The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 30

[tinknme]

Hey Chanon this time last week we were hanging out at the airport

 

[Glynis]

Here's my thought on Christmas trees: (this is mostly for Lindsay, but the rest of you can listen in )

We used to do a live tree. I swore I would never do a fake one. I liked the smell, the feel, etc. Then I had kids, and going to the lot (or heaven forbid, up the mountain), just made us all freezing, cranky and un-Christmasy! When Katie was about 4, we broke down, and bought a pre-lit tree. I LOVED IT!!!!! It was so easy to put up, and we never had to deal with lights!!!

I did miss the smell of the tree, but I have found that Glade makes a candle called glistening snow, that smells just like a live tree!!! I stock up on those candles, and just burn them throughout the season. They really have a pungent smell, and my whole house smells like Christmas.

We now have 2 fake trees. We put them both up on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. One downstairs (the kid's), and one upstairs (my Disney tree). Alan gets them put together, and the kids and I "fluff" the branches. Then Alan and I skedaddle upstairs and let the kids decorate their tree. They are so proud of it, and Alan and I vowed never to rearrange their decorations. I do the Disney tree, and the kids know not to touch it AT ALL! I have turned into my Dad!!! That's the way it was at our house. The kids tree and Dad's tree!!! We weren't allowed to touch it because it was covered in crystal ornaments!

Anyway, I really endorse the fake Christmas tree!!! It has made our Christmas much jollier!

 

[ReAnSt]

What a wonderful diversion! There are almost no leaves left on your trees! Ours are still pretty full and there is quite a bit of color too! I had to scrape my car this morning too. Hard to believe that last week this time we were walking around World Showcase getting sunburned as we ate and drank like little piggies, Chanon and Janet!

I had the AC on at work on Thursday and needed the heat to take the chill of on Saturday!

I can not believe the difference in the leaves I see between Northern PA and Southern PA. In Northern PA the leaves have all changed color. In southern PA they are mostly green with a few splashed of color. Then again the two locations were about 120 miles apart.

At least you have heat to take the chill off. Ours still does not work at my job. I told everyone we should go to the farmhouse I camped in and work out of there as there is heat and it is a council owned property. Hopefully they will fix it soon.

 

[ReAnSt]

He's been using Finale the last couple of years, though he has done work by hand as well. As soon as we get the new computer hooked up to the Internet (darned wireless won't work with Vista, argh!) I'll send something to you.

You should be able to use Vista with wireless internet. That's what I am doing right now. Let me know if you need help setting it up.

I would love to hear the files as well. I have Finale here somewhere. I did a bunch of composition in Junior high and high school, some in college but not much since. I really enjoyed creating pieces.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Glynis - I LOVE my fake tree. The fancy, pre-lit musical tree that Aurora ate through all of the wires 2 years ago. DH repaired it, but she was in the tree chewing the wires the DAY we put it up last year. We never got a single ornament on it!
We went to Target and bought the cheap tree with the cheap lights. She chewed on those a little bit (noticed that when I took the tree down).
But Arabella is a whole other beast. She is wild, and she has claws. She will be up that tree in a flash and I am willing to bet it will get knocked over more than once. This morning DH grabbed a 4 pack of toilet paper out of the cabinet and left it on the bathroom counter. Arabella dragged the WHOLE package around the house with her today! DH called to tell me it was over on his side of the bed all full of teeth marks this afternoon. She is very naughty, and if she can clamp her teeth on something and drag it then she does exactly that! She needs at least another year to mature before we attempt a tree. Not quite sure what we will do.
It is against our lease to burn candles. I have some scented oil from Body Shop that you are only supposed to light the candle for 15 minutes and it smells good for a few hours. I can keep an eye on the flame for 15 minutes, then I can blow it out and not worry about the cats knocking it over. Well, I guess they could knock over the oil but you only use about 15 drops each time so there wouldn't be enough to really spill.

 

[tmfranlk]

So I had a crazy dream experience this week. We had some family friends from the time I was 8 to 18. We did things with them constantly - dinner, outings, vacations, holidays, etc. If one set of parents was out of town, the kids stayed with the others. It was a woman my dad worked with, her son a year older than me and her live-in boyfriend. Sometime between when Derek graduated high school and I did the next year, the woman and my dad had some kind of falling out confused3 ). So I haven't seen Derek in almost 15 years and it's been at least 10 since I ran into his mom anywhere. Last I knew, he went to college in Tennessee and she still lives around here.

Fast forward to the other night, I had this long drawn out dream about running into Derek in present-day. Terra was with me and we were in Boston somewhere as we were on the T (subway) at some point. We were just catching up, etc. So a song we used to sing all the time as kids came on today so I decided to look for Derek on MySpace. I was able to find him easily and where should he happen to live now....just outside of Boston!

