BLAST FROM THE PAST! I remember standing in line for three hours in the late 70's in Seattle to see the exhibit. I'm sure there are new things shown...or are there? I would love for my girls to see it. I remember my parents talking to a couple in front of us from South Africa...my parents even invited them home for dinner and we had a delightful time. (Different era, huh?)

The only pre-washed veggies I buy, when I do buy them which is rarely because I'm just trying to save money, is lettuce. It always seems so limp in the bag so I wash it to refresh it. I rinse it in the salad spinner and add a cupful of ice cubes. Back to life it comes!

Thanks so much! Its good to know that I"m not alone. I DO have a brand new artisan bread book that I want to bake my way through :) speaking of self-educating.

I was afraid of that :( I just don't want to call the doc because knowing military docs, it'll just mean a trip straight back to the pharmacy, and I've been off of the ADs for 3 months now, after 3 years on them...way too long in my estimation...and my Doc did want me to try and go off. I've had an easy time of it, as opposed to other times when they tried to taper me off of them. I LOVE the curriculum I chose! I did a ton of research and really took DD5 into consideration. Both girls keep asking, "when are we going to do some homeschool, Mom?" Hmmm...maybe so. Not a bad idea...perhaps I bit off more than I could chew. All (and I do mean ALL) of my friends are very successful homeschooling moms...with experience...I'm older than most of them (almost 41), and we had kids later in life, so my friends are a) younger with lots more energy and/or b) have older kids and are established in their routines... I've always been a routine girl. I guess I had just better press on with diligence and self-control. Thanks for your encouragement WTMC! I appreciate it.

They are darling! I had better close this thread before DD5 sees them, though, or I won't hear the end of it.

Woo hoo for payday! :hurray::hurray::hurray: The dollar is just not stretching like it used to! I went to the grocery store yesterday and bought ONLY essentials, 90% produce, and even with my "club card" the bill was pushing $100. Life is crazy when cukes costs $1 each and a small bag of carrots is $1.79!! AACK! Now that I'm an adult with kids, I understand some of the meals my Mom and Dad fixed for our family when I was growing up. I'm sure they were "end of the month" meals...creamed ground beef and peas on toast, baked mac & cheese with veggies and cubed ham, etc. And I NEVER knew they were EOTM meals...they made them taste so good and I look back with fondness, because their attitudes were so wonderful. Thanks Mom & Dad!

How do you deal with this moms? I'm a mom of 5 and 3 year old daughters. I have no ambition right now. My house isn't grossly dirty, but it definitely isn't tidy. I've signed up with Motivated Moms and it is a good day if half the checklist is done. I had every intention of starting to homeschool my girls in June and those desires have faded. (We were just going to go through the summer because of the heat here in Almost Mexico; my kids don't really play outside a whole lot except for trips to the Base pool and swimming lessons). I'm lucky if the girls pull out some cuisinaire rods, Legos, a gear toy or some puzzles on their own and play with them. They color a lot. I'm a keep the TV off kind of mom, but right now, I'm just letting them watch back-to-back Charlie & Lola episodes on DVD. I keep hoping this will pass, but it's been going on a month now, so I don't think it's associated with my cycle. They have had a couple of play dates, but I haven't had much ambition to even set those up. I've been treated for depression in the past, and I don't know that this is it, but I definitely don't feel "myself." I'm not sad, I'm sleeping fine, not testy at all, just have NO ambition... My husband works horribly long hours, and comes home and has to study for his military-required class most nights and all weekend, except when he breaks for church, so we don't get much time together as a couple let alone as a family. Or is this just the fact that it is summertime? My biggest fear about homeschooling has and remains that I just won't be able to do it...and I'm seeing that play out right now...even with the simplest Kinder schedule. Sorry for the vent, but it somehow seems easier to vent to people you can't see...:001_huh:

We have a very healthy watermelon vine growing in a kiddie-pool (along with some potatoes...long story...) Anyway, how many watermelon fruit should we keep on the vines? This is a large watermelon variety. We have about 5 sets so far, and a TON more flowers, some of which I'm sure will set fruit. Should I trim these vines? Should I selectively pick some of the fruit as they mature? I know I could look in a book or online, but I trust THE HIVE about almost everything! You guys are a fount of amazing knowledge!

