Being involved in a local non-profit had its perks this week. With one of the missions to "improve quality of life on a local level" along with some extra funds needing to be allocated this year, we decided to do some shopping for some families in need from the a local community center.

I'll be honest, after reading this story of a family wanting to help do a sub-for-Santa, I was leery of helping out for those with the lottery mentality. But when we saw the community center list detailing simple necessities like:

*shirt size
*pant size
*shoe size
*dream toy (most listed "anything". Others listed things like a barbie, or a radio).

we felt we could really make a difference this holiday. We spent around $550 to provide items for 2 families, both single mothers with four kids. For the youngest recipient, an 18 month old boy, the listed dream toy was diapers.




In reality, all I want for Christmas is to get rid of half the stuff in my closets, toy room, bookshelves, garage, & shop. The rest I wouldn't mind getting gorgeously organized somehow.

But I remember the lean years, when I used Christmas money for new tires, or even groceries (since my grocery budget went for Christmas instead). But now I am full of kids, blessings, and even stuff more than I can handle. I know it's going to sound cheesy, but I couldn't help having a "Schindler's List" moment after shopping for these local families. I thought, man do I really need all that stuff I put on my lists (and yes I gave a real "list" to people who asked, and yes it included more fun stuff!)? Do my kids need all the stuff they're getting? Are they staying up thinking that all some kids want for Christmas is a new outfit and a barbie?

With all the browsing in toy aisles and department stores, I sometimes feel I am cultivating a personal lottery mentality among my own kids.

"I want that mom I want that!"

"Just put that in your cart for Christmas and I promise I won't peek!"

"Who's getting that toy? I want that!"

But for a small moment yesterday, when we unloaded a simple outfit, new shoes, and one toy for each person, I couldn't help hoping that my kids (and my heart) was paying attention to those who really stood in need this holiday season.

It was so exciting for The Mister of the House and me, we took pictures to document what The Sparrow Alliance (our local non-profit) did for 2 small families this Christmas.



I wanted to buy some quality department cast-offs from TJ Maxx, but in the end Wal-Mart found me stretching my dollar with new jeans and long sleeve shirts with boys, along with some clearanced ankle boots to complete the look. Some twin boys are sharing a big "Cars" rug with some accompanying cars. My four-year-old was drooling over it all night, and his Christmas list was once again re-arranged.

Nothing like a huffy "touch that toy again and you're going to bed!" from your mother to harbor the Christmas spirit eh?



Each of the mothers each received a $30 gift card to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club. I wish I could see the 10-year-old girl (because I have one?) with her green cowl-neck sweater, funky jeans, and red sparkly shoes totally strutting her stuff right? We can only hope!

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

I am shocked! shocked I tell you...that Christmas is 9 days away. I'm still in the middle of my learning curve of being the mom with the magic at Christmas-time, and every year it creeps up on me earlier and earlier. But fortunately for my sake, I married into the family whose mother made Christmas a science. She teaches classes for crying out loud! And so we're still sponging off of her traditions for now, plus adding a few of our own. Here's how we're getting lathered up for the holidays around here.

The bounties of farm life we happily share
with dear friends and family everywhere.

We're grateful this season for our Savior so true
and His gift of friendship he offers through you.

Here in my neck of the woods I am pretending to be a bit of a farmgirl. But I don't really know what I'm doing. Plus animal poop triggers my gagging reflex. Across the valley there is a Living Historical Farm, where people really do know how to farm...without machines...in petticoats.

Volunteers plow the fields with a horse-drawn spade, and long-skirted women bake stew and bread in the wood stove at the homestead. They put my bread making debacle to shame. A little while ago Rainbow Girl got to sing some Christmas songs at The Farm's Opera House.

When we went inside the Opera House, some old time singers were harmonizing the old Christmas tunes that I couldn't name. There was a gee-tar, violin, and four-part harmony all cozied up with western pine floors and victorian red walls.

This was the queen matron of the group, and she was feelin' it. So was I.

Back then...was life simpler? Sweeter? When you have to work 2 hours for a loaf of bread, do you pull up your petticoats and run whenever there's a gathering at the Opera House, or a barn dance? Did the women bring fresh pies for refreshment? Did pioneer boys try to steal kisses behind the curtain? Did the men still smell like "fertilizer"? Did the women blush when asked to dance?

Hey buddy! What's with the levis? You just ruined my memories of the long-forgotten past. Levis are 20th century. Get back in your homespun!

Oh well, in comes the crop from the 21st century...featuring Rainbow Girl.

If only Justin Hackworth had been there with his camera. Can you guess which shoes belong to Rainbow Girl?

Being a 21st century girl is worth it, but only if you have purple clogs. Thank you Grandma Cozy.

My beautiful little girl has got some pipes. She can carry a tune and...when no one is looking...and there's a song she really likes...and it's high and loud...