 

[tmfranlk]

You should be able to use Vista with wireless internet. That's what I am doing right now. Let me know if you need help setting it up.

I would love to hear the files as well. I have Finale here somewhere. I did a bunch of composition in Junior high and high school, some in college but not much since. I really enjoyed creating pieces.

We have a TrendNet USB wireless card. According to their website, the USB wireless things are NOT Vista compatible, but their internal ones are. Do you know a way around that? If so, I'd be forever greatful!

 

[mommykds]

My options are extreme heat & the boys do not miss any school or mild heat, MNSSHP, & the boys miss a few days of school. Right now I have nothing planned for next year, I need to wait & see how the money is

Well I am hoping (only hoping at this point) to take the kids to MNSSHP next year..maybe just a Thursday-Sunday like I did this year.

Done with inventory for another month! Garrett & Riley are officially employed now. They started a paper route today. I hope it works out for them, best part most of their stops are on our street. They have both been bothering me about it for a while & I finally gave in. They both want their own route, but for now they will share the one. I told them I will not be doing the route for them, this is their responsibility. Everyday after school & Sat. & Sun. mornings. The weekends is where I think they will tire of it, we shall see!

Horray for the boys! What great initiative they have! Good luck guys!!!!!

Did you find a good deal on the Wii?
I wish we could just sort of skip Christmas this year. I am so worried about the cats destroying the tree that it isn't worth putting it up. We don't get back from WDW until the 16th and then back to work & school the next day. Hardly seems worth it to put the whole big tree up on 12/22, especially since we put the trees in the storage unit. DH will be working A LOT when we get home and he won't want to mess with the tree. I will have to get out the other decorations like I did last year and tell DS we'll do the tree at the last minute after my bosses leave to go out of town. I would be perfectly happy just to do stockings and wrap the I-Coaster for DS and be done with it.

Oh, yikes! DS has MOUNTAINS of homework tonight. The diagnostician still hasn't called me back. He has a word search for Science, math problems, 2 worksheets for Language Arts plus info on a book report that he isn't sure of the due date, then he has to write 8 definitions for Social Studies. What makes me mad about the definitions is that HALF of them are repeats from last week! He is supposed to write them FIVES TIMES EACH. He didn't fail his vocab test last week so he will NOT be writing them 5x each. That violates his modifications and with so much work from all of the other teachers we really have to prioritize.

Nope, no deal...they are very hard to come by here so Dana just went to Nintendo World in the city where they always have stock. I am just glad we got one. The kids will be so excited!

Katie had 3 hours of homework tonight so she missed dance class. I have never seen her have so much work. I feel bad for her. I hate school.

As far as a tree, maybe you could get a small (3 foot) pre-lit tree for a table & just decorate that?

I stopped at the Dollar Tree after work & they do not have any Disney Christmas clings in yet. I will have to keep checking! I did by a wreath for our door at the resort, now I just need to find decorations for it & our small tree. I still can't believe we will be at Disney for Christmas, someone pinch me

Pinch, pinch, pinch! Christmas in Disney =

 

[Tammi67]

Janet - paper routes for the boys! I didn't know that kids still had paper routes. Hooray for them and for their motivation!

I concur on the fake trees. I finally broke down last year during the after-Christmas sales and got a pre-lit tree. Although some year I do want to take the kids to get a real tree. Maybe this will be the year?

Let the family homework projects begin.....Nicholas has to do some kind of Indian project. He has to pick either the Powhatan, Souix or Pueblo tribe and do something. His choices range from making a dream catcher, a diorama, a poster, a mobile, a drawing, native food or games, etc etc. It also has to include a written report of at least 5 facts about the tribe. I think this will be his first lesson in internet searching.

 

[babytrees]

Glynis - I LOVE my fake tree. The fancy, pre-lit musical tree that Aurora ate through all of the wires 2 years ago. DH repaired it, but she was in the tree chewing the wires the DAY we put it up last year. We never got a single ornament on it!
We went to Target and bought the cheap tree with the cheap lights. She chewed on those a little bit (noticed that when I took the tree down).
But Arabella is a whole other beast. She is wild, and she has claws. She will be up that tree in a flash and I am willing to bet it will get knocked over more than once. This morning DH grabbed a 4 pack of toilet paper out of the cabinet and left it on the bathroom counter. Arabella dragged the WHOLE package around the house with her today! DH called to tell me it was over on his side of the bed all full of teeth marks this afternoon. She is very naughty, and if she can clamp her teeth on something and drag it then she does exactly that! She needs at least another year to mature before we attempt a tree. Not quite sure what we will do.
It is against our lease to burn candles. I have some scented oil from Body Shop that you are only supposed to light the candle for 15 minutes and it smells good for a few hours. I can keep an eye on the flame for 15 minutes, then I can blow it out and not worry about the cats knocking it over. Well, I guess they could knock over the oil but you only use about 15 drops each time so there wouldn't be enough to really spill.

because we have the fragrance issues...we can't burn a candle...and can't have a full size tree so we buy a swag...smell is there but not the same allergic reaction...though I did notice it gave Abi sneezing fits but this year we don't have the emotional sneezing we had last year...may put one out on the door.

