I was lucky enough to have grandparents, but mine all lived over 500 miles away. I only got to see them once or twice a year. I was also lucky enough to have family friends and neighbors that took the place of grandparents when mine couldn't be around. Look around your neighborhood and community. There may older folks that would love to have children around. I live in an older neighborhood. I know when I take ds walking, I meet a lot of the neighbors who have lived there for years. They all really seem to enjoy ds. Some even bring him small gifts when they go on vacation. DS does have grandparents. He has a Papaw who comes over to see him several times a week. I really happy about it because I've lost most of my grandparents in the last couple of years and really treasure those memories. Believe me, I tolerate things from Papaw that could drive me crazy because I love knowing my ds has that grandparent bond. I hope you find someone for your children.

You have inspired me. This is now my next project (after the bathroom is finished). I have always thought this piece was ratty looking but it served a purpose in our bedroom. The cat sleeps on top and the TV is there also. I also use it to keep my office papers. Thanks to you it will soon have a new look. I just checked it out a bit and noticed that the drawers are dovetailed but could not find a manufacture's name. Do you know who made yours?

First step - tradition - bundling up as kids, taking axes & saws, and tromping thru snow to find that perfect tree to cut down, and somehow getting it home. Always placed in the corner, so perfect it had to be tied to the two adjoining window sills with rope to keep it standing. Ah, that fresh pine smell. Ah, a week later, needles everywhere! So what, we had a tree. It was adorned with those big lights, bubble lights, an array of fabulous ornaments, and the tinsel. Always looking every day in case a new wrapped gift appeared under the tree. I never have, and never will, shake, peek, or question the giver. A gift should be a surprise. The gift pile would magically increase overnite after Santa's Christmas Eve visit, and the cookie plate would be empty. Early risng was necessary on Christmas morning to see the bounty, and siblings would wake siblings first. Old parents can wait. Breakfast was on the fly, if at all. It was a full morning of PJ's and paper and toys (and boring socks!) Everyone had their pile of goodies before the wrappings were discarded. We had to be dressed before the big meal, usually 1:00. The dining room table was fully extended, and the fine china place settings carefully placed. The best meal was duck, roasted to crispy perfection with all the trimmings. Gobble gobble, and back to the toys. Christmas Day was for our family to enjoy Christmas, not running all over the place. Friends/relatives could visit the next day, or whenever. New Years Day, the holiday was over, so take down the tree. Ornaments were carefully packed away. And a final vacuum of those needles. The tree was chopped into small pieces and shoved into the coal furnace. Roast Pine! Bye bye Christmas for another year. The picture shows one box of some of the tree ornaments, which I still have. There are also some of the huge, round, hand painted ones. Fa La La, and Merry Christmas to all.

Congratulations. He's precious and his big brother looks so proud. Wyatt is going to be a great big brother to "little" Wade. Grandson was over 10 and 1/2 pounds at birth. He was popping out of the 6 month old gowns within 3 weeks and only wore 3 month sized clothes for the first two weeks. LOL It was kind of sad that we missed him in the layette type items and then all the My First holiday clothes end at nine months size so we only got one holiday.