..ohh.. just love this time of year..lol..
.. but it is always a struggle.. to find that perfect gift... have you started looking yet..?... do you know of any Hot Buys that are out there..
.. the must have new toys and gadgets.....

... I'm going to struggle this year..
. my boys are at the age where simple toys no longer do..... it's all about the electronics.... what do you think an appropriate amount .is to spend... on each family member...

No! Not Christmas shopping! Noooooooooo!!!!!!



A video game can cost up to $50. So how much you spend per kid really depends on how many gifts you think are a minimum requirement.

I wasn't really looking for. amounts I should spend..lol.. I'm going to try to stay with in $300 a boy.. try. lol..
. problem I'm having.. Justin picked up a lot of his electronics.. Xbox one..
new.. monitor for his gaming system..
. something that allows him to put videos on YouTube.. can't remember what its called....lol.. he purchased these things, this summer already
.. so I'm just struggling with ideas..
.. just curious !on what others out there.. May be thinking about getting, their love ones friends and families... their kids..

.

flaming bag of dog pooh on your porch after I ring the bell.

^ Nice Christmas spirit..

yes cash is always good..


.. it is just when they are at a young age.. stacking a pile of presents under the tree was easy.... 20$ for this $30 for that...
. $300 or so, you could put quite a few, presents under the tree.... but as they get older.... heck..1 gift can cost $300.... when my sisters and I... I think when we reached.. the age of 16 and older.. my parents would just give us a card ,with money in it... or a gift that they knew we really wanted..... but receiving money ,always made me feel funny..... on one hand receiving... $250.. helped with Christmas bills.. back then.. but on the other hand it was almost like my parents were paying for their own gifts from us...lol...
... I've already talked to my oldest.. told him.. don't be expecting a huge pile of presents under the tree..
.. he seemed good with this and understood.... and Thomas still believes in Santa Claus... Thank God..lol... and I don't know what it is with toys r us... there used to seem to be... a lot more variety of toys on their shelfs... but the last few years it just seems to be so commercial... whatever the latest box office movie is... that's all they stock on their shelves.... I remember when Lego was maybe one shelf...lol.. now it has an entire section... nothing but Lego toys... which would be great... if it wasn't so bloody expensive.. for even a mid sized Lego box... $80 and up..
.. it is just plastic right..?.. I mean they're isn't gold bricks inside of this box is there..lol... maybe I'm just getting old.... and grouchy.... what happened to the days of giving your kids... a hula hoop.. a round piece of wood on a string.... kept us happy....lol..


.

.. I should just sneak into there room late at night.. and use a subliminal.. message technique.. Santa Claus... is cutting back this year.. the cost of keeping the reindeer has.. skyrocketed... and the elves are demanding wage increases... are they are going to go on strike... so cut back on your list demands..lol..ps.. Oreo cookies instead of chocolate chip please on the fireplace.. and 2% milk if you don't mind I'm on a diet..lmao

How about you get them to find a charity or a person to donate to this year? Teach them it's not all about them, it's about giving something special to someone who really needs or wants something when possible. If they don't need or want for anything then why not use this as an opportunity to teach them something else?

Oook.... you do realize they are only 10 and 14 years old right..lol... that would be like trying to pry the last donut.. out of a chubby kids fingers..lol... no offense to you chubby kids!. I just know how much you like your donuts!!..

. but giving back is a good idea...
my siblings and I.. no longer exchange gifts... we put $50 in each. and let my mother... donate it to one of her charities.....
.. I was thinking.. giving people a Movie Pass.... like one of those cineplexes..... prepaid movie tickets..
. 2 general admissions.. including popcorn.... I tend to get my nieces nephews... a lot of those prepaid..
.. store cards like for Walmart..
are bootlegger.... something along those lines.... I think the problem is there are so many options.. these days... when I was growing up... there . where not nearly as many outlet stores as there are today...

.... I enjoy Christmas shopping..!..
... the malls all decorated up for Christmas nicely... the rent a Santa at every mall.... it just having a problem with... balance... not going overboard..
.... but I tend to go a little crazy on the shopping every year...lol.. I set a limit... try to stay within it... but then when it's time to wrap up all the presents.... I'm like holy crackers... I did it again ! way too much stuff...lol...
.... but this year the issue is...A.. everything they want cost way too much..B.. they pretty much have everything they need...lol..C... my overwhelming guilt... I being a single parent right now..yes..hmm.... that's it I'm cancelling Christmas.....lol.
..

I miss the days where you sat the kids down with the big sears catalog and had the kids make their lists. It was easier to pick what they wanted within the budget. 10 year old's are hard to buy for, but if I may suggest, some sports equipment like a new basketball, or what do they collect, (other than dust bunnies) memorabilia of some sort, or a signed baseball for example. How about a motorized race car you and son could put together. Oh, a fancy kite you two can make, one of those dragons or something. I hope some of those ideas stir your imagination since I do not know your kids interests other than video games. OH! how about announcing that this year you are going old school and have them suggest what board games they would like to get. Good luck.

those are some awesome ideas..
. but unfortunately already did the kite thing.. I have it pinned up it is.. circling the ceiling of Thomas's room..lol.... and board games..yes..
unfortunately I have a whole cupboard full of them.... when the boys have their friends sleep over...
. I will pull out a board game.. it's a fun time we all enjoy it...
. I have tried to get them to play at least once a week.. but they seem to have better things to do...ohh.. yes like sit and talk to their friends on.. their Xboxes...but.. realistically..
.. when they do decide to come up and talk my ear off ...lol..
. sometimes I wish they would just go back to .. playing on their Xboxes..lmao..

and yes the Sears catalog remember it well... especially the ladies.... shall we say the naughty bits and Bob section...mmm.... spent many a night thumbing .. through that catalog..
..

Well I guess that leaves the race cars.
Or this...http://www.modelcars.com/tamiya-honda-cb750-police-bike.html

.ok.. I will just take your word for it seeing how I'm not getting . a YouTube video... or picture..
.. perhaps somebody that knows how to turn it into a picture can help us out...lol

It is not an active link, you have to go OLD school and copy and paste the link into your browser. Forgive me, I was to lazy to go back and add the Arrow ING thingy before and after.

I am simplifying this year. I am buying one gift for my little nieces and nephew. I am doing scratch offs for the adults. A couple of family members will get checks.

thanks for the Christmas help" Klc"

. yes great idea.. give my little "Thomas" a battery powered..
vehicle.... or as he !.would like to call it, a motorized form of xscape..lol..
.. I can just see him now.. he gets mad at me, for whatever reason.. Oh .. perhaps because, I asked him to clean up his room..lol.... that's not fair dad !.you're a big. . meanie.... I'm packing up my ,saddlebags and going to moms... .. ..no nooo.. there will be no motorized escaping from here....lmao


.
..

one of the guys at work..
says he will offer.. to shovel a family member sidewalk all winter...
.. or you can just hire someone to do it for them.. I would like that present..lol

I don't know how far he would get on a 1/25 scale toy! LOL If you were really worried you could take away the batteries in the remote control.

Ohhh.. I would not worry about the batteries in the remote control..
.. the boys would have already probably .. taken them out.. and put them in there..Xbox controllers...lol.
..ohhh.. and don't even get me started on batterys.... well ok ..I don't have to tell you ladies about batteries.. and the importance of keeping fresh ones on hand....