dh works part-time then he takes over the bulk of the housework and what-not and if the child is in middle school at that point then I would look into online courses. It can be done.