Three Gifts. That's It.

I've done something radical: I only get my kids three gifts each for Christmas.

No masses of gifts at my house. No outdoing the Joneses. Just three each. And a stocking full of books.

"Why?" my friend (who shall remain nameless) asked me last year (mind you, she got her four-year-old daughter 30 gifts one year!). Well, because three gifts is what Christ got.

In an age where it is almost inappropriate to wish others a 'Merry Christmas', I feel it is very important as a parent to attach significance and tradition to the holidays. Christmas is simply not about my boys getting stuff. I don't want them to grow up thinking that the holiday revolves around them. Charity, peace and love is what I want to teach my boys about Christmas. After all, those are the three greatest gifts of all.

Am I Uncool?

I haven't blogged in a while...I have been stricken with uncool-itis.

I always thought of myself as a hip and groovin' mamma - balancing two fabulous boys and being the publisher of www.thefamilygroove.com whilst prancing around in a Huminska dress (go to the website www.huminska.com - I am modeling them!) and teetering around in Manolos. But something happend on Halloween, the scariest night of the year, that really scared me...

I set of with my boys to go trick-or-treating and before we could get to the first house, Joseph said, "Mom, wait here."

What?

"What do you mean?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Wait here, Mom. Brendan and I are going to do this ourselves." And off they ran to get their loot.

I couldn't believe it...my kids didn't want me to go with them to the house for candy! Sure, I expected they'd say that someday...but not so soon. They didn' t want to be seen with me...does this make me uncool?

Really, that bothered me a lot.

The cool thing that did happen, however, was watching my boys from the curb holding hands and saying 'thank you' without my telling them to do so. They handled their 'independence' beautifully.

Oh, and I got some great pictures, too.