Bleh, had an awful time waking up, partially because I had finally fallen asleep, lol. And it looks like a similar thing is in my future again. Good news: big project is wrapping up today, yea! Well, mostly. There will be followups in a couple weeks, but the heavy part of the work is done. Trip: first time in 4 years, looks like I'm scheduling a vacation for next week. It will be a working one, but we'll take the kids along and I'll get some good time with the kids out and about while DH works. We'll stay a couple extra days so we can do stuff as a family. So excited! ... I think. ... OMG. Road trip with 4 kids? I have to clean my van??? :svengo: Maybe this isn't a good idea, lol. Thanks for the snacks, Scrap, it's a wonderful spread today :)

It's a crazy week. IDK what I'm doing with my life this week, lol. It's 10pm and I'm still trying to finish emails I promised "by Tuesday" in the hope that in whatever time zone these people are in, I make the deadline. :willy_nilly: So of course I come onto the forum to waste even more of this gold-plated time, lol. But, just wanted to check in and say hi and eat some Lounge snacks. ;)

Time has gone way too fast and I now have a baby that is ready for solids. The past kids I've started always with that rice cereal. But now I've got this new one, and am wondering if there is another standard first baby food, or certain foods that you like to introduce first?

Big turn in tomorrow, followed by a final meeting for a big project. Not today, though. TKD for kids here, as well. I've turned down all other offers/opportunities for physical activities, ie dance. Kids are bummed but will get over it. I am ecstatic to have Saturday mornings back. It will be my only day we don't always have something planned, though a lot of their other activities have "extra" days on Saturdays.

Agree on this, it does seem a bit silly to judge certain foods more harshly than others. It all depends on the stick you measure by. If calories are My Thing, then that burger is not going to fly. But if no food colorings or a certain preservative is No Go, then the gogurt won't make the cut. (FTR, I've never had a gogurt, never looked at the ingredients; I'm just picky about yogurt in general and individual packs of any type is more expense than I like, so they just aren't on my radar.) On a Protein Thing, both are probably going to be acceptable. There is definitely a spectrum, and since each person has different needs, sensitivities, and focus, the stick will not be the same. This is one of the primary issues you are going to have with any group meal in an institutional setting. Or any setting, I guess. I think for me one of the differences between the burger and the yogurt, in this example and in my daily life, is that the yogurt is supposed to be "normal" food, that is ok for daily consumption, or perhaps even more than once a day. It's a snack, which in my mind denotes that it is something casual, easily given without much thought or worry. The burger, on the other hand, is something had maybe once a month, maybe twice if I'm flush with cash or plans unexpectedly strand me in the city longer than expected. The bar of health has to be higher on the daily snacks than on the occasional treat because you have more snacks than treats, and they will have a larger overall effect on you. 1 yogurt may be "more healthy" than 1 burger, but 10 or 15 yogurts may have a net negative *on my stick* compared to 1 burger. (And, yes just to be clear, 1 yogurt would be more healthy than 10 or 15 burgers.) On my earlier list, I was responding to the foods with my own heuristic that I've developed over time. If I looked at each individual offering, weighing its worth, checking the ingredients, etc., maybe my answer would be different. But, my initial reaction to the list is how I shop and how I eat day to day, because I don't currently want to put the effort into changing my heuristic and re-evaluating our food choices. Not trying to really villify the yogurt, it is a world better than the candy aisle. Spectrum of foods, you put it well. :)

dp. sorry bout that

fwiw, DH didn't drink much, maybe 1-2 coffees a week and a tea. idk how it made such a difference, but cutting that out completely seemed to do the trick. So glad he didn't have to cut out chocolate (it was mentioned) because, well, yeah, that'd be awful, lol.

I'm sorry, that really stinks and the stress of it happening can just compound it all. DH had similar symptoms 8 years ago. It was triggered by stress, maybe too much caffeine, not enough sleep, and just a general predisposition to heart stuff. It wasn't anxiety, though, despite the relation to stress (I forget all of the nuances on this part). In his case he had to stay in the hospital overnight because the arrhythmia was very everywhere for a good long while. We did the holter thing afterwards, too. The good news is that cutting out caffeinated drinks and getting a better schedule has made that go away mostly. Now he only gets it sporadically and it is usually easy to figure out why (staying up late too often, etc). He's in the boat of: if it happens consistently for more than 2 days, he's supposed to check in to a Dr to see if it's worth doing anything about, and we've only had to do that 2 or 3 times since the original incident. So! I hope the news is good in your case too, and that the solution is as easy as getting a bit more sleep and relaxing as you like :)

Sorry you are in pain, Scrap! I hope the relief continues to relieve and you get some good quiet time. My pain mostly stems from bad posture and trying to fix it. And a chronic issue thingy that thankfully has been quiet recently. No go-to pain relief remedies, other than stretches. Massages don't really work for me, they just hurt more. Sleep, I guess, is my favorite solution to most problems :)

dp.

