For all the Grandmas out there!!

[LauraLou]

Originally Posted by Rosie G

For the first time in 21 years, we did not go to DDs for Christmas breakfast. She got mad at DGS Russ the night before and we just couldn't take any more of the drama. I have never heard anyone talk to another person with such venom; basically trying to humiliate him in front of us and his siblings. It continued on Christmas day with her telling him to leave; he is here with us now.

I hope she knows that you can't repair some fractures that your words cause; some day she is going to ask herself why her son doesn't come around very much.

I am devastated.

Thank goodness Russ has you two. You are so right that it will, in the end, be her loss. I think it is somewhat common that children grow up with warmer feelings towards grandparents than their parents.

In the old Native American communities, the families lived together and the grandparents raised the children. The reasons were to free-up the parents to make the living and that the grandparents had more experience, time, and patience for teaching than the parents. Maybe it should still be that way.

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by Vallie

Merry Christmas GC. I just tried out my coffee machine I got from son. Now I wont be able to sleep, it is 2am christmas day here!

A wonderful gift, until it's time to sleep! Hoping you have a marvelous Christmas, VallieGirl!

[LauraLou]

Originally Posted by vwortman

What a great idea LL.

I was thinking I should have included more info.

I boil vinegar, sugar, canned pickled beet juice and pickling spices, then let it sit for a bit and steep. I never measure, but I will add a bit of water if I need more volume. Meanwhile, I pack peeled hard boiled eggs and some of the whole pickled beets in a big jar (I have a decorative glass jar). I pour the liquid over the eggs. Once the jar has cooled I put it in the fridge and turn the eggs from time to time. It takes a couple of days for the beet juice to penetrate all of the white of the eggs.

The purple against the yellow yolks looks great when I halve the eggs to serve.

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by Raphne

Crys, you are such an inspiration. I want to be like you, focused on the bigger picture and savoring the moments in between with gratitude.

You are such a sweetheart, RSLD! As for the *Missing Hat Saga*, once again, on our way out of town, CK stopped at the PO and voila! There they were!


AND............the boys loved them! (Pictures to follow, I'm sure, at some time or another. )

[LauraLou]

Originally Posted by Freda

I have an Epson Perfection 300, you will love it!

I was looking online and I THINK I want one. I have a negative scanner but it only scans strips of 35mm.

I have a lot of very old negatives of various sizes and those are what I really need to scan. Some are 3" x 5" and some are REALLY tiny. Does the Epson 300 handle negatives of all sizes?

Since the negatives are over 100 years old I do not want to send them out.

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by LauraLou

Tinker Superplum here...almost ready for the evening. Mommy dropped the girls off around 11:00. Oh joy! I love them dearly and each one is helpful as all get-out, but together it is a strain at best. SO we settled down and watched Polar Express because it is MY favorite. Mom picked them up around 2 and that gave me enough time to finish.

Ham is ready to be heated and glazed, dessert is in the fridge, Roman sent over the alcohol (he knows I don't particularly approve but he does it anyway), Butch is making the Cheesy Potatoes (Oh yes, Grannies, he cooks, too), and the appetizers are ready to set out. DD is supposed to bring green bean casserole and her favorite bread. I had Crescent rolls but she deemed them full of preservatives and, therefore, unfit for us to eat. We will have them for breakfast tomorrow.

Guess I will take my shower, now, and sit around and admire my hostess abilities (LOL).

I think it's a WONDERFUL idea for each of us to have a few selfish minutes to admire and pat ourselves on the back! (Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle, others forget those pats, even though we KNOW they mean to! )

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by LauraLou

I use the juice from the store-bought ones with sugar and vinegar at Easter time to color and pickle peeled hard boiled eggs. DD would have a FIT if I ever didn't do this for Easter.

Almost every time we empty a jar of pickled beets, I fill it with hard boiled eggs. I don't eat them, but CK them!

[LauraLou]

Originally Posted by ebears

The one we went to was at a Sizzlers Restuarant and cost $87/person and a buffet, so you could eat as much as you like.. Although I didn't eat $87 worth of food it was by far the cheapest around. Around where we live the prices were from $120 to 150 per person.

All-American Buffet is $10 to $30 a person depending on whether you do the buffet or prefer sit-down service. Children are very reasonable. I believe the holiday meal was buffet only and $15 per person.

[LauraLou]

Originally Posted by Raphne

{{{{{{Rosie}}}}}}}

I am so sorry. Christmas, although it should be a time of healing and joy, is so often a time of stress and heartache. You and your family have my prayers

The holidays are the most stressful time for the police. They hate domestic calls because anything can happen, even though they are specially trained to deal with drunks, violence, and family situations. OBT's police officer cousin used to tell us how much they hated family-fight calls but how common they are Thanksgiving and Christmas.

What a sad commentary.

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by Vallie

I am watching Carols by Candlelight on tv which is repeated from Christmas Eve. I love it and it is quite the tradition here. It is a huge outdoor Christmas concert held in a park in Melbourne every year, with lots of well known (Aussie) singers and choirs and the audience can sing along with their candles waving.

Sounds positively delightful, Vallie.


Older DS, (where we spent Christmas Eve and most of the morning Christmas Day), put on a brilliant mixture of Christmas music Christmas morning. What a wonderful BG to Monkey Bread and chit-chat!

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by ebears

Merry christmas to all the grannies. I am so happy I have "met" you all including some of you in real life.

We drove to step daughters so we could take her out to a restuarant that had a buffet Christmas lunch. It was family orientated with little alcohol being served. The food was great and all the small children in the restuarant got a present from Santa. We have decided we will do this next year also as we enjoyed it so much.

Oh what fun!

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by Fulltime RVer

The Christmas Eve service at our church last night was glorious. Two extremely talented young men sang a duet, there was an orchestra and harps and choir and all the great Christmas hymns. The sound of 700-800 people in the congregation singing together blew me away. And, as usual, everyone holding candles and singing Silent Night in a darkened church made me cry.

I would LOVE to have been there!

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by Tusele

A christmas update from the Netherlands...We enjoyed our candle lit christmas morning breakfast. Tim made croissants with ready-to-bake-croissant pastry.... This morning's church service was special..After that we enjoyed our morning coffee with christmas ring cookies...and for lunch we had a cheese tablet with french bread and port...while watching the Disney movie Arthur. Right now hubbie and Tim are playing Wii games.,

Life is good..

Sounds like such a wonderful and love-filled day!

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by evergreen100

Our girlies other grandfather has continued to improve after his crisis on Friday night and in fact was allowed home yesterday. It is still just a matter of time of course as his leukaemia continues on its inevitable course, but how lovely for the family to have him home after saying goodbye to him forever just a couple of days previously. What a rollercoaster!!

It's like a Christmas Miracle!

[GrandmaCrys]

Originally Posted by caraffle

Well, its Christmas day here in Pennsylvania and although we had snow to accompany us on our way to church last night, it is all gone now. We are having a quite day here at home and hope everyone is having the perfect Christmas for your family.

I am sending my Love and prayers to each and everyone for a happy and blessed Christmas.

A quiet family Christmas sounds wonderful, Raffie, especially because I know how much you miss your *college girls*!