tntsmomie

VERY cute! I loved watching it. Thank you so much for sharing!

Sounds very similar to the story in this thread over in the holiday forum.... http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=155865

Round Three!!! Jingle All The Way vs The Grinch Miracle on 34th Street- 1947 version with Maureen O'Hara vs Polar Express The Santa Clause vs Fred Claus Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas vs White Christmas Santa Claus- The Movie vs I'll Be Home For Christmas Santa Clause 2 vs Christmas Vacation Santa Buddies vs It's a Wonderful Life Elf vs Gremlins

Any basic training I've ever been to/heard of will not allow things like this to be sent to recruits. Contraband, etc....so I wouldn't advise this. BUT, if she's coming home after the holidays, you can always save it for her filled up, saying that Santa left her things b/c he was so proud of her for serving her country.

You're very welcome! :) I had posted this link on the "Email from Santa" thread last month. But thought I'd share again since that thread went inactive after I posted. Glad it worked! I used the one where you can type your own. The kids are SO convinced. DD6 was beyond excited! And DS4 is really trying to get on the good list (right now he's on the "think" list). Worked like a charm!

Can you arrange with Santa to have "Christmas" early? Maybe he can bring presents on Christmas Eve morning?

http://bestsantasletter.com/create-free-letters-from-santa-claus We used this one this year. My kids LOVED it! We said Santa had an elf deliver it while they were sleeping. Very easy, and you get the option of typing your own letter or using a form letter.

Ours are always unwrapped. However, this year, DD6 asked Santa for an AG doll. I saved some money during the purchase and decided to have it gift wrapped. In our house, we have an understanding that Santa works with certain toy companies. DS4's gift will be unwrapped.

hmmm....I have several coupons for Hallmark, and am thinking this may be what we need to help DS4 keep himself out of trouble.

Here, Santa likes snowball cookies with mini-chocolate chips in them. He actually wrote DD6 a letter this year requesting those cookies! (and carrots/celery for the reindeer) We've already made a few batches so she can practice making them for Santa on Christmas Eve. They're VERY yummy!

We're doing homemade enchiladas and spanish rice. Used to be a big holiday thing for our family growing up. Normally we do a repeat of Thanksgiving, but this year we're changing it up for fun.

For the boys age 6 & 4, Geotrax are a great idea. They make cute portable type sets now, where everything is contained. What about dress-up things for your niece?

We had a Little Tikes kitchen (the indoor/outdoor one...with a kitchen on one side, the grill on the other). My kids LOVED it and it had great space and lasted us many years before we sold it. And it was still in great shape even then. (and it went through several daycare kiddos, too) :) Very well loved....and held up to it all. Target used to have sets of food for $20 or so. We actually still have our food sets b/c they like to serve their animals and play restaurant with it. There are other sets that have dishes, too. If you think the one from your sister will hold up to lots of play from your kids, I'd accept it if it's what you want. You know best what you'd like to have for your kids and what they'd get the best use out of...and HOW they play. Dramatic play items are the best, especially kitchens like this. I always got a big kick out of watching them put on their little chef hats and play out scenes. Very cute!

About $1600 total for kids, DH, in-laws, my family.... We've been smart about what we've purchased. And it's been fun this year b/c we've had the money to spend more than past years. We didn't go too overboard for the kids, and were able to get nice gifts for our family members. Now to ship it all out.

Round 2 Jingle all the Way Santa Clause 3- The Escape Clause Miracle on 34th Street- Original 1947 Version starring Natalie Wood and Maureen O'Hara Polar Express The Santa Clause The Homecoming- A Christmas Story Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas Mickey's One Upon a Christmas Scrooge- 1951 - Alistar Sim The Christmas Shoes The Santa Clause 2 Christmas Vacation Santa Buddies Muppet Christmas Carol Elf Four Christmases

We stopped in last night to use a coupon $25off $50. No real deals to be seen. Went to the clearance racks and saw the cutest shirt. DD wanted it - then we saw the ticket price...$21.99 ON CLEARANCE. Not my kind of deal. We ended up just getting some of the basic camis and l/s shirts. Very cute things, but priced much higher than I thought they'd be at this time of year.

