Wow, we have this swap wrapped up already! Way to go, GIRLS!! :o) Ya'll are awesome, as usual! Theresa~ Great box, I know you'll enjoy every bit of it! Sounds like it was good timing, too. Dottie~ "And bamboo is so ungrateful! Every time I helped one up, it slapped me in the face." ROFL!! Oh, goodness...I can't help it....I'm still wiping tears from my eyes. That is some "liberated" bamboo! *giggle* It reminds me of when my brother held a door open for a "liberated" woman! She slapped his face & told him she wasn't helpless. Good grief! I told him to not let it bother him, she probably just wasn't used to southern hospitality. That's how we raise 'em down here- you ALWAYS open doors for ladies (and even a few gents now & then, if you're first in line). Now he asks before he opens doors.."Uh, are you liberated or southern?" LOL! So I hope that DH replenished your wine supply for you. Sounds like you had quite the day & you certainly need some relaxation! Laura~ The bird watching sounds like a great activity for the family. We have TONS of birds here- chickadees, titmice, cardinals (hundreds of these!!), wrens, bluebirds (funny time of year for them!)...so we will definitely have much to report! :o) The weekend is almost here! YAY!!! ******** MARGARET sends to CAROL~ received CAROL sends to HEIDI~ received HEIDI sends to THERESA~ received THERESA sends to LAURA~ received LAURA sends to MELISSA~ received MELISSA sends to MARGARET~ received ********

We have a temporary order for protection from harrassment good until we go to court. If I get an order in court it will be good for one year. I plan to bring it to school Monday and ask them to outline how they will enforce it for the remainder of the school year which is only a week but still. This summer my daughter won't have any contact with them as they run the streets and she volunteers as boy scout camp and babysits. DH will be on the field trip so I'm not worried about her being safe, I'm disappointed that we have to babysit thie girls behavior because her parents haven't done their job. The school called Friday night and said the reason these girls did this was because DD and her friend hugged a boy before a game that one of these girls likes and that started it all. I told the VP- that's not the reason, that's their excuse! and I'm not dismissing this incident for any reason based on the previous threats and the constant harrassment. The couselor told me she had "been successful" having this girl see the other persons point of view and apologize many time before as she realizes she has a bad temper..to which I replied..we'll you weren't too successful because she's still at it... I'm so mad about this whole thing- I'm seething. I've always told our kids to tell the teacher and now I find out the teachers can't, won't, don't do anything. Who wants to be the mom that has to go threaten the school to keep their kids safe? or spend all day in court waiting for an order? If DD was a problem child I would understand that they are doing the best they can with her but she isn't even doing anything and despite how many times these girls have been spoken to- they don't stop! It's complete foolishness.

I think it is your decision to do a basement plan. And it seems like if you have an alarm system, that will be helpful. But when I was 7 and 8, the kids lived in the basement of a split level. My little brother and I would sneak out the windows in the dead of night, even in the snowy cold winter, and ride our bikes a couple miles on the roads to the 7-11 to buy candy. We are so lucky we were never hit. Once, we left a window open and my two year old brother went out the window. He was found on the HIGHWAY on his scooter by a police officer. We were all shocked to see the police car pull into the driveway and my little brother pop out of the drivers seat with his Superman cape on. Unfortunately, a transient found my open window when I was visiting my grandparents out of state. We think he was sleeping in my bed. My brother kept telling my mother there was someone in the house with a gun. She didnt believe him until she went down to my room to clean it a couple days later.

Congratulations, Allison! Such a great joy, and at this time of year! And your wreath is lovely, and perfect. My favorite dolls when I was a girl were a pair of twin babies. Basically, my mother bought two identical dolls and doubled their clothes and baby "stuff". I loved them so much! I named them Jeanette and Janiece. Very happy holidays to you and your family...