Another Unofficial Chatterbox Thread- Everyone is Welcome!

[XTinabell]

I should check it out before I go my usual route with Kits, huh? Costco could be a heck of a lot cheaper, too. The gal at Kits did say that when you do it online you can save your work and finish it later, which you can't do in the store. That is a great plus! Last year I got stuck; I went in after dropping DS4 at preschool, and didn't finish before it was time to pick him up, so I had to lose it all, AAUGGGH!

So I will check out whether you can do that with Costco, too.

I wonder if they sell those machines for home use.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

No it wasn't me that mentioned it. I don't think I could afford it for quite some time because it costs so much to fly to America from here but I really want to go.
Dh went a few years ago and the M&M place was the highlight of his trip

Oh really? Is it a factory then? Did he do a tour?

DH's aunt and uncle live there and have invited us several times to visit. It would be fun to go, I think, but we worry with the kids if there'd be enough for them to do; or for us to do WITH them, to state it more correctly. Of course, they'd probably be happy as clams playing in a hotel pool all day. I guess some of them are pretty spectacular, too! FIL was saying one place actually trucks in sand and has an indoor beach as well as pool!

I think the hotels sound fabulous. No idea if we could afford to stay in the Bellagio or Venetian or whatever they are, but it sure would be fun to walk through them. Canals, water shows, a carnival, an indoor beach, a mini Eiffel Tower and other famous landmarks done "miniature"... I asked DH if the Grand Canyon was nearby; he said not near enough for a day trip, but close enough for an overnight or something like that. I've never been there, either. Of course, I'm not eager to take DS4 there just yet...

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I wonder if they sell those machines for home use.

Actually, I'm wondering if, when you choose to do the Kits one, if it downloads something to your computer. Then you do all your work and upload the completed calendar, you know? I don't know if it works like that or not.

You know those photobooks you can make? There is free software (I think it's mypublisher.com) you download and create the book that way, then upload the finished product for printing. They charge you when you order, and ship the book out to you.

I don't know if they also do calendars and such now or still just the books.

 

[XTinabell]

Oh really? Is it a factory then? Did he do a tour?

DH's aunt and uncle live there and have invited us several times to visit. It would be fun to go, I think, but we worry with the kids if there'd be enough for them to do; or for us to do WITH them, to state it more correctly. Of course, they'd probably be happy as clams playing in a hotel pool all day. I guess some of them are pretty spectacular, too! FIL was saying one place actually trucks in sand and has an indoor beach as well as pool!

I think the hotels sound fabulous. No idea if we could afford to stay in the Bellagio or Venetian or whatever they are, but it sure would be fun to walk through them. Canals, water shows, a carnival, an indoor beach, a mini Eiffel Tower and other famous landmarks done "miniature"... I asked DH if the Grand Canyon was nearby; he said not near enough for a day trip, but close enough for an overnight or something like that. I've never been there, either. Of course, I'm not eager to take DS4 there just yet...

He said it is like a factory and you can do tours. He said that they have like every single m&m thing probably ever made. He says its several stories and the first story is a store and the rest is whatever. It sounds pretty cool.

I think the hotels on the strip are really expensive and if you don't mind staying off the strip you can get hotels for half the cost of the ones on the strip. But I'm easily influenced by glamour and if people say it's cool to stay on the strip then that's where I want to stay.

I also want to see the grand canyon, I heard they have a glass walk out thing now, so you can walk over part of the canyon with a glass bottom. My grandma took a helicopter tour and got to drink champagne in the canyon. I can't afford such luxuries but it sounded nice.

 

[XTinabell]

Actually, I'm wondering if, when you choose to do the Kits one, if it downloads something to your computer. Then you do all your work and upload the completed calendar, you know? I don't know if it works like that or not.

You know those photobooks you can make? There is free software (I think it's mypublisher.com) you download and create the book that way, then upload the finished product for printing. They charge you when you order, and ship the book out to you.

I don't know if they also do calendars and such now or still just the books.

Yeah I've heard of mypublisher, I'm not sure if they do calendars or not. If I had a book to publish I would use them though, I would be fancy. I would put my book on my bookshelf and show people when they come over.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

He said it is like a factory and you can do tours. He said that they have like every single m&m thing probably ever made. He says its several stories and the first story is a store and the rest is whatever. It sounds pretty cool.

