I've seen that, too lol. My family isn't native to the hurricane area, but I have spent most of my life here.

I just want to say leaving isn't just about transportation and gas. It's about potentially sitting for hours in back to back traffic and not always knowing where you are going to stop.

Sorry but this sounds really ridiculous to my ears. I have stayed home during mild hurricanes and evacuated for more severe ones. No one I know talks like this. No one is outside catching rain in buckets (or lining their property with buckets to retrieve later) during a storm to use for the next few days when the power is out. At least I haven't seen it. You could have a house full of people and maybe two toilets. The flushing isn't going to be convenient for any length of time. And water you stocked up on is being used to drink, cook, wash hands or something. Losing power is a big deal. I don't care how many people say they are cool with it, they have a grill to cook with, etc. What about when your grill is destroyed in the storm? What about when it's hotter than hades and you can't bear the thought of heating up food? Sure, you do what you gotta do, but I just don't think people get it.

A lot of times people aren't told to evacuate or by the time it's recommended/they realize how serious the storm is predicted to be, they don't have supplies or a place to stay, etc. We evacuated for Hurricane Katrina. Thank goodness. Well, my now 100 yr old grandma was 90 at the time and traveled with us. All the hotels were saying no vacancy. The gas stations had lines of cars waiting for gas or no gas at all. It was a very scary, intimidating time. What are you supposed to do? We literally almost slept in the car. Thank goodness the hotel somehow had a room for us. The winds were bad at the hotel window and I couldn't imagine if we were in the parking lot! We actually drove to FL from MS because at that time that was safer. One time we evacuated to Montgomery, AL. If you don't have money or you can't afford to miss work, etc. I guess I could see why someone might not. But in general, I don't understand staying. Who cares about your job if you die or get seriously injured? I actually lost my house and car in the storm because we didn't drive all our vehicles. My car got flooded in my grandma's garage. My job closed for a little bit, but then reopened. I couldn't go to work, I didn't even have my uniform or work shoes. They were destroyed.

No way. Please tell me they have left. Once the water is in the home, then what? My neighbors lived in their upstairs while they repaired their downstairs, but even that doesn't sound appealing (mold issues, etc.). The battery may not be as big of a problem as cell phone service. We didn't have any real service for some time. It was torture. That was way before I had a smart phone and I'm sure cell service options may have differed. But still. Over the years we've moved around the state. Sometimes we were the place where my family evacuated to. One time some family came to our home and we lost power, but since our house had a gas stove we could still cook. Problem was that it was so hot that the last thing you wanted to do was heat up the kitchen lol. At least you have the grill.

Any of those prank shows where you have to lie to people or do really strange stuff on camera for a reaction. Ugh. I feel uncomfortable just watching.

Well get a hair cut and update us on how it turns out LOL I was so upset one time this hair dresser I really liked switched salons. I didn't know where she went. Well, I got a hair cut at this other place by the owner. Then the girl that used to cut may hair walked in and I thought, "darn it!!" but I never went back because I thought I'd make things awkward between them. And the owner took forever and kept second guessing so I didn't want to keep going to her, but she was really sweet. To this day I joke about trying to find her, but if she's anywhere in that city she's 2 hours from me :( I really need a hair cut but I don't know who to go to. My last stylist raised her rates and then screwed up my hair so bad I got a refund.

We lost our house in Hurricane Katrina (Mississippi gulf coast). I take hurricanes very seriously. And the house was fine during Hurricane Camille. Good idea to have one of those wind up radios. It sucks but at least if you have to hear the news you aren't using up batteries. I think some of the wind up devices might even charge other things?? I don't know how serious it is in their area, but I highly recommended gasing up the tank. I still remember what gas stations looked like when we evacuated. You know, if the gas station had gas. Crazy town. We ended up staying with a complete stranger when we came back to town. He drove to Alabama to bring back a cooler of bologna and bread for us to all share. So even if you think you're staying put for a while, it could change.

I voted option 2. I am not used to family reunions lasting days so I would probably feel put out to spend money on a hotel for a few days and definitely opt for a cheaper one with restaurant options for my family to use during our stay. Having the meal at a family member's house would seem ideal compared to a restaurant. Leisurely visit, not worried about holding up wait staff, etc. I did meet up with family out of state once around a holiday and we ate in either a restaurant or hotel. It was done in a private room I think because we were not surrounded by other guests. It was not soul crushing (LOL) but I can see how that reaction could be triggered. Especially eating on the actual holiday. I'd want to contribute if I was a guest and would feel that despite the distance there might be a way (buy a pie or supply drinks or paper goods for example). I wouldn't mind if the host bought the meal from somewhere else, either (some grocery stores sell them). What is everyone going to do the other days they are in town? Why stay for 3 days unless there are designated meeting places? Will they rotate restaurants to meet up at or visit each other's hotels? I don't understand how it would work. Or would they visit at that family member's house the whole time? I would feel like we were imposing if we were in and out of the home for three days. Could it be some families without pets have allergies/don't want to be around animals and therefore don't want to be "stuck" at the house with everyone and their dogs all afternoon?

Well that sucks. But maybe she's oblivious and needs someone to jump in and piggy back on something she said. "Oh yeah, my son's schedule blah blah blah." Sometimes I have to make a conscious effort to not hog a conversation. I know this is a flaw. It's such an obvious thing, that a good conversation should be about 50/50, but yet it's so easy for some of us to miss that. Maybe it's never been brought to her attention. She sounds kind of bossy, though, lol. I wasn't there, but it sounds like she should work on her approach if she's trying to teach others. I'd find that approach abrasive and probably avoid her haha.

