Toph

My friends just took in the husband's teenage daughter, the daughter has had some issues living with her mom and last spring tried to end her life and so that really weighs heavily on my heart and I have gotten to know her better since she has moved here and I love doing things with her and having her over at the house.

Anyway, my friends decided that they needed a bigger house because not only did they take in the 14-year-old, they also just had a baby and have a 4-year-old. I really wanted to do something special for the older girl because she's never had her own room before and when she was living with her mom she was sleeping on the couch because they lived in a 2 bedroom with 5 kids and just thought it would be nice for her to be able to pick out things for her own room - bedding, lamps, curtains, rugs, etc. so I gave her a gift card. Well, my friends ended up not letting her use it for her things and instead used it on their own room. I'm pretty upset about that and I guess there is really nothing I can do about that. They said it was because at her age they didn't get to have new things like that and they kind of felt that they needed it more. Really? So I'm really just writing this to get it off my chest (ggrrr!) but the question is - would you do that to your kids? Do you know someone who would do that? Use something that was was supposed to be their kids? I was/am really frustrated with them but they don't really think that what they did was wrong because the girl already has 'new' bedding - a used comforter they got from the grandparents.

The only time I've done anything close to that was when my son really wanted a certain toy and he had been given a giftcard from walmart to get it for his birthday but walmart didn't carry it, only Target. So I used his walmart giftcard on groceries but went to target to buy the legos - so really not the same thing.

I know people are capable of a lot of things but I never thought my friends would do something like that to their own daughter. I still really want do do something for the girl but I'm just not sure what.

My parents are staying with us for two weeks and I know that while it is only temporary and shouldn't let it get to me, every time I talk with the kids when they do something wrong, my mom or dad starts talking to the kids too, basically saying the same thing I am saying but talking over me. It is very distracting for the children and their behavior, because they aren't focusing on what any of us are saying (and I can't blame them, I couldn't focus either if I had two or more people talking at me at once), has been bad for the two days the grandparents have been here.

I don't really know what to do, I tried talking to them and asked them to please not jump in while I am reprimanding the kids but they still do it. I've even turned to them and said "Please stop, I am talking to them right now." very firmly and while they stopped in that situation, they just did it again the next time. It is so frustrating!

An example of this is me saying "Cy, you need to watch where you are going, you just knocked over your brother and you can hurt him if you aren't careful" and then while I am in the middle of that my mom or dad (or sometimes both!) will start saying "Be careful Cy, he's smaller than you are and you need to watch where you are going..." and on and on (they tend to talk circles). Gah.

My 4-year-old, despite my warnings, still wanted to try some of my salsa. He liked it & said it was hot but that it wasn't too bad but the real burning began after he was done. Tried bread and a glass of milk, he's still complaining that his mouth and lips are on fire. What else is there to soothe it?

Should probably be asked in the baby name section but it can be scary over there!

I just met a woman who named her daughter Heaven Leigh...get it, Heavenly? Definitely a face-palm moment.

So what is the worst name you have heard? Any regrets about naming your own children?

I love my kids' names, not very common but not too out there either.

Today is just one of those days. The older boys, who normally get along so well, have been anything but nice to each other today. My youngest has been really fussy and fighting sleep all morning (he usually will get in a 2 hour nap after his 9AM feeding). My 2 year old decided his cereal needed a pile of pepper dumped in it, my 4-year-old has just been accident prone since the minute he literally rolled out of bed this morning and fell onto the hardwood floor.

So it is 10:45AM and it is nap time in this household. Anyone else having an off day? Or want to share an off day you have had in the past?

It is 11:25PM and I am dead tired. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was up until 2AM, waking at noon & now I consider 10 late.

So what is a late night for you?

My curtains are currently drawn, the doors are locked, and my boys are playing in the basement instead of the sunny outdoors.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are roaming the area. Last time I got caught outside they ended up taking me hostage for about an hour.

We're almost flooded out, a neighbor called to tell me that the only road that gets you to our neighborhood has been closed and I was wondering if my husband would still be able to get home. If they close a road and have a sign, is it more of a "Go at your own risk" or a "Try it and get pulled over" kind of thing?

Some friends and I sponsor a classroom of boys with behavioral problems. However, I really don't think that excuses the ungrateful behavior I witnessed from them today. There was an Easter party and we showed up to give the boys cool baskets with toys, candy, and cards inside. They complained about the candy and the fact that the cards didn't have any money in them! We also brought them cake and sprite and one threw a fit because he didn't want sprite (even though it was what everyone else was drinking). Here we were trying to do something nice, something we weren't obligated to do, and there wasn't much appreciation.

So, parents...are your kids grateful for the things they receive for birthdays, Christmas, whatever? Or do they embarrass you because they throw a fit because they didn't get something they wanted?

There is a lady I know who always says to my boys things like "Come give Auntie a hug!" & "Auntie loves you." It is very odd...she isn't their Aunt and they hardly even know her (I myself hardly know her!). So, anyone worm their way into your family?

I am trying to chalk my forgetfulness to the fact that I am now a mother of three but I am not so sure. Are you moms (or dads) forgetful? How bad is it for you? Have you always been like this or did it only come about after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (or however many) child?

