Christmas Traditions

1. Sparkles gets a couple new toys from Santa to rip to shreds. This year: a pink-eared pig thing and a squeaky chicken leg.

2. I get sick. Luckily it's only a cold this year but I felt like cr*p last night and Brian's got it, too. Sucks. And actually I thought I was going to make it through Christmas healthy for once.

3. Santa screws up. This year, he ordered the Wii, he ordered the steering wheels to play Mario Kart on the Wii, but he misplaced or never received the actual Mario Kart game for the Wii.

And yes, those are pocket knives. And no, I don't know what Santa was thinking. And no, the boys did not threaten Santa with their pocket knives for losing their video game. Apparently, Santa left Dad some money to go buy the game tomorrow when the stores open (and the blizzard stops).

4. Mom has to make something. It was flower clips this year, not crocheted hats--those were store-bought. I'm not that determined to ruin my health with too many projects in too little time.

5. I wrack my brains for something unique, personal and abysmally cheap to give Brian (because he always buys whatever he wants for himself, usually right before the holiday I was going to give it to him and so I have to get really creative). I ordered new photo prints of the kids for his office this year--they haven't been updated since Nathan was three years old. Last year, I mended the pairs of pants that had been sitting in my sewing stuff for years and put them under the tree. He loved it.