I'm the Worst Mama Ever... Christmas Memories 2007

Our fabulous "Box of Wonder" and our fabulous wrap job. They must have thought "Homeless" Santa delivered it.

Bill, "decorating" the "Box of Wonder" Don't you just LOVE the duct tape? The paper was the packing paper from Amazon. See! we recycle! My attempt at decorating it. It needed Mama's touch. Just before all the mayhem, my Mama came over and made Roley Poley Santas with them, like she has every year since their births. This batch is Johnny's interpretation of Santa. A bit skewed, but hey, Art is Art! We had just read that "Ho, Ho, Ho' was about to be deemed politically incorrect (so as not to offend prostitutes at Christmas, yes, we heard it on the news), so Bill crossed out Ho, and wrote Ha, Ha Ha.

Okay... here is what we did to our fabulous boys LAST Christmas.

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Shaver Family Annual Christmas Prank 2007

We were going camping at the beach for the entire week of Christmas, so Bill and I decided to

do Christmas morning a week early. We just couldn't deal with storing and hiding the gifts in a 40 foot motorhome with all 5 of us in it, plus all our beach gear etc...

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I had ordered a Guitar Hero for them, and the box was huge, from Amazon.com where I buy 80% of all their gifts. I love free shipping, and they have EVERYTHING.

Well, of course, we decided, since we spent all that money on gifs, we would get some pleasure playing a trick on them.

They were all outside riding their bikes and playing at the park across the street.

Bill and I were gathering the last minute items to pack for our trip, and then we went into

Prank mode.

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That huge box was perfect.

I had purchased of bunch of new clothes (they HATE getting clothes) and wrapped each bundle in horrible, horrible fashion. Picture a 3 year old getting a hold of tape and wrapping paper.

In they went into the "Box of Wonder"

I knew two of them wanted new Gameboys, and I had purchased all the Brainage games, so their minds could be stimulated, so I matched the size of the box of the Gameboys with a box a similar size in my pantry. Cake mix Boxes!!! Perfect! William wanted a new Watch, so that box was the same size!

Mwaaahhaaahahahah!

My dastardly deed was taking shape, and my giggles started.

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We found bricks and wrapped them so it would give the box weight, we wrapped the cake boxes, and all the real gifts too, but those, we hid again all over the house.

We locked the doors, because they had no idea what we were doing, and when they wanted to come in to get a drink of water, we lovingly told them to 'use the hose' for a drink... we were busy with something.

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When the box was full to the brim with nonsense, and so beautifully wrapped, we called them in and made them stop at the front door for instructions as to what was happening. We (heck, who and I kidding, I was laughing too much to talk,) Bill, told them to close their eyes, and hold hands and he would lead them to their big surprise.

They obliged, ever anxious to see what all the locked doors were about.

I took pictures of them turned around (see above post)

and then we let them see their "gift".

They laughed out loud! We wouldn't let them open it until they read all things we wrote on the lovely wrapping.

Happy Birthday was crossed out for Christmas, Chanukah was mentioned as an homage to their Paternal Grandpa, Ha, Ha, Ha, three random names of boys, and how much we loved THEM,

then they were allowed to open the Box.

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The pictures in the next post tell the story better, but suffice it to say... the older two caught on quickly, and were gracious, and Johnny was a little better about it this year.

But you can still see a hint of dissappointment in their eyes.

Aaaahhh. the joy of Motherhood.

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Those of your that don't have teens yet, yeah, I know... I'm sure you would NEVER even think of doing these things to your precious kidlets... but WAIT! You just WAIT! A little fun loving, good natured payback is JUST the ticket with the teenaged Monsters that invade your house after puberty sinks it's evil teeth into them. Mine aren't bad kids, just a tad different from the sweet, impressionable kids I used to know and love. So this is my way of dealing with the change.

Pranks.

I love it.

They actually do too.

They went looking for their gifts without us needing to say a word. Johnny said he LOVES searching for them instead of having them under a tree.

"It's funner, Mamala!"

"I also know we aren't poor, I membered from last year!"

We put them in the oven, pantry, some out in the open (those are the hardest to find apparently)(Guess they are practicing not noticing things for when they are married)

So, that was Christmas 2007.

I'll post a bucket full of photos now.

I don't know how to get more than five pictures to upload on one post... so it will have to be on the next two posts.

Enjoy!