<p>Hi Everyone! I’m one of the newest members around here, but I already love this site and am so grateful for what I have learned in just a few days. I just was told about the Parent Cafe by Anxious. Hopefully, this will be a case of “third time charmed,” since it has taken me a few tries to find the right Forum. This thread is just a place to chat with other members without a formal topic of conversation. It’s a place to get to know each other a bit and make friends and take a break from all of the pressures and concerns we all have. Right now I’m celebrating the hint of spring in our NJ air! After over 40 inches of snow this winter, the torrential rain and wind over the weekend, 24 hours without power, and many trees down on major roads, this warm, sunny day feels really good! Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Everyone! Sending a Smile, DoveMom</p>
<p>Welcome, DoveMom! My D experienced firsthand delightful rain and wind over the weekend as she was trying to get from JFK to Virginia! Shouldn’t have been that difficult, but the weather sure didn’t cooperate. We’re definitely enjoying our spring down here now…after an atypical winter. </p>
<p>One thing you’ll find here—even if there’s a topic when a thread starts it can quickly go in all different directions! Again, welcome and glad the site has been helpful to you.</p>
<p>Thanks Sabaray! Yes, the weather has wrecked havoc with many a plan this year! I’m glad she made it safe and sound, even if it took longer than could have ever been expected. Yes, I can imagine how threads get "off topic! That’s why I like one where there is no topic - only what we want to share. My H and I have a meeting tonight, so I’m logging off now. Hey, Everyone’s welcome to join in the conversation! Enjoy!</p>
<p>Hi DoveMom -</p>
<p>It’s so nice of you to reach out. I found the Cafe about a month ago - the “dressing young” thread is very fun, and I gravitate towards the cooking and gardening threads as well. CC is a wealth of information and interesting discussion. Welcome!</p>
<p>Welcome, Dove Mom!</p>
<p>I love this forum. I feel like I have made some “virtual” friends, I have picked up great tips about hotels, jeans, cooking, etc. There are aspects of my life that are stressful and I enjoy chatting on light-hearted threads with bright, interesting people. Some stay on topic better than others (like me), but we are all ready to help and give support.</p>
<p>Hi Gourmet & Workn! Thanks for making me feel right at home. I’m glad there is a “lighter side” to this CC site and the Parent Cafe sounds like a great source for good information of all kinds. Have they reinvented Mom jean’s yet? LOL! We do need a little levity to help us get through the angst! This also seems to be a great 24/7 place to read or post and that’s cool, too! Bedtime for me.</p>
<p>Welcome Dovemom! I started out on the “college” boards, them moved over to parents and now spend about 99% of my time in the cafe. This is a terrific group. Smart and helpful folks. So many good tips on almost any topic you can think of. I’m addicted!</p>
<p>Welcome. DoveMom. The cafe is a great place to relax. The Tiger Woods thread over the holidays kept me laughing and entertained. Lots of good advice and fun! Especially when you need to get away from the intensity of college search/application/decision/etc</p>
<p>Hi Toneranger & Rom! I’m really impressed by the posts I’ve read on the CC and the thoughtful, helpful responses I’ve seen. I feel like I’ve found a new home and it is very comforting to know there are so many nice people out there dealing with the same issues my own family is concerned about. So, is anyone watching Project Runway tonight? I love that show and don’t have a favorite designer yet this season. Also, I just remembered that Survivor is preempted tonight by the NCAA Basketball tourney. Survivor is the only TV show my college daughter watches and, partially because of her, our family is hooked! It’s another nice, warm day in NJ! Yay!</p>
<p>TGIF, Everyone! It was another spring-like day here in NJ today. This is a weekend we don’t have any definite plans - which is nice for a change. My hubby and I are going out for Chinese food tonight and we’ll probably see a movie some time this weekend. What are your plans? Have a nice weekend, Everyone! Sending a Smile, DoveMom</p>
<p>Chinese always sounds good! It was a beautiful day in NC today. Sunny and warm - first day we’ve had like this since early November. I’m chaperoning an overnight trip for
8th graders from our church tomorrow night and it is usually a lot of fun. I need to do lots around the house but that may have to wait. Let us know if you see a good movie.</p>
<p>Welcome dovemom, CC really is addicting. The cafe is def. the most fun. It was a gorgeous day in my part of NC also (waves to rom828) …daffodils are blooming and my camellia bush is loaded with giant hot pink blossoms. </p>
<p>You do make “virtual” friends here and sometimes even RL friends. I met someone on CC two years ago. She’s not on CC anymore but we email constantly and call occassionally.
