Michigan Grandma:

Ever hear of Mousercize?  Well that was on a record almost 30 years ago, and it is still giving us a fun workout for all generations.

Was it really 30 years ago?? I don't have the record now, but used to. I wish I'd kept things the way you did, they would have come in handy now. 

Welcome to the community, by the way! 

not so much xmas but london drugs keeps blowing out their toys so stocked up on more today!  my little pet shops games, bakugan thing for ds etc today.  will be for birthdays and the kids friends birthdays. goes with the plush my little pet shop animals I got cheap already.

have little girl birthdays coming up so what doesn't get used will be birthday or xmas gifts.

I found Christmas socks end of last year for $.05 a pair I got them all I give them to the girls I got several bath sets that are in my gift box in the closet.  I also recently for 4  baby 1st Christmas decorations they are but away for the grands .. so far got 3 and one more due in July ..

working on my DH gift he mentioned a boat he wanted .. I have my BILS and our best friend looking for one ..

I am going to make and give a lot of home canned food gifts this year. I'll be putting up lots of jams & jellies, as well as home canned (and grown) salsa to use for gifts for my step-dad, the kids teachers, and a couple friends. I think with the jams, I'll bake some homemade bread or biscuits to give with them.

Both of the kids have already asked for laptops (they're 9 years old), and I doubt that we'll get them this Christmas, but you never know. Sometimes my husband surprises me when it comes to these things. lol I would much prefer to wait until they actually needed a laptop (middle & high school), but we'll see.

I've been thinking about what who we'll be buying for, and trying to set up a "budget." If we're able to get Brian's shop built this summer/fall, I'm looking forward to buying him a nice drill press to go in it. =D

I've not given this much thought, but one thing I hope to do again is give magazine subscriptions as gifts. They were very well received.

BW

zohnerfarms:

I know they get discouraged with everything that they cannot eat, & just going through 3 of the magazines, I found some recipes with pictures that look really appetizing and delicious.  I have a binder I can use; so all I need are some plastic pages & backing paper! :D

Just an update - I used my MaxPerks card, with the credit from returned ink cartridges, & got the plastic pages, some cardstock & 2 red binders. I have been working on both cookbooks & have all the gluten-free recipes cut out of 76 Taste of Home magazines (which I then posted on Freecycle & a nice young woman who writes a cooking blog was delighted to get them, even with parts missing). I have been using some acid free photo tabs I had to attach the recipes (& the xeroxed back) tothe cardstock, then putting them in the plastic sleeves. I have over half the pages done on the one for my GD & some of the pages for DD's done, too. I have worked on them mostly on days when the car has been in the shop & I am "stuck" at home, doing home things anyway.

The way the economy is going, some of my nights are more stressed than others.  I have found working on this activity helps to calm me & makes me look forward with anticipation to the future, when DD & GD will see these.  GD especially feels like she "can't eat anything fun", even tho her mother goes to great lengths to find GF things for her.  The best part of this gift, for GF, is the pictures. Taste of Home always has their recipes beautifully plated & holiday recipes have holdiay decorations in the background of the picture, like pine boughs for Christmas or fall leaves for Thanksgiving, or shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day.  Every recipe has a picture, & they all look beautiful, as well as delicious.

The positive anticipation has been a real bonus for me.  Is anyone else finding that working ahead on Christmasis helping them cope with the current economy?

wow someone is on the ball this year Im not

 I went to yard salesand found a few good gifts to put up for Christmas or birthdays. I found a beautiful, like new book called Beatrix Potters Journal. The original price was $19.95. I paid $1. I found a Mickey and Minnie dolls and a Minnie puppet. Paid $2 for them. One granddaughter loves Peter Rabbit, one loves Minnie. Babs

 What a wonderful find!  My children loved Peter Rabbit.

zohnerfarms:

I have over half the pages done on the one for my GD & some of the pages for DD's done, too.

Another update: the cookbook pages for for GD are done now & I am working on the ones for DD.   Still deciding how to do the cover, but I have several ideas for that.  The positive anticipation continues to be a real bonus for me.