LUCKY YOU! I was born in Seattle (at Swedish by the way!) and miss the climate, terrain, EVERYTHING about it so much. Being a military family has its advantages, but I sure do miss home. I had to laugh (but agree) about the radiant heat comment. Very true. I remember being ever so much colder in Seattle on a chilly rainy day sitting in Husky Stadium watching a football game than I ever remember being in Minot, ND on a -10 day...that combo of humidity and cold do go to the bone, and a roaring fire at home was the only thing to warm me up. If you are outdoorsy at all, it is a wonderful place, although I do disagree about people disappearing inside when it threatens rain...in my experience, I don't remember a difference. In fact, if I had to wait to go biking or hiking for clear weather, I never would've gotten out of the house. A sunny day in the Seattle area is ABSOLUTELY unbeatable. Get by a body of water on a sunny day, and the way those mountains reflect on Lake Washington or the Sound, and all those rainy days are forgotten. As to mood and rain, it's not that it rains a whole lot (there are times, yes) but it's that it's drizzly and gray much of the time...which can bother some people a lot. Not me. Honestly, too much sun depresses me (I'm not saying this lightly.) Probably not a lot of help to your questions, but God bless your decision-making...

When I was using my bread maker I would just take the mixing paddle out and re-shape the bread prior to baking... and regarding slicing, if you have one good knife, get a good bread knife. It'll make all the difference in the world in your slicing. I started with a bread machine for the whole process... then started using it for kneading and rising only and baking in the oven... then moved up to the KitchenAid stand mixer... ...and now do about 50/50 stand mixer/hand kneading. And my BREAD BAKER'S APPRENTICE book just arrived from Amazon an hour ago!!!!! I'm in BREAD HEAVEN right now!!!!! Baking bread is what started The BIG Change about the way we eat and view food in our home. There is now very little that we don't make from scratch... Have fun!

I was back and forth about the KitchenAid and Cuisinart...both had the best reviews from Cook's Illustrated. I eventually went with the 12 cup KitchenAid and LOVE it. It is heavy (substantial), has great attachments and powers through anything I put in there. I got mine on Amazon (I didn't care about color particularly, I got white because it was less expensive) so I got a great deal with a bunch of free blades, a storage case, a citrus juicer attachment (which surprisingly I use A TON) and egg whip. My advice to you: get the biggest one you can afford and stick with either KitchenAid or Cuisinart (I'm not being a brand snob, just that they consistently get the highest reviews and the others have had less than stellar reviews...I shopped and read-up for 2 YEARS to find the right one!) If you are interested in KitchenAid, go to their website and check out their refurbs...GREAT deals...SUPER customer service. I had an issue with a 12 year old stand mixer and they helped me wonderfully. I had a problem with a replacement part that I could only get from them, it only cost $11, and they spent probably an hour on the phone with me, ran back into the shipping and storage area, called around, until it was solved. Stellar.

Thank you Blessedfamily...I've been kind of bitter about all of the attention given to him, but you put it into a right eternal perspective.

Welcome! :grouphug: Don't worry, if you become addicted as quickly as I did, you'll be a worker bee in no time :tongue_smilie:

I have a very clean ceramic cooktop -- not bragging, but it makes a difference with these things...you have to keep them clean or they're murder to recover! I have had really good success keeping it clean, until last night when I made a teriyaki beef dish and spilled some of the homemade teriyaki sauce (mostly brown sugar and soy) onto the cooktop and it burned on. I got it off but it took me about half an hour of hard scrubbing (my hands are tired...I guess I'm a wimp)! Maybe I'm using the wrong thing for this type of spill: I used the manufacturer's recommended glasstop cleaner, a blunt-scraper (looks like a blade but it's safe for ceramic cooktops...if you have this type of a cooktop you'll know what I'm talking about) and lots of elbow grease; when that didn't work, I switched to Barkeepers friend with the blunt scraper and even more elbow grease. Any other suggestions?