...she does the falsetto vibrato thing-ie with her voice. What is that called?

I know I'm being the proud mama here, so forgive me. But I've never been able to do that. And I always wanted to.

If they had waited just a couple of days, these horses would have been pulling a wagon with sleigh-runners...not old-fashioned handcrafted wooden spokes made by the carpenter named...

Heeey, wait a second. What's with the rubber wheels?

Oh well, back to the good life. Come on Rainbow Girl, let's hurry home to some hot cocoa bubbling in under 60 seconds, cooled off with a scoop of frozen cream. From a cow I didn't milk. In a freezer that doesn't need ice. Who would have imagined such things back on the farm!

Merry Christmas

For the first time in my life, I dove into the feeding frenzy that is "Black Friday". Oh my my. I began my excursion with my sister, and proceeded as an observer of a social experiment. How many people really come out to these? Are they normal? Before long, I was no longer scientist but lab rat. You go to toy aisle 5 and I'll grab your game...break!

I really wanted a tighter budget for Christmas this year and the sales really helped lengthen the stride of my dollar. We hit our first store at 4:15 am! I am almost embarassed of that last sentence.

Scenario one 4:45 am: Little Big-Sis is in line to buy 12 pairs of jeans at JCPenney. Ahead of her is Dominatrix. Ahead of Dominatrix is a woman holding her place in line for her daughter/sister/friend/whatever. So when DSFW comes into the line, Dominatrix drops the dreaded F-Bomb and tells her not to butt in.

What do you do? Well, if you are all generally sweet Idahoans (which is where the scene of this crime was) you audibly gasp and then avoid eye contact with Dominatrix. Sheesh! Merry Christmas!

Scenario two 5:10am: Throng of Idahoans at Wal-Mart. Since it's a 24 hour place there's no long lines in the parking lot. Everyone is inside and it's like a Def Leppard concert in the 80's, people jammed together with mulletts everywhere. The employees bring the big doorbusters out, covered up with butcher paper and then they rrrriiip! off the paper and behold the feast of consumer goods. TEN MEGAPIXEL DIGITAL CAMERA FOR $69.99!!!

People are grabbing and shouting "I got one!". Soon employees gingerly start chucking cameras into the crowd. Little Big-Sis has her hands up hoping to make a winning catch. A camera arcs up, out, and skids past the fingertips of...the lady in front of her. Lands straight into sissy's hands and unleashes the anger of the fumbler "Hey, he was throwing that to me!".

What do you do? Well if you are Mrs. Olsen's smart, economical, and number-crunching sister, you do the shoulder shrug with a smile, and say "He was just tossing it into the crowd, sorry". Fumbler huffs and puffs out of there, ticked at my Little Big-Sis.

So there were a few Doorbuster Items that were sold out in the first five minutes. I didn't get everything on my list. I really wanted to BE DONE in the North Pole Department, so when I got home I hit ebay. I found some auctions closing later in the day, and made some small-time offers on them.

Guess what? BLACK FRIDAY is a fabulous day to eBay! Everyone is out shopping! I won some auctions and got some great deals. Wahoo!

NOTE TO SELF AND YOU: Ebay stops being annoying on Black Friday.

Over and out!
Mrs. Olsen

Twenty minutes a day is all her teacher asks of her. Couple of homework pages, some spelling words, and twenty minutes of reading make up the weekly schoolwork routine for Rainbow Girl. To make sure we don't lag behind on her reading requirements, it helps when you have some text that reall engages the kid, keeps them interested, excited, and anxious to turn the next page. This week, the book that has consumed my kids has been this one:

Literacy puts a whole new spin of involvement with the beloved JCPenney Toy Catalog. Rainbow Girl pored over each page and then wrote out her official "Christmas List". Here she is showing one of her favorites on the list: Microscope Mega-Screen.

It reminds me of when I was a kid. The JCPenney book was always getting stuck on the page with the two-person cars for kids. I dreamt of driving around Apache Avenue free of menacing pedal-power. The widow with the full cookie jar, Mrs. Hyde, I could drive right up to her front step and relive the glories of Halloween every day of the year. I could always count on getting some sugar from her house, along with a shoulder-wrenching hug. Mrs. Hyde, the Archibald's next door, my best friend Beth, they'd all become my #1 fans. Me and my car...I'd be the coolest kid on Apache Avenue.

So I couldn't help bust up laughing when Rainbow Girl started reading off her own Christmas List. Here's her list in all it's phonetic glory:

Pink ipod

telascop

computer

(by this time, Mrs. Olsen is laughing her head off. "Nice try kid". But wait, it gets better)

camera

Dough-Na-matic

Marshmallow Blaster

buble gum masheen

phone

Julre Box

neclise

bracelet

ring

cottin candy Masheen

electric gutar

Play Kichin

Play farm with animals

Green Dragon

Mrs. Olsen: You were just telling me all you wanted was Pet Shop stuff.

