Kat and Nanny, you're welcome any time. I just finished canning broth and dehydrated 30 pounds of garlic, so my kitchen smells.....well, it just smells. (grin) I'd love to have you, and I wouldn't even make you do clean up. Seagrass, I'm happy to see you again, I hope your holidays went well and you're feeling good. Molly is just a dog, I guess, we don't know what she is. She came from a local shelter who "thinks" she is a Sheltie/Beagle mix. I see the Sheltie a little, but not the beagle, maybe a spaniel of some type. She's just a dog, and has become Elery's constant companion. All 60 pounds of her will lie on Elery for a nap, LOL. Sleevendog, I'd just purchased 10 pounds of green coffee beans, or I'd have considered that. We didn't do many gifts either, I got the Foodsaver and Elery got the Cabela's certificates, and that was it. As for the jalapeno, well, I'm a heat wuss, so it probably wasn't that hot, just too hot for me! Peppi, I'm out of bags, and was using the leftovers, and that one was a bit small, so I think that was the problem. Molly did get her share of liver, but you probably knew that. I do have a recipe for liver dumplings, but no one will eat them except me. Well, I'll bet Molly would, now I think of it. Alexa, other family members have taken half a dozen deer off the farm this year, it's about Elery's turn. The deer stand at the feeders with the horses and eat hay, so I think if I feed them, I get to eat them. The Princess did shoot her first deer this year, now I'm lobbying for her to learn to shoot geese or turkey, the other wildlife we have a zillion of. Cathy, I'll be waiting to hear if HG knows what that thing is. He might surprise you. Then again, he might think it has something to do with gift wrapping or knife sharpening, LOL. Annie

I want to say this one thing because I have witnessed it and been a part of it my whole life: You can't make up for what one kid lacks by spoiling them or spoiling another child. Example #1: When I was pregnant(about 6 months), we found out that my 15 y/o sister was pregnant. Supposedly it was her first and only sexual experience. Well the father disappeared and wanted nothing to do with the baby. My sister was bulemic before she got pregnant so her body wasn't really heathy to begin with. My son was born in January a healthy 7 lbs. 3 oz and 8 days late to a two-parent home. No complications with delivery (rather boring actually). Her child wasn't due until July. She had a strong support group of friends and family and we all pitched in to help. In May (6 weeks early), my sister developed toxemia and was going into seizures. They had to take my niece(already gestationally small due to my sister's unhealthy body) by c-section in an emergency operation. She was born 3 lbs. 11 oz and lost down to 3 lbs. She was so tiny, but ate well and was generally healthy. She had to be in the NICU for 2 weeks until she gained weight to 4 lbs. I think my parents tried to compensate for my niece's rather tumultuous arrival into this world by babying her. As the kids grew up together (just 4 months apart), the babies became almost like siblings. If they ever got into trouble, my son would be punished and not my niece. She learned this and her behavior got worse. Finally, when the kids were about 2, they were playing in our bay window and they both pulled the curtain rod out of the wall and onto themselves. My son got swatted by my father, but nothing happened to my niece. I had had enough and I told my parents that I was tired of them showing favorites and that they can't compensate for her lack of a father by not punishing her and making my son take all the blame. They were hurt at first, but soon realized they had been doing exactly what I said. They apologized and we haven't had the problem again. Example #2: My FDH has a son from a previous relationship. His mom got pregnant because he was breaking up with her and she wanted him to marry her. So she lied and said she was taking the pill, but really had been off it for a while. When he refused to marry her, she went on a tirade. She kept the baby from him for a year until she filed for CS. So FDH went and had visitation drawn up and started seeing him. During that time, he was dating his future ex-wife (FSD's BM). She was great with the boy and FDH thought things would go well. They moved because of her job and that left FDH several hundred miles away from his son. The day of their wedding, the SF brought the son to town to be in the wedding. SF let it slip that FDH had told the mom to have an abortion. Not the case at all. Then SF asked FDH to give up his rights because he and the mom couldn't have kids of their own and he wanted to adopt the boy. FDH was like no way. So after that, the mom started slowly making the son unavailable for visitation. Then FSD was born. FDH's X basically told FDH that the only child that mattered was FSD and that she would not allow the son to come anymore. She would also grill him every time he talked to his son on the phone. FDH (I do not agree with how he handled this situation) kind of let both moms have their way and went several years (like 4) go by without seeing his son. In the meantime, his guilt was causing him to over-indulge FSD. He spent so much time with her that BM actually wrote a letter telling him that she feels that the only person in his life anymore is FSD. Later she divorced him and FSD was indulged even more. FDH told me that he felt that if he spent more time with FSD that it would make up for what happened with his son. I told him it doesn't transfer like that and that FSD causes jealousy because she is a symbol of what the son didn't have. Holy cow! That got long! Sorry bout that! *blushes*

Thank you ALL !!! It was so fun to read your posts, I found myself smiling often :-) I will give a few things a try. He goes to the vet this afternoon, so will ask about food and of course be sure there are no health concerns causing the doggy smell. Its not a pungent odor, just dog smell. Like many of you said, we have been without a pet for the nearly 14 yrs we have been married, so its a noticeable change in the air :) To all you Weim owners out there specifically, I welcome ANY and ALL advice! In fact, feel free to email directly at mvandemark001@woh.rr.com since this isn't a pet forum. We didn't take this decision lightly and frankly, came up against some opposition in choosing this breed because of their physical demands. But, we felt all the great benefits of Weims outweighed this potential "con" and we could put the time and training into him to get the great family pet we wanted. He will start puppy kindergarten the first week of Nov (because that's when the next session starts). I work about 6-10 hours a week, and all three kids are in school full time now, so I am confident we have the time to train him. Thank you all, I appreciate it!

DH is the last minute shopper, and spends the season grumbling about the lost meaning of Christmas. So shopping is pitifully painful for him. He absolutely abhors it, and wants for nothing from anyone either. ( I know, Bah-Hum-bug) One year, he actually beamed as I was opening the 2 gifts he chose for me! I was so excited for his excitement for me, if that makes sense!!! All the family was gathered around because they all know that my poor DH just is NOT the shopping kinda guy. All eyes were on me as I opened the first gift. It was a seer-sucker bathrobe. That's not so bad, as we are in Florida and I run hot anyway, so don't need a warm, plush, heavy robe. But when I tried it on, something wasn't quite right. It took a few minutes for me to realize...this is a MAN's robe!!! No darts to accommodate the breasts, and no curve at the waist. The belt was hung at my butt-level!!! His response: "Well, the ladies robes were too cutesy-wootsie for you" (I beg your pardon?) Second gift, same Christmas! Perfume, all wrapped in the store paper.... Halston....."Por Homme" "I told them to wrap up the Halston...I thought it was for girls!" (Thanks, I was feeling pretty macho at this festive time of year.) Nevertheless, the greatest occurrence of that precise moment, was my dear brother, who howled with laughter at DH's foibles! We still look back and laugh at that one!!!! And understandably, after that catastrophic embarrassment, DH has reverted back to being bah-hum-bug...he just can't get it right! Poor thing! (I buy my own stuff and say Santa delivered it for me!)