My least fave Xmas gift - from myself, no less - was a bigger gut.

I liked all my other presents though. Plenty of soft warm socks and other stuff.

Happy Healthy New Year!

My favorite gift was a short string of very large fresh water pearls that are sort of organically shaped- not perfectly round. They've been naturally dyed a variety of earth and rose tones.

Brie,
It might be worth checking local used equipment stores or Craig's List...

We bought our elliptical in a going out of business sale.

Thanks Denise! I had my eye on a ProForm at our local sports store that was marked down right now to under $300 and it looks really similar to the one in link you provided but has a different model number.

Very good to know that you don't need to spent $2000 on an elliptical!

PS Definitely need the arms - haven't even seen an elliptical without arms ; )

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
I'm considering buying an inexpensive elliptical. Does anyone have any experience with some under $500 models?

I think that ours was about $500-ish eight years ago (Nelson says that it was "$300-and-something").

We have a ProForm and have been REALLY happy with it. I like it better than the more expensive models at the Y.

It is something like this...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...=Elliptical+Trainers

I'm guessing that they may go on sale for about $500 right about now... for the New Year...

I've always liked the models that require arm movement, but that may not work for you... depends on your limitations after shoulder surgery.

One of the screws in ours is recently stripped... and it has stopped working...

But it stood up to a lot of use and recently abuse from various teenage boys.

My parents gave me a sizable bit of cash and I'm considering buying an inexpensive elliptical. Does anyone have any experience with some under $500 models? I was planning on going to test them out but my ankle is so bad right now that I'm not allowed. I will definitely wait until I can take one for a test drive but I was curious if anyone had one they liked.

quote:

Originally posted by GoingSkiing:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Brie:

PS... DS told friends that he had bought me a Snuggie and they sent him this You Tube video, which is really funny (Well, I think that it is funny...) a parody of the Snuggie commercial, "The WTF Blanket".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y

Oh that video is hilarious-even more so because I too own a snuggie and have used that book light!

Jill

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
She got me an Aladdin travel mug...

One of my favorite gifts last year was a travel mug from ds.

This year... he got me a Snuggie (actually I now have TWO Snuggies, as my fil got me one, too). PLUS, I bought myself this Snuggie-ish "thing" from Thrift Town (it is really more like a fleece baby sleeper but sized for adults). It was originally from Norstrom's, but I got it for $5.

Should anyone need/want a Snuggie and/or Fleece Couch-Wear review... I AM the person to give one.

PS... DS told friends that he had bought me a Snuggie and they sent him this You Tube video, which is really funny (Well, I think that it is funny...) a parody of the Snuggie commercial, "The WTF Blanket".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y

My husband got me a digital frame, DS got me a vest and belt from Chico's. (I gave DS and DH a list...), my parents gave me money and my IL's gave us a photo of themselves.

What I'm really REALLY looking forward to though is the installation of my new ovens tomorrow!!!!!!! The cabinet guy was here yesterday so right now I have no oven at all. I'm kind of ticked off at HH Gregg because the ovens were in the week before Christmas, and they didn't bother to call and tell me they were in. By the time we found out, because we called and asked of they were in, it was too late to get the cabinet work done and I didn' want to be without an oven for Christmas. Anyway...I get to start the new year with new ovens.

Dawn

DD got me flannel pj bottoms and two pair of boxer short type jammies, earrings, and a Lady Gaga CD (I cannot for any reason explain WHY i love her music but i do-not my typical music type!!), and a Victoria's Secret Pink brand Penn State sweatshirt.

From my fiancee-two pieces of the Tiffany "Return to Tiffany" jewelry line-the toggle necklace and matching bracelet-I have been wanting them for years!!

Jill

My favorite gift was from dd. She got me an Aladdin travel mug for tea with a built in, retractable diffuser. It's FANTASTIC! I've been using it non stop since x-mas morning. It's 16 oz, super insulated and has a very secure locking lid to prevent spills in the car. Plus she got it with a green top to match my iPods (green is my favorite color).
DH said she debated on what size to get me but in the end, picked the 16 oz because the larger one wouldn't have fit in my car's cup holders. Lots of thought went into this : )