christmas

It' so hard to get here everyday with something insightful to say when we are busy and absorbed into hanging out. Jason has been off work this week (mom hasn't, but I've been happy with the small amount of time I get to be home with him in the mornings.) We also have company from out of town which I'm sure I will get around to posting about in a few days.

Christmas was so awesome this year. We always strive to not go overboard, well I do, I want to buy gifts our children will cherish and remember and I want their gifts to have staying power and not be just another fad or the latest gadget. I want them to look back on their Christmas's and always remember that their parents made the effort to buy them what they wanted but they always put their heart into whatever they were giving. I think this year, my wish came true. I'm usually trying to finish up Christmas giving on Christmas eve. I'm usually a big ball of stress about what we are going to give, how are we ever going to afford all the gifts we have to buy (which compared to a lot of people is very little), but let's face it, we live on a small fixed income and we don't have a lot of money to spend and honestly, I would rather buy for my kids than anyone - that's how I always feel. This year was totally different. Not that Jason and I had a ton of money to buy gifts, but we managed everything we wanted to do without putting ourselves into financial woes and I ended up having the best Christmas shopping season I have ever had. We were all done a week before Christmas and had plenty of time to simply enjoy the season with our families. It was wonderful and the cherry on top was our kids thanking us for the gifts we gave them. Each one, exactly what they wanted.

Last year, we instituted the same gift giving strategy as some of our friends with larger families. Each kid gets three gifts. We buy something to read, something to wear, and something they can do. We haven't set a limit on $$ yet, but I see that happening sometime in our future. I like to buy the BIG gifts for birthdays. They feel more special to me. So, this year, when we started contemplating what to get the kids, my parents stepped in and said they wanted to buy the something to do gift we were planning, so we handed that over to them and we were able to buy something smaller. (THANKS mom and dad!)

For Christmas, India received a new pair of boots,

some software for making movies that she's been looking at for a while. (can't wait to see what she does with that!)


And a magazine subscription which hasn't quite started yet.


Kalib received a top hat (he collects hats)


The Guardian's of Gahoole Book Series


And Lego's and a Wii game (which I failed to get photos of)

My parents bought the kids a Wii (I'm still having mixed emotions about this, but I'm working to embrace it and I have to admit, Just Dance 2 - which India also got is A LOT of fun)


And we got...
a 32" flat screen, high defintion tv and new dvd player.


Christmas morning, the kids wake up and get their stockings which are filled with all kinds of small goodies. India got some baking stuff and 2 more books along with a lot of gag type things and Kalib got more hats and a couple more books.




Then we headed over to J's grandmothers where I am unable to get very many pictures, but the kids received many of the other things on their lists.


It was a lovely Christmas filled with family and creativity. What more could I ask for? The kids didn't get so much that it made me feel icky and the house was pretty easy to get back to our normal, so that was nice too and now, we are ready to see what 2011 holds for us. I can't wait!