So cute! i love tarantulas so much I myself have a Little Brachypelma with a small Haworthia in his cage.

Once again, jane, your 'simple' (the word you used) is so charming & elegant! Your new lanterns on the mantle w/all the pumpkins, leaves & accessories look wonderful...again I love the art work that you've shown a closer view of before. Pheasant decor/plates are beautiful! (like janet I've been on the outlook for one of those lanterns...I gave one to DD for her b'day a couple yrs ago). Those solid white ironstone dishes do make a perfect backgrd for your diff displays in this hutch (& I love your hutches ...both black & white one)! That 'Elephant's Trunk' sounds like a wonderful TS...you sure got some bargains!! All your Johnson Bros are so lovely displayed this time of the yr & it always makes me want to buy a few. Love how you used all the white assessories, too...the pumpkins, tureen, turkeys! So elegant looking! You've really got alot done in a short time, jane! Enjoyed visiting your home again & TFS! Jeanne S. LOVELY!

i am so sad after reading your post. i think you are right to be concerned about your grandson. and i hope i don't step on any toes in expressing my thoughts about your situation. first, it is very difficult to share your home with adult children returning to the nest, even for good reasons like their being unemployed. hard for you&your husband, hard for them, too. i understand your "biting your tongues at all costs" attitude, but here's my take on it: #1, it's YOUR house, and you need to have your house rules firmly delineated and followed, whatever they might be. #2, i know you don't want to overstep your bounds as a grandparent, but you are definitely NOT out of line to step in when you feel your grandson is being neglected. a one-year old, especially if he is normally active, takes a lot of watching (perhaps you need to buy some of those child-proof door knob things). and he needs lots interaction with people in order to develop properly. at this age, their attention span is short, so "time-outs" really do no good and become cruel and abusive, in my opinion. he has no real conception of what the time-out if for. simple re-direction will usually cure the problem and not let him sit there alone. #3, i fear your daughter and her husband are just not ready to deal with a young child. the methods they are using as stated in your second-to-last paragraph to "punish" their son are not good ones. he is just a baby. babies are aggravating, certainly, but your daughter & husband are so lucky that you and your husband are right there to lend a helping hand. #4, so with that last staement of mine, i think you ought to definitely get more involved with the baby. let your daughter know that you don't intend to be a busy-body, that she is the mother, but you certainly have a normal vested interest in that child's well-being, and therefore you are more than happy to give her a break and deal with the baby when she is busy/tired/needs time for herself. #5, it seems that your daughter & her husband are not interacting much except in negative ways with their child. this is so bad on so many levels. first, a baby needs to be cuddled (YOU know this, of course!!). and played with -- they learn through playing. building blocks, thick crayons, simple vehicles, soft toys, musical toys are all important! and reading to him is the best thing of all -- being held while looking books is so beneficial and wonderful. it rather sounds to me as tho your daughter might be somewhat clinically depressed by her situation (unemployment, an active baby, not much support from husband all join to make her life at the moment difficult for her). maybe she is not getting enough rest/sleep herself. maybe she is worried. this is an area where you might need to sit her down "for her own good" and discuss things. she may need help. sorry if this seems harsh or judgemental -- it is NOT meant to be. i'm on your side! #6, i advise you to keep fully involved, even more than you have been, and don't let your daughter continue to ride rough-shod over you when you feel you need to step in for your grandson's sake. HE is the most important person here. your involvement may be the best thing for him at this time. i hope things become better for all of you as soon as possible! hang in there!!!!!

You don't mention how long you've been together, so that doesn't help, the reason I mention it is because there are things people "don't tell you". There is something called a 3 year itch. It is similiar to the 7 year itch (Which is VERY REAL). You are tired of compromises, and wonder if you've made a mistake. Many marriages go through that. WHy do some make and some don't. Is it some couples LOVE each other more? Maybe, I personally think some people are more stubborn and WORK at it. Marriage isn't easy, and it is harder some years that others (yes even when you've been married a long time..it's been over 20 for us, and some years have been a b!tch). If you love her with all your heart, why do you feel you've settled? Truely feels like a 3 year itch. Read up on 7 year itch, and apply to 3 years, you'll be amazed. Vickey-MN (Married at age 23 by the way, regretted it at times, still do at times, but love my husband..and maybe regret isn't the right word, just wish it was easier or easy all the time is more the case)