Great ideas! These people would definitely appreciate it! nm
Posted By: ILMT on 2006-12-28
In Reply to: holiday giving - shaeron
:-)
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THANKS for all the great ideas!
I appreciate your taking the time to share your recipes and post your links. Bless your hearts!
wow those are great ideas
We are in lonescouts. (I couldn't afford everything to go with wolf/cubscouts to join a pack) but the derby was at church. I will suggest those things. #3 is a great suggestion and would prevent many tears. I don't know if you are familiar with upward sports but that is how upward is. (It's a sports program) Every kid gets a star for something like best offense, best defense, most christ like, best effort, and categories like that.
Thank you again! :)
thanx for all the ideas, they are great!
nm
Thanks for all those great ideas everyone!
Okay people the yeast infection thing was a joke!
Those are great ideas!
I've got to find a battery operated mouse or something. My mom always tells me she's going to buy me one of those robotic vacuum cleaners and I've made her promise not to because I'm afraid my big cat would kill it!
Great ideas!
Thanks for the great ideas! I am going to spend time today looking in the paper for some type of thing to do to help the less fortunate, plus I am going to try to see the light in my children's eyes when they talk about Christmas coming, AND I am going to Walmart for that Peanuts sound track. Guess I am Type-A at even trying to get into the holiday spirit. You know I do believe once I take the focus off of me, me, me and put it on others, well that might just do the trick! Thanks, your responses already cheered this Scrooge up a bit :)
Great ideas below, and here's another (sm)
well, an idea, not sure how great. LOL
If they like trying new foods, or have foods that they like that they won't buy for themselves, you could make a little basket of delicacies for them. Before my in-laws had health problems, we used to buy them those little cakes soaked in liqueur, two or three arranged in a basket and they'd portion that out over a couple months.
My FIL likes spicy stuff so we have bought him various Tabasco-related items, or differing brands of hot sauce.
Last year my son sold scout popcorn and we bought him a big tin of that as a present.
If someone likes to cook, you could get them a set of fresh exotic spices.
Good luck, we're right there in the same boat with you!
All great ideas. Thanks so much. nm
/
Great ideas! Thanks everyone~
I have thought about some of these before but didn't know if they would be worth the trouble or how to get started. You have provided some great information. I would really like to continue to have the flexibility to be at home but just earn a little extra from time to time.
some great ideas!
I just bought a brick of cheese so that is easy. also have some grapes, celery, carrots, and broccoli so I can make a decent veg tray with that and ranch salad dressing. i might just have to stop and get some crackers but i can get those at a gas station maybe.
Like you said, I am the DIL! lol but I know I'd make her upset if we left early so I better have some food so we can stay. lol
Just my 2 cents, these are great ideas!
I like the card making especially.
I just knew you all here would have some great ideas! sm
Thank you to everyone who responded. The poster who suggested a manicure and pedicure had the perfect suggestion because she LOVES getting those. I never would have thought of that myself because I am not good at ideas for gifts at all. Yep, I am going with that idea! Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! 
Love it - great ideas
Sounds like all the things I did growing up in girls scouts. Good to bring them back to memory and do them again.
Yea, some people dont like different ideas. Want
x
Website with really great economical ideas
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
She has some really good ideas that might work for you.
Be back in a bit, I have to go to the grocery store now! Great ideas. nm
!
Any funny/great ideas for couples Halloween costumes?
My 24-year-old DS and his SO have to dress up for a Halloween party. His older brother and his wife are going as Dog and Beth, and 24YO DS is trying to come up with something even better than that. Any ideas out there?
Great board and a super idea! How about fall decoration ideas?
Well, then 2 great and wonderful people
born today. The same Happy goes out to you!
Great! I'm all for it! I want people to prove who they are.
NM
Medicare people - Have great insurance now- do I have to
take Medicare exclusively once I reach retirement age? My husband is younger and I hope to continue to work past retirement age myself (hoping to drop at my desk, so to speak) but his is great because union- he pays nothing for his insurance and all medically related issues are really dirt cheap for us. I would love to be able to stay on his insurance without Medicare- is this allowed?
Aren't dogs just great. People
should strive to be more like them.
