I would love more information on this, if you have any links available!

We are watching it too! I'm really impressed with it, which is surprising considering it's not my type of show. I've had to look away during a few scenes as well. The older I get, the less I can handle that stuff!

It is literally that simple! We use a box of beef broth (or you can use homemade broth as well), with a bottle of tomato juice. Brown up about 2 pounds of whatever meat you want to use (we used chorizo tonight, because we like the kick, but we also use hamburger, venison, kielbasa, etc), along with some onion. You could also chop up some celery into it. We added about 6 potatoes cubed up, a whole head of chopped cabbage (it was a little one), a bag of frozen corn, and 2 cans of stewed tomatoes to it. Season to taste. It's really a throw together soup, but it's hearty and delicious no matter how you make it. You could also use fresh or refrigerated garlic in it.

It was warm for MN today, but we still had soup. It was a beef broth/tomato juice base with chorizo, potatoes, cabbage, and corn in it. We made grilled cheeses to go along with it, because our 11 year old deems this disgusting. Our 9 year old devours it (it's a regular in our house).

I think it's important. I believe that my husband and I have the same IQ, but our knowledge comes out in different ways. The longer we are together, the more I realize that it REALLY bothers me that he's not a reader. He just doesn't want to, and I wish I had someone to discuss books with. I wish I could convince him of how much more he could learn if he cracked a book. I would make sure they were a reader, if I had to do it again.

When it comes to my feelings, I am a very emotional person. I try very hard to maintain control over my thoughts, because once I lose that control, I either explode in a fit of verbal rage or start to cry to the point where I can't speak. I feel my feelings very intensely, and I sometimes feel like I don't present myself very well because I can't control myself when the stakes are high or I feel very passionately about something. I want to learn how to manage that and get control over that part of my personality, so I can "be an adult." I know that for the most part people in general always feel like they are winging it, no matter what stage of life they are in. But I want to be a grown up now. Being married with 2 children... I still don't feel grown up. I love the clothing advice you gave. It's that kind of practical information that I don't even think about. So simple, and yet it never even crossed my mind.

I decided this year that instead of doing resolutions or goals for the New Year, I was going to choose a word that I wanted to work on in my life. I chose reinvention, because at 31, I feel like there is more inside of me than I am letting out, and I want to work on developing that in me. I really feel called to being a life coach, yet there are things in my personal life that make me feel that I'm not quite ready for that. I have self-esteem issues, procrastination issues, not knowing how to deal with my feelings all that well issues, that I'm working on before I even think of going that route. That said, now is the time to start working on it. I'm pretty self-aware and intuitive. I appreciate a straight shooter, and the blunt truth. "I'd rather be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie." I take criticism fairly well, although I don't tolerate meanness. Only problem: I tend to combat meanness with meanness. NOT good. I'm also pretty frumpy in my day to day life (usually stay in pajamas unless I leave the house, then it's t-shirts and jeans, nothing very fashionable). I want to develop my personal style. I don't wear makeup, but I want to start. How do I learn? I want to start honing and developing the person that I KNOW I am. I'm just not very girly, was raised by my dad, and don't quite know how to present that side of myself to the world because I don't know how to bring that side out. Have any of you gone through this? Do any of you have tips or advice?

I just finished A Prayer for Owen Meany. I'm reading Adulting: How to become a Grown Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps, but that's a quick read I'm breezing through. I have 7 Habits on my list, The Wild Creative, the recent Harper Lee autobiography, and a couple other personal development books in the stack.

Just an update for everyone: we did decide to put my 3rd grader back in public school for now. She goes back on Monday morning. We are still going to homeschool our 6th grader for the time being, but I think it will be easier going with her because she's older and reading fluently. She has catching up to do with her math, but I feel like if we revamp it and stay structured, we will be more successful. I do feel like a bit of a failure. I know this is probably the best choice right now, but I still feel like homeschooling is the right choice for us as well. It makes it tough. Thanks for the support.

A part of my family traditions growing up were "normal." We normally had a Lutefisk dinner (we are of Scandinavian descent), which we had to eat at least one piece or we couldn't open presents. Our small church usually had a Christmas pageant that us kids were in each year. The play was the same each time, and we usually got a paper bag full of small treats and gave our teachers and the pastor a present. My grandma on my dads side usually had a bigger get together in the community room of her apartment building. Our entire family on that side would gather together and eat a meal with lutefisk, ham, potatoes, potato sausage, lefse, krumkaka, rosettes, etc... After my parents divorced and my mom moved out, we still had the base of this, but we were pretty poor, so our presents usually came from things like the angel tree or the women's aid group of our town. And I know and believe that gifts are not the point of the season, but that's what we were working with anyway. I can provide a bit differently for my children. I want them to have warm memories of the holidays and our time together when they are adults and dreaming of the traditions they want to have in their own lives. I am loving all of the traditions I am hearing about here. Keep them coming!

I love all of your traditions! I have no idea what a Jesse Tree is, can someone explain it to me? I love the idea of the 25 books and movies shaped into a tree. My girls would love something like that. We have been pretty good at getting them new pajamas every year as a tradition, but now that they are 11 and almost 9, I'm thinking of changing that into new ornaments every year. Reading all of these replies is giving me the warm fuzzies. I love the Christmas season!

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? What screams Christmas for you? Going to church on Christmas Eve? The food you bake? The ornaments? What would be your idea of the "perfect" Christmas? My family life growing up was dysfunctional. I want to start creating our own family memories and traditions, without all the baggage. Until we've created new baggage, of course. As only families can ;-). So share your Christmas ideas and traditions, your fantasies and dreams, your favorite decorating tips, what makes it special for you. Thank you!

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult.

I love history. But my children still have a hard time discerning where their interests lie. Art would probably be a great place to start though.

This is one of my biggest concerns. I was bullied in school, and I still struggle with low self-esteem and low self confidence. I do not wish this on my children, because it does create very self defeating talk as you get older. It's crushing, and take a lot of work to slog through. It should come as no surprise that I see a therapist, and when I was talking to her about these things, she said that I shouldn't project my own feelings and experiences onto my daughter. Because yes, she might have these negative experiences. And by all means, if there is any bullying, pull her out or deal with it. But she might not have these experiences, and I could take it as an opportunity to build her confidence and help give her skills to navigate those situations and she may be just fine. But I'm also scared to risk it. Because I don't want to destroy her. And SIXTH GRADE. That's brutal, man. However, maybe I could be amazing at making her strong and confident and still admitting that I shouldn't be providing the education. Or, I suck it up and do things even when they are boring or tedious, just because I'm an adult and it has to be done. I think that my family would benefit from homeschooling more than a PS scenario, but I also know that the way it is right now needs some work. I'm very insightful, which makes change hard. I know what my problem is. I have no idea how to fix said problem.