sending healing ma~~ to Kyle and some take the responsibility ma~~ to all involved teachers, principal, bully and parents of bully.

Plus, I like all the in laws too. However, when we all lived within spitting distance - it was all crazy. really crazy. If I hated them - it would have been easy. The best I could do when we were near family - was to make sure it wasn't going to kill us - and make sure that no one ( including DH) tried to change the schedual. Being the hardass around the holidays - less fun than you'd imagine.

Exactly!

There are so many times I'd like to drop Annabel off at one of her grandmother's houses for the evening, but that's hard to do with the closest one being two flights and 2000 miles away.

If it helps, it's not a sure thing with them in the same city, either. My mother's a little easier than finding an outside the family babysitter, but she's made clear that she's not going to be on call for it, and that as much as she loves us and Lillian, she'd prefer to be asked as rarely as possible. My in-laws work--nights for my FiL--so they're also not an option most of the time. Your Parents May Vary, but I've found they're on par with friends when it comes to time and willingness to kidsit.

These are the questions I would askabout the job. (to dw)

Also, what are their benefits like? Retirement as well as medical. Are you vested in your University pension plan thing already? I can't remember.

Healing vibes for Kyle.

Maria, your dress looks incredible. Your family looks incredible. That food looks incredible!

The bully should be suspended -- literally.

I just purchased a bag of "fun-size" packages of mini Oreos in case I get any trick-or-treaters. I had to eat some, to make sure that there weren't any poison Oreos. I'd like to report that the quality control in terms of how many Oreos get in a package is very poor. One package had only one mini Oreo in it. Do you know how pathetic one mini Oreo is?

The bully should be suspended -- literally.

By his thumbs?

Thumbs, hair, toes. It's all the same to me.

I'm overreacting because I'm white with rage.

Don't be sorry, and I don't think you're overreacting. This is serious. I remember how terrifying it was to be threatened by a bully. I can't imagine what it's like for my nephew to have been threatened and then actually have the threat carried out. I can imagine how this might have messed with his head. And that makes me very, very angry.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Professional photo proofs are ready!

[link]

Username: mneve (at) earthlink (dot) net Password: october1

Squee!

One package had only one mini Oreo in it. Do you know how pathetic one mini Oreo is?

That's pretty pathetic.

If it helps, it's not a sure thing with them in the same city, either. My mother's a little easier than finding an outside the family babysitter, but she's made clear that she's not going to be on call for it, and that as much as she loves us and Lillian, she'd prefer to be asked as rarely as possible. My in-laws work--nights for my FiL--so they're also not an option most of the time. Your Parents May Vary, but I've found they're on par with friends when it comes to time and willingness to kidsit.

I like the trade off of being free from the family drama, really. Besides, my parents are of an age when chasing a toddler really isn't an option for them. My twin sister and elder sister are missed because they could be a big help, but they're busy and have over-scheduled lives, too.

I'm just happy I found a good babysitter here. It's pricey, but worth it.

Poor, pathetic lonely little Oreo.

I have such a visceral reaction to bullies. I think it would do the boy a world of good to receive a terrifying visit from the Cranky Avenger, who would explain the concept of limits in very clear terms. In my experience, the only thing that ever worked to stop bullying was responding with enough violence to make it more trouble than it was worth. My life, she would have been so much easier if we’d had a little more of than mandated reporting and stuff.

It seems like a sign of progress that today’s legal climate concerning bullying at school has made things better than they were in the bad old days when a boy could break the glasses off the faces of every girl in the 4th and 5th grade, and his parents could just shrug it all off and never think of having to pay for damage.

Er, and I'm so very inappropriate.

Sparky, I'm sorry about what happened to Kyle and I hope the resposible parties are strung up by their innards.