We attend a drop off coop. It works for us. I use it for outsourcing courses I feel I can't teach well, such as their foreign language classes. I like that they have paid teachers, mostly because I have found that parent taught classes (that I have seen personally) aren't as rigorous as I would like. The girls also use the coop as a social outlet and take some electives there as well. If you spend time volunteering at these coops, you can get plugged in. It just takes a little more effort. I don't tend to use the coop for my personal support, so that really isn't an issue for me.

I have used them for years and I have three in highschool right now. I will have a senior next year.

I need to just apologize. I usually don't touch threads like this. If you knew me in real life, you would know how soft hearted I really am. I am dealing with stuff IRL that involves people I love, and the circumstances make this a hot button topic for me. I need to remember that arguing online with people I do not know changes nothing. It is what I do at home that does.

Yeah, because I'm a hateful old bag that way. No. I'm saying that there is blatant abuse by meth users of the system WHERE I live. No where did I say that people in need are on the same level. I HAVE BEEN THERE. People I love have been there. I wouldn't have batted an eye at peeing in a cup to get the help my family needed. Do I think that people should be able to get food stamps so they can sell them or blow what cash they do have on their meth problem? No. I fail to see how that translates into thinking that all people who need assistance are on the same level as meth users. Obviously I am a callous, uncaring person who has no idea what it is like to struggle or need help :glare: so I will bow out of this thread now.

I'm glad they are passing. Good for them. I still think it should be done. I live in Meth-land USA. There are a LOT of drug users here that are on P.A. There are worse things to waste tax money on.

I realize that we cannot be the morality police. Nor do I think we should. But there are steps that could be taken to reduce the blatant abuse of a system that was only meant to be a temporary help to those that are truly in need. If they made food stamps for things like meat, veggies, bread and milk it would still accomplish what it set out to do: feed people. Cut out all the junk you can buy. Make it extremely hard to sell them. Drug test (yeah, I know that is controversial...but if I have to go through drug testing to work, then I have no problem with drug testing for assistance)

I'm aware of that. I'm saying...if you have the ABILITY to improve your situation, then do so. I am not saying that I have a problem helping the working poor. In fact, I am very happy to help those that are TRYING. It is the ones that do not TRY that I have a beef with. The ones that are working the system. I have been on WIC. It was needed and appreciated. I have family that only eat because of assistance. I have no problem with that...when they aren't abusing it.

Well, I am a Christian. I DO think it should be regulated. I don't mind one bit helping the poor. I do hate enabling people to be liars and cheats. Make it so you can purchase only healthy food with food stamps. They are FOOD stamps. Not party stamps. Not fun stamps. I also don't think there is anything un-Christian to think that people who CAN better their circumstances should. If you are able to work, and can find a job..then do it. If you cannot, for reasons out of your control...then yes, I am happy to help.

Yes, it should be more regulated. I have relatives that are abusing the system. They refuse to eat the beans and rice they pick up from the food pantry, and instead live off of chicken nuggets and club crackers. Yes, they have time to cook, and the ability. Instead they buy highly processed junk with their food stamps. They throw out their pantry food, buy cigarettes, sodas and hotel rooms (just to get away...they have a home, rent free btw) with the little cash they have. Then run out of money to pay the light bill. All the adults (3 of them) suffer from severe health problems directly related to obesity and poor diet. (lets not go into the health care costs there). The kids are going up the same river. These are not stupid, uneducated people. They just choose to live like they are. They have had several opportunities to get out of the situation and have thrown them away.

I voted under..because that is where it hits on me when the pants are comfy. But I would think that belly-button levels vary.

We have never had a "clean plate rule" about anything, but when they were smaller they DID have to try a bite or two of everything at dinner. Kids can very quickly narrow down their list of likes if not made to branch out. Now they are old enough to have pretty well established likes and dislikes that are more than just power struggles...lol. I have one that is almost a vegetarian because of her dislike of meat, and I don't force her to eat it. I do still have a vegetable rule for my oldest. She has to eat at least ONE veggie a day, but I do try to make ones she tolerates. (She is okay with that, and admits that she wouldn't EVER eat a veggie if I didn't tell her to. She even jokes that I'll have to tell her to after she moves out because otherwise she'll eat nothing but meat and pasta.) ETA: I do make things I don't PREFER occasionally and eat them. But since I'm in charge of the food, no I don't usually make things I hate. That said, there are VERY few things I hate, and most of my family hates them too.

