It depends. If he's specific about the set he wants, I'd probably start stalking it now. I've had really good luck with getting good deals on Star Wars and Monster Hunter legos this season but I've been searching avidly since Halloween. Slick Deals has a Deals Alert where they e-mail you if a posting meets your search criteria. CamelCamelCamel is a good website for tracking Amazon but it doesn't catch Lightning Deals. Usually KMart, Walmart and Target have toy clearances in mid-January, but they can be very hit and miss. Good if you are lucky and don't have a specific set in mind but it can be very disappointing. Christine

DD isn't really old enough for either doll (those curls would be destroyed in days); I also don't want to have to get up at 6am to compete with millions of other moms for a shot. DD is getting Kit for Christmas, and the other two she wants most are Addie and Josefina so I'm going to stay in bed. Honestly, I hope that foreswearing the sale will help me maintain the nerve to stay away from the AG site tomorrow. Christine W

We BOUGHT our current home after seeing it at an open house. We made an offer that night--we live in a weird housing market though your situation might be different.

After a couple years of serious misses, DH asks me to send him my Amazon wishlist. I'm hoping for a good mini chopper, a kitchen scale, Geek Mom book, Geek Dad Mad Scientist. FIL is getting me the low end Brother sewing machine and a gift card to Joann's Fabrics.

I'm so sorry. And I agree, I was active on boards with my other babies and I don't remember so many losses.

It took us a year and we ended up settling--great house but needs updating and has a small yard. However, we got a fabulous deal AND if we had waited we'd be priced out of the market for our neighborhood.

If they are only getting one present, I would get them something that you are sure they want.

I have no idea what to put in DH's stocking this year other than an orange and some shaving cream. I also inevitably fill my own stocking. Usually, with cheap little lotions, lip gloss etc. However, I will have a newborn and the last two babies have had highly sensitive skin--major reactions to purfumes etc. Any natural or unscented products that would be safe? Thanks, Christine

We went to the tree farm and cut down our tree on Sunday. We then decorated it and drank hot chocolate while listening to Christmas music. It was awesome. Advent starts Sunday and I have the candles ready along with the Playmobil nativity. We have a baby due over the holidays so I'm trying to get everything done early just in case--ie. 90% of presents bought, half of those are wrapped, stocking stuffers purchased for all but the grown ups, etc.

http://scratch.mit.edu/ Anyone try it with a mathy kid? DS7 is very into robots, building and math. I'm trying to convince DH to pay for a Lego Mindstorms class but in the interim, I'm thinking about Scratch. If so, how did you get started? Was it through the online tutorials, a book, etc. I personally don't know anything about computer programming, but I remembered this from an WSj article a few months ago. Thanks, Christine

A vacation home in Tahoe

I don't think you can get an Rx for Plan B more than twice in a six month window; even over the counter, the pharmacist will ask if you've taken it before and when. This isn't a proposal to make Plan B available over the counter for young girls; the teen would still need to have a frank talk with her doctor.

I agree. I'm a bit squeamish about the moral aspects of Plan B, but not the medical ones. When I think of one of my former students who had already had three abortions by the time she finished 8th grade, I'm not even all that squeamish about the morality of it. Christine

Double post

I'd give it a try. We attend a Presbyterian USA church and the pastor is very open about the fact that congregants come from a wide range of beliefs (conservative Christian to the 'nones'--religious but non-believing). I don't think you could join without professing faith, but I don't see the harm in a few visits. We have Catholic and Mormon friends who sometimes attend special events at the Church--like "Journey to Bethlehem" or family movie night, but then I think PCUSA is a fuzzier, more liberal denomination than PCA.

Sorry for your loss :grouphug:

Think Geek has free shipping today

I think that I might want a small, inexpensive sewing machine so that I can make doll clothes, felt ornaments, capes, masks, pillow case dresses, etc. Maybe something good enough to make a couple baby quilts. But I have no idea where to begin. My mom sewed when I was little but hasn't touched a sewing machine in at least 25 years. Any suggestions? I'd like to keep it under $100 in case I don't get any better than I was in 8th grade (C+ in home ec)so I won't feel guilty if it doesn't work out. Thanks, Christine

My almost 6 year old DD is getting Kit, some A/G clothes, and Grace (Kit's dog)--I scored these like new off Craigslist The Ikea doll bed, and some books. I'm hoping to find a deal on Littlest Petshop Fairies so that she'll have a decent number of presents under the tree. Oh, and she wants a weather chart from Santa (???) Christine

Chocolates deck of cards for DS hot wheels for DS mini Lalaloopsy for the girls either the Trader Joes chocolate oranges or some Satsuma mandarins (they are super yummy this year but I don't know how long they last) food erasers for the girls from Target dollar section pencils chapstick/lipsmackers

We might go get a tree tomorrow; otherwise we'll go next Saturday. The kids are singing at Church on Dec 2 for the 1st Sunday in Advent and we'll get into full swing then--Advent wreath, nativity scene (we found some devotions to coordinate putting various pieces out each week of Advent), etc. We also celebrate St Nicholas Day.

DD wants a science kit for Christmas. We've had a lot of fun with the squishy body science kit we received last year. She's really bright but a bit behind in motor skills. Thoughts about kits that have worked with small kids and advice on what to avoid would be helpful. Thanks, Christine

Sick family members should stay home. SIL brought her sick son to TG last year (norovirus) and we all got terribly sick. In our case, it wasn't life threatening. Here it could be. Your DD could catch a ride and stay with the grandparents to avoid getting sick or you could pick her up from the grandparents and bring her home. Christine

I couldn't do it. Maybe keep them for the morning and send them off in the afternoon

Even with the updated info, I think its still up to the parents to pay their daughter since the bike isn't paid off. They knew of a hazardous situation on their property and failed to warn an invited guest about a danger he could not see. The boy had permission to be riding the bike and was not riding recklessly, In the States, he could successfully sue for pain and suffering and any other losses incurred due to the injury. The bike should have been insured. It's not the boy's fault that it wasn't.