did you survive christmas?

Wow.  Totally forgot to blog these last two weeks.  Christmas season upon us all.  Busy trying to get stuff done.  It's over now.  I cannot believe it.  Seriously, I cannot believe it will be another 364 days for it to be here again.  I promised myself I was not going to buy anything for the kids this year.  Okay, maybe one or two things.  Like literally, I told them this.  "Anything you get, will just have to come from Santa," I said on more than one occasion...80 occasions to be precise.  This was usually in a more threatening tone when I'd told them 18 times to do a certain task that went ignored.  Yes, I admit it...I am not a perfect parent.  Are you?  The hubby on the other hand, is the gift buyer.  He is really good at it.  Really good.  Too good.  I usually glare with an open mouth when I find out what he has bought for them.  Do you know how hard that is to do?!  It's not a natural expression.  I'm torn between the thought of my kids being spoiled or not appreciating what they get, and getting something that they might deserve.  They want for nothing that is for sure.  I suppose I should feel blessed instead.  Ahhhh.  Parenting.  The things we agonize over.  Maybe I should just get over it!  Maybe I'm just trying to evaluate everything too much.  What the heck...enjoy the holidays instead.  I think I need a Charlie Brown therapy session.  Anyone have 5 cents?

So, here is a small sampling of what missmuffetmama's oldest daughter received....

American Girl Felicity.  "Mom, I just have to have her.  She's retiring this year!  She'll be gone F-O-R-E-V-E-R!"  A pretty cool gimmick on the part of AG.  Retiring???  MUST have her before she's gone!!  Of course!

And American Girl Julie.  She is a groovy 70's chick.  I must confess...I loved her outfit.  Julie looks like a way cool cat in his getup.  

Dammm you American Girl.  Really.  I will use an exaggerated and incorrect spelling as not to offend any fellow readers.  But I say again...dammmm you AG.  Why must your dolls cost 100 bucks a piece?  Grrrr.  Side note:  I'm really just venting frustration at myself here.  If only I'd bought stock in this company 10 years ago.  What a fool I am!  I won't even post the 10 outfits that go along with these dolls.  Again I confess, so ridiculously cute.  Dammmmm cute.

And then add that in with the 10 jumbo sized lego sets, oodles of clothes (this only means more laundry for me), barking Fur Real pet dog (totally annoying by the way) and a mountain of other stuff and we'll call it Christmas.

My rule this year?  For every new toy/book/clothing item/doll/etc that each of my kids received, they must find some other item to be donated to charity.  So, 50 new things = 50 things donated to charity.  One in, one out.  Blessings to you this Christmas season!