A friend who works in a studio in L.A. told me that the production crew uses pads under the arms of some of the actors to prevent the underarm area of the shirt from absorbing their sweat since they get real hot under the stage lights. LOL! So many uses.......

This is actually what my DD started out on. I bought her a 'kit' of cloth pads specially made smaller for teens, with different absorbency types. I threw in a few for night time that were longer and more absorbent. She now prefers a thicker cotton pad in the first few days and the cloth ones the rest of her period. She says the cloth feel much nicer and no diaper feeling or crinkly sounds as she walks.

Diva cup LOL

My Dh cooks on the weekend so whatever he decides on. But nothing traditionally special. Once we move back where the majority of family is, I think we might start something up on Sundays.

You're not alone for sure. the kids and I have tried numerous times to stay tuned in and we just can't. The kids minds seem to be so busy. But give them a book and they are completely focused until they finish it. We just got home from a trip to Wyoming and we drove along some of the loneliest and sparse roads there is. Ten hours each way. We tried audiobooks again and while DH was riveted by the story (LOL) we all fell asleep. Finally, after several naps, we asked him to just stop the book and finish it later. Which he did on the way back. While we napped soundly. LOLOL I really want it to work for us, and we try but can't do it.

I just wanted to comment on how refreshing your kindness is. I am always baffled as to why people feel the need to be rude in situations like these. There's about a million different ways to handle these things and being rude doesn't help anything, but only makes people look bad, IMO. Even though home owners don't want to participate, buy or learn anything (hey, I'm one of those types, too!) they don't have to be ugly about it. But kindness always goes a long way. :hurray: eta: I always try to remember that when I'm frustrated with unexpected visitors/sales people, etc., that there is some reason this is important to them (whether it's because of income, or faith, or...??) and it's not an easy thing to do. I still don't answer the door from a safety standpoint, but even if caught in the yard, or whatever, I try to be nice. They go away just the same as if I was rude, so why not just be nice??

Ohhh I need to add this to mine too...!!! Both my kids say this to stall then never do what I asked out of forgetfulness or maybe even deliberately. In any case the other day it drove me so crazy that I officially added a family rule to the..like, one or two we actually have: DO NOT EVER TELL ME just a minute EVER AGAIN. Come see me when I call out to you and do what what I ask..all without saying that ever again. Its all the time here too, like I've got all this time to wait on them to leisurely finish something, then most of the time they forget to even do whatever it is.

Twice a day on heavy days ..usually first thing in the morning and late afternoon. i add one more right at bedtime just in case. Once after things start to slow down. Last two days, i only empty once between both days. Compared to disposable products i used to use, it feels like i barely have to attend to my period.

regentrude: I didn't attempt to empty the cup in a public type restroom until I had a few months under my belt. Before I do anything, I take out my little travel size disposable wet wipes and set it nearby. then, I am very careful to pull the cup out and dump into the toilet without it leaving the toilet bowl space (I'm deathly afraid it will slip and bounce out of my stall!). Then I crimp it and insert it again right away. I usually rinse when in a private place, but since I can't in a public restroom, I don't worry about it. It's just getting messed up again, right? Once inserted I immediately wipe/rinse my hands off really good with the wet wipes. I take extra time and have always been able to remove everything. Beforehand, I have drizzled just a little extra water into the wipes back at home. Just a little, to make them extra moist, but the water isn't down in bottom or anything. Then I wipe everything else with the wipes, flush everything. Done. Its habit now and not a problem at all. Learning curve with the cups seem a little steep at first but I wouldn't go back for anything now.

"I know, right?" :glare:

started my period at 12, used pads till 16. Switched to tampons then. Used them until 6 yrs ago when I switched to a cup. So, never use tampons, and prefer to use non disposable products.

Awesome, I'll tell her there are other female Charlie's around. That's cool!

Stopped a whole family, whole house cleaning today to run my 2 miles, all stretches and strengthening exercises before and after. Whoot! Just got in last night from a 10 hr drive and had to untangle my muscles from that long ride.

My parents just picked my name. But my middle name is my moms middle name. And she hates her middle name, so WHY, MOM, WHY??? I hate it too. I broke that cycle in a hot second when naming dd.

