Here are some pictures. Mixed ?poppies and amaranthum - I think, I've got these and some other seeds in a trade and many of them got mixed together. I'm really excited what will grow. So far, they are doing great. even under a frozen lid. This is ice on the lid melting in the sun.... talking about resilience

You've got two very young children and lots of history together -- What you have is so very important that you REALLY need to try to save it. But 'saving it' does NOT mean "suck it up"! You've already done plenty of that and it's not working... Right now, you're exhausted and feeling resentful; and hard as it is for you to believe, your wife is probably *also* exhausted and resentful. Caring for two little ones at home all day is truly exhausting, and the lack of sexual intimacy in a marriage with young children is legendary. It's become a running gag on TV precisely because it is so true... Get yourselves into counseling! It sounds to me like your wife may have some anxiety issues; and you and her parents have been enabling her for years. Weaning her from all of her crutches will take time, and possibly even medication -- but it can be done, and you all will be better off for it. It's not hard to see how her fears will be passed along to her children if they're allowed to continue. Of course you should be able to have the occasional night off. (As should she, and the two of you together.) And as others have already pointed out, what's with the homework duty? YOU are not the one who's going to be a teacher, and if her own work is not up to snuff, how is your fixing it helping her? Or the kids she will go on to teach? If she were trying to get into medical school, TOP grades would be necessary, but to teach? Sometimes 'good' is plenty good enough. Make some changes Struggling, and do it NOW. (Before you're so darned tired that nothing could work.) Stop just sucking it up and start talking to her. Organize your thoughts, and make a list (yes, a paper list) of the most important two or three points you need to make. Find ways to explain your points that are short, simple and kind; and don't let her get away with twisting your words into things you don't mean. Ask her to repeat back to you what you said (and meant) so you know that she understands you, and be sure to emphasize that it's because you want your marriage to last that you're saying these things.

I have an Amazon parrot, and definitely sympathize with the screaming. Zach doesn't care about being covered either, but I am VERY lucky that he rarely gets set off. A couple of suggestions: Even squirting water at him is getting attention, and ANY bit of attention, good or bad, encourages the behavior. He screams, and you come into the room to cover him, tell him to shut up, yell at him, squirt him, whatever, the point is you come into the room, and it's like hitting the jackpot- he's got your attention. I'd recommend a good pair of earplugs or an iPod and totally ignoring him whenever he screams. I shut Zach's door without talking to him or making eye contact with him the few times he gets into a screaming fit. He stops within minutes. Captive birds get bored. In the wild, birds spend 75% of their waking hours searching for food. In captivity, most birds get their food placed in a bowl which stays in the same place and is basically always available. Having food available means more time for other activities such as preening (thankfully your bird isn't a feather-picker), and "chatting" with his flock. Captive foraging can help provide the bird with something closer to a natural experience. Start by hiding his favorite treats in a wadded up piece of paper or in toys designed for captive foraging. Make him work for the fun stuff. Once he starts eating the favorite treats that way, start hiding his regular food too. Even though cockatiels have been captive bred for many many years, they are still birds with certain behaviors that cannot be bred or socialized out of them. Providing adequate alternatives to natural behavior may help make your bird happier and less likely to scream. Here's a link to a great DVD on how to start captive foraging for your bird (or any other exotic animal). Here is a link that might be useful: Captive foraging DVD- Echols

All of us have had this bad experience! The spikes are like asparagus spears; they snap very easily. It happens most often when I'm grooming the plant; I can't stand seeing brown leaves! I've even seen it at a show were a cynoches won a ribbon in it's class and someone couldn't resist touching it and half of the spike broke off! Bummer!