Just saw this. Praying for Emma, Nakia.

I refuse to think about next year until after Christmas! Once I start, I can't stop.

I just read A Farewell to Arms because it has been a while and I wanted to be able to discuss it with my ds. It has been about 10 years since I last read it. It's still sad.

I heard that song for the first time Sunday before last when someone sang it in our church. It is beautiful!

My kids love that book! I think today's students may be more used to the more entertaining aspect of modern lit, as a pp mentioned.

Since your children have already been to Costa Rica, if money wasn't an option, I would choose Crete.

I have always had my kids help around the house, and the chores rotated so that they eventually learned how to do it all. They all know how to do their own laundry. They have been through personal financial classes by the time they graduate and deal with banks all the time helping their dad in our business. My oldest ones could even be handed a newborn and feel like a pro! When we adopted our third daughter, I had a newborn, 9 month old, 2 year old, 6 year old, 11 year old, and 13 year old. They had to help, it was necessary. The 13 and 11 year olds even got up with babies during the night, and the 6 year old learned how to change diapers. Our youngest three will go through babysitting classes (because they asked to). As far as cooking goes, my oldest dd cooks as well as I do, and bakes desserts better than I do. My problem teaching anyone else is that they ask her to do it for them! I need to work on that. Everyone can cook enough to survive if they had to (but on mac and cheese and scrambled eggs). It is more work to teach your kiddos how to do things than it is just to do it yourself, but it pays off in the end. If I leave the house for a couple of days, I know things will be handled well while I'm gone. I won't come home to a mess or chaos. I know that when they leave home, as two have already done, they are capable of running a home.

Welcome Mercy! :seeya:

This sounds so familiar to me! I am white and have one AA and one bi-racial daughter. I have heard the "let me help you, honey" more times than I can count. Finally, about 7 years ago, a friend of mine who is AA offered to do their hair at her house twice a month on Saturdays. It was really kind of her as she works 9 to 5 five days a week and I know she is giving up a few hours every other week for me. It works for us to have her braid it. It stays for the two weeks and going natural just wouldn't work at dance and gymnastics. A funny: One time when they were small, I was staring at the myriad of ethnic hair products in the aisle of Wal-Mart. I admit I was confused. A very nice black lady came up and was trying to help me out. Soon another lady came up and joined in. In about 10 minutes they were LOUDLY arguing over what I should buy for my girls' hair! I realized their ideas about what to do with hair is just as varied as us white girls.

Yes, this. It was my now 17yo's favorite book. It sparked an avid interest in all things that go "BOOM." Warning: he set something off about a year ago that shook my whole house! :001_smile:

I have used an SOS pad on the bottom of my Le Creuset before and it didn't damage it at all.

Definitely take the week off, but what about the weeks after that? Are you going to trim some things down to make them more manageable? I'm just wondering because my schedule looks a lot like yours and I've just learned to deal with the go, go, go. Is there really a way to scale back from activities the kids love when you have multiple kids?? I guess I have just decided I can rest when they're grown. :001_smile:

That is wonderful news! I have been wondering how your niece and baby were doing. It sounds like an answer to prayer!

Oh my goodness, she is beautiful! Congratulations!

So happy for you!! :party: I remember the relief and joy when my son came home from A-stan! Enjoy your dh.

:iagree: I do it the same way as Martha!

Congratulations! Wishing you a speedy recovery and health to your little one.

I did it with my first two and am working on it with the rest. They never had outside classes and got into college easily.

Praying.

Going out by myself in the afternoon just get a coffee, window shop, etc. does wonders for me. I have trouble finding the time, but am always glad I did.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I usually do breakfast on nights like that. Tonight was one of those nights, but instead of breakfast I tried something a little different. I had some leftover chicken breasts in the fridge, so I chopped them up and cooked some elbow macaroni. I stirred in a large can of cream of chicken soup and served a salad on the side. The kids loved it.

I'll be 53 when my youngest is 18, so I hope dh is retired and we can just travel and have fun!

I just cleaned mine out this morning! Wallet Cell Phone Calendar/Notepad 3 Pens Lipgloss Comb Hairbands Dramamine (son gets carsick going ANYwhere) Ibuprofen/Migraine meds for ds Benadryl Glasses in a case (my seeing glasses, my sunglasses are in my car) Altoids Gum Tissues A couple of Bandaids Hand Lotion Swiss Army Card (like a Swiss Army Knife, but flat like a card) Car Keys Wow! I didn't realize I had so much stuff in there! ETA: Sometimes I carry my nook in there too.

Me too, and we do have ours at a slight angle.