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Dogs v kids [2008-11-18]
I am a sucker for a pretty face & don't have kids, so I am at my dogs' mercy. You should see their stockpile of dog treats. It's ridiculous.
School lunches. $2 a day! Doesn't sound like a lot for a meal, but it sure adds up...you would think they would give you some kind of deal because you have 3 kids. I guess I'm assuming they all go to the same school. Now I'm dating myself, but when I was in elementary school I think it cost 40 or 45 cents for lunch. A nickel for milk. Amazing!
Anybody watching the kids [2008-11-18]
on Dancing With The Stars? Good golly, those kids are good. Must take a good deal of discipline to get that far. Love it.
Most are just hoping to have some joy for their kids sm [2008-11-14]
Wefantasy. They do put it together at a certain age and itWe had an older kid who spoiledour Christmas party because he thought it his business to out the Santa thing to the younger ones as he was, bless him, highly intelligent and was told the truth from birth. Had some kids crying at one point. I think the point is, do what's right for your own family and try to have something for the kids to look forward to in these hard times especially. There is no right or wrong, just all interpret things differently and we're all very tired of all this bad news going on in the world. Have to look forward to something! Happy Holidays, no matter how you celebrate! We adults know the reason for the season. Bottom line - be happy! Life is temporary, imagination is wonderful, it takes us away from the bad news for awhile. Joy to the world and to each his own. As long as the older kids keep the secret to themselves, they also should enjoy the excitement of watching the little ones have fun with it. It's all good.
Bringing your kids to see their granddad sm [2008-11-05]
My perspective: I had an uncle who was severely ill several years ago. His sons lived in different parts of the country and when he was well enough, they flew him in to visit. I could not see him so often, so I decided to write little notes to him from time to time. Talked about some funny things that he had done and how much they made me laugh. When he was gone, my aunt told me how much those trips and the notes meant to him, it was like a gift that he and the family got to experience before he was gone, a chance to say good-bye, that many people don't get.
My prayers are with you and your family.
How do I tell the kids about Grandad? [2008-11-04]
We are going to see him at the hospital tonight, how do I tell them he has 2 weeks to 2 months to live?
Or should I tell them at all and just let them visit with him as normal?
The are 12 and 14.
Why when I am watching the kids is it a given and when my husband watches them he is (sm) [2008-11-03]
babysitting?
For your future and that of your kids [2008-10-24]
You may not think so, but you've got a lot of things going for you, the most important being that you realize you need to do something.
Short term: You've gotten great advice about making small changes, like exercising, losing weight, etc. Go for it.
Long term: YouThe journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step? Take that step and you will be surprised what you can do.
I do believe the Bible, I just don't want my mom scaring my kids (sm) [2008-10-22]
And she used swearing on the Bible as a way to further convince the children that she had seen demons and ghosts, as if they weren't scared enough. That was the kicker...that really scared them even more.
Bullying...your kids [2008-10-22]
How would you handle it if you were to find out it was your child who was the bully?What if it was your child that was being bullied?
Thank goodness both my kids are pretty much grown up sm [2008-10-22]
Both are in college, one away and one at home.
My gift will be supporting them in everything they do unconditionally, past, present, and future.
Just can't do gifts this year.
But I WILL have my traditional 3-foot tree LOL.
Rays in WS is enough for us all, though!! :-)
I have banned my mom from seeing my kids [2008-10-21]
Your situation is similar to mine, but my mom has gone a little further. I have 4 children,2 from my first marriage and 2 from my second. My second husband has been with my older two children since they were 4 and 5 and we have been married for 11 years (so obviously he is not going anywhere). I found out about a year ago that she had been talking to my oldest two kids for years about how horrible she thought my husband treated my older kids and how he doesnown children. We had been having problems with my 16 year old daughter at the time and everything can now stem back to much of this. We couldn But they were being fed information behind our backs. Everything from he is cheating on your mom, he is abusing your mom, he is a scumbag, etc.
My mother also believes in the other side which is fine with me, but don We don She would frequently talk to my youngest two, who are only 7 and 8, about traveling out of body, talking to spirits, and how they were reincarnated.
This was on top of stuff like after being told not to take the kids bike riding down a road that is 55 mph (no sidewalks) with no helmets on and she did it, not just once, but 3 times. Then when I caught her lying about it, she paid off my daughter by taking her shoe shopping! No wonder my kid is messed up.
