Life is Art

(Here's mine last year - for reference).

Hogabooms:

• traditional Christmas pajamas, opened Christmas Eve (Ralph did PJ reconnaissance)
  
• 2 x glue sticks, marker set, fingerpaints, scissors, construction paper, watercolor and fingerpaint pads (from my parents)
• this crazy-assed fucking popcorn that has chocolate, pretzel sticks, and craisins and is just... insanely tasty (from my parents)

Ralph:

• Mauna Loa Kona Coffee Macadamian nuts (in stocking, courtesy of Paige)
• 2 x boxers (from Sophie)
• An Inconvenient Truth (from me)
• leather-clad flashlight from Sundance (from my parents)
• hot-ass jeans (from me)
• Homemade gingerbread house (made by Sophie at preschool)

Kelly

• 1 package Newman's Own caramel cups (in stocking, courtesy of Ralph)
• Candle card (made by Sophie at preschool): "Dear Mama, You have a present - so much that I bet you would like to see it!"
• video iPod - aw yeah, I just slip it in there all casual-like! (from Ralph)
  
• Homegrown teas, Italian seasoning mix, and blueberry jam (grown / made by my mom)

The kids:

• Kitchen set - pots, pans, and spatulas etc. (from me)

Sophie:

• Monster finger puppet (googly-eyed), toy helicopter bath toy, tie-dye panties, monkey bubblebath (in stocking)
• 3 x white socks (from Ralph)
  
• Bug case with 2 types of magnification (It's science!)
• I SPY Mystery book (from my dad)
• Brown and black ribbed tights (from Ralph)
• 3 X panties, black and white tights (from my parents)
• 6 x socks (from my mom)
  

Nels:

• Monster finger puppet (crab monstrer), wind-up robot, tie-dye briefs, fish bubblebath (in stocking)
• Boat bath-toy (from Mama)
• Drawing of Christmas tree and "Scary Hand" (by Sophie)
• How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? (from my dad)
• 6 x socks, 6 x briefs (from my mom)
• 3 x undershirts (from Ralph)
• 6 x briefs (from Ralph)
  

Gee, see a pattern? Socks and underwear for the kids, particularly for Nels (thirteen pair of knickers!) who is going to think of Christmas as a holiday all about "big boy pants". I am proud to say my children really enjoyed my presents. Nels played with his tiny windup robot ($1.50 at a local shop) for hours.

Other Christmas loot of note:

• An all-day adventure to the Pacific Science Center on Saturday, all-expenses paid (from Cynthia and Paige)
• A great conversation with my sister on Christmas Eve
• Many lovely cards (some handmade) from friends
  
• A Christmas Day run at the track (courtesy of iPod and my beloved Beyonce)

Labels: consumerism, family life, FOO, holidays