So, I see poison. :leaving: Okay, maybe a bit of an exaggeration. But, I don't give my kids yogurt with flavor, no granola bars, I don't remember the last time I bought crackers, bagels are a treat like twice a year, and they don't like string cheese. The prices of prepackaged fruits and vegs make me cringe, but at least they are there. Idk what my kids would eat in this situation. Well, they would eat the snacks, I guess, because that's just how it would be. The virtue of everything on the list makes sense in a school setting though, since it is easily portioned, no allergens, and I get that aspect of it. But it's not stuff that I would put together on my own for a list of "healthy". Relative to other stuff, yes. Healthy in its own right, there is some merit but not really by the stick I measure with. I mean, we're not perfect. We eat at In-n-Out or Five Guys for treats, I have chocolate in the house and sprinkle it around the kids as necessary, lol. I have broken down recently and started to buy those apple sauce packs for car travel. I drink Starbucks and the kids see it, and we bake regularly. So I'm not a food zealot, really, just overly particular.

Wish I had an excuse to name a girl Aurora. But I already have a girl with an "A" so it's all for the best.

Love to read, always have. It's a dangerous pastime though, lol, and I have to not do it. For my family's sake. I "usually" indulge when I have a newborn because there is a lot of sitting and nursing the first few months, and I can't do anything else anyway. But this time there was enough chaos I only got maybe 6 or 7 books done. I tend towards fantasy and sci-fi "paperbacks" so that it is a quick read and I have an exit plan (cough-when-the-series-is-done-cough).

Oh! Oh! I finally had a chance to respond to the "you know how that happens, right?" question last week. Someone from my old work saw me in the grocery store. They were a few people ahead of me in the line over. They came over, complimented the baby, then went back to their line, but continued talking to me. So we had witnesses to the convo (everyone in both our lines could hear). General questions of "how are you doing?" etc. The followed by the "So, #4, you know how that happens, right?" And I answered completely deadpan nicely, "Yes! Figured it out with the first one. Why, do you want me to explain?" They laughed and said "No, no, I'm good." 2 other people laughed awkwardly. DH was with me and turned red, lol. It helped it was someone I knew (hadn't seen them for 4 years though, #3 and #4 were new to them, and I wouldn't call them friends). But, I have been saving that answer since I was ambushed by rudeness while pregnant with #3. Also, one time when I had 3, I was talking to a dad at a Halloween party (we had a mutual friend as the host). He was shocked we had 3. He had 1 and said that was more than enough. I joked that Oh, we were going to have more, I wanted to have 1 birthday a month, so I was aiming for 10 total. I've never seen bigger eyes. He got out of conversation with me FAST, lol. I saw him at the mutual friend's kid's birthday party in May, with newborn in tow. His eyes were just huge, he must think I'm crazy! His wife was super nice both times though, and cooed over the baby, lol, so maybe his future isn't as safe as he thinks ;)

WHEW. Yes, lol, to No Wait Stop. Today was an adventure. Babysitter cancelled, I had a dentist appt, and they had no other openings until late September. I hadn't been in 2 years, so I wasn't going to push it off again. So, all kids into the car! And I forgot to start the dryer, so Mom into the car in wet clothes! There was a car fire (not my car!) on the way back from the appt. So lots of "quality" time with the kids in stopped traffic, including a hungry baby. I called my next appt (business contact) to say I was running late, but their phone said the number was not in service?? Went there anyway, since we had a scheduled appt. Turns out the power went out in their office [hence no phones] and so most people went home early, including my contact. So back into the car, drive home, now in rush hour traffic. Forgot the post office and bank. Did get groceries, at least, but dinner was 2 hours late. To authors: If we're talking fantasy, Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion is close to my heart, and she has returned to that universe recently with more stories. I used to read all.the.time. Had to stop because nothing.got.done. lol. I start to dip into books and have to forcibly pull myself out. So I'm sticking just to reading with kids right now. Though reading your series/authors has me thinking... Anyway, hope everyone's day ended well!

Old Navy has been the recent winner for my daughter.

True, the rain does tend to be selective in it's placement. :) I'm lucky that in my part, the rain is consistent enough. I think it's because I am closer to a mountain range, and not smack dab in the middle of a valley (and our valley is definitely smaller than what Phoenix is in). For being relatively near each other, Phoenix and Tucson have a big difference in their feel of location, if that makes any sense. I do think, though, this monsoon has been unusual. Also, pro of being in the desert is that I my black thumb is not as noticeable as it would be in a place where plants are meant to live easily :P

