No White Boxes!

So, Saturday night, we are spending quality time as a family wrapping the extended family gifts...Nick (5) says that he doesn't want any white boxes when he opens presents on Christmas morning. His reasoning - last year Nathanael told him that when he sees a white box under the wrapping paper, it means its clothes inside not toys! He's only 5!!! I think I'm gonna wrap a couple of his gifts in white boxes, just to play with his mind a little - hee hee hee! Am I a bad mom for that thought? On that note, Nathanael forgot his science and history books over the weekend - he only needed them to study for a test today - am I a bad mom for hoping he does bad just to make him learn a lesson?! I know he won't, the kid has a mind like a steel trap and will probably ace it with no problems. We've been dealing with him complaining of being "distracted" so he doesn't finish his class work, or his tests in math. It's a challenge since he's a bright kid and learning so much, he just doesn't want to do the tedious stuff. So, we struggle on...

Christmas Craziness

The season is upon us, and with it, the commercial part of it that we fight so hard to counter act. Nick nearly drove us nuts with "when are we going to put up our Christmas lights?" every morning, every night...every hour if he could have I think. He bugs us if we don't do the advent calendar each night. But yet, he doesn't hesitate to tell us exactly what he wants to find under the tree Christmas morning.
On another note, we are getting ready to head south for the holiday, doing the driving thing like we always do. We've only not gone home one year while up here & it nearly killed us (not to mention the parents!) to do so. I envy those who get to live near enough to parents (and grandparents) to see them more often during the year. And now that my mom is having some other issues post-stroke that are affecting her memory & such, it makes it all the more important for the boys to get to spend time with her.....

Alas, I am at work, and shouldn't get into emotional topics like this one! Just to get you even more emotional - head to Tony's blog or Carlos Whittaker's - both nearly made me cry all over my desk this morning!