I did this when the Kindle I thought was a good deal went $20 cheaper on Black Friday. Free return shipping instead of just giving me the $20 credit. Plus they shipped out an identical cheaper one same day. Amazon, this is not a sustainable practice! I ordered winter gloves too large and am getting a free return even though MY error. And the smaller gloves will be here tomorrow. I know I am Prime, but still.

Coupon to adult-up his room. Time to pack up the Lego models, take down posters, pack up unused consoles etc. New paint job, framed posters or art work he likes, new bedding (look at Think Geek - they may have a themed comforter he might like), etc. I got my son with autism an electric razor. He uses it easily and it does not bug him. Good gift idea. Manly and adult! When ds moved last spring to his own room in a group home with five other men, he did NOT want to take all his framed movie posters (I had used cheap Walmart frames - ten bucks or so a pop but looks far nicer than tacking a post up unframed). Or most of his action figures etc. So I think they do reach a stage of wanting to "adult up" their rooms even if they do not say so.

Taking this one day off from cookie baking (!!! started Black Friday - deep freeze in basement still has room so will keep going)... Woke up half hour early as text (Jarvis "Excuse me, there is a message for you" - my ringer is Pinkie Pie) from DD got me throwing clothes on fast - her car would not start and she had a train to catch. Uber showed up before I left to drive to her townhome, though. .Need to walk dog .Wrap gifts to mail to folks in S. Calif .Mail boxes .Drop off Amazon return (see nephew brat post) at UPS .Drop off another return at Kohls and use $5 coupon on socks or something cheap .Hit Walmart .Cook chicken early in Instant Pot, chill, put in 'fridge .Continue updating ds's games on new Xbox One (Black Friday) so he has stuff to do when here from group home for two weeks over Christmas break. He took his 360 to group home. I noticed some newer games he could play no longer come on 360 so thought I'd get myself, er, ds a newer machine to keep here. For ds, obviously. ;-) .Pick up ds from his group home at 4:30 (he has early morning doc appt tomorrow) then try and be home in time to go get dd from train station to drive back to her house. .At some point I want to stop and watch last night's Speechless. I am following Micah Fowler on FB and keep alternating praise/advice giving to him like a second mom (he brings out my maternal instincts) ;-) .And in bewteen the usual cleaning/laundry/trying to get old dying cat to eat stuff.

He is turning 26, and very opinionated. Also still lives free with his folks, (S. Calif is expensive for young folks starting out) etc. Spends a lot of his money on gaming supplies and makes his own armor and weapons in a backyard forge. Flies to Europe to participate in some sort of tournament for folks who dress up like knights of yore and bash each other with (wooden) weapons. Also is a security guard,trying to become a police officer (he failed to become military police so left the army). Anyway, we are at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Point is, don't bait Auntie, for she is old and cranky and swift to retaliate :-)

I have been knocked out and scraped clean of benign polyps a few times now - I'd get the now post-menopause uterus removed except thanks to scar tissue post car-crash etc. surgeon does not consider me a good candidate for trying to remove it. So scrap scrap scrap every so often :-( Recovery no problem, really.

A bed is not a Christmas present. Nope. Unless you also get one of those bed tents that make it look like a fort or castle etc.

I have already bought the chocolate coins - to hide in my sock drawer until St. Patrick's Day (when they become impossible to find in the stores). I have noticed at three stores now that all the dollar boxes of Swedish Fish are gone - guess my "kids"* aren't the only ones who expect the candy fish in the stocking. * they are 26, 24, 21 now....but last year the girls started a new tradition- they , er, Santa fills stockings for mom and dad too now! :-)

A front door mat that has Hello in Polish A laser thermometer to read temp of his home brewing batches - btw, a basic home brewing kit is a great present for many dudes. You could really start a hobby if they like beer :-)

$50 towards the desired Lego object. Perhaps she may also get money from relative? Or can save up from allowance? Which would she rather have, the large Lego item and fewer gifts, or no large Lego item, and the books and shirts, etc. Perhaps return a few things and get what she really wants if you know she will play with it. I have had to think this way. I'd seriously try and get the big item instead of a lot of smaller gifts she may not want nearly as much. Then you can have more gifts for her to open that are coupons to "bake cookies with Mom" etc.

I agree. As you get older, do you WANT to be cleaning and maintaining a larger house just in case the kids come visit? That is what motels are for... Plus the larger the house, the more stuff the kids will expect to store there. Although in this day and age, having room for a young adult or young family to move back home after a job loss is looking more and more practical :-(

My problem is we are towards the end of the driver's route, and with so much extra stuff to deliver, he is getting pooped and running out of time before he gets to our street. :-(

don't know to delete a boo boo post

Why is one test better than the other? Wondering, since DS has only ever had blood work done to check his thyroid.

