FYI all wheel drive does nothing for ice. It does help in snow.
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We call that all wheel slip.
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Thank you. H told me he just read the owner’s manual and it said basically the same thing. Tire chains aren’t a thing down here. Glad H took them two extra cartons of milk on Sunday before the storm. By Tuesday it should be safe to drive.
Older GD has enjoyed rides on her dad’s sled, but younger GD does not like the cold.
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True ice sheet, yes AWD also not good. But with what we have here, can stay on no ice mostly during the day IF you need to go out. We have been ‘house bound’ due to the weather in N AL since Sunday night. AWD if needed to go out, could driving slow – but there were some real dufuses out there w/o control of their small 2WD cars, and some pickup trucks and a few AWD vehicles driving too fast for conditions. Also needed to leave a lot of room around your vehicle in case someone does slide. I had a pre-op appointment with hospital staff and got it moved to where it was late enough in the morning to get there safely, but getting back before it got colder. It is 40 degrees now, but is expected to rain and then hard freeze. On my way, I did go by a post office (which was open until 3 pm) and get a package mailed out and purchased stamps before the forever US and international one oz go up again in price. I was a bit low on gas, and a Circle K on my route back was open until 5 pm. Clerk told me 4 of their pumps froze up yesterday.
So when I got home, I ordered some American Girl stuff off of their sale - got doll clothes as well as GD1 and GD2 - a few outfits. Ordered some on sale books, as well as accessories like school locker, desk/accessories. Slowly ‘trickling’ things to GD1 (she is 5 1/2, and ‘ideal’ age for AG is 8). GD1 was excited about the mini-AG dolls (they don’t sell them anymore) - small boxed character doll with a small book. Each one was $25, and a great way to extend a child’s imagination - I also have the first edition AG book that explains all about AG and the historic characters. GD1 was very intrigued with that book and the stories. I had purchased 4 mini-dolls off of EBay (which I brought to GD1 as part of Christmas), and I have 10 mini-dolls in the box with each book, and 1 mini-doll totally outfitted but missing box and book. DD2 kept her AG doll (Samantha, she chose it and her grandma purchased for her) in original dress and in pristine condition in the box, and I did buy a mini-doll Samantha to stay with her stuff. DD1 played with hers (she chose to have the doll that ‘looked like her’ - skin, hair, eye color). I purchased a Samantha doll off EBay so GD1 (and then her younger sis) have 2 dolls to play with. I also have Bitty Baby stuff, and will introduce some of that when GD1 is more receptive to ‘baby dolls’ which her AG doll can ‘baby sit’.
At first, with Christmas, she said “I don’t want baby dolls”. The next day I said “these are GIRL dolls” - and we started reading about the characters. Then she got excited about them.
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D and SIL are going to Punta Cana for 6 days at the end of this month, and I will be staying with 2 year old grandson at their place. I’ve been a full time caregiver for him since he was born, but to not be able to see mommy and daddy in person for that amount of time is definitely new territory. I told them I’m not ruling out any special treats if needed, and I’m sure I’ll be tortured with some Miss Rachel.
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Sick again, courtesy of one of my grandkids. After my children grew up I was thrilled to have years and years of very few bad colds. Huh!
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I’ve been sick for 3 weeks courtesy of those little germ magnets.
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We have started picking up our grandson at preschool on Friday afternoon. We get him at 3:30 and bring him home around 530/545. He smiles so bright when he sees us walk into his classroom. It’s fun for us and it gives his parents a bit of time alone with the baby. They are trying to find restaurants that open at 430 so they can have a meal out without a 2 yr old.
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Denny’s? 
One of the steak house chains–assuming they aren’t vegetarians. Maybe Flemings, Morton’s, Texas Roadhouse??
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No steakhouse chains in our city. So far they have been to a Natural food cafe and a falafel pop up. lol they live down the street from a Dennys I don’t think they have ever been.
I love Flemings, but they need to prepare to spend about $200 for two to eat there.
Look for a happy hour! Earlier times and bonus of being discounted.
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They have some new places they would like to try but are finding many reopen for dinner at 5. The toddler has a 630 bedtime that they don’t bend on. We have an idea to bath and bring him home in his pajamas so they can stay out a bit later. I also am going to suggest we can also bring him home and put him to bed. I’m hoping to convince them to let us have him overnight on occasion. He is very comfortable at our house. When we drive him home I have to sit in the back with him to keep him up as he is exhausted.
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We put our 2yo GD to bed both at our house (in a pack-and-play) and at her house. She has a solid bedtime routine and it’s one of the best parts of our time together! S and DIL enjoy having a night out.
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We use to have dinner places that had ‘early’ starting at 4 pm - lots of restaurant changes over the years. Many places have lunch until 2 or 3 pm, and may have a break before they start dinner time.
DH and I are not big on spending a lot of money dining out. Many times we like to go to an upscale place at lunch for similar meal and much less price. However there are upscale restaurants that only serve dinner.
They can also order ahead and take ‘to go’.
But they probably like having a bit of a dinner out experience.
To me, it is being able to sit down together with the meal w/o the preparation time – and can have more time together at home. Also, the extra beverages - having a bottle of wine at a reduced price at home, or a dessert at home which saves a lot off of the restaurant experience/cost.
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I too like to bring home meals. The cost of drinks is ridiculous.
I think every restaurant in Florida is open at 4:00.
I see areas DDs spend money that DH and I didn’t because we got married a year after graduating college (and paying off DH’s student loans - modest by today’s standards) became homeowners early in our marriage and were conscience of spending. Even now, with us so much more financially sound, although not frivolous, single DD2 is just now getting a better handle on spending now about 6 years after college degree. DD1 got married a year after graduating college, also helped her DH pay off modest student loans, and had children right away - so their spending is practical/necessary spending.
Does anyone have experience with learning/edutainment software on PCs for children? Our kids seem to have grown up in the golden age of such programs. They loved all of the Carmen Sandiego games, the Dr. Brain series, the Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, Oregon Trail (which I played when it was just text), and many others. They started early (preschool age) with a Disney theme program that, if I recall correctly, had stories with blanks for them to fill in words and games to play.
I’d love to find similar games for our grandchildren. There are some subscription-based programs for young children, but I don’t want to go that route. We have a Sesame St. learning game on an old iPad, but I’d like to repurpose my desktop computer for our older GD. She loves to type letters and numbers on it and views it as a “real” computer vs. the iPad.
Thanks for any suggestions.
I think you can download apps (on Apple or Google Play, etc.) of Oregon Trail and Carmen SanDiego - they could then be played on a computer or iPad???
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