My experience with store pickup has been fine, use the app to check in. I often wait less than a minute, unless it is a large item, then maybe 5 minutes for them to go in the back. Maybe call that store and ask them how their pick up is set up and typical wait times. Explain you will have someone waiting to load up out front. If can get some items shipped to the dorm, do it, if not, talk to the uber driver and explain what you need. I have been in many that were very helpful and flexible. Often giving us their cell numbers so we could call them direct for rides. In my experience with small town Wal-Mart's I would order all you can in advance to make sure they have what you want to minimize trips.

To be honest after arriving from that long trip, we always want a bite and then SLEEP! Plus as someone mentioned, he may be shy/not sure about cost of various places. I would do the map, printed list of nearby places to eat and hours, phone number of student center (if it's open). Then some juice boxes, water, pre packaged snacks, some healthy some fun (maybe Hershey's bar, some packaged nuts), maybe some local treat? Nothing requiring heating up or refrigeration. Maybe some baked goods? Those would last till morning for breakfast. Some change for a vending machine. Do dorms or the student center have those? When getting US money overseas, trust me you get mostly large bills. And I've never gotten change (like some quarters).

Like the PP idea, for the main course, you could cook rice (have a rice cooker? that would keep it warm), and some chicken, then provide sauces, veges to make rice bowls. Some could be Asian sauces, some southwestern, some like tahini, might be unique. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking: corn, beans (black, garbanzo), bamboo shoots, green onions, steamed broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, carrots, etc. You could get hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, salsa, sour cream, etc. for sauces, they could mix and taste and come up with their own sauce for their combo bowls.

Oh, be sure to check options. You can turn off comments and make the group by invite only. Also you can stop others from inviting people (ie only admins can add people).

Around here it took a while to find a place for volunteering (most 18+, 14 to 17 with a parent present all the time <oh, and I can't bring youngest with>). Our 4-H club does community service projects, but even those were hard to find since we have members from 9yo-18yo. Some would take the older kids, but not the younger kids. This year our 4-H club is: making cards for hospitalized kids making "snack packs" for local sheriff office on Law enforcement appreciation day making dog toys for local shelter doing local clean up day vis parks dept helping care for local senior center garden 1x a month make personal care bags to be handed out by local homeless agency DS will begin teaching a computer class for seniors at the senior center next month. He is working on the congressional award also.

The calendar on my Android phone, is in the middle. Did you make a group yet? You have to do that 1st. Then at the bottom when you click on your grouo, will be icons: chat, pics, calendar, etc. For our 4H group I made a chat room for each project. Like I lead cooking and forensic science, so I can remind members what they need to bring, etc. I also like I can make sign up lists. Like we parents each sign up to bring an item for the "barn" each month, like tp, hand soap, Clorox wipes, paper plates, etc. Now we each just checkmark the one we want to bring.

I know!!! BAND... I just set it up for our 4-H group! It has everything we needed: chats, group calendar, sign up lists, etc.... It works on Andriod, iPhone and PCs if someone does not have a smartphone!!! We all love it.

Oh or us mobile let's you bring an unlocked used phone and pick how many minutes/texts etc. And I think you could do no data on it.

I would think that if they want a "normal" looking phone, get a cheap smartphone (like tracfone has some for under $30) and put a program like qustodio on it. Qustodio is free for 1 child/1 device. Plus google has family link now so you could look into using that also.

Thanks! That mall looks like it would be perfect after we "see" the hotels from the outside. And A/C!!! YAY!!!

LOL - well update, family member still wants to go to Vegas, even knowing the heat ? So I am looking for a nice Air BnB that we can chill in from like 10-4pm. They don't gamble or drink, so it is just to see the sites and shop and eat. I mean we have huge outlet malls near us we could hit. But whatever, it looks like they are not going to commit to dates, so we can just say "booked" sorry, and do a day trip! I have been looking at the tram or bus they have so hopefully we could avoid walking as much as possible.

