I don't know if you would get the subsidy or not, but it is still an option that I didn't see talked about. I'll keep my thoughts on subsidies to myself. :-D

I'm sure the plans are ACA-compliant. They would have to be to legally sell them, wouldn't they? I just figured, why use the exchange if you don't have to? While there is still so much uncertainty with them working properly and all, if you bought your policy from the company directly, you would at least know you have insurance, and that your info is less likely to be stolen or mishandled.

Just to let you know, you can still go to an insurance agent and get a health insurance plan. You don't have to go through an exchange. At least with an agent, you can sit down with them and talk about what exactly is being covered, how much it will cost and all that, and give personal info directly to the company.

And a Happy New Year to you!!

Nothing new finished yet, but I am going to try and read The Last Unicorn for my last book of 2014. We'll see if I make it. LOL I'm going to come back later and answer the questions. I'm going to have to think about some of these...

The Christmas frenzy has begun! I love it! I have had a little time for reading, and finished Edie Investigates. It was an extremely short short story, so I won't be including it in my book count, but it was a great little read about one of my favorite characters from Anglemaker. Other than that, I haven't been able to read very much. I've started a few things, but nothing has really got my attention. I have enjoyed this thread so much this year. Getting to discuss books with others who love to read as much as me is so wonderful. I look forward to joining in next year's thread. :laugh:

I know when I downloaded it, I clicked on the picture on the self looking page, and an information page came up. I clicked on the line that says "Windows Installer, English", and it downloaded. I clicked on the downloaded file, and followed the instructions given. Hope that helps!

I do use it, and my kids use it, but not profusely. If the kids say it more than once in one sentence, or begin to say it after almost every word (like *grin*, when they've been around their cousin who uses it ad nauseam), I will tell them they have used all their allotted "likes" for the day. :D

Thanks, Mergath! Meriwether, I've bought it, and started playing it a little bit. Just looking around in it some, and it is just like the original game. There hasn't been any improvement in graphics or anything. It is just the game as I remember it. I can't say if it is the full game, though, as I haven't played through the whole thing yet.

I got it! :D I love it! LOL Every time I see your avitar, I start singing those lines from the Kenneth Branagh movie adaptation. :lol: Merry Christmas! (I was always taught the proper response was "And a happy New Year to you!" If someone wished you a happy other holiday, you just responded in kind. It's common courtesy, or, at least it was.)

What's really funny to me, is that I heard the term "affluenza" several years ago in a parody piece on Rush Limbaugh. Now, it's a real thing! (No, not really.) This young man needs to be held responsible for his actions, but now, I think the judge and prosecutor have some explaining to do as well. It's ridiculous. It's a heartbreaking situation all around.

Beautiful family!

You have beautiful children! The pics are so precious!!

My kids go back for seconds with this recipe (and you can make it in the crock pot) Best Meatloaf You'll Ever Eat! (That's really the name. Lol) 2 lbs hamburger meat 1/2 - 1 cup Italian bread crumbs 2 eggs 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Up to 1/4 cup water 1 package brown gravy mix (that makes 2 cups) Topping 1 cup water 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 of the package of brown gravy mix Put hamburger, bread crumbs, eggs, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Add up to 1/4 cup water if needed. Put 1/2 package of brown gravy mix in and mix well. Pat into a bowl shape, and put in crock pot, leaving about 1 inch space from the side. Pat firmly, so it doesn't fall apart. (You can also put it in a loaf pan and cook it in the oven.) In a bowl, take the other half of the brown gravy mix, 1 cup water, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and mix well. Pour over meatloaf in crock pot. (If cooking in oven, only add a little water to the mix, and then pour on top of meatloaf.) Cover and cook 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low. (When I cook it in the oven, I cook it at 350 or 375 until my meat thermometer reads over 160.) If you want more Italian flavor, you can add 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp thyme to the meat, and about half a tsp of each to the topping. I know the ingredients sound a little weird, at least they did to me when I first saw the recipe, but it really is very good. When the kids ask what's for dinner, and I say meatloaf, they have been known to run through the house screaming, "Yay!" LOL

LOL!

We've been using Math-U-See with my dd8, and she was doing really well. She had learned all her addition math facts, and remembered them reasonably well. Now we are learning subtraction. Um. What happened to all the addition facts she knew??? LOL (I have to laugh, or I'll cry.) Am I truly fighting a losing battle trying to help her learn the math facts? Surely she will learn them, and not be stuck in simple addition and subtraction forever. I hate the idea of giving her a calculator this early, but if she truly will never internalize those facts, what am I to do? How are we to progress? She gets so mad at herself for not remembering her facts, and hates to have to use the blocks for almost every problem. Help? Commiseration? What worked with your dyslexic?

In the spirit of the season, I've been reading Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich. I can't believe how fast paced Evanovich is! This is a really cute book, and quite funny. :)

This one, too! :hurray:

I just looked mine up. It's the middle of the day, and my porch lights are still on. Oops. My garage doors are closed, and no people are in sight, so I guess we're good. Also, it was a Friday that the Google car came by. Our trash day is Friday, and everybody's trash cans are on the street. :D

These are beautiful traditions, Mom in High Heels. Thanks for sharing!

Of course you don't have to believe in Santa to play the Santa game. This is just the tradition of our family, and when my Papaw would tell us this, he was always mock serious, or would have a knowing smile and a twinkle in his eye. When my brothers and I knew the truth, it didn't stop my parents from still setting out Santa presents. I think my mom did start wrapping them by the time I got married, though. I can't remember. LOL. However, even though most of us in the family know the secret behind the fun, we all still say we believe in Santa. You know, 'cause if you stop believing, you won't get any presents from Santa. ;) There are all kinds of traditions, and they are all important to the families that have them. I think they are a special way a family strengthens the bond, says this is us; we belong together. I'm really enjoying this thread. I love learning about all kinds of family traditions. I know about St. Nicholas, but had no idea there were special things people did to celebrate. How wonderful!

Thank you! I'm 37 years old, been married for 17 years, and Santa still fills my stocking at my parents' house. I don't ever say I don't believe in Santa. LOL The boys are so adorable! Love the pic!

If you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents. This is what my Papaw always told us as kids, and until he died, he always got a gift from Santa. He died several years ago, and to this day, no one owns up to being the Santa. Personally, I think my aunts took turns. I think my dd10 figured it out a long time ago, but she won't say, and I don't ask too many probing questions. Dd8 is a firm believer, and doesn't show any signs of wanting to give it up. This is just fine with me. Santa is real, as I and my husband are Santa, and we are real. :D

I don't think that oil companies should be subsidized. I don't think that any company should be subsidized. Let the market do it's job, and stop "protecting" us from the true cost of anything. What is the purpose of having these cars, though? I mean, saving on gasoline, I get that, but if a majority of people started driving plug-ins, then the cost of electricity would skyrocket, too. The power coming from the plug is mostly made by burning coal, so if one is wanting the car to save the environment, this isn't the car for that, either. I think that if we are going to have alternative energy sources any time soon, then the government needs to get out of the way and let the market work it out. People coming up with all kinds of ideas, and those that will really work will start being available. (This statement probably needed to be on the unpopular opinion thread. :D )

I find this image to be eye opening. It helps to think of European countries like states in the US, at least for me. I often get it into my head that countries are huge, and take forever to travel through. For many, this is not the case. I am not in favor of artificially raising the price of gas.