santa always bring socks and undies. And toothbrush, hair ties and jammies too.

34... blunt antipodean with little patience for twaddle.

I don't think coops exist here. I doubt they'd suit us if they did.

I have this one for me and the kids http://www.amazon.com/Day-Kids-Three-Year-Journal/dp/0307952967

Christmas Eve (7 people) Prawn cocktails (prawns, lettuce, lemon wedges, thousand island dressing) Cold ham, cold chicken, new potatoes (with butter), lettuce salad, tomatoes Lemon Merigue Pie with sorbet Beer/Wine/Sparkling apple juice Christmas Breakfast (4 people) Whitebait patties sparkling grapejuice Christmas Lunch (16ish people) Cold meats: ham, chicken, lamb, turkey, pork, corned beef salads: cucumber, lettuce, tomato, carrot other: boiled eggs (some stuffed, some plain), peas, potatoes condiments: mint sauce, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, apple sauce dessrt: ambrosia, chocolate cream log, ice cream, berry fruit, fruit salad Christmas dinner (30 ish people) Much the same as lunch except the ham will be hot, and the desserts will be sans dairy. editing because I forgot the pavlova, trifle and cheesecake. How could I forget the pav??

I saw a cool money tree pattern the other day. Probably on pinterest

My parents stopped ours when we were 13. Well, I was 13 and my sister was 16. I remember protesting that she'd had 3 more years than me :lol: I don't intend to stop for my kiddos. If they wake up here on Christmas morning, there will be a stocking. As mentioned above though, they're silly things and things you'd get anyway... santa always brings toothbrush. underwear, socks and usually a new towel or similar.

Boy 8: red GIrl 5: magenta

devils on horseback (bacon wrapped prunes) chocamole (avocado, cocoa, honey all whizzed together) and fruit for dipping in it prawn salad veges with aoili or hummus dip salami, olives, sundried tomatoes and rice crackers (add goat or sheep cheese if they can manage that) a big plate of fruit cook a whole bunch of GF sausages and cut into bite sized pieces

dunno... my guys have been learning for 4 (DS8) and 2 (DD5) years each and I'm none the wiser. I ask them to practice. I nod appreciatively. I find them recordings of their pieces being played. If something sounds off I say 'hey, that didn't sound right, is it?' and they check. I listen intheir lessons and write down (DD) or provide a notebook for writing down (DS) what is to be practiced. I pay the fees, and get the piano tuned. That's about all I can offer. DS just passed grade 2 with distinction, so I guess we're going ok so far, lol!

I had to google because I didn't know what a "Lay" was, but now I see. Chocolate covered potato chips. No. That is wrong, so very, very wrong.

Ive been wrapping over the last week or so. But I've been so tired and distracted that I honestly do not know what is in some of the parcels under my tree. They're all clearly labelled, so I can give them to the right people, but two people will be getting a surprise when they're unwrapped.

Rainbows are pretty. I have no religion. Death is the end. Viva la worm.

oh, PLEASE do this. But make sure someone is filming and post a link. Pleeeeeeeease? We do family Christmas with my parents. Despite being a grown up with a family of my own I am still apparently 12 and unable to actually provide anything for the meal. After 4 requests for "what can I bring" this year (turning up with any old thing would not be acceptable.. tried that last year), I finally got told I could bring some lettuce and some eggs and "I'll take care of them when you arrive". Righto. On the other hand I'm in charge of Trifle for the other side of the family's dinner. I've never actually made one before, so that might be interesting :-)

I cannot like this enough. If only we could behave the way we dream

:-( I hope it doesn't worry him too much. I tell my guys they won't be socially inept and a bit weird because of homeschooling / whatever interest their grandmother has decided is not ok this week. They'll be socially inept and a bit weird because DH and I are their parents and that stuff is genetic :-)

ugh, why do some people not get that this is rude? I am expecting several versions of this conversation over the Christmas period with various family members... and they wonder why we only see them at Christmas and don't stay long. I'm glad your son was ok with it, Ruth. Does he want to mentor an 8 year old maths geek down the other end of the country? I'm also super glad he got to see that there are adults in his life that will step up for him. Perhaps that lady needs some socialisation?

My son read them much younger than is suggested here, and has read and reread and re-reread them. I have no idea how many times he has read the series now. He is growing with them and gets more out of them each time he goes back through the series. I have no regrets about having let him start them young. He had not been exposed to many of the references before he read the books the first time, which has made it like discovering an old friend when he's made a new connection. It also got him interested in Latin (for the spells). My daughter is currently reading the third book. I'm not sure that she will continue past that at this point - she's a different kid and may need more time to grow into them. I think when they're ready, they're ready, and you can't put an arbitrary age on it.

Not from the US. Never even been there, lol. I missed 4, thanks to the Jonathan Coulton song. I blanked on one verse, so missed Mckinley, Wilson and Harding, then I couldn't remember one line (Truman).

Holy unrealistic expectations, Batman! Perhaps tuck a lottery ticket in with her gift with a note that she can enjoy one of her big wishes if she wins.

I have read all of both sets. I liked some of Narnia, but not all... some of them I would not bother with again. LOTR I'm kind of mixed about. I really should read it again because it was a very long time ago, but it just seems like such an enormous undertaking, lol! Maybe I should see if I can get them on my e-reader.

The 8 year old has read all of Narnia, The Hobbit and the first two books of LOTR. I think he got a bit bogged down about then and has put it aside for later. 5 year old is sitting beside me reading The Hobbit right now, lol! She's not even close to ready for LOTR. I don't think she's read any Narnia but I got shushed at when I tried to ask. I'll try again later.

that's great news :-)

I'm rereading atm too - it must be the time for it :-) My DD is finally ready to read them so she's reading one at a time and then we watch the movie. She's up to book 3 (or she might be finished.. not sure). I'm in book 4.

wow, fantastic! Congratulations to her