SOCIAL GROUP: Atheists, agnostics, free-thinkers, non-believers

[dbmamaz]

Oh, conference . . .they don't have much in the way of vendors, but I find some of the sessions informative and inspiring. I got to see Hakim, Zaccaro, Ms Bravewriter. . . Cool! This years speakers are oddly all male, and not as tempting to me. A mathematician, a scientist, and a vocab guy IIR.

[Rosie_0801]

The Love Languages guy was onto something, even if he forgot two.

[Guest inoubliable]

Oh, conference . . .they don't have much in the way of vendors, but I find some of the sessions informative and inspiring. I got to see Hakim, Zaccaro, Ms Bravewriter. . . Cool! This years speakers are oddly all male, and not as tempting to me. A mathematician, a scientist, and a vocab guy IIR.

 

Oooh. I'd go to see Hakim! I don't know any of the people listed for this year.

 

And, :grouphug:

[Clarkd]

I've not yet gone to a hs conference but was thinking of trying ours this year. It is in May. I'm a little concerned about how christian it will be. It's a state-wide conference, but locally it is so christian that I'm preparing myself. However I hope to be surprised and meet at least one crunchy granola friend. I'm not very social IRL but thought I would try. If nothing else it's an excuse to buy more books and curriculum!

[Clarkd]

My Mom was wiccan. We loved going to this place in NY that was a very cool new age and Earth centered religious community. It was always so peaceful. We would have our cards read, aura drawn, and go to the listening stump to hear some folks speak. My best memories of my Mom are our trips there.

[Audrey]

On tarot cards, I think you'd get a lot more feedback on the Alt. Spirituality group.

 

I have several decks (several being an understatement, I'm sure). I use them all the time. I will read cards for other people, but I won't accept money for it.

[Rosie_0801]

I've got one Tarot deck and one Oracle deck. Haven't read with the latter yet, but it is bee-yoo-tiful.

[Mom-ninja.]

The Love Languages guy was onto something, even if he forgot two.

 

 

what are the other two?

[Rosie_0801]

what are the other two?

 

Music and food! Food! How could he have missed that? :svengo:

[Lady Florida.]

Good morning all!

 

Any good weekend plans? Mine is going to be a good one.

 

We celebrate our grandson's first birthday this afternoon since both mom & dad have off work. It's small, with just immediate family and the great-grandparents (my IL's).

 

Tomorrow my niece and I are going to see Wicked in Orlando. She's 24, and neither my brother nor his ex would win any parenting awards. My mom and I (and an uncle on her mother's side) were the stable influences in her life. She feels like the daughter I never had, and her kids are like grandkids. We kid and say we have the mother-daughter relationship without the mother-daughter baggage.

 

So, a full weekend for me with people I love and fun activities. You?

[Guest inoubliable]

Good morning all!

 

Any good weekend plans? Mine weekend is going to be a good one both today and tomorrow.

 

We celebrate our grandson's first birthday this afternoon since both mom & dad have off work. It's small, with just immediate family and the great-grandparents (my IL's).

 

Tomorrow my niece and I are going to see Wicked in Orlando. She's 24, and neither my brother nor his ex would win any parenting awards. My mom and I (and an uncle on her mother's side) were the stable influences in her life. She feels like the daughter I never had, and her kids are like grandkids. We kid and say we have the mother-daughter relationship without the mother-daughter baggage.

 

So, a full weekend for me with people I love and fun activities. You?

 

Well, happy birthday to the little guy! Birthdays are such fun. :) I am so jealous that you're getting to see Wicked!! What a cool way to spend the day with your niece.

 

Not much going on here. Working on and testing new website. Friends are maybe coming over for dinner tonight. We *might* be heading out to either a local children's museum or Harper's Ferry today or tomorrow. Mostly, I just want to sleep. It's been a bad week for my allergies.

[Desert Rat]

Sounds like a wonderful weekend, Kathy!

We have a fun weekend planned. Ds9 turns 10 on Monday. His party is tomorrow. His love right now is archery so we've set up our backyard and borrowed a few bows so our friends can have a go at it. We have a great group of friends that are like family to us. So, mostly it's family. He does have a few friends coming, too.

I learned how to make fondant from scratch yesterday. I'm making a target cake. I like the challenge and hope it comes out okay.

