best gift?

[cheapdiva]

I got the best gift EVER this year and wanted to share! My incredible s-i-l (truly, I love him like a son) came up with this idea. He bought a jar that had a place to insert a label on the front and he put "Maria's Appreciation Jar" on it. Then he had everyone in the family (including the dog!) fill out as many slips as they wanted that said "I love you because . . ." - then they filled in the blanks. Many were very funny - "because you're crazy", "because you raised a wonderful man", "you accepted me into your family", "you scratch my belly" and "you let me sleep on the bed" (from the dog), "you buy us presents" (from my granddaughter) along with "you're the best Mimi" (what the grandkids call me) "did I mention because you're crazy?" (the crazy ones are from my daughter).

This was probably the least expensive gift I have ever gotten - but certainly the BEST! If you're ever at a loss for a gift for someone special, this is it.

Oh and my husband gave me a gift of time (he's hiring someone to finish the bead board in the kitchen - yea!).

Okay, so best gift this year???

[ChapterTwo]

Congrats on that super gift, cheapdiva! Appreciation is surely the best gift. :)

My father was into electronics and gizmos long before I was born. He had a machine onto which he could cut the old-fashioned 78 records, recording our family members, who were a musical bunch! Now that my parents are gone, I'm the "guardian" of the records. I was a wreck that they would get broken during my move.

Anyway, my son's gift to me is a special turntable which allows me to transfer the records onto MP3s! He showed me how to do the basics, this afternoon (he's a teacher, so he's home) and I was teary, hearing my Dad sing "Pennies from Heaven". (Not to brag, but he had quite a voice!) Other records have my Mom, my aunts and uncle, grandparents and even my great-grandfather. What a joy it will be to pass these down in a more sophisticated form.

[yarborough house]

I got three awesome gifts. Mom got me some pans that are stainless for my kitchen. My old ones needed to go away to pot heaven. My kids thougth I was weird for asking for pans but hey I needed them.

My hubby and kids got me a nikon d3000 camera with an extra lens. I just need to learn to use it now- it is intimidating.

But my fave is from my sister. She is the artist. She got a 2 foot by 4 foot canvas (tall wise) and painted the background yellow/gold with some swirls. Then she got lots of pics of my kids through out their lives at various times and copied them on the printer in black and white. She then touched them up with some pastels and then decopauged them to the canvas and then attached the words to the pictures. I cried and still cry everytime I see it.
Take a look:
1207 1208 1209

[Lisa S]

What thoughtful gifts!

I got an awesome birthday present (3 days before Christmas) from my husband. I have to tell you the background story first:

My daddy died at the ripe old age of 49 from a massive heart attack. I loved him dearly and miss him constantly. I was in my 20's when he died and my youngest brother was only 14.

One Christmas, I gave my little brother a picture of my dad grinning from ear to ear. Dad would come through the door after, work telling my mom "I'm gonna whip your butt in ping pong", but my mom won every day for two years. The picture was taken when he finally beat my mom in a game.

I never regretted giving the picture away... well that's not true at all ~ I was glad I made my brother happy, but it was one of my few pictures of my daddy.

When Dan (my hubby) and I built the lake house, we put a ping pong table in the basement. We have huge competitions with anyone who will play. It's a whole bunch of fun.

My gift was that my hubby borrowed the picture from my brother and had it enlarged and framed. We'll put it in a place of honor by the ping pong table.

I swear, I sobbed when I unwrapped it. What a good man!

[yarborough house]

I would have cried too. I imagine it is so nice to have it there. Kinda like he is watching you whip butt at pingpong.

[RoseMary]

You all got great gifts! And Lisa's made me cry~what a special thing for your hubby to do!

[Lisa S]

Maybe it's a good thing we aren't all neighbors... it would be floodsville!;)

[Lynzee]

Wonderful gifts, everyone! And wonderful stories. We are all so blessed.

[Heather]

Oh what nice stories!

[vintage girl]

My gift is time. Every year I get 11 days off because I work for the schools. I consider this the best gift ever. I spend it with my family (human and pets). Nothing could top that. We wake up together (which never happens during the year), have coffee, read the paper, watch the news and talk, talk and talk some more. My daughter and I get caught up and hubs and I go junking, which is our favorite thing to do. I can spend the entire day just sitting with 5 chihuahua's on me while reading magazines. I can call my mom and talk on the phone for hours. I can take a quilt and some pillows outside to my swing and take a nap. I can sit with my birds and listen to music while they play and sing along. I can stay in my pj's all day long if I want. I can visit my Dad in the middle of the day and argue about politics all day long:D Today hubs and I are going to get some coffee and than fix an antique chair we found when we were out junking. I have a ham bone and beans in the crockpot and we will enjoy that this evening. That is a treat in itself. Hubs and I work opposite shifts, so we only eat dinner together on the weekends. When I leave for work he is asleep and when he gets home I am asleep. Daughter is busy with college and friends, so she is always gone also. Sitting down together to a meal is a true treasure. :)

[cheapdiva]

I am teary! I know it has been a very hard year for many of us - loss of jobs and loved ones, kids leaving the nest for college or new lives with new spouses, our furry friends who have passed away . . . and through it all we can come together here and share. I can't imagine how it could get any better given we can't all live in one place!

Happy New Year to all!

[yarborough house]

Cheapdiva- you are right. But man wouldn't it be cool if we all lived in the same town..? WOW.

[Lisa S]

Girl, don't get me started! I love it here too.

Tammy, if we all got to live in one neighborhood, I'd pick yours! I was looking at the pictures of your sale on your blog and admiring your neighborhood.

[Heather]

Yeah I want to hang out at Tammys too right after a visit to the Lake House, the Tiny House, the Shabby Pink Palace, the Little Red House, Briar Rose (where is Chyna anyways?) Stone Cottage and Galway Cottage. I'm sorry if I missed anyone, but I'll come and visit anyways... just need to get a RV or something!

[yarborough house]

You get the RV Heather and then we can all do the longest yard sale- of course we'll have to pull a trailer to put all our treasures in..:)

[CohenCottage]

Well y'all made me get all teary... I'll have to think about my best gift this year, but I think it was being able to have time off to spend with friends and family. I'm all in for the RV and a cottage community where we can all be neighbors! Actually, we were watching tv tonight and saw a commercial for the Olympics, and dh said he really wanted to go. Heather - I told him I had a friend that lives there, so you may find us on your doorstep one day!

[Heather]

Yes, it's starting to get crazy here with the Olympics. We're going to stay here on the Island and avoid it although it's just a hop and a skip over if we want to go.