She was told over a year ago to knock it off or supervised visits only (she was told once previously as well). She didnworship her enough for mother
It has been the hardest thing that I have had to do, but to save my marrige, my sanity and my kids, I did what I had to do. We live in a small town as well and of course mouths are wagging. The schools are under strict order to not let her in to see them as well and know the situation. My stepfather is dumbfounded and doesn But he is only hearing her side of things. I told him to get her into counseling and that would be the ONLY way I would even think of mending this, but it has yet to be done.
You have to do what is right for your family and if this creates this much uproar in your family, then only you can decide how much you can take.
protect your kids [2008-10-21]
As a mom your first priority is to protect your kids, not protect your mother's feelings. If you feel your mother is crossing the line and won't stop after you talk to her, do what you need to to protect your kids.
Oh please. I live in SF, and the kids are going to see their [2008-10-16]
they would have regardless, even if she were marrying a man. The lesson they may learn is that of tolerance, inclusion, and most of all, LOVE.
If they were excluded from attending the wedding, it would just teach them HATRED, and there's far too much of that in this country.
They also may get a lesson in dirty politics after the election, as the religious right in Calif. is trying to strike down the legality of same-sex marriage, which the Calif. Supreme Court had upheld as a basic American right.
I have many gay & lesbian friends, and they are no less human nor caring than anyone else. And probably more so, considering the persecution they have to endure just to love the person of their choice.
Anyway, what the kids are going to see is a WEDDING. A celebration of LOVE. At that age, that's pretty much all they're going to remember about it or care about.
No, in the MW our kids go to school to get an acutal [2008-10-16]
xx
Yes, and friends too. But school is where kids learn facts, so whatever their teacher says (sm) [2008-10-16]
they are going to think it must be right. I think that is unfair leverage to use to support your own point of view as a teacher.
Do you have kids? Do you want them seeing some stranger's penis or vagina? nm [2008-10-16]
x
So the 'right way' to parent is to teach your kids to hate. [2008-10-16]
nm
But these are kids; they shouldn't have to fight at a young age nm [2008-10-15]
:)
I coach softball and my favorite gift was a sweatshift with photo of the team and all the kids signe [2008-10-13]
They signed it in some kind of indelible ink which is great because I actually wear it all the time. I also got a plaque that looks just like the shirt, which is nice to have because I'm sure I'll wear out the sweatshirt. I love them and feel proud when I wear the shirt. We were champs of the league and the district and for a couple months after the season we were all kind of local celebrities! I played at a high level myself traveling all over Italy and Japan, but coaching this group was the best experience of my athletic career.
dating someone with kids is hard [2008-10-09]
Bottom line is he SHOULD put her first, because if he didn't what kind of man would he be? My point to you is that although I understand COMPLETELY how you feel... it's just not always justified. I couldn't deal with my situation with kids so I left it. I respect him as a man for being a great dad, but having broken homes and split families is sometimes very difficult, as atested to the way the daughter acts towards you. You have to realize this is the way it's gonna be... deal with it or leave... (im not trying to say it is easy or anything... just facts you know?)
Questions about Firefly phone for kids [2008-10-07]
My SIL just emailed me and said they were getting a new cell for their son and asked if we would like the Firefly for our son. She had the phone on their cell account. How do we go about activating it? Can we pay as we go? How do we get a number for it?? TIA
Kids behavior [2008-10-02]
How a child acts at home is not an indicator of how he/she acts when away from home and parents, no matter what is taught in the home. It is always good to get the whole scoop from others who were there exactly what happened before you go off on anybody. It just could be that the other mom is sitting there angry because of what your child might have done to her child that she might have felt the need to defend herself against. I learned this from experience. I thought I had the perfect angel also, raised with good morals, two-parent home, involved in church, no bad behavior at home, but found out I was dead wrong when watching a video from the school (also a private grade school). Just something to think about.
there have been some kids suspended [2008-10-01]
for pointing their index finger and saying bang, you and this is rather far above that. I wonder what type of home environment she has. Agree the school should have called you.
We're talking about kids; not adults. [2008-10-01]
My kids got me one for by birthday years [2008-09-26]
ago. Absolutely love it and they make their milkshakes with it, no mess at all.
