Starting to feel like Christmas

We've been slowly getting our lights up and are almost done with the exception of a couple more trees. I would like to put lights around the rink so we can skate in the evening, it won't be as romantic as the Ottawa canal but it will do. The boys wanted to put lights on the fort in the backyard so we opted out on putting them up on the front of our house.

It sure is nice to do your shopping during a week day instead of the crazy weekend or week nights of long lines and grumpy humbugs, not to mention you can actually find someone to help you when you need it.

Jess and I decided to pull way back this year on the gifts, even before the economic downturn. I guess part of my decision to make this change was that I didn't like what I was becoming and I know I needed a change. I don't know if it was because I came from such humble beginnings that I thought I needed everything and had to provide everything to my kids but what was I really teaching them. I've got to thank Jess for always asking the "Do we really need that?".

I am who I am partly because of how I grew up and what I was taught, we were on the receiving end of the fireman's Christmas food basket and I remember how happy we were to get the help and gifts. My mother may not have had much but she taught us well and when ever she has the chance she's the first to give back. We plan on teaching our boys the same.