Thank you for reminding me that I'm supposed to go have this done. Off to put it on my "to-schedule" list.

I bought one of these (in red) for my mother for Christmas. She is trying to learn to make no-knead bread, and she needs a pot. Also, my father got a deer the other day, so he'll be making lots of stews. For those who are interested, I have a a Staub 7-Qt., in the Basil colorway (dark green) and a Le Cruset 6.75-qt wide risotto pot in Flame. (Neither was bought at full price.) I would buy more for myself, but I don't have anywhere to keep it! 😉

We start quiet time as soon as the child stops napping. My kids (4, 6, & 9) each have a tablet that I use to set up their audiobooks. I lock the tablet with a password once it's playing. The 4 and 6 year olds are in their rooms, the 9 year old is in the den. The 6yr old has Legos and books, and often brings up pencils & paper if he's working on a project. The 4yr old has a small basket of stuffed toys and another of Lego Duplos. They stay in their rooms from 1-3pm everyday, only coming out for bathroom visits or if their audiobook has finished. We started when DS9 and DS6 were 5.5 and 2.5., starting with 15 minutes a day and, after a few months, we were up to 2hrs. I have, not too infrequently, taken a nap on the couch with the youngest boy during quiet time. However, I am light sleeper and would wake up if they called or came down the stairs.

I've had an extremely needy kid, an extremely demanding kid, a two-people-to-change-a-diaper kid, and a won't-wear-certain-colors/fabrics/articles-of-clothing or -eat-certain-foods/textures colors kid...they just haven't all been the same kid! I'm also an introvert (and have some anxiety and my own SPD issues). My heart goes out to you! Hopefully, it's just a rough age and she starts to outgrow some of it soon.

My first enameled cast iron Dutch oven was a Lodge. The enamel inside 'disappeared' after a year of use. (I'm guessing we ate it. Ick.) I now have a Le Cruset and a Staub. They have both held up much better (it's been a few years) and are definitely worth the price. You get what you pay for!

Dick's Sporting Goods had this rowing machine priced at 25% off, and then everything is another 25% off today (Thursday). It was regularly $400, but I got it for $225 with free shipping! https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/stamina-air-rowing-machine-17smpustmnrrwngmcmsc/17smpustmnrrwngmcmsc Merry Christmas to me!

Well, I did some thinking and bought myself a rowing machine (very good deal online!) that folds up to save space. Dropping my gym membership will pay for it. 🤣 Merry Christmas to me!

I really enjoyed "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman though it might not fit exactly into light and humorous. It was lovely and fun, though.

You are probably right. Thanks. Deleted.

(deleted) I hate when people screw up Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Thank you, all, for the wonderful suggestions!

I don't *need* anything. I have a short list of small things that DH can take the boys to buy for me (a new comb, new pens, etc). I would like a treadmill, but I don't have place to put one. I would also feel guilty spending that kind of money when there is so much that needs work in the house. I would *love* a get-away with my DH but I can't imagine asking my mother to watch the kids for 24-48 hours; over only ever asked that when in the hospital giving birth.

I wish we could do an experience, as that sounds lovely, but we spend Christmas Eve with my in-laws (we host on a rotating basis) and that just won't work. Plus, DH's parents got divorced 3 years ago and every Christmas Eve since then has included some amount of trauma/drama from them, so DH is definitely *not* in the holiday spirit when they are here. (Think, "Merry Christmas, I have cancer!" and "Merry Christmas, I've just figured out I'm gay!" as the crap that has happened the last few years.)

We are hosting Christmas Eve for my husband's family (those that are local), so we won't be going out. Even if we weren't, husband would prefer we stay home. We don't even go to midnight mass anymore... ?

Every year, my mother gave us new pajamas on Christmas Eve. I've kept this up with my own children but it's just not working anymore. Five kids, hand-me-downs, one with sensory processing issues related to clothing... It's just not worth the trouble. I want to keep the 'Christmas Eve tradition', but I need a new tradition! I was considering everyone getting a book but we already limit gifts to the 'something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read' list (plus stocking stuffers), so that wouldn't work. Anyone have any ideas?

I'm hoping I can see it this weekend, but I have a ludicrous amount of planning to do for statistics unit in my college classes that I have been given no textbook or other support for that starts on Monday, so it might have to wait till after Thanksgiving. ::sadface::

It came this afternoon and I just finished it. I heard that the reviews of the movie are dreadful, but I'm looking forward to it (especially after the twist in the last page)! Also, I now feel the need to reread the entire HP series, refocusing on Dumbledore's story....

I would make the same size rectangle and instead of rolling only from one side, roll from *both* sides and meet them in the middle? Cut down the center between the rolls and you will have two mirrored rolls of rolls!

Yarn and fabric... so much! I could sew and/or knit for ages...

...off to search for my college calc book for the future.... ?

If it has coconut or tree nuts, I claim it. (They either don't like it or are allergic to it, so it's not an issue!)

I decided to order the first few AAR readers, rather than Bob books. I'm going to keep looking for other ideas, too. Thanks for your recommendations!

None of the links in this comment are working for me...

Thanks, I forgot about Bob books. We've borrowed them a few times from the library; it may be time to buy our own.

Thanks for the link. Sadly, he will NOT read these, because he can't read every word on the page by himself. He is desperate for things he can read independently, and that would limit it to only include the materials from lessons 1-64. On the page below, there are too many words that he cannot yet decode. I'm probably looking for something that doesn't exist.