That's awesome! Dd just leaned over my shoulder and said she's learned all female Charlie's are not created equally...because 100% of the people who meet her want to know what Charlie is short for. They all think of Charlotte or Charlene. But she was just named Charlie. Her dads name is Charles and she was the first born. She is still on the hunt for a female whose birth certificate has Charlie on it. She says that "they" are truly unique and oh so rare. Lol. Teens! But really, I always ask those who know female Charlie's if that is their given name, too. It never occurred to me when naming her that it was a nickname, short for something, too.

Loving this thread. So jealous of all of you ladies living my chicken dream. I grew up with chickens but now live in a city that doesn't allow them in city limits. Not even just hens! But we are moving in July, then its on! I'll be digging up this helpful thread...

All this name talk has me wondering. I have always loved, LOVED my name (Melissa). I can't even tell you why. I have always been very proud of it as a kid and as an adult know that even though its a 70's name, I would have probably named my dd this name at some point. Maybe I love it so much because the choices my parents narrowed down to were Priscilla (my dad lovvvved Elvis' wife at the time) and for something different they were going to call me Prissy. I shudder only because I'm a bit of an adventuresome tom boy, woodsy type. It would have seriously clashed. Lol! Now, 8 yrs later..my sister would have fit the name to a tee. She IS prissy! So this post could have been very different for me, really haha. At the last minute my mom insisted on Melissa. Now my middle name is a bust. I can't even admit that one. Oh and my mothers mom was named....Fanny. And they discussed that too. I dodged some bullets with their name choices, for sure. So let's talk about your first name...do u like it?

Yeah, I've used a cup for 6 yrs now and love it. Not sure what dd will decide. She has only had 3 periods and has been sampling a variety of products. We tend to the natural side so she is also considering a cup to move away from typical feminine products. We have had some pretty great discussions and laughs over the whole thing as we've stood in the bathroom quietly discussing the instructions, the funny diagrams, the product we just ruined again for the third time as she was examining it. Lol. Thanks for all the perspectives!

D's name not in top 1000 ever with my spelling (dropped a letter at the end). Add the letter and its in the top 200-300 in the last decade. Dd, not in the top 1000 till 2005 when it broke through at 965.lol. A slow increase till 2010 when it jumped to 400 something and now its 269. Wonder if Good Luck Charlie had anything to do with that. She has never met another female Charlie until last week when she was in the same room with one and it nearly flipped her out. Lol

We use stainless and buy whatever we find on sale. For hikes I have a light weight pack for essentials that has a "bladder" that holds water and a water tube that runs to my front and clips on my sleeve. I take sips as needed.

Welp, since we try to eat whole, non packaged foods I have to say no. But I did die laughing recently, like, throw my head back and howl laughing...at the newest sign up in our Dollar Tree: Steak! $1 for 2 oz!

Just answering from personal preference ..and these things may not be your preferences but.. Outdoor space is very important to us so I'd go with #1. The extra building would be a really great place for the kids to hang out, especially if they are a bit older. In the extra yard space you could maybe have a garden or..chickens?? Oops sorry, this is your dream not mine. Lolol. Well anyway, there are options! Living in a house built very close to other houses the way you describe is a deal breaker for me so no matter what it looks like inside I wouldn't do house #2. I wouldn't like being that close to a busy road or development. House 2 describes house after house after house we looked at when we lived in California and I just couldn't do it. If would drive the extra time to get to house 1.

Mine is #7 for the year I was born, 1972. Eta: peaked in 1977-79 at #2. Is between 250 and 300 recently which surprises me.

games: In a pickle, monster factory, bubble talk, apples to apples junior edition, crazy 8s.

I dont answer the door if i dont know the person...a safety thing. i dont try to be quiet or hide, we just carry on. By default that means i just dont answer to salesmen. We get a small amount every year, mostly for cable tv. When dh is home, he answers the door most times and listens to everything they say, no matter how long, he will stand there.. then at the end says no thanks. i tell him, as a JW (he isnt one) that id rather someone let me know they arent interested as soon as they realize it and from the look on most sales peoples face, they would too. lol