This thread is now so huge, I just don't have time to read through; I apologize if this link has already been posted, but what do you think of this question: Were Christian fans 'seduced' by 'Jon & Kate' shows of piety? The article/opinion is posted today's USA Today website. I am a Christian, and I would agree with this statement. Unfortunately, we Christians tend to jump on the "oh they're famous and say they're Christian" bandwagon WAY too easily. Think of how excited we got with this year's American Idol. Two genuinely great Christian guys were on the show, and we blubbered all over them. The Jonas Brothers...Miley Cyrus...What about Mel Gibson and The Passion? Why are "we" so enthralled with fame? I think we're easily fooled and should be more discerning. Opinions? Flaming arrows? Tar and feathers?

I just heard this a few weeks ago, too! It is GREAT news!!!!! Now if they'll consider moving one car for a family when we PCS, I'll jump for joy. As it stands, they won't move vehicles, so we have to drive separately whenever we PCS. This is a HUGE burden!

iPod with a recorded book? When my hubby was deployed he listened to his iPod all the time... but then again, if he's always buying what he wants/needs, he probably already has one :(

My husband found where he could tag all of the "Bigfoot sightings". We are originally from Washington State, and had a hoot of a Saturday morning reading the corresponding accounts. Fun stuff!

No kidding...go to a store like Tractor Supply and get some Corona Cream (for horse hooves). My pediatrician at the Base in Almost Canada, ND said all of the pediatricians in town (a rural farming community) recommended this. It cured my daughter's fungal/yeast rash immediately when the Rx stuff wouldn't. I don't know that I'd recommend it for every day use, but she never had a bad rash again. We still have the tub (it's been 5 years since I bought it) because you use so little.

1. DO NOT be embarassed. 2. Wear very comfortable clothing for the ride home. 3. You can choose to wear nothing or undies or undies and bra. You will ALWAYS be covered. They are VERY skilled at this! I would recommend nothing, honestly, because while they probably aren't going to massage anywhere you would feel uncomfortable not being touched, the undies and bra will get in the way of the long strokes. 4. Drink A TON of water before and after. 5. You might feel very, very tired tonight, or very, very invigorated. People's bodies respond differently. 6. PREPARE to feel GREAT! My husband and I have had massages regularly for about 10 years now. When we DON'T have them for a while we start feeling badly. Reminds me. I need to book one! enjoy!!!!!!!

My Grandma used to say "youse"...she was 100% German; her parents immigrated from Stuttgart in 1900 and went straight to Seattle after landing in New York City. Grandma was born in 1904 in Seattle. She was married to an 100% Irishman, so maybe she picked it up from him. The Seattle neighborhood they lived in was multi-ethnic: mainly Italian, but also Poles, Japanese and other Germans. Who knows where it came from!

Here's a really cool blog about that subject, and the clothes they describe are decidedly stylish, too! http://mfbnetwork.blogspot.com/

Thanks! After all this work, it's gonna kill me to do this, but I guess knowing that I'll never wear this monstrosity (looks like something "Maude" -- you know, that awful character that Bea Arthur played on that horrible 1970's sit-com -- would wear.)

1. My KitchenAid heavy duty stand mixer 2. My Henckels knives...chopping and slicing is so much easier when you aren't afraid of a dull knife slipping 3. Dutch oven for stews, sauces, pasta, baking crusty bread...everything!!! 4. The gas grill...it saves us in summer in Very Hot Almost Mexico! We can eat hot food without heating up the house. 5. The coffee maker. "A morning without coffee is sleep" (the quote on a pair of my "Sock Guy" brand socks)

For what it's worth, Apple also has a military discount up to 17% (the 17% was quoted on the Army Times website). Technically, the military discount is a "federal employees" discount.