We have been spending less than 100 [2008-11-19]
And we are starving. DH took over going to the grocery store from me (He thought I spent too much when I would spend about 150 a week.) It has been months since we do not have a bare cupboard. I am not complaining. I understand we are broke and he needs to pay the creditors. But the one person who has pretty much stopped eating is me. I am home all day and there is never bread to make a sandwich and I often pass up supper because I am tired of eating junky stuff like mac and cheese or spaghetti with meat sauce. He and our 11 year old son, on the other hand eat thirds of whatever meal it is. I get kind of annoyed. Our littlest boy and middle girl eat very little. All 3 take their lunch to school. I say to DH either stop eating so much (for him and the older boy) or buy more. He flips his eyes at me. We even stopped getting microwave popcorn which used to fill them up. So, now I am hoping to work extra to go to the grocery store myself and put an extra 100 a week in myself, but I keep running out of work.
You see, this all started when we started running out of work in transcription about a year ago this fall, and my DH took over the bills. Apparently food was the first to be cut. And, BTW I don't ever go anywhere because there is no gas in my car, and it has 2 flat tires. We live by the school and I borrow DH's car to take the kids but it is always on empty. We seem to make it every time. Oh, well. No need to complain. Just cutting back. The family is lucky I work at home, don't use gas, barely eat. But I do have to pay 10 bucks a month for nerve pills, because it is hard doing without. Like I said, when work picks up transcribing first place I am going after I get gas for the car is to the food store. Eventually I can repair my flat tires.
I'm in Florida and spend about $175/wk for 5 sm [2008-11-18]
I5 and 158 lbs,eats more than my husband, who is 6 and 345 lbs. FIL had to have a feeding tube put in last July, and I had to cut down meals by half because we were having so many leftovers and wasting money. Just when I thought I had it figured out, he was able to get the tube removed, so II donwe (FIL and I) will just eat a sandwich or leftovers from the fridge
As far as special foods, we dona recipe, and for a while we were buying meat ata butcher shop but have had to cut that out for now. It was really good but was close to DH's work, and if he couldn't pick it up while he was in the area, it was a 45-minute drive. I cook most things from scratch, except lasagna because I hate making it. Once a month, we have a luncheon at church that I bring a dish and a dessert, and I cook Wednesday night dinner there one night per month, but I get reimbursed for the Wednesday night dinner. I do include paper products and toiletries in with my grocery budget but that's it, and I usually go to Sam's once a month for those.
I have it easy compared to my parents though. My dad got paid once a month, and there were 4 kids at home all the time, 5 when my sister came up during the summer. They used to have 3 grocery carts slap full of food, and my mom figured out that it took something like 18 boxes of cereal to last a month, each one with a date marked on it so we didnWe also hada freezer to keep extra bread and other things, and my mom also used to mix in powdered milk when the gallon was half-way gone. I never knew until I was grown, so she definitely blended it well.
I think I spend less at the store when [2008-11-18]
we eat out/order in. Of course, then our entertaining budget increases. But some things are cheaper to just order in. For example, pizzas -- I can get 2 large pepperoni pizzas from the local pizzeria for under $20. If I buy them in the store, I spend about $15 and then have to cook them and my kids don The frozen kind are also smaller.
I just got groceries this past Friday and spent $200. I had an entire cart full. In addition to the coupons I had, I also had a 20% discount on everything (one of those reward plans for spending so much the previous 2 months). I got value packs of skinless/boneless chicken breasts - buy 1 get 1 free -- $15 packs of chicken, breakfast sausage on sale, ham steaks on sale, plus my 20% off all that.
Overall, I think I spend somewhere around $150 a week on groceries. There are 5 of us -- me, my hubs, and 3 boys -- ages 6 to 11.
What I notice that I spend more on are school lunches. It costs $2.00 a day per child and I don I $2/day x 3 kids = $6/day x 5 days/week = $30/week x 4 weeks/month = $120 for lunch. YIKES!!! I think I can do better than that if I pack them.
Dogs v kids [2008-11-18]
I am a sucker for a pretty face & don't have kids, so I am at my dogs' mercy. You should see their stockpile of dog treats. It's ridiculous.
