Oddly enough, it is the other foot. The medicine is for joints on the right toes. I had a x-ray and there's definitely a SPOT where it isn't smooth, you know? (I have kids. We get lots of x-rays, blah). They sent to someone who said "overuse," I sent a photo to my Mom (who is a nurse practitioner and spent lots of time in the ER as a nurse) and she's saying she can see the spot and it could be a heel avulsion...which I guess is a fracture? Just one of those things...I'm tired of paying copays at $40 a pop, SIGH. I figured give it another night and see how I feel in the morning- I have my x-ray so I can always call my ortho and they can see it. And yes, if it were my kids, I'd definitely take them in :) I just don't want to waste money being a weenie :)

Dr Hive- I feel like it has been non-stop drs visits in my family recently. I went to the ortho YESTERDAY as I've been having ongoing nerve pain in my right toes. She gave me some inserts to try and a medicine to see if it helps. I come home, try the medicine and go on my happy little way. A few hours later...all of a sudden, I realize "wow, my heel on the other foot really hurts." I tried to ignore it, told myself it was all in my head. Told myself to rest it, it will be fine in the morning. It isn't. It still hurts like a blankity blank. I can walk with a hobble and I absolutely cannot put all my weight on that foot. Last night, watching a movie, I could not get comfortable, no matter what I did. I had to lie in a really weird position so that the weight was on my leg, not foot. I recently started running in September, but I run like you know, 6 miles a week or something really small. I am not overweight, nor do I wear weird high heels or anything. What the heck is this pain?? I feel dumb, as I do not want to go BACK to the dr or urgent care (as I juuuusssttt went yesterday) but feel unsure what to do. Walking is slightly important to my daily life, and now with my hobble, I'm having to put more pain on my already painful nerve hurting right toes.

I trick or treated as a teenager. I honestly didn't ever think that there was anything wrong- I just wanted to be with my friends. I'm happy to give to the teens, but will give them a little lip if they can't tell me what their costume is :)

Just to update this- I did go over her head, to the Super. Well, I CCed him on emails. The principal was being rude in her replies to me, while I was being short, but civil and professional. Once I started asking her which state laws she was referring to, she then stopped emailing and the assistant super took over. I think pointed out which laws they were breaking to her, and then uh, uh, uh....let me get back to you...uh...uh...Thursday. Woman, please. Never heard back. It looks like another school is willing to take us on. I say "looks like" because I'm one of those people who won't believe it until we're at the first meeting. (Grew up with a Mom who promised all sorts of things, so I always play it safe with long term plans. I won't even admit we're ever going on vacation until rooms/tickets are BOOKED.) So, hoping things will stay well with this new school. Funny thing is-- new school is a charter and meanie principal lost a big chunk of her old team (plus my old team, as well) to here. So...yes, she was wrong and I feel like I pointed it out to the best of my ability...but at this point, I don't want to lose any sleep or give myself unneeded wrinkles over this rude lady.

Don't bring a gift. We used to try to do this for fun causes my daughter enjoyed-- animals, library, etc, but everyone always felt they were special and brought gifts anyway. It really makes things awkward for everyone involved.

We're renting for about $12 a month. While my child seems to be doing well, she #1 is not done growing and #2 hasn't committed herself enough to make it worth my investment. My husband wants to buy, but not yet.

I have my full email written out...but have yet to hit send. As a homeschooler, I always worry that something will happen and someone will show up and question anything I'm doing. It is a good letter, and what she is doing is wrong. I want to let both the principal and the superintendent know that this is wrong and there are laws, but somehow, I get scared that there will be repercussions placed on my family.

I tried that route- thinking PERFECT! They've been advertising this since about May, and apparently, we're the only people with kids this age who want to do it. We need at least 5 kids to make a team. Also, I spoke with the coach and it became a bit clear that she breaks the rules of OM by dictating to the children what they can/can't do-- that is super not allowed and it takes away from the fun of it. I think there's other schools we should be able to get- we were at a school last year on a team and my kids enjoyed it. It really is a great way for them to meet new friends outside of homeschooling.

