I love my Ameribags. http://www.ameribag.com/catalog/collection/8 I know they look like backpacks but they are easy to get into. I use a small for everyday and a medium for trips. My sister used a medium for a trip to Europe. Dillard's carries them. I think I've seen the ones you like at Hallmark.

Honestly, dosage depends on the person. For example, I mentioned I am extrmely sensitive to all drugs I take. I am currently on prozac. The "magic dose" for prozac is 20mg. I have a hard time tolerating 10 mg (I just get sleepy easily) and 5 mg can actually help me. I could not tolerate any Effexor, even 35 mg, and my sister took it for menopause issues and felt no effects at 225mg. As for the withdrawal, some people experience no withdrawal and others do. Most people experience withdrawal because so many AD's have a half life which can be measured in hours. Prozac tends to be different because its half life is a few days. I suffered withdrawal from every AD I tried except for prozac. BUT, many people do have withdrawal from prozac. I notice results from prozac in a day, some people won't for weeks, if ever. The problem with a lot of these meds is, at least with the AD's, is that no one is really sure how they work;they just do. There is no test that can be done to determine which one you need. Add that to the individual, which effects all drugs, and you can have a lot of trial and error.

We got it from Netflix. They do no have season 1 available so we started with season 2. At first I thought it was weird, but now I think I am hooked. We watch a lot of the SciFi Channel and don't know how we missed it.

We just got rid of our Odyssey with 192K on it. My dh's accord has 275K. After I had dd#1 I sold my Acura to my boss with 130K. He then sold it when it got to 220K. DH's current subaru has 140K with no problems. Just Maintenence issues. We bought it with 100K. We just bought a Sequoia with 84K. We have no problem with high miles on the right type of car.

I have been very intrigued by Mosdos lit off and on for a while but I wasn't sure I wanted to pay the money for an experiment. So, I have found the student Pearl level for a good price. Mosdos includes some authors that I am very surprised about. I am thinking it requires a higher level of thinkking and could be easily adaptable t older students based on what I am seeing. Here are my questions. 1. Would the program work well in a group setting: 2. If we did Pearl, would it work with 6th-8th grades? 3. Is the TM absolutely necessary? I have read on other sites that the moms use the questions in the student text with great success. They just need to stay on top of what their child is reading. That should do it for now, although I'm sure I'll think of some more.

I have a BJU literature book that I got for 90% off. It is an older edition but I can get the TM on amazon. Do I need it? The questions at the end of the stories seem a little thin to me but I have found BJU's TM's to be almost overkill, at least for me. Any help?

BTDT, but I'm getting closer to verbalizing all the time.

when your body feels like it is being attacked, either phsically or emotionally, it releases histamines. Antihistamines can be very helpful in combatting mild anxiety. I found this our when I took benadryl to fight the effects of the Effexor withdrawal. One of the anti-anxieties I was given at the hospital was vistriol, which my friend the psychiatrist said was basically benadryl. You may want to try benadryl until you see the doctor. I would definitly see the doctor. But you need to be away that with the advent of the SSRI's and AD's like Wellbutrin and Effexor, it is easier to prescribe these drugs because they do not need to be fine tuned as much as tricyclics and MAOI's, It is also extremely difficult to overdose on them. If you don't get help with a gp, don't give up..

I have stopped buying socks and underwear for the girls. They get left out, ledt in the car, unclaimed in the wash because people don't want to put them away. I'm about to stop buying clothes because they want things and then never wear them. I have noticed when they do buy their clothes, the clearance rack at Target and Kohl's looks very appealing.

Excellent job.

it at least gave me some info so I could talk somewhat intelligently with my doctor. This is the updated version. I found it at the library. http://www.amazon.com/New-Antidepressants-Antianxieties-William-Appleton/dp/0452285151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246285882&sr=8-1

I am so tired of my girls leaving things around. I have stopped getting after them about it. I just scoop up the stuff and they have to pay to get it back. We drove to Wichita yesterday for a swim meet. Middle dd forgot her bag. How she did this I"ll never know. She started to blame me and then thought the better of it. She was wearing her suit and youngest had an extra towel. She had to buy a new team cap and some goggles. She looked disappointed when I told her she was out $23 for both items, but didn't balk.

I have no complaints. I have looked to see if they are listed. I know of one board where the mods don't really participate. Do the mods here post? Are we allowed to know who they are?

I have used Rescue Remedy for mild anxiety. Valerian also works well for mild anxiety, but you cannot take for too many consecutive days. I like lifestyle changes over medication if you can do it. If you want to get some quick relief while you evaluate alternatives, there is always xanax. They make an extended release version. It can be sedating, though.

This happened last time I was on it. It was the last in a long line of AD's I had tried. I kept waiting and waiting for them to work and they didn't. I started feeling better on the prozac very quickly, although full effect took about 4 weeks.

How funny. I just posted something about going back on prozac. It helped me tremendously and is on the $4 list at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, these medications are trial and error, and if often takes a while to see whether they will work or not. I have had very bad side effects from most of the more common AD's, but I am sensitive to most drugs, not just AD's. One I would try to avoid is Effexor. I have a friend who is a psychiatrist who refuses to even see the drug rep for that one. She says many people can only tolerate small doses and you need a high dose to get the norepenephine benefits. Going off of it was the woorst experience of my life. Pristiq is the replacement for it, as the patent for Effexor is due to expire. My friend has had excellent results with Cymbalta and I have a friend whose dh is on it will good results. But I like prozac. Easy to go off, generally minimal side effect, but YMMV.

