I have that fabric, and it isn't large enough for a shower curtain. It would have to be seamed to something else that coordinates. In my most recent classrooms, that piece of fabric was my only world map. (All the rest of them were in regular classrooms, but my MUSIC classroom is never thought of for teaching geography.) DonnaR/CA

Yes, you got it right. She and her family are doing well. Kids growing up and beautiful.

If you are interested in youth sports and how adult behavior impacts the kids who play them, I recommend this ted talk. Dh started managing ds' baseball teams two years ago primarily to insure that ds plays on a team where the grown ups don't scream at the kids and where the kids are required to be good teammates. Dh feels really strongly about making youth sports a positive experience so that kids will want to continue to play and that learning how to be part of a team is one of the most valuable lessons youth sports can offer. We have both witnessed some really appalling behavior from adults and kids at baseball fields and it is so disheartening. jlc713, ice cream sure can help. And I bet he's proud of that black eye. Make sure you get a picture of it--better yet if he's in his dirty baseball uniform! We have a picture of ds with blood (really minor cut on the hand) smeared on his filthy baseball pants. Looks really tough.

I don’t give gift bags for my guests, although many times I’ll buy them something local that they’re admiring while they’re here. I always put a vase of fresh, seasonal flowers in our guest room, as well as a few magazines, and a recent dining-and-regional attractions guide for the area. I also keep a number of books on New Mexico and our local area for anyone interested, on the book case in there. On the nightstand, I keep a box of Kleenex, a small bottle of non-perfume-y hand cream, and small open container that holds a pen, pencil, small thin flashlight, emery board, etc. It’s a nice-sized nightstand, as I always myself appreciate a nice area next to the bed for my water, book, reading glasses, etc. Because we have very low humidity here in New Mexico, I also add a carafe of water and drinking glass or bottled water. In our guest bathroom I keep a nice-sized basket of things our guests might need during their stay with us: small bottles of Tylenol, Tums, etc. Band-Aids, sunscreen, (new, sealed) Chapsticks, small toothpastes and toothbrushes. Several shampoo, conditioner, and bar soap samples in case they don’t care for the shampoo and bottle of liquid soap that I keep in the shower, or haven’t brought their own. I always remind my guests before they come that I have a (very nice) hairdryer and an always-washed-and-ready, generic terry robe in the guest room closet, if needed. I’m happy and surprised how many of our guests save packing space in their suitcases, and use the robe and hairdryer. We travel frequently, and what I DON’T like in guest rooms, besides knick-knack clutter, is not having a nightstand on both sides of the bed for DH and myself. And, not having decent lamps on the nightstands to read by. Also, a full-length mirror in the guest room is great. I’ve hung one on the wall behind the door in my guest room. Not enough space and/or hangers for our clothes is another irritant although I’d never, as a guest, complain to our family or friends about it. So, that's what our guests get when they come for a visit, but no gift bag.