A piece of clothing? Maybe a shirt that says the name of the city they visit while there. Pokémon cards Sketch book Book to read Book to look at or decorate. Where's Waldo or a sticker book Food (if you're allowed). My sister just visited from Europe and gave me Stroopwafles and shortbread cookies.

Oh no! Well, at least her reason sounds harmless. She just wanted to look like Rapunzel. And sounds like she just wants to dress up her dolls. Is she too old to enjoy Color Wonder markers? Because they only work on that special paper.

What happens if/when car seats change? Will everyone still fit safely? What about vacations? You take two cars? Is there room for everyone's stuff if you have to say, lug sports equipment, pick up groceries, etc.? I know it can be a pain thinking of car seats and such. We have one car and only dh can drive it when we go anywhere as a family because of the configuration of the car seats. He's very tall so must sit in front of ds' booster rather than in front of dd's rear facing convertible carseat. Everyone gets annoyed with me at the car pick up line at ds' school because of what door we have to open to get him out. I tried to tell them, "sorry, I can't move his seat to the other side. My husband wouldn't fit in the driver seat if I did."

What does she say when you ask her questions? Like, "Where did you get that black nail polish?" "Why did you cut your dress?" "Why did your cut your hair?" Is she trying to use her own hair or clothes to dress up the dolls?? Would she like a new medium for art like canvas instead of paper? Modeling clay or something? You may have already offered such things. I don't know. Have you asked her direct or open ended questions to get more information? Seems like maybe we're missing some root cause. I really have no idea.

Those look cool! My dd loves messing with magnets on the fridge.

Well, do you want to be? Have you ever been baptized? As far as the Christian definition, I still think it depends who you ask about what they believe the definition is. In this thread I've already seen the contradiction. Really, if someone told me they were a Christian I wouldn't really be thinking about their baptism or the belief in the Holy Trinity so much as I'd think they meant follower of Christ. And someone that believes Jesus died for our sins.

I wondered about that. Also, I thought this was going to be a thread about saving money lol

You're right, but I have used this on a couple of occasions in an attempt to stress that money is tight. I've also blurted out that we only have one car. Sure, lots of people have _no_ car (maybe they live in a big city with public transportation) but given that a large percentage of families around me have two incomes and two cars, sometimes that seems to help drive the point home that we have limited funds or those funds would go toward something like the second vehicle. I remember when I was using SNAP benefits to buy food (well, as much as we could cover with what we got) and I forgot to bring a snack to work. My co-workers could not comprehend why I didn't just want to buy something to eat there. All the food/drink we sold was overpriced and our machines didn't take the EBT card. I know because I tried.

I get it. I only have two kids, but just doing homework or when we were homeschooling ds last year, is/was hard with the toddler. Is there a way to separate the areas? Sounds like an open floor plan and you need to go into a room with a door or the 3yr old needs to go into a room with Daddy that as a door. Sometimes dh will watch dd and insist that ds and I go into the back of the house. So, instead of staying at the kitchen table, we will go into ds' bedroom. That is the only way sometimes. Other times I will insist that I need to get the toddler out of the house and can dh please take her with him to the store. That means I don't have to listen to whining, crying, etc.

Why? Does Catholicism in general bother you or just your MIL or what? I guess maybe not, but I've heard the belief in the Trinity affects the definition of Christian for many ("one God in three Divine Persons"). Mormons, for example, do not hold this belief. But Mormons probably classify themselves as Christian. I live in the South. The particular part of the state where I live does not have a whole lot of Catholics. I think my church will shut down in the future because we actually have to get priests from bigger cities to travel here to say Mass.

This thread has given me some ideas. This might be more appealing to a girl because I could only find it with Sofia and Minnie Mouse, but I really like the concept. https://www.amazon.com/Sofia-First-Wooden-Match-Dress-Up/dp/B00P2SL9FA/ref=pd_sim_21_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5A62T5ZKSN4GN3ATCY1S. I bought one and have it stored away for dd, but the reviews I read were good.

"It's not in our budget" is something I would say if I was embarrassed. To ds I might just blurt out, "we can't afford that" because, well, I have many times. Although, I do like the alternative and I may have even used it around ds. I don't know that internet costs are comparable to taking a family to Disney World. Travel expenses which could include flights and hotels, food, possibly souvenirs. Many people rely on the internet for work-related things or other communication (one of my siblings is in another country and it makes sense to just rely on the internet for communication most of the time). I consider it a more practical use of money, though I'm not anti-Disney. We plan to go one day.

pretzels grapes (if choking hazard is not a concern) some people like those freeze dried fruit snacks. I can't stand them lol. Ds likes them certain granola bars

Maybe the spoons/forks could either be displayed in a case or glued to picture frames. The child's photo could go in the corresponding frame. But only if you just wanted to put them somewhere. I have baptismal stuff I don't know what to do with Lol. I always wondered if it was even appropriate to reuse candles like that? If so, I might consider it as the center of an Advent wreath or something. Currently listening to Simplicity Parenting which actually talks about removing things. Hoping to get some stuff out of this house. I act like a hoarder sometimes.

My ds is in a brick & mortar school for the first time. He missed picture day because he was out sick. Guess what? There is a make up picture day coming up. So maybe your dd's school has a make up day. I didn't even care that he missed at first because we can make our own photos, but apparently he really cares about being in the yearbook. Sorry about the camping thing... maybe to make it up to him you guys could arrange a smaller camp out with him and one or two boys from his troop? Or just the family? Even in the backyard? When I was in second grade I was kinda bummed I missed a pancake meal with my class and principal. My family went to Hawaii! But I was upset about that pancake meal. When we came back to town my teacher took me out for ice-cream. Looking back I have no idea how that was allowed hahaha. She was one of my favorite teachers, too. I hope you guys have fun!!