August 13, 2006
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Rather lost in the shuffle due to the trip to NM was Don's and my 35th wedding anniversary yesterday.
Hooray us.
And Dmitry is turning 16 on Wednesday. What the heck does one buy a 16 year old boy, anyway? All my other 16 years olds just wanted moolah but Dmitry likes to open presents. Trouble is, we're unwilling to give him video games this time, as that's ALL he tends to do and we're trying to get him interested in something else.
He's being okay with the No Video Game restriction except he can't come up with much of anything else, and neither can we. Anybody have any suggestions? He's not interested in movie passes or remote control cars or planes, a couple of things we suggested at dinner this evening.
It's a puzzlement.
This week starts a lively second half of the month, as in addition to Dmitry's starting 9th grade tomorrow and his birthday on the 16th, Alex and Beth will bring Hannah to stay with us Thursday night as they go to a bed-and-breakfast for their anniversary, then they'll stay with us the next few nights, and Charles gets picked up on Friday evening. Plus Dan's high school graduation ceremony is on Saturday evening, there's the family photo and party coming (currently scheduled for the 20th but I'm going to see if it can be pushed back to the 27th so Louis and Mary can be included), I've got jury duty on the 25th, Alex and Beth leave for Japan on the 28th, and Charles heads back to Groton on the 31st.
Oy vey!
Comments (10)
I'm pretty sure Jason got his first pair of Doc Maarten's for his 16th. It was mostly wearable anyway.
I think you already turned down a camera? What about model rockets? The engines make a great basis for a volcano.
What about polymer clay? Have I suggested that before?
How's he feel about chocolate ... anything?
How about a plane ticket to visit Aunt Cin in PA?
Oh, well. I've already taken my pills so I'm kinda loopy. But I must wish you a bleated happy anniversary! Four years, 5 kids and how many grandkids ahead of us? Congratulations.
HUGS!
me<><
[giggling] A bleated anniversary?
Them's some pills, Cin.
He's never been terribly interested in cameras, sad to say. Or model rockets. If I could locate downloadable Russian music in MP3 format - which is OUT there, only not being conversant in Russian I can't find the sites - an MP3 player might be a possibility.
Mom has access to The Messiah in Russian...lovely! Anyway, how about a guitar? Any rockstar dreams? You could throw in lessons. Airsoft guns? a pair of Converse tennis shoes? Or comparable (Isaac likes Skateboard shoes and Steven likes Converse all stars, Gaelan like some kind of Adida soccer shoes and I wonder what the big deal is!)
I'm sorry I'm not much help...I DO wish he could expand his horizons past video games, it would probably help with his thinking skills...but you want to get him something that will peak his interest! What are the kids out your way doing? Isaac got a very cool skateboard for his birthday, even though he doesn't get to use it unless we go to someone's house where he can use it (we have no sidewalks).
Alex gave him a guitar for his 14th birthday...good idea you had.
He's got a pellet gun already....bought it last year in Ruidoso and now rarely uses it.
I'm telling you, he's HARD. =8^o
Have threatened him with making a donation to charity in his name. >;^>
Or just slogging some bucks into his savings account. There's no denying that'd not be much fun to open though.
He may just wind up getting odds and ends...funny T-shirts, candy from the Russia store, magazine subscriptions, etc.
The Messiah in Russian? That'd be cool! I don't suppose it's accessible online?
Happy bleated anniversary from me too (I think I like Cindy's version of belated!)
I think that 16 year old boys are hard to shop for. For Robert's 16th birthday (on the 9th, he and Dmitry are so very close in age!) Chris took him and 3 of his friends and dropped them off at a paintball field to paintball for a day. We really try to not give video games too, but it is hard when that seems to be all they like.
I can't believe you people. Every 16 year old in these United States only wants one thing, and it's really expensive, and it's fairly simple to pronounce and spell and everything. Pixar even made a movie about it recently. Vroom, vroom. Why, it's the "key" to buying your child's love! Let me give you a hint. C-A-R. I didn't get one. Neither did most of my friends. And I'm not planning on buying my son one in 6 years. Still, there's the dream, and when you're just considering things that are on the list, that surely is.
I know $$ apparently isn't fun to open (really? It's not?), but how about a small box of 10 $10 gift cards? One to Brusters or Basking Robbins, Target, Walmart, McD's, Wendy's, Best Buy, Circuit City, Barnes & Noble, just a plethora of plastic. And he has dress code/uniform at school, right? So clothes probably don't push his buttons.
Thoughts from the East!
That's a good notion, Brad...a bunch of gift cards to various places, perhaps each one wrapped in a box with a representative item; for example, a Borders' gift card (his preferred bookstore) with a manga book; a Target gift card with a bottle of men's cologne (he's fond of that stuff, BION), etc.
I might do just that.
Was he still interested in kung-fu lessons?
I'm not sure... about the Messiah being available online...check out MMK's website and see what you can find out.
I like the gift card idea, Gaelan is very hard to shop for he always says he doesn't want anything, and means it. His brithday is 9-11, so it's coming up. Gift cards are a really good idea!
9-11? That's my Bryson Bunny's birthday, too. ;^)
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