[G Rated movies that are good]

Babe

Homeward Bound

[Possible beach trip in September -- talk to me about hurricane risk...]

Panhandle is so much prettier!

 

You can buy trip insurance if you'll have plane tickets and nonrefundable lodging.

[Cox stinks]

Is it the same price in both locations? I'd be hopping mad!

[I got a very, very bad haircut and I am so upset]

I'm so sorry :grouphug: I had that happen too, years ago. I went to a new stylist and she asked what I wanted done, and I said something something layers. I remember her saying, "You want layers?" And I said, "Sure!" Except that I have very red curly hair. I looked like Clarabell the clown for months afterward. And the layers were so short that I couldn't do a ponytail or even pull it back on the sides. It was so bad that even the people who would normally tell you, "Oh, it's not that bad, you look cute!" were all like, "Hmm, yeah, that's pretty bad." :lol:

 

Haircuts are so fraught, even when they turn out well. I swear I still tear up every time I get my hair, and it's literally the same cut by the same stylist every single time.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Another curly redhead! Yeah, my DH couldn't say **anything** and the man is never speechless. I can laugh a little now, but...

[What are your favorite beans & rice recipes, please?]

Does beans and pasta count? :)

 

I can't find a recipe online, but we used to make this all the time in law school and grad school. The leftovers are great, but I was cooking for 2 and not 6. You may have to increase quantities. :)

 

Cook 1 lb pasta to very al dente. Gemelli or other fun shapes work well.

 

Meanwhile, sauté together in oil:

Canadian bacon, 1/2 package, thinly sliced in strips (could use regular bacon or omit I would imagine)

Onion, small dice

Stir in garlic then a large can of crushed tomatoes and two cans of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed, can cook yourself from dry) once the onions are translucent. Add salt to taste and simmer until your pasta is nearly done. Reserve some pasta water when you drain the pasta. Add pasta to the tomato mixture and finish cooking, adding as much pasta water to suit your preference of sauciness.

 

Goya's black bean soup has the best seasoning. You can add additional cans of plain black beans or cooked from dry beans to them. (The soup is really soupy beans and could be served as a side dish, but the sauce will stretch!) It's really good over rice with a little cheese and salsa.

[Mom out and about with sons question...]

I am driving a minivan, Honda Odyssey. The children will be in the second row and the third row will be down with boxes and likely our bags. 4 year old is still rear facing (Advocate CT). 8 year old is still in a 5pt harness (Britax Frontier 85 SICT). I guess the safest thing for me to do is to set up the boxes like a little room in the back and use the potlette. I do have scented bags for it. LOL Though even then, someone will be able to see my children when I am using it. But on the other hand, I would only need to use it when we are between rest stops. So hopefully that will not come to pass. :)

 

Thank you for all the help everyone!

I would drag my large DS in the women's room before I'd go potty in my car. I think you're probably worrying unnecessarily about how difficult this will be. Coffee shops, gas stations with "one hole" toilets are pretty easy to find. Restaurants and stores generally have nicer facilities. What do you do now when you're out? :

[Strategies for remembering to take medication?]

Hmmmm, he's lost a couple, but maybe we could try again.

 

I'm just not sure how an alarm would help. I think the alarm would have to go off in the window of time between waking up, and leaving the room, or between returning to the room and going to sleep. Given that he's not showering, or eating in the room, I imagine that will be a short period of time, and it will vary every day.

 

Also, don't you have to charge a fitbit?

Fitbits do need to be charged. There are watches that don't.

[What do you know about gene testing and life insurance?]

You won't be able to get new life insurance at this point, but all that you already have was purchased before you had any condition or any knowledge of any potential condition. I believe the genetic testing issue would be for something like knowing you had the genes for breast cancer, then purchasing life insurance, then dying from breast cancer. I don't think regulations have caught up with this.

[Repeated Calls!!! argh!]

Block the number.

 

Nomorerobo.com will filter out some of those if they're computer generated.

 

Look at the FCC's website on how to file a complaint.

 

Blow a whistle loudly in the phone. My grandmother used to do that.

[Mom out and about with sons question...]

That's interesting. I've been all over the U.S. and have never encountered a restaurant bathroom that requires a key code or key. I've only ever seen that at an occasional gas station.

Me neither. The only place is a 24 hour Krispy Kreme that had problems with the rooms being used for sleeping and um paid TeA.

[I got a very, very bad haircut and I am so upset]

I know. This guy owns his own salon, a very small one, out in a town about 45 min. from me. My friend grew up there and has used him for 40 years, they are personal friends. I have gone to him before and haven't had this happen.

 

I would feel very bad about making a stink out of it with my friend being friends with him, and I would need to go out 45 min. to get it.

 

Anyway, I am just going to let it go and never go back there.

Gotcha. It was a friend's beloved hairdresser who butchered mine once. I cried for a couple of days. Right after a baby and it was just soooo bad.

[Mom out and about with sons question...]

I would stop at a restaurant or Target or somewhere (gas station) with smaller restrooms and the possibility of single stalls. My DS would not have wanted to go in the women's restroom at nearly 9.

[I got a very, very bad haircut and I am so upset]

You should get the $35 back! That might help ease the sting of a better fix.

 

:grouphug: I am always nervous getting haircuts after two really horrible ones myself!

[Dh and I are...]

That sounds like torture to me :rofl: , but I'm envious that you've found an activity to enjoy together. Every time I try to find something other than tv/movie, it goes badly. 

[Where to buy curtains?]

My favorite curtains are from Pier One. I've found interesting ones on Target. It's also really easy to make them. 

[How do you make healthy eating easier?]

