tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 5, 2019 23:24:51 GMT -5
In weekend vents....
My ILs came to C’s soccer game yesterday. I seriously can’t handle my FIL at another game. He was overly critiquing the kids and the coach (more coach, but both are ridiculous). These kids are first graders and at least one kindergartener, and the coaches are volunteer parents. Both DH and I said something to him, but I don’t think it got through. He did say he didn’t think he could watch anymore first grade soccer, so I hope he doesn’t come to anymore games. My MIL has been to 1-2, and she’s fine, but apparently not my FIL.
Other vent. We had a belated Easter celebration with my ILs. The grandkids range from 2-1/2 (M) to 22. The 22yo has a daughter 5.5 months younger than M (H). The other girl cousins besides M and the 22yo are 9, 12, and 13. They all *love* babies/toddlers and are constantly in the little girls’ faces/personal space, picking them up, etc. After watching one of them “steal” a hug (her words) from H, I gave a spiel about not hugging and touching if someone says no. Both H and M are very clear when asked about agreeing or not agreeing to hugs, and if she says no, then no means no. It’s a conversation I have with C all the time, and I don’t know if the girls haven’t gotten it from anyone else before, but clearly I was the no fun aunt today. Oh well. I’m a big believer in body autonomy, and that starts when they’re little.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 5, 2019 23:16:03 GMT -5
C finally has a loose tooth - technically 2 since both bottom front teeth are loose. He first noticed in church this morning and then asked if he could pull them out. Calm down, buddy. He’s now okay waiting, though being super careful about what he’ll eat, which is a little amusing to me, but whatever. I’m just excited he’ll finally lose a tooth something soon, though that means I need to figure out what (if anything) we’re doing about the tooth fairy. The kid will be 7 next month and it seems like he’s the last kid in his class to lose a tooth.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 2, 2019 10:17:35 GMT -5
Congrats!! So happy for you!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on May 1, 2019 8:11:22 GMT -5
My mom used to make sub tea when I was a kid. She had a large glass container that she made it in. And no sugar in the tea - yuck! When I make tea, though, I just boil the water in a tea kettle, and tea bags and let it steep, and then put into my pitcher, add water, and refrigerate.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 30, 2019 8:20:30 GMT -5
And unrelated to what I'm reading but looking for recommendations. My cousin is looking for longer/beginning chapter books for her son. Any ideas oped? I've been searching Amazon but no idea. My 6yo loved the Ricky Ricotta Book series. They had chapters, but were easy and still had some pictures. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 29, 2019 12:44:35 GMT -5
DH and I went through some baby girls clothes yesterday, so I have more stuff in the box to donate, and some items in a box to attempt to sell once at a consignment sale.
We also helped the kids clean the playroom, so things are mostly put away, and I threw away some broken Happy Meal type toys.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 28, 2019 21:36:26 GMT -5
I just finished An American Marriage. It was decent. I read this last year and enjoyed it. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 25, 2019 20:54:56 GMT -5
If the 7yo doesn’t want to do Chihuly, there is an AMAZING playground right outside it by the Space Needle. It was one of my son’s favorite things, so maybe an adult could hang with him there while everyone else does Chihuly, or two adults trade off. This is one part of the playground.  |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 23, 2019 16:53:46 GMT -5
In reasons my toddler is crying today, mean mommy won’t give her a granola bar for a snack on the way home from daycare. She had one for breakfast, and doesn’t want the grapes I have for her now. Keep it up, child - I’m not changing my mind.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 22, 2019 20:56:22 GMT -5
We want to do this, so I’m following to see how it works for you. We hate our slider from our dining area to our back patio, and want to replace with French doors at some point.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 22, 2019 13:22:38 GMT -5
I’d broach it with your former coworker, Rukh, if you think she’d be good for the job. It’s been nearly a year, and if your former company hasn’t fairly compensated her to make sure she stays, that’s on them.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 19, 2019 15:05:19 GMT -5
Decluttered some sippy cups and snack containers to work. A coworker nabbed some of it, and I’m assuming someone else will grab the rest. Either way, I’m not taking it back home!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 18, 2019 13:54:43 GMT -5
Combined, we barely cross into the lower limit of the top 5% for our state, and are clearly nowhere near the average top 5%.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 18, 2019 10:01:41 GMT -5
Hugs, Beth. I’m so sorry about the loss
Of fritzie.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 15, 2019 13:43:30 GMT -5
Tips to keep a 1 year old busy on a plane? She'll be a lap baby and nursing. The flight's only 2 hours but she is active. Do you have a window seat? Both of mine loved putting the window shade up and down, and messing with the tray table. Also, when you get your beverage from the cart, I always get ice water, drink the water, and then let the baby play with the cup and ice. For whatever reason, that’s highly entertaining. Lots of snacks, as mentioned above. I bring a few board books to read. I usually bring a couple of small toys as well - like an o-ball, Sophie the giraffe, toy car, etc - something the kiddo liked at that age, but that was also lightweight. People watching was always fun and killed time - both kids liked standing on my lap and looking at people behind us. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 12, 2019 12:30:35 GMT -5
I know Zib. And up until a few months ago, they were mostly good at home. But lately, it's just all sniping and yelling with some physical interactions. The water park next week is going to either be awesome or horrible for me on a parenting level. Try my old standby. Send them to EACH other’s rooms for a time out. Drove both my kids nuts but they stoped bickering. I’m filing this away for when my kids are older. Love it! |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 10, 2019 23:15:16 GMT -5
Yikes, rae, on DH sleeping through time to get the kids. But yay for meeting clhen and her kiddo!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 4, 2019 10:48:45 GMT -5
I flew premium economy to London last summer. You might try that on your next international flight. I believe it was around $350 more than standard economy. Like you, I can't afford first class (at least not at this point in my life) but the premium economy gave us more leg room, the seat went back a little farther, the service was better, etc. It was definitely worth the extra money and comes nowhere near the cost of first class. I managed to get Main Cabin Extra on a flight to Florida last month with American. We had basic economy and I lucked out with the seat assignment, but the extra legroom and free booze was nice. I might have to pay for that going forward. Hubs is tall so it would be good for him, anyway. I try to get that as often as I can, but I’m cheap and rarely pay for it. My AA status means I can get it for free when it’s within 24 hours of the flight, but it’s not always available. We did manage to get it to/from Hawaii last summer, which was awesome. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 3, 2019 10:22:59 GMT -5
I will never cruise. Days on a floating barf bucket with a thousand other people? Nope. I feel this way about large cruise ships. River cruises, though - the Nile river cruise I did while in Egypt is still one of the best vacations I’ve had. So beautiful, so much history, and a great experience. |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 1, 2019 23:39:50 GMT -5
Crazy month for us as well. I bought plane tickets for our June vacation, plus I had a couple of trips this month (I’ll get reimbursed, but still waiting on the reimbursement for one of them). Because I was out of town, DH took the kids out to eat more than normal. Plus we ended up funding our 2018 Roth IRAs, and car tags were due.
