Saturday Ramblings

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A little bit about a whole lot of nothing.

The Trip
Things aren't looking real hopeful. There is a storm system of rain, changing to snow, due to show up around daybreak. If road conditions are iffy, I definitely won't be taking the babies out.

Goodbye Keyboard # 9,999
Not quite that many, but Tallen has managed to ruin so many keyboards that I cannot even keep count. He doesn't mean to. He just gets a little clumsy and accidentally knocks his drink over. I have even paid more for the waterproof ones, but he still zapped them. I know the simple solution is to just not let him drink at the computer. But trust me, if Tallen were your kid, and you had witnessed where he has been and where he is now, you'd also be so thrilled that arguing with him about having a drink at the computer would seem almost petty. Anywho, he slaughtered the one to my comp last night and now I am using the Netbook.

Santa, Don't Stop Here!
  Sounds a bit extreme, I'm sure. But let me explain. A couple of months ago, friends and relatives began to ask, "What would your kids like for Christmas?". I told them that I had no idea. Simply because I really had no idea. I had been giving it thought for a long while and hadn't decided what we should get them for Christmas either. A few weeks ago, I reminded Hubs that Christmas is getting closer and asked if he had any ideas for the kids' gifts. He stared at me blankly, Like me, he couldn't conjure up even one single idea of something that any of them might want or need.

  Over the next few days, I gave myself a case of brain strain. What's the "it" toy this year? Do they even care? Have they asked for anything specific lately? Well yeah, Tallen did ask for that 3-D model of a human heart. But forget that. Sorry. but I am just not comfortable, knowing just how curious he gets about stuff, feeding his desire to know about the workings of internal organs. Cina did accidentally put her iPod in the wash this summer and trash it. But, her dad didn't pay support last month, so I assume he must be putting that toward trying to out do me, in the impressive gift buying department. I'll bet my behind that it's an iPod.

  Then, I had a revelation. Who says that we are required to stuff the underbelly of the Christmas tree with gifts, just to because that's what we have always done? What's the point of of buying the latest toy, gadgets, and doodads, when the kids definitely don't need and probably don't even want them. They lack nothing. That became obvious when I couldn't think of anything to buy them and then, when I asked them, they couldn't think of anything either.

  This isn't a clever way for me to be cheap. LOL It's just the truth. We have a fairly large home and we still have stuff piled in corners, peeking from under the beds, and spilling out of closets, because there just isn't enough space for it all. If the kids played with a different toy every day for the next year, they still wouldn't have played with all their things. This didn't happen overnight. I know it all goes back to my childhood and the fact that we kids had so little. Our clothes were laughed at, so I've always made sure that my kids had clothes as nice as anyone else had. I loved to read as a child, but books were a rare things around home, so my kids probably have enough to shadow the quantity at The Library of Congress.

  When Tallen finally started responding to different things as a toddler, I and everyone else in hollering distance showered him with everything we could find that fell into his current category of interest. Cars, shapes, letters, numbers, and on and on. Then Ross came along and of course folks weren't going to show up with gifts for Tallen and bring nothing for her. So she was showered with baby dolls, with all their accessories. She loves rubber ducks. At last count, about 6 moths ago, she had 36 rubber ducks! That is insane! Even crazier is the fact that we haven't bought her the first one, ever. Someone, is always bringing or sending something to my kids. Mind you, they are always very polite and grateful, what kid wouldn't be? They aren't whiners that beg for toys and have tantrums, I can't even recall the last time either one of them asked for a toy, they just seem to inspire generosity on the part of others. The same goes for the older girls. It's really like Christmas for these kids year round.

  So, I have decided that this is the year to scream "Uncle!" and stop the insanity. Other than some small stocking stuffers, replenishing socks and underwear, and some handmade items that are yet to be decided upon, there will be no presents this year. Of course, they will still be allowed to accept their gifts from relatives and friends. The older girls agreed readily to this (Selly not quite so quickly as Cina, LOL) We've decided that, instead of bringing in more stuff, we're going to sort through what we already have and donate a lot of it. We also plan to purchase some items for those less fortunate. Our friend in California and her grandkids come to mind. They barely have food and diapers. When we started discussing this, I could see the gears start turning in their brains, there was also a glow that came to their faces that only the feeling of giving to others can bring.

  Tallen wants no part of any gift giving as he is still traumatized about turning six and the sight of wrapping paper makes him think he might be turning another year older. Ross, she loves gifts and the idea of Christmas, She has been skipping around for days, while singing, "Dingle Bells". She loves to sit on my lap and hear about Santa and The Night Before Christmas. The upcoming weeks are going to be filled with decorating, baking, sewing Christmas stockings, and planning surprises for others. I won't know for sure until December 26th, but I'm almost positive that not one of our kids will feel like they've missed out on a single thing.

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