I have a Christmas dessert emergency and am hoping the Hive can rescue me. My cookbooks are all packed. DH tells me they are in the *middle* of a giant cube of boxes. 150 boxes or something like that. The recipe for one of our treasured family Christmas desserts is in one of those books. You would think I would know it by heart after all these years. I don't! It's a recipe for peppermint mousse parfaits. The mousse is made with marshmallows, and possibly sweetened, condensed milk. I can't remember anything else about it. I've googled and this recipe doesn't seem to be out there. It definitely comes from the annual Southern Living cookbooks from the 1980s or 1990s. If you have any of these handy, and can take the time to check for the recipe I would be so thankful. DS10 would be even more thankful. You could take a picture of the mousse recipe rather than typing it all out. I don't need the instructions for the whole parfait, just the peppermint mousse.

We always have some gifts ready (and some that arrive from out of town family) before we have a tree, so those gifts accumulate on the piano. Once we have a tree decorated I arrange all the presents underneath it. The children arrange their Christmas Village on the piano once it's clear. Santa shows up late Christmas Eve. He fills the stockings and leaves his wrapped presents right underneath the stockings.

Do you have Acorn? Edward the King (Edward VII) is older but very well done. I watched it many years ago on PBS and was very happy to watch it again.

Sierra has $6.95 return shipping for refunds, $2.95 shipping for exchange or store credit. If you process the return online you get credit instantly.

Have you tried Sierra Trading Post? If you sign up for their emails they almost always have coupon offers. Yesterday I used one that was 25% off site wide and free shipping. I bought a parka, ski pants, hat, gloves, gaiter, and a set of long underwear for DD (adult sizes)for $120. I've had great luck buying the kids' parkas, etc. there. ETA: an apostrophe

There was a fairly recent thread about a houseguest with questionable boundaries. She did something bizarre with the butter and when politely confronted made a hilarious remark about living casually. I remember laughing hard. I wish I could find it! ETA: better and butter aren't the same.

We live on the front range of Colorado, very close to our hometown. Mostly we are very happy here. We love the mountains, find Denver to be a great city, it's easy to eat well and be fit. We love the sunshine, and that snow comes but doesn't stick around all winter. It feels less and less like home because it has changed so much! Sometimes I long for Vermont (deep roots there) or California (Orange County, SLO, or Marin). I think our ideal retirement would be to snowbird with a home in VT or CO, and a warm getaway. We have family in all three places. Grandchildren could change things too.

I haven't seen an attendant in years and I miss them! I think you just need to roll the window down enough that the attendant doesn't have to perform contortionist maneuvers.

My BFF's son was and is very much like that. He really had just one good friend, and that friendship has endured (they are mid 20s now). He had one serious girlfriend in high school and one in college, but neither stuck. He's always socialized when he chose; he's never been an outcast. He's a very confident young man with a great job. He's done well with roommates but can now afford live on his own. He's passionate about the outdoors and has a group of people with whom he hikes, climbs, etc. He's a happy introvert. If your son is happy, I wouldn't worry.

Yes! DD and I put out our wooden clogs, DS10 puts out a slipper, and DS2 puts out a shoe. St. Nicholas leaves everyone a chocolate figure of himself and a small gift, most often a spiritual book. This year it's little devotionals for the big people and a board book for the little one. We keep it very simple, but once in awhile St. Nicholas leaves something extra special, like a beautifully illustrated hardback with a charming advent story.

I'm another one with very low blood pressure. My first two pregnancies, I fainted frequently. Once they knew it was just a Vasovagal thing and I knew to how to manage it wasn't scary.

I just prayed for your husband.

I am so glad that she is ok! Thanks for updating.

He's not your friend. The thing with the money is so creepy!

I would take her in now. It's probably fine, but the small chance it isn't fine? Not worth the risk to us. DH's aunt slipped and hit her head on ice. She was headachey and didn't feel well but thought she was fine. She wasn't. She did wake up the next morning, but that was her last night at home. She had to live in assisted living/ nursing care for the rest of her life.

My father loves anything given in his name to benefit a child. The first year I did an Angel Tree package in his name, he cried. I have NEVER seen him cry before or since. I took pictures of each gift and wrapped them in a shirt box.

Christmases growing up were lavish, magical, bursting with extended family, special outings, parties, activities, fantastic food, and gifts. I think perhaps what's different for us is the cost of everything else. Housing is so much more in our HCOLA. Medical care. Children's sports/lessons/activities. If it seems harder to "produce" the kind of Christmas you experienced as a child, some of it may be that there just isn't as much time, energy, or money left over for Christmas as there once was.

Well, your husband is a genius. It's deciphering the old notes and writing the new notes by hand in the wee hours that's such a killer. Maybe this is a switch I can make with our caboose.

I'm so sorry to hear this!

I *felt* beautiful after becoming a mother, I felt confident and fulfilled. Radiant. Now I've had three c-sections, the third at age 43. The third destroyed my shape. DS2 has also been the worst sleeper as a baby and the most demanding toddler. Sometimes I see myself in the mirror and am shocked at how tired I look, or how shapeless I am without clothes. It's shocking because I still feel beautiful, I still see myself the way that I looked after my first child was born.

I would buy him some fantastic socks and an REI membership, and either take him shopping for boots or give him a gift card.

We also use a special tooth pouch that makes the switch easier to accomplish stealthily. It's the long , elaborate notes from the magical folk that sometimes send me around the bend. They started out short and sweet, but then the children started leaving longer notes with many *questions.* Each being has distinctive handwriting, and I think I need to employ a continuity editor, because I cannot remember all that's gone before! I mostly love it, but now with olders, sometimes I don't like the pressure of getting things done magically and beautifully while keeping up with their regular commitments.

I've been mistaken for our caboose baby's grandmother one time. I didn't like it, then I felt silly for caring.

They didn't give gifts last year, and didn't acknowledge your lovely handmade gift. You won't be seeing them this year. It sounds like the perfect time for you to stop buying.

My mother sits on just the ball at her dining room table (unless there are guests). She is in amazing shape!