Definitely happy for a new month!
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Apr 1, 2019 23:19:44 GMT -5
That sucks, bsb. And WTF to a random Tuesday off - is that typical for your school district?
Chapeau, if your DD’s teacher is anything like C’s first grade teacher, they don’t actually need the personal project until one or two days later than the deadline she sent. I know this because clearly he’s taken in things late before, LOL.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 30, 2019 18:01:16 GMT -5
M got a toddler trampoline, which is a good energy burner. That said, she goes in spurts on using it, but the big kid and cousins also use it.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 28, 2019 17:47:36 GMT -5
M is more picky than C, and it’s a struggle for me. I try to always have one food she’ll eat that I’m okay with - lately, that’s been yogurt. Then I’ll put small amounts of what the rest of us are eating on her plate. We all eat together, and she’ll often be willing to take bites of food from DH, C or me, so that helps. I also leave her food out, so she can go back and graze and get more. Finally, if she asks for a snack after dinner, I only offer her choices I’m okay with - generally fruit, cheese stick, PB cracker, or maybe some peanuts.
Your MIL is with her when you and your wife are working, so you definitely need to get her buy in and help. It’s more work for me, but sometimes I offer a bigger variety of stuff and that works. M doesn’t like many veggies, but loves dip and will tolerate cucumbers and bell pepper strips, so I will offer her hummus or veggie dip with a few cut up pepper strips and/or cucumbers. Sometimes I’ll throw a pickle on her plate. Whatever I think I can get her to eat. Good luck - kid eating habits are such a pain to deal with! We were spoiled with C because while he doesn’t like pasta or casseroles, he’ll eat almost any veggie and loves proteins like steak, chicken, pork, etc.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 28, 2019 11:05:20 GMT -5
Yes, apply. We’ve done work for a subsidiary of a giant retail Corp and it hasn’t been the best experience due to personnel and other factors, but one of their other subsidiaries is one of our best clients.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 27, 2019 8:43:18 GMT -5
I’m FB friends with a couple from my hometown (know them from church, and their older two kids are about my age), and I’m loving watching their retirement travels. They retired somewhat early (I think around 60), as did the wife’s best friend and her husband (they all live in the same town), and now they’re traveling all over together. Right now they’re on a cruise from Florida to Italy with stops along the way, and then they’ll fly home from there. In the last couple of years they’ve also gone to Australia and a cruise through the Panama Canal, plus US based trips. They’re all still healthy and seem to be doing exactly what they want to and traveling all over.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 27, 2019 5:24:46 GMT -5
I’m sorry, Sam. But yes, your kids will be more than okay, and so will you.
FWIW, my sister is going through a divorce (he cheated and left her), and her daughters (almost 6 and almost 10) are adjusting so much better than anyone expected. There are still rough moments, but they also saw the tension and now they see their mommy happy. And my sister has more mental energy for everything because she’s not dealing with the day-to-day crap of her ex.
You’re an incredibly strong woman. You can do this.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 26, 2019 12:40:12 GMT -5
I don’t think the teacher intended to scare the kids, but it’s a district wide initiative so they have to cover it. And I get why. But it sucks. His friend R lives in the neighborhood by the school - her house is three houses down from the street that basically goes into the main pickup drive into the school, and C made the comment that at least he knows a safe house to run to if they have to exit the windows and run. The glass half full side of me is glad that he knows that there are adults and people who care about him and his safety, but the glass half empty side of me is just angry and sad that no amount of tragedy is going to lead to any sort of productive conversation around gun control and mental health advocacy and aid.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 26, 2019 12:33:51 GMT -5
Just found out my counterpart here is leaving... happy for him. He said his new job base pay is more than his base pay here and bonus... so definitely happy for him. Now I need to go... Is he going to another grocery store chain? |
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 25, 2019 23:51:00 GMT -5
I also follow them. I loved the series they did a few years ago on the inner-City school in NYC that ended up with the kids going to DC to meet President Obama.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Mar 25, 2019 23:48:49 GMT -5
Just booked Chicago to Stockholm direct for $400 in September. Never been to Scandinavia but have heard good things about Stockholm and plan to take a side trip to Tallin, Estonia as well. We went to Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallin right before I got pregnant with my oldest, and loved it! So easy to get around those cities, and people were very friendly. We also went in September and the weather was great - Cool in the evenings, but not freezing. |
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