RachelleDrew

^I think that's the amount my parents do for me and my brother, plus $100 for each of our spouses. It usually comes in the form of gift certificates. I think we spent $60 bucks on Eli. So long as we can afford it we will certainly do more when he gets older. But he's not quite a year old yet, it's not like he's going to remember and cherish his first Christmas. It was mostly things he needed anyway. First set of toothbrush, new babytub, sleepers etc. I think my parents did around $300 a piece for us when we were kids. Which is a lot, but most of that was stuff we needed anyway that you could get cheaper during Christmas, like school supplies and clothing for the summer. I can only think of a couple of toys that we got for Christmas over the years.

I actually agree with DS on this one. He agreed to this a long time ago, and he even made the definition of "protestant" himself. While this is a stupid issue to have to rule over, it was stupid of him for thinking that he could win when confronted with a bunch of rules he had a hand in making. What a waste of court time.

What kind of clothes do they wear? That makes a big difference in what each amount will buy them. Overall, I agree with John. Prepaid visa or mastercard is always so much easier.

I just wanted to let everyone know, that we used a LOT of the ideas in this thread yesterday after dinner. I may post pictures showing the masterpieces later. Thank you all so much for the ideas. We managed to not spend a dime decorating the tree and the house. Which means we've got $200 to spend on toys for tots. Since my workplace offered to double it after seeing picture proof that we used all home-made decorations, they are now spending $400 on toys for tots. $600.00 can buy a lot of toys for kids who don't always get such a merry christmas. I know money is tight for everyone this year, but I would highly suggest making a donation. Even a toy from your local Dollar Tree can make a kid super happy. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation Here you can find drop-off points near you, or make donations online. If you know a Marine then they may be able to give you information on the program too since it is supported by the United States Marines.

As a convert I have to agree with the original post. I often feel like an outsider at LDS functions because I am just not as peppy as most Mormon women seem to be. Doesn't mean that i'm not happy, i'm just not used to the Osmond Variety Hour 24/7.

I would, I think it would be fun. YAY for me, and I could just use my PO box for the card delivery instead of physical address. Our boxes are randomly assigned and not associated with street address.

I agree with this. However, even positive desires can equal pain. If you want nothing more than a person to love you, which is not a horrible desire, you may be horribly pained to realize that they do not. If you want world peace more than anything else, then you are going to be quite disappointed every time you turn on the evening news. I think that Christ would have agreed with that statement in a way. Afterall, he wanted to save us all from our sins (the most nobel of desires) and look at the pain he faced for that. However, I don't know that he would recommend eliminating all desires like Buddha did, for some desires are good and righteous no matter how much pain you endure for them.

Wing, I think hairspray might do it. It's not exactly toxic if it is eaten, but it won't taste good either. Kyra, I won't have to spend anything on those either, i've got plenty of both ingredients. Good idea!

While it's certainly preferred to use reverent language in prayer, I have to add something... I've prayed bawling my eyes out much akin to a dying hyena while speaking in garbled teen slang many a time, and my prayers were answered just the same. It's important to give our father the respect he surely deserves by using appropriate language and addressing the lord a certain way, but a prayer is a prayer is a prayer and I don't think you are going to be ignored if it isn't done in iambic pentameter or something. Just some things to think about.

These are such good ideas. We've got pine cones out the wazoo. We also have a son who is not quite a year, and he's discovering crayons. His grandparents would love presents wrapped in drawings. On another note, I think a really big pine cone would look good as a tree topper. Any thoughts on how to get it to stay up there? Could I just like tie it or something? Also, is there anything we can spray on the popcorn and kix to keep the cat from eating it?