I think the hotels on the strip are really expensive and if you don't mind staying off the strip you can get hotels for half the cost of the ones on the strip. But I'm easily influenced by glamour and if people say it's cool to stay on the strip then that's where I want to stay.

I also want to see the grand canyon, I heard they have a glass walk out thing now, so you can walk over part of the canyon with a glass bottom. My grandma took a helicopter tour and got to drink champagne in the canyon. I can't afford such luxuries but it sounded nice.

Oh lordy, have you seen that glass walkway? I saw photos in National Geographic or someplace when it was first built. Honestly, I don't think I could make myself step out on it.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Yeah I've heard of mypublisher, I'm not sure if they do calendars or not. If I had a book to publish I would use them though, I would be fancy. I would put my book on my bookshelf and show people when they come over.

Costco and mypublisher have an arrangement together now, they handle all the photobooks from Costco orders. I wonder if that means Costco uses the mypublisher home software then? If so then you could create it at home and submit it to Costco. I think it's something like 25% off the standard price through Costco...

 

[XTinabell]

Oh lordy, have you seen that glass walkway? I saw photos in National Geographic or someplace when it was first built. Honestly, I don't think I could make myself step out on it.

I also saw a picture of it somewhere, maybe online? And yeah I would probably have a panic attack if I went on it. I might do it for a prize though. But yeah, that really did look scary and might I add, not very stable.

 

[XTinabell]

Costco and mypublisher have an arrangement together now, they handle all the photobooks from Costco orders. I wonder if that means Costco uses the mypublisher home software then? If so then you could create it at home and submit it to Costco. I think it's something like 25% off the standard price through Costco...

Hmm I wonder. That would be worth asking about, have you tried the home software?

 

[Alex2kMommy]

That would be so strange if you didn't have a belly button. You should get the surgery and tell them not to put on the belly button so you can stand out.
I don't think stretch marks are that big of deal, I know my mom also hates all the extra tummy skin she has and has wanted to get some kind of a tuck and pull but it's one of those things that's easier to talk about doing than actually do it.

Too true. I know someone who got a facelift, and even though she was very happy with the results, she said it was the most painful thing she'd ever experienced in her life! So don't think I'll be signing up for one anytime soon...

But heck, if you've had a couple c-sections like I have, how could a tummy tuck be so bad, you know?

 

[staley7580]

Thanks It's fun being engaged so I think I will enjoy for awhile. No rush for the actual big day!

Have you found any of the creams work for stretch marks? A few people I know said nothing worked, but I've heard that cocoa butter makes your skin feel better. Can you get any sort of massage or something soothing? Hang in there, you're going to have two new beautiful babies in no time!

My husband rubs lotion n it.. I have stretch marks from my other two kids, so getting more isnt a big concern for me. It is TOO funny to see how Mikalah reacts to them. She thought the babies were trying to scratch their way out.

There are, but I've heard they're like the creams to increase your bust size, they are expensive but don't actually work.

I think the best thing you can do is use some sort of lotion to keep the skin soft, and drink lots of water. It might not help with stretch marks, but it might help the skin's elasticity.

I read somewhere that whether or not you get stretch marks is genetic. I'm not sure if that's true, because I would think any mom who carries twins MUST get them, right? But what do I know? I got them both times. At the time they look like big purple gashes, really hideous. After the baby arrives, they fade to a reddish color, then gradually look like a flat scar, skin-colored but noticeably different.

I think it must be genetic... THere are women on my twin boards who are HUGE.. but have no stretch marks. There are also some who have snapped right back after having their babies.

 

[XTinabell]

Too true. I know someone who got a facelift, and even though she was very happy with the results, she said it was the most painful thing she'd ever experienced in her life! So don't think I'll be signing up for one anytime soon...

But heck, if you've had a couple c-sections like I have, how could a tummy tuck be so bad, you know?

A facelift is something I will never ever do, no matter how saggy faced I get. I've seen what they do and that is not something I will put myself through. Same with breast implants (not that I need them) it's not a gentle process.

I also heard about a girl that got liposuction and then gained some weight back and because of how they do the surgery your fat cells don't grow back properly or something like that, so now her stomach is all deformed. I think probably like Tara Reid's stomach.

I think there are other things you can do to achieve similar effects. Like exercise and dieting you can lose weight, make up helps hide wrinkles. I would probably try a little botox, dh says I'm not allowed when I'm older but I'm curious about it.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Hmm I wonder. That would be worth asking about, have you tried the home software?

