My one brilliant idea

Now that all the presents have been wrapped by the Moms out there and unwrapped by all the kids, I want to share with you, what one person that I know, labeled a brilliant idea.

This idea came out of desperation one Christmas Eve many years ago. My husband and I were up late furiously wrapping the kids' Christmas presents. Five kids and too many presents for each added up to alot of wrapping, name tags and bows. I thought to myself, "There's got to be a better way.". So out of necessity, I came up with an idea the next Christmas that has saved my sanity every Christmas since.

The next Christmas season, the first thing I bought was wrapping paper. One large roll for each child. Each roll was different and was picked out with each child in mind. It was a fun process. Then, when presents were purchased and brought home, I tried to find time to wrap them before bringing more into the house. Each child was paper coded. Thus no need for name tags and I eliminated bows and ribbon as well. I hid the presents, but they were wrapped. If kids found them, they'd have to unwrap them to see what was inside and, if they did, their naughty curiosity would have been discovered.

Since our Christmas morning tradition was to group each child's presents together, the Christmas Eve set up was easy. When the presents were hauled out from their hiding place, I knew which ones were for which kid without looking at each gift. It was a snap! My husband and I were in bed at a somewhat reasonable hour. As my kids out grew Santa, I used the left over wrapping paper for gifts going out of the house the next year.

My kids have told me that there were years when they found the wrapped Christmas presents. They told me they had fun trying to guess which presents were for which child.

Maybe this isn't my exclusive, brilliant idea. But if you dislike the late night present wrapping on Christmas Eve, try my idea next year. It works great if all your kids are in school....go shopping, bring the presents home and wrap them before the kids come home. They won't be the wiser.

I hope all had a great Christmas holiday with family and friends.

Enlighten me...

I don't understand why a shopper would back up a busy parking lot just to wait for a spot closer to the door that was 20' away from three others that were vacant.

I don't understand because the driver that got out of the car was a very fit, athletic looking guy who probably wouldn't have much trouble walking the extra 20'.

I don't understand why Walmart does not have self checkout?

I don't understand why Walmart's Speedy Check Out is anything, but speedy.

I don't understand why when you show up at McDonald's at 10:32 am and want an McMuffin, you can't get one because they quit serving breakfast at 10:30 am. Well, if the guy in the parking lot hadn't been blocking the aisle, I would have made it inside McDonald's BEFORE 10:30.

Can someone please enlighten me?

P.S. And lest, some of you wonder what I was doing in Walmart in the first place....I was buying a gift card for a last minute Sub for Santa family. I was able to quickly purchase the gift card at the Customer Service Desk. But since I had left home without breakfast and couldn't get an Egg McMuffin at the McDonald's inside the store, I bought a donut and milk. (I know, not a great choice, but...). That purchase necessitated waiting in the Speedy Checkout line.

Mesmerized

Who would think that the movie "Tinkerbell" would mesmerize two little boys.

I love this picture!

Red Shoes

My four year old grandson was here yesterday afternoon while I was getting ready for the ward Christmas party.

He stood by my closet door and looked at my shoes on the shoe rack.

He took my pair of bright red heels from the rack and said, " Grandma, you should wear these shoes. You'll look cute.".

I'm still angry

I guess I should just get over it. But I am still seething about something that I learned today.

I let my son borrow a small artificial Christmas tree for his apartment. It was one of a pair that I have. I also gave him a few ornaments that have hung on our family Christmas tree since he was a little boy.

I found out today that his roommate removed the tree, ornaments and all, from the apartment and took it somewhere else. My son didn't know where it was. I only learned this because the pair of trees were supposed to be used as part of the decorations for our ward Christmas party tomorrow.

I don't understand how someone can just take something that isn't his and say nothing. I doubt if the roommate had any idea how my son came to have the tree in the first place. It wasn't some cheap tree that he happened to pick up at the dollar store or bought at D.I. It was my tree!

So at my insistence, my son text his roommate and asked him to bring the tree back. My son had to text the roommate since they rarely see each other. The roommate spends a lot of time elsewhere.

I guess some people would say that there was no harm done. The tree is back where it belongs. All I can say it that I hadn't better run into his roommate any time soon or I'll give him a piece of my mind.

The Christmas Tree

I put the Christmas tree up the other day. It's the same tree that I used last year, but it isn't quite so sad and pathetic. I was able to retrive all of Christmas decorations from the storage unit, so the tree and the apartment look a little more festive this year.

Putting up the tree has brought back memories of the Christmas trees of my childhood. We always had the same variety of tree. Back then, I didn't know that tree species had names other than a pine tree. But now, I know that the tree was probably a noble fir or similar variety. My mother wouldn't have a bushy tree with long needles because the ornaments wouldn't hang properly on the tree. I feel the same way. No long needled pines for me.

For many years, our tree was purchased at a tree lot operated by my church. I think the lot was run to raise money for the ward budget. My Dad would always get extra loose branches when he bought the tree. Then, when he got the tree home, he'd use those branches to fill in the bare spots of the tree. It was quite a process involving a drill, nails, and wire. I used to get frustrated because it took so long and all I wanted was to get the tree up so the decorating could begin. But in the end, we always had a well shaped tree.

The decorating process seemed to take a very long time...at least to a young girl. But one reason for it taking so long was the thin, metallic icicles that had to be hung on the tree after the lights, baubles and such were placed. There was only one proper way for the icicles to be hung and that was individually, piece by piece. Throwing them on the tree in clumps was not allowed. I can remember everyone taking turns hanging the icicles and it seemed like days before the entire tree was covered with icicles. It was alot of work, but the end result was worth it. Our entire tree would shine all silvery during the day and really sparkled at night when the lights were turned on. That shiny, silvery tree was a big part of the Christmas magic.

On Christmas morning, the tradition was that all us kids had to wait in the hall while Dad went into the dark living room to turn on the tree lights. More than once, we'd hear a crash because Dad had knocked the tree over while trying to plug the lights in. Then we'd have to wait while he uprighted the tree. I can remember many times waiting in the hall, hoping and praying that the tree wouldn't be knocked over. You may wonder why he just didn't turn on another light while trying to plug in the tree lights. But I think he didn't because he didn't want anyone to have a sneak peek at the tree and all the presents.

My childhood Christmases were great and the tree was big part of it. I hope that my own children have fond memories of the Christmas trees of their childhood.

Merry Christmas from Social Security

I got a letter today from the Social Security Administration. It read, in part:

"We are increasing your benefit amount to give you credit for additional earnings which were not included when we figured your benefit before."

My benefit check that will arrive just before Christmas will reflect this new amount, PLUS the difference between what I should have been paid between February 2009 and October 2009. I worked full time between March and August, along with a few small job assignments in September and October. Those earnings had social security taken out. It's nice that I'm going to get an adjustment.

The letter also says that if I disagree with their decision, I have the right to appeal.

Disagree?? Appeal?? I don't think so. I'm going to take the money quietly and have a Merry Christmas courtesy of the U.S. Government.