A nineteen year old shouldn't be depending on mommy and daddy for non-necessities like a car and phone anyway. But that's neither here nor there. Not only would I take away those things, but I would sit down and have a VERY frank, open conversation with her. There is no way she is not having sex with her boyfriend. I conned my parents into believing that one too when I was her age. You may not be able to stop her from doing it elsewhere, but you certainly don't have to enable it. You guys have to have an honest conversation about this with her, because while she may continue to do it (and at 19 you can't really prevent her from doing it) you have an obligation to make sure she hasn't gotten some STD from this guy. He's been with several partners, her risk factor is high. So long as she is dependent upon you financially, you most certainly make the rules.

My husband and I began setting aside money for Christmas a couple of months ago, and realized that we spend WAY too much money on decorations that only get broken at the end of the season, and that's if we don't pitch them before New Years anyway. So we decided that this year instead of spending tons of money on Christmas decorations this year, we would make home made decorations and use the money we would normally spend to buy various toys for the Toys for Tots program. We've got a friend in the military who helps run the local program and he's already shared the idea with a few people who have donated in the past and they are planning on doing the same thing. We even got the business I work at to double our savings to buy toys with! We are super pumped about this, but are running out of ideas for decorations that we can make at home. So far we've made popcorn and kix strands for the tree with stale cereal and a box of popcorn that has sat in our pantry for ever, and used old construction paper to make paper links to string around the room. Does anybody have any suggestions for decorations using things that may already be around the house? We are trying to do this with wrapping paper too, and I found a set of old encyclopedias in our closet that are mostly destroyed, but some of the pages are still intact and they are making for pretty cool wrapping paper. I'd like to vary it up a bit though, any other things I could use for present wrapping too? The idea is to spend NO money on decorations, all stuff we can find at home. The less money we spend, the more the business will donate. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Our son is not even a year old yet, so as he cannot complain about the type of music played we listen to whatever I like. : D I live in a very small area so our radio reception is terrible. We've got about a dozen country stations, i'd rather bash my head into the dash multiple times before I listened to that. There is ONE modern rock station that used to be fantastic when I was younger, but has turned into total crap. The only talk radio we get is NPR, which I do listen to. So we listen to my iPod. I guess the last thing Eli and I listened to was the Cure. I'm looking into getting a satellite radio installed in my car.

My husband and I play together, and actually make a good deal of money on the side selling services to other gamers. I've never had a problem with gaming because this is a hobby that we enjoy together and it hasn't become an issue of relationship neglect. If it were to become a problem, the computers and systems would go on ebay. Family shouldn't be second to an electronic box.

That cross is a REALLY bad idea. I'm with Elph on this one, how did they not notice that it looks like a burning cross? It's sad that the KKK have perverted it, but a burning cross makes you look racist. Period.

How many times are we going to have the same argument, with the same lack of resolution before we realize that NO ONE'S mind is going to be changed. I seriously wish we could just stop having posts about abortion, all it leads to is people being nasty to one another.

I think the problem with allowing fathers a legal say in stopping an abortion, is that it creates new ground that could give men legal sway over forcing women to have an abortion. It sounds absurd, but there are lots of people who would push for it. Because the mother carries the baby, assumes all the risk for nine months, and can't always rely on the father to take full custody of the child when it's born (contract or not), there is no way to make this situation fair for anyone. It's sad that all babies can't be born into loving homes where both parents want them, but that's the reality.

My husband did, he actually asked for one. He liked the idea that I was visibly off the market so he wanted to show the same thing. I happily obliged, but his wedding ring has replaced it and now I wear his old engagement ring around my neck. It's just a silver band with "Allie, Chellie and Eli" engraved on the inside but he got more excited over his than I did.

I like the idea of commitments and vows to remain pure if the teen thinks that it will help them in their goal. However, at most of the purity balls in this area the girls promise their virginity to their fathers until they are wed. Which I think is psychologically damaging in my opinion. I don't like the idea of men being in control of a female's sexuality, to me it sends the wrong message. Father's shouldn't "own" their daughter's hymen.

