Just wondering what's going on with you and your families during the holidays?

My youngest sister and her hubby will be coming for Thanksgiving and I can't wait. IT's kind of them to leave their won three children to see Dad. It means all five of Dad's kids will be in town.

Our oldest son who lives in the city will come home for the day, but not sleep here. This will be a first. We are changing his room in to an office for Ross. It feels very weird.

Our daughter who is in college, and our son who lives in NYC will both be home for a long weekend. I can't wait. Already thinking about what to cook.

Do you clean house and cook when the kids come home? It's a great excuse to do so.

Sean and his wife Michelle will stay in Colorado for Thanksgiving, but her parents will visit them. Then they come home for 2 weeks at Christmas - yea!

It's been 8 months since I've seen them and I can't believe how much I miss having them around, dropping in, friends dropping in, etc.

For Thanksgiving it will be me, Dan, Ryan, my mom, and my best friend with her family, plus a couple of other people with no family around. The more the merrier! It seems weird to celebrate a holiday with just 3 people.

Yes Dotsie, I'll clean and cook. Having company is my main incentive for cleaning. My house is always "straightened" but you certainly can't eat off my floor!

I'm glad to hear they're together in Colorado. That's great.

Your Christmas will be wonderful. I'm sure you can't wait.

I understand your missing them and their friends dropping in. Boy does it get quiet when they leave...

I don't care how clean mine, or anyones house is, I wouldn't want to eat off te floors anyway, so who cares, right? Live comfortably is my motto!

WOW, was my nest ever full yesterday with people wanting a good meal. It was so much fun but I have to admit, after everyone went home, I had to collapse for a minute and wind down. You know i gripe alot about my EX, and with good reason BUT he said to me, "sit relax, I'll clean the mess." We had found a dog running loose out in the pouring rain, and he said, "just sit, and be with the dogs for now." Then he made me a cup of tea, and said, "I am the kindest woman he has ever known!" OMG< >I am still in shock!

Your Thanksgiving sounds just perfect, Chatty. And wow, your x is finaly realizing what he has in you! He should tell you that more often.

We had a big Thanksgiving dinner planned, about 20 people, ...but I canceled it a week before Thanksgiving. Things are too turbulent between my son and my DIL...and our sweet granddaughter is the pawn in all of this. Anyway, I just couldn't get the mood up for the rest of the family. They all understood...maybe next year....or better yet, maybe one of them will throw a dinner, and we could be guests for a change. Just a thought.

chatty, I'm laughing at your shock. I'm so glad to her he expressed his feelings on THanksgiving. What a perfect little ending to your day.

EW, I'm sorry to hear about the goings on iwth your son and DIL. Dang it. I wish they could get their act together for their little girl, and for you! Did you have a turkey dinner with hubby, or did you bag it?

Yes, Dotsie I am getting tired of the family stress too. Hubby and I are trying to keep out of it, and just be there for our grandchild. We spent a lovely Thanksgiving with her. We took her up the Muenich Olympic tower where they have a rotating restaurant. There we ate Schnitzel and Chef Salad; since of course they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Germany...no turkey on the menu. She was so happy , giving us wet kisses between mouth fulls. She can make her Opa literally melt.

Then we went for a walk through the beautiful Olympic park. Afterwards we bought our sweety new house shoes, and then we went to a cafe' and stuffed ourselves with marzipan cake and Cafe Latte'.

It's always a mixture of happiness and sadness when with her. She cries between her 'I love yous', and she literally begs us to take her back home (our house)... She couldn't be clear enough when she says she doesn't want to go back to Mommy and Daddy's house. No wonder;...an icy silence is the atmosphere over there. I wish I could just take her, protect her, and give her the stable home that she so direly needs.

I wonder, has there been a book written about a grandma kidnapping her grandchild? No, I'm not serious, - no not really, ...but maybe I am, no not really. Or?

I didn't relise that it was still hard between your son and your dil, i am sad to hee that and maybee the distanse took a bigger toil than first relised (if i rember back) your grandkiddie sounds still like a little gem and i understand that need to care for her and make it all alright. hope it dose get better for all the families sake

Thanks celtic. I know you don't have it exactly easy either;...raising your son practically by yourself. So your words mean very much to me.