So I just bought some cookie cutters online because I was thinking about how I love to make things for him like this.. and he had better like (or pretend to like LOL) nice, decorated sugar cookies! In many shapes! Woo! (be prepared for a new thread in the summer called "I tried to make my husband eat sugar cookies shaped like lady bugs, but he refused-- conversely, he loved my cats.")

I was thinking.. I bet this is actually a semi-common thing we all have. Do you buy things you think you will use when your SO is here? Or things you think he or she will like? Or is this just me? Do you think about buying things to make, say, things like turkish coffee or maybe something from the homeland?

Well I've got cookie cutters so I'm good there. lol.

What I've been doing though is looking at various stores sales and seeing if there's any parkas/hats/gloves, etc. that are wicked cheap that I can buy for him. He has never seen snow so he's in for a big shocker and I want him to have a winter wardrobe all set for when he arrives, since for me it will be more like the winter time next year.

I have not gotton anything for my Bingo yet. but, I have been considering getting a few things to make his transition smoother. like getting himsome Turtle Wax for my car. I really want him to get in the flow of everyday life in the USA. He can starting by waxing my car. I think this will be usful to him...lol

I am kidding.. Javed said he will charge me 50.00 to wax my car.
he is already learning how to jack up prices < its the american way >

LOL! I probably have a hundred cookie cutters already

I was thinking about this too with my husband... although he could concievably wear his leather coat here as long as he has a sweater.

Babybunny-- I already have my lawnmower all set and he's even agreed to do it, at no charge

ohhh man you are lucky - free lawn mowing service..lol

I told javed that - I am an airline employee I trive on discounts.
he said he wont give me a discount on car washing services because, his family gotta eat! .lol

I went to Target about a week after Christmas and they had these gift packs of hair care stuff, salon quality. They were on clearence for 75% off and it was a good deal. I got about 8 packages for myself and then noticed they had American Crew for men too, so I got him 4 packages. I couldn't resist! That was the only time I did it.

I almost feel like it's bad kharma to actually buy something for when he's here though. Like when I was pregnant I refused to buy anything for the baby until around the eighth month of pregnancy............just in case. lol

Good thing I don't believe in Karma I have quite a few things, but almost NONE are specific to him. Only one thing- -I got him a couple of pairs of underwear. i won't be borrowing those! he sent me several things this trip to take here for him. We weren't sure if or when he would ever go home, so we went ahead and moved a few things so he could move the rest himself.

OMG me too!!!! I just couldn't resist the shampoo, lol

lol about the underwear. That's something I will never buy for him since the egyptian undies are so soft!!! I actually wore his undies one day 'cause I couldn't believe how comfortable they were!!!

i know ill start going crazy buying stuff once the process is a little closer. he'll likely arrive in summer (if everything goes well) so the usual clothes he has will do...unless he gives them all away like someone here said. but we'll definitely need to go shopping over the course of the few months after he arrives for winter stuff!
i will totally stock the fridge and cupboard of things i know he likes or think he will like once he tries it. i'll probably make a few soups, cookie doughs, etc to put in the freezer for when he comes. julianna, you can make that sugar cookie dough and freeze it so its already there when he arrives. the cookie idea is so cute.
i'd like to find shampoos, soaps, etc for him to use. razor. add him onto my mobile plan, i'd like to get a new camera so we both could have one. that way he can have a new hobby and walk around the city and take photos to show his family back home. hmmmmmm what else?

you're husbands are lucky to have ladies like you who spoil them!

LOL! That is great. Jordanian underwear isn't bad at all, but he insisted he only needed a week's worth of underwear or maybe 6 days, because we would "wash everyday."

Ummmmm no. LOL! I don't think eh got the whole "we;re not washing things in a tub outside and line drying" thing.



I'm in the same boat as you, with mine maybe coming in the summer.. making the initial shopping blow much less! Mine also likes to use all of my stuff, so i don't have to worry about buying shampoo, etc. I do need to get an electric razor, but I figured I would let him choose which one he wanted.. and maybe clippers if he wanted that too.

I had the same plan to go ahead and cook some things in advance to make things much easier on both of us, and also plan easy things like tacos Freezing the dough is a great idea! I knew you could but I hadn't even thought about it!

So.. let's see. He just needs daily stuff in the beginning.. toothbrush, toiletries, his own towel is you don't have extras (but.. umm.. if you're like me you have many towels LOL)... you could put up a channel guide on your TV! food... something to sleep in (or not).. I was thinking about buying new pillows. I have 4 pillows on my bed and one set is going flat. If he is used to pillows like Jordanian pillows (rocks for real!) then maybe buy him one that is super-firm. Socks, underwear, undershirts... if he washes every day like mine he may not have enough for you to procrastinate laundry. You'll need hangers for his clothes. You'll need a big list of the stuff he should do for you while he's waiting on a social security number

Now i see im not the only one thinking of the lawn mowing and car washing

LOL! Oh no, you're not! My lawn is actually terraced, and I don't have the physical strength to mow it. I had to hire someone and they are not only kind of crazy, but also charge a lot of money to do the terracing. He has an official job. He also volunteered to do the following:

1. Mow the lawn, weed whack
2. wash the car
3. build a bookshelf
4. build a patio
5. get a job
6. suck it up, I have cats
7. cook
8. clean
9. cultivate our yard, I hate grass. He insisted we use a pick axe which is good, because he will need it.