I think that a-train brings up a GREAT point. If you have the decision between two candidates and one upholds pro-family ideals and the other does not; but candidate 2 reflects all other of your political views. Who do you vote for? It's becoming increasingly common now days for pro-family politicians to do zilch for the family once they gain the power to do so. Bush did nothing to actually uphold conservative values in this country, so if abortion and preservation of the traditional family are the only reasons you voted for him then was that not a vote wasted? Now what if you stumble across a third party who serves all of your needs? Who shares all of your values, be it economic, social or moral? Are you going to overlook that person just because the guy who does nothing, but is a slave to the GOP seems like a safer bet? People like Ross Perot, and heck even Ralph Nader have proven that Americans are looking for something other than just a Dem vs Rep cage match every four years. Miscellaneous parties are picking up steam, albeit slowly. It's not a throw away vote if you really believe in that vote.

My husband was 19 when we married. So far, no complaints from either of us. Would I suggest marriage to a couple who has not completed school? Not generally, it takes a very special type of young adult to marry at such an age. I'm not necessarily speaking about maturity either. My husband and I are quite childish in a lot of ways, but we make up for it in patience, understanding and communication. These aren't attributes that you develop at any certain age. I think that a lot of times we have our age in our favor, but this isn't true for most people. We got married at the age we did because we made plans and goals for our future and realized that we would actually have a better start if we got married then as opposed to five years down the road. We would have missed out on a lot of educational and career opportunities had we waited. However, the opposite is true for most people. The decision you come to is going to be completely unique to YOUR situation. This is true no matter what age you decide to marry him, be it 19 or 30. I certainly don't suggest having children until you have established careers. The money is an issue, but the biggest factor here is the pressure, the stress and a BIG lack of face time you are going to get with your kids while you are going to school. As someone who has been there, it's very difficult to be a student, a wife, an employee and a mother all at the same time. Sure it's possible, but why put yourself and your family through unnecessary stress? Ultimately, this is YOUR decision. Think about it, pray about it and ask people who you respect for their guidance. Take a critical look at your future with your husband, and think about it from all angles. Do a search for pre-marital counselors in your area and utilize them if you can. Also, if you are not already independent from your parents financially, I suggest that the two of you start making steps in that direction BEFORE you get married. Try moving out on your own and paying all of your bills (not together of course, but by yourself or with a room mate). If you aren't already doing it, then it may give you a much different perspective after taking care of yourself for a while. The skill to survive on your own won't magically appear once you leave the temple. It's a big decision, but it's your decision. Forever is a long time, and that time spent with your husband will either be a blessing or a curse. Good luck, and let us know how everything turns out okay?

Ben is right, no bishop is going to tell you to get a divorce. But I would certainly hope that they would tell you to get out of there for a while. If you are scared for your life, then you need to leave for the time being until things calm down. When the two of you are in a moderated and safe environment then you and your husband can work it out if you so chose. But for now, get out of there.

I don't know about you, but i'm very happy to know that i'm not helpless when it comes to anything other than doing dishes and popping out babies. Why call your father in law or brother when you are perfectly capable of doing something on your own? If you need the help to perform a task, then that's one thing. But calling up some strapping young lad to do your bidding just because something is unfeminine just makes you look lazy. If you and your husband have decided on a specific devision on labor then that's fantastic, but not all women enjoy housekeeping and not all women have the luxury of sticking to so-called feminine tasks. That is why lib exists, to give all women a sense of pride and capabilities in their duties regardless of societal gender assignment to various tasks.

See, that's what I thought but I had never heard anything about it at all. Mormons seem to drink as much coke as anybody else. My bishop and my husband bond over their passion for Mt. Dew.

So I was chatting in a message board today with some people who were asking me about the church, and were asking about the coffee/tea issue. Well, there was another Mormon there that made the claim that NO caffeine whatsoever was supposed to be consumed. None. I've never heard this, i've just heard coffee and tea. I tried to tell her that what she heard was nonsense, but is there any truth to this? I have reason to believe that she's just a fanatical anti posing as a member to stir animosity towards the church, but that's another story entirely. Has there ever been a rule about caffeine within the church? Heck I see kids with pop at church all the time.