We both consider the other a dear friend even though we’ve never met in real life.</p>
<p>DH finds it hard to believe you can develop a friendship with someone you’ve never met.
He’s such a guy:)</p>
<p>If anyone is looking for a movie, Crazy Heart was really good and is in more widespread release since J. Bridges won the Oscar.</p>
<p>Hi, Rom! We’re back from Chinese and it was good! I seem to crave it more than my hubby, so it’s nice when he agrees. Now we have a Home Show to go to tomorrow or Sunday. It’s been a while since we’ve been to one. It will be interesting to see all of the new gadgets and trends! BTW, we are planning to meet one of my sisters and her family in Chapel Hill this summer. NC is a beautiful place. I’m glad you had a warm and sunny day! Woo hoo! Enjoy the 8th Graders! The house can wait! Ha! Remember to keep those 8th Graders away from the toilet paper supply!</p>
<p>Happy Friday, PackMom! Yes, I have a sceptical husband, but I have made good cyber friends on another site, so he is becoming a “believer!” LOL! We go to a lot of movies. We saw Crazy Heart a few weeks ago and it was very good. I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal was fantastic in her role. She gave a very fresh performance that reminded me of a young Annette Bening. We’ve also seen Up in the Air, Young Victoria, The Blind Side, It’s Complicated, Nine, Leap Year, and some others. Those flowers in NC sound gorgeous. I saw my first daffodil of the year today on the school playground! I work as a Teacher Instructional Aide in an Elementary School with 21 wonderful First Graders. Spring is definitely in the air. Yay!</p>
<p>Good Morning, Everyone! Last night my hubby and I watched Nights in Rodanthe (talk about NC). We had missed it at the movies and checked it out from the library last week. Richard Gere and Diane Lane in a Nicholas Sparks story. I had read the book, but quite a while ago, so I didn’t remember the ending. Ha! The movie was good, not great. We also saw Dear John recently, another Nicholas Sparks story. I liked that one better than my husband. Unfortunately they rushed the ending on it. If they had just taken 5 minutes to wind it up, it would have been much more satisfying. My hubby loves the movie The Notebook. In case you do too, there is a sequel book to The Notebook called The Wedding, but they have not made a movie out of that. I really liked The Weddin, however. One of my favorite movies is A Walk to Remember, also from a Nicholas Sparks book. OK, we’re off to the Home Show. Have a great Saturday!</p>
<p>It’s Monday night and DWTS will be starting in about and half hour EST. Anyone watching?</p>
<p>I am. I am addicted to mindless TV.</p>
<p>Do we need to call it mindless? How about The Latest & Greatest in Reality TV? Ha! Chad O. just led off the evening. He looked good, but they didn’t give him the best scores. I understand they are doing some things differently this season on DWTS.</p>
<p>I never watch DWTS (am absolutely addicted to So You Think You Can Dance) but did watch tonight just to see Kate Gosselin. I was really surprised at how nerovus/unsure of herself she seemed.</p>
<p>Hi, PackMom! (Love that name!) I was a little surprised, too! She looks gorgeous, but her dancing was a bit stiff and tentative. The comment Carrie Ann made was right on - that she is not like the others who are used to performing before a crowd and acting things out. Despite all of the hours she has had in front of a camera, most of it has been in her own home. This is a whole different thing. In a way, she is the “common mom” out there representing all of us who wonder what it would be like if we were chosen to be on DWTS! I thought Nicole was really exceptional for a first night performance. As a whole, it was a good first night. Bedtime for me.</p>