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myfunnybunch

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Everything posted by myfunnybunch

  1. Ha! We tried the biscuit on a stick too. Nope! But the muffins baked in an orange shell worked really well and were a hit. Cooking new things on the fire is a great way to entertain everyone. :) I like your slack line idea. My boys might like that.
  2. I bring activities I think they'll enjoy, like card games, badminton rackets and birdies, pencil puzzle books, etc. And we find hikes in the area, or go to a nearby lake. But I finally started telling the teens(ish...12+) they're responsible for packing the activities they want to do and for entertaining themselves. They usually don't take a whole lot, but they stopped telling me that they were bored. They often go down by the water and play with sticks or climb things and jump off or explore, just like when they were little. 😄 Or they sit around and talk. :)
  3. My sister is ten years younger. I am the oldest of three sisters; she is the youngest. We have a great relationship. We're good friends. We see one another weekly. We live a couple miles apart and have always been pretty close. We're not phone people, so we talk about once a week, but sometimes one or the other will call to process a rough day. We text occasionally, too, throughout the week. How am I affected? Hmmm. She's one of my most trusted friends, as is our other sister. I love her and adore her children. I am delighted that she moved closer. We've been pretty close always, though it's waxed and waned as we each went through different life stages. I can't imagine my life without her. We were not homeschooled. :)
  4. Sounds like a lovely area. What a fun day! Did you catch any fish? In our area... Tons of parks and playgrounds, too many to count An outdoor pool Hiking trails both in and outside city limits, including horse trails and trails for mountain biking Within 15 minutes, two large rivers, several creeks, and one lake--swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing, rafting. More lakes, rivers, waterfalls, (and the hikes that so often go along with them) within 20-30 minutes. Bike paths that stretch along the largest river and through the city A few skate parks for skateboarders A campground An outdoor amphitheater Four (?that I can think of off the top of my head) community gardens A couple outdoor sports rec centers with soccer and baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts
  5. Whoa. Wow. My apologies. It was very much not my intention to tell anyone how they must live, or limit anyone's possibilities. I'm confused about how you got there from what I wrote--perhaps I misunderstood something, because it seems to me that a particular kind of staying married (in a sexless conversationless marriage) was being EXcluded from the idea of staying married even though the parties don't love or like one another. I simply meant that, if we're considering people staying married to someone they do not like or love, excluding marriages that continue in which the spouses do not talk or have sex doesn't quite make sense. Heavens, I am actually living this, so I AM in this situation. and managing to be kind and respectful and have conversations, even though the marriage part is legal only. Being accused of telling someone what their marriage reality must be seems unjust. I am the last person who would judge another's choices in this area, partly because I am so grateful for the people who have not judged mine.
  6. Is she? The question is who do people stay married to someone they do not love, or do not like. A sexless or conversationless marriage that lasts for years certainly speaks to people who've continued to be married even though they do not love or even like one another.
  7. I voted. Some of these reasons are mine and some are reasons I've heard from others in similar situations: Minimal disruption to the kids' lives. Especially in families for whom homeschooling has been the kids' only educational experience, or families with children close to graduating high school. Health insurance coverage Extended time out of the workplace has limited a stay-at-home spouse's education and/or career building to the point that they cannot afford to leave (and do not trust the spouse and/or legal process enough to expect a fair award of spousal support). Combined finances allow financial resources to go into college funds instead of toward doubled living expenses. Combined resources also allows a stay-at-home/homeschooling spouse time to figure out how to get in a position to support him- or herself. Don't feel right about abandoning a spouse with mental health issues even though those issues have effectively ended the marriage except on paper. A general sense of obligation to their marriage vows and spouse, even though the intimate relationship no longer exists It's a decent parenting partnership and roommate situation. Shared parenting and household responsibilities help everyone's lives stay stable, if it can be done peacefully. FWIW, I have found as I've shared just a bit with my close friends and hear their stories or stories about their friends/parents/neighbors that there are more couples out there living essentially separate lives while remaining legally married than you'd expect. (Couples counselor also said this.)
