I think I am answering my own question and will need to talk to dh about it. She should pay for the repairs. I do not want to "punish" her, but she should pay for it to: a. make restitution for the damage she caused, and b. help her learn never to make this mistake again.

17yo dd drove our family mini-van last week. Later that night it wasn't running properly, so we ended up taking it to the shop. The service manager said it was burning diesel - we questioned dd who had stopped for gas; she insisted that she put in unleaded. About $500 of repairs later, the van is running perfectly. I just found dd's receipt for gas. She put in diesel. So, does she pay back the repair money? She just started a part time job, about 12 hours a week.

I would toss it. Sorry.

We did, about 10 years ago. My dh had a job waiting for him, and when he talked to his boss on the phone, he mentioned the house we were planning to rent. The boss had his wife drive by and take a look at the house & neighborhood just to reassure us that it was decent. (and it was). I saw that alpidarkomama had a synagogue friend check out their rental. So that would be my suggestion - if you know anyone in the new area, through work, church, etc., ask if they would mind doing at least a drive-by of properties you are seriously considering.

I'm glad I did, too. My teen asked, thinking critically, "Why should I do this? How could it help child abuse victims?"

My 17yo dd asked me this morning what the point of the cartoon character is, and how it could possibly help child abuse victims. So glad I raised a logical thinker!:D

I do this, too. I have a mental price book and am comfortable not using coupons (for the most part), knowing that I am getting really good prices on the stuff I buy the most. But last time I said that on this board, I was accused by a coupon zealot of squandering my dh' hard earned money. :confused:

Yikes! Why would you want to re-read this? You just reminded me of Lois Duncan's Summer of Fear, which terrified me as a girl! (I still won't go to sleep in a bed that doesn't have at least one side pushed up against a wall....)

Dave wasn't on this particular commercial, but he does promote it. E-mealz is listed as a "trusted" company on his website. He gets money from them.

This is true for me, too. I couldn't identify most handbags if my life depended on it. I saw a Dooney & Burke yesterday but I only knew it was because it said so! To further illustrate my cluelessness: A while back I was chatting with a girlfriend who always looks so cute - but is a real bargain hunter and sometimes buys cheap stuff for "bling". She had on a watch with a wide red leather band that she told me she got at Walmart. A couple of weeks later I saw someone else wearing a similar watch, and I blurted out, "Oh, did you get that at Walmart?" Oops. She was totally offended and said, "No, it's a (whatever designer)".

I heard one on the radio the other day: "We saved over $600 on groceries the first month!" If I saved $600 on groceries in a month, we'd be at 0 most months! What made me mad about this is it was a commercial for e-mealz during the Dave Ramsey radio show. On his show, Dave suggests that people on a strict budget eat, "beans and rice, rice and beans." Yet during commercials he hawks this paid-subscription meal planner that requires going to a single grocery store every week for that week's menu.

It looks like you need to stay. Why are the 8 year olds lifting things at dance class??

I have a different model by Farouk (CHI manufacturer). It is called Deep Brilliance and it was cheaper than their CHI line -only $50. I've had it for almost 3 years and LOVE it, but I just looked on Amazon and they no longer carry it. Maybe you could find it elsewhere. Farouk Deep Brilliance flat iron

My 9th grader does most of what yours does (except sweeping - dd usually does that), plus he shares the weekly yard & pool care with my hubby. He also cleans his own bathroom weekly. I don't think he's overburdened. Since my kids reached high school age and require less hands-on teaching, I have taken over more of the daily and weekly chores. It seems fair to me that their job is schoolwork, and mine is managing the household. So if the kids are getting started on their math while I clean the kitchen after breakfast, that works for me. But I agree with Julie in MN - if we ask dc to do something, they need to do it cheerfully!

yes, being on the WTM boards has been quite an education for me over the years!

Several years ago I was an infrequent seller on eBay. I remember the fees being about 2%. Plus Paypal got their small percentage (seems like only about 2%). I haven't sold in years on eBay but was just about to list some items. 9 percent??? NINE?? Plus the 2.9% Paypal fee. I am in shock. Poor ds will be unhappy when I tell him he's netting 12% less on these items than he'd planned...

I had to ask this question a year ago when I got my iPhone. :) My favorite app has been the game Fuzzle. It is a fun puzzle game; I think you can try it for free. I really didn't think I'd use my phone for games. But When you go to JoAnn Fabrics and realize there are 13 customers in front of you, and only 2 cashiers...just whip out the phone and play Fuzzle.

How's it going with one day left? You also might want to point out to him at this last minute, that it would be 2 years at the CC for him to transfer out. (I think I remember that he's already taken some CC courses, but you do have to have the full 60 credits to transfer in to the state schools).

No, that would be fraud on your part; you would be in much worse trouble. Sorry this is happening to you, but I bet you'll be covered by cc protection even if the company doesn't want to refund. (have you printed the refund policy yet?) :grouphug:

I know this is controversial but I have to say it. We are from Texas (both UT grads, and both our kids were born in TX). Almost all of our extended family is there, and we'd love to move back someday. BUT dh and I agree that one of the worst things about Texas is the race relations problem. It's probably not as bad in some of the big cities with more enlightened ideas. But in many of the smaller cities (Port Arthur and Jasper are East Texas cities with which I am very familiar) the racism is so prevalent that I am disgusted by it. I'm sure there are lovely people there so I hate to paint entire communities with a broad brush. But this was our personal experience. If you are moving to TX with an AA child, choose your city carefully.

I vented too soon. Sis arrived in record time (apparently everyone is LEAVING our city for the holiday - she said the traffic was horrible going the opposite direction). We had a terrific visit last night. I'm so happy and thankful that she's here to celebrate with us today!

The same thing happened to us; it was just barely frozen with ice crystals, not rock-solid. The butcher told me they were cooled to almost freezing otherwise they couldn't get them to everyone to stay fresh for Thanksgiving. (basically the same thing Karen's step-dad the butcher said!)

Yes on the cake mix; just use it up soon. Maybe on the milk...do you have a recipe you can put this in soon? Most expiration dates are for freshness/best taste; it doesn't mean the ingredients turn to poison on that date.

Thank you, Daisy, that is a good perspective. I am a little sensitive b/c she was supposed to come for a special event in June and canceled at the last minute (we haven't seen her since then). So I was *dreading* her canceling again, but you are right, it seems like a long drive if she'd really just rather cancel.

That sounds great, but the kids and I got started on our baking...I wonder if they'd notice if mom made herself a festive hot toddy?? :)