 

[MrsHeg]

Evening everyone,

Steffy - I hope you're feeling at least a little better by now, DH is having trouble with his sinuses now too, I am definitely sending him for antibiotics as our trip isn't far away.

Janet - Congrats to the boys.

Deb - the party looked like a lot of fun, and so did the balloon.

Tammi - the kids did a great job on their pumpkins, ours were farely simple designs this year as my arthritis was acting up and I was having trouble holding the knife.

I'm all for fake trees, I've only had one live one and I will never live that one down. I didn't realize that the stand wasn't level, and I would water it everyday, thinking boy, this tree takes a lot of water. Well, it was overflowing in the back and soaking my carpet, by the time I realized what I was doing it was too late, that tree cost me my carpet in the linving room. It was a beautiful tree though, a Douglas fir decorated in blue and silver.

 

[tinknme]

Maybe things will work out & we will be able to meet up next year. Are you thinking around the same time as this year? I usually go the 1st week of Oct. around Columbus day. They had a 4 day weekend this year over Columbus day, I am hoping for the same next year so they do not miss as much school.

Well I am hoping (only hoping at this point) to take the kids to MNSSHP next year..maybe just a Thursday-Sunday like I did this year.

 

[tinknme]

Thank you, they are excited about it!

Horray for the boys! What great initiative they have! Good luck guys!!!!!

Janet - paper routes for the boys! I didn't know that kids still had paper routes. Hooray for them and for their motivation!

 

[tink2020]

Ok, this is absolutely pitiful, but.....




My pictures from May are finally uploaded. Still haven't touched the ones from September

(Links are in my signature, if anyone is interested)

Goodnight!

 

[tinknme]

Thank you Debbie!

Sorry about the ruined carpet, hopefully you can laugh about it now

Janet - Congrats to the boys.



I'm all for fake trees, I've only had one live one and I will never live that one down. I didn't realize that the stand wasn't level, and I would water it everyday, thinking boy, this tree takes a lot of water. Well, it was overflowing in the back and soaking my carpet, by the time I realized what I was doing it was too late, that tree cost me my carpet in the linving room. It was a beautiful tree though, a Douglas fir decorated in blue and silver.

 

[PNO4TE]

I just bought our airline tickets for Dec., as well as our MVMCP tix!!!!

 

[PNO4TE]

Good night, DDA!

 

[my3princes]

Here's my thought on Christmas trees: (this is mostly for Lindsay, but the rest of you can listen in )

We used to do a live tree. I swore I would never do a fake one. I liked the smell, the feel, etc. Then I had kids, and going to the lot (or heaven forbid, up the mountain), just made us all freezing, cranky and un-Christmasy! When Katie was about 4, we broke down, and bought a pre-lit tree. I LOVED IT!!!!! It was so easy to put up, and we never had to deal with lights!!!

I did miss the smell of the tree, but I have found that Glade makes a candle called glistening snow, that smells just like a live tree!!! I stock up on those candles, and just burn them throughout the season. They really have a pungent smell, and my whole house smells like Christmas.

We now have 2 fake trees. We put them both up on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. One downstairs (the kid's), and one upstairs (my Disney tree). Alan gets them put together, and the kids and I "fluff" the branches. Then Alan and I skedaddle upstairs and let the kids decorate their tree. They are so proud of it, and Alan and I vowed never to rearrange their decorations. I do the Disney tree, and the kids know not to touch it AT ALL! I have turned into my Dad!!! That's the way it was at our house. The kids tree and Dad's tree!!! We weren't allowed to touch it because it was covered in crystal ornaments!

Anyway, I really endorse the fake Christmas tree!!! It has made our Christmas much jollier!

I love our fake tree. It is perfect shaped ( and if it isn't we just make a few bends to adjuct and it is perfect ) I have found the evergreen scented candles and also some tree scented sprays. I can't see us buying a fresh tree ever again. I'd love to have 2 large trees, but we just don't have room. We do have the large tree in the living room then each of the boys have countertop trees in their rooms.

