Another thing I miss about the lake..

[C.Ann]

Our family always puts the gifts under the tree as they are wrapped (unless there is a toddler who would rip the wrappings off); that gives the "child"/"children" in the house more to marvel at and wonder about.

Until I became a member on the DIS I had never heard of families doing this before - or opening gifts on Christmas Eve.. It's interesting.. Everyone has their own traditions - ours have been the same since I was a child - a long, long time ago..

 

[JerseyJanice]

Maybe you should find a house at a lake where you could live there year round and you would have your OWN rules to follow.
That way your posts about the lakehouse would be more current instead of packing the lakehouse, leaving the lakehouse, missing the lakehouse,moving back to the lakehouse, loving the lakehouse, this is what I would be doing if I were at the lakehouse, etc.

No one is forcing you to read anybody else's posts. If you don't like reading about the lakehouse, it's uber-easy to avoid.

To the OP, I get what you're saying. When you're alone early in the morning, you can do pretty much anything you please. When others are sleeping in the house, you have to be quiet.

I was up before anybody else in my house this morning. (Thanks to the cover-hogs who share my bed.) I came downstairs and got on the computer. I thought about cooking bacon like a PP suggested, but I have a lot of housework to do today, so I figured I'd grab a little "me" time while I can.

 

[golfgal]

Our family always puts the gifts under the tree as they are wrapped (unless there is a toddler who would rip the wrappings off); that gives the "child"/"children" in the house more to marvel at and wonder about.

We never put presents under the tree before Christmas because I loved the "WOW" when they woke up on Christmas morning. Hindsight, I wish I would have put a few out each year so they would have had the fun of shaking and trying to guess what was in there. I did this because my brother would always unwrap everything and tell everyone what they got and rewrap them. Jerk.

I am going to do that this year and I am using the idea I got on DIS to put a code on the tag so they don't know who it belongs to either. Part of the fun of Christmas is the anticipation. I will leave some things hidden for Christmas morning.

 

[npmommie]

Our family always puts the gifts under the tree as they are wrapped (unless there is a toddler who would rip the wrappings off); that gives the "child"/"children" in the house more to marvel at and wonder about.

what about the santa gifts? do you wait to put some of them out as if they are from santa?

Just to answer your question.

Yes-when kids are small-but not in a locked room-got to be sneakier that that.

No-for when they get older-
Once the children are older dont believe in santa (6-7)-all presents are wrapped under the tree. that's part of the fun of christmas-jiggling the presents to guess what they are!

belle.........do you have kids??
what 6 or 7 yo does not believe in Santa??

 

[tluvstink]

Our family always puts the gifts under the tree as they are wrapped (unless there is a toddler who would rip the wrappings off); that gives the "child"/"children" in the house more to marvel at and wonder about.

We do this too but I save a few to put out late Christmas Eve.

OP....hang in there. It will be spring before we know it

Terri

 

[lovetoscrap]

I hope you can at least get a cup of coffee or tea and some toast or some other breakfast to enjoy while you read or DIS! Surely they can't expect you to starve until they get up--that wouldn't be polite on their end.

I am NOT a morning person. On the weekends I could easily sleep until 11 or 12, and sometimes 1 if it has been a really hard week. But it does really throw off the rest of my day. This morning I was up about 8:30 because the cats jumped on me, but stayed in bed until a little past 9. I also can sleep through just about anything so my family is no problem, they can watch TV, cook breakfast and do anything else they want and it won't disturb me. The smell from DH making coffee does sometimes cause me to open one eye, but not for long!


Could you get together some of your scrapbooking stuff for small easy projects and keep it in a bag in your room and then do it on the kitchen table? Things like some page kits to go ahead and trim the photos and glue down, or journaling to do? I always try to have some quick and easy things together that just need a few basic supplies to take to kid events where I know I will be sitting or on trips.

Of course this could also be a great time to take up cross stitching, knitting or crocheting!

 

[C.Ann]

I hope you can at least get a cup of coffee or tea and some toast or some other breakfast to enjoy while you read or DIS! Surely they can't expect you to starve until they get up--that wouldn't be polite on their end.

LOL - not only do they not "confine me to my room", but they don't "starve me" either..

I don't eat in the morning - never have - even as a child.. Always ate my breakfast before I went to bed.. The sight or smell of food in the morning makes me want to GAG!!

No problems with the coffee though! I have a nice, quiet one-cup coffeemaker that I use (can't stand coffee that sits and sits).. The entire family knows that I will be as polite as possible and do everything according to their needs and schedules since it is "their" home - EXCEPT go without my coffee.. They do NOT want a crazy woman running through the house screeching at the top of her lungs.. If my coffeemaker broke, my Dson-in-law would FLY out of bed and hightail it to Dunkin Donuts for me..

Once my books are unpacked, I'll get back to reading - my number 1 favorite activity.. For now I'll DIS..

I just had no idea how many people didn't realize that "twiddling my thumbs" was a figure of speech.. Have people really never heard that saying before? Is it an "old persons" phrase??

Another fun day on the DIS!!

 

[MIGrandma]

I, for one, enjoy hearing about your trips to/from the lake. We own 30 acres up north and have a camper there, in the woods, so I understand how you love it up there. You talk about "the lake", I talk about "the woods." It's what we do, it's what we enjoy. If other people don't want to hear it, don't open the threads, right?