I worked 5 years repairing printers (and computers). I will only buy Brother. Canon and Epson are junk inside if you saw the parts they use. Plus I have had good luck using "copycat" ink refills with Brother. My current one is this one that I bought in 2013 for about $80. There are of course newer ones...like this from the same line.

LOL Well hubby just finished a meeting and called me. I mentioned that if they want to do this we need to reserve as places are getting booked up. Then off handily mentioned the temps there..... Now DH is thinking to maybe just take them for a day... it is 2 hours one way from here. Leave early, drive them to strip, see a few of the big hotels , eat dinner and drive home.....LOL I suggested San Diego, Sea World or something....gotta be cooler than LV! So thanks to whomever mentioned the temps !!!

Well, this relative is coming and wants to "Do Vegas". Already did Disneyland. Most everyone who visits from overseas, after seeing Hollywood, and Disneyland want to head to Vegas. But the heat might help me to reroute this... No way all of us are going to traipse through LV in 110+ temps... We can beg off on my health. Over 80F and I have hard time breathing. So that might help and I can rearrange stuff. If we get an airbnb, We could go early in the am to see some stuff, I'll have to check the times. I found a couple inexpensive breakfast buffets. Then head back to house to relax, maybe use the pool, and head back out later in the day, maybe even hubby could take relative to see something (show or the like) and the kids and I stay in and watch a movie. Several of the condos have like netflix included or something. I can grab some popcorn and treats and they'll be happy. I might try to fit in Hoover Dam. Like I said this person is like the opposite of outdoorsy, nature type, but the temps may preclude that stuff anyway. And not a history,/museum person either. Think more cafes, shopping, fancy restaurants person.

Thanks! I found some AirBnB with pools, so we'll see.

I wish! LOL!!! That is not usually how it is done, culture wise, host pays. Now if it were us visiting them (which we did a little while ago) we would pay for everything when we go out together, that is how hubby and I would do things. But this person is coming from a place where average monthly income is $500-800 USD. Now they sent a child to university here, but in a Low COL area and the child did not have a family to support. By their view, All Americans are rich (which we are by their standards, even if you make $20000 a year), but they don't realize how $$$ stuff is here in CA. It is sticky like I said. We could pay these prices, and we won't be homeless or skipping meals, but it was not in the plan, in fact I had other plans for that $ and hubby will go along with it because he does like this person and sees them like 3 times in the last 10 years. I will go along and not let it show, I'm just a planner and trying to find ways to unobtrusively save $$ if that makes sense. I will check for deals on buffets.... the kids would like that. Maybe I will do a photo scavenger hunt, they are doing photography in 4H and each have their own cameras, so that would help! Thanks for the mentioning the decorations inside, that started an idea brewing! If they insist on shows, I might just do that and they could uber back to the AirBnb. .