A lot of people are so desperate for work that some will give you free bids and give you ideas while
nm
you can give the people the facts, but the decision making process should be left to the people
This is what our country is founded on FREEDOM OF CHOICE! I'm laughing already; you are just as mortal as the rest of us, and don' even attempt to that you've never done anything in your lifetime that was unsafe or unhealthy. NOT gonna buy it.
it is wonderful to see how many people have such strong opinions about people in debt.
I thought that the purpose of this board was to be able to post without being judged unfairly or have somebody tell you how wonderful their personal life is, and therefore you are causing their life to be less wonderful with your irresponsibility. Well, the saying "walk a mile in my shoes" is a good one in this case. Since you have no personal information about the person you are lambasting because they are looking for information on their debt, you can feel superior. Had you had personal information about them, you might act in a more human manner. Consider fighting cancer for 4 years, working and being debilitated while you do, suffering the effects of chemo, going into debt to maintain your home for your children and looking for a way out of debt SHOULD YOU EVEN LIVE THROUGH THIS!! Thank you for the kind comments. To the judgmental people I say please take a step back before you judge. You do not know who you are talking to and if you knew the personal information maybe your comments would be kinder.
I get frustrated by the double standard they use when judging people. They let certain people go sa
What do you think about the voting process?
Limbo. Great song, great game. Also,
The girls all line up and walk through a room as if they are modeling on the catwalk. Get a couple of bright colored boa's from the party store. It's a real riot and the kids have a blast especially if a couple of brave boys grab a boa and do it too. We've had many a birthday party doing this and it was totally hilarious.
Wow!! What a great attitude! I love that - great perspective!
x
People who go around calling other people "low class"
have their own issues in life. Ignore them. Nothing like a misplaced superiority complex to make a person feel good about themselves. Like they've never done anything gauche or made a faux pas. It must be nice for them to be so perfect and live in a glass house.
For that matter, you probably saved your piggy's life by popping that mondo zit! It could have gotten infected or something.... (yes, I have a zit popping fixation myself, but you were really descriptive on that pig zit. gag LOL)
Man, you would have appreciated the time one of my relative's popped a HUGE cyst on her face. I was standing right next to her at the time and leaned back because I knew it was going to blow. It did! Big time! All over the wall, mirror and light fixture. I'm still disgusted by the thought of it 10 years later. LOL In a revering kind of way...
What great determination and help from a great friend! :) nm
s
I am sure that you are a great mother and a great cook,
and that you tried everything, now try the 'hunger diet'.
some people did, some people didn't. It's their choice.
x
A few ideas
Shed not for her the bitter tear,
Nor give the heart to vain regret;
Tis but the casket that lies her,
The gem that filled it sparkles yet.
Her children rise up and call her blessed.
Amiable, she won all; intelligent, she charmed all; fervent, she loved all; and dead, she saddened all.
Ideas..
How about the pastry puff (hot dog, potato, beef) hors doeuvres by Cohen. Frozen aisle, just thaw and bake. They are delicious! Spinach dip in a bread bowl. Chicken fingers. Shrimp cocktail. Stuffed mushrooms. Prosciutto and melon, fresh mozzarella. Deviled eggs. Enjoy the party!
Any ideas???
You all are always so creative and imaginative - please help. I need to buy gifts for my BIL's girlfriend and SIL's boyfriend, somewhere in the $25 range. I have no clue what they like, and asking BIL and SIL is like asking my keyboard - they are no help at all. Thanks in advance!
some ideas...
Although this is from a nominated student themselves you might pull some info from it. Had the pleaure of being a memory and it was indeed an honor.
associatedcontent.com/.../how_to_write_a_successful_national.html - 35k -
Give applicant name and school name, your relation to applicant, how long you have known them. Some of the criteria it is based would be maturity, dependability, motivation, compatibility, integrity, compassion, particpation and attitude.
here are a few ideas
There is a web site that is legit that can help with small amounts. It may not give you money in a short time, but it can help within 30 days. www.modestneeds.org
They even help show you how to write a request that will get approved.
For help with food, try angelfoodministries.com . For $25/month, you get almost $75 worth of food.
For help with any medications, try www.needymeds.com . The drug manufacturers help people who fall between the cracks and cannot afford medicine by providing it for free or for a minimal fee.