It was either this or go live as a hermit for Lord only knows how long. I have decided I need to go back on my prozac. I have struggled with depression all my life. The last year has been the worst. I know the problem is aggravated by my age. I am on a natural hormone regimine prescribed by the nurse practitioner, and while it is helping some, it is not helping enough. I have been watching my relationship with my middle dd especially deteriorate over the last month. My dh, who has stood by me throughout this whole thing, is getting stressed again. I am someone who thinks our society is way over medicated. I have done a ton of research on the anti-depressant thing. I like to make lifestyle adjustments over medication. but it is time. I am getting scattered, my fuse is way too short, and I find myself getting behind in life management in general. I have lost the ability to step back and analyze things that crop up and just react too spontaneously and erratically. The progesterone I am on is helping with my sleep and energy levels, but it is doing little for my mood. I went off the prozac before because I was so lethargic yet couldn't sleep. I am hoping the combination of the 2 will be a good balance. I am also starting with a low dose, and this may be all I need. I am not looking for advice on what to do or alternatives to this. I am at peace with this. I have read books, talked with friends who work with mental health as physicians and couselors. I am more comfortable with the prozac than any other AD. It has been on the market for years and has an excellent track record. It has been 3 days now and I am sleeping well and already feel less rattled. I just need some peace, KWIM?

I would love to do a trip to Leonardo's in Enid. Anyone up for going as a group and meeting there? The outside equipment will be hot.

I have seen differing opinons on these 2. My dd needs some reinforcement of skills because she is not quite ready for algebra. I have seen skip 87 and just do algebra 1/2, I have seen skil 1/2 and do 87. I have heard the one to skip changed with the new addtions. bottom line, I just need help. (yes, that is a loaded request but let's just stick with math.)

got a Toyota Sequoia. Dh came home from a business trip last night and we discussed it. Despite the fact all the owners of GM trucks/SUVs are very happey with them we are Toyota people. (We used to be HOnda people until we had the Odyssey. Our mechanic agreed that Honda dropped the ball with the Odyssey.) The Sequoia is much bigger than I expected and we got a very nice used one. Actually, it is the nicest car I've ever owned. I guess I could say that in honor of cap and trade I got an SUV, but I didn't support cap and trade. So, instead of being a smart a**, I'll say I got a safe car to transport the most important people in my life - my family. Thanks for all the input you guys gave me.

I don't think we can pass judgment on their faith or perceived lack of it. Just because someone is a believer doesn't mean they don't struggle. They are sinners just like all of us, and if we are going to questions their faith and sin, we need to remember that all sin in equal in God's eyes. Yes, I know, we don't see the fruit from them, but I have been through times when I am not especially fruitful. In fact, Iv'e been downright arrogant and stupid, albeit not on national television. I have seen my Christian friends deal with abuse, infidelity and addiction in their marriages.. I don't know what goes on in my best friends' marriages when the doors are closed. I know by bringing in cameras they opened their lives up to scrutiny, but they still deserve some respect. They need prayer. They lack contentment and the peace Christ has promised them. We need to be careful about how we say things about their relationship with God. Sometimes the hard times force some refining of what is already there but hasn't been put through its paces to grow.

I would like a built in bra. My atheletic shirts don't have a very good bra in them so I wear an atheletic one. (If this is for your son or dh disregard this post.)

When my dh and I were married, he had an Accord and I had an Acura. We were confirmed Honda drivers. The Odyssey has been a disaster. We cannot seem to go on any trip without it breaking down. We lost the transmission in NC visiting my folks, the power steering pump went out on a trip I was taking with the girls without my dh, we have been through 2 oil pans, the ignition cable went out in a deserted part of OK on a trip I was taking with my girls without dh, there is a weird chemical smell coming from the engine that no one can diagnose. Our ignition switch went out on a camping trip in a town that was basically a wide spot in the road. I had to get a new catlytic converter to the tune of $1000. My breaks continually squeal even when the repair was done per the Honda instructions on the problem with Honda parts. We are extremely good about maintenance but this is ridiculous. When we got the transmission fixed the man at the shop said he is extremely disappointed in HOnda over the Odyssey transmissions. There is a major design flaw in them that prevents early diagnosis on problems as well as an easy fix. My sister has a 2002 and her transmission is having problems, we have friends who got rid of theirs after getting the 2d transmission under 125k miles, and a friend with a 2004 is experiencing transmission problems. Bottom line - we expect better from HOnda. My mechanic and several others I have spoken with say they don't know where the reliability problems with the Suburubans come from. They don't see it. Sure there are some lemons, but they are more disappointed in the Odyssey than the Chevy. I cannot continue to break down in small towns where they can easily fix American cars but they have to wait for enough Honda parts to make it in from OKC or Memphis or Jackson or whatever the big city is in whatever state we are in.

Not a dumb question. ISP stands for Independent Study Program. Unless the law has changed since we homeschooled there, homeschooling technically does not exist in CA. People school under the umbrella of an ISP or they can become a private school by filing an R-4 affidavit with the state stating that they are homeschooling. If you don't live in CA or in a state with a similar setup, you wouldn't know.

I processed 10 pints of blackberries today. One of the jars has a leak, which is fine. It is in the fridge. All the others are sticky on the outside and when I wiped them down with a white cloth there was some juice residue on the cloth. I left one half inch of head room, made sure the lids were set, used new lids, heard them "pop" when they cooled and the lids don't give way when I press the center. I spun the jars around and there is not any leaking. Did I do something wrong and are these okay? I've done cranberry sauce, pickles and relishes in the past and don't remember this happening, but it has been a few years since I canned.