School lunches. $2 a day! Doesn't sound like a lot for a meal, but it sure adds up...you would think they would give you some kind of deal because you have 3 kids. I guess I'm assuming they all go to the same school. Now I'm dating myself, but when I was in elementary school I think it cost 40 or 45 cents for lunch. A nickel for milk. Amazing!
I'm in Delaware... [2008-11-18]
but I go usually twice a week. I don I like to buy it, cook it, and move it out, so I can go back and buy fresh. I have 3 grocery stores right within 5 miles to choose from and just got a Super WalMart, but prefer the smaller grocery stores.
But, if I bring DH, we spend more. He likes to try different marinades and spices that can get costly, but we do use them. I tend to be more frugal than my DH. But, then again, that's just me.
Oh, we have two school-aged children that eat plenty of anything you put in front of them. So, not much goes to waste.
I was taught to cook enough to feed an Army so we usually have plenty of leftovers that I can also fool with for another meal, i.e., leftover meatloaf becomes meat for spaghetti sauce. Mashed potatoes become fried potatoe pancakes in the pan for a great side dish. I also by those Pillsbury french loafs in the can and make my own strombolis out of leftover taco meat or even just lunch meat. My Mom taught me a lot about making food serve multiple purposes.
We eat out very rarely although there is plenty to choose from, but it I guess I'm lucky there..
Eating Out - About the Same as You [2008-11-18]
We usually get take out on Friday's because I don't cook on Fridays (it's my day off so to speak). Then we go out on Saturday nights just my husband and myself and our best friends and usually spend about $40+ depending on where we go. The kids get together with their kids and they usually get some sort of take out. Then on Saturdays we usually either eat lunch out (fast food) and then Sundays either lunch or dinner out (fast food - I hate to say sometimes it's both). We have been trying to cut down the Saturdays and Sundays as far as the fast food goes. My daughter who is a vegetarian doesn't usually get much from the fast food restaurants so our bill usually isn't that large (About $10). We always use coupons, though (buy 1 get 1 free - we have what is called Entertainment Books that the schools usually sell). My husband will cook, and I hate to say he cooks better than I do.
We usually eat out once a week. On the [2008-11-18]
nights I don't feel like cooking, I have frozen dinners in the freezer, soups, make grilled cheese, and I always have leftovers from the nights I do cook.
My kids love pizza, so our eat out night is usually Pizza Hut or Papa Murphy's takeout.
When I was in school, it was 85 cents for [2008-11-18]
lunch and 15 cents for milk. All 3 of my kids do go to the same school. The discounted meals aren It We make too much to qualify for any of the state-funded programs (not that I
I'm embarrassed to say this, but [2008-11-18]
we usually eat out at least 3 if not 4 nights a week. Always eat out on Fridays and Saturdays and then usually Tuesday and Thursday nights.
I generally cook a large family meal on Sunday with enough leftovers to last through Monday. Tuesday night we either order in and Wednesdays we have breakfast for dinner -- my kids love that one. Thursdays we usually order in because it
We usually eat out Friday nights because we go to get groceries (I don Saturday we
We When it was a 15-minute drive to town, I planned our meals ahead of time and usually only ordered once a week or once every 2 weeks and we only ate out on Saturdays. We seemed to have picked up these extra 2 nights of ordering in out of convenience (a nicer word than laziness).
Oh the cost -- I have 3 kids and a hubby. On the nights we order in, we spend about $25 to $30 (saving because of no drinks or appetizers). When we eat out, the bill is usually around $50. So altogether, I guess I spend about $155 a week on eating out -- WOW/YIKES! Thanks for making me realize that. I think it
I can't imagine affording all those meals out, but I have some suggestions sm [2008-11-18]
I usually cook from scratch. My idea of fast food is a can of lentil soup, and I have that about once a month, occasionally twice. I make crockpot soups a lot because I am busy.
I will tell you, there is a place that is sort of between a restaurant meal and home cooking. I used to have kids at home, lots of them, and I would get too tired to cook. My answer was to hybrid the dinner, so to speak.
You can get Stouffer's lasagne which is good. You can pickup some ready-made stuff in your grocery store deli or freezer case. We liked the frozen Banquet chicken back in the day. I might get that, a box of flavored instant potatoes, potato salad or ready-made mashed to go with it. We might get a bag of salad too. Fresh fruit cups were nice if they were on special. You know, make a nice meal you don't have to 100% cook, but isn't going out.
