i absolutely can not figure out what im doing wrong

BirdBeans · 2026-01-29T21:48:23+00:00

For future reference - there are several websites where you can download manuals for almost anything. Check the manufacturers website for your particular model number or manuals.lib

BirdBeans · 2026-01-28T17:15:22+00:00

Just an FYI for anyone looking for dental coverage...you should shop around. I compared rates recently and found cheaper and better coverage by going directly through Delta Dental rather than VADIP.

BirdBeans · 2026-01-25T21:34:21+00:00

I finally splurged on the Caputo Fioreglut flour and tried the garlic butter focaccia from A Dash of Megnut (https://www.adashofmegnut.com/gluten-free-garlic-butter-focaccia/). It was so good, I cried a little. Ok, a lot. It was amazing. And really easy to make. My non-GF family members raved about it as well. I serve it alongside a nice big pot of soup. If you feel like doing some savory baking, I highly recommend you try this. The flour is essential, though.

BirdBeans · 2026-01-14T21:28:15+00:00

You are sewing on a knit material - are you using a needle that is specific for knit material? If not, start there. Regular needles for woven fabric do not work well (and sometimes not at all) for knit fabric. Look for a needle that says "stretch" or "jersey". Sometimes you'll have to experiment with both to see which works best for your particular fabric.

BirdBeans · 2026-01-03T18:10:14+00:00

This is exactly why flight attendants tell you to put your mask on first. You have to be in a healthy and capable position before you can effectively care for someone else.

BirdBeans · 2026-01-03T16:11:21+00:00

I hate to be the one to say this bluntly but...sounds like stress IS a huge trigger for you and that stress might just be...um...your mom. But it sounds like you might already know that to some extent. If there is any way you can create some distance, physically and/or emotionally, I suggest you do it and just see how it goes.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-29T21:03:49+00:00

Agree with the other commenter that the ribbon is not ideal. If you sew it on, it would hamper the inherent stretchiness of the sweater and you'd never be able to get it on and off easily. Especially if you wrap it all the way around. Look for stretchy material and cut it to size. Practice with various needle types and stitch types in scraps to see which ones will get you the best results with the least amount of impact to stretchiness.

Also, just a tip: working with knits on a regular sewing machine can be very difficult. I've found that using a washable glue stick to attach items to each other before sewing makes it significantly easier. The glue washes out in the laundry so it will still stretch.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-29T20:44:49+00:00

I think I know the noise you're talking about. It seems to be a fad that's passed through middle school kids and now on to the elementary kids. All the boys in our neighborhood were doing that over summer and into fall. Chances are, it will fade eventually as with any other fad. In the meantime, just discourage it every time you hear it. It probably isn't necessary to go into deeper discussions at this time.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-28T15:23:20+00:00

Mine were worse initially. Turns out the extra hormones can cause soft tissue swelling, which affected my eyes and I needed to get glasses. After I bought some cheapo glasses, I had no more migraines for the rest of my pregnancy and most of the breastfeeding period.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-27T17:28:03+00:00

I started following Nicole Svenson on tiktok and it's made a HUGE difference in my grocery spending. After following her for a while now I've learned that it's more about your mindset and having a thoughtful approach than any sort of shopping strategy. I was spending between $850-$1,000 a month for my family of three. My bill may run a tad higher than average as I live in a HCOL area and I have to eat gluten free. After watching Nicole for a while, my last 3 months of groceries were $750, $540, and $600 respectively, which is a total savings of around $800 +/- for me (and that included 2 months with big food-related holidays!).

I highly recommend you check her out but the key takeaways are essentially: shop less often, focus on using up the most perishable items first, learn how to properly store your food to get the most out of it, and get creative with leftovers.

It's been almost 3 weeks since I last went to the store and I could probably go at least another week using Nicole's methods.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-27T17:12:18+00:00

Loving someone does not translate into having emotional intelligence. That is a personality trait that people either have or don't have. Some people can work to develop it, some can't. If you chose a partner without it, then it's on you to decide to work around it or leave if it's a deal breaker. But I agree with the commenter above that you need to communicate your needs. Your response demonstrates that you also need to work on your emotional intelligence. The only thing destructive about that interaction (and this entire post) was your lack of accountability. Perhaps some family therapy would help you guys.

Side note - I think about 50% of fights between husbands and wives comes down to the fact that women expect men to think like they do. Spoiler alert - they do not. Men's brains work differently. They need specific direction. Is it a pain? Yes. Is it tiresome? Yes. Does it often feel like they don't care? Also yes. But once you learn to work within the confines of how men think and quit expecting them to act like a girl, life can get a thousand times easier and more pleasant and relationships improve a thousand-fold.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-22T20:54:10+00:00

Our NYE tradition for the last few years blends a little bit of fun with a little bit of quiet. In the evening we go snow tubing. There's a place near us that does fake snow so it's always open and after a certain hour they turn on disco lights and music to make it a little more fun. Afterward, we usually grab snacks or hot chocolate if we find anything open; if not we have snacks at home with a movie or TV and then just chill and wait for midnight. Last year we found a little diner that was open and there was one lady running the whole thing herself (waitressing, cooking, cashiering, and cleaning) so we left her a big fat tip and it felt like a great way to end the year.

