For the 2 year old Carters, Osh Kosh, Walmart, Target. The teen--hanes or fruit of the loom t-shirt and pj pants from Walmart or Target.

I actually like a one paycheck a month. Dh started a new job last year and it's 2 paychecks a month and I hate it(it's even quite a bit more $)! With one paycheck you can pay all the bills at one time and you know exactly what is left. Now the bills are split here and there. The 2 checks are different amounts and as much I try I can't even out the bills and it always feels like we are short.

Me too, so you can imagine the scars I carry from hearing a preacher say 'make love to Jesus' lol

When I hear it and when most people I know use the term they are usually referring to an affair or a homosexual relationship.

Sometimes we get them and sometimes we don't. Dh travels a lot and we thought it would be best for all of us to take the shot this year.

You do need to withdraw him so he is not truant. You do not have to tell them you are homeschooling or sending him to Timbuktu. The only thing you would have to sign would be if you were enrolling him in another school and needed his records sent.

I have a 2 year old and an almost 15 year old--there must have been something in the air today! Dh is taking them for a little drive while I regain some sanity.

from 1951-does it follow the book pretty closely?

umm for dh and myself, I wrapped some cheese sticks in wonton wrappers and baked it for about 10 minutes. We dipped them in marinara sauce. Long day today. The boys had leftover chicken and fruit.

It doesn't get much better than that! :D

:iagree: The 2 year old was having a major fit the other day while I was cooking dinner. I plopped him in the sink next to me and he was the happiest child. It is still pretty warm here so when he gets wound up during the day I take him outside to play in the sprinklers. Playing in the water has saved many a day around our house!

1. How hard is it on your family? (I'm talking about being gone 4 days/nights a week.) Sometimes it is very hard. Last time dh was gone it seemed like he was gone forever(just a week). The 2 yr old was a mess. We stick to our routine as best as we can 2. Under what circumstances would you consider this? When he applied for the job we knew travel would be a part of it. 3. Is the extra income and relief of acute financial stress, worth the sacrifice of him being gone? It's part of his job. There is no extra income for traveling, but he is paid well. If the choice is between a job with traveling and no job then we'd pick the job w/traveling. 4. What do you do to make it easier on you and the children? (i.e. skype etc.) I try to stick to our routine as much as possible. We try to stay busy. We probably go out to eat more than usual though or have cereal for dinner. 5. If you are a Christian, what are your thoughts. Christian and I'm not sure what you are looking for here. I don't think it's a moral issue or anything because he travels for work. 6. Any other thoughts, warnings, advice, opinions? Keep a routine during the day and with bedtime, be flexible because everyone will be missing him. Call so everybody can say their goodnights. Make a big deal when he gets home!

Here are some of my favorites Stuffed Flank Steak http://aspicyperspective.com/2012/01/stuffed-flank-steak.html OMG Chicken http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2011/10/parmesan-crusted-chicken-hellmanns-mayo.html Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta http://chaosinthekitchen.com/2008/10/fast-food-creamy-shrimp-and-mushroom-pasta/ Slow-Cooker Jambalaya--I'm going to try this one this weekend http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/easy-slow-cooker-jambalaya-10000001875863/ Chicken Lettuce Wraps http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken-Lettuce-Wraps#.UEDAcYYlMKM.pinterest Other stand-bys: Fried chicken (legs or chicken strips) Tacos or tostadas Meatloaf Spaghetti Soups Wraps/Sandwiches(Reuben, Cuban, Po-Boy, Club, Chicken Salad) Chef Salad Taco Salad Homemade Pizza Bacon and Eggs--any breakfast foods Red Beans and Rice Sausage links w/Red Peppers and rice Hamburgers

I don't know... We lived in Austin for 4 years about 15 years ago and I hated every minute of it and jokingly told dh that if we ever moved there again I would divorce him. A few years ago we seriously considered it but ended up staying where we are. I have family in the Tomball area and they love it but they have been there all of their adult life. I have friends in Katy and they really like it. I live about an hour north of Houston and I can barely stand to drive to Conroe some days ;) I would make a list and if you pray, pray about the right decision. A job vs. no job would be a huge consideration for me.

It's become one of my favorites lately.

I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! Psalm 121:1-2

I'm sorry. My mom and dad surprised me by asking to take the baby a couple times of week. It has definitely helped and made a big difference on how I feel at the end of the day/week. I'm still worn out at the end of the week but thankful for that break. Do you have a daily quiet time?

we did a little over year ago and have not regretted that decision at all! We have a roku, netflix streaming and huluplus.

Psalm 37 is my favorite passage of scripture because to me it encompasses everything we go though in life and it assures me that God will see me through it all.

YUM-we had this for lunch.

easy-sausage and sauerkraut

Yes, I just use Quicken to record all of my transactions. I haven't used a register in probably 15 years. I saw someone mention lights bills--you can call your light company and ask for budget billing. They will average the last year of your bills and the payment will be the same every month--makes things so much easier!

What are his interests? My oldest is an introvert like his parents ;) Friends have come and gone since we started homeschooling. I thought at one point that he didn't really have friends and I was worried about him. He named a quite a few people that he said were his friends(and they were) and he said the once a week 4H and once a month homeschool teen group were enough for him. He is the kiddo (at 9) that quietly pulled me aside at one of his b-day parties and asked when his friends would be going home because he needed some downtime. Like I said, he is like us and can take people in small doses ;)

Sorry you are having to deal with this. some thoughts...paying over the phone is about the same as autopay. Someone is taking your information and they could just as easily make a mistake. Not to add stress but I wouldn't count on that as a surefire way of keeping everything safe. I suggest getting Quicken. You can set it up for any and every kind of account that you have. You simply enter the deposits and your bills. I have mine set up to automatically put in the bills that I pay with each pay period. It automatically deducts from your balance so you always know how much money you have. When I go shopping or spend money the first thing I do when I get home is to enter all the receipts into Quicken. I check my bank account online at least every other day. There is even a check mark box in Quicken to use when payments clear the bank. I don't understand why you need a paper statement in your hand unless it is security for you. My statements are all emailed to me. My previous payments and any outstanding balances are shown on credit card statements when I login to their websites. I have my bank account information saved on bill websites. I do have to go in and put the amount and the date to pay. I would set up an email specifically for receiving bill statements. I always get payment confirmation in a matter of seconds after making a payment. I hope you are able to glean from all the replies some kind of system that will work for you and save you time.

It's 100 degrees out but I wanted soup. I'm throwing together some stock, tomatoes/sauce, black beans, corn, pasta and whatever else I feel like between now and dinner time.