Thanks so much to you all. I KNEW I needed help! :-)

• I am soooo decorating challenged and need help. I want to put some color - elle
  • If the color is very light, paint ceiling with it, too. - clhmt
  • paint colors.. - pdqtrans
  • You might try sm - Dreamweaver
  • paint - me
    • how about the *sponge* effect with a mixture of--sm - DumDum
      • sounds - mt
        • That's what I was thinking too - (sm)
        • Thanks so much to you all. I KNEW I needed help! :-) - elle
          • I went with more rich colors in my home - Jenna

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I read this today and loved it:  If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 

A day doesn't go by that I don't pray for a miracle. As the obvious enabler, I just always feel if I helped her just this one last time, this would be the time she turns it all around and I want to be there for her. Everything positive she does, I praise her, only to be crushed the next minute for it was just a mirage. It wasn't really there. Every night I have gone to bed saying a pray that we can just get through another day, and honestly, some days, I wasn't sure that I wanted to wake up. I just couldn't do it one more minute. When you love someone with everything you have and realize it still is not enough, that right there is the most devastating feeling ever. For every tear she has cried, I've cried thousands.  I try to be strong so she thinks I am uncaring. If only she could see or feel what I feel inside.  If love could have saved her, she would be. I am going to put it in God's hand because I have nothing left to give. Everyone wonders how and why I have survived and gone through what I have..and honestly, I have no idea. I hate the thought that it has become such a habit that I just expect it. I wait for the calls to come every day, as they will, on the next crisis.  I wait for my day to be ruined and that is one of the reasons that I chose to work at home. I was embarrassed when she would call me 15 times at work, even though I told her not to, or she'd show up. Just barge through my office.  I've gotten beyond what people think, but I know my friends understand and love me for me. Thanks for listening. Another dark day. Sadly, I have had to pretend to be on vacations so she won't come around trying to manipulate me but then she calls me nonstop on my vacations to send her money. It honestly never stops and I don't think it ever will. Please everyone say a prayer for me...

For my hubby's company Christmas party this year, we need to take a wrapped gift ranging in price of $18 and $22.  They are doing the "everyone pick a gift" sorta thing.  So, it will need to be for male or female, ranging in ages from 20-60.  See my dilemma?  I am thinking a gift card wrapped in a huge box.  LOL 

I would appreciate your suggestions!

Thanks!

If they sleep together, they dont need electric heat, body heat will be enough. I would build a "cave" of strawbales, toss in some loose straw and there ya go. I wouldnt use blankies as if they get wet, they will freeze. Like lying on an ice cubes  Mostly, dogs just need to be out of.the wind.  If they dont sleep together, just build 2 caves.  Either way, should be snug so body heat will build a pocket of warmth around dog.

I have some symptoms here and hoping maybe some of you have heard of before and can give me some "diagnosing." I do it myself quite a bit. Like I told my aunt, after doing this before the telephone was invented, sometimes we hear so much and pick up on things so hopefully someone out there can give me a hand. Here we go and thanks so much:

Pain on my right hand side around my rib cage, it's not a constant pain, I feel it when I take deep breaths.

Pain around abdomen when having a bowel movement

Slight pain in abdomen when walking

Some abdomen pain comes on suddenly while sitting still but not often.

A pain in or around my neck that is noticeable when I burp.

I am almost 54 years old and the permeating thought in my brain is that I am "a monstrosity," something my mother called my sister and I because we were tall.  My father is still alive at 86 and says about some "pretty little thing."  THAT drives me INSANE because I am not.  He asks when I am going to play piano for him, and I laugh, but I think, "Never, because you have always criticized me."  Still does.  God help us all.  That's the thing that has totally messed up my brain.  I am a "monstrosity" and will never be a "pretty little thing."  There.  Now I have said it on the internet. 

But, FYI, I am not a tall humongous woman, I am just tall and not a "pretty little thing."  There, I typed it and that's almost like saying it out loud. 