For the meal you mentioned, I would make the chicken in a triple batch and freeze two portions for another time. (Works with all kinds of taco meat, bbq, pot roast, etc.) I use a really large cutting board and cut everything on it. Salsa ingredients get chopped and tossed in the blender. The cilantro was washed when I got home from the store, wrapped in a paper towel and stuck in a ziploc. (Thanks, Rachael Ray!) A couple of spoons of the salsa go in with the avocado for guacamole with a little extra salt and lime. Or I chop extra onion when I chop it for the salsa if I'm not in the mood for tomatoes in the guac. I would probably skip the rice because none of us needs the carbs. I'd buy the corn tortillas. They're not as good, but making fresh tortillas adds an hour to the meal for me it seems. 

 

I try to pare things down to a protein, a carb for the kids, and a vegetable. It's simple and healthy. Having picky eaters, DH who's off dairy at the moment, and a toddler who won't eat meat makes it less simple than it sounds most days... But really, the large cutting board and prepping things in order so that I can use only one board cuts down on the mess for me. Having an empty dishwasher to start meal prep is really helpful too. I can toss the things straight in as I use them. I love roasting vegetables. I can roast cauliflower for me and potatoes for the kids. Simple salad. Sauteed chicken breast in the iron skillet. Done. 

 

I try to make meats that I can use twice during the week. If I do a pork shoulder in the Instant Pot, it's BBQ one night and carnitas another. If I roast a chicken (or buy one from Coscto), that's several meals and chicken broth. I'll do twice as many chicken breasts as I need and make sandwiches for the kids another night and salads for me and DH. A big piece of salmon is served as is one night and in salmon patties, burgers, or salad another. I almost never make only one batch of meatballs or meatloaf. Meatballs get cooked, then frozen. Meatloaves get shaped into individual (1/2 cup measure) loaves, frozen raw on a sheet pan, then put in a ziploc to be baked another night. Keep a list of what's in the freezer and schedule the frozen meals or it becomes a black hole.

 

Fruit may be cheaper here. I can get a Costco sized thing of strawberries for $4-5. I wash them in water and a splash of vinegar and put them in one of the Rubbermaid Fresh something containers. (Also Costco--set of three for the price of one elsewhere,) Those are magical. Great for cut up melon, washed berries and grapes, and things like boiled eggs. There's a little perforated tray in the bottom that keeps them out of the juice that collects. I just made fruit salads for my little ones using an apple (cheaper filler), a few berries, and a handful of cantaloupe (which is $1.50 at Aldi). Watermelon is cheap right now, so we eat a lot of that. Aldi is cheaper for cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and eggs and milk and some cheeses. A whole head of cabbage is less than a pack of the coleslaw mix, and it will make at least three of those packs. 

[Tracker the Destroyer]

Doggy day care was great for our hyper adopted golden. The owner would always comment that she was the most insanely active dog they'd ever had, which was frightening. We did it for a couple of days a week. Then DH started taking her on 5 mile runs. She settled down a bunch once she realized she was "home" I think. Hers is definitely anxiety-related. She's now (6 years later...) a couch potato unless people come over. :)

[I'm waiting for an auction to end...found a dress I love for my dd's wedding...]

I'd go with a navy or metallic sandal instead of suede pumps with that lovely, delicate dress. Congrats on your score!

[already went and got it done.....thanks!]

I'd go to a piercing salon also. The places that also do tattoos don't allow anyone under 18 inside the shop in my state. Call ahead and go on an unbusy weekday afternoon.

[Thank you card questions]

I'd do Jones Family and probably Mrs. Smith, Mr. Smith, and Sam to indicate age hierarchy and that you know Mr. and Mrs. Smith aren't married.

[nevermind]

No concept of time, lying, and the behavior issues you describe could be flags for extreme ADHD, HFA (though less likely with the lying), ODD, PDD-NOS among others.

[Little angry vent- when homeschoolers judge]

In fact, my dh's closest friend doesn't know we're sending dd to school. He would be reprimanded greatly. I've only told one friend in my previous home town. She understands my life. No one else will know and there will be no first day of school pictures in Facebook. Sad really

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

His closest "friend"?!?! These people aren't your friends. I'm sorry for the lack of support you're getting from these people with no boundaries and compassion! :grouphug:

[How do I talk to my DH about household/life work]

We have a friend who is beyond brilliant. She started a company right out of grad school with some friends and then sold it, stayed on as a creative consultant for a few years, then retired young. We met her right after she retired and she was LOST without having an executive assistant to handle everything. She had been a fairly involved parent but in a stereotypically successful male way. Her wife handled all the setting up of the appointments, buying clothes, etc. She just played with and loved on the kids whenever she was home. Then they separated and she had to figure out all the mundane crap. She was very open about the struggles and would literally take notes when she asked me how to do XYZ. She hired a housekeeper for a transition period so they would have food and clean clothes and such. She probably should have hired a personal assistant to deal with bills and car tags and all that jazz. Anyway, I completely understand how OP's DH functions at work and not at home. He probably uses all his EF abilities at work and has nothing left to give at home. (Which SUCKS for his wife, don't get me wrong!) Similar to a kid who holds it together at school all day but can't at home. If he weren't so gifted in one area to be able to have that professional job and didn't have a steady spouse and support system, his life would likely be total chaos.

 

Anyway, I also understand how other geniuses and high powered whatever (actors, singers) lose everything to an untrustworthy business manager too.

[Dr. Hive: Pneumonia! Our exchange student can't come! :(]

Oh that stinks for the kid! How disappointing. So glad it didn't happen here though. I hope he's able to figure out a new plan.

[There's Always that One Kid..... (dog bite related) Dog people, please weigh in]

She needs to report the bite to the local authorities. If it bit her unprovoked, think of what it could do to a child. It's probably worth a trip to the doctor to see if she needs prophylactic antibiotics.