Christmas Traditions: Santa Came!

About 2 or 3 days before Christmas I had an epic Mommy Meltdown.  The kids were in bed and I just totally lost my mind about how I had bought everyone the wrong gifts and messed up Christmas, etc.  (This was in part triggered by the fact that Derek told me he had been seeing everything I bought through Amazon shipping alerts, including one of his gifts--new headphones to replace the ones he lost, and oh, by the way he found the lost ones that day too!)  Anyway, can I get an Amen here that Christmas is really hard and stressful for moms (or should I say the gender neutral "gift purchaser" in the home at our house, that's me.)  And, on Christmas morning, things went just like I thought.  Kids noticed that Santa didn't bring very many toys (they get lots from other people), and despite Derek's assurances that she wouldn't, Sarah noticed that Libby got more gifts.  Sigh.  But overall they really enjoyed their gifts.  

And I enjoyed that they wanted Santa to bring them cereal for our Christmas breakfast.  EASY PEASY! (This was especially good because the Stake President called us to come in at 9:30 am rather than 10 am so he could meet with us...Derek was made a High Priest at church so he can serve in the High Priest Group Leadership.) 

  

At our Relief Society Ornament Exchange, Sarah "stole" a Diet Coke ornament to give to Derek.  Hence all the Diet Coke and Coke Zero references in the letters.  

Derek got a protein packed stocking. I got him a subscription to the Economist (because I got a great deal) and he got the mail for me on Christmas eve and ruined the surprise.  But, it was still fun to give it to him.   

Santa got me an Instant Pot!  What a surprise!  

Ben got a new table to build Legos on in his room, a Robot (thanks to our Santa from church), legos, a new backpack, headphones, new goggles, a puzzle, a watch, popcorn.  Yeah, this guy got hooked up!  

The girls got a 5 piece luggage set EACH.  That is a lot of luggage.  But they have already used the duffel bags and the overnight bags.  And their old suitcases were much to small for their larger sized clothes and shoes.  They also got mittens, comfy socks. legos and cereal.  

Libby got her heart's desire, the "Simply Straight Brush."  I straightened her hair with it the next day.  It worked really well.  Until we played in the snow on Mt. Rainier.  

It was a beautiful Christmas.  I'm so glad it's over.