I forget about the water on the stove almost every other day. And there are also times I go into the kitchen to pour the water in the tea jug and realize I already did it and can't remember when I did do it.

I can never quite remember when my 7-week-old ate last.

I search the yard for the dog only to go in and see that I had already let him in earlier.

I am constantly looking for my cell, even though I know I *just* had it.

And I am sure there are many more things I have forgot.

Would you get pregnant on purpose? I personally wouldn't but an acquaintance of mine has recently confessed to me about how she got pregnant on purpose, knowing her husband did not want another. How angry would your husband be if he found out it was on purpose? Husbands, how angry would you be if you found out your wife stopped taking birth control without your knowledge and is now pregnant? Would you have trouble trusting in her again?

It has been about 90 here today, currently 75 outside and the inside temp is 85. How hot is it where you live and have you turned on your air conditioners yet?

We are sweating it out, tomorrow it will be about the same temps as today but it is going to cool back down to high 60's by Monday.

I have a friend who just called me up to ask if I could watch her kids tomorrow. She was going to ask our other SAHM friend who's children are all in school but figured if I watched them, our kids could play together. The thing is, she has 5 kids; a 9 week old, 20 month old, a 3, 6, and 8-year old. I have three of my own; a 7 week old, 2 year old, and 4 year old. We have hung out together plenty of times but was never in the situation of where I had to care for them myself. I had to tell her that it would be way too much for me to handle, out of the 8 kids, 6 of them would be 4 and under!

So, if you needed some time for yourself to take a breather for your sanity and had to ask a friend to help you out...the obvious choice would be to ask the SAHM without kids at home, right? To me, it comes down to common sense. I wouldn't ask her to watch my 3, especially since she has a young baby too and 4 others to care for.

Well it is April Fools, anybody been told some really good jokes and fall for it? I've gone about my day knowing someone would try to get me. So far I've been texted a picture of a cast from a friend who said she broke her arm, but it was only a picture of a cast so I told her I would believe it when I seen it along with the rest of her body. She texted back that I was a spoilsport. And of course the usual "I'm pregnant" joke, which I repied to all of them with "With triplets right?"

So, anybody been fooled?

I have killed my vacuum with my excessive cleaning and I am in the market for a new one. I owned a Kirby, handed down to me from my mother and it was 10 years old and had survived a flood (surprised it even lasted as long as it did!). I absolutely loved it because of the hose and the attachments I was able to use to clean my wood floors we have throughout the house, but also was able to clean the rugs.

I would absolutely love to get a Dyson but I refuse to pay that much for a vacuum (even if I do use it 24/7). I was wondering what types of vacuums you moms and dads use around your house? What kind of floors do you have? And a must-have - does it have a hose and attachments?

I teach a young adult class (it is a singles class but some have gf/bf but since they aren't married can't go to a couples class) on Wednesday night with my husband and a teen girls class on Sunday nights. Tonight I had a get-together at our house for the young adults and one of the guys brought his girlfriend who in my teen girls class. The thing is that he didn't ask to bring her and she has her own class on Wednesday nights anyways. Also, she is a very immature newly 17-year-old who just doesn't fit with our class, plus she doesn't exactly keep things to herself so my class was very closed off tonight when I was trying to help open every one up by having a home setting. They just didn't feel comfortable at all talking about things in their lives knowing she would go around and spread things she heard.

I feel like I should have asked them to leave but thought that would be too rude. The only thing I asked of them was for her to sit in her own chair since she started off in his lap. Next time, do you think I should go to him and tell him that it is just for our class and that she needs to go to her own class instead of hanging out with us? I feel bad because I know that without her, he wouldn't come, but with her, my class will not open up and have discussion. What can I say in a way he won't take too much offense?

I ask this here because I tend to get really good answers than I do asking elsewhere.

I will be hosting a get-together at my house next month and I am at a loss as to what to do. We've done these before, we've made pizzas together, egg rolls, cookies and I am now out of ideas. I was hoping I could make a light dinner, we could fellowship a bit over cards, and jump in the hot tub as we should be getting some warmer nights here soon. Any good ideas for a light meal? Don't want anything too heavy or else we'd all be miserable later sitting in the jacuzzi. Also, anything that could be made together?

A few teenagers from my church have friended me over FB and they have posted videos of themselves jumping from table to table in the dining hall (tables probably cost $100 each), running rampant in the sanctuary (climbing over pews, splashing in the baptism), and skateboarding in the foyer. They are the Associate Pastor's kids (he has 8 of them, 7 boys and 1 girl) and live next door to the church and have access inside whenever they want. I am very angry that these kids are there at church unsupervised (as some are there with their girlfriends) and they have absolutely no respect for church property. So should I just keep my mouth shut or do I let the pastor know what these guys have been up to? The reason I would like for him to know is because some things have gone broken and missing in the church.

I have recently started to notice that most parents do not wipe their children when they are changing diapers. Wiping for poopy diapers, yes - but not for pee. Why is that? I don't know about you who do this, but when I go to the bathroom, I know I wipe myself. I wouldn't want pee left on me. Do you do neglect to do this with your child(ren)? Why? Does it save money? Time? Or is it just laziness?