Comments on It's Twinsanity: Now & Then

For Christmas I definitely shop sales and I try to...

2009-11-24T07:48:00.840-08:00

For Christmas I definitely shop sales and I try to start early. (Apparantly too early this year, since Nicholas found some of his presents. @@)

One good deal I got for Nicholas (which Erik will later be able to use) is the Tag Junior. On sale at Target for $28.99, and then I used a Manufacturers coupon for $10 and a Target coupon for $10 off to make it $8.99. Books are cheapest now at TRU and there are coupons for those as well.

We set a budget and generally stick to it (within $25 or so, I'd say). I know this year for my nieces & nephew I came in WAY under budget!

This year my Brother In Law has 7 kids instead of ...

2009-11-24T07:38:25.146-08:00

This year my Brother In Law has 7 kids instead of 4 (He married a woman with 3 of her own), so we set a budget of $15 per child and are doing a grab bag where each of my children will pick a $15 gift card out of a hat and they will pick out the gift for that cousin...Unfortunately, I have 3, and he has 7, so some siblings will have to buy for siblings (or step-siblings). Otherwise, we set a $200 per each of OUR children limit + 1 big gift for all 3 (Ages 5,3, and 1). This Thanksgiving I have all of both families coming, about 19, and 2 sailors from the base that didn't have anywhere to go. I will have 21 people here. I think they do it for Christmas too, we will be added to the waiting list.

LOOK how tiny he was in that first photo. It's...

2009-11-24T06:37:40.732-08:00

LOOK how tiny he was in that first photo. It's amazing the difference just two years makes at this age.

That's awesome that you're hosting an orphan JADIP! How neat. :)

We are hosting a Ukrainian orphan in our home for ...

2009-11-24T05:22:18.959-08:00

We are hosting a Ukrainian orphan in our home for 3 weeks for the holidays. We are teetering between wanting to give her a HUGE Christmas, because she has never had a "typical American Christmas", and the fact that OMG that might totally overwhelm her. On top of trying to find gifts that she can play with here and bring back (not too big, dont require batteries, electricity or English)- Im just buying whatever I see and will probably return some of it when I look at my bank account.
Im so glad your childre (and you) will have thier dad(/husband) for the holidays- thats the best gift of all. Can you wrap him up in a huge box? :)