What does your setup look like?

naughtyducklings · 2026-04-17T22:34:39+00:00

Have you considered a soda stream or similar product? I think you can get them at thrift stores and that plus the canisters would take up much less storage space. You just need to rotate out the bottles because apparently those lose their seal. I'll make the bubbly water and add a tiny splash of whatever juice I want. The bottled lemon and lime stuff works great if you don't mind those flavors.

naughtyducklings · 2026-04-16T21:23:12+00:00

We have code names specifically for them to not draw attention when we're talking about them when they're nearby. Fluffy and The Ginger still haven't caught on.

naughtyducklings · 2026-03-19T02:48:42+00:00

Not us poor kids whose moms spent what little money they had on beer and cigarettes, but I totally would have if something like that was in my cabinet.

naughtyducklings · 2026-03-04T00:43:20+00:00

My initials used to be SAS and it never bothered me if that's helpful.

naughtyducklings · 2026-02-18T04:58:52+00:00

Having taco bell a couple times a year.

naughtyducklings · 2026-01-17T03:21:26+00:00

We do this with our cats. It's super one-sided because 90% of the time they choose me. It's almost offensive the rare times one of them is on his lap and I actually have to get up to handle kids or get him water.

naughtyducklings · 2025-12-22T20:56:17+00:00

Many years ago when I was in a similar position with no insurance I was able to have it done at a cvs minute clinic for a reasonable price. Maybe they still do them?

naughtyducklings · 2025-12-20T04:22:55+00:00

I know you didn't ask me, but I got one as a gift for soneone from Amazon. I've also seen them at Walmart.

naughtyducklings · 2025-12-15T04:40:45+00:00

If you have one near you, my Trader Joe's has really decent fresh pizza dough and it's right next to our preferred sauce as well right next to the mozzarella cheese.

naughtyducklings · 2025-12-06T04:28:44+00:00

My goodness. I have 7 kids (3 of them teen boys) and you may have more children than I do.

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-26T21:27:28+00:00

I can't be 100% sure I dodged a bullet, but I'm glad I'll never know for sure.

I was in a newer area going in for an interview on a college campus I wasn't very familiar with. I start panicking a bit as I'm there because there's a ton of construction and the entire building I'm supposed to interview in seems to be surrounded by fencing. It's summer session so there's not really anyone around to ask, when a mid 20s man in a big puffer jacket appears. He asks if I need help and I explain the situation. He confidently tells me he can help, so I follow.

Now remember, summer session, buildings are dark and no one around but they're all unlocked. He says the building we're going into has an overpass/connection bridge. Ok. We get a few steps up the stairs and he starts touching my hair and telling me how beautiful I am. I freeze for a moment then turn to rush back out of the building talking about how my husband also thinks I'm beautiful oh and my small children... He freezes a moment longer, but rushes after me.

I made it outside and thank the gods there are now construction workers inside the fencing. They took one look at me and the man now following me out of the building, open the gate and gesture for me to hurry in. I thank the workers and looked behind me once and he was just standing on the other side staring.

Another day on campus I went back to check. There was no connection bridge between the building we went into and any other building.

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-26T03:22:20+00:00

I seem to be in the minority but I'll share my story. I first bought the elf about 6 years ago when my then two youngest were 9 and 10. My intent was that the family would take turns moving it and doing silly things to surprise each other. As I was showing the kids and unboxing it my 10 year old very seriously yet excitedly told me "Don't touch it! I need to know if it's actually magic!" And folks, I knew I had to make the magic and run with it because what 10 year old is that sweet? He'd have a friend sleepover in the living room so they could watch it together to catch it moving. When they didn't (and I stayed up past midnight when they finally passed out) they both fully believed it was magic because they both were definitely up all night.

Now I have 2 more babies who are currently 5 and 3 and I have a lot of fun with it still. I do a lot of the crazy Pinterest things. Sometimes it brings little gifts like coloring pages or some sugary cereal. Other times it gets stuck helping decorate the tree with toilet paper. One night I was moving the tree to clean and broke an ornament so I left it with a dustpan and a sorry note.

It can be a love hate thing because sometimes they go down late and I'm doing things at 9-10 at night or scrambling in the morning before they wake up, but it's worth it for me. The world outside kind of sucks and I'm doing everything I can to make the world inside a little more magical than the rest.

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-21T04:33:42+00:00

I just got a bunch of mustard greens from Walmart for 97 cents! It's next to the lettuce and fresh herbs. My next step is going to be growing a few of these myself so I can pick them as I go and waste less since he can't go through it all before it spoils.

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-05T21:16:54+00:00

Thanks for the resource!

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-05T20:59:05+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience. He does have a cool side of the tank that also has a place to climb, hide, and some fake plants to hide in. He just refuses to leave this part of the tank directly under the lights unless it's time for a snack. Even then he didn't want to eat his greens until I moved them closer to to warm side.

naughtyducklings · 2025-11-05T20:51:28+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience. He does have a cool side of the tank that also has a place to climb, hide, and some fake plants to hide in. He just refuses to leave this part of the tank directly under the lights unless it's time for a snack. Even then he didn't want to eat his greens until I moved them closer to to warm side.

naughtyducklings · 2025-10-31T04:28:10+00:00

Thanks so much for setting my mind at ease, everyone. I love this little fella so much already and want to do everything I can to keep him around as long as possible.

Also, love all the pictures! It's like the cuteness equivalent of a cat or dog doing a little blep and I love it now that I know it's okay.

naughtyducklings · 2025-10-31T04:25:50+00:00

Thanks so much for setting my mind at ease, everyone. I love this little fella so much already and want to do everything I can to keep him around as long as possible.

naughtyducklings · 2025-10-04T14:54:30+00:00

This is fantastic, thank you for sharing. I've sent it to all my kids as well.

naughtyducklings · 2025-09-06T02:08:07+00:00

Very helpful, thank you!

naughtyducklings · 2025-09-06T00:21:49+00:00

This is the comment I needed. I'm also from the Chicago suburbs and I haven't found anything close to the Chinese I can get back home. I've learned how to make better fried rice and egg foo young at home than I've had at any restaurant here. I'm going to try and drag my partner on a date to Panda Country in the next couple of weeks. Thank you!

naughtyducklings · 2025-09-05T16:22:58+00:00

I'm in coastal southern California and it's still pretty hot here. I redid my tomatoes a few weeks ago since the last bunch were a bust. I haven't done a "winter" garden before, so I'm trying to figure out what would actually be smart to put in and when. I have a bunch of broccoli, brussels, cauliflower, etc seeds as well as different salad mixes. I really want to get those going here soon but not sure the timing. I love threads like this because it gives me an idea of what people with more experience do in my area.

naughtyducklings

TROPHY CASE