Do it when it works for your family. We did it during supper for a long time so that my husband can lead it. Before bed also works well for us.

I don't think the three vs two meals would be worth asking to change. I would feel physically sick eating at buffets or IHOP the whole time though. The healthy options just aren't that healthy if you are used to eating non-processed foods. Maybe you could compromise by suggesting she pick the breakfast and supper restaurants while you pick one for lunch. When we travel we always try restaurants we don't have locally. Your mom may feel more comfortable knowing what to expect on the menu and that is why she is picking buffet type places. Maybe you could check menus online ahead of time to assure her your restaurant choices would have foods she likes.

I use a cheap pole from Walmart, I bought it when I started hiking while carrying my toddler and wasn't sure if I would like using a pole. It works well, but if I were backpacking I would upgrade. As far as vintage gear, you should see my parents' stuff. My dad still uses Nalgene bottle from the early 90s. My mom still has her Jansport frame pack from a backpacking trip she took in college although it hasn't been used in at least a decade. Their basement is a camping museum. I would like to get their canoes from them though, they may be old but they are very nice.

My husband gets three weeks vacation plus 12 days sick leave. His company wants him to take it, but he gets really behind if he takes more than a couple days off at a time so it's rare that he takes a big chunk of time all at once. If we had a family emergency of some sort, he'd take it all in a heartbeat. He did take 1-2 weeks with the birth of each child but that involved a lot of answering emails and returning phone calls while he was "on vacation". I've never seen someone get as much email as him.

As soon as I get home I plan to download it. Thank you!

I read it to my 7 and 5 year old, I think they are a bit on the young side for it but they definitely liked it and understood what was happening. There is some fighting in it so I think sensitive kids might need to be a bit older.

Thank you for this alert. A lot of the free Kindle books are mediocre, but I really enjoyed this one. It might be my favorite read aloud we've done so far. I even bought the hard cover and I never buy books I've already read.

Thank you ladies! I am going to print this thread out so I can keep referring back to it. Those of us in the beginning stages (year 3 is still the beginning, right?) have so much to learn from those of you who have been at this for more years.

I think as long as you can do it without peeing or throwing up you can do it. My OB always advised me that I could continue doing any exercise I had been doing prior to my pregnancy as long as I felt able. I found I naturally starting slowing down on certain activities partway through my second trimester. I know some women run, spin, or do step aerobics all the way through their pregnancies but that was never me. By the end I was usually able to walk and even then I was slow. On the flip side, if you are worried why not just exercise a different way and start bouncing again after the new baby arrives?

When we first married my inlaws always had a steer with a similar name. In more recent years my FIL can no longer eat the meat he raises, he will allow us to eat it, just not when he is at our house.

I like the Burts Bees colored balm but it has something in it that has a little bite so it probably woudn't work for you. Maybe you could look at a health food store? I was in one today and shocked at the number of hand lotions and soaps they had. I wasn't looking for makeup but I bet you could find something there or a knowledgable staff person could help you.

I voted other. When referring to the little square candies or an apple, I use two syllables. When referring to a sauce or flavoring, I use three. My husband always uses three.

He's 7, there is plenty of time for him to learn skills he needs to work on a team. He doesn't necessarily have to learn those skills through sports though. He could be in band, orchestra, debate, choir, 4H, Science Olympiad, or any other activity that requires cooperation. I think as long as you are looking for opportunities, you will find some over the course of the next decade. (I didn't read all the replies, sorry if I repeated someone else's thoughts.)

Pediped, Umi, and Riley Roos all worked well for us. Pediped has a couple different types, I didn't like the styles that have a slick bottom, my kids couldn't get any traction even though they were confident walkers. We happen to have a children's shoe store that carries lots of different brands. That was helpful in finding brands that worked for us.

What ages? My son is 7 and just asked to learn more about WW2. He isn't too sensitive but I'm hesitant to get too deep into the subject right now.

I get where you are coming from. My little sister eloped and she is still a decade later very happy with her decision. We have a complicated family and she watched our parents spend a year trying to talk me out of getting married. I completely understood her reasoning and supported her. It was just a strange feeling not being invited to take part in such a big part of her life after having been a part of everything else for so many years. Then my other sister eloped too, that didn't sting as much because they had lived together for years. I couldn't had afforded the travel anyway at the time but unfortunately there aren't even any pictures of their ceremony. It has all worked out but it feels weird not really knowing their spouses. Of course that really has more to do with living across the country from them than not getting to attend their weddings.

I am so sorry! We have a dog that just turned 16 as well. We know the day is coming soon, but I still don't think I'll be ready.

I take the next thing approach as well, we didn't finish WWE before we took a break for summer, do we just started where we left off for this year. On Sunday nights I do look ahead at what we will likely cover for the next week and about a week ahead I see if there are library books I would like to reserve or supplies I need to pick up at the store. I don't write out my lesson plans or anything though. My planning mainly consists of figuring out what I would like to use to study each subject the following year.

I'm sorry.

Where I live people monogram everything and since I've known most of my friends since pre-married life, it's easy to see which they use. Of course I don't know if that is on their drivers license.

I'm Mrs. A.B.D. too. I was looked at as strange because pretty much every married female I know used/uses their maiden name as their middle name unless they hyphenate their last name. I chose to do it that way because the initial for my middle name was easier to sign than my maiden name.

I don't know, but my grandmother always addresses letters to my sons as Master ____________. She's the only one I've ever seen do that.

I once purchased a sewing encyclopedia, it is incredibly helpful when I can't figure out the pattern instructions. Your library may have one.

Good luck! I'm 5'2" and I can never get the right length pants either. I do fortunately live in an area with plenty of stores to choose from, but that does not always improve my chances of finding a pair that fit correctly.

I like Oliver +S patterns, they are pricey but well done and have wonderful customer service. Are they trying to get you to under stitch so that the facings don't flip out?