With facebook, I am casually connected to people I went to high school with. My best girl friend is from college and we have now been friends for 27 years, She now lives 6 hours from me but we are still in touch. I am still deeply connected to several people that I went to college with and we are spread all over the country now.

I have two children both interested in artistic paths. I support both of them completely in whatever they want to do. I have a degree in theatre and no one could have persuaded me to do anything different either. The world needs artists and entertainers just as much as they need lawyers. It would be a pretty boring place without them. I have given them very realistic expectations. It is still theirs to pursue. Their life. Not mine. My husband has a degree in computer engineering. He has a well paying job in that field. He is miserable every day when he goes to work. He hates it so much but feels he has no options. Money doesn't guarantee happiness. Still to this day, theatre is what feeds my soul. It has been that way since I was 9 years old. I still define myself as an actor/director with a day job. That is who I am at heart. My children feel this drive and passion as well.

My daughters know about it but when I spoke to them about it, neither expressed an interest in watching it. I told them that if they wanted to watch it, I would watch it with them but I did not want them watching it on their own. My older daughter is more emotionally fragile and my other daughter is very impressionable right now. I am very sensitive to the subject of suicide as I see its effects far to often as I work at a level one trauma hospital. It is something I talk to my children about often.

Praying for your family.

I don't know about chronic pain but I have two young family members with severe epilepsy and cannabis oil has been life saving for them. I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I thought it might help.

Both of mine were induced. First one was 23 hours. Second one was about 2.5 hours. Doc came in and broke water, then got epidural and pitocin. Dilated from 4 to 10 in 30 minutes and 30 minutes later, my daughter was born. I have always said that she shot into the world like a lightning bolt and haven't had a dull moment since.

I second the above recommendation for Pink Lemonade. I love theirs. Super soft. Unfortunately, my favorite ones are not being made anymore. I have made some of my own but I am not a seamstress and the results are functional but not pretty.

Thanks.

We have Playstation Vue and it gets a lot of activity in our house. We had Sling but it was terrible for constantly kicking us out, rebuffering, etc. Playstation Vue functions much better. The channels we mostly watch are Discovery, Discovery Science, Animal Planet, HGTV, Food Network and ID Discovery. We watch it all through our Roku. It costs us much less than it would to have cable to get these same channels. It also gives you the capability to get to the locked content on different channels' apps.

Thanks for the advice. I personally am someone who went to a dream school and still paying the financial consequences of such a decision. That's why I am trying the get all the information I can to be able to make a good decision and to help her balance out the dreams with a shot of realism.

Does anyone have any recommendations for animation software that is reasonably priced for my daughter's PC? She is my 13 year old artist who is looking to expand into animation. I am not really interested in classes, just software for her to work independently. Thanks!

I know exactly what the obstacles are to both CMU and Univ of Michigan. Likely, there is no way we will be able to afford either, if she could get in. But, she could possibly get in.

I went to my family doctor once when I was ill. I apparently had pretty bad strep throat. As soon as I opened my mouth to let her swab it, she said it was definitely strep because she could smell it. She was right.

Thank you all for your assistance. I have read the website extensively but needed some personal experience to help. She is aware that some scholarships would be necessary for either to ever be a truly viable option. She is ending her sophomore year and we are really just beginning discussions.

Anyone have any experience with the aid offered by either of these schools. These are my dd15's top 2 schools and not sure we will be able to financially swing either one. She plans to audition for their BFA Musical Theatre programs. Because of our annual income, we are not likely to receive much of anything in the way of need based aid but can't afford either school on our own. She would be an out of state student at University of Michigan. Any insight?

It has been several years. For dd13, it was the last of the Sisters Grimm series. For dd15, I think it was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Dh and I read to each girl separately because they had vastly different attention spans and needed some one on one time.

Thanks for bumping this thread. I was just going to start one myself. My dh does work at a university that offers tuition remission where we would have to pay 25% of the instate tuition plus room and board, books, etc. We have enough saved to be able to cover most of this with the DE classes that my girls are taking. DD2 is content with this. DD1 has dreams of going to a much more expensive school. I am realistic that we are likely not to qualify for any federal aid. I hate to squash her dream of this school but I know that we have to be realistic. I am learning from the ideas listed here. Thanks. Margaret, I am sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis and all that you are facing with that. I hope you can find comfort in the fact that so many here are thinking of you.

I have some Laura Ashley sheets that I got from Amazon and I love them.

My dd has a similar issue. She likes Lee Modern Fit Curvy jeans from Kohls. She has several pair and a pair of their dress pants.

So sweet. Congratulations!

They have made a huge difference for my daughter. She would practically be out of commission for two weeks every month between cramping and massive mood swings. Then, her final period before she started the pills lasted 21 days. Things are significantly better for her now. She still has some PMS issues but on a much more manageable scale. I have PCOS so I was extra concerned about some of her issues. I don't regret that we made the decision at all.

DD13 will have a booked summer. She will work several weeks as a CIT at a local art studio for their summer day camps. Then, she will have one or two weeks where she actually attends camp at the art studio. She also wants to do one week of a musical theatre camp and maybe a tennis camp if it doesn't all collide with times. DD15 is likely auditioning for the summer musical which will keep her pretty busy. She also has her eye on some other auditions toward the end of summer. Otherwise, she will spend time with friends and at home. She also will be getting her learner's permit at the end of April so there will be driving school and practice in there somewhere as well. As a family, there will be a few camping weekends and some day trips with friends to the lake.

Head elevated and Vicks Vaporrub. Hot water with lemon and honey.

My daughter has foot issues and her orthopedist has always recommended New Balance because they have a wider toe box. I like them because I can also get them in extra wide sizes for my own feet. DD13 has definitely had the best luck with them as compared to any others we have tried.

Congratulations!