I assume your concern about a gas top in wood counter is due to the flammability of wood? People have been putting gas cooktops in formica- topped counters for decades. Formica is not only mounted on a celluosic-based (i.e. mostly wood) substrate, but is itself flammable, giving off toxic vapors as it burns as well. If I have a fire, I'd vastly prefer to deal with burning wooden counter than a burning plastic one! A bigger issue, I think, would be grease and food splatters generated by cooking being hard to keep from damaging the wood cosmetically. And to some degree the excess steam created by boiling might be hard on the joints in a made-up wood top. I have a powerfull gas range mounted next to a large slab (about 1 meter square) of mahogany counter (distance to flames less than 4" horizontally with enameled metal and stainless edging in the gap). This is an unjointed slab of wood from a huge tree, so no seams. Of course I have to remember to never set a hot pot on it (trivets needed.) But the main thing is that it requires removal every now and then for a heavy outdoor scrub to tidy up grease splatters. I use hot water, a coir scrub brush (a Japanese tawashi vegetable brush) and good dishwashing soap like Dawn, followed by a good rinse with a garden hose and drying in an airy spot out of the sun. Once a decade or so I use oxalic acid to remove badly stained areas, followed by a light hand sanding and recoating with protectant. In former years (before it came into my care it was in my childhood kitchen for about 30+ years) it was treated with unknown oil (probably mneral, but I don't know for certain). Since I've had it I only use a beeswax and mineral combo I cooked up myself. I give it several coats over the course of a week or so after it has dried from its bath, then once a month or so, and then after that only rarely. I wipe it clean before (indoor cats, 'nuff said) and after every meal and zap it with various pump spray counter-top cleaning products perhaps 5 or 6 times a week, depending on what I've used the surface for. As a rule I don't use it as a cutting board, though I don't really baby it either and occasionally will slice something on it as I prep. HTH L.

I'd like to suggest taking a picture of the entire family instead of just your daughter for the Christmas cards. It'll mean a whole lot more in the years to come. I was looking through the photo album that my in-laws kept for their kids this weekend. FIL took pictures of the 3 kids and put them in the album every year, but there are no family pictures. It just seems like the missing years without everyone in there. In some cases, those are the only pictures of the family during those years that the relatives and other close friends have. You can still do a really cute picture with the whole family. Last year was our son's 1st Christmas. We did the basic pose standing in front of the tree. My husband and I wore Santa hats. My son wore reindeer antlers. The picture that we ultimately used for the Christmas cards is priceless. We got lots of compliments on that picture. This year, we're going to pose in front of either the state capitol or one of the downtown Christmas light displays. If ds cooperates, we are all wearing Santa hats. A suggested cute pose for daughter only is Baby New Year. Last year we posed ds up in front of the tv while we were watching the ball drop. Ds was nude, but the picture would have looked cute with him in a diaper. We used a beer bottle as a prop, but if you have the fancy bottle of grape juice or something else nonalcoholic, that would look cute also. We emailed the picture out to close family and friends as a New Year Greeting. We put a picture in ds's baby book for posterity.

She is being inspirational Snidely. There are people with her disease and many others who need to know they are not alone and that life is worth living while you're on this earth. She will be presenting in the South Coast Plaza general area in October and is currently getting the word out. Orange Coast Magazine just contacted her yesterday for an interview. I just came here for suggestions on fundraising that isn't mainstream. Stuff that is not typical or generally thought of immediately when trying to raise funds for a cause. She has already done that approach. Just looking for other ideas. This kind of stuff has always been in her blood. She was accepted into the space program many years ago but met the love of her life, fell in love and got married. At the time, that disqualified you for that program.

We had some baskets that got rather large -- like an outdoor grill and the grilling things to go with it, a gift wrap station with paper, bags, scissors, tape, ribbon and gift tags all in one place and some other outdoor fishing/camping things. If kids are in the mix, any kind of electronic game or reader was always bvery popular. Themed dinners -- both a basket with items to make a Mexican or Italian meal ( such as pasta, jarred sauce, breadsticks, things to make a salad, cookies for dessert and such). If these are silent auction baskets, a variation was to have someone host a dinner for a certain number of people or couples and the top bidders in that number (usually 8 or 10) or the first of that number to sign up automatically won -- so a dinner for 10 people paying $25 or $50 per person will have a set yield of $250 or $500. The cook may be the donor or a pro. At the elementary school, the princiap or a favorite teacher might be the cook or honored guest. You'de be amazed how excited kids could get to have ice cream, pizza, donuts or a burger with someone they only see at school. Those were very popular and you can adapt the idea to your group. I would try to think about the upcoming holidays since you are in November. What can you put together than makes Thanksgiving or Christmas easier or that would make for good gifts. If you did the wrapping basket, do more holiday themed tthan birthday and all-occasion. Wreaths, candles, or other decorations might do well. Or holiday themed entertaining.