 

Today we have pokemon club and would have had soccer. Ds10 is still coughing from being sick earlier in the week so we're skipping. I'm just glad he'll be fine for his party.

 

Enjoy your grandbaby!

[Lady Florida.]

Desert Rat, enjoy your weekend. The archery party sounds like it will be fun. And kudos on making a target cake complete with fondant! Hope ds 9/10 feels better.

[chiguirre]

I have a busy but fun weekend planned. Trinqueta starts her triathlon training group today and then we're doing a GS cookie booth. She's really looking forward to both. It always amazes me how excited the girls are to stand outside a supermartket to hawk cookies. Then, Geezle has his cub scout Blue and Gold banquet tonight and he and all of his den mates will earn their Arrow of Light badge. I'm so proud of them all. We've been in this den since second grade and they've all earned rank every year. In addition, Geezle will get his third compass point and be a Super Scout.

 

Tomorrow, Trinqueta and I are going to see La Bayadere tomorrow. Our ballet outings are our favorite mother/daughter activity so we're both excited. I'm going to be tired Sunday night, but it's worth it.

[nmoira]

Fun weekend planned.

 

Today I'll be caramelizing six pounds of onions and starting to season my new carbon steel fry pan. The latter is seriously the most exciting thing I've undertaken all month... at least in terms of anticipation. Most of my cookware is crap, so the plan is to replace it bit by bit until I have a grown-up kitchen, maybe by the time I'm menopausal.

 

Tomorrow some friends are coming over for my birthday party; it'll be our first time using the Farmers of the Moor expansion for Agricola (the expansion with the little wooden horsies*) and I'm making Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère. I hope the recipe turns out as good as it sounds, because it looks like it could be a cheap knock-your-pants off party dish.

 

* My birthday present from DH last year was all the sheeples and vegeeples and peeples for the main game (which comes only with small coloured cubes). Yup, little wooden play figures. You know they're for adults though, 'cause the bags have warnings that they are chokables. :lol:

 

Here's the peeples:

 

[dbmamaz]

weekend? um, sitting around with an ice pack on my knee. i have to make up a grocery list and send dh out shopping. i need to finish the taxes - good thing i'm done with the narcotics. the boys will sit plugged in to their pcs. yup, boring boring life. actually, the teen has a d&d game sunday.

[Mom-ninja.]

Happy birthday! Lots of February birthdays. It's a great birthday month cause it's mine too. :thumbup:

[Guest inoubliable]

Fun weekend planned.

 

Today I'll be caramelizing six pounds of onions and starting to season my new carbon steel fry pan. The latter is seriously the most exciting thing I've undertaken all month... at least in terms of anticipation. Most of my cookware is crap, so the plan is to replace it bit by bit until I have a grown-up kitchen, maybe by the time I'm menopausal.

 

Tomorrow some friends are coming over for my birthday party; it'll be our first time using the Farmers of the Moor expansion for Agricola (the expansion with the little wooden horsies*) and I'm making Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère. I hope the recipe turns out as good as it sounds, because it looks like it could be a cheap knock-your-pants off party dish.

 

* My birthday present from DH last year was all the sheeples and vegeeples and peeples for the main game (which comes only with small coloured cubes). Yup, little wooden play figures. You know they're for adults though, 'cause the bags have warnings that they are chokables. :lol:

 

Here's the peeples:

 

 

Sounds like fun!! I've been wanting to pick up Agricola for the longest time. We've got The Settlers of Catan and still haven't had time to set it up properly and play. Have you seen any of the Etsy shops that sell Agricola figures? I could get in some serious trouble with just collecting some of the figures!

[Guest inoubliable]

weekend? um, sitting around with an ice pack on my knee. i have to make up a grocery list and send dh out shopping. i need to finish the taxes - good thing i'm done with the narcotics. the boys will sit plugged in to their pcs. yup, boring boring life. actually, the teen has a d&d game sunday.

 

Hope the knee starts feeling better soon. You ought to put something fantastic on the grocery list for yourself. You deserve it!

[Guest inoubliable]

Happy birthday! Lots of February birthdays. It's a great birthday month cause it's mine too. :thumbup:

 

DS8's birthday was this month, too. He agrees with you! LOL.

[nmoira]

Sounds like fun!! I've been wanting to pick up Agricola for the longest time. We've got The Settlers of Catan and still haven't had time to set it up properly and play. Have you seen any of the Etsy shops that sell Agricola figures? I could get in some serious trouble with just collecting some of the figures!

