See which photography company covered the race (most races seem to use marathonfoto.com--but there are other companies too) and get him a gift card there. I run a lot of races, and I've always wanted my race photos--but they are expensive and I feel wasteful spending money on them.

How old are your other kids?

If you think you might be using your rental car to visit the parks, you should keep in mind that Magic Kingdom is actually kind of a PITA to drive to. You have to park your car, then take either the monorail or a boat to get there. If you are leaving the park at a busy time (like right after fireworks or at closing time) it will be packed and it might take a while to get back to your car.

Parking for the other 3 parks are much easier--the parking lot is right outside the lot.

Anonymous wrote:Guessing you've never clubbed. Apartment key in one side, money in the other. Of course, this was before smartphones....

I "clubbed" in my younger days. We didn't need money. Entrance fees/drinks were comp'ed or we got a guy to pay for us.

Those are nice! When I looked up my size (7) it has them at almost $300. You got a great deal!

No. I'm willing to buy most things used, but not worn shoes.

I might be willing to buy a pair of special occasion shoes used--if they were just worn for one or two special occasions. But something to wear on a daily basis? No.

I have 4 children that are all older now (youngest is 8.) None of them had an object that they were strongly attached to. I was grateful. I've heard the horror stories of what happens when a lovey gets lost or accidentally destroyed somehow...

Oh....and if he can wait 'till January, the price on that hotel drops even more and he can get it below $200/night...

If he can wait till the week of Thanksgiving (Sunday Nov. 23-Tuesday 25) he can get the Fairfield Inn Manhattan Chelsea for $208/night.
I stayed there a couple years ago. The room was tiny but clean, and the staff was wonderful. Free breakfast included each morning. Neighborhood was very slightly sketchy. I felt ok walking around (and I had my young child with me) even late at night, but I wouldn't have just "hung out" at night.

Anonymous wrote:We had a non-functioning DW for a few weeks while we needed to wait for the new one to arrive, so we hand-washed everything. It was a pain, but it gave us a chance to teach the kids how to wash by hand as well as use the dishwasher. Definitely a good skill to have.

I agree they should know how to handwash dishes, but it isn't necessary for them to do it all the time if there is a perfectly functioning dishwasher right there.

Anonymous wrote:So do you all recommend Ina's beef stew over her beef bourguignon? The reviews for the latter seem better, but I'd trust DCUM and do the stew!

Unfortunately I have not made the beef bourguignon, so I can't compare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don't know if there's a Lego set or Michaels craft that we haven't done. And now it's too late to find something on Amazon Prime. Ill pull out the last of the 1000 piece puzzles from the back of the closet that I never ever thought we'd get to. Off the get ingredients for Ina's Beef Stew. Preparation is key.

Yuck. Seriously? You need all new toys and crafts and name-dropping recipes for a snowstorm? This is what annoys me about "typical DC" moms. Be creative. Try not to spend money for a few days.

Not the PP you quoted, but have you tried Ina's beef stew? It's outstanding. PP who is making stew--you're talking about the "Parkers Beef stew", right? Great idea! I think I will do it too!

Anonymous wrote:Same here ... turtrle necks looks good if it fits right and made of right kind of materials... and oh so comfy for winter!

See talbots and Ann Taylor, I like their quality. You also want to see Macy's for variety.

21:14 here--I've found that some of the ones I've bought at Macys tend to shrink quite a bit, especially in the sleeves...

That is great OP! Congratulations!

Anonymous wrote:Question here- this past month has flown by and I neglected to do an angel tree child this year- in the past I've gone through Salvation Army but just checked their website and all gifts need to be delivered by Dec 7! Not gonna happen. Can anyone recommend another local organization with a slightly later deadline? Thx.

I would contact your local church (doesn't have to be one you attend) and inquire if there are any needs. Also, you could call your local school and ask if they have any families in need. Also, the giving doesn't have to be in the form of a christmas present. I've been reading a lot of articles about how food pantries are VERY low this year.

Everything everyone else said--plus driving will be more expensive with just 2 people in the car--considering tolls, parking once in NYC, etc.

How much time they will have in the city itself will depend on what time they leave DC to go there and what time they want to head back.

If they are like a lot of older adults and they want to "sleep in" till 7 am, they will likely arrive in NYC around noon, figure another hour to drive through the city to find parking...then if they want to be home at a reasonable hour (before 10pm) they should plan to leave NYC no later than 4 pm....which gives them about 3 hours in NYC...

On the other hand, if they are more energetic and can wake up at 3 am, and stay out till all hours of the night and still drive safely, they can have a lot more time.