I do have two questions for the OP. 1. You don't ever get the chance to establish family Christmas traditions in your own home, what will your holidays look like when grandchildren arrive? I'd start gradually making the transition to THAT scene now while your kids can attach fun memories to YOUR home. and 2. Why hasn't someone pointed the non-shopping grandparents to online shopping with gift wrapping? Technology makes gift giving easier than it's every been.

I think you're upset because it wasn't a problem until it was a problem for HIM. Some people suck in the empathy department. Honestly, you should have checked out YEARS ago. He had it easy. He says "no" and you do all the work his way? Oh heck no! I can see where it can be perfectly valid to be both relieved that a change is on the horizon and angry that your feelings were ignored. Just don't cave and help. You got out. Stay out.

You win! I once only found a package because the delivery guy photographed where he put it. It was in a corner of my carport rather than my front stoop where most people put stuff. I guess he was trying to keep it safe. I was glad for the photo.

Can you manage to get outside for a walk during daylight hours even if it's gloomy? I think SAD symptoms get worse when you hole up at home for days on end, or do all of your errands after sundown. For me, messing with plants and soil helps. I start winter sowing right after the holidays and use my happy light to start seeds. Are you old enough for peri symptoms that could be running concurrent with SAD symptoms?

I think your yellow looks happy. If you FEEL good surrounded with that color, then it's probably right for you. I think you have enough solids with the wall and couch, and enough 'prints' with the photos. Maybe a white curtain with understated yellow stripes? If you DIY you can mix the paint to match your walls. This tutorial is for horizontal stripes. I'm partial to vertical, but with that curtain length, horizontal might be better. https://www.viewalongtheway.com/2011/09/a-striped-curtain-tutorial/ Or maybe you can find a curtain with a softer print; maybe with yellow accents, so it doesn't compete so much?. ETA: I like your yellow and I like your curtains. I see where you were going. Was it something like this? It might never look right with the curtains short and closed. What if you put white panels in the middle of your blue and pushed them out to the side?

I do not understand this at all. I just don't get being bored past childhood. Even if I'm doing a boring thing, my mind is somewhere else working on something more interesting. What does she do on land when she's bored? It seems like a big enough ship would have a lot of that. If she's bored in the morning no matter what, then a boat won't fix that. I'd be in a sunny chair with a stack of books, enjoying early breakfasts, gazing at the sea, chatting with chatty people, exploring the boat, planning my day, plotting my next caper in life . . .

Read Curly Girl. That frizz generally means that your hair is curlier than you imagine with proper care. I'd forget about the perm, give up on shampoo (or use the "no-poo" kind) for a while, get a DEVA cut, and embrace co-washing for a good 4-6 months then reevaluate from there. Also, Ouidad Heat and Humidity Control Gel is a godsend. The lighter one has no real hold, so you don't FEEL it, but it erases A LOT of the frizz from your life.

I've done the swatch wall. A big patch of primer, then several paint colors over it. If you tape it off and do it in squares the occasional visitor will mistake it for art. The odds of this happening go up if you leave it that way for months. 🙂

I switched to no-bake noodles. It's such a game changer that I sometimes make it on a weeknight. Wegmans has square noodles that are just the right size for a square pan. With jarred sauce and pre-shredded cheese, it goes together FAST.

Cottage cheese melts creamier than ricotta and never has that dry/chalky texture that ricotta can have. (i'm not saying when I use ricotta that it IS dry and chalky, I'm just saying that compared to cottage cheese it can have these qualities.) It becomes Not cottage cheese in a baked pasta dish. It's just creamy and neutral and has a nice melt-without-melting away. You've probably eaten it in dishes and never registered that it was there. Hot breakfast sausage won't make a dish hot. Think of it as making the dish more flavorful, like you've added more spices. Unless you have zero tolerance for any kind of spicy heat in a dish, you probably won't think it makes a whole lasagna hot. It just perks up the flavor. That said, I've never used breakfast sausage in lasagna, but I have used hot Italian sausage and it makes a very positive flavor difference over medium or mild.

