Hummmm...you have given me an idea...perhaps I can find one with snakes and alligators and a few wild hogs and point it out at the swamp...for Halloween. Oh the FUN!!!

been trying to talk MsGilmore into giving our boys cash for Christmas, so much easier all around, and they are both adults, so they can do with it what they choose...my parents went that route years ago for kids and grandkids, so much easier...

If anyone here hasn't discovered the beauty of the Amazon List, let me know and I'll fill you in.

Have said person build their Amazon List throughout the year. Said person can share said list with you via text, email, carrier pigeon. You can buy items off of said persons list (they don't know what you have purchased) and deliver the item straight to that persons door. You can also pay a little extra to have the item gift-wrapped.

I haven't stepped foot in a mall in years! If anyone wants my list, I'll share.

Snowed here last week, so we got a touch of holiday spirit. But I still would rather at least get through Halloween before I have to worry about Christmas.

We moved to my husband's childhood home this spring when he retired (after MUCH renovation). He is planning an old fashioned Christmas with his brother and daughter (and their families) like his mom used to have. I know we're really looking forward to that this year. And we're hosting a small Thanksgiving (I've never done that before) for them, too.

I'm with Complycated on the gifts. We've tried for years to stop the family gift exchange or to even put a $ limit on it, but our Mother simply won't allow it. We can get everyone a gift card except mother and we usually do end up swapping cards.