There are no other teams to join. The only homeschooled program is for middle-high schoolers, not age-appropriate for my kids. We can't start a community team- like, make up a community organization to "sponsor" the kids. Also, if for some reason I was able to get an organization to sponsor my team, we're unable to take any students whose schools already have an OM program. Last year, I'd say all of the elementaries plus the charter schools around here had teams. While we do know some school kids, most of them attend a school that has an OM team. There are other teams we are sniffing around to try for- but this (by far) is the closest to us. There are enough spots on the team-- this school has more than one team- I think last year it was 7? Not to mention, I love to coach-- and it offers more children (besides my own) to be in this awesome activity.

I am learning so much about the law. I called the superintendent's office. Parents/guardians do NOT need to be fingerprinted. The law for homeschooling states any child who comes for the extracurriculars is to be treated "as a student." Therefore, if my child participates, she is a student and I am the parent of a student. Maybe my state is not stringent for fingerprints-- I volunteer for Girl Scouts (troop leader, now just volunteer) and I needed a background check, references and an interview, but no prints.

That's what I worry about - if I don't stand up for something like this (and it really is a good law, I'm super impressed by it), will it make things harder for other people down the road?

I'd be happy to do the fingerprinting if it was for everyone. But-- in this district, apparently, being the parent of a student is enough that you don't have to be fingerprinted. "Look! My kids go to your schools! I'm not creepy!" It is really picking and choosing- I'd be a parent coach of a team, which includes my + other kids. I'm not combining the issues (well, not intentionally), it is just she's trying to pull this on me when I've volunteered in this district in the past. I'm happy to do it- just make it for everyone, not just another hurdle to keep the weirdo homeschooler out.

Only after served. I find it is so freaking rude to do otherwise. Especially at a restaurant when one person's meal is delayed.

OK..so, first and foremost, I happen to live in a state where the law allows homeschooled children to take extracurricular activities at their local school. My children (and myself) participated in Odyssey of the Mind last year at School A. School A does not have an OM team this year, so we went to school B, which is also close by. (Our town has open enrollment, so kids can basically go anywhere they choose.) I visit the OM meeting at School B and offer, once again, to coach. I was met with what can only be a "you disgust me" look from the principal, which she tried to cover with a "gee, I don't know." She and another teacher there started coming up with every reason why we can't join. Even when I told them it was the LAW, and I know the law, and we're willing to abide by all rules, she was just bent on keeping us out. She said she needed to talk to the school district. Replied to me today with a very condescending email, which picked and choosed at what parts of the law she wanted to abide by. Got me on "you're not zoned for our school," even though 1. it is open enrollment here and 2. law says that any homeschooled child whose zoned school doesn't offer an activity can then go to another school to try out. She then went on to say that since my children weren't enrolled at any school, I would have to be fingerprinted to be cleared- even though this has not happened in the past. Since when does having a child at a school = not be a creepy molester? I'm not just some random childless whacko-- I am a PARENT COACH. She then made sure to CC the principal at school A to make sure I cannot get on their team, either, since fingerprinting can take up to 90 days. (Not that they even have a team right now, but who knows.) I'm just so upset and disgusted. I have no desire to do OM with her school anymore- I do not want my children around that woman. But, it just hurts that she tries to keep my kids out + make sure to make it as hard as humanly possible for me to join any team. I get it. You're a principal of a school. I'm a homeschooler. We have different paths, but we BOTH ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE ABOUT CHILDREN. I feel like not fighting this makes her win and just enforces her weird notion that she doesn't have to let a homeschooler in, even though, legally, she does. But, at the same time, this has just all made me so sad + angry, and has put a huge damper on my weekend, and now, day.

I second going to goodwill. You can get some nice things there and they usually have a plus sized section. Personally, I'd do something like 2 pairs of colored pants- maybe one navy/black and one grey/tan, a couple of long sleeved shirts you can roll up to elbows and then a cardigan or two. You could mix/match (and some days not wear the cardigan) and vary it with things like earrings, necklaces and shoes.

