I wish I could opt out (at least of visiting my in-laws). I have minimized the time as much as I can. Now we do Thanksgiving as a day trip, instead of the 2 nights we used to (4 hour drive each way but it's worth it to avoid staying the night). We stay 2 nights for Christmas but always in a hotel. I still hate it...but Thanksgiving and Christmas are literally our only visits so I'll concede.

My mom visited us in May and freaked out about the lump on my 13 yr old's neck. I was like, "What lump?" Turns out, DD has a huge thyroid nodule that I'd (somehow!) not noticed. I looked back at last year's Christmas pictures and it was visible then. Smh. Sorry kiddo. Thankfully, it's benign, though she does go in for surgery to remove it in 2 weeks.

I once cleaned the whole bathroom with Armor-All wipes. Both containers were cylindrical white plastic with yellow lids. Both stored in the same under-cabinet basket. My bathroom was sooo shiny. And slick.

I think, also, that main dishes are often costlier to prepare. I can make a pan of brownies for a few dollars but a crockpot of Mac and cheese is going to be more. Our church does occasional potlucks, and they assign main dish/sides/desserts by last name. (A-F bring main dishes...) Our college students were asked to bring drinks last time -- we ended up with 1 lemonade and 2 Dr.Peppers for about 50 people, 😂

I feel like a slacker. My 8th grader just does the next thing. If there's some confusion, she comes and asks and we make the decision. But I've chosen curricula that require very little planning for her independent work.

This thread kind of feels like: "Hey, this funny thing happened at McDonald's." And then people chime in with "McDonald's is terrible for your health," and "Yeah, I only ever eat organic, grass fed burgers." @Ktgrok and @Annie G - you do not have to defend/explain your personal hygiene choices, lol. You're grown women who, I'm sure, weigh risks v. benefits and can manage the care of your...body...without unsolicited input from the internet.

Better that than the other way around!

Oh, sorry, I wasn't necessarily responding to your use of the word. It was a general reflection on the term (which is used pretty interchangeably in my circle). 😛 I've never actually seen anyone put ANY sort of dressing/stuffing inside the turkey, except on tv!

I grew up with oyster dressing in coastal NC -- my grandma made it. And though I never ate it, I don't remember it looking so very wet or repulsive...or smelling. And as far as dressing vs. stuffing, I've never actually seen anyone cook/serve/put it inside the turkey. It's always a side dish.

I liked this one, too!

For another guilty pleasure, try "Let it Snow." It's full of teen drama but funny and enjoyable. And surprisingly touching.

Ah, we have an artificial tree so that does make a difference!

Who else is decorating for Christmas this weekend? I always do early, usually the first weekend in November, but last weekend just felt a little too close to Halloween! Also, we travel to stay with family for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, so I get my stuff up early so I can enjoy it! I've done all the indoor stuff (snowman collection, village on the mantle) except tree ornaments -- we'll do those over the next couple of days. Outside decorations go up early-December so the neighbors don't think I'm nuts. 😉

No helpful comments here, but I just wanted to say that the title of this thread swung me way back to DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...

Sounds yummy! I'd love specifics on the recipe, too!

I've had "Kurt Seyit and Sura" on my watch list for ages. I've heard it's really good! Maybe that'll be next.

I don't think so because I'd hate it if it were a taupe that leaned pink/lavender. I have it in several lights (south/west facing, east facing, no-light hallway) -- all look good. In my kitchen (and only there) it can -- at some points of the day -- lean more gray. But (for my house) it's only in that room.

Congrats!

I watched Holiday in the Wild (starring Rob Lowe and Kristen Davis). It is not a hidden gem, lol, but if you like Hallmark Channel type romances...go for it. (It's very clean, if you want something safe to watch with kids in the room.) Plus, it has super cute elephants. If you watch it, then read this review: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vogue.com/article/holiday-in-the-wild-netflix-review/amp I literally snorted my coffee reading it.

(Also, when I saw the title of this thread, I thought for sure this was going to be about him coming out. He's always pinged my gaydar...)

How sad. I did enjoy a lot of his humor. I hope he gets *real* help.

They're both at grade level. My 6th grader is using TT6, and the 8th grader using pre-alg (she used TT7 last year). My goal was pre-a in 7th and algebra in 8th....but it just didn't work out. I'm considering making math year-round, at least until we're on track with what she'd be doing if she were in the local school.

My 6th grader uses TT and EiW. I think EiW is perfectly acceptable. My DD also uses CLE Reading (I love it for grades 4-8 because it's 1 semester, so there's time for novels - we break between each light unit for a novel). We also are doing world geography, science, and Spanish as a family (all very informal and light). Spelling and typing via TTRS. Art - sporadic, at best.

What have you recently watched that is a hidden gem? Whether it's an original (such as a "Netflix original movie") or you simply missed it/never heard of it when it was first released. For me: About Time (Netflix) It's got a decent cast lineup (Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander). Produced by the same guys that did Bridget Jones/Notting Hill/Four Weddings and a Funeral. Quirky, British rom-com. No shortage of the f-bomb (and other profanity) but golly, it's just so touching and charming. I've watched it twice in as many weeks, and bawled both times (but it's not a sad ending, not at all -- I hate tragic endings!) Domhnall is now my official celebrity crush (though I typically don't go for gingers).