Just my opinion-I do think of the cost of the meal but of course that is the bride and groom's choice to spend a lot of money-so maybe that is not valid. Shower gift even if you are not going to the shower-I mostly give gift certificates or money-people are usually registered somewhere so you can even pick out a gift online-that sure makes it easier-my cousin's daughter is having a baby shower and she is registered at babiesrus and I can't get on!!! I'll have to call them again. Of course, if it's a real close relative, I might do something special like make those cross stitch pieces with their wedding date. I think I have made my last one except if my daughter gets married. I am not sure I would worry about son's gift too much-people know that kids in college are poor-I remember when my niece got married, it cost me a fortune because my kids were in school and I had to buy their wedding clothes and pay for lodging-not even sure if they gave a gift but now they do-if they are invited. Don't worry Candice-none of this will matter in a few weeks!!! I always ask myself, on the day you die, is this going to matter? That would include my husband's messy garage !!! Mima

Candice, I usually go for a gift certificate/card for wedding gifts. I don't think it has to match the cost of the meal. Like Mima, that was their choice to do the expensive thing. I also agree about your son's. Put their names on your card. Or put from the family. That's what my parents used to do when we were all in school or just getting started in our careers. I always give a shower gift even if I can't attend. In fact, sometimes I've just combined what I'd give for the shower and the wedding into one gift. then I don't have to worry about it.

I have a shower and a wedding coming up for a former student. I won't be able to attend the shower because that's the day we go to listen to the Ohio Music Ambassadors (Tim and Jessica are in this) before they leave for Europe. Sarah and her future hubby just graduated from college, so I know they will need everything. I'm seriously thinking of gift certificates to restaurants. Kind of a joke in disguise because I know what kind of cook she is (or was!!) Poor guy! Hope he can cook. lol

It's raining here today. It was so nice Sat. and Sun. so we were able to get loads of yard work done.

Candice ... It being a nephew, if it were me, I'd put a $50 bill in a card and leave it on the gift table at the wedding and put the whole families name on the inside of the card. If that's not enough then add to it. Why should you be the one to decide, though. It's your husband's family! Buy the card and make HIM put the money inside. Tell him that the proper thing to do, since you won't be attending the shower, is to give the couple money so they can just buy what they need. Most couples setting up housekeeping would rather pick out their own stuff, anyway. Ask him how much he wants to give his nephew and let HIM decide! He might rather give him $100 ... who knows! There's one of my husband's cousins that I just got a wedding invitation from and I didn't send anything!!! But on the other hand, there's one of my cousin's kids I just gave $50 for graduating from High School. So ... there you go. It just depends on the person a lot of times.

Well ... life threw me another one of those curves this weekend. One of our elderly church members died Sat. morning. He used to be our song leader. He died from cancer. He was so well loved by the community and had a very large family. The pastor called me and asked me to get some food together for Sun. night & Mon. because the family wanted him to lie in state at the church for visitation Sunday night and then the funeral was going to be at the church Mon. So there would be a dinner at the church Mon. afternoon for the family after they came from the cemetery. He wanted me to be in charge of all of that. I called all the women of the church and told them what I needed them to bring. We had so much food ... and it was almost all eaten!!!!!!! I've never seen so many people put away so much food. I worked Sun. all day! I didn't stop. We left after services Sun. morning and ran to Hardees for a burger ... then to the store. I came home and made chili and we went right back to church and set stuff up and the people started coming in. We had sandwich trays, fruit trays, cheese trays, veggie trays, 4 boxes of donuts, cookies, brownies, cakes and too much other stuff to mention and it was nearly all eaten Sun. night. We stayed at church until 9 and I went back to Wal Mart and bought $150 worth of stuff for Mon. ... came home and made banana pudding, strawberry salad, took a shower and fell into bed. Got up, made a ham, potatoes, beans, tea and I was back at church at 11 yesterday. I sent hubby after 150 pieces of chicken, we had 2 large hams and 2 turkey breasts, 3 pots of potatoes besides a potato cassarole and potato salad, at least 8 kinds of beans, 4 bowls of corn & I don't even know how many other vegetables, salads of all kinds, dressing, 8 or 9 trays of hot rolls, 2 tables of desserts ... and it was almost all eaten!!! I'm so tired ... I stayed and washed all the dishes and cleaned up the church and didn't get home until 9 last night. Don't want to do another funeral like that again for awhile!!!

I was supposed to go to the Dr. in Nashville today but didn't make it. Not able to after doing all that! That's pretty bad when you're too sick to go to the Dr.!

Candice- Meme is right. I usually give gift cards or money. The amount depends on how many times they cared enough to call ,say hello or visit...
Meme- You are just a pound of energy!! You do have a star in heaven.. I hope that your friends do as much for you..
Mima- We got some rain.. They were predicting severe weather last night. Hubby unplugged everything in house and waited. YEAH! I hope they predict a real storm the same way.. We had a little noise and some rain..At least I will iron today instead of watering the yard..
Went to the mall yesterday.. Got a new bathing suit and pocketbook... I am set for a few more years..
Hello everybody..Joanne

Joanne ... I won't care if they do or don't ... I'll be dead and hopefully in a better place than they are. At least not slaving away in the kitchen cooking and washing dishes!!!

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . having friends.
At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . having friends.
At age 80 success is . not peeing in your pants.


Growing old is mandatory,
Growing up is optional!

I loved the Calvin cartoon!!!!! We used to have that in the local paper. I miss it. I do have a couple of the Calvin and Hobbs books.

Joanne, I think I've had the same bathing suit since Tim was about 5 years old. He's 17 now. Think I should get a new one sometime?

We had field day this afternoon at school. The kids had so much fun. I laughed pretty hard a few times. They are a bit uncoordinated at some of the activities. Glad I wasn't playing!!

Two more days of school. Yes, I'm smiling. My room is almost packed up, then I get to start unpacking in the new room. I don't want to wait until August to unpack.

Still undecided on the gift..Dh made such a big deal about it, he wanted two gifts and he didn't want to give money so we got 12 silver napkin rings she was registered for but couldn't find the napkins, they were out..now I do not want to pay shipping to have them ordered so thinking of taking them back and getting something esle! I personally give crystal to my family and she has a pricy vase picked out but if we get that it will be only one gift..and they have to order it...but then I bought a silpat for her too and wondering if she will use it, wanted to put some cookie scoops with it and a cookie sheet..that is my ideal usefull gift but what if she doesn't bake??????? Too many ideas and I do not even know the girl but DH does, I think he is smitten with her beauty! I should just take back the stuff we bought and make him give them a gift card! But that is a trip back to the store and I am not going out yet.......I will figure this out, later than sooner I'm afraid.....My MIL thinks the gift we give reflects on her and she expects us to give something nice.....she has never approved of our gifts and is surprized when the people like them! duh.........I put way too much thought into this stuff they had better like it! We don't do cheap..DH is cheap most of the time but when I do it it is done right.

Tummy still hurting and worked in the yard fiishing up trimming...here are some robins in a nest at the backdoor.

Hey bubba you better slow down or they will cooking for your funeral!

Candice, we had a nest of robins at the entryway to the elementary building. The kids loved it. Very protective of them.