Sugar Cookies

Days like today make me miss the normalcy of the non-holiday season. It is Todd's Saturday and rather than getting to hang at home and play with Sweet Afton we have oh so many errands to run. First we must go to the mall to exchange a pair of jeans that I bought on the day that I call 'crazy people Friday.' Why I even went out on this day, I'm still wondering myself.
Anywho, I bought a $40 pair of jeans for $22. Good deal? I think so. I wasn't so sure about them just yet, but thought, 'hey if I change my mind I can just exchange them.'
WRONG!
What kind of store doesn't do an even exchange? AE of course! When she told me I had a difference of $17 how do you think I responded?
With an ever-so-sweet, frustrated out of my mind, 'well then, I'll just return them.' :-)
How do ya like me now?
Next, we stopped by to see an old friend who doted over my unbelievably precious little girl and then we shopped for my unbelievably precious little girl a Christmas dress.
First Christmas! It's cute. I want her to wear it every day until New Years! Mostly, because I paid $19 for a dress that she'll likely only wear once. :-/ We didn't get the $20 shoes to match.
While at the mall I saw Todd eyeballing a very cool gadget that I just happen to know he will be getting for Christmas from the grands this year. Way to go grands!
Next, we were off to the plumbing and air supply to get some kind of valve thing for our heater. It was boring. I waited in the car.
On the way home we were stuck in traffic (not fun with a hungry baby) because an 18-wheeler full of 82 cattle turned over. Eeesh. Bad news for the cows.

It took them a good 5 hours to get that all straightened out.
Then to Atwoods and the grocery store and so on and so forth.
The most frustrating part of today? We almost died half a dozen times because of all the holiday crazed maniacs on the road! Slow down and use your blinkers people!

I promise you we almost got hit at least twice and someone pulled out in front of us from a dead stop on the highway as we were traveling at a good 65 mph. My life flashed before my eyes. I must say that I was rather surprised by myself when I realized that my hand immediately grabbed the carseat holding the precious cargo in the backseat. 

This is why I miss the normalcy of the non-holiday season. 

What is it exactly about Christmas that makes people so insane? A beautiful time of year to celebrate the birth of our Christ brings out the worst in people. 

Everyone is in a hurry. Everyone thinks that they are the most important person in the room. Everyone becomes so unbelievably selfish. 

Todd and I decided today that in order to make our children grateful for the gifts they receive on Christmas, they will only ever get small, simple, special gifts. Nothing extravagent. Not the latest gizmo or gadget. Not even what they've been begging to get for the last 25 days.
No, they will get Christmas socks and pajamas. A simple necklace or pocketknife. Books and puzzles. A new coat.
Then, when dear great grandma gets them only a sweater with an ugly snowman on the front they will be grateful, because they never expected anything more.

Atleast, that's what we're hoping for.
It saddens my heart when I hear a child tell me what they're getting for Christmas. It saddens it even more when I hear about the unbelievably extravagent gift(s) they're getting for Christmas.

Why? Because I feel they have been ruined. It's not their fault.
I will not ruin my children.
They will be loved beyond belief and they will know it. However, I will not show it with things.
I will show it with actions and words and attitude and time.
I will smile when they walk into the room. I will look up from what I am doing when they have something to show me. I will cherish them.
I know that it will not always be easy and that there will many days that I will have to work at it. But this is the choice that I have made and I will see it through.
I choose to love them. I choose to cherish them. I choose to see them as the gifts from God that they are and will be.
I am now going to bake some cookies.