A close relative of mine likes to travel with my husband and myself quite frequently.I love having her along since we get along well and have lots of fun together. The last time my husband and I went to visit my son she wanted to go along, she and her husband are on the outs so she finds ways to get away from him. I don’t mind sometimes but I found out thru my husband that she handed over 10.00 to him for gas and that was it. She did pay for her meals, however the gas was about 100.00 we paid for the room which she stayed in on a cot and basically she got a 3 day vacation for 10.00. My hubby is pissed and I am finding myself getting resentful as well.She does tend to complain about how broke she is but should we have asked her to kick in so much for part of the trip or should she have just offered to pay for at least some of the cost. We really do not want to cart her along anymore,but don’t want to ruin our relationship. Is this our fault for not speaking up?

My hubby and I are going to Dallas for a few days and would like to stay downtown. I would like a good and not too expensive hotel to stay in. Any ideas? I would like to be able to see the "downtown" lights/buildings when I have my hotel room window open at night! It’s always so pretty to me!

Also, we are planning on doing the Dallas World Aquarium, possibly the zoo if it’s not too hot, walk around the West End, and the airplane museum. We would also like to go play putt putt mini golf and ride go carts and go to Dave and Busters. Any suggestions for anything else we should do?

THANK YOU for all of your help!!!

I thought it was just coincedence, but after the third time, I got mad. It is always the same call: neglect. This last time, the police were called when my daughter wandered over to the next aisle!! I know who she is, by name, and have never met her, but what started it all, one night,late , i was with my kids, and the frozen food aisle was crowded with carts. i asked my daughter,4, to stay close by me, so she wouldn’t get hit by a cart. The woman,with her hubby, was at the other end of the aisle, and immediatly opened her cell, and began to punch numbers. i paid no attention, it wasn’t my business. The police show up, and the woman points to me, I shrug my shoulders, and go out the door. the police did not stop me, and I thought no more of it. Now, 3 monthes later, every time i go in wal-mart, I get a call from social services saying neglect,even though my kids never leave me or my hubby’s side. i havent gone to the manager yet for fear he will side with her & not hear me out.
the woman is a "christian" and she knows I am not one. She does not like me because I do not go to church, and she knows this. I take good care of my kids, BTW, and she likes to mind other’s business.She is a goody-goody, and actually looks for me when I go in. I told hubby i will leave the kids with him, but since he drives cab, at night, when i go, it is often difficult for me to go alone. I live in the South, where people often do not mind their own business, and i have made more than my share of enemies due to my views.
I went in " late" at 9, because at that time, the store is nearly empty and quieter then. that was the night it all started.
and yes, that is all to the story. I did not leave anything out.

would an infant carseat if into a small cart like this ( http://premiercarts.com/Tech_5341.htm )
that some grocery stores have? would make it alot easier to go food shopping with hubby when the baby comes, he could push the big cart and I could put the carseat in the little cart? I wouldnt like putting it in the seat of the large cart, and there would be no room for food with the seat in the large basket area. thanks

I am debating whether I should start out with a convertible seat, or with an infant seat. The "convienence" of lugging a baby bucket around in a stroller/shopping cart is not an issue for me. I plan to leave the seat in the car, and carry the baby in sling or something. When the baby is too big for a sling, I’ll use an umbrella stroller.

option 1: 1st years true fit, then later opt for a booster, when my baby exceeds the 65 pound weight limit

option 2: graco snug ride 35 until she/he reaches 35 pounds, then switch a convertible booster, such as the graco natralis seat after 35 pounds

Which is a better option? Hubby and I share a CR-V, so I was kind of concerned about the angle issue. Would an infant seat be easier to install at the correct angle? I am worried about having to rig it up with pool noodles and such, even with a professional installer. Either option would allow for extended rear-facing of up to 35 pounds (in theory).
Yes, pool noodles are what the professional car seat installers suggest to create the proper 45 degree angle needed for a rear-facing seat.

…its cold outside, you are by yourself and you need a shopping cart to put them in? Do you try and park close to the basket return to grab a basket, do your best to carry them in yourself, or leave the car running and run in to get a basket real quick?

I’ve had this dilemma a few times because hubby is too lazy to go with me or watch the kids and was wondering what other parents do with multiple children. I do my best to park near a basket return and if I can’t I drive around until I can, or do my best to carry my children in. My oldest is 2 and youngest is 7 mo. The little one is too big for a car seat so I have to carry her and my 2 yr old walks well but wants to run off if I don’t keep a hold of him. What do you do?
I never leave my children in the car, Ive seen people do that and it makes me sick!
Double stroller would be ok but then where would you put the groceries? the basket underneath sure isnt big enough and i cannot leave my kids with my hubby for the main fact he is on call all the time and may have to leave and a babysitter is not an option and i HAVE to go to the store

ok i am about to have my 2nd baby, and my daughter will be around 21 months when this one comes. we usually walk her around the grocery store if its me and my hubby (one to wrangle her up when she decides to run a muck, or we just sit her in the cart, depends where we are) but whats the easiest way to shop with 2 babies? i mean in wal mart im not going to want to be pushing a dual stroller and a shopping cart. i dont think it would be very easy holding my daugthers hand as i am pushing a cart. with the new baby, i will sit the car seat in the shopping cart (the front part) but where does my toddler go? this sounds soo silly, but im wondering, how do you shop with your babies??
wow, brainfart! i didnt even think of a sling!! THANK YOU!! YAY

I have actually been to Gatlinburg several times, but it is usually a girls only (myself, my best friend, mom, aunt) shopping type trips. But this July, we are taking a big family trip there for a week. My, hubby and our two kids (ages 13, and 6 months) as well as my parents and aunt and uncle will be going. We have a cabin rented and that’s all taken care of. But, since I’ve never been with my family before, what are some good things to do, espcially with a six month old. My thirteen year old will be happy with arcades, go carts, mini-golf etc., but what about my six month old. Any ideas?

LOL…that got your interest didn’t it. Me and my hubby are going to a go-kart track tonight, you know where you race go-karts against each other? Well, the last time we went, he bumped my cart which sent me spinning so of course I lost. He keeps saying he’s going to win again tonight. I’d love to beat him this time. I had the pedal to the floor last time and still couldn’t beat him! How can I beat him, other than cheating, which he obviously did by bumping me the last time, and do you think this kind of competition with each other is healthy? It’s all in fun!