The day AFTER.
The crazy is over.
The presents finally wrapped, (and unwrapped about 14,000 times the speed of light), the husband put together the new kid bookshelf AND the new telescope (with only minor expletives mind you). Believe it or not all the clothes and boots fit! (Seriously surprised me there...we didn't take a single thing back!)
The girl Tween kept saying things like... "I sure am getting a LOT of clothes this year"...and "I don't have to put any of my stuff together, like the cool racetrack the kids got...".... "Oh look another present with a shirt in it..."
It's official she isn't a little kid, and she'll admit it, she doesn't want little kid toys anymore. Two things on her request list this year? A gift card to Borders, and a gift card for iTunes....
Um... those both fit in the stocking... now what? She got a telescope that's what!
My newly turned 9yrold Sassy girl (Christmas Eve Birthdays just plain suck btw) was the most exuberant over all her packages. She couldn't help herself.. several times she flew off the handle, screaming and jumping up and down... only to calm herself long enough to ask... 'What is it?' She is American Girl Doll crazy (in a good way), she makes outfits for her doll herself. In fact I'm so not kidding... One of her main anticipated gifts was: {drumroll please}.... A Sewing Kit.... ??As in a Dollar Store sewing kit. Talk about the cheapest Santa Claus gift ever, eh? Instead I found an Alex Brand 'My First' Sewing Kit. She's very happy with it, needless to say jumping up and down and everything. I believe she plans to attend a college that specializes in Art/Fashion/Hair and plain general CREATIVITY. She oozes it from her very core.
I'm not sure how to clearly document this. How very in love my 5yrold little boy is with the boy-world-action-adventure-friendly-Alien-Kid next door.... AKA: Ben10. Here's how his wish list documented:
"I want a Ben10 Alien 'SET' (whatever that is) and a Ben10 Wii Game and a Bakugan" that last part I assume was thrown in for good standing with the older boys at school as he has like zero idea what the heck it really is.. The Ben10 *set* ends up being a teeny tiny 'Alien-Making' kit. Complete with minuscule arms and legs and torsos and little alien freaky heads, which you place in 4 different wheels then spin around and combine to create various creeped out mixed up aliens in about a 1:10,000 ratio. Weird? NOT to a Kindergartner. He sat there all day creating and playing and basically ruining his eyesight working on itty bitty bite-sized Ben10 dudes... He was in heaven it was clear.
Were there grown-ups in this scenario?
You betcha.
The Dad had his heart set on one of those fancy calf massage thing-a-ma-bobs... (And I really did try to locate one... but they were kinda pricey and I had better ideas...) He ended up with a brand new fangled Kindle! Yay! And believe me for a total geek of a news junkie like my dear husband is... having the New York Times downloadable to your bedroom in the morning with your hot cocoa is like heroin to the corner crack addict.
He also has been wanting a really nice speaker system for his iPod to dock with at work. Here's what I found him.... A JBL 'On Time' iPod Dock... and cha-ching! I found a killer deal on it! Total toss up as to which he likes better!
~~~~~
As for the Mom in our world... that would be me... I had a wish list as well. I've learned, in 15 years of Christmases: MAKE A LIST, and check it twice. Cuz when I've handed him a bit of a list in the past thinking he would look it over and maybe get one or two items on it... oh no. He got me every SINGLE thing on that blasted list! Which is sweet and all, but there were years we couldn't afford it!
So this year on my (shortish) list:
A waffle maker (ours didn't make the big move to Oregon)
A tablecloth (my one nice one got a massive stain on it this Thanksgiving)
New Measuring Cups (I really really really want the dang NON-traditional sizes 3/4 and 2/3! Yippee)
Knives. Stinking Sharp Knives. The end.
Oh. And a new laptop, is that too much to ask....? (Srsly, mine is literally falling apart, the hinge all busted, and the wifi broke-HELLO! It's a laptop...not a plug into a cord-top!)
Uhm... lets just say once again my under the tree gifts left nothing off the list.
My laptop? Using it!
My new waffle maker? Makes superb waffles...crunchy, but light and fluffy at the same time. I'd share but we ate them all!
My knives... oh my freaking lovely... like buttah. I almost cried when I cut potatoes for Christmas Day Clam Chowder. Oh wow. Have I mentioned I love my Santa yet?
I did get measuring cups, but the 3/4 and 2/3s?? Back ordered... I guess there was a run on the odd sizes this year huh? Oh well.
I'm loving my 'week off'.... ta ta!
