Dear Santa…

Dear Santa,

You really outdid yourself this year!  Mr. B and Miss P absolutely loved all their new gadgets and toys.  Mommy and Daddy appreciated their gifts of apparel and items that either physically try to turn back the hands of time or make us forget how old we are.

We were eternally grateful to the family that traveled through snowy weather to our home so that we could take a holiday off.  It was wonderful having them all here, the gifts were beyond generous, and they brought enough sweets to induce a cavity just by being in their vicinity.

Our first Christmas at home was everything we’d hoped for.  Low key, full of merriment and devoid of showers.  The kids played hard all day in the living room with their new things. No one left the room or even got out of pajamas.

It was great to see our children so full of joy and love.  Being at home for this amount of time together, Mr. B and Miss P were cracking each other up on Christmas day, playing well, getting along, and showing consideration and respect for one another.  To witness this as a parent?  Best gift ever.

Such a fleeting gift!

Two days later, they were fighting over a quarter someone found in a sofa cushion and quarreling over empty boxes.

And that attempt to prod each other in to laughter that was cute a few days ago?  It has spilled over to the dining table, where neither one of them has been able to complete a meal in the past two days without being exiled to the bathroom to “collect themselves.”  It’s a regular Laugh In over here.  But without the adorableness of Goldie Hawn.  Or the commercial breaks.

Gone with the wrapping paper is my ability to withstand clutter.  The “base camp” that was established down here in the main floor with all of the kids art supplies, costumes and knick-knacks that don’t yet have a place to call home are unwelcome now.

I know Jon’s got the right perspective on this.  There will come a day, very soon, where they won’t want to be anywhere in a five-foot radius to us, so we should enjoy it while we can.  But can that be accompanied with fewer stray socks?

So, Santa, while this year fulfilled so much and exceeded my expectations in some ways, I’m already thinking about a couple of things for next year’s wish list.

1. Can you bring items that require less manual labor to actually get the friggin’ thing out of the box?  What’s with all the ties and screws and bolts just to get a $7 My Little Pony out of it’s plastic shell?  Are they really THAT hot of a commodity?

2.  I would like some sort of Mega Shop Vac that can suck up all the trash in .05 seconds, possibly with the ability to drag itself out to the curb a day or two later.

3.  Jon and I had an adult hot beverage for Christmas Eve, Baileys and coffee.  Can you put that in my stocking next year? Forget the Peppermint Patties and Chewy Sprees.  And for goodness sake, would you stop with the Peeps already?

4.  If you have any pull with Father Time could you let him know I am NOT happy over this whole “slower metabolism” thing as I age.  If he issues gift cards to earn some of that back, I’d be most appreciative.  Yes, please and thank you.

5. One last thing…If you can keep Mr. B in the dark about, you know, everything? That’d be great.  He’s made some remarks about wondering if Daddy moves Cornelius (our elf) and I just can’t bare the thought of him sniffing out the truth.

Once again, Santa, you really came through for us this year, and we can’t thank you enough.  Keep up the great work, enjoy some time off, and we’ll see you around these parts again in 11 months.

Yours truly,

Gina