I'm back

Ok, so I haven't posted since December 16th. The holidays are such a busy time but they were wonderful. With our philosophy of "simplifying" (and the economy) we didn't think it would be responsible to over-do-it by showering our children with an over abundance of gifts. Of course they had plenty to open but we stuck to the basics. Every year prior it seemed we were searching for the latest and greatest. Even running out days before Christmas to fulfill every whim of commercial induced desire. I will admit that as we were wrapping, I said to my husband "Are you sure we got them enough, it doesn't look like much?" Are puzzles, toy guns and sleds going to bring joy to those little faces or disappointment? The more you give children, the more they expect, so did we give them too much before? Have we "spoiled" them and the anticipation of Christmas morning by trying to "keep up with the Jones'" in years past?.......NO!

The only person who noticed that we spent less and embraced practicality was me. We were enveloped with Joy as Tanner pulled Sam across the living room on their new slide and Owen shot the Christmas tree as he rode his leg-powered scooter into the kitchen while music pumped into his ears by the $10 CD player he received. I think your getting the picture. We spent less and gave more. A couple of days have passed and they haven't forgotten what they got for Christmas like every year before.........So long to Christmas' s retail obsessed past.