So sorry you aren't feeling well, Laura. I would tell brother you and your family cannot pick up the cake. He can courier it, or give it to another family member. At some point you have to look out for you and your family. Your brother will deal with the disappointment as a mature adult. You don't have to twist yourselves out of shape because of his wish.

I'd definitely find alternative activities for those who want to escape this "prison" of having to be polite and quiet to this dynamic. There are lots of options: - cut the visit short - plan to do other things to be in a different room (playing board games, walking outdoors, food prep/clean-up, even watching TV in another room) You don't have to try and control the optional activities for everyone you think might prefer, just your own family members (and talk to them ahead of time so that they know that there are options available)

My opinion is that this woman isn't willing to risk receiving any negative feedback about what she does. All she has to do is ask about the use of photos. It's not that hard, since she already texts and such to even receive the photos. My mil sends out a similar extended family letter in her Christmas cards. She sends out a draft to each of her children to update missing info and remove anything they don't want. She's 85. She has very good relationships with all 6 kids, and this reflects that. She is very willing to go that step to be courteous and respectful of people's privacy and opinion.

Congratulations!! That is really great to hear. Hope your dd recovers quickly and no one else gets it. Lovely photo! Thanks for sharing.

For sure! This cold, dark time of the year is made for staying in bed. Sadly, my puppy doesn't seem to be affected by this, and I have to drag myself out of bed to let him out. Next year, though... 😉

We love your check ins! Pop in whenever you have time. It sounds like life is super busy with work, homeschooling and family life. Sometimes staying in bed is a must for mental and physical health. 😊

This year there was a lag because the tennis dome was being replaced. More tennis last night. I'm gradually getting back my limited skills prior to the 6-week break.

I got in more tennis today, as well as a nice long walk in the woods. I also went to my first Christmas party in years - since the lockdowns in 2020. It was nice, but I had almost no clothes to wear that still fit. Yikes, I only wear a small number of clothes these days, and they fit fine, but it may be time to do some shopping for some dressier clothes.

Played another 2 hrs of tennis today, and my shots are getting more under control. 😉 Also got in a nice dog walk this morning, but bailed on the afternoon walk in favour of taking a nap. My body just needed the rest before tennis.

I'm still getting in my daily dog walks in the woods. I have more tennis this evening. It's been rough on the body getting back into tennis, more in overall tiredness than soreness. Hopefully my body adapts quickly. 😉

I'd probably naturally wake up somewhere between 8 and 9am, but currently my puppy wakes me up at 6pm. I let him out, then go back to sleep for another hour. I am not a morning person. 😉

I've survived 2 of my 3 tennis matches so far this week! It's been a lot of fun getting back on the courts and hitting balls again. My body is sore, and I'm not moving as smoothly as I was a couple months ago. Hopefully my body will quickly grow stronger. We've had quite a lot of snow recently, too, so the dog walks in the woods are beautiful. The pups love running around in the snow.

Sure, you can split your weights work-outs into shorter segments and get the same benefit. Having warmed up muscles before lifting is good for injury prevention, so you could time the weights to be right after walking or light carrying. You should also add in some stretching when your body is warmed up, too - again for injury prevention. I can be tacked onto the end of a weight session, or after walking.

I think part of the challenge with parenting is our expectations. We expect 10 and 12 year olds to be more independent, mature and capable, for example, than toddlers. When they end up being 'difficult' it is surprising. And if there are other challenges with younger/older children or just life, it can be like a slap in the face when we were hoping for a helping hand. They don't mention in the 'what to expect when parenting' books that you'll continuously be slapped in the face with the challenges of parenting. 😉

I think that some stories, whether they are true, partly true or completely false, do not need to be shared, certainly when there is no need to do so. They aren't going to benefit anyone, so why spread what is essentially gossip, other than to prove that spreading gossip is often hurtful to others who cannot defend themselves. You can be a positive storyteller and stick to the positive, more inspirational stories, if you wish. That is certainly a legacy I'd want to pass on to my children and grandchildren. There are other platforms you could use to delve into the morals, failures and fragile aspects of humanity, rather than a detailed family tree.

If you ds wants to participate, I'd make it happen. Could he go into Dollor Tree and pick out what he wants?

I love backgammon and cribbage. Labrinth duo is also really fun, but dd kicks my butt every time. 😄

@Laura Corin Thanks for starting the new thread! It's kind of exciting to be in December now. We got a couple inches of snow this morning, which made for lovely scenery. The walking in the woods was a little more of a work-out. I'm so happy for Novemeber to be done! Work has been crazy busy the entire month, and it's finally slowing down now. I'm looking forward to playing indoor tennis this week!

I'm very fortunate. I haven't lost any of my very close friends, and we still get together regularly, but it's less frequent for various reasons - a couple reasons stemming from COVID, such as one moved. I have met a lot more people from joining a new tennis club and dog park, which has been really nice. There are no meet-ups beyond the activity, though.

Probably within 30 - 45 minutes at a brisk walking pace I'd consider 'within walking distance,' which would also mean there is a safe place to walk - sidewalks or pathways.