As for being quiet, why did you pack up ALL your books in a box (es)? Why didn't you keep a few out, in a bag, that you could carry in yourself and have at your disposal for the mornings you need to be quiet while the rest of the family is sleeping?

Do you like magazines? Maybe keep a few of those to look through on those mornings too.

And I liked the idea someone else had about have some of your scrapbooking stuff out so you could work on a project or two at the kitchen table while everyone is still sleeping.

I think it's very nice of you to be conscious of the rest of the household, and try to be quiet for them while they're sleeping.

I must ask though, are you an "early to bed, early to rise" person? If they stay up later than you do, are they quiet for you in return?

 

[Magic Mom]

Since this is "their" house - and they like to sleep-in - the polite thing to do is engage in quiet activities until they get up.. So........ That's what I'm doing..

It is their house, but they have invited you to live there so it is your home also. As devoted as they are to you, I'm sure they feel that way also. Why don't you ask them if they would mind a little noise from you after 8AM. I am all for being a good guest and room mate, but I think you are going above what is needed here. I don't know you personally, but I can't imagine that you are a loud rowdy person. How much noise are we talking about? A little soft music, tea or coffee brewing and the newspaper rustling?

 

[C.Ann]

I, for one, enjoy hearing about your trips to/from the lake. We own 30 acres up north and have a camper there, in the woods, so I understand how you love it up there. You talk about "the lake", I talk about "the woods." It's what we do, it's what we enjoy. If other people don't want to hear it, don't open the threads, right?

Sounds logical to me.. I can't even tell you how many threads I just zip right by.. There are some things that just don't interest me - as I'm sure is the case with others..

As for being quiet, why did you pack up ALL your books in a box (es)? Why didn't you keep a few out, in a bag, that you could carry in yourself and have at your disposal for the mornings you need to be quiet while the rest of the family is sleeping?

I "thought" I put the book I had just started before I left the lake in my "last, last minute" bag (with my medications, brush, etc.) - but nope - it's not there.. Hopefully I didn't leave it at the lake because it's a really good one! (An Amish trilogy..)

Do you like magazines? Maybe keep a few of those to look through on those mornings too.

At one time I was the "queen" of magazines - but I just don't find them interesting anymore.. I think it's because I got away from doing craft fairs and no longer look for craft ideas.. The other magazines I used to enjoy just aren't the same anymore: gossip; politics; which celeb is doing what (and with who); dieting ideas; resolving marital issues; - just boring with a capital "B".. Scrapbook magazines are just way too expensive for the "one" idea I might get out of 5 issues.. I prefer to use my own creativity when I'm working on my scrapbooks..

I think it's very nice of you to be conscious of the rest of the household, and try to be quiet for them while they're sleeping.

I must ask though, are you an "early to bed, early to rise" person? If they stay up later than you do, are they quiet for you in return?

My sleep schedule changes dramatically when I come back here.. I tend to stay up later (by choice), but wake up earlier - because DD's FIL comes over here every morning Monday through Friday at 5 to 5:30 a.m. (earlier than last year because DGD has to catch the bus at 7 a.m. now).. It's a ritual he's had since DGD's very first day of school - that's their "special" time together and something they both really enjoy.. Even though he does wake me up, once I get used to it again it's really no big deal.. DGD is his only grandchild - he's not getting any younger - and she's getting older..

So - long story short - I had no idea that stating I was "twiddling my thumbs" was going to open up such a HUGE can of worms..

Not a problem though.. Just another day on the DIS..

 

[golfgal]

LOL - not only do they not "confine me to my room", but they don't "starve me" either..

I don't eat in the morning - never have - even as a child.. Always ate my breakfast before I went to bed.. The sight or smell of food in the morning makes me want to GAG!!

No problems with the coffee though! I have a nice, quiet one-cup coffeemaker that I use (can't stand coffee that sits and sits).. The entire family knows that I will be as polite as possible and do everything according to their needs and schedules since it is "their" home - EXCEPT go without my coffee.. They do NOT want a crazy woman running through the house screeching at the top of her lungs.. If my coffeemaker broke, my Dson-in-law would FLY out of bed and hightail it to Dunkin Donuts for me..

Once my books are unpacked, I'll get back to reading - my number 1 favorite activity.. For now I'll DIS..

I just had no idea how many people didn't realize that "twiddling my thumbs" was a figure of speech.. Have people really never heard that saying before? Is it an "old persons" phrase??

Another fun day on the DIS!!

I have heard it before but only used when people really don't have anything to do, not when they have options of things to do and just can't decide what to do.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Glad to hear you aren't starving! I was drinking my coffee and munching my toast when I posted and just couldn't imagine you getting up and waiting 4 or 5 hours to get something to eat! I am not much of an early morning eater, but I do at least need some toast.

And I hear you on the coffee! I decided that I was going to give it up for Lent one year and my kids begged me not to! I told them that since I was supposed to make the biggest sacrifice I could that seemed most appropriate but they convinced me that Jesus died so THEY wouldn't have to suffer so I had better pick something else!

Enjoy your time there and the time with your GD. That is so sweet that her Grandfather comes over every morning to spend time with her. She is blessed with an awesome loving family.

Now go and unpack those books!!!

 

[KathyTX]

Since this thread is causing a lot of tension judging by the significant number of complaints and reported posts we've received from it, I'm closing it.