No, I downloaded it a couple years ago, intending to use it. But then I found that Kits had the in-store machine, and people there for answering my many questions...

Last year Kits had a great deal on their photobooks, where you could prepay for a standard size (cover type, number of pages, etc.) and if you bought so many, they'd give you one for free. I think it was buy 2, get one free? Anyway, so I bit! I used up two of the prepaid ones for DS8's teachers last year; one was a sub filling in the first half of the year for the regular teacher who was on maternity leave. We loved her so much! I attended many class and school events, and used photos of the kids in DS' class.

And then at the end of the school year, I gave the regular teacher (who was back for 3 or 4 months) a book that included not only her time, but the earlier part of the year she missed.

I think the agreement between Costco and mypublisher is only a year or so old, that's relatively new.

 

[staley7580]

A facelift is something I will never ever do, no matter how saggy faced I get. I've seen what they do and that is not something I will put myself through. Same with breast implants (not that I need them) it's not a gentle process.

I also heard about a girl that got liposuction and then gained some weight back and because of how they do the surgery your fat cells don't grow back properly or something like that, so now her stomach is all deformed. I think probably like Tara Reid's stomach.

I think there are other things you can do to achieve similar effects. Like exercise and dieting you can lose weight, make up helps hide wrinkles. I would probably try a little botox, dh says I'm not allowed when I'm older but I'm curious about it.

Im not big on surgery... but it would be nice to have my b00bs put back where they were before I started having kids.

 

[XTinabell]

My husband rubs lotion n it.. I have stretch marks from my other two kids, so getting more isnt a big concern for me. It is TOO funny to see how Mikalah reacts to them. She thought the babies were trying to scratch their way out.


I think it must be genetic... THere are women on my twin boards who are HUGE.. but have no stretch marks. There are also some who have snapped right back after having their babies.

That must be a prerequisite to be a celebrity, because none of them have stretch marks and they all have bodies that spring back into shape instantly.

Too funny about Mikalah!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

A facelift is something I will never ever do, no matter how saggy faced I get. I've seen what they do and that is not something I will put myself through. Same with breast implants (not that I need them) it's not a gentle process.

I also heard about a girl that got liposuction and then gained some weight back and because of how they do the surgery your fat cells don't grow back properly or something like that, so now her stomach is all deformed. I think probably like Tara Reid's stomach.

I think there are other things you can do to achieve similar effects. Like exercise and dieting you can lose weight, make up helps hide wrinkles. I would probably try a little botox, dh says I'm not allowed when I'm older but I'm curious about it.

I thought Tara Reid's situation was because of botched surgery?

And there's something the celebrities who are afraid of Botox use, but I'm not remembering what it is. Apparently it works pretty well and isn't toxic. I think the effects are longer lasting, too, but maybe it's more expensive?

I guess some people also use smaller amounts of Botox, just enough to relax the muscles causing the wrinkles, but not enough to get the "surprised" or stiff look.

I don't know if I would go that route or not. Maybe if I were single...

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I think it must be genetic... THere are women on my twin boards who are HUGE.. but have no stretch marks. There are also some who have snapped right back after having their babies.

Some people have a pottymouth, I have a pottybrain. And my brain just thought of a bad word. I hate those women!

 

[XTinabell]

I thought Tara Reid's situation was because of botched surgery?

And there's something the celebrities who are afraid of Botox use, but I'm not remembering what it is. Apparently it works pretty well and isn't toxic. I think the effects are longer lasting, too, but maybe it's more expensive?

I guess some people also use smaller amounts of Botox, just enough to relax the muscles causing the wrinkles, but not enough to get the "surprised" or stiff look.

I don't know if I would go that route or not. Maybe if I were single...

Oh I know what you're talking about but I can't remember what it's called either. The one surgery I just don't understand is the lip injections. If you want fatter lips just draw them on with lip liner, they looks like bee stung vulva.

On that note, I'm gonna run off to bed I think. I'm getting sleepy.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

OK, the kids are getting a little reckless, and I'm getting hungry finally. I guess I'll go get dinner started and feed the troops.

Christina, it's been lovely, as always.
Staley, I'll check back later and see if you're still here!

 

[staley7580]

Some people have a pottymouth, I have a pottybrain. And my brain just thought of a bad word. I hate those women!

Trust me... I KNOW IT! They are also the women who breeze through a twin pregnancy without so much as a contraction, or mental breakdown. Butt monkeys.