  8. I usually plant 2-3 year-old seeds and they come up fine. But the local food bank garden has a huge plant sale each spring for a fundraiser, so I mostly grow everything except peas, beans, sweet peas, sunflowers from starts rather than seed. Oh, and sometimes squash/pumpkin seed. More expensive with the starts, but it's a good cause and I get a good start on my garden. Actually, my shelling/drying bean seeds are always "new" from the previous fall because I just grab whatever is left in the pantry and plant those. :)
  9. I voted Other. It really depends on the day. Dh is more like person A; I am very much like person B. Usually, dh does the dishes each night with help from the boys, while I fold the day's laundry. In your scenario, since the teens were excused because of guests (this also happens in our home occasionally, teens excused because of guests :) ), it would depend on whether or not I, er, person B had other things to do. Sometimes I help with the meal cleanup if the guys are busy, and sometimes I don't. And sometimes dh is busy and I clean up. There might be negotiation or I might pitch in without being asked or I might go do something else. Just depends on the day. There's not really a "typical" for us in this situation.
  10. 38 years and going strong. There are five of us who bonded in 6th and 7th grades and have been close friends ever since. Two live in neighboring states, and three of us are still local. We've been through an awful lot together. â¤ï¸ Our twice yearly girls' weekends are blocked out months in advance, and by now even our workplaces know they're special and we won't be available. :D
  11. You're not doing anything wrong. She's likely uncomfortable in some way, projecting her discomfort onto you, and trying (probably not consciously) to get you to behave more in line with her expectations and comfort level. I'd probably smile and say, "No worry. I am not interested in participating, thank you. If I am uncomfortable at any time, I'll let you know."
  12. Hugs. It sounds like you know what is best for you, and you're setting a boundary for yourself. What a great start, even though--or especially because!--it's difficult. What will you do if she tries to re-establish the relationship? Take your time, but at some point, you may want to think through whether that's an option for you, and if so, what boundaries to set in order for the relationship to remain a healthy one. More hugs. Fwiw, I think it's amazing that you're recognizing this so clearly, understanding yourself well enough to honor your own needs, and following through.
  13. I would tell her privately but not anonymously. If it were a personal error on her personal shirt, I'd avert my eyes and keep my mouth shut. But her professional work is going to be judged by what people see on her site. She needs to know so that it doesn't hurt her business.
  14. I do, unless I need to work early. I am not a morning eater, and it takes me a while to wake up. Puttering in the kitchen making breakfast helps me to wake up and I'm usually ready to eat by the time it's ready. Plus, family meals are great bookends for our days. We're awfully busy, so knowing we will all be together for breakfast and dinner creates a nice rhythm for us. And it's meaningful for me personally because my mother did it for my sisters and I. :)
  15. Long A. This is a part of my job title, so I say it a lot.
  16. I told everyone I was not willing to go camping if I had to do all of the work. And we didn't. Now they help.
  17. I have a sister ten years younger. We are dear friends in addition to sisters. I can't imagine not having her in my life. 😊
  18. I do answer the door. I politely say thank you and I am not interested. I expect that the visitors often have no idea that I think it's intrusive and annoying and that I don't give two hoots about their mission, because I do not say so. I am pleasant and wish them a nice day because I don't see the sense in being rude to the folks out doing their best to follow the rules of their church. I would respond much more positively to seeing that time, effort, and energy directed to service. Feeding hungry children, weeding someone's yard, visiting the elderly, basically finding out individual and community needs and trying to fill those....with the goal of serving in love not conversion. I might even pitch in and help and be willing to have a conversation about faith as I work alongside. (FWIW, I am biased--this is how our church chooses to work and share faith in our community)
  19. The very best thing you can do for everyone is rest. That way you get less ill and recover more quickly. Let dh take care of the kids, sick or not. Call it an all-day pajama party: Pop in a movie or two, eat popcorn or make milkshakes/smoothies, play board games if you're upright enough, drink lots of fluids, and nap.
  20. Hugs. Those friends are NOT friends. I agree, dump 'em. Yuck. I am sorry for the loss of your friend, and that your dh wasn't able to be the support that you needed.
  21. So don't ride with your brother and ex. I would also feel a little hurt by being invited second to my ex, but you have no control over their choice. You can choose whether or not to accept. I hope you have fun at the graduation. :) It's your nieces' day. Enjoy them for their sweet quiet awkward selves. Probably they appreciate the effort you make to keep conversation going and to engage them.
  22. Skirts. Skorts. The comfy kind that you can wear over leggings when it's cooler, and alone when it gets h-o-t.
  23. It depends on what it is. I'm not trying to be difficult, promise! I would vote for whichever is easiest and most convenient to use/keep around/learn. Depending on what it is, that could mean an app or a physical product.
  24. Not joking....reading this made me blush. I blush easily, and even thinking about it makes me turn bright pink. I can feel my cheeks burning, and my ears. Sigh. I have not found anything that helps. :(
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