Hmm.. LOL... it looks like I married some sort of gardener/maid LOL!

omg a big list of stuff to do for me while he's waiting for his ssn is hilarious! i'll make sure to show him where the mop and other cleaning products are.

mine found them on his own

Hey! You know you may as well! Partly because if he's not doing anything, eh will go crazy. This isn't a concern as much for those in a bigger city. I like in podunk and have one car, so I know he will be nuts. I need to take him out He's actually a gardener like me, so when he saw my photos of my yard, we immediately started to draw up landscape architecture plans for plantings. If you can find somehting he *wants* to do, I imagine it will help!

In April 2003 I bought a new Cavalier so we would have a new car. He came in Sept 2004, it was already 1 1/2 years old.....so much for the new car.

Jackie

Aww! Did you get to enjoy the new car though? Mine will have to get a job before we get a new car.

WHich reminds me, how did the foreign driver's insurance work out? I have a friend who is having to pay an astronomical ammount.

Hachemi got on my old mower. I gave him instruction on all the levers. He took off and never looked back. He really enjoys mowings. I even bought him a brand new yard machine riding mower so he can enjoy it even more this sping. And yep, he washes cars too.

Meriem

Um, I invested in a new bedroom setjust this past weekend. I am sure we will use that together. Also as the months pass, I plan on buying a new sofa. And a complete dish set. None of these really for him, more for me. I want to do more entertaining when he gets here. And go back to the life I am accustomed to....
I think I have wasted enough money for the 4 years with phone bills, fon cards, letters, internet, flying and trips.... I cut back ALOT on my lifestyle.... I donnot go out anymore for fun (a sacrfice we both have been making) donnot buy clothes or any gifts for myself anymore and no leisure travel (only for business).....when he gets here... I am going back to the usual lifestyle.
I have the Italian coffee maker, pastry making tools and dishes....so I am good there.
When he gets we will go out and get him some clothes and tolietries, you know the usual. I rather him bring over his things that are irreplacable, like family photos, his computer software, important books and family heirlooms.... clothes he can buy here cheaper and better quality.
Later down the line, I am sure he will want to buy himself a computer and a car... but he can do that himself. I know I am NOT going out of my way to buy him anything... he is a grown man, he can do for himself.
Most important is we are together, we have a home, food and work. Everything is just extra BS.

LOL glad to see Hachemi is enjoying the simple things in life Meriem Funny what strikes people when they come to the US... some people it is the dollar store, others is the 24hour shoppes, freedom...and others is lawn mowers... Well ye... it is almost like a race car (without the race part LOL)

We need to buy one of those we have a huge yard to mow during the summer What we should have invested in was a freaking snow blower. We live on a street where the city doesn't clean during snow storms thank god we have a SUV because I don't think we could have made it out of the driveway.

I wanted to buy another car and a house before my husband came but he wouldn't have none of that, and insisted that I wait until he got here. He wanted to pay for half once he was financial able too. We needed another car asap once he got a job, so i just co signed the loan for him and he pays the payment. We recently bought a house together. Not bad for his first year here. I'll have to agree with what Henia said. "what matters is that you are together and have jobs and a roof over your head and food to eat."

I went to the Indian store and bought a couple of big steel Thalis like K uses at home. I'll probably buy a large, heavy-duty rice cooker to replace my cheapie 5-cup one and a big pot for Dal and we'll be all set...

I'm planning on buying an electric tea pot that boils water superfast. Also some man-care products.

Yes an electric kettle isgreat idea. I use mine for a multitude of things, not just to make tea.
And wooooooooooooohooooooot I really cannot wait to go 'shopping' in the kitchware shoppe on Shaeffer in Deaborn Moody. I have already picked out my *complete* china set.

I love to shop, it is my vice. So when my fiance comes down I will try to buy anything he will need or what I want him to have. He is very careful about spending $$$ and that is a good thing. I need someone in my life like that. I waste so much money. I will also waste it on him if he allows me to, which I doubt.

He will come down with money that he saved. He will also be very conscious of how it is spent. I do not know how much $$$ he will come with but just the idea that he is carrying a heavier load by working two jobs, ect. to save money for us is adorable. Can his $$$ compare to the money we will have here, highly unlikely. But while he is there without contributing towards us, he should be saving all his extra money.

While visiting him, he spoils me rotten. I can just say what I want and he buys it. He will get the same treatment here until he is able to earn a decent living and then spoil me again.

When he comes down he will have to carry the load of the household duties mostly for a bit, but then we will share all of that as well.

You're so cute, Henia

That store is nice. I don't have to worry about kitchen supplies since Moh isn't a fancy guy. A large mug for tea is all he requires. lol.

Hopefully your SO gets here befor eyour baby is due

We are hoping so too