The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Figgy1]

The rest of my family all ate the same things I did and no one was sick. My mom had a touch of it, but not much. My theory is my brother brought it home, barely got it, passed it to me, and me with my stomach just got it horribly.

More {{HUGS}} from a nice safe distance. Boys

 

[DryerLintFan]

Our family solved the Shopping dilemma as soon as Amazon offered wish lists. We are a fairly close family, within reason. We don't spend our every waking moment involved in each others lives. I don't know anymore what my girls want or like, I don't know what todays youth is into so the solution is the Wish List. The make a list based primarily on the items that they like that are carried by Amazon. I can sit down look through the list, match items up with budget and I know that everything I get was something that they wanted. And this year, so far, I have a couple of gift cards to pick up but otherwise it took less then 2 hours to purchase everything I wanted and here it is a whole month away from Christmas and my entire den is filled with gifts for the family. Right now the ages in my family run from 6 years old to almost 70 and none of us have to guess.

I don't let myself get all involved with the idea that in order to mean anything someone must go out and spend valuable time trying to figure out what I might like, travel all over trying to find something. And in the end it is just a guess that they have picked something that is either wanted or needed. A lot of older people hate modern technology, I think it is wonderful.

That's great that you found something that works for your family!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

The year round one is an outdoor tree that lives inside. This is it from a previous year.
View attachment 246880

I love that! We have a teeny itty bitty one like that in our teeny Christmas village.

The Odd Socks looks like a real fun company. Should be a great evening for you two.

As an aside for Harry Potter fans, Pottery Barn Teen now has Harry Potter items. Here is a pic of the catalog cover.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

I think we're going to switch to just treats for the adults next year. I've done the shopping for months trying to find the perfect gift that wasn't appreciated. I've done the work on a heart felt hand made gift for months that wasn't appreciated. At this point, I think we're better off focusing on the kids. Adults don't need presents anyway.

We never do adult presents. We just do kids. It makes everyone happy not to have to buy for so many.

 

[Cesar R M]

Am I the only person who wishes Disney might someday do an animated film of The Wolf and the seven Little Goats?

We already have something similar. Its called "One Stormy Night" and its a japanese animated movie.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Our family solved the Shopping dilemma as soon as Amazon offered wish lists. We are a fairly close family, within reason. We don't spend our every waking moment involved in each others lives. I don't know anymore what my girls want or like, I don't know what todays youth is into so the solution is the Wish List. The make a list based primarily on the items that they like that are carried by Amazon. I can sit down look through the list, match items up with budget and I know that everything I get was something that they wanted. And this year, so far, I have a couple of gift cards to pick up but otherwise it took less then 2 hours to purchase everything I wanted and here it is a whole month away from Christmas and my entire den is filled with gifts for the family. Right now the ages in my family run from 6 years old to almost 70 and none of us have to guess.

I don't let myself get all involved with the idea that in order to mean anything someone must go out and spend valuable time trying to figure out what I might like, travel all over trying to find something. And in the end it is just a guess that they have picked something that is either wanted or needed. A lot of older people hate modern technology, I think it is wonderful.

That is a great idea. My kids still do the letter to Santa.

 

[Figgy1]

I love that! We have a teeny itty bitty one like that in our teeny Christmas village.

The Odd Socks looks like a real fun company. Should be a great evening for you two.

As an aside for Harry Potter fans, Pottery Barn Teen now has Harry Potter items. Here is a pic of the catalog cover.
View attachment 246909

Note to self keep the guys away from Pottery Barn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pixieish]

I'm on the fence, too, though we did have one creepy experience when DD was 2. It was like 9pm and she was supposed to be in bed and she had this toy kitchen and when you turned the knobs on the stove, they clicked. I could hear her turning the knobs even though she was supposed to be in bed. I whispered to DH that I could hear her. Just as I said that, she cried out and I could hear her run back to her bed. There's NO way she could have heard me because we were in our room, across the hall and her bedroom door was closed and I was whispering. So I went in to check on her and she said "The Lady" scared her. I asked what lady and she said there was a lady standing by her dresser. She had long brown hair and was wearing a brown dress and pants under the dress, and the lady told her she was supposed to be sleeping, not playing. So I told her that the lady was right...she WAS supposed to be sleeping, but it wasn't very kind of the lady to scare her and I told the lady that I appreciated that she wanted DD to follow the rules, I would handle it from now on, thank you. Nothing ever happened again. And my best friend said when her daughter was 2 or 3, she wanted to leave a bag of clothes for the little girl who always came at night, because the girl always wore the same clothes and she thought the little girl must not have any others. Who knows if it's just imaginations or if it's real.

My friend used to live in this really old mansion. I never believed in ghosts, but weird things happened in that house. The phone would come off the hook, cupboard doors would open, and sometimes you'd see what looked like a little boy crying on the staircase in the corner of your eye. I still don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe this kind of weird stuff is common. I think weak spots between ours and alternate dimensions in the multi-verse is a more likely scenario, but I just figure I'm not really smart enough to understand it.

It creeps me out every time my daughter (2.75) says "who's that" and points to a corner or a doorway with nobody in it.

I have never personally experienced anything, but just because I haven't seen in doesn't mean it does not exist. I always compare it to molecules in the "air". I know air is made of gazillions of different molecules that we cannot see. So that is how I deal with ghosts or paranormal phenomena.

There's definitely SOMETHING. I lived in a 300-year-old house, and doors used to lock themselves, things would disappear, etc. etc., and at my Aunt's house, a rocking chair would just start rocking. I've had multiple experiences...sometimes they're scary, sometimes not...it depends on the situation.

 

[Songbird76]

Pardon if I'm being blunt... That doesn't sound like a relationship AT ALL, sounds like hell to me. You were being abused left for right in my eyes with this kind of behaviour.

Yeah, you're probably right. I have vowed not to do that to my kids...I learned a lot from my mom about parenting, some good, some bad. She WAS always there for my concerts, or if I was singing the national anthem at a game, or cheering. And she stepped up when there was no Girl Scout leader. It wasn't all bad, and really the worst of it was when I had gone to college and she COULDN'T control me. When I was young, I did what she wanted because she was my mom and that's what you're supposed to do. And she liked me ok when I was obeying her rules, even if she favored my brother pretty blatantly. It wasn't until I got older and started being ME that she got so cruel. I have some really great memories with my mom. But I'm determined to let my kids be who they are and I'm a "choose your battles" kind of mom because I know what it's like to not get any freedom and to have ridiculously strict, stifling rules that seem to have no purpose...like peg-legging my pants was going to somehow lead me to drugs or something?

 

[Songbird76]

Sympathy like. still no luck with the robe?

Not yet...we've still got a few weeks. And it's not a huge deal if we can't get it. It's not like she will die without it. It would just make her immensely happy if I can get it.

 

[Songbird76]

I love that! We have a teeny itty bitty one like that in our teeny Christmas village.

The Odd Socks looks like a real fun company. Should be a great evening for you two.

As an aside for Harry Potter fans, Pottery Barn Teen now has Harry Potter items. Here is a pic of the catalog cover.
View attachment 246909

Yeah...I saw that on the book of face. I went to the link and holy money pitt, batman!! They want $45 for a throw pillow!! I got a Ravenclaw one from Primark for 6 euros! I did LOVE the Snitch clock on the PB teen site, but that was $50. As much as I love the stuff, I just don't have that kind of money.

 

[brb1006]

We already have something similar. Its called "One Stormy Night" and its a japanese animated movie.

I heard about that film, but I'm really curious to see Disney's take on The Wolf And The Seven Kids by The Brothers Grimm. The tale is pretty popular in Europe (Especially The Netherlands) and Japan.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That is a great idea. My kids still do the letter to Santa.

The first letter to Santa that I remember putting together was three pages long. Covered just about everything in the Sears Catalog. I was about 4 or 5 at the time and I remember clearly thinking that if I put a lot of things on the list I would not get them all, but, I might get more then if I just made a small list.

I was an only child at the time, and quite lovable not to mention cute as a button. As it turned out I got everything on my list and more from Aunts, Uncles and Grand Parents. Good Times! A year or so later my sister was born and that gravy train came to a screeching halt. Siblings ruined my life!

 

[MinnieM123]

I'm lucky with my MIL too, we don't have very much in common, but she's very good to us and I enjoy our visits.

I have a great MIL--fun and intelligent. My FIL is also very nice. I'm lucky.

 

[MinnieM123]

This is so friggin cute. I wish I didn't have a men can use/backup machine

My sewing machine is a Brother, too. (I haven't used it for well over 15 years, though. It might need some oil. )

 

[MinnieM123]

We would be staying in a hotel if we go, a Hampton inn near their house. If we don't go I will miss going downtown into Chicago, that part is always fun.

Heh, heh . . . think it's funny that the consolation prize (time in Chicago) outdoes the visit to the rellies!

 

[MinnieM123]

He is torn, he gets annoyed with his sisters but doesn't want to disappoint them. He is a people pleaser and would feel guilty not going. He talked to them on Thanksgiving and planted the seed of us not coming. His oldest sister was appalled and couldn't believe we would even think of not coming. She of course also didn't think his break was a big deal because he has a boot not a cast, even though he can't put any weight on it. And never in a million years would she offer to visit here, she complained about how far it was for our wedding. It will work out somehow.

Hey, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. If she was a generous person, she would come out to visit the both of you. I think it's really selfish that she's still expecting the two of you to go and visit her. Nah . . . pass.

 

[MinnieM123]

My sisters in law are the same way. We mentioned that we're going to be in Disney World this year for Christmas and one of them got so angry that she walked away and didn't talk to us for over an hour.

This is why I avoid family get-togethers at the holidays. I've heard enough.

You go and enjoy your Christmas in Disney World and forget about them.

 

[MinnieM123]

Thanks. Don’t know what I would have done prior to online shopping. It does make comparing prices easier and finding things in a snap. I do feel bad for physical stores though. A little bit of guilt there.

There's room for both. Sometimes, the online places help the brick and mortars, and vice versa. Just depends on what people want, and what price point they're willing to pay--and sometimes if it's in stock and it's in your town--best way to deal with that is to go and pick it up. Done.

By the way, I'm not done yet--only about halfway there--actually, more like a 1/3 way there!

 

[BAChicagoGal]

I plugged in my prelit four foot Christmas tree today, and 1/2 of the lights did not light. So I took the one string of lights off, and now I have to go shopping for a replacement. Peaches, our conure did not react to the 1/2 lit tree at all. So, I am entertaining the idea of decorating the tree in about a week. I sure hope she doesn't decide to attack it after I spend time buying lights, and decorating it. Time will tell. I did put up my small white Santa tree in my small room off the kitchen. That's where I spend all of my computer/television time. I am beginning to get in the mood for Christmas.

Sadly Christmas is the only time that I see my side of family. It's the only time they make the effort to show up for my family gathering. This year it is on December 17th. Our Official Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve. My husband's family has always come over and celebrated with us on Christmas Eve, so I had to come up with an alternative day for my side of the family. It ended up being the Sunday before Christmas, in case Christmas Eve is on a Sunday, like it is this year.