Interesting way this discussion has turned. There is a boy at our local public high school who is doing what Jeanne's acquaintance is doing. Full scale, nearly full time, mow & blow. He's an A student, is involved in sports, academic extracuricular projects, at least one of which earned he and his team a trip to California for the national competition. He also has a girl friend! I was able to get him out here twice, but my yard & field are difficult, and he is VERY busy, so he hasn't come back. I'm sad, because he did a good, quick job, and now I have to! Back when President Bush was Governor, he instigated, or strongly encouraged, a system to help do away with quotas and discrimination. The new system automatically allows the top 10% of ANY public (or private???, not sure) high school graduating class to be accepted into any State College, maybe also the private colleges. It sounds like, and probably still is, a good plan. But there are some difficulties in the system. A TV station did a story this late winter about 2 girls vying for a place at The University of Texas (which is, I think, THE most crowded school in the nation, and has become overrun w/ top 10 per centers). Anyway, both girls were straight A students, but one came from a lower economic school somewhere, and the other from an elite preppy high school somewhere else in the state. The girl from the lower economic school got into UT, but didn't have NEAR the GPA or SAT scores as the other girl. Preppy girl was in advanced classes, in possibly a larger school, and tho she had high scores, must have "just" missed out on being the top 10% in her school, therefore, no admittance to UT. No one in the story wanted to deny the good education to the girl from the lower economic school, she was, after all, the top 10% of HER school, but all were worried (even the girl herself), if she could compete w/ the higher achieving scholars who'll be her classmates, and the rigors of first year at UT. It's been months since I saw that story, so I'm sure I've left out or forgotton some details. I know it's a big concern at UT and at Texas A & M, the two biggest schools here. I heard once that "they" (whoever) are considering raising the top 10% to the top 8%. If a kid ISN'T in that top 10%, he/she has virtually NO chance of getting into UT as a freshman, the crush of kids there is so huge. Wow, long derail of the subject! LOL! None of my kids applied themselves enough to be in the top 10%, so whichever colleges they've gone to have involved more complicated admissions processes. One of my friends has brilliant kids, and as they went off to Georgetown or UT, were reminded that MOST of the other kids they'd meet at their colleges were ALSO brilliant, and probably valedictorians/salutatorians/private school alums/ and National Merit Scholars, too, so the competition would continue to be difficult. I sure hope my kids' eventual careers earn them more money than the mow & blow young men we've been discussing here, but they may not. I know a mow & blow guy in another town who made THAT his career, and he told me that one year recently he SAVED $5,000 per month, and used that as a downpayment on a new fancy home. He has a crew of 30 ish, maybe 10 trucks, advertises and self promotes heavily, and is making a FINE living mowing people's yards. He was in the Air Force for many years, may have acquired some college along the way, but I don't think he has a degree. And, back to the child's homelife thoughts: the young man that helped w/ my sewer & moved the compost apparantly DID have a good close family: multiple siblings, all home schooled, and apparantly a strong religious training and action in their home. The highschool boy who has His own business is now in a combined family, with each separate family having massive tragedies in the past--dad of one family died, wife of the other died, the two remaining parents marry. Church is a big part of their family too. I never thought I had the patience to home school any of my kids, but in retrospect, I wish I had. But, they've all turned out pretty good, in spite of me, the plusses and/or minuses of public school, and "average" grades. Gone WAY too long, I'll hush now! Susi.

We have 3 Kohl's pretty close to us. I love them! I usually find something nice (clothes or home decor). But I always buy on sale or with a coupon. I believe they are the only store I have a credit card for. Their regular prices can be expensive, but I've found some great deals there! DH likes the mens clothes and he needs XLT (XLarge Tall) or XXL which can be harder to find. Once found a nice Halloween costume (after the holiday) for $3, plus another discount. Just bought a size larger and DD wore the next year. Started around $30.

Right now below my coverlet I have a down blanket for warmth. In summer I just use the sheet and coverlet; DH just the sheet. What I also like about it is that DH and I have different needs in terms of warmth so having layers allows for more flexiblity than using a comforter which is often too hot for my DH. I also wash mine very frequently--about 1-2 times per month, along with my sheets. There was a recent thread on matelasse bedspreads which might be helpful to read. Some brands had quite a bit of shrinkage which may be a concern for you. Some coverlets have a scalloped edge, some a straight edge. There are also many different designs on the matelasse coverlet. Mine is a floral design, though my shams have a paisley design. Your mattress/boxpring selection will also be a concern in your final choice as you need to check the measurements to make sure it comes down low enough on the sides. Many mattresses are quite thick and so some prefer a low profile boxspring (5" vs. 9") which is standard. This choice will affect how far your bedding comes down on the sides.

i hope i didn't offend anyone. I really liked breastfeeding, for me, it was the best way. But I was also young and healthy. I wasn't rushed back to work, nor did I have other stresses on me. The LaLeche League is a group of women who have successfully breast fed and hope to teach new mothers how to do it. There is certainly a place for formulas, if the mother can't or doesn't wish to breast feed. For example, if the mother and baby need to be separated. Plus it's the ONLY method that can involve the father in feedings. I thought it was great FOR ME AND MY KIDS. I remember the nurse telling me that Natural Childbirth is best, too, but as long as you bring a healthy baby into this world, it doesn't maytter how he/she got here. As long as your baby gets enough nutrition,that's all that really matters. On another topic, my MIL was strange in many ways, one of them was she didn't think breast feeding was good, too primitive, too animal, I don't know. Once I went to a restaurant with MLL and SIL (her daughter) with my first born. She was maybe three weeks old. I was wearing a nursing dress, very loose but with two slits in front, disguised with pleats. As we sat in a quiet dark booth, I started to nurse her. MIL looked shocked, said "That's disgusting, you better do that in the ladies room." I was embarassed, turned beet red, and ran in the bathroom. There was no special place to nurse, so I went in a booth and sat down, and locked the door. It smelled bad but I stayed and fed her, all the while crying. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. Since then, I have always seemed to look for evidence that "validates" my breast-feeding. Sorry about this, I just had to "get it off my chest". And isn't it typical that MILs and DILs don't get along?