:grouphug: Hang in there. Pray, pray, and keep praying. Growing up is hard and especially in the world that we live in. As parents we have to keep doing what's right no matter how difficult. Annette

Thanks to everyone for the "use your common sense" reminders so we don't get scammed out of our hard earned money. Annette:)

Check out the "Body for Life" books out of the library for an exercise and diet program that is laid out for you to get into the best shape of your life. Annette

Pray and then go see a good doctor whom you trust your care to. Annette

:iagree: Do you even have to ask? There will come a time when you'll only be cleaning up after yourself and husband and it comes before you know it. Take care of yourself. Annette

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: You are truly a wonderful woman and your family has made a tremendous sacrifice with your husband's service to our country. You are never truly alone as God is always with us like He was with Jesus Christ as he died for our sins. Blessings, Annette

Paula's Choice products are excellent. For value, Olay's Complete (all-day moisture lotion with SPF 15) can't be beat for about $6 for 4 oz. The silicones in here leave your face feeling silky smooth without feeling greasy. I love it. I've had to face that I can't really turn back the clock, only make the most of and steward what I still have. Annette

:iagree: with what everyone has previously posted. For a child considering being a vet (especially for farm animals), I think this is a must read. Not because vet medicine is exactly like this but because "the heart" of a vet is well shown. Annette

We attend lots of events at the Natural Science Museum in our area. My son handles all kinds of things including repiles and amphibians. They usually have a hand sanitizer there and tell you to go wash your hands good afterwards. After almost 12 years, we haven't had a problem. God created creatures for us to enjoy. He expects us to use our common sense as well. Annette

You are not doing anything wrong. It's a little early to think she has a learning difficulty yet. Sometimes kids just aren't ready to learn certain things. If you keep in mind that learning is really developmental, you won't be as age conscious (hard as that is). Keep in mind that children learn at different rates. Keep working on it. Annette

Danielle, It is unbelievable that children that young would be forced to watch a movie designed for an older audience. What was that teacher thinking! But now that the damage was done, you can share with your son how loving Christ was to die for our sins. It was God's plan to redeem mankind. We could never be good enough to deserve it. Annette

I'm moved down here from MA almost 30 years ago and would never want to go back. I have always thought that people were much friendlier down here which was a big difference than MA. I think you have the "stab you in the back gossipers" everywhere. Another thing that is different from up in MA is that children are taught to say "Yes, sir" and "Yes, ma'am" which was totally foreign to me. I realize children brought up in a military family may be taught to treat their elders respectfully as well. And I acknowledge that there are plenty of families that are Southern that are not as well brought up. It was just unheard of to hear "Yes, sir " or "Yes, ma'am" when I was growing up. I think our culture is so much more informal now. We are a lot more disrespectful as a culture as well. However, I believe genuine kindness and compassion can be found in every state. Our friends are people we share similarities with. Annette

I think that your son is probably within normal for him. The only other thing that could cause him to lose teeth early would be an injury like getting "busted" in the mouth by a baseball or other hard object. Annette

Freecycle -- a yahoo group in some states. Annette

They vaguely resemble real potatoes in taste even though they are dehydrated potatoes. But if you don't have the time or energy to cook the real stuff, don't condemn yourself --- use them. Kids usually can't tell the difference. Ann

Well, we're all waiting to hear what you did. Being a stay at home mom/ homeschooling mom is hard work . It's nice to get some relief every now and then. Cultivating partnerships with another mom who you trust with your kids is well worth the time and effort. Annette

Bake 'em! The sauce from Trader Joe's is awesome. Annette

My 30 year old daughter was diagnosed with it (from a sleep study) and they also told her that loosing excess weight would help. Annette

I sympathize with you. I can't recommend anything because I still struggle with how to get it all done myself. I just keep trying to find new ways to figure out how to do things better. I love how open people are on this loop with advice. Homeschooling and staying at home is very hard work. However there actually will come a time when all the children leave and all we have to do is wash for ourselves and husbands. Annette

I like the Murphy's oil soap idea, but all I've used in the past is rubbing alcohol since I know it dissolves it. Does anyone know if white board cleaner works as well? Annette

Of course! Thank goodness we still live in a free country and have the freedom (in most states) to chose our curriculum. We are truly blessed to live in the USA. Annette

Unbelievable. However, I know that God is good and will protect us from evil if we look to Him for wisdom and guidance in every situation. Outside of God and His Word there is nothing sure. Annette

We use either Dasani or Aquafina. I think that they both use reverse osmosis filtration. Aquafina claims on their bottle that they use a seven step that you can read about on their website. They both add minerals so that the water tastes better than distilled. I don't know that they have a 8 oz size. The only one like that is the Deer Park which I don't like as much. I buy the 24 pack size when it is on sale for $3.99 or $4.99. It's cheaper and healthier than soda. We also have a drinking water system at our kitchen sink that uses reverse osmosis. Annette

I am so very sorry about your dog. I am so very thankful it wasn't a child. Annette

I think ice cream's consistancy and higher milk fat probably make it stick to his throat and if he's extra sensitive, it probably bugs him a bit. HTH, Annette