idabean - I have several pairs of the Lee Valley gardener's pants and they are invaluable - not only for gardening but any hands-and-knees type work where knee pads come in handy. I do prefer the original knee pads they had rather than the new, thicker ones though. Fortunately I bought spare knee pads years ago so have lots. If you have roses, Lee Valley's rose gauntlets are great. The Bionic rose gloves you can get are equally as effective - but not nearly as nice looking! A valuable Lee Valley tool is the long-arm pruners - essential for pruning the wisteria trees or tall vines. Do you have a gardener's journal, and a rain gauge? I prefer a simple rain gauge to the fancy weather station things. Each day I record general weather conditions, rainfall and high/low temperature. I get the temperature reading on-line from the Environment Canada weather station closest to me. I'm sure there must be somewhere similar that you could get that info from. It's not as precise, obviously, as a reading from your own garden but it's good enough to track general trends. As temperature would fluctuate even in your own garden, depending on whether you are measuring in an exposed or sheltered location, I figure the EC weather station data is close enough. Garden books are always a welcome gift and DH has a knack for finding interesting ones in used book stores! He also gets the Timber Press catalog. I love William Robinson's The Wild Garden and also like Rick Darke's books so I have requested the new edition of the Wild Garden that has been expanded by Rick Darke. Here is a link that might be useful: The Wild Garden - new edition

Dixiespell, the site below has some rules for the game--and annoying music as well. The rules are not plainly spelled out, but it's a start. You should disregard what I said above our office rule of two gifts! LOL. I really am not sure if that is what we do. I'll be reminded soon enough though. Do have your family members buy gifts that are in the same dollar amount. You don't want folks getting stuck with something cheesy like a $2 ornament and other folks getting a box of $20 chocolates or a gift certificate to a restaurant. Here is a link that might be useful: Dirty Santa

Thats is so digusting to teach to achild. To not share their toys...its awful! Its one thing is you dont want to share because you know that child will break their toy but another thing for what this BM and her bf has done. Can you imagine, they are playing nintendo and your kids just have to sit and watch? How F' cruel is this? DISGUSTING.! I would have told her on the phone, you want it, come and get it yourself! and explain to your son the dirty selfishness yourself! I would have also told my SS this: If you can't share what you have, then dont play at all:. Those are the rules in my house. All the kids, ANYONE, cousins, anyone has to share the game station. If they can't...they dont play. My friends kids came over to play and they were fighting...i shut the game off. Too bad! such is life. I also do not buy big ticket items like this for kids of certain ages , as to not give them power. My SD asked for a very expensive item, i refused to buy it....she tends not to share and we police in our house when the kids do play to make sure all of them have their fair share of time playing. My SS plays with a hand held game device of my DS. i dont mind. As long as there is respect of the items. If he ever was to break things and continually do so is when i would just put it in the closet when he visits..but i've never had to do that. He is really good with not breaking things and respecting others property. This is a big moral issue from my perspective. I think you should enforce yoru belief under your household. As for sharing, other things, if the child doesn't want to, i wont force dolls or any car item...but gamestations are different in my household. All have time with it or none.

As I have 3 teenage grandsons..it has become equally hard to find anything they don't already have. So, last year I bought each of them a hooded sweatshirt that zips up the front. Inside of each of them, I used small safety pins and pinned 10 $5 bills all over the inside..making sure they were below the neckline so they couldn't see them. Their moms were in on this and once they opened them thee moms told them to immediately try them on so if they didn't fit-she had the receipts so they could be returned. They loved the presentation..a little 'element of surprise'. As for the 'older guys'..you could use the same technique and pin gift cards inside..such as car wash certificate, McD's, Dunkin' Donuts, movie tickets, gift card to a sports shop, etc., etc.