Glynis - I LOVE my fake tree. The fancy, pre-lit musical tree that Aurora ate through all of the wires 2 years ago. DH repaired it, but she was in the tree chewing the wires the DAY we put it up last year. We never got a single ornament on it!
We went to Target and bought the cheap tree with the cheap lights. She chewed on those a little bit (noticed that when I took the tree down).
But Arabella is a whole other beast. She is wild, and she has claws. She will be up that tree in a flash and I am willing to bet it will get knocked over more than once. This morning DH grabbed a 4 pack of toilet paper out of the cabinet and left it on the bathroom counter. Arabella dragged the WHOLE package around the house with her today! DH called to tell me it was over on his side of the bed all full of teeth marks this afternoon. She is very naughty, and if she can clamp her teeth on something and drag it then she does exactly that! She needs at least another year to mature before we attempt a tree. Not quite sure what we will do.
It is against our lease to burn candles. I have some scented oil from Body Shop that you are only supposed to light the candle for 15 minutes and it smells good for a few hours. I can keep an eye on the flame for 15 minutes, then I can blow it out and not worry about the cats knocking it over. Well, I guess they could knock over the oil but you only use about 15 drops each time so there wouldn't be enough to really spill.

I think that you should buy a small artificial tree, one that will fit under a hamper or other plastic container. Then you could safeguard it when your not around and still feel a little like Christmas. If you are looking for an alternative to candles my SIL found this little candle warmer that melts the wax and gives off the scent with no flames. Here is a link to a similar product

http://www.candlewarmers.com/

So I had a crazy dream experience this week. We had some family friends from the time I was 8 to 18. We did things with them constantly - dinner, outings, vacations, holidays, etc. If one set of parents was out of town, the kids stayed with the others. It was a woman my dad worked with, her son a year older than me and her live-in boyfriend. Sometime between when Derek graduated high school and I did the next year, the woman and my dad had some kind of falling out confused3 ). So I haven't seen Derek in almost 15 years and it's been at least 10 since I ran into his mom anywhere. Last I knew, he went to college in Tennessee and she still lives around here.

Fast forward to the other night, I had this long drawn out dream about running into Derek in present-day. Terra was with me and we were in Boston somewhere as we were on the T (subway) at some point. We were just catching up, etc. So a song we used to sing all the time as kids came on today so I decided to look for Derek on MySpace. I was able to find him easily and where should he happen to live now....just outside of Boston!

Very Strange and so Close to halloween I'd have to say Erie.

Janet - paper routes for the boys! I didn't know that kids still had paper routes. Hooray for them and for their motivation!

I concur on the fake trees. I finally broke down last year during the after-Christmas sales and got a pre-lit tree. Although some year I do want to take the kids to get a real tree. Maybe this will be the year?

Let the family homework projects begin.....Nicholas has to do some kind of Indian project. He has to pick either the Powhatan, Souix or Pueblo tribe and do something. His choices range from making a dream catcher, a diorama, a poster, a mobile, a drawing, native food or games, etc etc. It also has to include a written report of at least 5 facts about the tribe. I think this will be his first lesson in internet searching.

My Nicholas has to do a project on the Aztec Indians. He is planning to make a bow and arrow. He came up with it on his own.

 

[Glynis]

Glynis - I LOVE my fake tree. The fancy, pre-lit musical tree that Aurora ate through all of the wires 2 years ago. DH repaired it, but she was in the tree chewing the wires the DAY we put it up last year. We never got a single ornament on it!
We went to Target and bought the cheap tree with the cheap lights. She chewed on those a little bit (noticed that when I took the tree down).
But Arabella is a whole other beast. She is wild, and she has claws. She will be up that tree in a flash and I am willing to bet it will get knocked over more than once. This morning DH grabbed a 4 pack of toilet paper out of the cabinet and left it on the bathroom counter. Arabella dragged the WHOLE package around the house with her today! DH called to tell me it was over on his side of the bed all full of teeth marks this afternoon. She is very naughty, and if she can clamp her teeth on something and drag it then she does exactly that! She needs at least another year to mature before we attempt a tree. Not quite sure what we will do.
It is against our lease to burn candles. I have some scented oil from Body Shop that you are only supposed to light the candle for 15 minutes and it smells good for a few hours. I can keep an eye on the flame for 15 minutes, then I can blow it out and not worry about the cats knocking it over. Well, I guess they could knock over the oil but you only use about 15 drops each time so there wouldn't be enough to really spill.

I'm pretty sure that Glade makes a scented oil freshener you plug in with the glistening snow scent.

Have you thought about maybe doing a very small tabletop tree? That might solve some of your problem.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Where'd you go?

Field trip was pumpkin picking and a hayride--very nice!

the concert was on the military base and was GREAT!! we were 12 rows from the front--and lots of my military people that i like to look at

I just bought our airline tickets for Dec., as well as our MVMCP tix!!!!

WOOHOOOO!!!

Let the family homework projects begin.....Nicholas has to do some kind of Indian project. He has to pick either the Powhatan, Souix or Pueblo tribe and do something. His choices range from making a dream catcher, a diorama, a poster, a mobile, a drawing, native food or games, etc etc. It also has to include a written report of at least 5 facts about the tribe. I think this will be his first lesson in internet searching.

the sad thing is ...i remmeber doinig that project!! think i did a diorama