This thread ROX!

as far as any animal abuser goes.  These are not little children--these are TEENAGERS.  Dollars to doughnuts they've done this before....They were just caught this time. 

You are right, cats are animals and not people.  Animals cannot speak for themselves.  They cannot call anyone for help.  They cannot defend themselves against the ultimate predator--us, but yet we brought them into this world to make our lives richer.  It is therefore our responsibilty to ensure their safety.

You are fortunate you can stay naive to such atrocities commited against animals and can shrug it off as just a couple of messed up girls who need a hug.   It's just a newspaper clipping to you. 

I've suspected for a while that my soon to be 16 stepdaugher is bulemic but her dad doesn't believe it.  Right after she eats a meal she goes to the bathroom and stays a long time.  She has lost about 40 lbs over the past year.  Today while doing laundry I found a note that she wrote and says:

Eat & Die.  No eat for a week (in & out)  Lose 10 lbs.  Eat again.

I am going to share this with my hubby when he calls while on a lunch break from work.  Perhaps now he'll believe me.   I've called the pediatrician's office and left a message for them to call me with the name of a psychologist treating eating disorders to take her to. 

Any ideas of how to handle him if he still is in denial?  I'm sure the stepdaughter will deny the eating disorder... she did before when I asked her about it.  Overall she & I do have a good relationship but this is an area I know she's not being honest about. 

http://forum.mtstars.com/misc/b/7.html

I'm on day #4 of a severe sore throat.  Ran a fever days 1 and 2.  Really no sinus congestion to aggravate it.  My 7-year-old daughter has the same thing but with sinus drainage.  The pediatrician confirmed yesterday she doesn't have strep and this is all a virus that is going through the community as they've seen a lot of this same virus over the past week.  We found out that 2 other kids in her class have the same muck.

We're doing salt water gargles and I'm using Cepacol lozenges.  We're also drinking lots of hot and cold fluids.  I can't use TheraFlu because it has ingredients that I'm allergic to.   I can't eat anything other than drinking liquid soups because it hurts too bad.  Definitely not a fun way to lose weight for sure!

What's your favorite remedy to make a sore throat feel better? 

Okay, I will try to make this short.  We send our son to Catholic school.  We are Catholic but we also love the atmosphere, i.e. safe and a good community environment.  He is in second grade.

When I pick him up today, he tells me this classmate girl has stabbed him in the arm with her pencil!  He had to have an ice pack on it for an hour and it still hurts him.  She poked thru his shirt and now it's bruised with a red mark in the center.  She has a short fuse and apparently was mad that he was invading her "space."  They have 4 stations at one table, so it could be difficult for a child to discern where one space ends and another begins.

I am pi**ed off about this.

1.  The school didn't call me, but the they did the other mother.

2.  The girl's mother (whom I know) hasn't called me about it.

3.  I spoke with the principal briefly because his teacher had left by the time I got there, but he is going to talk to the girl and my son about it tomorrow and about personal space.  She was in his office for an hour until dismissal today.

I know if it was my kid, I would be calling that mother right up and apologizing.  I am so ticked off right now about it that I am worried if I do call, I will lose my cool.  

The other thing is this:  We have always taught our son to respect others and treat others how you would want to be treated.  He has a good moral compass.  He is also a big and tough kid.  We have always taught him to never hurt others unless it's in self defense.  I feel as if they are brushing this off because he is a boy.  I think if the shoe was on the other foot and he did it to her, it would be bad news.  All hubby and I know is that we don't want it happening again.  How do we get our point across?  SHould I call the mom and tell her that?  My son told me this is not the first time she has done this (poking with the pencil) but it is the first time it hurt like this.  She could have gotten him in the eye or hurt someone else altogether!  I don't think she belongs in that school if she continues to act that way.  The school doesn't have a special needs program. 

I am so mad right now I could spit.   

I offered her to stay with us for a few weeks until they could get things together, find a place of their own.   It has now been over 4 weeks.  She is seeing her husband on a daily basis and they are constantly on the phone with each other.  Their child  (14) is involved sometimes but it seems to be mostly the 2 of them that want to be together.  BTW one of the reasons she finally decided to leave was because he was physically and verbally abusive to their child.  

