Christmas memories...

I am always so glad when Halloween is over.

I absolutely hate that "holiday".

I know... hate me if you will... it's my blog and I'll say what I like.

I do, however, love Autumn.

The apple orchards, the weather turning from Hell on earth here in So Cal, to a nice temperate one.

We enjoyed two wins today at the boy's soccer games, and Bill did some work on our neighbor Claire's gate. He will hopefully be doing our new gate tomorrow.

***

I need to start my kids' Christmas shopping. It is getting so much more difficult to buy for them.

I don't ever go overboard though. They get a couple of things, usually one they really want, within reason, and some things I know they'll enjoy.

I know William wants an Ipod. I'm not sure he'll get it... it may take time and lead to distraction from his studies. I'd hate to give him one and have to put him on restriction from it in the same week. Plus, I don't know how he'll pay for the songs. I certainly won't.

I know... mean Mama.

One thing I know for sure... we will be playing another prank on the boys again this year.

We have been doing it for about 4 years now, and it is such a good time... for me anyway.

I laugh so hard it makes me need Depends!

3 years ago, we only put out a motorized toothbrush and a bike helmet for each of the boys on Christmas morning.

We hid all the rest of the gifts all over the house. We even wrapped a baseball bat, and a basketball in the shapes they were.

I went to bed giddy.

I LOVE playing tricks on them!

LOVE IT!

We were horrible.

The morning of, they woke up all excited, and stood... stunned into disbelief,

staring at the lowly toothbrush and helmet.

(I am cracking up right now)(snort)

My oldest, was gracious, and said, I think the red one is mine because it's my favorite color.

He walked up to us, gave us a kiss and was lovingly looking at the stupid helmet.

Such a good boy.

Alex, middle boy, walked up to them, chose the blue one, and sat on the sofa, silent.

I am dying at this point. I rush to the bathroom and laugh and laugh!

Johnny, baby, looked at them, looked at us, looked back at them and said...

"ARE WE POOOOOOR?"

I lost it at that point. I was on the floor, LMAO!

My kids thought I had lost it.

I did.

It was too much.

Bill has a much bigger heart than I do.

Johnny ran into his room screaming, and it only made me laugh harder!

I AM THE WORST MAMA EVER... I KNOW... I KNOW!

You have to understand it's because I knew we had all this beautiful stuff just hidden inches away from them! Some in plain sight!

Bill and I then broke the news that, No, we weren't poor, and there are more goodies,

they just had to search for them. We hid them in the oven, fridge, fireplace, couches, cabinets, you name it.

Johnny, still crying in his room, didn't hear him Dad over his wailing, and upon hearing his Dad again, perked up, eyes dried immediately, and then he said...

"I knew you were joking."

YEAH RIGHT!

We just let him believe we believed him.

The rest of the morning they kept saying how they tried to be good boys and be thankful for whatever they got, like they had been told to all their lives, but they admitted it was hard.

At that moment, I felt a TINY bit bad... but not bad enough to not play another trick on them the last two years too.

Ahhh, life as a Mama.

So good... so very, very good.