Our newest debate.

Spoiler alert...if you are a small child or have the mindset of one stop reading now...

Ok I have the disclosure I need to tear into this new subject.

I don't want to have Austin believe in Santa...as it stands in our house Joe has officially labeled me the anti-Christ of Children's fun and told me if I won't change my mind that he is taking away my tree. :-( So in a true stubborn fashion I told him that if he won't change his mind I won't discuss it with our children and tell them to ask their Dad whenever they have questions about it.

Here we sit in a standoff of unacceptable options, because let's just face it I may not even take down my tree much less get rid of it totally and I'm around Austin all day so I won't be able to avoid the questions that ensue around Santa.

Obviously I did not believe in Santa growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and while I would never wish that library hell on another child I don't see the point in me learning all the lies just to tell them to Austin...yeppers, mark me down as the original party Popper because I don't want Santa, the Easter Bunny, tooth fairy or anything else.

But it goes so much deeper for me than just the lies that come from these fairy tails, I don't like the magic behind them teaching children that items just appear when asked for. What about the hard work, I don't believe in luck or fate in my life, everything I have has been the consequence of a choice that I have made. I did not fall into this life by accident. It pains me to teach someone else that hard work is not the single most important part of the equation to success. What about when times are tough and you don't have money to buy the nice gifts...do you explain that Santa hit a rough spell and can't "build" you a X-Box? That's number 900 on my list of reasons why I don't appreciate the idea of Santa, I have the opportunity all year of working hard so Austin can get everything her little heart desires but my name goes on the underwear and other sucker-rific gifts while "Santa" gets the Thank you note from her. Nope just can't swallow that one. And while I am being a complete downer I don't believe in letters to Santa or anything along that lines, gifts are chances for someone in your life to get you something that you ***Really*** want, as parents it is our job to listen to our children well enough to know what that is without a "list" and better yet be able to make educated decisions as to what they need and what is appropriate for our kids, not just what they want.

A friend recently stated how sad she was that her year old daughter would not sit on Santa's lap. This is a completely natural reaction and one quite frankly because I see the worst of the worst in this world, one that we should not take lightly or attempt to change in children. That fight or flight option will keep them out of harms way, so why when they are scared do we force them to do something for the sake of a picture? ***Sigh*** There will not be a picture of Austin on Santa's lap, that I can promise.

Baby in a bucket

One of the many advantages to owning your own shop is the industrial mop bucket that Austin gets to ride in. :-)

Our new kitty

You know what heals a broken heart that is let down by a missed snowboard season?!?!?!? A new kitty! :-)

So while everyone else went up on Sunday Tadd and I went kitty shopping. I am choosing to hide my adoption behind the facade of the kitty is for Austin, but everyone who knows me knows that I would have a 100 pets if I could keep them all.

Here's the big girl and her new little best friend. She calls her Mowser, not to be mistaken with Meow which is what she calls Pepper the other cat.


Here's Austin trying to lock baby kitty in the TV stand and losing.


Oh yes and Austin is becoming quite the proficient writer, here she is telling me about the birds on the card. I may just employ her to do our Christmas cards this year. :-)