Mother Son Puberty Talk

My teenage daughter is asking me if I've had "the talk" with my 11-year-old son yet.  My son would run screaming from me if I tried!  I keep books around that are age-appropriate for any of the kids who don't want to ask me straight up, however, I do think dad needs to sit down and have a chat with him.  It's about time to bring it up again.  I mean, I can talk about chest acne or facial hair but when it comes to all that other stuff, I think dad is a much better person for the job. I'm sure my son would appreciate that as well.  Of course, I'd answer any questions he has but he won't ask them (of me anyway).  Like I said, he'd run screaming.

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Low Dose Naltrexone & Other Treatments

I'm hearing good things about low dose naltrexone (LDN) for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  People who have started using it feel good improvement over their symptoms.  I think I might ask my doctor about it!  Can't hurt to ask his opinion about it anyway.

I also want to ask him to tell me some human growth hormone facts. I read a few of Suzanne Somers' books and she talked about hgh and how she uses it. I don't know enough about it though and he's a pretty open-minded doctor. I thought I'd ask him. Who better to ask than your doctor?

It'd be nice to feel good again. Especially if we end up moving and I have full care of our horses instead of boarding them. Lugging horse manure around and hay bales wouldn't be much fun when you feel bad. Is it much fun anyway? 

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Promotion Offer

I've been actively sending out resumes for hubby for a new job in a different state so we can move.  He has one interview on Friday with the possibility of more being set up while he is there.  He just told me that his current employer offered him a promotion last night.  Now, he doesn't like working where he currently works but it is very secure.  With six kids, that's important.  However, could they have any worse timing?  Seriously?  Couldn't they have done this six months ago before we'd decided we were going to move?  I'm starting to seriously stress now - bring on the anti wrinkle eye cream!  I'm going to need it.

Move? Not move? Ack!!

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Auto Insurance Rates When We Move

We are getting closer to having to make a final decision to relocate back to our home state.  I need to call our auto insurance company and get a new quote on auto insurance for us for the area where we want to live. I know it will be higher than we pay now because we're in the boonies now where car theft, etc., just isn't a big problem so insurance rates are lower.

We should know Friday night or sometime during the weekend if a move in the very near future is going to happen!

I'll need to have our horses transported too if we move.  My "to do"list keeps growing.  I need to find out if we should have some type of insurance on the horses for the transport or if the transport people's insurance covers anything that may happen.

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Lactose Intolerance, Milk Allergies

I know this isn't "horse" related but if your kids can't or won't drink cow's milk, what kind of milk were you successful at giving them?  I've tried soy - ewwww!  Nope, they didn't like it.  I've tried almond milk - one liked it, the rest didn't.  I tried lactose free milk - nope, they said it smells funny.  They don't like rice milk. The only milk I didn't try was breast milk, for the obvious reasons. I'm a few years beyond the need to breastfeed my kids. Been there, done that - two years for my youngest child and never regretted it.  She's now five years old and she has never, in all of her five years, had an ear infection. 

I feel like my kids should have some kind of milk.  It's like programmed into mom by pediatricians for kids to switch to cow's milk after breast milk.  Realistically, as long as kids are getting calcium and vitamin D from other sources, it should be just fine to forgo the cow's milk, right? 

Seriously, how many living things drink the milk from another species?  I think humans are the only ones who do that.  I have kids complaining of stomach aches, asthma, and allergies to show for it.

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Too Old to Learn to Ride

I am turning 39 next month and I have the forehead wrinkles to prove it! Sometimes I wonder if I am getting too old to learn to ride a horse very well. Right now, I can ride but nowhere near great. After all, I certainly won't bounce as well when I fall off (note I didn't say "if" because I know it will happen).  Plus, after years of being "mom", my normal overly careful personality has turned downright neurotic.  What if something bad happens during a fall?  I have a bazillion kids to take care of. 

I still want to ride though.

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Identity Theft

Last year, I had my bank card number stolen and somebody in the UK charged up $1800 in hotel, shopping, and taxi rides.  They did do the "charitable" thing and gave $5 to a charity.  I guess to make them feel better for trying to steal my money. 

They make sleeves for your credit cards, cell phones, etc. to block that from happening now.  I had no idea!  Wish I would've had this a year ago.  I need a rfid blocking wallet.

A friend of mine in another state just had his credit card number stolen. It seems ridiculously easy for people to do this!  We definitely need tools to fight back from these scammers.

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Second Riding Lesson for Mom

I had my second riding lesson on Friday.  Fun, fun, fun!!  I'm also nowhere near as sore as I was after my first lesson last week so that is good, good, good.  We did walk/trot, practiced turning, and getting Tequila used to neck reining for the first time.  My daughter is the english rider; I'm the western rider.

I forgot to get my horses' wormer though before my lesson.  It's not like I have far to go to get it - only right across the street from my house!  The last time I went, the barcode scanner wasn't working there and it was a wait.  It's a feed place in a small town - not the most advanced technology (and some of their merchandise is dusty).  I think I'll run to Tractor Supply (TSC) and get it there instead!

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Sore After Horseback Riding

Oh wow, am I feeling yesterday's riding lesson.  My thighs are sore, my backside is sore, and even my upper arms are sore (have to get used to carrying around my western saddle again I guess).  It was a great ride though.  I'm still excited about it! 

My riding instructor asked me if we were still planning on getting our own place to bring our horses to.  I've been thinking a lot about that actually, and looking at different barns.  The barn where our horses are stabled now is made out of cement block.  I've been looking at the possibility of steel buildings for a horse barn, or perhaps hay storage.  I'd also love an indoor arena.  That would be awesome!

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First Ride in Two Years

I had my first ride in two years this morning.  I haven't rode since Rex died two years ago this past August.  About three weeks ago, I sat on my daughter's horse to see how I would feel.  Felt fine.  It took three weeks to get a lesson scheduled because school was starting then kids started getting sick with the "back to school germ-fest" that happens every year. 

So, how did it feel to be riding again after two years?

FANTASTIC!!

Instead of scheduling another lesson for a week away, I scheduled one for Tuesday.  I was going to schedule for Monday but I think I'm going to need some recovery time for my sore muscles and bones after this morning's ride.  I actually trotted a lot of the lesson! Woo hoo!

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Horse-Related Gifts

I have recently signed up for the affiliate program for EquiGifts.  If you are looking for great horse-related gift ideas and items, check out EquiGifts!

Thanks!

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Job Search

We are still looking at the option of relocating, though nothing has popped yet.  The resumes are out there but I think employers are going to be more apt to hire locally rather than outside the state, especially with this economy.  I've put in the search criteria with the different job search engines and I check it almost every day, plus get them emailed to me. 

Is there a better way to search?  If the type of employer was just one category, like airport jobs, it'd be easier to search but my husband is in automotive, however his skills can also be in aerospace or medical prosthetic manufacturing. I hope I'm not missing anything with criteria to search for.

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