What about Avon?? If you have a rep near you, you can get free shipping and get it from the rep. They have cute bath/body type things. Trying to come up with more ideas....

By mail. And what's weird is that I don't really even shop there unless for special things. Maybe once-twice a year.

I just got a coupon in the mail from B&BW for $10 off $10. And I got one from VS for a free product (up to like $13, I think). Target has some cute little packs of nail files. They almost look like matchbook. There's about 20 or so in a pack and they break off for use. The pack is pink -- I think it's call "Little Miss Manicure" or something similar. For the girls body spray and such -- VS will have sales...8 for $24, I think? I stocked up over the summer with a sale like that. What about travel size products? I'll have to check around for coupons. I'm sure this is all stuff you can get for relatively cheap.

Awesome. I'll take nothing less than 1 miiiiiillion dollars.

25-Surviving Christmas Vs 2-Jingle All the Way 49-Desk Set Vs 15-Home Alone 2 58-A Christmas Carol- 1984- George C. Scott Vs 13-The Grinch 37-Bad Santa vs 20-The Santa Clause 3- The Escape Clause 50-Meet Me in St. Louis vs 1-Miracle on 34th Street- Original 1947 Version starring Natalie Wood and Maureen O'Hara 26-Prancer vs 54-Badder Santa 59-A Christmas Carol- 2004- Kelsey Grammar Vs 5-Polar Express 44-Love Actually Vs 23-Unaccompanied Minors 18-The Santa Clause Vs 11-Eight Crazy Nights 35-Last Holiday Vs 14-Home Alone 7-Fred Claus Vs 8-Christmas with The Kranks 47-The Bishop's Wife Vs 51-The Homecoming- A Christmas Story 62-The Nativity Story Vs 30-Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas 57-The Preacher's Wife Vs 34-Holiday in Handcuffs 21-White Christmas Vs 53-Miracle on 34th Street- 1994 version 29-Mickey's One Upon a Christmas Vs 46-Christmas in Connecticut 48-A House Without a Christmas Tree Vs 63-Santa Claus: The Movie 60-Scrooge- 1951 - Alistar Sim Vs 45-The Ref 52-The Christmas Shoes Vs 28-One Magical Christmas 55-Die Hard 2 Vs 31-I'll Be Home For Christmas 19-The Santa Clause 2 Vs 10-Deck the Halls 33-Christmas Do Over Vs 22-Scrooged 42-Holiday Inn VS 36-Three Days 3-Christmas Vacation Vs 56-Home Alone 3 43-Santa Buddies Vs 61-Ernest Saves Christmas 24-The Nightmare Before Christmas Vs 40-Smokey Mountain Christmas 17-Muppet Christmas Carol Vs 64-Santa Baby 9-A Christmas Story- 2008 Champion Vs 16-It's a Wonderful Life 4-Mickey's A Christmas Carol Vs 12-Elf 32-The Christmas List Vs 38-Die Hard 39-Gremlins Vs 41-The Holiday 6-Four Christmases Vs 27-Trapped in Paradise Johnny, Die Hard (1 & 2) got votes b/c I didn't like the other ones they were paired with. :)

Okay...so I'm a bit nervous, as I've never cooked a whole turkey before. Only a turkey breast. We have a 16lb turkey. How long should it cook for? Trying to figure out if I should wake up early to ensure it's cooked in time. We're eating at 4. Everything I've read says it'll take about 4 hours to cook. Is this about right?

I love corn casserole! And stuffing. First time I'm cooking it this year, but following my mom's way...hope it turns out!

I ordered DD6 her first Vera. The Hannah is on sale for $12. Perfect size for a little girl. And VERY CUTE!

My DD is almost 7 and got her first AG from my mother on her 6th birthday. She's VERY into them...her Santa gift request this year is for Chrissa. And I've seen girls older than 10 carrying AG dolls around...so this is something that will last her. They're definitely worth the money you spend on them, and should anything ever happen to them, you can send them in to their doll hospital and they'll get all fixed up and sent back. Very cute! Yes, the money is a lot, but I know my DD would much rather see her Chrissa doll under the tree than several smaller gifts and no doll.