In Her Footsteps

When I was little, I dreaded certain things about Christmas. One of them was opening gifts.

Now don't get me wrong, I liked getting gifts, of course! But there was always something other the tree that was either gross, gaudy, or somehow embarrassing. And I found it rather uncomfortable to be greeted with such a present and try to feel (and therefore act) grateful.

I distinctly remember the year my mother gave me bras for Christmas. I needed them, and new ones were insanely expensive. So she had gone to the cheapest local thrift store (it was our favorite), and gotten me three or four wearable bras.

Now, to my probably 12 or 13 year old mind, it was bad enough needing bras, but to get used, ugly bras from the thrift store was a bit too much for me to handle, and I was downright embarrassed.

I've gotten over it.

This year, my little girls need tights. They're insanely expensive at Wally world -- $4 a pair! At only 2 pairs each, that's already $16 dollars. I can't do that! (Now you know how cheap I am when it comes to gifts....)

So I found myself today, at the thrift store. The very same one we loved as a kid. It's still the cheapest in town. And you know what? They had tights. Lots of them. They weren't perfect, nor new, but they don't have runs or snags. I got each girl six pair, and spent less than $2 on all of them combined. I'm thrilled with my purchase.

I'd like to think that I've successfully brainwashed the girls enough that they'll love their new tights.

But if not, they'll eventually get over the embarrassment.

If you give a Mom a muffin....

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook
("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse
that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her
that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are... If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

-author unknown (If you know the author, please let me know, so that I can give due credit!)