So not my pick of places to go, but we will be spending a long weekend in las vegas next month. Long back story, yes I have to go and take the kids with. Last time I was there was pre kids. People I've talked to say it has gotten worse. Anyways, the person we are going there "for" wants to see the hotels and their sights, etc. So going outside LV to the nature sites will not work. This person is visiting from a long distance and is relative to hubby. They are not a "nature" person. I am trying to mitigate the cost. They wanted to stay in one of the "big" hotels (ie on the strip like Venetian or Bellagio), but with so many of us we would need 2 rooms, and they are $$$$$. If someone knows how to get 2 rooms for $100@ a night or less on a weekend, please let me know <insert hysterically laughing emoji here>. The kids and I could claim tired and chill in the hotel and watch movies as they walk the strip for part of the day. I am looking at an AirBNB, but that will require driving to the strip. Do they still charge $$$$ for parking? Any tips on free parking in the area?? Do they still have that tram on the strip?? In the heat I am not looking forward to walking all that. Things to do that are kid friendly?? And NOT $$$$$$$? I was not planning for this trip and while we can afford some, I was saving for our big trip in Dec to Berlin and Istanbul.... Some of the shows or "activities" at the big name casinos are like $25-30 per person and up!! So I want to have stuff to do so that we can steer away from those things. Because this person is the type who will think nothing of saying "Oh look.. let's _________". And even $25 x 7 is $175 !!!! Restaurants? Any suggestions that are not $$$ but would have vege or seafood options, kid friendly also and yet fulfill this persons desire to "dine" in the hotels? If we get AirBnB I can do breakfasts hopefully there and I will pack a bag of snacks and my backpack. Is that an issue carrying a backpack into these casinos?I mean people are carrying suitcases through there, but jrather be safe than sorry. Would I be better off with a large messenger style "purse" bag??? I am planning to try to steer us to the Bellagio conservatory (still free right?) and fountain. Does Ceaser's still have the free show and aquarium? Walk through the Venetian? I saw the Chocolate Factory, but it seems it is M-TH and we won't arrive till Thur night and leave Sunday. The M&M store maybe? Any other things like that? Thanks for any tips, help... As you can probably tell by this post, so many other things I rather be doing right now..... ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ So final update for those curious: We ended up not going (YAY!) but because visitor got ill......She has other family here in other states, so she spent a few days with us here, then was going to go to family and then come back here to stay with us for another 4-5 days to go to vegas, but she never came because she got sick (I think food poisoning) and she has returned back home.... But thanks for all the tips , I will file away for the next visitor who wants to do vegas, I had managed to avoid the other times DH took people, because I was either pregnant or twins were little, etc....

Well, I hate waiting....so here's my day so far... Took kids to senior center so oldest can see about volunteering to teach computer/smartphone workshops for seniors as part of his 4H leadership. Then since he is responsible for club t-shirts this year, were planning to stop at a few printing places to get quotes. BUT as we turn out of the center, my van goes 20 feet and dies...... So AAA tows it home while I find a neighbor to give us a ride home ? Yeah for good neighbors Boo for bad alternator!!

It really depends on the group. There are many groups around us and we finally found one that fits. Several of the groups I tried before this one were like those above describe where most of the work is done at home. We are starting our 3rd year and I lead 2 projects. We are all homeschoolers so it is run more like a co-op. Most all of the work is done at our meetings. We focus more on competitions (presentation day, archery tournaments, etc) than fairs. I think look around and see if you have other options. We focus more on stem,small animals, home ec (cooking, sewing) type projects. If you are anywhere in So Cal, PM me and I'll tell you where :) .

I would skip the canned food for now. My understanding is kittens don't need it baring some medical condition.

We just got a kitten 3 weeks ago from the shelter. I agree with the suggestion to try a different food. We got grain free salmon food and I can not smell a thing. Also I would add at least 1 more litter box. I thought the recommendation was 1 box per cat plus 1 more. We have 2 boxes, 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. Our neighbor with 3 older cats has 4. And we just got the inexpensive clumping Wal-Mart brad for litter, but try a couple brands.

If it was made from tofu, not too high. Boca is like 3g carbs. Some are made from beans, high starch veges, so those would be pretty high. I mean, I assume you would skip a bun. Maybe ask her what they are made of and tell her you are avoiding beans for health reasons? Many contain soy protein and wheat gluten, so I wouldn't eat as I have a sensitivity to soy.

Whatsapp requires both parties to have the app, so no calls to land lines. But the textnow app I mentioned, your dd could use wifi to call a landline.

Whatsapp requires both parties to have the app, so no calls to land lines. But the textnow app I mentioned, your dd could use wifi to call a landline.

I use tracfone, DH uses USMobile (he uses more data). For wifi calling, look at an app, like textnow. This is what DD has on her phone with no plan so if she is at home, she can call me when I am out. I have 2 samsungs on tracfone and DH has a samsung on USMobile. He uses more data then us and has no wifi access at work. He gets 3gb/month, plus 100 texts, plus 100 minutes for like $27, but you can adjust that, like decrease that data if she has wifi on campus and increase the minutes/texts. I have 90 days, 300 minutes, 300 texts and 300 MB for $17, then I add about 1 GB a month for $10. So final cost for me is about $16/month. But I am on wifi most of the time.