mjowest...here's your posting...I copied it & posted your pics below...gets frustrating when things don't work, doesn't it! Happy New Year! Jeanne S. Here's mjowest's posting: Finally able to post! Posted by mjowest 5 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 29, 09 at 20:09 My sincere apologies to my secret santa- I could NOT post a single thing since last Thursday! I received, from my yet unknown Santa- the following: A darling red tea pot- I LOVE red!!! It's sitting my my window, with a great contrast with the white snow. I'm keeping it out all year! and a most beautiful yellow plate flower and plate hanger- check out the clear glass- it's a beautiful pattern! I will put this on the big stump I have in my garden, (once the snow is gone!) so it can catch the morning sun, and make drivers smile! I can't ever seem to find yellow, so I'm glad to get this! and, the glue job- you are an expert! much neater than I am... :) Please let me know who you are, secret santa from WA!! thank YOU!!! You made me very happy!! mjowest aka Mary-Jo

" I am trying to convinced husband to get a solid structure gate at the end of the driveway, but he thinks that will spark more curiosity, not deter it. Any thoughts on that?" We have a farm property that was in a similar situation. Teenagers throwing parties and using it for a "romantic spot". Deer hunters just doing whatever they felt like even trying to put up permanent tree stands in the woods. People fishing out of the pond and weirdos coming out and parking behind the barn out of sight doing god knows what all day. We put carpet tack strips across the drive, huge piles of logs and sticks, etc. It still didn't stop them from driving back. We found out that to most people property rights mean very little. They will do whatever they want if there is not something to put an active stop to it. Our neighbor across the street used to catch them all the time and call us. Sometimes, these people would show up 5 minutes after we left! Who knows where they all came from. Anyway, we finally decided to put a homemade gate across the gravel drive. It was cheap to build and when painted didn't look too bad. Stopped the driving traffic 100%. They still tried to park in the neighboring lot and walk across for hunting, but another family built a house on the other side and he goes out to make a ruckus when he thinks hunters are trying to get out there so it's no use even trying to get a deer. If you can't be out there right away, I wouldn't hesitate to put up a gate. It will help a lot. Especially if it's right on the road where if they stop their car will be visible to everyone driving by.

she's noticed that the kids notice the presence or absence of goody bags, and is trying to be a good mom and hostess. FWIW. If goody bags are "expected" in your area, she should try to do something. It depends on the type of kids in the area Niece is crazy over the Jonas Brothers (heaven help us), and will be getting a JB pinata, and the kids can carry home whatever candy they collect in little bags. We're also going to look for the aforementioned pinwheels, or something equally inexpensive and relatively entertaining for the kiddos to take home when the party ends. I love the idea of crafts - in fact, on niece's last birthday, the kids decorated crowns and took them home (it was a princess theme), but there probably won't be enough time. The party will be scheduled for only a little over an hour, though, during which time cake and ice cream will be served and the pinata will be the primary entertainment. Don't the JB's wear 80's style sunglasses? I think they wear vests too. Maybe adding those to the party, take digital pics of everyone in their JB shades & get one vest that everyone uses for their shot, print them out and give on in a pre-decorated JB frame? Too bad the party isnt longer, she should be able to find cardboard type frames.. they can paint their names on them or something JB.. maybe glue JB pics to the frame? I have seen parties where one of the activites was their take away gift - like painted t shirts, decorated wooden frames (take pic of whole group to include), wooded vehicle sets you put together (Michael's has a bunch for $1). I love this idea For her, it isn't just a party bag -- it's a thank you gift to the friend for attending her party. If you ask her opinion, she probably think it's totally uncool not to have party bags. That's how I've always looked at goody bags as a thank you for coming Wow...never would have crossed my mind to give out goodie bags. My kids didn't, and I honestly can't remember them getting them. But then, my kids quit having kiddy parties over 10 years ago! haha. I can tell you that its a different world these days. My son is 24, gift bags weren't a big deal but these days it's all about the gift bag. I think we have Hollywood to partially blame for this.. Think Paris Hilton, star parties where they get gift bags with the latest phone or video game system. Lots of celebrity mags talk about gift bags, win the gift bag from such & such party, it's like a status symbol to get the best gift bag.

With both of my parents now gone and all but one child in the group now college age or older, we decided to do a swap starting last year. We had a no gift cards rule (one per immediate family if you were really hurting for ideas) -- otherwise it would be a $20 gift card swap with no fun or immagination at all. In our swap, if your gift is stolen, you can pick any opened or wrapped gift other than the one that was just taken from you. Since this wasn't a work related party, if the game went longer, that was fine with us. More laughs makes a fun time. Ours went well and we are doing the same thing this year. Last years hits included a themed Christmas ornament, a "Lime in the Coconut" apron from Woot, some gifts with paper made from pachyderm poo (they also had chocolate bars, so not sure which was the attraction), a calendar made with family photos -- really, all of them got plenty of action and attention. I think a true white elephant can be fun at work, but dangerous with family unless you are really good at remembering where every gift came from. Even then, the person who gave it to you might have gotten it from someone else in the group and even more folks get offended.