mamaof3inVA

Our neighbors host an easter egg hunt in their yard every year, and traditionally I contribute by providing the party favors. Last year, for example, I assembled little terracotta pots with seeds for kids to grow their own flowers.

This year I'm looking to give the kids something fun as a favor that is also socially and environmentally conscious. No toys made in China here. I also have a budget of no more than $5 per child, for as many as 15 kids.

Any ideas? Links would also be helpful.

I have a friend who I have known for over a decade now. We were coworkers once and over time, while we moved on in our lives, we've stayed in touch due to having children the same age. However, we live about an hour's drive apart. It used to be that we'd hang out from time to time, but that's all changed.

My friend started working out and lost a ton of weight. Which is fine because it's great to look after your health. I was supportive of that. But her mannerisms now are very aggressive. She is all about going out to clubs and does pole dancing and posts photos of herself in sexy poses. This is a world away from the girl I once knew and was friends with. She's making friends nearly 20 years younger than herself.

We're still "friends" to some extent, but I'm annoyed. Her new self is someone I would never choose to be friends with. Is it bad of me to just never want to have anything to do with her anymore?

My kids and I have just switched from cow's milk to soy milk. In my case, it is to ease the fact that I am lactose intolerant and was keeping four different kinds of milk in the fridge. Now we're down to just two. (Hubby refuses to switch, and I respect his choice.)

Vanilla Silk Soy Milk is what we're drinking now. It's sweet which is what I'm used to from drinking Lactaid for many years. But I wonder what others have to say about soy milk. What's the best in your experience?

My youngest of 3 kids will be 3 in June and we're looking to sign her up for preschool starting in the fall. Being the youngest kid in the family, she really needs to spend time with kids her own age. In the fall, her older brother and sister will be attending school all day.

I am a stay at home mom, so we do spend a lot of time together doing things on our own, including errands and stuff. I'm sure preschool for her would be best because we have no kids her age in our neighborhood to play with.

My question is if there's a difference between 2 or 3 days a week for a 3 year old? Hours are 9:30 to 12:30 for either choice. I don't want to burn her out with too much, but maybe she'll be bored at home? I could use some more opinions on this one. Luckily for us, cost isn't a factor. I'm going to be honest and say that I would love some more time to myself, but maybe I might not be ready for all my kids to suddenly be out the house? Ugh! I need help! lol

I am flying out with my kids and hubby this summer and our tickets have been bought! We are arriving at midnight from the east coast to Oakland Airport.

I wonder if you have suggestions on places a family could go once we arrive? A rental car has been arranged. We're going to have some sleepy, cranky kids!! Will a hotel take us in that early?

I am visiting friends in California this summer and wonder what goodies I might be able to take for them. What snacks, foods, etc can only be found on the East Coast of the US? I have heard that Tastycake is a regional thing - is that true?

Or is everything national anyway, so I shouldn't bother?

I would like to understand more about what makes a person need to own more than 7 dogs. In this particular instance, we're talking special breeds: Great Danes and domesticated wolves. All in a house that includes three children from the ages of 3 to 8 years old. They also own 3 cats.

What makes a person want to take in so many pets? This family is barely able to survive financially. The friends they make are those I'd describe as being in the "fringes of society" - people who sleep and live with wolves, people who have been kicked out of their marital homes, etc. Their home is a wreck by their own admittance. Their family hates to visit them. Those with allergies stay far far away. The kids' toys get chewed up, and they can't play in the yard for all the dog poop in the grass. The kids' hygiene habits have come under scrutiny after repeated bouts of head lice.

I'd like to understand what makes a person want/need to live like this, and what impact this will have on their children?

There are lots of recipes and tips online for folks to throw some frozen stuff into their slow cooker, set it to low and leave it while they go to work all day. How safe is it really to leave this sort of appliance running unattended all day at home? Could a fire happen? Would you leave one on all day?

(asked by my 8 year old son - for the 15th time today. I haven't got a clue! LOL)

Rampardos' running, Hitmonchan's punching, or Rapidash's running?

My nephew is turning 4 next month. He is into Transformers apparently. What is an age appropriate toy we could give him for his birthday?

I'd appreciate other non-toy suggestions too - none of my kids are into Transformers, so I'm not even sure where to start.

This year my hubby and I will have been married for 10 years. I am a SAHM to our 3 kids, and we have been blessed in being able to live comfortably off of 1 income.

I was raised in a poor family, so I'm used to being resourceful, cut coupons, sew, etc. I rarely complain when it comes to material things. The kids never go without, so I tend to come last in priority - it's just a fact of life for now.

My problem is one that has been escalating for a few holidays now. The most recent was on Valentine's Day, when I was given a box of chocolates that was decorated and wrapped for Xmas, and a small box of pumpkin truffles that was meant for Halloween. Ok, yes, it was a nice gesture, but I am allergic to half the chocolates in the box (nut allergy which hubby was aware of). The Halloween chocolates had gone off, and were horrible.

