This time of year, consumerism is horrible. We are bombarded constantly with advertising gimmicks. Since Thanksgiving, I have gotten a least 8 e-mails a day from stores stating their sales. Some stores I've gotten 2 or 3 in the same day. I hate that.

Erika - What a great mom that woman is. She also was teaching her daughter that you can't always get what you want when you want it. I'm sure she and her daughter have discussed needs versus wants. That discussion took place many times in my house with my girls. Unfortunately, their dad and I are complete opposites. As an example, since it's close to Christmas time, I would only get the girls 3 gifts - one from Santa, one from me, and one from their sister. They gifts were simple. A toy from Santa, pjs from me, clothes from their sister. I didn't go overboard and stuck to a budget. We focused on traditions (Advent wreath and lighting the candles and saying the prayers each night and things like that) and the meaning of Christmas. One Christmas, the girls were like maybe 2 &3, he brought them and ALL their gifts home in a truck!!!! It took a truck to get them all to my house. The truck deal only happened twice that I can remember. The other times it would be a car trunk full of stuff. It was truly sad. All those gifts didn't make up for the lack of love the girls felt from their dad. The stuff was wants, the love was a need.

How come you can visit the washroom right before getting ready to go out... but once you have put on your sweater, your scarf, your coat, and in my case your insulated snowpants, then jammed your double socked feet into your boots and topped it all off with your hat and gloves...you need to "go" again?

With love, Erika

Yes and Jesus wouldn't have liked that, either.

Well, because you have MS. For a normal person, that all takes a matter of a few minutes. For MSers, that's a lot of work and takes a lot out of you and probably takes 4 times longer than the normal person.

Have you read a kid's social studies book lately? I just did and I was kind of confused. They jumped around too much and it didn't seem in chronological order. Of course, the stupid book was online and I hadn't read the chapters leading up to Chapter 22, but I was not impressed what so ever. I'm going to check out some reviews on the publisher. It was that bad.

You hit the nail on the head Trish,

It can take a long time to "suit up", and down again. Its frustrating to take so long to gear up...especially when one has a dog that insists on running to the door to show me where it is (as though I've forgotten), with each addition of an article of clothing

I had trouble following the contents of some school text books when I was in grade school (45 years ago), never mind what they must be like now.

With love, Erika

I may be 45 years old but... I still get excited by a snow day

Hi to all those who have kids in school. I was a teacher in Art. We are something like 27th in the world. WE are failing, as the teachers hands are often tied, to do so much in one particular day. We are not teaching problem solving, and often the text books do NOT have correct information. Check out the books they use in all subjects. Good teachers should be paid what football starts are paid, then we draw the best and the brightest to be teachers. They took Art, and music out of the schools, and most of PE. Art and Music have underlying structures in physics. Science needs to start from an early age. If I had to do it over again with my own children, (70's) kids, I would home school. Just an opinion. Have a good Christmas all,,, give books! ginnie

I agree Ginnie,

It seems that today's education programs are geared toward the three "R"s and passing tests, while creativity, appreciation of beauty and natural curiosity have become a thing of the past.

With love, Erika

Ever the three R's aren't doing so hot. Einstein said the worst thing we can do educationally is tie a teachers hands. Today, a set way to teach, what to teach each day, etc. is planned with no room for creative ways to introduce concepts. God above help those kids that have other ways of learning. I know a guy in my neighborhood who went all the way through high school, and cannot read....how in the heck did that happen???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? I honestly think he had learning disabilities, and he was just shoved through.I do not even understand how he got his drivers license.......I see stuff like this going on, and it really upsets me.
Even though I am disabled and retired, I still give free lessons to neighborhood kids in mosaics. Had three girls over the summer who did a show and tell project (each one) for their school. I get plenty of adults in here too. There is a lack of the creative arts, that I think is essential for human development. We only have Art Artifacts, to show what generations and civilizations before us created. Where will our generations Art be 200 years from now? Sorry for the soap box, I just want the good old USA to do better. ginnie:deadhorsebeat :

Where did my day go today? It's almost 4 and it seems like it's still morning. Sheesh!