She sounds SO much like my niece. My niece is combative with EVERY single thing her mother tells her...good or bad. She is a senior this year (only by the grace of God) She forgets her work, neglects deadlines, is convinced her mom hates her, and thinks the world is out to get her. You can't win with her. If you remind her to brush her hair/teeth, she thinks it is a commentary on how awful you think she is. If you DON'T remind her, you are awful because you don't care if she embarrasses herself in public. She has always been this way. I don't see it changing, it is such a huge part of her personality. She will learn everything the hard way. FWIW, she has been public schooled the whole way..so don't think putting her in school will help. If it is anything like our school system, they will happily let her float on through until it is too late to fix it. She is also very much into drawing, character development, acting, etc. Her life plans so far: to become a Disney character at Disneyworld. I really hope she gets in, otherwise I don't know what she'll end up doing. (btw, I love my niece, I really do. She is a sweetheart around me most of the time, and is my oldest dds best friend. She is a monster around her mom though)

Well...I'll be there in about 2 weeks. Actually I have let her drive up our long, steep gravel driveway. It was a poor choice for her first experience. (it is hard for experienced drivers to get up it without gunning the engine) It scared her more than me! My mother...she said hold on, let me open this beer :glare: Yes, she had a six pack of beer to get her through the experience. :driving: Needless to say, it didn't go well, and my now dh is the one that actually taught me to drive.

Great, loveable animals. However, they stinketh...lol. We took one in after a couple was divorcing and needed a home for him. My dh couldn't stand the smell, so we had to find another family for him. (Thankfully, we found one that had experience with ferrets, so they knew what they were getting into.)

My dd ended up having to go get part of her nail removed...they DID give her the option to be put lightly under (but we didn't go that route)

((Hugs)) It DOES suck the life out of you. I was exhausted with my twins. I also lost about 15 pounds due to nausea..blech. Are you getting enough protein? It seemed like my body needed huge amounts of it then. (I would wake up at 3AM NEEDING a spoon of peanut butter, and I couldn't get enough red meat..lol.) It won't be too much longer!

This should go under the things you just have to let go of and not think about too much. Like shopping carts, water fountains, hand shaking, buying produce, etc. You could drive yourself nuts worrying about germs.

Because it is easier to put a flailing octopus in a basket than a seat. Seriously though...if the kid is sitting, I fail to see a problem.

Wish you were closer :( Beautiful chickens!!

I voted other on both. I believe in saving faith in Jesus Christ . I do not believe that only one church/denomination has it right. I do believe some have it very wrong. I am now in thd same denom that my step family was in as a child...but it is different now.

Well....in the hall where the thermostat is, it says 69. That is the warmest spot in the house :glare: Here, where my office is about 5 degrees cooler (we measured one day) so...64. It's a bit chilly. I'm dressed in layers. My dds room is upstairs, with no heat. You can hang meat in there. :eek: (she is NOT forced to live in that room, btw, it is of her own choosing) I'm guessing it hovers around whatever it is outside during the day and drops down to the 40s at night, because she refuses to sleep with the door open so the heat can get up there. Whatever. I refuse to go up there :lol:

Somehow, when it is your dh and his friends building your house, the slightly dangerous things they do in normal construction become much harder to watch :scared: I had to leave the site after watching them raise a beam in the garage... :smash:

We almost went this route. It was supposed to be a true modular, not a mobile. However, I happened to visit a friend who had almost exactly the same house we were going to get, and it was already looking rough. The quality looked nothing like the showroom. We ended up going with a stick built, mostly because there were no other modular offices nearby for us to visit in person.

They are forever banned at my house after one of my lovely dds vomited all in my car simply from the smells of the bacon, black pepper and vomit ones. :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

Love them unless they are bath/lotion/candle products. With sensitive skin and sinus issues, I usually just have to throw those out.