I figured we need to see a specialist-- but the kids are about to leave to go out of town, so I figured at least we could get into an opthalmologist who could at least say yes or no to the discoloration. I've been to this clinic before, so I know they dilate eyes-- they did mine. The town I live in has a HUGE older population and it is ridiculously hard to get into doctors. (Good like finding a primary care here. Seriously.)

So, we went to a new doctor yesterday for my youngest, who has been having strong stomach pains (comes and goes) for years. His previous dr told me there was nothing that could be done that wasn't invasive. I'd had enough of his pains (I'd get worried, and then they'd stop...I'm sure some of you know this cycle) and decided we'd go to a new doctor. She had to do a well-child checkup and while viewing his eyes, she said she could see discoloring on his retina and he needed to go to an eye doctor. So, I made the mistake of googling what the doctor said. While Web MD can be a choose your own adventure story where the outcome is ALWAYS death, Google was a bit sobering. The only thing that google said this could be is a genetic disease that could eventually cause blindness. WHA? WHAT?? Of course, at this point, my husband is like "PUT THE COMPUTER AWAY!" But I could tell he was a bit worried when I could only get an appointment a month out. He encouraged me to keep looking and we found somewhere for tomorrow. So now, I'm waiting on results of blood tests (liver, celiac, food allergies....who knows what else) and worrying about what will happen at the eye doctor. I mean, could the doctor just mis-see something like this? I don't know. I feel like I can't discuss with my husband (he likes to keep his emotions deep down inside his knee or something) and obviously the children are out. Bringing grandparents into it will make them worry and my bestie hates this doctor so she won't believe anything she says. (Her: She's probably wrong!) I feel like she really listened to us for the stomach pain and didn't just tell him to drink water and take laxatives. The amount of blood work alone made me feel like she was serious. So, why wouldn't she be about his eyes? Does anyone here have experienced with discolored retinas? Can a pedi be wrong about something like this?

Heck to the NO. We have a large-ish dog (50 pounds) but he sleeps in his cage. Honestly, he seems very happy about this- he knows to go in at night and often goes to sleep in there on his own. He tried, for awhile, to sleep in beds with my kids. Honestly, he kept taking over their beds and the kids couldn't stretch out. Besides, I think it is kind of gross. We also let him sleep wherever for awhile, but he spent a lot of time #1 roaming between bedrooms to constantly check on us and #2 looking for food.

I don't know about others-- but I do know funerals. A funeral, whether there's a cremation or a burial, is optional. I've been to funerals for people who were to be cremated and the body was there. (Open casket viewing beforehand, closed during the service in the church.) Sometimes, people just have memorial services without the body. Some people bypass all that hooplah and maybe just say "everyone go out to eat together!" As for the will, pretty sure that once one is there, as long as it is able to be found, then it is good.

If you have any form of sensitivity to motion sickness, stay far, far, far away from the Men in Black ride. The Mummy ride was awesome. (Sorry, I was only there for the Halloween night-- oddly enough, while we were visiting Disney!)

My parents did a "drive around" vacation once where they stayed in country bumpkin hotels on the cheap. It was seriously the worst vacation of my life. Lots and lots of driving, only to get out for a bit. Soup in a cup in the car...reaaaaaaaalllly sketchy motels (the cheap ones usually aren't ridiculously nice). It was awful and I still shudder thinking about it. (I think that trip is the one that made me hate road trips with a passion. All these years later I'm finally getting over it, but we're road-tripping in a nicer way). Why not try VRBO and see what sort of out-of-the-way places you could find to stay in?

Yah....this is a bunch of bunk. Sometimes, people with similar personalities don't get along. It happens. But? I can think of a few people I've actually seriously truly HATED in my life, and it was usually because they were mean, awful, vindictive human beings. Pretty sure I'm none of the three.

Can she not find any native speakers in her area? Does she have older children? I'd start asking around-- work people, neighbors, friends, family, you name it. I can think of several people I know here who are from China-- hopefully she has someone in her area to help.

Yes! We already have too many desserts planned!

I looked into this but we had too many people! We've stayed at the Best Western Lake Buena Vista twice (once on our Honeymoon!) and it was nice. Within walking distance of Downtown Disney-- made it back (this was pre-kids) slightly tipsy and when I had missed the bus.