Christmas 2007

Another Holiday season is behind me.........whew! I made it! Each year my husband tries to help me to understand that gifts are really a small portion of the holiday. Therefore small amounts of small gifts should be given. This is usually difficult for me. I get in the stores with all their decorations and holiday music and before I know it I am humming along and filling a cart with stuff. This stuff will eventually make a round trip of sorts. Yes I buy it, store it, wrap it, give it to one of my children, watch them joyfully play with it, THEN.....I am the one picking it up, putting it away, listening to them complain because they have nothing to do, balancing my checkbook(or trying too..ooops I spent too much money on Christmas) storing unwanted toys, and well, here comes the mid-way stop in the round trip part. I get frustrated with all the great toys in storage so in late spring early summer I bring out the packed away, sometimes forgotten, Christmas toys. Some get used others get pushed aside. By early summer the expensive, but not so great idea toys, get loaded in my car and taken to the Thrift Store. The $49.95 Hot Wheels Track, used twice, will easily sell for $4.99...and I won't see a cent of it. While I am at the Thrift Shop I see something for sale.........Hmmm...didn't I already buy one of those for the boys? Oh..well for $4.99 I think that is a good deal...I'll pick it up. While I was dropping toys off at the Thrift I saw a wooden marble run...and yes I bought it! baby steps....baby steps......