OMG you mean i get to get MORE insane than i am NOW??? OHHHHHH NOOOOOO!!!! LOL she drives me absolutely NUTS now!! that girl is only 6 and she "think" she has to act like a 13-16 yr old! and we wont' even talk about the boys, her idea of .....well lets just say, the boys pick on her, and we told her that they might be doing that because they like her, so she said that "well, ohhhh i'll just have to kick their butt!! " LOL now that's just bad!! and believe me, that girl could do it! her brother irritates her, she'll wait a few then go over and just WHOP that boy right in his jaw and he's just stunned. LOL and she just walks away like nothing ever happened. yes that boy did that. he did a great job!! :') i told him i was gonna post it and he was like MOM you better NOT!!!! i am sooooo mean!! LOL but a very proud mommmy!! and yes i do have a garden, and one that i'm proud of, just one though. HEE HEE HEE

I know this might be off topic, but if you plant a living fence, like bamboo, arborvitaes, willow, or some other natural fast growing border, it might be a good fence to protect from the deers. http://www.rutlandwater.org.uk/hedging.html http://www.gapphotos.com/images/WebPreview/0053/0053568.jpg Have you thought to add sunroofs in one of your rooms facing the sun in the winter? A flat roof would make a nice rooftop garden if you don't have too much weight, or reinforce it. There are also greenhouse windows you can build yourself or buy. http://www.greenhousewindows.com/ http://www.aaagreenhouse.com/greenhouse_window_kits.htm I am only giving you the above url to show what they look like, not to sell anything for any company. Here's a website showing you how to build some: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1987-11-01/Window-Greenhouse.aspx http://www.h2othouse.com/html/window_greenhouse.html http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Build_your_own_Window_Boxes-Pots_and_Containers-A1530.html http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/green.htm Don't forget growing them under cloches will keep them from being eaten by deer. You can make cloches with large mason jars or huge pickle jars. I hope this may help. Any kind of green will grow in the shade, so may peas, but not sure.

"I realize that drugs in the house are intolerable, but I think I'd flush them rather than kick my own daughter not only out but into jail." Sometimes TOUGH LOVE is needed. A trip to the pokey won't ruin a kid. If they are going to engage in illegal activity when they live at home, they need to see what the consequences are. My son, in 9th grade, decided he didn't want to go to school anymore. I was a single parent & worked from 7am-5pm. I'd come home for a break at 8:30 & he would be in bed asleep. I tried to get him up and he'd say no. He was almost 6 ft. tall and I'm 5'2. I called the truant officer that came and said he can't "force" him, but they could file charges against ME. I called the police who also told him that they can't put their hands on him unless he breaks the law. (His not going to school was MY crime) So, I had to be tough. I got in his face (talking didn't work) and he (being rebellious) put his hands on me. So, I called the police. I told the officer a trip to JV might be enough to set him straight. Well, he (being rebellious) resisted arrest and found out the hard way where that got him. When he went to court, I told the Judge that he's not a "bad" kid but started down that road. He wouldn't go to school so the court ordered him to attend school regularly. He had to pay a fine (and I made hIM pay) It kept him in school. If there are drugs being brought into the house, the police can raid your house and tear it up (and they don't fix it either). I wouldn't hesitate to call the police on my child if they are breaking the law. If they know you are going to protect them from the law, why should they respect the laws?

Caryn has a friend that was home alone last night. We filled a plate with all the goodies that we had, and she took it to him. She tried and tried to get him to come join us, but he didn't want to 'intrude'! We were only eating a nice meal...by the TV and Dean and Caryn were watching a movie! We told him we were all in casual clothes and just hanging out, but he didn't feel right coming here. BUT...I know he had a good Christmas Eve supper! =) He has a 2 year old son that he wasn't going to get to spend time with until Wed. :(