It was only the second problem I ever had with the washer. The shocks broke last summer, but that was a cheap fix. It did a good job until the sudden very loud banging last week, then I found out about it's disposable nature. If I would have laid down several hundred to get it fixed, then it only would have been a matter of time until the arms corroded again. I sure will give my impressions of the Speed Queen after we've had it for a while. It's going to get a workout getting the laundry caught up from this week!

Well, I'm the mother of a 6 yo girl and I am sometimes surprised by the things she says and does that seem very adult-like. Mine has been talking about getting married for 2+ years now (roll eyes). I think kids (especially at this age) tend to mirror other kids, and that can include a lot of older sibling behavior for 6 year olds (and not just your older DD, but perhaps behaviors taught to the 6 yo by her classmates who subsequently got it from their older siblings). Mine is an only and I see this pattern strongly-- like when she came home and announced, very matter of factly, that her friend doesn't associate with people of a certain color. Five year olds don't come up with that on their own, they get it from parents and older siblings. Of course, this was one of those situations where I asked her a few questions as to how she felt about it, and made sure she understood our values and that the other girl might be misguided (but she already had that figured out thankfully). 6 is also an age of narcissism, so I would not put too much bearing on her being caught up in her appearance and what other people think of her based on it. ALTHOUGH, I would definitely spend the next few years correcting her beliefs and continuing to communicate with her the values of "pretty is as pretty does" and that boys who are only interested in her for her appearance aren't much of anything themselves. It's a process, but that is the only way for your beliefs to make an impression is if she hears them consistently. It's especially important to keep on with it since we live in a society that is so caught up in outward appearance over inward virtue. Keep with your beliefs and give it time, and hopefully it will stick and she will outgrow this. You say she has a good relationship with her dad, which is very important, since how he treats her should eventually be reflected in the boys she chooses to associate with. I'd examine that relationship to make sure that her dad is encouraging her on a psychological and social level, and that he isn't inadvertently encouraging her need to be accepted by appearance. It is something he might do without even realizing it- if he consistently compliments her on how nice she looks after she gets herself dressed, but then fails to compliment her on her kind treatment of others, it could cause her to unconsciously value appearance over other things. It's easy to do this sort of thing with your kids and not realize it too. But again, 6 is an age of being strongly self-absorbed, and with some firm guidelines, boundaries, and positive encouragement on your part, I would hope she would naturally grow out of this and into a more rounded individual.

Jodi, See where the lable is, there is a 3 sided opening under that. It opens like a door. Just cut the 3 sides with an exacto knife. Flip it back and put the stuff in. I put a strip of packing tape over it then taped the lable over that. You can't see the slits until the lable is removed. Since he is 6, I really wanted to put something to embarrass him a bit, like a pair of underwear. I settled for sox. I put in small toys and dollars and change, and some candy. The person who introduced this on here, sent it in the mail, without wrapping it (just the lable.)

Thanks all! It is a fun bathroom with the colours! I also love the shower curtain and the fishy bathmat. Such a cheap and easy change if we want to tone the colours down, but it's so cheerful in there!