:iagree: You said it, Spy Car!!!!! Obama in '08!!!! :thumbup:

:grouphug: What a terrible situation!!!! Keep us posted as to what happens at the court date!!

I did!!! Tina Fey is awesome!!! I'm really enjoying watching her play Palin. She is so spot-on!! Does anyone know who played Biden?? My oldest dd wanted to know and I have no idea.

Clean??? Pah! Don't clean!! Just sit down until the feeling goes away! :D Enjoy the peace and quiet!! You deserve it!

Do you have a humidifer or vaporizer? I run that when we're feeling "cruddy" with a little eucalyptus or lavender in it. Or turn your shower on hot in a closed-up bathroom and sit in there for awhile. Some hot tea with a little honey in it would also be soothing.

What an awesome post!! I love to read about other moms who respect their children as individuals, first and foremost -- I don't feel so alone when I do! :thumbup: (I'm enjoying reading this thread...even though I haven't posted in it)

I would probably choose from the following.... Money (all college students need spending money -- no matter their age!) Gift card to her favorite clothing store Jewelry A watch perhaps? An I-pod is a great idea. My oldest adores hers Maybe something cute for the dorm room? Comfy pillows or a beanbag chair for lounging? Cute pajamas that she could wear when hanging out with the girls?

The VP debate between "Biden" and "Palin" hysterical -- on both sides of the political aisle! (btw...Queen Latifah is playing Gwen Ifill) http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/vp-debate-open-palin-biden/727421/

The same thing happened to us about 6 months ago and we had to have our computer completely rebuilt. The thing basically imploded -- cascade failure from the outside in. It's a bad one.

Here's what's on my 9 year old son's Christmas list: Pokemon cards Nerf Long Shot Blaster Gun Rockband 2 for Wii Redskins football jersey (he's requested #89 - Santana Moss) I'll likely throw in a couple of Star Wars novels and a Lego set to round out the goodies.

I'm so sorry!!!! :grouphug:

I don't mind at all. The only thing we've drawn the line on is anything that will alter their physical appearance forever, if that makes sense. A tattoo may be great now...but they may hate it later on and a friend of mine had to have one removed and it was an absolutely terrible experience!! So we've told them they have to wait until they're an adult to get any tattoos or odd piercings! My oldest dresses in a mix of emo, grunge, and goth. Her hair changes color every week -- seriously! It goes from black to red to blue to purple and every mix in between. But it's not going to cause any permanent harm. Trust me -- you wouldn't want to see pictures of ME from my teenage years back in the early 80s -- can you say "Wanna be a Pat Benatar look-alike?" :blushing:

:cheers2: CONGRATS!!! :party:

:grouphug: I understand so well!!!! We lost our 14yr old dog 3 years ago and we still talk about him from time to time and I can still hardly believe he's truly gone. Your Lucy sounds very special!! :grouphug:

I just wanted to give you a :grouphug:

Oh yeah! I remember sitting for $3.00 an hour and that was for 2 children! Those days are over. My oldest dd gets $10.00 an hour.

I would say start with your local homeschool group. My oldest daughter is called to babysit quite often by people who are either in our homeschool group, or know someone in our homeschool group and that's how her name comes up. You could also try your church. My oldest works in the church nursery and that's helped her to put her name out there in 'babysitting circles' as well. Edited to add: If you don't attend church, I'm sure it would still be appropriate to contact one in your neighborhood and tell them that you have young children and you're looking for a young person to babysit, etc.

Awesome job!!!!! :party:

I will agree with you there!! Obama supporter that I am....his "uhhhh's" drive me up a wall!! And I was surprised to see them, considering he was Harvard-educated. :rolleyes:

My oldest daughter LOVES the "Twilight" series!!! She'll be at the movies on opening night, at midnight most likely, to watch it. She had a ball at the Twilight book party night at Borders!! I sat in the back with a Hemingway novel and she and her friends were in their element. :D I, personally, haven't read the books....but I'd like to!

LOL - can I vote "other"? ;) When we catch one of the vermin, I get my oldest daughter to come and get them! I can't stand them. It's an agreement we have because she is terrified of spiders, which don't bother me. So she deals with the mice and I deal with the spiders. :D

:iagree: I was one of the first ones posting here, after the first debate, pointing out that McCain wasn't looking at Obama when he was speaking (I thought it was rude). I was told by countless posters that it wasn't proper debating technique. And, not having any experience with 'debate protocol' before, I then understood and accepted that there was a reason for McCain to have kept his eyes focused on the moderator and/or audience. But now Palin's considered "folksy" and "down-to-earth", both here and in the media's post-debate comments, for using terms like "Joe Six Pack" and making comments like "I've only been at this for 5 weeks" and no one's jumping on her. I agree that there's a huge doublestandard. If Biden had tried the same tactic (which I'm sure he wouldn't -- that's what experience, both in debates and in politics, will teach you, and sometimes the hard way), he would be raked over the coals mercilessly. When she does it, it's more along the lines of "Oh, she's a newbie. She doesn't understand. She's appealing to the everyday American."

It sounds like Minnesota to me. Yasureyabetcha! ;)

I just have to give you a :grouphug:, sweetie!!!!! Hang in there!!!!

Have you tried the new Oreo Cakesters? (I think that's what they're called) They're very chewy and oh so good!!!! :drool: