Give yourself a lot of grace, and let a lot of things go. You likely will not be able to sleep, shower, AND keep a house clean all on the same day for a while. Look for someone you trust that can come help you out if you are having a really bad day. (That was the biggest mistake I made, as we were in a similar situation with no family nearby, and my husband traveled. I didn't ask for help from anyone, and it burned me out pretty quickly) I had twins and a 3 year old, and I honestly don't even remember most of the first year...lol. But you will get the swing of things.

I had just dropped my oldest dd off at preschool, and had stopped at K-Mart. I was in my car in the parking lot when Phil Williams, a comedic local DJ came on the radio announcing that a plane had hit the first tower. I didn't really know what to make of it, or if it was even true. But driving home, I became more and more concerned as I listened to the news reports. My dh was at home, along with my infant twins, packing for a trip, and I was supposed to take him to the airport that day. As I walked in the door, he had the TV on and I saw the 2nd plane hit, live. Everything stopped. He and I just sat there and watched the news, stunned. I was in a bit of a panic on whether or not to go pick up my dd, but in the end we decided that it was best for her to not be at home watching us watch the horror, and that she was just as safe at the church as she was at home. We kept the TV and radio on because we lived near a national security target, and I was afraid that something would happen here. It still impacts me to this day. My dh could have easily been on one of those planes. He traveled every other week via air. Every trip he takes, even 15 years later, I think about 9/11.

Unfertilized eggs also have blood spots. Brown eggs actually have a higher rate of blood spots than white. It has to do with the egg during formation, not fertilization, although that has been a common misconception. My Red Rock hens occasionally had eggs with blood spots. And I didn't even own a rooster.

Are your eggs local? I would think it would be extremely rare in commercial eggs because of the need for roosters to make chickens. Commercial egg farms don't generally keep roosters with the hens. Anyway, nope, no chickens in the eggs here. Even with our home grown eggs.

Whole Foods brand bath soap. It is the only one I have found sold in stores that doesn't break me out. Oil of Olay face lotion with sunscreen. So I don't crack when I smile. Neutrogena powder foundation.

I think the problem lies with people not doing their research. At our CC, classes that transfer to our state university are pretty well laid out. You can find charts on several different websites that show transfer paths, and course transfer equivalencies. There is never a guarantee that all your classes will transfer to all schools, no matter what school you attend. For us, it isn't a waste of money at all because of the DE grants. In fact, it would cost me more for them to just take regular high school classes. Transferability is just a bonus.

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

Booze and pot? That changes things. I'm afraid that my head would spin around and said person would see the very ugly side of me, regardless of dynamics. Is there someone at the venue that can kick them out for violation of policy/law?

I'm thinking that the babysit comment is tongue-in cheek. I say, let the bunghole deal with their own food problems and wash your hands of them.

Enjoy! I've had a fair number of younger than me professors now. It is always a little weird. I do enjoy professors that are my age or near it though. It is like we are part of a secret club in which we know all this cultural reference stuff that goes right over the heads of the little whipper-snappers :lol: :lol:

Mine didn't take Stats until college. (Neither did I, but way back then I think you only had to have Algebra I to graduate)

We do it often enough that I wouldn't find it unusual. We have a wonderful little ice cream shop about 10 minutes from home. We've also taken guests there after dinner.

I *want* it to be adventure time. However, with my dh's health, by the time the work week is over, he is beat and has to rest. Sometimes he does a few things on Saturday. Sunday is definitely rest day. So, if we do anything, it usually has to be without him. Often, we just watch movies all weekend.

Nope. I don't clean their rooms at home, and I definitely don't plan to clean their dorms. Two of my kids are pretty clean on their own, and the third's bedroom is too scary to attempt. :lol:

Mmmm tacos. I like all sorts. Both the authentic and the Americanized versions. Could I PLEASE have a taco truck on my corner?!

I'm wearing a Mickey Mouse tee right now. I'm also hoping to lose weight to get into the WarCraft and RoboCop tees that are in my drawer.

My dh and I still have that conflict, although he is only 2 years older. We were raised by parents that were nearly ten years different in age (my parents were young), and just had very different lives growing up. It makes it seem like he is from an entirely different generation than I am, even though it is really just family culture at play.

My step-dad dated (after my mother passed away) a girl that I was friends with during our childhood. I found that icky. But mostly because we were kids together, and he used to be friends with her dad. They didn't date long though. I guess it just depends on the circumstances. If everyone is an adult, I don't have the whole pedophile vibe no matter the age difference. There is a local couple who has a HUGE age difference. He is 18, she is 71. I do feel weird about that, but I don't really have a good reason why. They seem happy enough.