 

I didn't know, and I don't dare. :drool5: We do need another pack of resources though...

[Desert Rat]

Db, hope the knee feels better soon! I hate being sick/injured on a weekend. Weekends are supposed to be fun. That so is not. Add taxes on top of it....well that just sucks. (I never type sucks on the regular threads because people get offended. I love typing sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. *snicker* I feel like I'm getting away with something. )

[nmoira]

weekend? um, sitting around with an ice pack on my knee. i have to make up a grocery list and send dh out shopping. i need to finish the taxes - good thing i'm done with the narcotics. the boys will sit plugged in to their pcs. yup, boring boring life. actually, the teen has a d&d game sunday.

 

Blech. I hope your knee's better soon, though I think I would have saved some narcotics for after the taxes are done.

[Guest inoubliable]

 

I didn't know, and I don't dare. :drool5: We do need another pack of resources though...

 

I can't help it.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58511790/handmade-agricola-animal-tokens

 

Squeee! I keep telling DH that I NEED these.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59698854/agricola-resource-token

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84397331/miniature-pumpkins-set-of-18-for - Pumpkins!!

 

Okay. I'll stop now. LOL.

[Guest inoubliable]

(I never type sucks on the regular threads because people get offended. I love typing sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. *snicker* I feel like I'm getting away with something. )

 

This made me laugh so hard! LOL.

[nmoira]

 

I can't help it.

 

http://www.etsy.com/...a-animal-tokens

 

Squeee! I keep telling DH that I NEED these.

 

http://www.etsy.com/...-resource-token

 

http://www.etsy.com/...s-set-of-18-for - Pumpkins!!

 

Okay. I'll stop now. LOL.

 

Thank you for not embedding the photos. :D

[jeninok]

I have tried for years to tell my husband how much I need to be touched outside of the bedroom. But what came easy our first two years is now impossible. If I make a huge stink, he's good for a day. He's actually a little better on vacation, so I know part of it is depression . . .praise actually makes me uncomfortable most of the time cuz my mom was such a liar I don't trust praise at all. I just want to get as much affection as the cats . . .

Dh is somewhat affectionate, but I do have to sometime act like the cats and shove my self under or around him (not all the way under lol)

 

[Guest inoubliable]

 

Thank you for not embedding the photos. :D

 

Of course! I'm not a complete monster! :laugh:

[LucyStoner]

Weekend? We had game night last night with another family.

 

Today, I am fixing to get some stuff done at home, including sorting out all the too small kids clothing for an upcoming consignment sale. Then I need to hit the thrift shops looking for pants long enough for my younger son. Planning on cooking shepard's pie for dinner.

 

Tomorrow, my husband is off and we have no plans. Tentatively, I want to take some chocolate chip cookies to a friend and if it is not too wet, go for a family bike ride.

 

I watched that Bully documentary movie. Scared the crap out of me and yet again made me glad that we took our son home rather than let the bullying continue.

 

We also have a practice schedule for our older son's upcoming participation in the regional spelling bee. Definitely it is a vocab and pronunciation refresh for me too.

[LucyStoner]

And then there are the people (including some on this board) who add shorts over the tights, under the dress, because the babies might crawl around or not sit "modestly" and people might see the top of their tights. Shorts, tights, diapers, and a dress to protect the modesty of a 1 year old???

 

I find that frightening.

 

Jackie

 

I know I am a loose woman for sure then. The main time I wear tights is when I am wearing them with skates and hot pants, knee socks and massive protective knee pads for roller derby training. and sometimes I don't even wear them then. And no skirt.

 

When I wear dresses in winter I am more likely to layer them over pants than tights. in summer, people will just have to deal with seeing my legs.

 

If I had a daughter, I would be really upset if people thought her chubby little baby legs were immodest and more than a little disturbed.

[Roadrunner]

I am making my first attempt to bake a cake! Well, maybe not first. I did try it once, but somehow the cake turned into stone. This was ten years ago. I just got a big red cuisinaire blender as a present, sooooo I am giving it a second try. Now I need to go get baking dishes before I start blending :) any recommendations on what and which brand to get?

[jeninok]

I like the glass pyrex ones, they don't seem to get those weird spots where the metal rubs off, or rusty!

