We always make homemade Eggs Benedict. It is the only time of year we eat it.

I'm sorry Marbel. I think you have a lot going on and it's time for others to step up. I hope your DH will take this as a cue for him to handle the kid's mess. You are more thoughtful than me. I'd probably just throw it all in a unmarked box and set it out of sight like a basement or storage area but honestly with everything you are doing you shouldn't have to handle that either. ((Hugs))

Oh, I must add it's only a story if something exciting happens. The stories afterwards are lots of fun.

It is harder when they are older but this year our magic is back. Mostly, because when you have been separated and booted from your house being all together in your own home becomes it's own Christmas magic. I tend to find ways to wrap the unwrapable. Downloads are coupons rolled up and wrapped candy style. DS just wanted help paying for his black belt test so I attached cash to a black dress belt (which he didn't ask for but needs) and a joke about I found him a cheaper black belt. I love the pizza box idea. We also always have a family gift. Often cooking stuff, a nice knife, wooden spoons, or a book for reading aloud together.

I prefer adventure and a challenge although sometimes it's nice to have something easy and relaxing. A river crossing, a disappearing trail due to low maintenance, or having to haul canoes over fallen trees just adds to the fun. Even if something is nice and relaxing I still don't like crowds. I love that Alaska has few ticks to worry about.

I really try not to parent adults but some people make it so tempting. It would be easier if adults actually acted like adults. I really dislike how people post films of others online in general, especially to laugh at them or even to show off their good deed. Yuck. I will say that if a person refuses to leave you alone or is yelling at you, it may be the only weapon you have. Certainly better than a kick in the head plus it can be used as evidence if things get out of hand and some people will change their behaivor once they see that they are being recorded. I don't know if this circumstance warranted it as I don't know what happened before or after but there are cases where it can be a good thing.

So we sadly, are just getting around to our Christmas tree due to the earthquake and our pre lit wasn't a pre-lit anymore. So I'm going to try one of these https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-01201-Complete-Fixing-Miniature/dp/B000R8KBOK/ref=pd_aw_lpo_bs_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8395P5ZRG4HM8WWGXWWJ I remembered this thread and also remembered nobody had mentioned this so thought I'd mention it. We will see how difficult it is today.

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with everyone. Life has been crazy. Frugal goal of the week: Somehow make my home look like a home and not a demolition site for Christmas. I think I will be able to move back Tuesday! Currently, there is a gaping black spider web hole where the brick chimney decoration ran to the ceiling. We also had to rip out sheetrock and paneling in my room to reach floir joists to jack up house and fix the wall. Most permanent cosmetic fixes must be done in the future. I will be happy with structural fixes for now. So far my mom is loaning me a quilt to hang over fireplace (after a lot of vacuuming and making sure there are no nails or brackets sticking out) so that will help a lot. Hopefully I will come up with more ideas like that that are pretty much free. Other than a lot of cleaning the bedroom will probably be ignored for awhile.

I'd be happy that I didn't have to make dinner the next day but I'm lazy.

So glad to hear she is doing ok!

I do hope your daughter is feeling better! Let us know.

That is really crazy. Last time I used my self cleaning feature it broke the element in the oven in 4 pieces. I usually hand clean to but didn't want to that time. Ooops But that just seems a little psycho for it to turn on like that itself.

Well, it's a sweepstakes so my guess is I wouldn't get the money anyway. Also, I've never had an instagram or twitter account. Typically, I'd say easy peasy but currently it is acting as my main computer. I've filled out paperwork, sent emails, looked up contractors, and need to send in grades. Typically, I prefer a desktop but when an earthquake renders your home uninhabitable temporarily then the smartphone is extraordinarily useful. If I were planning on entering though, I would try to get my laptop updated so I could use it instead.

This year we are getting him a decent paneer that is more briefcase shaped (though deeper) so he can bike with books and papers. In the past couple years we got him uniforms or weapons for his sport (Taekwondo and Judo) Biking equipment Winter gear

Wow, that is ridiculous. I was worried about my son missing multiple days of class before finals and wondering if they would post pone finals (they did not) but a M7 earthquake near the epicenter is a good excuse. Giving people tours and a whole college shut down for mourning isn't. It is nice to remember people but the living have to keep moving. One class was two hours after quake and then Monday safety inspections were still happening and they are back in business. He still missed less classes than your daughter! But I can understand your not wanting to rock the boat if there aren't other options.

I'm very thankful that the Port had only minor damage. In our town most stores had to close because of safety issues. All the goods had fallen on the floor, ceiling tiles had come down etc. You can't have customers crawling over broken glass. Unsafe goods, of course, can't be sold. At least one school will not be reopened this school year so I'm not sure if the district will move them to other schools, add portables or what. I actually continued on with a scheduled trip I had planned. Partly because I was able to check for gas and water issues before leaving and able to help a couple other people at least a little and partly because I really don't want anyone sleeping in my home until an engineer looks it over. So we are out of state now and scheduling inspections and stuff from afar. Also, my husband has an office here and will be able to do some work which he couldn't do at home as his building was deemed unsafe and evacuated for now. Also, the less people on the roads the better until things get fixed a little more but DOT and utilities and others have done a really good job. Alaska is prepared for stuff like this since it went through the second biggest earthquake ever recorded in the world back in 1964.