Also contact your state's Vocational Services Department. If you have ADHD in my state, they will pay for your schooling and medication and doctor bills and you don't pay it back after school is done.
Don't be afraid to contact your local resources - churches, food banks, Salvation Army - for whatever help you can get. Some of these will provide one-time assistance or every-other-month help.
I wish you well. I only know about these because of I have needed to use each of them at one time or another, and continue to need them.
My ideas
Do you have wood heat? My sister's red setter had thyroid problems that made it itch and loose most of her hair as well as being allergic to wheat in the dog good and the only food that could feed it was Friskies cubes. Allergy testing sometimes is not that expensive. And it might be worth your while and cheaper than going through all the medications and remedies to not have them work and then do the testing. I have found that specialists sometimes are less expensive than the regular vets and they can pinpoint the problem faster and less expensive. So call an allergist vet and ask what it would cost to get him tested. I was scared to death about the expense of taking my dog to a neurologist when she was having seizures and it cost me less than a regular visit to my vet and he spent over 30 minutes with us explaining things. And he knew immediately what to do. But beware of the steroids as I feel that is what caused the seizures in the first place and will never put my dog on them again. Too many side effects. Good luck.
Some more ideas
Summer's on the way, here are some quickies for dinners. Except for rice and baked goods, I do not measure. Ever. It's all in your tastes and preferences. You just put the stuff together until it looks/smells/tastes right to you.
When you have time, simmer a large amount of boneless, skinless, quartered chicken breasts in water/broth until they are just done and still tender. Drain and cool. Shred, dice, chop and use throughout the week. Roasted chicken/turkey is great to use, too.
If you like ham, bake a big one. Have a ham dinner one night, then save the rest for later in the week. Chop it in a food processor for chopped ham, slice it for sandwiches, dice it for soups, wraps, omelets, etc.
When in season, use grapes or sliced fresh fruit such as apples, to serve with some dinners or put in salads. When it's there in front of you, all sliced and pretty, you eat it. Great way to get fruits into the family's diet on the sly! They'll make faces and think you've gone all Martha Stewart on them, but they'll eat it. Same thing with some veggies. Slice cukes lengthwise, slice carrots the same way, put them on the table with a little dish of something to dip them in - some dressing or yogurt. Make them easy to pick up with finger.
Some dinner suggestions using the above:
1. Sandwiches. Any kind. Make them interesting - different breads you slice yourself, bulke rolls, pita pockets, etc. Fill with roasted/sauted veggies, with leftovers, cukes, shredded carrots, etc. Use dark-colored greens or raw spinach instead of iceburg lettuce. Raw spinach goes a long way when using for sandwiches, wraps or rollups. That chicken made ahead can be mixed in with any type of salad dressing or marinade, with salsa, with cranberry relish, etc., gives much more flavor than mayo and a lot less calories. Make wraps and rollups. Add lots of different seasonings. Experiment! Try turkey bacon for BLTs. Serve with roasted potato wedges: slice baking potatoes lengthwise into wedges. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings of cohice. Cayanne pepper, salt, dill, tarragon, anything that smells good will taste good! Bake in shallow pan about 45 min. until tender on inside, crisp on outside.
2. Tortillas/buritos/tacos. Fill with chicken, beef, veggies, anything! Experiment. Use the taco seasoning packets you can get at the supermarket to add to cooked lean ground hamburger or cooked chicken. I usually use half as they are quite salty. You can always just wing it yourself by adding cumin, tomato paste, salsa, cayanne pepper, etc.
3. Quesadillas. Brush large frying pan with olive oil. Place soft tortilla in pan, fill 1/2 with filling of choice - great with summer squash, zucchini sauted ahead of time and a bit of cheese. Fold over and cook on M-High heat until golden brown and crisp. Flip and cook other side same way, make sure cheese melts. Slice in wedges, serve w/salsa.