(Rainbow Girl scrambles to the list and returns with 2 more additions)

100 Pet Shops

a cat

You know, I never got that car I drooled over year after year in the JCPenney catalog. But looking back, there are no heart-breaking disappointments I can recall during my Apache Avenue Christmases. So I think Rainbow Girl will be alright not winning the kid lottery this Christmas.

1. Do the dishes
2. Rub your feet with lotion (this coupon would have been redeemed by my own mother twenty times over)
3. Clean my room
4. Bake some homemade cookies just for you
5. Blah blah blah

I'm so happy to have a paper trail of good parenting, I promptly display them in my scrapbook never to be redeemed.

Let's be honest folks. Does anyone ever really use these coupon books full of promised favors and services? Okay, maybe one or two, but the whole thing?

As a disclaimer** For Mrs. Olsen, having a coupon book proving my kid loved me, or had an independent thought of helping without asking....it actually would be enough during Christmastime. From my kids.

But if you're actually thinking about giving one of these to a friend, or worse, your spouse? Please think again.

Let's get out the microscope and look at the real reason someone would conjure up this gift for their husband or wife: Please can we actually go out on a real date! I need to feel the love, and get out of the house!

A couple years ago I spared The Mister of the House a coupon book begging for back-rubs and instead put my money where my mouth was. And it all fit neatly into one little stocking.

• Gift certificate to his favorite restaurant that we eventually go to anyway
• Tickets to local theatre with an actual reserved seat, actual date and a starting time
• Ticket to favorite sporting event with an actual reserved seat, actual date and a starting time (I actually bought a discounted group of tickets for 5 games of our closest pro team, then gave the tix to every sport nut on my list. ebay or craigslist is key P.S. they all loved it)
• Gift certificate to movie theatre so we can be spontaneous
• Gift Certificates for Gas Cards also go a long way in today's economy
• You get the picture

The bonus to this gift option is that you are feeling the love with your spouse. Everyone's happy.

December 26th Interview: So planet earth, newly spoiled kids, tired moms and college kids on temporary break....what was your favorite thing about Christmas this year?


Kid: My 100+ collection of Little Pet Shop!
Mom: [Yawn] I'm sorry what?
College Kid: I got some skis that rocked!
Dad: [mumbles] I need to get back to work to pay off all this stuff we got.

March 1st Interview: So planet earth, spoiled kids, tired moms and college kids waiting for Spring Break....what was your favorite thing about Christmas last year?

Kid: Um, my birthday is next week and I want a new bike.
Mom: White Christmases are my favorite.
College Kid: Spring Break we're gonna party at the beach!
Dad: [mumbles] I can't believe I'm still paying off all that stuff.
Interviewer: Sorry Dad, no one asked you.



There's so many places I could go from here. I could talk about really....really! getting down to what the season is about. That's vital, it is. I'm one of those that dares to say "Merry Christmas!". But I'm not going to go there. Maybe on another day.

Instead I'm trying to make this gift thing a little easier, plus as a bonus, your giftee will remember your love once a month and memories of your Christmas love will never wane.

I got one of these gifts last Christmas from my dad. And if you're reading this blog, then you just might be the perfect market. Why? Because all this internet blogging stuff is about digesting small bits of information. We're not here reading novels are we? We get baited by the little snippets, the informative articles...just like in magazines. Every month I'm saying I Love You Dad when I get the Reader's Digest one year subscription he signed me up for last December.

Here's some subscriptions that will get those on your gift list remembering your love all year long:

Best Value

Family Fun Magazine is great for any human that has born children in the last 13 years. Rainy day activities, travel highlights, holiday crafts, and the annual toy preview are just a few of the reasons I love this magazine. Plus it's cheap. $10 for a year (10 issues).

Reader's Digest is great for its overall appeal for young and old alike. My last issue got me salivating with an article about solar cars! Also a steal at $10 a year (12 issues).

Target Appeal
News junkies from the both sides of the spectrum will appreciate the weekly subscription to The Economist. This British magazine helps put U.S. news into a broader world perspective, which can be vital in our polarized political climate. Subscription options range from weekly to every other week, and prices range from $59.76 to $116.79.

Merry Christmas to me! Wannabe hippies wanting to learn more about our beautiful planet will appreciate a subscription to The Orion. Nature writings are the core of this magazine, with environmental and cultural issues broadening the range of issues discussed. Published just 6 times per year, this magazine runs for $35.00 per year. A special holiday promotion allows 2 gift subscriptions for $35.00.

Go Nuts!

If jeans and T's are the core of your loved ones wardrobe, then giving them a monthly T-Shirt from the funky and ever-changing Threadless is the key to unending grooviness. Their "12Club" allows a new T every month for a year. You don't get to choose the design, but chances are you'll still be the coolest kid on the block. $200 per year and also includes a $30 gift certificate.