Lots of great ideas here, thanks! Yes, we are extremely lucky to live here. It took us about 10 years of searching to find a place that we could afford and didn't need so much work that it wasn't worth it. Flip flops! That reminded me, I have these forms to use to make flip flop stepping stones! I've updated my plant list, too bad some of the lilies are SO expensive ($40 for one-that would be Cottage On The Lake-yikes!!) "Nautical mix" petunias "beach comber" mix petunias Coastal Mist bearded iris Toy Boat dwarf Iris Sandy Beach Iris Beach Dance iris Ship Shape Iris Ships Are Sailing Siberian Iris Dover Beach Iris Lake Effect day lily Aye Captian day lily Beach Music Day Lily Moonlight Sail Day Lily Celestial Shore Day Lily Sailing Along Day Lily Aye Captian day lily Cottage on the lake day lily Gull's Way Daylily Queen O The Lakes rose Rosa rugosa/beach rose Cottage Rose Lake Ontario hosta Lakeside Breaking Waves hosta Lakeside Pebbles Hosta Lakeside Shoremaster Hosta El Capitan Hosta Summer Breeze Hosta Great Lakes Gladiola Sea Shell Cosmos Yellow Sand Coreopsis Sand Love Grass Lake Currants Cottage pinks (Dianthus) Splish Splash Larkspur Lobelia Regatta "Marine Blue" Lobelia Regatta "Blue Splash" Perennial Gerenium "splish splash" clustered bellflower "marine" beach pea beach bluebells I already have Dover Beach (iris) and Rosa Rugosa thanks to a plant swap over the past weekend.

Okay, since my kids were home sick today I did a lot of poking around and found coasters on Shutterfly that you can get photos printed on. I did this ages ago, but at the time, you had to get a set of 4, all with the same photo. But now, you can get 4 different photos. So I ordered 24 coasters all with different pics of DH! From toddler age til now. It was fun to do! I can put one at each place at the table. I may still do the M&Ms because I think they're great -- just have to see how my budget looks later. hhireno, thanks for the idea -- I did put "Last call for 49" on the invitation -- which I also ordered from Shutterfly. I know I'm a little crazy ordering this stuff so early but I have to space out the purchases so he doesn't get suspicious...

One word: CRAFTS! For the over-3 kids: I'd comb the local crafts store. Get the usual drawing and coloring items, construction paper, scissors, and pipe cleaners, glue, foam balls, etc. Add stuff from home like toilet paper and paper towel rolls, and buttons. Beads and cording are a huge hit for girls, since they love to make jewelry. Craft stores will have all sorts of neat things like foam visors and tiaras with foam shapes to glue on... there'll be lots of Christmas stuff out by then, too. You can also buy a large roll of paper (like butcher paper) and roll it out on the floor and let them go at it with the crayons and markers. If things can get messy you can add paints and glitter. Don't forget bags for them to take their creations home. The 3-and-under crowd have to be constantly supervised anyway, but you can give them edible crafts. One idea is to put out pointy ice cream cones, green tinted frosting, and small candies... the kids can coat the cones with the frosting and stick candies on them and they look just like Christmas trees. (Have enough for older kids, too, because they will want to do this also.) You can give the little ones the crayons, paper, and coloring books, too, of course. If there aren't too many kids, they can decorate a gingerbread house that you've already put together. A craft area attracts kids like a magnet and I've never met a kid who didn't like to be creative. My daughter and her friends made beautiful flowers from a bag of assorted "petals" and pipe cleaners. When we added beads they used those as heads and made beautiful fairies with petal skirts! If the weather's good, all the kids can be led on a nature hunt and gather leaves, sticks, and pinecones to go in and use for crafts, too. Cheers, from SwampWitch p.s. Recruiting parents for organized games would be good to do after they've had sugar. There are many books with great kids' games ideas and most don't need any extra props.

Off-topic: There are various spellings of picanniny and you're right, all are racist. My mom had a collection as well, unfortunately. It came just before the stuffed jointed bunnies, which gave way to americana and finally Noah's ark. Fortunately the 90s ended with her purchasing a new home that does not have a two-story wall in the dining room and her collecting themes days were over :-D The interesting thing is that she has very good taste otherwise and her home now is a well-curated blend of her lovely finds over the last two decades. On-topic: My laundry room doesn't get any warmer than the rest of the house, however it isn't a small room in the basement which may make a difference.