4. Rice. Cook a pot of Basmati or Jasmine rice, makes a huge difference in texture and taste than Uncle Ben's. It's more expensive than regular short grain/long grain rice, but this is your dinner, and the most expensive part of it if you are using leftovers. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon, alspice, clove to rice before covering to simmer for 20 min. Add cooked meat - chicken or hamburger. Another suggestion is to cook some rice, add some sauted garlic, veggies and some lemon-pepper seasoning. Serve with salad, cut up veggies and spciy ranch dressing, slices of fruit with cheese, etc.
5. Cook up some pasta. I know, more pasta, but this is different! Noodles works as well as angel hair. Cook ground hamburger. Mix pasta, hamburger, jar of spaghetti sauce together. Put in deep casserole dish that's been brushed with olive oil. Top with shredded cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese has melted. Careful not add too much sauce - you can always add more at the table. Best to keep an extra jar of sauce handy just in case.
7. English muffin pizzas. Let the kids make them.
8. Soups. Maybe not in summer, but on a cold night they are great. My favorite for this time is year is with veggie broth, summer squash, zucchini, finely chopped carrots, mushrooms and garlic that were sauted in olive oil and butter, caramalized onions, chunks of red potatoes with the skins on, dill, tarragon and a lot of fresh ground pepper. Add some shredded chicken if you want. Ham is good with this, too.
9. Sort of Shepherd's Pie: Brush casserole dish with olive oil. Add a layer of red skin smashed potatoes (always leave the skins on), a layer of canned corn, a layer of cooked hamburger, ham or chicken. Repeat, be sure to end last layer with the smashed potatoes. Bake until top begins to brown. Make gravy or use the jar/canned gravy if you'd like.
10. Dinner Pockets. Pillsbury crescent rolls in the fridge section of market. I don't know how many you are feeding but I believe one can makes 4 of these. Unroll the dough, separate along perforations to make rectangles, NOT triangles like you would for the crescents. Place each rectangle on a cookie sheet you've sprayed with veg. oil and make sure the perforated seams are pinched together. In the center of each rectangle, put in anything that's already been cooked. Any kind of meat and/or veggies. Top with shredded cheese if you want. Pull up the corners to the center and pinch closed. Bake according to directions on package.
11. If you can grill outdoors, there's a whole new world waiting for you! Marinate something the night before, grill along with veggies and/or potatoes. No mess to clean inside.
ideas.
Can't beat a BLT or hotdog and chips. Tomatoe soup and grilled cheese. Chicken wrap or tuna salad wrap. We even do BLT wraps.
Last night we had grilled pork chops with a broccoli slaw and grilled apples. When I grill I try to cook extra for another night. I did chops and then fresh sausage dogs for lunch.
What ya got and I'll give you some ideas! Would have rather been a chef than an MT but oh well!
Try this ideas -
Get a Scat Mat. Put it where they want to claw on the furniture and crank it to the highest level. I bet after one buzz on their paws they move on. Are you able to spray them in the act of scratching? Set a water bottle on stream, squirt them the very second they start scratching and say "no." Do not hit or scream hysterically at them. If you cannot secure a Scat Mat then get a carpet protector (you know, those plastic things sold in strips that you place over carpet to protect it - maybe like in front of a door) and turn it upsidedown so that the pointy part is sticking up. They will not want to walk on that, I will bet money on it. I have had 11 cats in my lifetime and they all kept their claws. Try different things until something clicks. If nothing else works then try the Soft Paws, but retraining CAN be done. Good luck. Let us know what happens. :-)
Please, any ideas on this??
I have worked in this field for over 30+ years. I have an aunt that I am very close to. I have been suffering very severly with rib pain (have fibromyalgia) but I told her I went to 2 doctors this past week, my regular and then referred on to rheumatologist and neither basically helped me. I ask specifically to my PCP if I might have costochondritis (would rather have had that then other things worse) so he never said anything 1 way or the other. In telling her today I finally resorted to getting 1 of the medicated back patches from the drug store and how I had had to help myself she told me "well, the doctors really do not want you to tell them what you think it is or what to do for any ailments." I know she is old, but right now I am supposed to go visit her this weekend and I am blowing steam from my ears. After doing the 4s for years and years and also working part-time in all other speciality offices including ortho, neurologic, gynecological, internal just to name a few, I have gotten to where I know a LITTLE about your body. I do not want her to say something like this again and for me to just overlook but my gosh, even after saying possibility about infection in the ribs, I am still NOT checked out for any possibility ??? When you go to your physician do you ever say it might be this or it might be that and what kind of reply would you have for this much loved aunt (although right now has really stepped on my toes). Oh by the way, this is not the first time something like this has been brought up between the aunt and myself. Not working in the medical field she sorta views the doctors as, well you know these holier than thou are folks and would NEVER question their authority.