Since you mentioned Thai, I think a couple of good curries and rice would go a long way, and wouldn't be terribly stressful to make. (With maybe some simple meat and veggies as an option for those who do not like curry?)

That completely counts FaithManor!! What an accomplishment. And WTG Creekland's son!!

Riding any sort of amusement park ride. (The last one I rode left me in pain for days) Splitting an entire bottle of Bacardi 151 with my BIL. I actually witnessed a person turning gray/green that night. (Thank goodness there were two bathrooms!!) Eating anything after 9PM. (Sheesh, I sound like I'm a Gremlin) Swimming in murky water. Playing basketball (this makes me sad, but I can no longer shoot a basket because of my stupid old, messed up shoulder) Playing in decrepit abandoned buildings. Having tEa under the billboard by the interstate :lol: :lol:

My oldest (college sophomore) is in her 3rd semester. She switched her major to English, with a poetry focus once she gets to the 4-year school. She's loving her classes this semester. British Lit is with a professor I had last year that I knew she'd love interacting with. Her Critical Thinking class is taught by a former coworker/friend of hers, which is weird and fun for her at the same time. She's also still working our small town library. I don't see her much, as she also has quite the social life. My DE dd is taking Biology I and Pre-Cal with Trig at the same college. Both of her classes are working out well. This is her first lab class in an actual lab, and she's very excited about that. She is going to be a science major when she heads to a 4 year next year, and wanted a taste of an actual lab class before she left. She is also working at a thrift store, and is a teacher's assistant for a forensic science class and a MARS project class at our co-op. I also do not see her much..lol. All my classes are online this semester :D, and I'm down to 10 hours a week for work. So I may be able to get my home life back under control...at least momentarily.

We used to eat fairly well. I pre-planned, cooked healthy meals, made things from scratch. We ate dinner at the table every night. Then life happened. One kid after another got a job with varying hours. Three of us are in college/dual enrollment. I work part-time. We aren't all home at the same time any more. Dinner is eaten on the go, or on the couch. I don't have the mental energy to plan meals, carefully shop, and then cook/clean up. When I do cook, half of it goes uneaten. It is easier for the working kids to grab dinner on their way home, or warm up something frozen when they get here. My poor husband has lived off of frozen burritos lately. We've quickly gotten into the convenience food spiral. And the unhealthy food makes us crave more unhealthy food. (Ice cream consumption has skyrocketed!) The stress of school and worrying about dh's health makes me craves ALL THE SWEETS. As a result, I have rather quickly gained back every pound of the 35 that I lost two years ago. I'm mad about it. I'm trying to cook more and buy healthier choices. (But I still managed to buy ice cream this week, sigh) But it is hard both mentally and time-wise. I've been on both sides of the coin, and it is harder to eat healthy. It is hard to remember to plan ahead if we aren't going to be home. It is hard to plan around food allergies, intolerances and aversions. Burgers and fries from Wendy's are so EASY. But, I'm going to have to choose between walking without pain and no diabetes, or easy burgers.

I'm so chill that sometimes I wonder if something is wrong with me! My mother and step-father both passed away rather young (at 41 and 52, respectively). We've moved across the country several times. I've lost contact with my brother, and most of my family. While I did grieve briefly with the passing of my parents, I don't seem to have that everlasting ache that many experience. They are just...gone. Sometimes some small thing makes me think of them, and I have a pang of missing them, but I don't get upset or cry. Same with moving. I often cried during the actual saying goodbye, but my emotions moved on rather quickly. I think the longest I've grieved has been over my brother, and it is more situational and filled with worry about his continual downward spiral. ETA: My dh has traveled a LOT for his job our entire marriage. I've never been upset while he was away. I don't even really miss him unless something major happens while he's gone. So maybe that is why I feel like I won't be a wreck when the girls move out? As long as I know they are doing ok.

Ugh. I hate that kind of stuff. Along with "All suffering is because there is a lesson we need to learn" and "God never gives us more than we can handle". Dh was raised in a much more strict home than I was. MUCH. He was the rebellious one, and I was a remarkably good kid for having so few restrictions. Then again, we have siblings that are pretty much our polar opposites. His brother never got into trouble at all, and my brother can't stay out of jail. I think genetics play a much bigger role than we realize. I valued obedience in my small children (especially when overwhelmed with 3 kids 3 and under). I don't value blind obedience when they are old enough to have a conversation, and my kids have been taught to question authority when appropriate. I certainly don't see it as a virtue. Even terrorists blowing up an airport because ISIS told them to are obedient.