Or so UPS claims. Had to contact them via their FB page to find out why I have four packages from three different companies repeatedly "out for delivery" yet never delivered but pushed back a day or two. Today was the fourth time one item has been "out for delivery" but the driver runs out of steam before he/she reaches our next of the woods. From UPS: I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. When packages are scanned as out for delivery, our drivers have the packages out on the truck and are trying to deliver. As you know, due to the extreme volume we're processing, some are unable to complete their routes as they are only allowed to work until 11:59 PM. We are trying our hardest to keep up. If you would like we can process your packages to be held for pickup at your local customer center if they are urgently needed. " Luckily for me, nothing is vital. But I hope the replacement tv ordered from Best Buy shows up when it is scheduled this week - that item I need, but it is too big/heavy for me to go pick it up (which is why it is being delivered in the first place). Have had no trouble with FedEx or USPS (so far). This is what I get for doing 99% of holiday shopping on-line. I broke UPS :-)

What scum that dad is. Brock a regular chip off the old entitled block.

Perhaps a different doctor might try to tweak or alter meds. DS has gone through three psychiatrists to find one able to help him*. I would NEVER suggest that someone already diagnosed with mental illness is being "too sensitive". * Depression, bipolar, insomnia, panic attacks. Currently the med that has helped best with panic attacks is causing not nausea, but an icky upper throat feeling that is leading to gagging and upchucking :-( yet he needs the med once or twice a week. Fun times. DS is on 5 or 6 meds, quite a cocktail, to be able to function.

Had world's worse strep once when on vacation at Yellowstone :-( Only thing that allowed me to swallow any soft food was sucking a Sucrets and swallowing it as it dissolved before trying to eat. But man, those things taste vile! Do numb the throat enough to swallow some food, though. The folks at the one clinic in the park didn't believe me when I went in saying I thought I had strep. The quick test changed their minds. It does take a couple days for the meds to kick strep's butt enough for you to feel better. If you do not feel significantly better by Monday, though, go in again, or at least call.

For that age, Kiki and Spirited Away are the top two.

Ghiradelli mint chocolate bar, box of Swedish fish, new toothbrush, and a tree ornament if I can find one.

ktgrok speaks words of wisdom. No, not bullying - but a twin feeling need to stick up for her sister a bit much. Dd needs a little outside support, perhaps, from a teacher or counselor at school to help the girls hash it out for once and for all and move on. There will me more teen girl drama down the road. BTW DD not talking to anyone to avoid problems can be seen - will be seen - by other teen girls as her being "stuck up" so not a perfect solution, alas.

Yes, poke at the valve with a wooden spoon or other item, not your bare hand. You don't want bare flesh anywhere near that thing when the steam starts coming out! I tend to unplug the Pot, and set the kitchen timer for 10 or 20 minutes when releasing (unless it is quick release). If I don't hear the thing beep and it goes to Low for a while, I have never ruined anything... ...except my spaghetti squash. We had a power outage one minutes after it came to pressure. Was only supposed to be in the Pot two minutes max (s.squash cooks fast!) and having to run for candles etc. I forgot about it. Mush.

As long as they aren't falling apart like brittle shortcake, I think you are fine. I think all the fruit saved you. I have one of those slice and bake fruitcake cookies hubby loves and I don't think it takes ANY leavening. At this stage, trying to mix a teaspoon of baking soda into a thick cold dough would be a disaster. Don't try it.

#3 with two copies at my library now. Thanks for the heads up - I read the sample on-line and it looks good. I'd forgotten the Ingalls had lived around here (Kane Co., IL) back when Charles was a boy - I know there is a small graveyard with some Ingalls in it nearby. Have to look.

Oh, I do like that coloring book idea! I see those often but never want to spend the money on them to get one for myself. Something with pretty designs, maybe some fine tip pens or pencils to use with it.

Fake, pre-lit (yeah it turned on again this year!) and a mishmash of ornaments collected/made over the years. Son with autism has his Darth Vader and Nightmare Before Christmas and Scooby Doo ornaments front and center. My folks always had fresh trees and Mom had color-coordinated ornaments to impress her lady's club. I prefer not worrying about a fire hazard, and having a mishmash tree that reflects all of our whims etc. I do miss the huge colored lights Dad would put on the tree - now everything is all little Italian lights and mostly white/clear lights. Sigh.