And upon further inspection my home may not be safe to live in. It will be fun pulling off paneling to see exactly how the northern wall is moved over three inches but not the rest of the house. Kids are at Grandma's and house sitting. I have a week off out of state and then we will begin the adventure. Hope it's not in actuality a horror movie.

Yes, we live in Alaska to another poster. I haven't heard of a single person who had power after the quake but Alaska is used to earthquakes and the crews moved amazingly fast. We also know to be prepared with food and backup heat and cooking fuel. I really did ok considering. Everything I didn't like about the house, in regards to earthquakes, was what went wrong so really I already knew, like the brick around the chimney. I hated it and reminded my kids they needed to get away from it if they heard or felt a quake coming ever since we moved here. We couldn't build our own because the kids were soon to be teens and I figured they would be moved out before we finished. I do pay for special insurance for the structure but it only covers a percentage and I'm not sure what they'll cover or if it's worth pursuing. We will have to pay for water testing too since earthquakes can shift underground water sources but we will wait until things settle down.

I can send you pictures of about 80% of my close to 2000 books on the floor and the jar of sticky sauce splattered on the wall after falling and running behind the heater or the lovely broken toilet if it helps abate the homesickness ArticMama. 😁

Another Eagle River person. I knew you were in Alaska but not so close. After it ended I asked my son if he heard anything about UAA closing and he hadn't so he went to class. He is housesitting so by the time I texted him he was half way to Anchorage. This was 20 minutes after the quake. He got home a few hours ago. Ha DH biked home. It only took him a couple hours. Many people were taking 5+ hours. It's not the first time we have been able to bike around when traffic was stopped. Took a day off school to clean but other than that life is good. Well, we have broken stuff and whatnot but no injuries or worries about food or fuel etc. I'm so happy the Port didn't have major damage. I keep thinking that one day we will have one that takes out bridges and port and the stores will empty and people now days don't store food like those of us growing up with stories of '64. DOT and lineman are doing a great job. Most people already have power. We got kindling ready and everything and never had time to start a fire.

Another frugal fail, the Pacific plate took out some dishes a bunch of canned smoke salmon, some sauces, and a bunch of spices which I'd just stocked up on. 😞Lots of cracks in my sheetrock, broken toilet where it cracked porcelian trying to jump away, and the one bookcase that I failed to attach to a wall because it was there "temporarily" was busted to pieces (Yes, I know better, all other bookcases are securely attached to studs) and the deck will need replaced but it could have been worse so I'm thankful nothing major. Hopefully, I'll get back to getting on top of my budget now!

We tend to skimp on all holidays except Christmas but I really need to be careful not just with gifts but food. I tend not to make desserts and drinks and such the rest of the year because I focus on purchasing nutrition only but it stinks not being able to for Christmas so I need to just have some self control but yes it's hard. Trying not to feel defeated. Printer needs a new drum but at some point I would just like to buy another one. This thing is over a decade and every time we put ink in it it puffs out everywhere. I already mention the oven breaking. The hot water heater needs flushed but that shouldn't cost anything but time. The kids need a new shower head if they will ever be able to use the upstairs bath and the car has need a few different things for the engine swap and I need to replace the windshield in my vehicle before my daughter will be allowed to take her driver's test in it. I'm seeing I will have to replace it every couple years since I will keep having new drivers and windshields last from a few days to a few months around here depending on how lucky you are. After all that we have holidays. Yikes. I'm working on photobooks for the Grandparents so that's three albums. Maybe I should look around for a place cheaper than Costco.

Ha ha ha. That question could make them very embarrassed they asked real quick.

My mother and I started workdays together. We would make freezer meals, clean, whatever. I'm seriously thinking of having a project club, if I get around to it. Ha If I could find 2 or 3 friends interested we could clean, organize, make meals, weed gardens, stain decks, paint, grade papers or whatever that person wanted to do. We could rotate homes so each week someone else gets a lot accomplished. I don't really have a lot of time to sit around and gab. I really just need someone to share a few laughs.

It hasn't even crossed my mind. I don't know why although it just happened so I haven't put a ton of thought into work arounds of which we have plenty. Crockpots, roaster oven, convection baking microwave, etc. The funny thing is we priced getting the gas run this summer for a gas stove and for the pipe to wrap around the corner to a gas fireplace where there is currently a gaping hole where once upon a time there was a real fire place. Actually, I covered the hole with rigid foam insulation to keep cold air out. It was more expensive than we wanted to lay out yet so we waited even though our oven is really old and I wanted to replace with a gas range when it finally croaked. I figured even if the oven broke we could still cook at home. I don't know if the oven heard our plans or what. It's suspicious that it broke just a couple months later.