Displaced: okay, how much time do you have? *drags in therapy couch* lol j/k I love the desert. I was born here, I came back to here, I am a desert rat. As a kid, the books I identified with in terms of place were by Byrd Baylor, though my part of the desert is more green than a lot of those paintings. The best smell in the world is my desert's rain. I missed the desert when I was gone. Natural disasters are low here compared to other parts of the country. And snow?, yeah, no thanks. 4 seasons of warmth is fine by me. But. This is not the area for musicians. Our careers have suffered. I'm fine being a hermit, but so many missed opportunities. The highest point of culture in my town is my refrigerator. Tucson and Phoenix offer some, but it's not paradise for opera/symphony buffs. The prices are going up. I was on the thread about "where should i move" and looked at houses for Dayton OH for HOURS in shock at, even if they were fixer uppers, what house you could get for literally less than half my mortgage. And I'm not in a showcase. So. I'm conflicted. I can't see myself staying here forever, it is too stifling. But my heart breaks at leaving the desert. The next place I'd like to be is Northern California, which is cold and rainy and green, but I did enjoy it up there quite a bit. And Dayton OH is close to relatives and much closer to, well, anything, lol, than I currently have. But...why can't the world just come to me? My current "compromise" is entertaining dreams of RV'ing for a couple of years around the US, then coming back here. But idk if that addresses my long term problems. Le sigh. Anyway! Problems for another day. It's the rainy season and it is hard to comprehend leaving during the rainy season. These are thoughts for September and October. :)

I looked at the last university I was at. they have "general studies" with emphasis: entertainment emphasis, social emphasis, science and health emphasis, etc. I'd have to see if my credits would fill up enough of an emphasis. Or what I'd need to do. If there was a "general studies, general emphasis" I'd probably be good, lol. Yes, this has been my reasoning/solace recently: better to wait so the degree is more up-to-date. The sacrifices we'd have to make financially (loans), lifestyle (no homeschool), postponing long term plans (business would be totally on DH so forward momentum would stall), just don't add up to the amount of benefit I'd see out of it immediately (dust on shelf). And, if the business goes well, I probably won't use the degree for a long time. If the business completely tanks, or something happens to DH, well that would change things, but it's a calculated risk.

I'll come back and post "really" later, but I had a spare minute and wanted to pop in the Lounge and say hello! I always seem to come in after the group's gone. I eat the leftover muffins and snacks, lol, but it's not quite the same ;)

Wow. I feel really grateful for my troop now. $15 dues/year, but this year is covered because of last year's cookie sales. Other than that, we just pay for uniforms (optional, but the sash or vest is standard). Unless there is a special field trip, no extra costs. And the special field trips are specifically not on regular troop meeting days, so there is no pay-to-play vibe usually. All costs of the troop are covered by cookie profits. One leader tried to collect $5/month last year to offset craft costs. She was told to give back the money, and that if she needed anything the troop would just refund her. She was mad about it because she thought it limited her budget about what crafts she could do, but really I don't think it did -- it was more of a "use the supplies we already have in stock and buy what you need, don't just go to Michael's on a spending spree" type of direction. We meet once a week, but after all of the special days off for holidays, etc., maybe 3/month. Parents don't need to stay for meetings. So yeah, I guess I have it good.

We've done the field trips to the aquarium at AZ Mills, fun times! Hope it went well. Havent done a full field trip in ages though. Should plan something. Anywhere: Europe, do a 3 or 4 month thing per major country/region.

dp

Some college. I have enough college credits to have a BA, but not in the right classes (switched majors/colleges, then got sidetracked exploring a different 3rd major, then the requirements for the 2nd major changed and I stopped). People assume I graduated college, just because of my personality, though I rarely talk about college and certainly don't try to mislead them. I try to avoid the topic. I guess I feel like I went to college, and since I have credits I feel...fulfilled? in this section, but it does make me annoyed/vaguely sad that I don't have an actual degree. I think about going back, but it isn't the best option for my current situation, and I just don't have the drive/passion to really make a go of it right now. eta: Also, I spend a lot of my free time at the university library working on a personal research project, so I think I am getting the fun part of college still, though not the practical (ie degree) part, so that impedes my personal drive to finish up a degree.

Lifus interruptus: YESSSSSSSS. First time I've sat at my computer all day. DH joked I looked shakey, had I had my daily dose of radiation? But my interruptitis is cute and cuddly so it is hard to get too mad about it. Speaking of fake Latin, one of the things I was supposed to do today (well, anytime this week, but wanted to do today for a nice big fat checkbox completed) was a pronunciation guide for a pseudo-Latin song. Since they weren't real words, we used English phonetic spelling, but it's supposed to sound like Latin. Which is apparently confusing. So we need to make a pronunciation guide. Which has had my ears open recently. I no longer have any idea how to pronounce half of my daily words, lol. Today's winner is 'mischievous' (miss-CHEE-vee-us, or miss-chuv-us), I finally decided just to say 'sneaky' instead. I know whereof you speak! Fun to get away for the day. My nephew (who does not live in AZ, pure California boy) is going to college in Prescott (LOL, this is hilarious to me) so I will be traveling there to visit. Eventually. After I send him his happy graduation card. From May. Eventually. ........ Glad you got out of Dodge, then eventually got out of the getting back to it. :D