These days, I see that you can get beef tips in gravy, or sliced beef in gravy and other prepared stuff at the store. It just takes looking. It is more expensive than doing it all yourself, but it is much cheaper than going out.
You can try another thing that is NOT everyone's cup of tea, and that is OAMC or Once A Month Cooking. This is my favorite website:
http://snider.mardox.com/plans.htm
I donmini plans using what is on special in a given week. They have breakfast plans, muffin plans, potato plans, chicken, beef, pork plans, ground meat plans, even some dessert plans. With planning, you can do this in bits and pieces. From people who have done far more of this than I have, they tell me that with soup already made, no chopping or messing, they are more likely to make fresh rolls, salad and even a quick dessert...round out any meal because the work is done. Obviously, it saves money.
Anybody watching the kids [2008-11-18]
on Dancing With The Stars? Good golly, those kids are good. Must take a good deal of discipline to get that far. Love it.
Almost never [2008-11-18]
Idown the hill (mountain-speak for a trip to Costco-land, around 60 miles away), I stop at In-N-Out (famous LA burger chain). Cost: $10, including 2 small plain hamburgers with nothing but bread & meat & cheese for...guess who? Yes. My dogs. I know, I know. The starving kids in China.
You can see my kids in the Doggy post: http://forum.mtstars.com/misc/v/5/42327.html
Can you blame me?
Bakes potato soup [2008-11-17]
I like to make baked potato soup. Bake 3 large potatoes or 4-5 small ones. Cut them in half, cool slightly, then scoop out the middle. While they are baking I takes some time to heat up some chicken stock with a bay leaf, garlic, black pepper, a little time. Sometimes I use boulion (sp?) if I donbake the potatoes in the microwave if you want). I find that kids love it if you call it cheese and bacon soup. lol Usually for the bacon, I don't cook a new package but instead when I cook bacon for breakfast, etc. I save 2 or 3 pieces in the freezer each time. Then when I want some for soup, green beans, or salads it is available.
Never before Dec.10 but this year need uplifting sm [2008-11-17]
Perhaps I can ask hubby to drag out my nice blue spruce from the basement for Thanksgiving as where I live the recession is hitting big and we need some joy. I will never forget the kids discovering the tree was fake as it is pretty well made and looks real. It was a hilarious moment of shrieking, Hey, Guys, this tree is fake!
Used tohave beautiful, country-themed tastefullydecorated trees and wreaths put up in mid-Dec.So, what the heck, Ireason why I went fake and a bad tree that got so bald by Christmas we had to take it down and had no tree at all that year. Just trying to be festive and lighten the mood. Maybe I will go early, depending on hubbyThat thing again! Oh well.Gotta loosen up a bit.
Hope venting made you feel better... [2008-11-16]
The thing that struck me the most in your post is that you help a friend by listening to dictation. Is this during *your* work hours? If so, try not to answer the phone. I know, it sounds so simple, but if you have kids, this can betough. Anyhow, if the friend asks why you are not answering, tell her you need to focus on getting lines so you can pay your monthly bills (stress this!). Maybe she will get the hint. I had to do this when a coworker called me constantly. I As for the friends working when they were asked not to, well, unfortunately, it is a supervisors/managerHopefullys/he will take care of this. Good luck.
I'm so sorry for you pain... [2008-11-14]
My dad drank a lot too. I donan alcoholic though. My dad was a horrible father when all five of the kids were at home. He beat my oldest brother horrendously in front of all of us many, many times. He lined us all up by age when I was 5 (I There is a long list of other things that happened.
Once we moved out of the house, he turned into a different man. He did apologize to us. He became the best father and friend I could ask for. He was always so thrilled when I stopped by and made me feel more loved than anyone ever has. Fourteen years ago yesterday, my dad was killed in an airplane crash. He had an experiemental airplane and was flying by himself.
I have never forgotten my childhood because it has a lot to do with who I am today, but I am so thankful for the time I did have with him once things changed.
Maybe you could tell your dad how you feel about him, explain how hard it is to be around him now and let him take the next step. It might beworth a shot. I I know it is really difficult to sort out all the emotions sometimes. I'll be thinking of you.