He laughed about it at the time, but it really hurt my feelings. I don't think he quite knows how much. After scrimping and saving so much, sometimes it'd be...

Great Britain is phasing out traditional bulbs in favor of the compact fluorescent ones. Here in the States, I've been seeing places sell these new bulbs, but I don't understand the benefits. Can someone explain?

The hairdresser I've gone to for over 7 years is moving. She'll be almost a 2 hour drive away (each way). As much as I love going to her, I don't think I can manage driving that far and then doing the usual hour and half visit to do foil highlights.

Should I do the drive anyway, or take a chance with someone new? I have highlights in different shades. Is this the sort of thing that everyone knows how to do these days?

To clarify, this is about my friend's daughter, Lisa, who calls me Auntie, so she's not technically family.

My friend (her mother, Sandra) whom I've known all my life has a mental disability that basically makes her a 12 year old girl living in a 37 year old woman's body. Years ago, she had a daughter (Lisa) who her parents have been helping raise, and the two of them live with Sandra's parents. She has no contact with her bio dad.

Lisa is going to turn 14 this summer and will begin high school in the fall. I really wish I could be able to help her out with this portion of her life. Lisa is a bright, intelligent girl with promise for a good future, but has the hardships of life to deal with at the moment. Her mom makes minimum wage working at a drive-thru, and her grandparents are retirees. Money is tight.

What's worse is that she is in CA and I am on the other side of the USA. I get emails from Lisa and Sandra almost daily, and plan to go visit this summer.

I own a Fisher & Paykel dryer, purchased in 2005. Almost on the day, a year later, the dryer stopped heating. The Australian/New Zealand based company worked with our warranty and sent A&E out, who sent technicians that had no clue what they were doing. "This is my first Fisher Paykel appliance, ma'am." Eventually after weeks of hassle, it was fixed.

Fast forward to less than a year later, & this time the machine wouldn't tumble or heat. Went through the same formalities with the company, but it took 2 MONTHS to get it all fixed. Parts had to come from Australia. We were at the laundromat for 2 months doing laundry for the 5 of us at home.

It is now less than 6 months later and it has again broken. The last two repairs valued at MORE than the cost of a new dryer. F&P offered an extension of a warranty for another year which we took, but I'm now waiting for parts to come from Australia and weeks of the laundromat. Again.

At what point do I have rights to demand more?

My second grader and I work constantly on his handwriting. All summer we worked on mastering writing upper and lower case print. He still occasionally gets his "b" and "d" confused, but he's made progress. His handwriting is improving, but I have been told by other parents that their kids were doing cursive.

In speaking with family who live in the UK and have a child the same age (and grade equivalent), I have been told she has been doing cursive since last year.

When is a child supposed to learn cursive? How long do I give my son to get printing letters properly before coaching him to start cursive? On one hand, I'm worried that if I push too fast without mastering printing, he'll struggle. But on the other hand, I get the impression we are really behind.

My own parents, grandparents to my 3 kids, live just a few minutes from us. Most people assume that since they live so close, my kids are close to them too, but this is not the case. It's quite the opposite, in fact. We might only see them once a month if that, and they don't call.

Growing up, my own grandparents lived very far away, and I only held an imagined ideal of who they were. I tended to put them on pedestals only to later have these images shattered when I learned who they were and what they were really like. I want to spare my kids the same heartbreak.

Is there a way to tell my parents that they need to be involved in their grandkids' lives? My son plays soccer and he'd be so happy just to have them there to watch. But they don't want to come because my mother says it is boring and they don't want to be outdoors. Also, getting a chance to leave the kids with them and have dinner with hubby would be nice.

In contrast, my in laws live in England and WISH they could see them

We are planning a large family reunion trip in Europe which begins with a visit to the Pyrenees mountains in France and ends somewhere in Italy. Folks will be flying in from all over the world to travel as a group. Are there any great places for people of all ages (from 18 months old to 68 years old) to visit? Any horrible places to avoid? Any good website links to suggest?

I recently learned through allergy tests that I have allergies to 58 different environmental things as well as a food allergy to hazelnuts. The doc recommended allergy shots which I am currently researching, but in the meantime prescribed Clarinex, Nasonex (steroid nasal spray) and Pataday (allergy eye drops) to take daily.

I am weighing pros and cons. I realize immunotherapy isn't 100% effective. I'm also aware going that route will involve a long term commitment to getting allergy shots on (at a minimum) a weekly basis. What are the drawbacks of being on allergy meds for years? Won't steroid nasal sprays cause some funky side effects?

This week the kids and I noticed a nest in one of the hanging plant pots on the porch. A couple days later, we peeked and saw 4 small light blue speckled eggs and one larger tan and deep brown speckled egg. I believe the nest belongs to a thrush or swallow and a parasitic brood bird, most likely a cowbird, has laid an egg in this nest.

We live in a community-wide bird sanctuary. Not sure of the rules/laws regarding it, but I am tempted to remove the cowbird's egg. The last thing I need is a hanging pot full of dead baby birds! What should I do?