Wherein Amanda learns you can't buy everything

As in, you can't buy simple appreciation for what you have.

Christmas morning was pretty darn good this year.  We did very little for the boys and they were overjoyed with what they had.  Of course, had they not gotten a single item they would've been just as happy.  Ah, the joy of the innocent!

Christmas evening was a little hectic.  We packed up the kiddos, the presents for my family, all the kiddos stuff, and ourselves then drove across town in the monsoon-like rain.  (can't complain too much about the weather since it was 70-something degrees and all.)  Once at my sister's house chaos ensued.  The boys were past ready for a nap (but come on! it's Christmas! we don't need no stinkin' naps!), Tim and I were starving, my sister felt as soon as we got there was the best time for her to go upstairs and play with her daughter and her billion and ten zhu-zhu pets, my BIL was completely engrossed in a football game, and my Mom couldn't find anything in my sister's ill equipped kitchen.  Ugh.

I was finally able to get my sister back downstairs (she was supposed to be cooking but "hadn't gotten to spend any time with [her daughter] all day!!!". We swapped presents. Merriness ensued!

Then we headed back into the kitchen to finish up the meal while the men watched the kids.  BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! MEN WATCHING KIDS....HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Every couple of minutes one of her kids would end up in the kitchen asking for candy or drink or something or another.  Once we finally got it through their heads the answer was "no" regardless what the question was they quit asking for stuff.  Well, they kind of did.  Then they needed to come through the kitchen a billion times.  Why? Because they didn't like the toys they had in the living room and needed to find another one upstairs.  (we had a baby-gate up between the kitchen and den and it seemed to torture her kids to have a barrier.)

WHAT?!?!?!  These kids had piles and PILES of toys all over the living room.  I know this because there was almost nowhere to move in the blasted place!  Their paternal grandparents had spent several hundred dollars on each child, plus the gifts from their maternal grandparents, their parents, various aunts and uncles, and from Santa.  PILES OF GIFTS! But they didn't want to play with them.  And that's the attitude they seem to have in general.  Nothing seems to have any value to them.

I know a lot of children grow up with that attitude, but I don't remember it quite that way.  I remember having little, loving what I had, and although I wanted more I knew I had to be happy with what I had.  And I was.

I want to raise my children to appreciate what they have and to be grateful for gifts they receive.

Rant over!