My parents have a permanent home 5 hours from us. They own a townhouse 2 miles from our house as well. They are here frequently, and usually take the kids every other weekend for trips and sleepovers. They come some weeknights for dinner, and to take the kids to their karate classes when they're staying in town. We decided to have the military move us here so we could be close to grandparents - it allows dh and me time together for dates, and let's the kids have special time with their grandparents. It is great for all of us, and my children have wonderful memories of their grandparents that they can cherish. This weekend they're bringing our 2 oldest to Monterey, CA to see the butterflies and go on a whale watch. Our youngest is having a blast so far being and only child and getting all the attention. My youngest brother lives in Tucson, about 45 minutes from my parents. - so we see him when we go to their AZ home. My eldest brother is living in Thailand now, so we see him once a year when he comes home for a month. dh doesn't speak to his family.

Our Shih Tzu has a twin size fuzzy blanket that she drags around with her everywhere she goes. It's hilarious to watch her since she's so tiny compared to the blanket - it looks like a lot of work. She's quite insistent about having it with her though. At night, she sleeps in a canopy bed that my mother bought her (she's one of the spoiled grandchildren) and the blanket has to be on her bed along with her favorite Minnie Mouse stuffed animal.

:iagree: Pen a lovely letter and add the gift card.

Our 10 y/o dd wanted one for Christmas, too. We got one today from Toys R Us called Bang Stick from Radio Road Toys - model # PG6002. It says 80-160lbs. I looked at the one from Rainbow Resources, but decided on this model. The one from RR claims to be squeak free - I guess I'll find out if this one is or not :-) They're both about the same price, if I recall correctly.

Since you've got a large age range of kids, you could stop at the book store and pick up a few different kinds of guidebooks. One could be Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for kids, so the smaller kids would have something special for them. The Passporter is also a good one. Then maybe your mum could come for dinner, and you could surprise the kids, then everyone can relax with hot coco and cookies while they mark off all of the fun things they want to do. You could give each kid a color gel pen, and have them put a check the top 5 things that would be "not to miss" for them. Then you can have fun making plans together. Also, you can make customized maps here: http://customizedmaps.disney.go.com It's free - once you have a list from all of the kids, you can check those specific attractions or restaurants, then they'll be marked on the map. They make nice keepsakes.

http://www.freepianolessons4kids.com This is a cute site, if they're just starting out.

This cake is super yummy, and really easy to make: http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/fabios-apple-cake-171000075.html

We hosted Flat Stanley while we were in AZ a few years back. We took him to the renaissance festival near Phoenix and took pictures of him jousting. He climbed a saguaro in saguaro national park, and had a shoot out with the Earp brother at the O.K. corral in Tombstone. Oh, and he posed with some Buffalo Soldiers at the museum on Fort Huachuca. I wish I would have taken him to Lake Havasu for a photo on London Bridge. We just had a lot if fun posing him, and making him look like he was doing all of these crazy things - and we found that just about everyone we met knew him, and were excited to be in photos with him. The actors in Tombstone had a blast with him. I shipped him back with a tiny souvenir or tourist map from every place that we took him.

Dropbox.com is free

James and the Giant Peach. I remember my 3rd grade teacher read it to us. I loved it so much, I made my mother buy me my own copy. I couldn't stand how slow the teacher was getting through it, and didn't want to wait for her to see what happened.

My sil sent my kids a copy of this story from Germany: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/081094457X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1380936174&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165 Though, it probably wouldn't help your cause much - my kids giggled like crazy the first time we ready it. They pulled it out of the box, and I said "oh, look! Auntie sent a book about a mole with poo on his head!" That alone sent them on a hysterical laughing fit!

I love it! That's too cute!

I was born in New York, but I (and my children of course) have dual citizenship in Italy - I speak Italian. Both sides of my family came to the states from Italy, and I still have a lot of relatives there that we keep contact with. So, I have a very strong connection to my family roots.

My 10yo has a microscope tucked away. My 5yo asked for a baby doll. She collects AG dolls, so she has a bitty baby and accessories on the way. My 4yo loves to play air hockey, so he has a table packed away in the back of my closet. He'll also get Legos and puzzles, as that's all he likes to play with. My girls like to craft, so they'll get jewelry and bow making supplies as well as sewing and knitting baskets. All will get lots of books. I'm having a passenger seat put on my husband's Harley. He's also getting a travel humidor with cigars to take on his upcoming deployment.

Old Forge is a pretty town. http://www.oldforgeny.com/ They have a town row of antique shops and restaurants to visit. It's not too far of a drive from Utica, and has main roads to travel on. I grew up in a tiny town just outside of Rome, NY (the next town over from Utica) - we had a summer home on north Lake in the Adirandacks. The Adirandack mountains are one of the most beautiful places to be in the fall!

The very best thing for you to do is (if you're unable to block emails) delete her emails without reading them. If she sends mail, just throw it out. No thought, no replies - add any correspondence from her in with your junk mail pile, and toss it in the recycle bin. If she sends packages, don't open - mark them return to sender, and hand them back to the postman. Just don't look - It adds so much more stress, anger, and heartache to see her words. My MIL used to play the same types of games - it took her 4 years, but she's finally given up. It is a relief like you cannot believe on our family - especially my dh. He's been dealing with her crazy all of his life, and it's been very hard on him. But since he's learned to deal with her, he's grown and changed in such positive ways. I'm so proud of him for learning to stand up for himself and protecting his family.

Oh my - this reminds me that I need to buy a new black cartridge! I'll add that to my weekend To-Do list right now :laugh:

We haven't actually started back to school yet. My girls learned how to finger knit today, and having a great time with it. I guess everyone is getting a scarf for Christmas this year! :laugh:

Tonight is Scalloped potatoes and Ham casserole. Sort of like this: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/04/scalloped-potatoes-and-ham/

It says on their website that they're still doing the final testing. The FastPass+, and MyMagic+ experiences will be available, from what I understand, by the end of this year. They are still picking random guests that enter the park to help finish the testing.

Home Art Studio is a cute program for smaller kids. The projects were fun, creative, and engaging, but they were simple enough for my then 3 year old to do all on his own. The supply list that's needed for the projects is short, and very inexpensive. They have the program listed on HSBC for 50% off right now. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/home-art-studio/?c=1

We're reading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - one of my favorites from when I was a kid.

I lean more toward Ron Burgundy - especially with the new movie poster out for Anchor Man 2: http://www.anchorman2.net/2013/06/moutache-tastic-anchorman-2-poster/

I'm sorry to hear about your situation - it's so hard to have family situations like this. Personally, I would send a very simple thank you card - taking care not to make any comments such as "very kind of you.. " or "much appreciated..." - no focus on her, period. I would then call my father at a time when he was not with her and have a nice private chat with him. I wouldn't send the gift back, as it would put her in a position to claim victim. I don't know whether or not she might take that anger out on your father or not - I'm just thinking of a similar person that we've dealt with personally in dh's family. The gift could maybe be donated or passed on to a friend that may have room and use for it. I hope whatever choice you make, it clears up without any issue.

Lake Havasu in AZ might be worth taking a look at. http://www.go-arizona.com/Lake-Havasu-City/