I think he would have gotten tattoos whether I had them or not. He is a very creative, emotional, musician type! None of my others have even mentioned it, and my other son who is an adult says he never wants a tattoo. Mine are not faith related, but all have special meaning to me and represent significant events/relationships in my life.

My 2nd tattoo I got at the same time my oldest son got his first - we went together. It was his 19th birthday present from me. He now has WAY more than I do, and all of them mean something to him. Many of them are expressions of his faith. It was fun to go and do it together and he thinks I am the coolest mom ever!

I say go for it. Mid-life is SO freeing because you really don't give a rip what anyone thinks anymore. I have four tattoos and got all of them when I was older than you! :001_smile:

We usually spend around $50 to $75 on a gift from dh and I, and then smaller gifts of about $15 from siblings. We spend about $100 on a party or an outing with friends, so all together about $200. Thank goodness none of our six kids have a birthday in the same month!

It makes me sad as well. I grew up on the gulf coast and spent the first 38 years of my life there. My grandfather was a commercial fisherman and my dad loved shrimping. I have so many great memories of being out on the water with them. I am worried about the people who make their living fishing, shrimping, etc. on the water. Also the people in Apalachicola who oyster for a living (some of my relatives).

I've read it several times and read sections as needs/problems arise. I have a problem every spring wanting to try new things and re-reading helps remind me that I don't need EVERYTHING out there - that I really am on the right track.

I have a nook and love it. I wasn't sure I was going to like it because I love the feel of a "real" book. I was pleasantly surprised. I love being able to download so many free classics and other books are less expensive as well. I like being able to turn a page without even realing moving - just press the button. I have found myself, like Night Elf, buying more books in the last few months. It's just too easy. :001_smile:

I would also pick Diana Gabaldon. I feel like the next book is going to be forever!!! My 24yo son was just complaining about Martin not getting his next book out this morning before he went to work. :001_smile:

:iagree: I use my nook every day!

I am most definitely an Elinor!

Praying for you and your dd Stacey. :grouphug:

My dh is also a middle-aged Scot, who also happens to be color blind. He happily lets me tell him what to wear. If I'm out of town the kids will let him go out in things that don't match just for fun. :001_smile:

Happy Birthday! I hope you've had a wonderful day. :party:

My parents have helped all three of us girls out at one time or another. They did not charge interest and did not even expect repayment - and no lectures. They did it because they could and they wanted to. I don't even know what they've given my sisters because they never talked about it. I know they helped my sister out during a divorce (because I did too), but they never talked about what they had given anyone. My in-laws, on the other hand, have always kept a notebook with every penny they have ever loaned their kids or grandkids so that it can "be taken out of their inheritance." They also made sure everyone else in the family knew they loaned them money and grumbled about it. They also assumed it gave them some kind of "control" in that person's life. We have never, ever borrowed money from them or asked them for anything.

Oh boy! I am planning on using this next year as well, so I am going to go ahead and order it while I can. I don't do backorders. :001_smile:

I have used the Pyle version for Arthur and Robin Hood with my older children with success, so I will do so again next year with my youngers. I am planning to use the McCaughrean Canterbury Tales.

:grouphug: I am praying for you. We are going through something difficult right now as well, very different from your situation, but still difficult. I keep asking God what I'm supposed to be learning from this so I can be done with it. Teach me already!

I have never moved an appliance to clean under it. :001_smile: As far as washing walls and windows, this is on our rotating monthly chore list. Each of my four children that are still at at home pick a weekly chore out of a bag at the beginning of the week. These are things that are done monthly. They also have daily chores for routine cleaning. I go room by room and purge in the summer. I find there is just not time to do it during the school year.

I'm going to steal your idea for goodie bags! We will celebrate, but it will be my son's 24th birthday, so the cake will have a 24 on it. :001_smile: It is ironic, because I was one of those weird teenagers that spent my free time reading LOTS of Shakespeare. I also really got into Poe in my high school years (it fit with my angst). My oldest son was born on Shakespeare's birthday and my next son was born on Poe's. :confused:

The link above to Simply Charlotte Mason shows how we go about Bible memorization. I have found it to be very effective.

We usually eat leftovers from the night before or a big salad. If there are no leftovers, sometimes I cook pasta or make tuna salad or something. Lunch is nothing special around here. Sometimes my kids even eat at different times, depending on when they get to a stopping point in their schoolwork.

We will do math a couple of times a week and read. We will also review our memory work once a week or so.

Stress about the little things less, and laugh more.

We memorize poetry, Bible verses, and science facts along with our history. A great list I found (only tweaked it a little) was here: http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/history.html

Sure, its their wedding. On the other hand, as a mother who spent many years raising my son, I want to be at his wedding. My soon-to-be daughter-in-law thought it would be a great idea to get married in Tuscany. I have four kids at home who also would not get to go, nor their college student brother. I honestly think she wasn't thinking about our situation, as her family lives all over the world and it wouldn't be a problem for them. Thankfully, my son let her know that he wanted his family at his wedding and plans changed. I'm all for it being "their day" and realize they can get married anywhere they choose. I also think it would be selfish to get married somewhere that would prohibit their family from being there.