[While you are cleaning, baking and cooking, don't forget...]

Eh, why bother peeling them? I make pie with unpeeled apples--deelish!

[Poll: What items do you cook ahead for T-Day?]

We make pies, rolls, and cranberry sauce ahead of time. Everything else we do the day of. At this point, with two teen dds to help, plus miscellaneous relatives, it's not a big deal. But I've done everything on the day too, and that's fine. Cooking doesn't stress me, especially since it's the same thing every year. :)

[The Pie Poll]

I like all of those, except that nasty pecan pie! :P

 

I make key lime, apple, cherry, chocolate, banana, unbaked strawberry, peach-raspberry, lemon, and pumpkin. Pumpkin is not my favorite, but if it's made with enough spices, I'll eat a little bit. ;)

[What is "swag"?]

I had an interesting conversation with someone at church, and it turns out he and I had very different definitions of this word. What's yours?

[Talk to me about surprise / oops babies...]

I have six of those. Whatcha wanna know? ;)

[Rodents as pets...need a balance of sociability with kids and cost efficient]

I have had hamsters, my sister has had gerbils, my kids have had both rats and guinea pigs. Agreeing with pp, hamsters are cute but dumb, gerbils are fun but very active and very nocturnal. Guineas are sweet and cute and great for veggie scrap disposal, but IME kinda dull. We prefer rats as they are fun and interactive, affectionate pets. But dd9 is getting a guinea pup for Christmas, so... ;)

[*UPDATE* To VBAC or not to VBAC?]

You must be in a very VBAC friendly area? Or else it was a bit ago and the tide has changed. Everyone here seems scared.to.death of a VBAC. Even 5 or 10 years ago they didn't have such one-size-fit-all policies against VBACs. I have no idea what is forcing this change.

Youngest ds is 5; my area is not especially vbac friendly (South Dakota is not known for its crunchiness!), but I have a great midwife. This last time I had to meet with a doctor who was required to lay out for me what the risks would be, which was a new thing with that birth. She "couldn't advise me to do the vbac" but there was no hospital policy prohibiting it. I think it's largely to do with the docs themselves and their CYA concerns vs the hospital, in my experience.

[*UPDATE* To VBAC or not to VBAC?]

I had 3VA2Cs, and I'd not trade any of them. I went to 41 and 5 with last baby, and we had an induction scheduled for the following day when I went into labor. (I was about ready to perform csection on myself by that point! Lol) I had such good experiences with my vbacs, I can't imagine opting for a section, given the choice. Best wishes as you decide, and many congrats on new baby bean!

[I just made bullet proof cocoa in my vitamix]

Remember that if you are making *real* hot chocolate, i.e., with actual milk instead of using a packaged hot cocoa mix to which you just add water, the hot milk will form a skin on the surface as it cools, which is why you put whipped cream or a marshmallow on top after you pour it into your cup. Our children have no idea what real hot chocolate is like, lol.

Lol, except for mine, Ellie, who only get the real stovetop kind! ;)

[Facebook and Homeschooling]

I just meant that I like having friends and "friends" on FB, as well as the groups. I have a hard time regulating my time, which is why I'm taking an advent break, but I don't think that my time there is wholly wasted either, kwim?

 

ETA: hope I didn't speak badly upthread, as I admire your gumption in using it as you do. I just know that, lord have mercy, I'm not there yet. ;)

[More Chrismation Photos]

Teary eyed here! Lovely, lovely photos.

[Facebook and Homeschooling]

I am taking a FB break for advent. In ordinary time, I use it nearly exclusively use it for my groups. I know Milovany uses it as you describe, but that would not work for me: I have to either be connected or not, no halfways. ;) I have made some really good friends through my groups, and I don't want to give that up permanently.

[Looking for a history based board game for a 5th grader]

Classical historian is running a 50% off sale on their games right now!

ETA: http://www.classicalhistorian.com/games-for-all-ages.html

[Head Coverings?]

Antonia, you little twerp! ;)

[Recommendations for vehicles that seat 8 IRL, not just say they do.]

We have an '08 Toyota sienna; it has 8 full size seats, and it's very comfortable even on long (18+ hour) trips. It seems to me that the newer models have a smaller 8th seat, more like the odysseys, but I could be wrong.

[VBAC/VBA2C Success stories?]

I had 3VA2Cs. All were low intervention, unmedicated births attended by a midwife. :)

ETA: hospital births, but just the natural births I wanted.

[Severe Peanut Allergy and Communion]

Yes, what she said. :)

[Severe Peanut Allergy and Communion]

At the western rite parish we visit when we are in Omaha, the host is placed on the tongue by the priest, then the deacon follows with the chalice. At our home parish, Greek, there's no chalice kiss, and I *think* we receive the gifts as father tips the spoon. Golly, I didn't realize I wasn't paying attention! ;)

[The Jesus Prayer]

My priest has just told me to do morning and evening prayers at "a level I can handle." :tongue_smilie: As for the Jesus prayer, he hasn't given me any specific rule as to my saying it.

[:D]

Wonderful! Many happy years! Did dh come in end, or no?

[Pedestrian Traffic]

None of the options describes where we live: rural, in town, population 3K. In the summer, easily 16-25; in winter? Maybe 3. ;)

[Death is not something to fear]

I guess I feel that it is more like an ultimate, or extreme, version of the experiences of Sam and Boromir in the presence of the lady Galadriel in LOTR. Boromir feels her presence as painful, unpleasant, and disturbing, while Sam finds it beautiful, powerful, and unusual; as Sam says, he thinks it is that those who find her troubling have brought their own trouble with them, rather than that Galadriel herself is the cause of trouble. If you come to the end of life open to God and the brilliance of His love, then you'll find it as Sam did. If not, then you're going to experience Him as Boromir did Galadriel.

[Threw away a head covering this morning!]

So, in fine, it's not sacreligious for me to own, say, a Buddha knickknack, a memento of a trip, for instance? (This is entirely hypothetical, as I own no such image.) it'd only be sacreligious to offer it any kind of worship, right?

[Death is not something to fear]

James Bernstein, isn't it?

[Threw away a head covering this morning!]

Okay, I'm not trying to be rude, but I really don't get this. If the blessing is false, and therefore worthless, and if we have not given it any kind if consent, how can it matter whether we consume the foods or not? This reminds me of the early Jewish Christians getting all hung up on clean vs. unclean foods, or foods offered to idols. How can it possibly matter?