Well, like I said they have been here over 4 weeks with no responsibilities and no expenses.  I actually think she might be giving her husband some of her cash.  He is on unemployment and living with a friend, but drugs are expensive and he certainly isn't interested in changing his hobbies. 

If they are saving to get an apartment, great.  But in the meantime I am preparing and providng all their meals.  They even take lunches to school and work.  My grocery bill is out of this world.   There are no offers to help clean up the kitchen after meals or even attempts to do their own laundry.  My dining room/family room are taken over by their supplies and our garage is jam packed with their furniture.

I have to say or do something before I blow.  Don't you think I am within my rights to flat ask her how much she has saved up and what her plans are? 

school yesterday afternoon and went with him to his last three classes of the day which happen to the ones he's doing the worst in.  He was mortified, mad, and I thought his head would pop off.  I think I made my point.  After school, I went with him to his English class because she asked that he stay after so she could help him catch up on his assignments.  So I sat in the back of the class while my son and his teacher worked.  And while I sat there I decided to write out some rules.

Last night my son and I sat down and talked and he said he'd do anything I asked him to do if I would please never come to his school again.  I simply said that depends on you and we left it at that.  I grounded him indefinitely - until I get some good reports back from his teachers.  No TV, no video games, no friends over, or telephone.

I don't know what will happen, but I have to say I feel pretty good just by taking control of the situation and going to his school.  A couple of weeks ago I was saying "what am I supposed to do, go to school and follow him around??!?"  And now I know that answer is yes, if that's what I have to do.  I feel less stressed. 

Thanks to everyone!

My son just had his 5th birthday party.  For the past 3 years, my sister-in-law (hubby's brother's wife) has "forgotten" to bring the present to my son's party and promises to give it to him the next time she sees him.  Well, we have yet to see a present from the last 2 birthdays, too early to say for this year, but given the batting average.....

I can understand when one does not have the $$ to purchase a gift, but I really don't appreciate the dishonesty.  We are trying to teach our children that it is better to give than to recieve, but when promised a gift the next time he sees them, he is just disappointed when it doesn't happen. 

Do I say something to them?  or just keep the peace and my mouth shut?  What are the chances that she really is forgetting? 

"The Obedient Wife"

There was a man who had worked all his life, had saved all of his money,
and was a real "miser" when it came to his money.

Just before he died, he ! said to his wife..."When I die, I want you to
take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my
money to the afterlife with me."

And so he got his wife to promise him, with all of her heart, that when
he died, she would put all of the money into the casket with him.

Well, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting
there - dressed in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When
they finished the ceremony, and just before the undertakers got ready to
close the casket, the wife said,

"Wait just a moment!"
She had a small metal box with her; she came over with the box and put
it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down and they
rolled it away. So her friend said,

"Girl, I know you were not foolish enough to put all that money in there
with your husband."

The loyal wife replied, "Listen, I'm a Christian; I cannot go back on my
word. I promised him that I was going to put that money into the casket
with him."

You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!?!?!?"

"I sure did," said the wife. "I got it all together, put it into my
account, and wrote him a check.... If he can cash it, then he can spend
it."

Send this to every clever female you know, and to every man who thinks
they are smarter than women!!!

Hi,

We are finalizing the adoption on Monday of our 7-year-old foster daughter.  We're working on setting a date for a party to honor this event and are trying to come up with some creative ideas of how to make this extra special but without spending a cazillion bucks. 

Please post your ideas.  Thanks!

My nephew is receiving his Eagle Scout Award on Saturday.   Are we suppose to give him a gift of some sort?  I told my mother that I did not think so since he had a lot of donations from our town.  What is your opinion?  In case anyone is curious for his project he beautified the VFW Hall in his town by planting a memorial garden.  I am always impressed with boys who stick with scouts until the age of 18.