Thanks everyone for the ideas! (nm)
x
Thanks for your ideas sm
I am very grateful for your ideas and did a little extra shopping for the future yesterday. Last evening I offered ground sirloin mixed with ground turkey (they did not ask) and made some tasty meatballs and patties. I offered them a choice, which they loved. One had a meatball sub, the other two had the cheeseburger choice with low fat cheese and when one finished, he wanted what his sister had, could not resist the smell of the meatballs. I allowed him both. He has quite an appetite! We had fun. I also introduced baked sweet potato fries. They made their own deserts with chocolate low-fat yogurt which they called "ice cream" with a cherry on top and a few chocolate sprinkles (they loved doing their own). Made their own low-fat chocolate milk shakes. Overall, the evening went very well. I added some of your suggestions to my cupboard for future visits. I am the "Grammy" and sometimes I get very tired. I did offer them "two" choices which they (being siblings) seemed to be attracted to. I have to remind them and myself that I am not a restaurant, a bank or a hotel. When the food goes well, the rest of the evening is pretty easy. We watched "Home Alone," played cards, Chutes & Ladders with the little one and had fun together. Thanks for the future menu ideas. Ages 5, 9 and 11, all different kiddos. You know how it is. : )
Thanks nm You have the best ideas about everything!
:>)
Thanks for the ideas, everyone!
It's cool out today, so I think I'll hang it outdoors.
2 ideas
Get a little Skookie cast iron pan (they have them at Sportsmans Warehouse). Make the Skookie once and then you have the pan. (If you haven't had one it is a huge cookie or brownie baked in a small cast iron pan. Get those bags of pizza dough mix (Martha's or whatever - they have it at Wal-Mart) and make it up (you just add water) and press it into the oiled pan. Bake 10 minutes and then add on a spoonful of sauce or olive oil and garlic and 5 cheese Italian blend and some parmesan and bake it again until brown and bubbly. Lunch. Save the dough for tomorrow and do another kind! Like Canadian bacon and pineapple. These are really good. The crust comes out just right like brick oven pizza. If you are really hungry or you have company, get a big cast iron pizza pan and do the same with the whole batch of dough. The leftovers are soooo good.
My mom lived alone for a long time and she had the same problem and did not like fast food, so she would make a big recipe of enchiladas and then freeze them individually for her lunch. Yum. If you don't know how to make them post back and I'll tell you. It is really easy and so much yummier than PB&J or tuna.
I lied, third idea. Make tostadas. Fry up or bake a corn tortilla and spread it with refrieds and add cheese, salsa and lettuce, sour cream, or whatever. Instant lunch! Now I am ravenous and need to check the freezer contents.
Ideas
Here is a website where you can download and print out things (Christmas themes) such as dot-to-dot, word search, find the difference in the elves, matching game, santa's village activity page and Christmas coloring pages. http://familyfun.go.com/printables/season/specialfeature/christmas-printables-ms/
Oriental trading company has a holiday bingo game.
You might also want to check out www.enchanted learning.com. Tons of stuff on there for kids, not sure if they have Christmas stuff, but lots of educational things.
Any ideas???
My husband is turning 40 in a week and a half. Any ideas on presents (i'm tired of giving practical stuff) and ways to celebrate? My 6-year-old wants to take him out to eat but I feel we should do something more?? 
Okay, trying to think of other ideas for you - sm
Tell him all that you love about him but how sad it makes you when he does this, that, and the other. Spell it out to him. Men need VERY specific instructions sometimes. Try to keep it short and to the point. Sometimes they just think everything is fine and keep doing the same thing over and over. Maybe someone else has other ideas?? :-)
no ideas but
I don't have any ideas on what to get her - other than maybe take her out to eat somewhere nice? flowers or a plant maybe?? But I think she will be happy and touched that you want to do something special for her. .
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