[nmoira]

I am making my first attempt to bake a cake! Well, maybe not first. I did try it once, but somehow the cake turned into stone. This was ten years ago. I just got a big red cuisinaire blender as a present, sooooo I am giving it a second try. Now I need to go get baking dishes before I start blending :) any recommendations on what and which brand to get?

 

I swear by my heavy duty pans from Chicago Metallic (not nonstick), but a friend who bakes more than I prefers the gold somethings from Williams-Sonoma.

 

The best bundt mold ever is the Nordic ware Anniversary. It holds two loaves worth of standard quick bread recipes and turns out perfect every time. I can send you a foolproof Hungarian sour cream pound cake recipe if you go that route.

[FLDebbie]

 

Oh good. I need a morning laugh.

 

Some very good friends of my parents had kids about the ages of me and my siblings so we spent a LOT of time with them when I was growing up. Some of the things on that list... brings back memories. On Valentine's Day, their kids got baskets of goodies from the Valentine Chicken. Because if they said Valentine's Day without the "Saint" added to Valentine, then it was mocking. And since it wasn't "Saint Valentine's Day", they made it into a Day of Love. Brought to you by the Valentine Chicken.

 

I almost spit out my drink reading this. The valentine chicken???? Really?? That makes me think of this post: http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/.

[dbmamaz]

Db, hope the knee feels better soon! I hate being sick/injured on a weekend. Weekends are supposed to be fun. That so is not. Add taxes on top of it....well that just sucks. (I never type sucks on the regular threads because people get offended. I love typing sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. *snicker* I feel like I'm getting away with something. )

I love the word 'sucks' :w00t: :smilielol5:

 

Blech. I hope your knee's better soon, though I think I would have saved some narcotics for after the taxes are done.

hmmm, not a bad idea :lol:

 

Dh is somewhat affectionate, but I do have to sometime act like the cats and shove my self under or around him (not all the way under lol)

mine clearly has sensory issues. i have to warn him before i touch him, and if i ask for a hug i get an a-frame . . . i have to be explicit and he will grumble before he does it. i guess we'll keep working on it :banghead:

[tex-bex]

Not much of a weekend here. DH is out of town on a father-son trip, so it's all on me. I really need to be making the grocery list right now.

 

I did take DD to get her first volleyball earlier! She is 6 and signed up to play this spring. I can't wait because it is MY sport, and I hope she loves it too.

Aw, she just brought some flowers from the lawn! <3

[Rosie_0801]

Saturday wasn't much, but today we are embarking on day one of round one of our nature study tours. Not sure if we're going to check out alpine and wet woodlands or Mallee, grassland and inland waterways. Whichever we do, we'll do the other tomorrow, but it's probably best if we go to the wet woodlands first since we're in fire season, expecting lightening tomorrow and it really isn't very wet.

[Audrey]

It's a full moon Monday. I'm busy, but in a very enjoyable way. :)

[Roadrunner]

 

 

I swear by my heavy duty pans from Chicago Metallic (not nonstick), but a friend who bakes more than I prefers the gold somethings from Williams-Sonoma.

 

The best bundt mold ever is the Nordic ware Anniversary. It holds two loaves worth of standard quick bread recipes and turns out perfect every time. I can send you a foolproof Hungarian sour cream pound cake recipe if you go that route.

Local restaurant supply store carries Nordic were. Now I just need to get my behind out of the door. Williams-Sonoma pricing transports me to crazy land :) and the way I now look after weeding the garden without gloves, I don't think I would be allowed to enter their pristine perfection :)

 

 

[Guest inoubliable]

 

I almost spit out my drink reading this. The valentine chicken???? Really?? That makes me think of this post: http://thebloggess.c...k-your-battles/.

 

 

This came from a family that had me constantly terrified of being around them, to be honest. Once, we were trick-or-treating with them - cause Valentine's day needed a chicken to make it okay, but trick-or-treating was okay... - and the oldest daughter was hipchecking me as we're walking down the sidewalk. I got fed up and hipchecked her back. Right into a bush. Her dad comes up the sidewalk, grabs my shoulder and squeezes it while lightly punching me in the back and says "We don't hit in our family." Mkay. I guess punching guests in the back is cool, though?

