Well, the Angel program for the school has provided us a wondrous bounty of toys, toys, toys. Last night we hauled them all out and divided them up - making sure we were more or less "even". Baby C is a little light, but she won't know or mind. We came away with 6 toys each, plus a box of girl's toys that I am saving for their birthday in January and February.
6 toys isn't so bad... until you multiply by 6, and add in Grandma and Grandpa, aunts and uncles, and other well wishers.
The school called me yesterday, asking me to come on down since they "had a few extra toys". The school had gotten a large donation from different stores in the area, clearing out their old merchandise. There were some great toys! We were the last family to come, and the counselor of the school just kept packing more and more stuff. I got some great things that will be for school, not for Christmas, including Melissa and Doug stamp sets, a wooden puzzle of the United States (Oh, rapture! I'm easy to please!), and other wooden puzzles. I got a Melissa and Doug magnetic 'paper' doll set, which I'm saving for Miss E's birthday next month. I even got a complete Bible lesson of Jonah and the Whale, complete with stickers and activities!

God is truly amazing - usually we try to adopt a family, or at least donate toys, and this year we are the recipients. I was worried about Mr R's clothes, too... Wednesday Husband Dear came home with the car packed full of 4 garbage bags full of clothes that I'll sort through next week, plus a Leap Pad for the 4 yo, plus a complete set of BoomWhackers (which I had just been looking at online at Rainbow Resource and thought would be great for musical education of Mr R, who needs, shall we say, ACTIVE education.)

We are facing an influx of 45 - 50 toys, which will make this one of our biggest Christmasses ever. Since I bought panties for the 2 yo - maybe she'll finally be interested in the potty - and blankets for the #2 and #5, I guess those don't really count as "toys". I cleaned and organized the shelves in the schoolroom, but I'm going to have to make some more room over there! A lot of the things are of an educational nature that need to go into the schoolroom - wooden blocks, puzzles, music makers, wooden food and dishes. We do Montessori in the home, so everything is on open shelves with Baby C's things on the bottom where she can reach it.

Last night I started wrapping. Husband Dear rented Lady in the Water, which was pretty good. I love M. Night Shyamalan; I think his last two projects have been sadly mismarketed. Lady was, according to all of the trailers I saw, marketed as a horror/supernatural film. It's not - it's more magical adventure in real life, more like Big Fish or The Princess Bride. Maybe I'll expound rapturously on Night's work... but that's another post.

My decision to multitask started a debate.

HD: You're wrapping presents now?

Me: Yes (looking at the pile of 36 presents scattered throughout the living room, and looking at the one roll of wrapping paper I've gotten out)

HD: Why now? Christmas isn't until next week.

Me: Christmas is Monday, and it's Friday. Do you want to stay up all night Sunday wrapping presents?
HD: No. Maybe we could wrap them tomorrow night.

Me: I will be wrapping tomorrow night. And tonight. I need more paper.

HD: What's wrong with what you have in your hand?

Me: It won't be enough.

HD: Why not?
Me: (Hmm... how to explain that this roll of wrapping paper is NOT like loaves and fishes, and will not keep a coming until I have 7 extra rolls and everything wrapped.) (Deciding to change the subject) Where's the rocking horse for Baby C?

HD: I haven't painted it yet.

Me: (What!!! I bought it 2 weeks before Thanksgiving! And the spray paint, too! It was supposed to be a birthday present.) Oh?
HD: I'll do it tomorrow or Sunday.

Me: I really need it to be painted so we can put a clear coat on it. It has to be dry by Monday morning.

HD: I'll get to it.

Because Christmas is next week, Husband Dear is under the mental impression that we have a week to get ready. Really, we have 2 more nights of post-bedtime opportunity to get everything done.

I think Baby C is getting a natural wood rocking horse. Maybe we can decorate it as a family project.



Tags: Family Life, Less is More Christmas Club