Dancing Babnanas 10!!!....Some bacon, a pole, and more udder nonsense

[LegoMom3]

Count Me In!!

I would love to pick up and do that. Preferrably on the night that Trace Adkins was there doing the Candelight Christmas thing at Epcot... but I'm there.

When they get Brad Paisley as a host, I'm in.

Ok.. so here's a question for you gals.

My DD15 is going to go to Germany next summer with her school. It's for 4 weeks, and for part of it they will be in Northern Germany and living with a family, and going to school, etc. I think it's going to be a wonderful experience for her.... even though she's sacrificing her summer swim season...BUT..... the German students are also coming here in March.... Our DD wants to host one of the students, and her teacher thinks it's great, since we have such a large / busy family, that they are supposed to just come on in, and do what we do.... which is alot... We could make room for them to sleep, and feed them.. but I'm worried about letting them have the experiences.... since my DD swims everyday... and this would also be at the same time as one of the BIG swim meets that we have to go and stay at a hotel for a few nights... I don't think it's fair to bring this student and have them go to a long/ boring swim meet... my DD says her teacher says that's ok... what do you think... I know they are planning some trips with the school to take them to NY / Philly/ DC.. but we are expected to do something with them..... it's not like it's summer and we could take them to the beach... I don't know if we should... what do you think....

Also... do you have any ideas for a host gift that I could send with my daughter to her host family in Germany? I have no ideas...

This is a tough one and, I have to say, a highly personal decision. Putting myself in your shoes, as the host family, I would be worried about already being so busy. You guys seem to do a LOT, and always going here and there for meets and such. For me, I would feel like it's one more [huge!] responsibility to heap onto my plate. But, I know other people who are wired totally different, who would think it's an awesome opportunity, having a foreign exchange student around. You have to weigh each side and see what's worth more to you.

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[SadieDog]

Count Me In!!

I would love to pick up and do that. Preferrably on the night that Trace Adkins was there doing the Candelight Christmas thing at Epcot... but I'm there.

Ok.. so here's a question for you gals.

My DD15 is going to go to Germany next summer with her school. It's for 4 weeks, and for part of it they will be in Northern Germany and living with a family, and going to school, etc. I think it's going to be a wonderful experience for her.... even though she's sacrificing her summer swim season...BUT..... the German students are also coming here in March.... Our DD wants to host one of the students, and her teacher thinks it's great, since we have such a large / busy family, that they are supposed to just come on in, and do what we do.... which is alot... We could make room for them to sleep, and feed them.. but I'm worried about letting them have the experiences.... since my DD swims everyday... and this would also be at the same time as one of the BIG swim meets that we have to go and stay at a hotel for a few nights... I don't think it's fair to bring this student and have them go to a long/ boring swim meet... my DD says her teacher says that's ok... what do you think... I know they are planning some trips with the school to take them to NY / Philly/ DC.. but we are expected to do something with them..... it's not like it's summer and we could take them to the beach... I don't know if we should... what do you think....

Also... do you have any ideas for a host gift that I could send with my daughter to her host family in Germany? I have no ideas...

If the swim meet is 2 long days of sitting and watching, I don't think I would want to drag a teen there. I would also be concerned about them being bored. Keep in mind I don't do well sitting for long periods. If the swim meet is say...1/2 a day and they would have some free time to do something like swimming in a hotel pool, it would be more appealing.

 

[Mean Queen]

Daisyyy - I would see if there was a way to have the exchange student hang with the other exchange students for those day. Because two days of watching swimming would not be entertaining to anyone not involved in swimming. Otherwise, I think it's a great opportunity.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ok.. so here's a question for you gals.

My DD15 is going to go to Germany next summer with her school. It's for 4 weeks, and for part of it they will be in Northern Germany and living with a family, and going to school, etc. I think it's going to be a wonderful experience for her.... even though she's sacrificing her summer swim season...BUT..... the German students are also coming here in March.... Our DD wants to host one of the students, and her teacher thinks it's great, since we have such a large / busy family, that they are supposed to just come on in, and do what we do.... which is alot... We could make room for them to sleep, and feed them.. but I'm worried about letting them have the experiences.... since my DD swims everyday... and this would also be at the same time as one of the BIG swim meets that we have to go and stay at a hotel for a few nights... I don't think it's fair to bring this student and have them go to a long/ boring swim meet... my DD says her teacher says that's ok... what do you think... I know they are planning some trips with the school to take them to NY / Philly/ DC.. but we are expected to do something with them..... it's not like it's summer and we could take them to the beach... I don't know if we should... what do you think....

Also... do you have any ideas for a host gift that I could send with my daughter to her host family in Germany? I have no ideas...

What a great opportunity for your DD to go to Germany. Host gift for the host family....I would send American chocolates, jelly belly's, teatowels from your town. Do you have an American/local tourist souvenir shop close by? That would also give you ideas on what you could give.


I hosted a Japanese student (girl) here for 2 weeks over our winter. I was rather worried that she wouldn't want to do what we did and that she would be bored with some of DS boy activities. The school organiser ran an information night before the students came and we exchange contact numbers with some of the other families hosting the other students.