 

Another time, I was in the car with the mom. We're tooling around town and doing some errands - just me, her, and her five year old. At a stoplight she asks me to get an apple out of her purse. Mkay... I reach in and sure enough, there's an apple. I hand over the apple. Then she asks me to get the knife out of her purse. I'm sorry - a knife? I stared at her, not knowing if she was joking. She grabs the bag from me, jams her hand and arm down into this ginormous leather satchel and comes up with Crocodile Dundee's knife. Un-fricking-sheathed.

 

I was not questioning this family's Valentine chicken tradition.

[Mom-ninja.]

In case any of you need some visual motivation while working out....BeFit in 90 so far day 4 is the best. A Marine without a shirt and working out? Okay. Yeah, did day 4 today. Can't wait for day 5 tomorrow.

[Guest inoubliable]

In case any of you need some visual motivation while working out....BeFit in 90 so far day 4 is the best. A Marine without a shirt and working out? Okay. Yeah, did day 4 today. Can't wait for day 5 tomorrow.

 

 

Whoa whoa whoa. I might start working out again...

[FLDebbie]

 

This came from a family that had me constantly terrified of being around them, to be honest. Once, we were trick-or-treating with them - cause Valentine's day needed a chicken to make it okay, but trick-or-treating was okay... - and the oldest daughter was hipchecking me as we're walking down the sidewalk. I got fed up and hipchecked her back. Right into a bush. Her dad comes up the sidewalk, grabs my shoulder and squeezes it while lightly punching me in the back and says "We don't hit in our family." Mkay. I guess punching guests in the back is cool, though?

 

Another time, I was in the car with the mom. We're tooling around town and doing some errands - just me, her, and her five year old. At a stoplight she asks me to get an apple out of her purse. Mkay... I reach in and sure enough, there's an apple. I hand over the apple. Then she asks me to get the knife out of her purse. I'm sorry - a knife? I stared at her, not knowing if she was joking. She grabs the bag from me, jams her hand and arm down into this ginormous leather satchel and comes up with Crocodile Dundee's knife. Un-fricking-sheathed.

 

I was not questioning this family's Valentine chicken tradition.

 

I wonder how much their children will spend in therapy when they're older. By chance, did any of them wait in the pumpkin patch for the great pumpkin? Or were their pumpkin patches not sincere enough?

[Guest inoubliable]

 

I wonder how much their children will spend in therapy when they're older. By chance, did any of them wait in the pumpkin patch for the great pumpkin? Or were their pumpkin patches not sincere enough?

 

*snort* No idea. We're not close. LOL.

[IsabelC]

nm

[IsabelC]

nm

[LaxMom]

 

 

Cheese... mmmm. Cheesecake? Did I hear someone mention cheesecake? It's now on my list. One of you must have said it.

 

Recommendations for the red wine? We've been sticking with riesling lately.

Oh! If you can find it (I'm almost positive they cross the state line) Linganore Cellars "Spicy Regatta" is a sweet red that we warm a bit, per the tasting at my local liquor store/gas station (which has an amazing selection of wines, craft beers and ciders, in addition to the standard crap-in-a-can).

[amo_mea_filiis.]

This doesn't really relate to my lack of religious beliefs, but i thought you guys could help me find the best stuff...

 

Ds needs some new picture schedules. This time i want to use funny pictures. For the cursing chart i used the evil monkey with a bloody toilet and he loved it (i dont use this chart anymore).

 

I'm going to redo his morning and night routine charts. I need some funny (or zombie, boy type stuff) pictures. Ideas?

 

If you want routine specifics, pm me. He's getting a bit old to post the details.

[Desert Rat]

Have you just tried google images, Amo? I find everything I want just typing say, funny zombie image into the google search engine.

Great idea, BTW.

My only problem with the images is when I try to enlarge them, they pixel. But, if you know how to resize (I'm still learning), it's shouldn't be a problem. And by enlarge, I mean at least 4 x 6. If you are keeping them thumbnail size, you should be fine.

[Lady Florida.]

Most of my cookware is crap, so the plan is to replace it bit by bit until I have a grown-up kitchen, maybe by the time I'm menopausal.

 

 

I am menopausal and still don't have a grown-up kitchen. I did recently buy the Tramontina set that Bill recommended in a long ago thread. Apparently it's the set to get if you can't afford All-Clad. I got sick shortly after it came, and I haven't cooked much so I don't know how I like it yet. I still need a nice covered 12" frying pan.