right now

right now

Jan 3, 2013

Introducing "Practical Santa"

"Wrapping up" the Christmas related posts, I'm getting to the good stuff now. The kids are getting harder and harder to shop for the older they get.  Everything they want is video game related and costs a ton, and sadly for them they don't have the type of parents that value the same things :)

Luckily, the kids still love Legos, and they managed to get a few sets of those, and they are loving the new "more grown up" Lego Technics sets they got from the grandparents!  They got a few other cool things from extended family to include science sets and marshmallow shooters and models to build, none of them are video game related so I am very thankful that the extended family is onboard the same train as I am, haha the "old skool" train!  

It was pretty hard to top the gifts that arrived in the mail, but we got Loch this "Box O'Danger" as I call it... I wasn't planning properly though because he really needs daddy or grandpa or his uncles to help him with this one - I'm sure I will mess this up in a "shocking" way during deployment :)


The hubs got "a toy" for deployment...


I wonder how long his remote control helicopter will work before he smashes it into a bulkhead on the ship or he buzzes fellow sailors while sleeping and they decide to end his fun by throwing the thing into the Persian Gulf?

The newest tradition around here involves Santa.  The kids have figured out the whole Santa deal (I overheard them), but weren't letting on that they knew the scoop.  This is pretty smart of them since they know that means less presents, soooooo....... I dreamt up a new, more practical Santa.  This Santa only brings gifts that we need, or are useful.  Lame, huh?  Ha!

For me... a new dehydrator!


with a sweet camo cover for super-tactical fruit leather :)


Hubs was also happy with Santa this year...


The kids, not so much...I'm nothing if not a sarcastic and practical joker kind of a mom!

They got hearing protection for the whole family...


Also addressed to the boys was a 10 lb bag of chickpeas, 2 jars of powdered peanut butter, mylar bags and O2 absorbers.


They were not amused.

But we sure were!  Practical Santa is here to stay.


Their "real" present came the next day when we surprised them with their first trip to the shooting range!

They were beyond excited!  It was about time as they are the age where curiosity can be dangerous and I want them to be properly educated on firearm handling and know that if they ever want to shoot, they just need to ask their parents and we will go and do some safe target shooting together.  One of my worst fears is that my kids will be at a friend's house and either find a gun or be shown a gun in a house where they are not locked up and I don't want it to be so mysterious and intriguing that they can't help but touch it.  Now they both know they can just ask mom or dad.  We found out that Loch is a pretty good shot, and Finn needs a bit of work.  I am very proud of them since they both took it seriously and really listened to direction and followed all the rules.

If we lived out in the country I think my freezer would be stocked with squirrel right now :)

Loch


Finn & Dad
( I know hubs has probably looked forward to this ever since the kids were born!)


I had to take a photo of this little girl, she has a pink Red Ryder BB gun at a range, LOL... 


To quote Finn:  "This was the best day of my LIFE!"

The best present of all for me has to be the hubs getting home and drywalling the hole in wall in the bathroom from the leaky pipe incident!


Now that the holiday is past and all cleaned up I am really starting to look forward to delving into the seed catalog pile... I am up to 11 now!


11 comments:

  1. I like practical Santa. Too bad the kids didn't appreciate him. Now what little boy doesn't want to go shoot guns. Sounds like they did have the best present ever!
    Your poor hubby had to remove the toilet to repair the wall. I'm glad he got it done for you before he's off again.
    Have fun with your 11 seed catalogs.

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    1. Sparkless, he sure did have to remove that toilet LOL, I warned him the hole in the wall was behind there but I think he thought I was exaggerating until he saw it himself!

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  2. I have to admit I got hysterical at the practical Santa gifts for the boys! Hoot! I wholeheartedly agree that, once the 'mystery' is taken out of guns, the practical can take hold. Knowledge is power! Love the dehydrator - is that an Excalibur?

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    1. Susan, yep that's me... lame mama! The dehydrator is not an Excalibur ( I wish!), this one still has plastic trays but a metal cabinet and the heating element is on the back so I don't have to clean around it and it has a fan to circulate so I don't have to rotate trays. I got it for about $100 at Dick's Sporting Goods with a gift certificate I had. My old one was a round one and 3 of the trays had melted already LOL

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  3. Practical Santa - I like it. Socks and underwear for all... ;-)We talked to our girls about going to a shooting range (so far it was BB guns in the backyard) and both said they would like to go. We figured it couldn't hurt...

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    1. Anke, I think there are probably kids out there that are fine without ever shooting or getting near them ( I couldn't care less when I was a kid) but for mine, ESPECIALLY Finn - we definitely had to take the hands on approach since he would be the type to be curious about it and has expressed an interest in hunting someday. They did start with BB guns in the yard 2 years ago, and I admit we all still like that - especially the annual Peep Shoot with Easter Peeps LOL

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  4. You are so right ... knowledge is a very powerful gift. They will thank you in the future. Seed calalogs await my perusing as well.

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    1. DFW, I keep getting ready to go through those catalogs, then another arrives LOL! Next week for sure!

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  5. I bet your DH has had ants in his pants FOREVER to get the kids at the range!
    Practical Santa is not only, well, practical, but a wee bit humorous. :)

    I totally forgot about the Peep Shoot! Have to remember that one once we get Rhiannon out there shooting.

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  6. A few years ago (well, longer than a few) I realized that Santa got all the credit for the "cool" gifts, so Santa did a change-he filled stockings and gave one small gift (usually a book or perfume). Much nicer to downsize.

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  7. Well, Practical Santa or not, I think you did a WONDERFUL job of giving the whole family a great Christmas . . . considering how your original plans were turned, twisted and trashed! I lack the imagination that you put into gifts for the boys (your one big one and two smaller ones), so I give you heaps of praise for being such a good mom. Nuthin' wrong with the boys knowing Santa sometimes brings needed practical things! (Going through my underwear drawer yesterday, I wish he'd brought me some new underpants!) Sending hugs to all of you for the New Year.

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