My kids each got one "big" present. Rachael got a new bike (Phillip was thrilled, because that means he can have her old one!), Faythe got a digital camera, and Phillip got an electronics set. We also bought a basketball hoop for the three of them at a garage sale this past summer; it's been stored at our friend's house waiting for Christmas. Both my parents and my in-laws scaled down quite a bit this year, so for the first time we don't have a million presents under the tree. I got my 13" cast iron skillet from Carl, a candle from one girl and a gift card to TGIFridays from the other. Oh, and someone gave my girls each a handmade quilt!!! They're BEAUTIFUL!!! My BIL, who has a very unique sense of humor, gave my kids a 6 lb. bag of Gummy Bears!!! He gave one bag to each family; I swear it's because he'll never have kids, and none of us can get back at him! He also gave the kids a $50 gift card to the movies; enough for all three of them to go, and still have left over for popcorn. They really liked that! Rachael got a book from her sister, ""The Daring Book for Girls" by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz. She saw it at Half-Price Books, and REALLY wanted it, so Faythe got it for her. I guess it's a really hot-seller, is usually sold out as soon as it hits the shelf. The guy was really surprised when Faythe came up with it; he seemed to think it must have been mis-shelved to where no one could find it!
Yes, he is the supervisor and he gets up at 2am on nights that it snows to check roads. He dispatches the appropriate blade operators to clear the roads. There were high winds where he was checking which snowed in the road making snow drifts which caused him to get stuck. He said the road he was stuck on was completely snowed in. He has a really good crew who are hardworking and diligent. I will tell him Becky!
I think our family scored this year. The kids got so much stuff it was crazy and I don't know where most of it went 'cause they put it away while I was at work today.
We all got more than we expected around here. So here it goes... I got a Keurig coffee maker with coffee and hot cocoa to go with it, Lucky earrings and necklace, a new housecoat, a Cricut Expressions and cartridges (hubby ordered it but it hasn't arrived yet), and Sing Star Country Legends all from my sweet hubby, mom and kids. Hubby got a Dremel and accessories, AC/DC Rockband game, house shoes, travel manicure kit and candy. ds 12 got lots of clothes from American Eagle, Shawn White Snowboarding and 300 games for PSP, Guitar Hero World Tour and Aerosmith, a new guitar for PS2, i-tunes card, and candy. dd 6 got mostly American Girl clothes for her doll, a bed and wardrobe for her AG doll, a Pet Shop and Chiuahuah game for her DS, a WowWee Tiger Cub, a MP3 player and candy. All in all we had a great holiday. Plus we all got money from my FIL. I was so surprised at what my hubby got me this year I guess I am still a little giddy. I am a specialty coffee junkie and I have been using my Keurig non-stop
I am so thankful to be able to post on this thread! I got a funky purse from my sis filled with Bath and Body Works goodies and a change purse, a gas gift card and Walmart gift card from my oldest dd, cash from my ds, and a coffee mug and angel figurine from Joyce. My dh got a gift set from the kids and my sis made him a blanket. Joyce got a few clothes, a poster, pj's, and some gummi headphones from her dad and I. My oldest dd got her a popcorn gift set and her brother gave her money. A df of mine gave her 10 Litttlest Pet Shop pets. Aldi's had had the set of them for $15 but with money so tight I couldn't spend that on one thing so it was nice for her to do that for my dd. The dgds got way too much but their favs were - for the 21 mo old: a cheerleader doll and the almost 3 yr old got a Princess dress up set that she was totally crazy over.
DH and I didn't exchange gifts either. We like it better that way, actually! In their stockings our kids got a gift card to target, and one to Barnes & Noble, and their favorite kind of candy bars. Then they all got a Wii! Rats, we held out 'til now, but dh saw one, and decided to go ahead and get it. Usually we give lots more--things they don't really need anyway. We've been meaning to cut back, and with the snowstorms making it hard or impossible to get out, we managed to get less this year. So, that was it for our Christmas. I loved it!
I had to add the present we got today! The neighbor lady that we've been helping get to her appts called and said to come by that she had gotten us something. I had to laugh but was very pleased with my bottle of antifreeze!! She didn't know what to get us but knew that was something we needed. Our car had a hose break earlier this year while my dh was driving and he only put in water and we haven't had the extra change to buy a bottle of antifreeze. With the temps dropping into the teens some nights we really needed this.
It clearly was a useful and thoughtful gift. She got you exactly what you needed! She sounds so sweet. I wish I had neighbors like that. That is also very nice that she drives you around like that.
We have been driving her to her appts. She is barely able to get from her house to the car. It is sad because this is a woman who has a love of gardening, cooking, canning and just being busy. Now she can barely was a few dishes. We have lived her for 8 yrs now but I only met her around a year ago and I wish I had met her sooner!
My mil sent us a $100. gift card to On The Borders. She wasn't sure what to give us and she knows that we like to go out to dinner on Fridays or Saturday. This was a great gift because it pays for our meal and it is a gift we can all use as a family.
What is On the Borders like? I mean, what kind of food? I've never heard of it before. That was a nice gift!