In the end, she came to a few of the boy activities and in other instances, she didn't want to come. If she told us in advance, we could ring up one of the other families and arrange for her to spend time with them. We also reciprocated for two other families where their host daughter didn't want to do what they did.
We also relied on my parents to 'babysit' her for an hour or so.

Having said that, 2 days is a long time to expect another host family to take her in for. Is there a contact organiser? Sometimes they offer their services for the 'babysitting'. If there is, maybe they can sort something out for those 2 days.

 

[LegoMom3]

Morning nanners! I am sitting here in the pitch black and it's almost 7am!! Ugh. It's overcast this morning, too, which adds to the inkiness.

I'm still in limbo over the Big Candy Grab tomorrow. As of right now, we still have no front steps (in the process of taking down the old steps/landing and building new steps with a full deck). I can sit out in a chair, but then I can't just quick run in to warm up or use the bathroom, since you have to go to the back of the house for that door. The weather is also looking meh. Isn't it Murphy's Law that, after collecting candy since the end of August so I wouldn't be overwhelmed all at once, now I won't even be sitting out for the trick-or-treaters!!! Which, of course, leaves me with a drawer full of candy...

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[SadieDog]

Daisyyy - I would see if there was a way to have the exchange student hang with the other exchange students for those day. Because two days of watching swimming would not be entertaining to anyone not involved in swimming. Otherwise, I think it's a great opportunity.

This is a great idea.

 

[SadieDog]

Morning nanners! I am sitting here in the pitch black and it's almost 7am!! Ugh. It's overcast this morning, too, which adds to the inkiness.

I'm still in limbo over the Big Candy Grab tomorrow. As of right now, we still have no front steps (in the process of taking down the old steps/landing and building new steps with a full deck). I can sit out in a chair, but then I can't just quick run in to warm up or use the bathroom, since you have to go to the back of the house for that door. The weather is also looking meh. Isn't it Murphy's Law that, after collecting candy since the end of August so I wouldn't be overwhelmed all at once, now I won't even be sitting out for the trick-or-treaters!!! Which, of course, leaves me with a drawer full of candy...

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I leave the light on and put a bowl of candy outside. We have very few kids stop and sometimes none so it works fine. Surprisingly there is always candy left in the bowl. No one has ever taken it all.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Morning nanners! I am sitting here in the pitch black and it's almost 7am!! Ugh. It's overcast this morning, too, which adds to the inkiness.

I'm still in limbo over the Big Candy Grab tomorrow. As of right now, we still have no front steps (in the process of taking down the old steps/landing and building new steps with a full deck). I can sit out in a chair, but then I can't just quick run in to warm up or use the bathroom, since you have to go to the back of the house for that door. The weather is also looking meh. Isn't it Murphy's Law that, after collecting candy since the end of August so I wouldn't be overwhelmed all at once, now I won't even be sitting out for the trick-or-treaters!!! Which, of course, leaves me with a drawer full of candy...

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What a coincidence. It's pitch dark outside here as well.

 

[LegoMom3]

I leave the light on and put a bowl of candy outside. We have very few kids stop and sometimes none so it works fine. Surprisingly there is always candy left in the bowl. No one has ever taken it all.

I could do that (unless it's rainy). Mostly who comes by here is little kids with parents, so it's unlikely that just a few would clean out the bowl!

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[LegoMom3]

What a coincidence. It's pitch dark outside here as well.

Yes but it's supposed to be dark there now!!


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[daisyyy]

Daisyyy - I would see if there was a way to have the exchange student hang with the other exchange students for those day. Because two days of watching swimming would not be entertaining to anyone not involved in swimming. Otherwise, I think it's a great opportunity.

Trust me..... it's not all that exciting for those involved in swimming either... I just became numb to it. the only person it's fun for are the swimmers themselves... and even then, sometimes they hate waiting around for hours...

My DD really is excited and wants us to host.. but that is exactly what I told her... that it wouldn't be fair to the student to come all the way here to watch swim meets..

 

[LegoMom3]

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[PrincessInOz]

Happy Halloween everyone.

 

[Smileybug]

Morning ya'll.

I just can't believe that it is Halloween already. When did that happen?

I hope you all have a great day!!!

 

[SadieDog]

Happy Halloween

 

[daisyyy]

BOO!

Another excuse to eat lots of chocolate... I'm ok with that!

 

[LegoMom3]

BOO!

Another excuse to eat lots of chocolate... I'm ok with that!

Chocolate doesn't need an "excuse."

 

[daisyyy]

Chocolate doesn't need an "excuse."

I agree... no excuse necessary... bring it on!

 

[LegoMom3]

I agree... no excuse necessary... bring it on!

We already did. It's raining here, and since I have no front door/steps right now and basically refuse to sit outside and get wet, I'm not giving out candy this year! So everything I bought is in a big bowl on the kitchen table.

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[GRUMPY PIRATE]

happy halloween

bah humbug.