Sunday, December 12, 2010

Pride, my belly and Christmas Shopping

As you can imagine, our family is like most other families at this time of the year, we are shopping for Christmas presents. One of the problems, is that I tend to get frustrated after an hour or two and start to shop for myself!! When I know what I am after, I am one of the best at getting in and getting out. However, the idea of spending all day "browsing" for the right thing does not make sense to me.

I can not be specific about the gifts and individuals, but I have really been blessed with some good ideas, thoughts and strategies this year. Maybe I paid attention to "hints" or maybe I simply lucked up, eitherway I've hit the jackpot on ideas and prices in many cases.

With that said, I spent yesterday ... "browsing". This resulted in me shopping for myself. I bought a new pair of jeans. I've had two pair of jeans give up on me lately (ie. the crotch area literally blew a big hole in each pair). You can put a patch or even ignore a hole in your jeans in any location but the crotch (I'm modest like that!). I should say that both pairs of jeans were five plus years old, one was probably closer to eight or nine years old.

So, I took a break from Christmas shopping and went Stephen shopping. Since I haven't bought new jeans in several years, I went with the size that I remembered buying last time (34 X 30). I've been that size for many years. However, when I got home, the jeans had shrunk!!!! .... or I bought the wrong size? I tried squeezing my way into the jeans (and could!! haha) but I couldn't breath after I cinched the last button.

As a result, I went Stephen shopping again today, to exchange the jeans for a slightly larger size. This is when it got funny. The nice lady at the store asked if I underestimated my belly!!!!! She better be happy its Christmas time or I would have ....

Aside from that, I managed to knock out most of my Christmas shopping. I still have an item or two that I am considering for my beautiful bride (she deserves it all) and I have a Christmas Eve gift to purchase, otherwise, I am done. I hope everyone enjoys their gifts as much as I enjoyed shopping, digging, brainstorming and other painful "ings" for them, but I also hope that everyone stops to remember why we celebrate Christmas and enjoy the family and friends that we share these moments with each year.

One last thought, its really nice having children that are old enough to purchase gifts on their own, with their own money!!!!! With that said, there are some items that they can't purchase. Today, one of them learned that she could not purchase a movie for her mother. No, it wasn't a dirty movie like that, but it was a rated R movie and she isn't 17 or 18 whatever the age limit is for rated R movie's. I guess I will have to make one additional stop to handle this purchase.

Last, to my Mom, the girls have requested frozen dinners for Christmas. You know what they want and it will be great to eat out one less night a week. Thanks!!!

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