My daughter has a mug sized French press at school. It was dh's, but she stole it when she moved into the dorms. It fits inside whatever mug she's using. It goes into the dishwasher so no distilled water, descaling, or mystery as-seen-on-facebook illnesses from grody machines.

I disagree that all naturally finished floors are neutral. Lots of wood colors are really warm or have too much interest to fade into the background. It seems that everyone is putting grey with them, but not everyone is doing it in a way that doesn't clash. I like the idea of the cream that the OP used, but it was a bit too buttery/bright for that space. Maybe something like this would keep the room light and still show a bit of contrast with the trim? Is it possible you went with 'cream' when what you really wanted was 'ivory?' ETA: this photo is the accessible beige that everyone mentioned.

Ok, I'm in the game now. Two trees went up yesterday. They're pre-lit, so if nobody else shows an interest in ornaments I'm fine with the minimalist look. The walk down memory lane with the ornaments is sweet, but I don't need it EVERY year. I wrapped the gifts that are in the house and decorated the mantle. I got almost as ready as I could without leaving the house. Today I HAVE to leave the house, and here I sit on the computer in my pajamas. Today I should help my son get ready for the day, shower, dress, do a batch of cookies, mop my kitchen, make a shopping list for the next 8 days, grocery shop, visit a friend in the hospital, feed people, and be finished with it all before my 7 p.m. students show up at my house tonight. I still need to do some local shopping, but facing the crowds is daunting. My college girl gets home tomorrow night, so I may brave the stores with her. She makes it fun and she's a much better shopper than me. I should be much more panicked with my level of preparedness, but I have adult children so there is no pressure to make magic for little kids. I feel I should be moved on to the next phase of life where I get a couple presents for my kids and just take a trip instead of Doing All The Things. I do have a disabled son who is a bit young for his age, so I'll give him another (scaled down) year or two to come to terms with adult holidays. Thankfully, DH and I both hate shopping, so we don't always shop for each other unless something really jumps out at us. I do the cookies for DH more than the kids because he really enjoys that a new batch shows up every few days. By Christmas Day I have several kinds set aside for a variety platter.

Do you have a bare wall?

My son has a head lamp. I've stolen it many times for all sorts of things.

As a person who does not need, want, or like any more Stuff to maintain, consumable gifts are a win for me. Candles, meals, treats, experiences, anything I can use up and not store makes me happy. Would your son care for movie tickets?

Can you get them set up with Skype or FaceTime so you can have a conversation and see her without the holiday trip?i don’t know what you’d talk about in person that you couldn’t chat about over video. Maybe you can find a bargain ticket after the holidays when you’ve had a chance to rest.

Wegmans, panera, and La Madeleine have nice cookies.

Do you care if they match? I think a cast iron skillet and dutch oven are essential. They work on the range and in the oven, will last forever, and give you really even heating no matter what type of stove/oven you use. They do NOT have to be expensive. These two pieces and a few pots can get you through anything.

Veggie pizzas or burrito bowls with some well seasoned beans and lots of toppings seem like an easy start. Veggie soup is nice. Make your stock with leeks and it’s surprisingly satisfying as a savory soup base. I’d do component meals so yours can be vegan but everyone else can have cheese. Vegetarian alone will be a hard enough sell in the beginning.

I’ve decided that December brides are the smartest. Everything is already decorated so you save a bundle.

I vote go and use the time for stress relief. Go up the night before. Spend time relaxing in a hotel room alone. Plan your upcoming shopping trips/menus with surgical precision if you want to be productive. Enjoy the visit with family. Make sure you have books or podcasts that you really enjoy for the drive. When you get home you’ll be ready to tackle home and holidays.

A cuisinart with a light hand on the pulse button?

Can't we call the curriculum blunders due diligence or market research or something that makes us sound like we were just being thorough? You know, kinda like the "choosy mothers choose Jiff" commercials. Those moms HAD to try the other peanut butters to make a sound choice. Right?