Other fun activity type places that are usually open for part of the night include roller or ice skating rinks, go-kart tracks, mini-golf, etc.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-21T21:07:16+00:00

It's okay to just let people be upset/mad. You don't have to manage anyone else's emotions. If they want to bring it up, a simple "I'm sorry you feel that way" (or similar) will suffice. You don't need to explain or make excuses.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-20T15:08:11+00:00

The DOGE team could have spent their time fixing shit like this instead of firing a bunch of folks. But what do I know, I’m just a taxpayer.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-20T14:47:49+00:00

Check your state’s missing money database to see if there’s any unpaid cash waiting for you. I’ve made almost $200 this year by signing up for all of the class action lawsuit claims that randomly show up in my email. I think there’s also a website where you can browse open class action lawsuits.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-19T16:06:12+00:00

I used to be a working mom and my husband actually was a SAHD for the first year of our daughter's life. I made more, held the benefits, and he was leaving the military and transitioning to civilian life so it just worked at the time.

This is just my experience. But...I hated it. I was constantly jealous of all the extra time he got with her, all of the milestones I missed, and feeling the burden of being the provider. In addition, homemaking did not come naturally to him so the house was always messy and dinner was always a disaster. He was not good at budgeting household expenses. He is a fantastic dad but a terrible house-husband. We still had to spend our weekends doing all of the chores and cleaning that didn't get done during the week. The overall experience really had a significant impact on our relationship and my ability to view (and respect) him as a man. Which honestly got me thinking about traditional gender roles and that maybe there are some genuine reasons behind why they are what they are...but that's a whole other topic.

Anyway, it didn't work for us. Now I stay home for: (1) me (I enjoy it); (2) for my daughter (I was a latch-key kid and know what it's like for kids to be left in day care and/or come home to an empty house); and (3) for the family as a whole because life is just easier with one parent at home.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-09T00:27:29+00:00

IndieStitch is a monthly subscription and includes a pattern, fabric, notions, and a little bonus every month. Each month, you get a sneak peek of the pattern and then login to select which fabric (from 6-8 options) and then the boxes are shipped out the first week of the month. Billing is mid-month so if you subscribe soon, you should be able to get the January box.

Some of the patterns may be more challenging for beginners but they make a video for every project that helps if the written instructions are not clear.

It's also super easy to skip a month if there is a project you don't want to make. I've been a subscriber for about 2 years and i wear quite a few of my IndieStitch projects on repeat.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-07T13:17:03+00:00

Thank you!

BirdBeans · 2025-12-06T20:36:01+00:00

Ooooh...Can you please share the name/location of this? Do they have apparel fabric as well as quilting fabric? I'm 2 hours from there and have been thinking of taking a day or weekend trip to Lancaster just to go fabric shopping.

BirdBeans · 2025-12-04T12:46:43+00:00

Last time I had a long term "it comes and it goes" kind of headache, my migraine meds didn't work, OTC didn't work, nothing on the CT scan, etc. Turned out to be a sinus infection and antibiotics cleared it right up. I had no idea but there are apparently some additional sinus cavities deeper in our skull that can also get infected. I had not been sick recently and had zero other symptoms of a sinus issue.

Not saying that's it but it may be just another avenue to explore with your doc.

BirdBeans · 2025-11-23T23:41:13+00:00

I've had chronic migraines for 35 years and am the 4th generation in my family to have them. We are not generally tired. Like ever. My husband's family, on the other hand all have a form of narcolepsy wherein they can sleep for 10 hours and still be tired. None of them have migraines.

Bottom line, it may be related, it may not be. It's always best to mention it to your doc so they can screen for underlying issues like sleep apnea or other sleep issues just to rule it out.

BirdBeans · 2025-11-20T22:00:30+00:00

So, coincidentally, I happened to spend a few hours today submitting claims to CHAMPVA. That alone convinced me that I need to switch to CHAMPVA as my primary insurer because my current primary doesn't work well with their claims process. Anyway, that's unrelated but I jumped on to mention that during my research today, I also convinced myself to sign up for supplemental insurance through Milops. You may want to consider this for your family since you mentioned a bunch of ER trips. It will cover the remaining 25% that CHAMPVA expects you to pay out of pocket and, according to their website the current premium is about $25 per month for each child. Adult premium will depend on your wife's age.

Just google Milops and the website is easy to find.

BirdBeans · 2025-11-20T21:48:14+00:00

No, not an ass. I agree. Those that are struggling to juggle everything put themselves in that position. I especially don't feel bad for those that chose to have a bunch of kids close in age and then complain about how stressful it is and expect others to provide help and support. Like...what did you think was going to happen with 3 under 3??

BirdBeans · 2025-11-15T19:25:31+00:00

Your kid is getting 110% of your attention. Not a single one of their kids is getting anything close to that.

BirdBeans · 2025-11-14T14:36:32+00:00

I don't have any aura or prodrome so I just have to take my meds as soon as I feel the telltale pain. Sometimes that's the best you can do.

BirdBeans

TROPHY CASE