We got DD#1 a Leapster at 3 years old, realized she could not use it, and returned it. We purchased one again when she was around 4.5 and she knew how to use it then. Her interest in it didn't last too long. She got an iTouch with games on it when she was 5 years old and she LOVES it. Younger DD (who is 3.5) has never picked up her sisters Leapster. But she does have her own iTouch with preschool games on it and she can operate that.

Wow, I knew I could count on y'all for suggestions! These are awesome!! Now to just decide which one to use LOL! I can't really do the family group gifts because the children are not all from the same family. Some families have one child, another has five, several have two, etc. So it would be sort of difficult to break that up. I'll probably either do a gift card, or check out the Target dollar spot, or check out those glow flashlights. Or maybe I'll check out the dollar spot for the youngers and a gift card for the olders? Hmm...so many choices!

Oh yes....I cannot STAND this. No one RSVP's anymore, and if they do, it still doesn't mean anything. This is why homeschool groups that I observed never do well....no one can commit to anything. Not even for family gatherings! UGH! Drives me nuts.

Sorry, but I have a 3 year old who wears glasses. We avoid 3D movies. I wear glasses and it's a pain to keep 3D glasses on myself....they keep slipping off my nose since I have regular glasses on too. With my 3 year old, it's even worse. We went to a short 10 minute 3D show at Disney World this past week. I spent the entire 10 minutes holding the glasses on DD3's face so they wouldn't slip off. If it were any longer, both she and I would have been tired of it. Sorry....that's our story LOL. I hope that yours will be better!

Wow, that must have taken some time!

We are going to be traveling to DH's side of the family for an early Christmas get-together this year. We've never done this before. Since we will be there, we will need to purchase gifts for all 13 kids on this side of the family. Honestly, we don't know most of the kids well (I know 3 of them very well) and they do not know us.....and we cannot spend lots of money on each child....it would just add up too quickly. I'm thinking about $5 each but I don't even know if that's possible. What would you get? Is there any one gift that could be for each age? I doubt it, right? I wish we didn't have to buy anything just because $5 is basically not even enough to buy anything and I don't even know what these kids like....but they will be buying for my kids and everyone will be exchanging gifts and I sort of feel obligated. Any ideas?

Yes, I do have one sitting out. I figure that's the day where our life and our family began and I want to have that photo displayed.

Awww....what a good, honest boy you have there!

Way to go!! Good call!!

I never seperate colors. I've never had any colors run in the wash.

My concerns would be... How do they interact with the kids? How do they take your concerns? Do they brush them off or consider them? How do they feel about vaccines (whichever end of the vaccine spectrum you may be on) How do they handle same day appointments for sick kids? Can you be seen that day? What hospital do they refer to for emergencies, surgeries, specialty care? Do you like that particular hospital? Is their office clean? Friendly staff? Does the doctor rush you through an appointment or genuinely talk to you? Can you have appointments in the evenings? Weekends? Ours does not do this, but I would absolutely LOVE it if they did! If they do not do it, how about a doctor on call? Is there one?

It's also really hard to be sympathetic when DD6 hurts herself when pitching a fit. Umm....sorry sweetie....that's what happens when you are acting like a two year old. :tongue_smilie:

I would not have taken my kids in yet.....but hey, mama knows best! If you think your kids are feeling out of sorts and may have strep, then you do what you think is best! Mothers intiution is nothing to brush off!

Honestly, it freaks me out. I don't see how people can live like that. I cannot stand clutter.

Wow, you guys make me look really easy going LOL! I absolutey love the Disney on Ice shows! And the Sesame Street Live too! Just curious, if you hate these shows then I guess you hate Disney World too? Cause it's the same thing on a bigger scale LOL. We totally do glitter....and playdoh! I love camping. In fact, we are camping as I type this! At Disney LOL! We have a pop up so I have my A/C and a bed. We go to Chuck E Cheese a few times a year. And we totally rock out to kids music in the car. Everyone tells me I'm a fun mom.....I think it's because I'm still part kid myself LOL. What do I not do? I can't stand talking animal movies. Not cartoons....I can do those. But real animals who have moving mouths and talk. But still, if it were an approved movie (by me) in content, I'd probably still take them to see it if they really wanted. I'd just go a bit crazy.

Well, I'll stand up and say that I'm one of the ones who "lies" to my children. And :::gasp:::, I'm a Christian too! I speak the name of Jesus to my kids daily....hourly. We study him, we pray to him, we discuss his ways 365 days a year. Santa gets discussed 25 days of the year. And during the time we speak of Santa, we emphasize Jesus even more. I trust that my children will be able to discern the two when Santa comes to light one day. I know that I did. Me and my two sisters were "lied" to about Santa. There were no tearful letdowns, no trust issues with our parents, no wondering if Jesus is real, and no lifelong therapy to deal with any of it. I think that people put too much though into this whole Santa thing. It's just a story that our family has a little fun with. Santa is really no big deal. So if I'm "lying"' then so be it.

I'm there right now! And have been for the past week. We vacation here several times a year. For lunch today I had an awesome pulled pork BBQ sandwich from Cosmic Rays in the Magic Kingdom. Another place that I like in MK is the Columbia Harbor house. Their fish and chips is good. At Animal Kingdom we always seem to find ourselves at Flame Tree BBQ. My favorite table service meals this time have been the Crystal Palace and Whispering Canyon. We don't really have a fave counter service at Hollywood Studios or Epcot.

Me! Me! Me!!! I love dig scrapping!! Not doing anything this weekend because it is packed full and we are traveling home from vacation on Friday. But my mom and I sometimes have scrapping days. She paper scraps though.

Is this some sort of special supermom power? I think I missed the boat when God was handing out this power.:D

I get the ocular migraines with no headache. I get them like twice a year. It freaked me out the first few times before I decided to google it. I thought for sure my retinas were detaching! (Yes, I always think of the worst case scenario LOL). Mine looks exactly like this and slowly moves across the whole eye: But tadpoles sound like floaters. I have two that are shaped like that. I'm not sure what else is shaped like tadpoles.

I'm sorry you had a crummy morning! The root canal is a breeze. I had no pain before or after the procedure. The only uncomfortable thing was that my jaw was sore for holding my mouth open for 45 minutes. I didn't even need any motrin afterwards.

Nooooooooooooo! I can't do Christmas the day after Halloween!

I'm extremely picky. I only like green beans, broccoli, and peas. Then plain lettuce (and dressing) for a salad.

Oh wait...when I said that I recommended it I thought that you were asking about Wii PARTY, not Wii Play LOL. We actually have both. Wii Play rarely gets played. Wii Party is the one we got the other day....that's the one I recommend. Sorry for the confusion LOL.

That Polar Express train ride sounds like so much fun!! We may do Santa but we elevate and emphasize Jesus way more than Santa. We even have a birthday party for Jesus each year on Christmas night! I just like doing the magic of Christmas with Santa.....same way as we enjoy the magic of Disney each time we go. Santa is someone who we may talk about for 25 days of the year. I emphasize Jesus to my kids every single day, multiple times a day.