I learned a lot this Christmas. Unfortunately, this included making mistakes I won't repeat next year. Overindulgence! Yup, I fell into the deep, unfullfilling, empty trap of buying too much for children who began the Christmas season needing absolutely nothing! As Karl and I saw all that was waiting for our children early Christmas morning, we both felt heart-sick, and vowed to be better next year. I found myself in tears on Christmas day, worried we had taken Christ out of Christmas, by focusing too much on the fleeting thrills of the season, and not the things that matter most. Any ideas would be appreciated...:)
Here's to turning a new holly leaf!!
Santa's loot...
Sometimes I'm compelled to be humble. One such opportunity came on a nice evening I had planned entertaining my in-laws with a beautiful pre-Christmas dinner. The kids were playing around the tree, and subsequently knocked it over. When we tried to put it back up, we realized it was bent, and the only way to potentially fix it, was to completely un-decorate it, and take it apart. I WAS NOT about to do that, so one week before my company came, and my big kid Christmas party was to take place, our beautiful, perfectly decorated Christmas tree was destined to be crooked...can you tell in this picture? Just cock your head a little to the right, now isn't that better??
We had our cousins from Washington with us for Christmas morning. That was really fun! This is the "I got robes, slippers or new PJ's for Christmas" club!
Karl sent me a link of some headphones he wanted, I was needing an idea, so I immediately ordered them online, and the confirmation was directly sent to his e-mail since his e-mail was on our Amazon Acct...Surprise Karl!!
Cute Sean and Melissa! Thanks for sharing Christmas with us!
Cozy PJ bottoms!!
I got this awesome, warm, really fuzzy blanket! Love it!
OK...about giving too much. What you need to do is to count exactly how many in your family and multiply it by about 5 or how many gifts you gave each other. Now...that would be about 35 gifts..right? Well, in my book, I don't think that's too much for an entire family. 35 gifts under a tree looks like a huge amount, but when you do the division (after the multiplication)...you have give your kids a great Christmas that is just about right! No worries. You have made a wonderful, Christmas memory for your family. You know, there will be a time when all of this Christmas morning celebration and giving will only be a memory. You did a good job...no regrets!
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