Alternative Christmas celebration and [2008-11-14]
Does anyone here NOT celebrate the traditional Christmas with their kids...specifically I am referring to the Santa portion. I am thinking about doing this with our second child (currently pregnant). Our first child is now old enough to know the truths and it is kind of a relief to be honest. I have tried and tried to stress the importance of family and the true meaning over Santa but its really hard. Recently I have just been thinking that may be next time it would be easier all the way around to not follow that but wonder how it would work with school, people asking, etc.
i think it is gross [2008-11-14]
i saw he/she, which one do you call her/he, and i felt sick to my stomach. YUCK. we were watching the evening news and they showed this picture and the kids were freaking out and thought it was gross.
They talked about this on The View for 2 days and [2008-11-14]
even to the point as to how they have sex and thatmake me sick, especially now that she/he is pregnant again and due in June! BW thinks she's doing the world a favor by doing this special report.
The reasonit keptits female parts was to have kids. What gets me is they never heard of adoption? Why not adopt? Because they wanted to make money, that's why.
I don't know how many times they pointed out that she is now a legal male on all records, SS#, birth (how'd they accomplish that?), marriage license, medical history, etc. If she/he is a legal male, she/he shouldn't have the reproductive organs. Period.
I feel sorryfor the kids. They will be so confused because they are going to tell them as soon as they to speak and/or understand.
This world is going to h---- in a handbasket.
I think it's a shame s/m [2008-11-14]
to deprive children of the traditional Santa Claus. Heck, I still believe in Santa Claus myself. It is a spirit that lives within the hearts of old and young. Kids eventually figure out for themselves that Santa is a fantasy. We took our kids to our church We opened gifts when we came home. There was no lying involved and their personalities were not warped either.
Bah humbug on Santa? No way! [2008-11-14]
When kids get on the school bus or talk in the cafeteria, what would happen? Perhaps group mentality which we learn in Psych 4, is what you are thinking, but what about going along to get along? For Petep double ee on their parade. Kids know - they believe in a Sants, i.e., St. Nick, i.e., blue and white stuff for 8 days for the Jewish kids. So what -- for goodness sake, let the kid ge a kid! Play - toys - Chris Kringle - whatever! Donabove it all. Get real! DonSanta. He is not Satan - he is S A N T A. Got your letters crossed.
Grapes of Wrath had an accompanying movie sm [2008-11-14]
Tobacco Road - never saw such depressing movies back-to-back in my life, but they were truthful. Saw them in college for history lessons. Can you believe some people are going to put more on their kids by telling them he truth about Santa in this awful time? Talk about depression -- did we come this far to go back in attitude - read some of the above posts - probably born again and saved and we are the lost. I doubt it, I think we have lived it and don't want to see that negative attitude again. Oh boy, flaming, her we come. I am going on a 2-week hiatus. Fight on! Worse than the politics board - too much negativism in what is already a troubled time. Think positive! Geez! Santa, I love you!
a kid's point of view ...sm [2008-11-14]
I just had conversation with a fellow Sunday School teacher about what GIFTS would be good to give this kids this Christmas. At one point this gal asked her son (12 yrs. old) if he had any ideas what the kids would like to get. His response gee, mom, I thought Christmas was about GIVING, not getting. Out of the mouth of babes, right? !!
Maybe it Bet your children are just glad to have a good mom !!
Most are just hoping to have some joy for their kids sm [2008-11-14]
Wefantasy. They do put it together at a certain age and itWe had an older kid who spoiledour Christmas party because he thought it his business to out the Santa thing to the younger ones as he was, bless him, highly intelligent and was told the truth from birth. Had some kids crying at one point. I think the point is, do what's right for your own family and try to have something for the kids to look forward to in these hard times especially. There is no right or wrong, just all interpret things differently and we're all very tired of all this bad news going on in the world. Have to look forward to something! Happy Holidays, no matter how you celebrate! We adults know the reason for the season. Bottom line - be happy! Life is temporary, imagination is wonderful, it takes us away from the bad news for awhile. Joy to the world and to each his own. As long as the older kids keep the secret to themselves, they also should enjoy the excitement of watching the little ones have fun with it. It's all good.
She won't! [2008-11-13]
Lot's of kids like this around. It's not her fault she got tickets - she didn't call the police. You see - the tickets are a result of the phone call - not her mistake. After all - rules don't apply to these kids!
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