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Balancing Gifts with Teaching Gratitude
708 Plays10 days ago
As the holidays get closer and the gift lists get longer, the moms are diving into one of the biggest questions of the season: How do we balance giving our kids the things they want… while still teaching them gratitude?
In this episode, we talk about the four A’s of gratitude (Awareness, Acknowledgment, Appreciation, and Action), how they actually show up in real mom life, and what we’re each doing differently with gifts this year. From cutting back on the clutter to simplifying Santa, from sibling gift strategies to experience-based giving — we’re sharing what’s working, what’s not, and what we wish our families understood.
But first, we kick things off with:
✨ Chat: What would our ideal Christmas decoration be? (The answers… very on brand.)
🤦♀️ Mom Fails: ancient snacks, missing tennis balls, and questionable bed sheet timelines. It’s chaotic. It’s honest. It’s perfect.
🎁 Topic Deep-Dive: Navigating holiday gifting without losing our minds — or raising ungrateful little gremlins.
🌄 Pits & Peaks: Sleepovers, sentimental hunts, clean rooms, and a new burst of tween motivation.
Whether you’re drowning in Amazon boxes, rethinking Santa’s role, or trying to teach your kids that gratitude is more than saying “thanks,” this episode will make you laugh, nod your head, and maybe rethink your holiday approach.
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
but no here we go. All right. Okay. promise I won't touch anything. Okay. If you do.
Home Depot Projects and Holiday Preparations
00:00:06
Speaker
Um, you had asked about my home Depot project. Yeah. It's finished. It's due on the 12th.
00:00:13
Speaker
A lot of times with these holiday projects, I feel like I've said it before. i have to decorate the entire house for Christmas and turn it in on like September I, and It's fun to do it, but I'm not leaving them up all the time. So this actually, the timing is perfect.
00:00:31
Speaker
So I'm not mad about it. You can leave it up. Yeah. Kind cute. The kids have been very sweet about it. um I have to, well, that'll take away. I think that's my peak. um But I've done what I wanted to do, and now I have to figure out how to photograph it. All of us photograph to a certain extent, but photographing Christmas lights is hard because you have about 12 minutes before it's too dark.
00:00:55
Speaker
So I'm going to figure that out next week. So this week, yeah, it's done. Will you do it like golden hour, you think, Charlotte, or in the morning? Yeah. I mean, I think I have to photograph it.
00:01:07
Speaker
Yeah. The lights are bright enough. I don't know. Megan, I'm trying to come up with a dance. I know. I know. I know. Someone was is was supposed to. decorate our front porch for ah Christmas and um they had a death in the family so it's delayed things and my kids were like kind of sad that the front was going to be decorated for Christmas before Halloween you know there can you email and then I was like well they actually are delayed because they had a family emergency so it's still it'll get decorated I think next week but same it's now it's like November so it's
00:01:43
Speaker
It's pretty much Christmas anyways, right? i mean, I don't know that I would normally start until after Thanksgiving. The past few years, I've been down in Washington, so I just haven't had the motivation. But I will say there's like three or four weeks after Thanksgiving. So if you don't do it literally the day after Thanksgiving, you have them up for two weeks.
00:02:03
Speaker
and And I don't have anything inside yet. So it's just lights outside, which is kind of nice and cozy. And then it's done and it looks great. What is tricky, i mean, it'll be great for photography, but half of the things... So I have wreaths on all our windows, and those have lights nowadays, which is pretty when they work, but they're obviously all battery-powered.
00:02:26
Speaker
And the way the batteries work is that they run for like five or six hours, but... I don't want to waste the batteries. So I've hung all the reeds. And then at some point next week when I'm ready to photograph, I'll have to climb back up and turn them all on at like 4.30.
00:02:41
Speaker
same for thirty yeah So that moving forward, and I don't know how long the batteries will last. I mean, is that going to get me through December? I don't know. and will not. If it's the same ones we have, you will replace them at least once.
00:02:54
Speaker
Yeah. And do I care to climb up and replace batteries? i don't know. Like it's one thing to replace the batteries on the garland that I can reach. Yeah. But those windows may not be replaced. But that's the only thing I have to do. I figured out all the extension cords.
00:03:08
Speaker
But have to go turn on all the batteries so that they're on the right timer. yeah I can't wait to see it. Same. I mean, I hope it looks cute. it It's – I did what I pitched.
00:03:19
Speaker
Awesome. Awesome.
Christmas Decoration Strategies and Challenges
00:03:21
Speaker
Welcome to Just For Moms. I'm Charlotte. I'm Caitlin. I'm Megan. And I'm Callie. We are regular moms talking about regular stuff like aging, parenthood, work-life balance, and figuring out what's for dinner, again. no-judgment zone to talk, laugh, and maybe cry about all the things women think about on a daily basis. things i'll plan
00:03:42
Speaker
yeah um But this, you guys are genius because this is sort of what I wanted to start with because Christmas has been on my brain have... i have a neighbor who had a company come in and do their decoration. So it's like lights around the perimeter of the house and places that I can't get to with ladders.
00:04:00
Speaker
And at our old house, the people across the street used to have a company that would come and with cherry pickers, like wrap all the branches, whatever. So if you had sky's the limit, like what would be your favorite, favorite Like mine look cute, but they're definitely like DIY. It's clear that someone threw a bunch of net lights over the bushes and like tacked on a bunch of wreaths.
00:04:23
Speaker
What would be your ideal like Christmas? Caitlin, what would you do if sky was the limit? Exactly what you just – I would hire a company to come Clark Griswold my house.
00:04:35
Speaker
But like light every lights every – what would it look like? I would have lights – No. my My husband does the lights on the outside of the bushes and stuff, and every year it's like this huge production because it's tangled and it looks bad, whatever.
00:04:49
Speaker
I would have someone outline my house. I would have lit wreaths. I would have a Santa sleigh on my roof that looks like it's flying, that lights up, and...
00:05:03
Speaker
Also, maybe a sleigh in my front yard. And all the trees. Everything in my backyard. There'd be twinkly lights. Okay. Callie?
00:05:14
Speaker
Yeah, same. Okay. That's what I would pick. Same thing. Have you heard about that Home Depot, that viral Home Depot Santa sleigh, Charlotte? Well, there's one that I pitched, but I don't know that it's viral. What does it look like?
00:05:29
Speaker
So, because I looked at it. It's like 200 bucks. That might be the one. Okay. So for some reason, this is viral in the hot item. So I was checking it out and it's three, is it three reindeer? And then Santa?
00:05:43
Speaker
Yeah. And I saw it yesterday because someone posted I was like, hmm. And it's in my cart. So i and I'll talk about it now. Okay. So the way these partnerships work is that this, you have to, they give you like a ah PowerPoint of all the priority SKUs that you can shop from and you have a budget.
00:06:02
Speaker
And so for this, because it was holiday, you know, they wanted me to get some tools and then some lights. And then they had a bunch of like yard decor and some of it was kind of cheesy, like soupy. But then they had that and it's a pretty low price given what it is.
00:06:17
Speaker
And so I put that on the list. They were kind of slow. It's a new system. So they weren't able to get me my gift card in time. And I can see it. you know They were like, add everything to your cart, give us the amount, and then we'll cut you a gift card.
00:06:30
Speaker
And I could see the you know online like five available, four available. And I sent them my list. And I was like, Santa, there's one left. So if you can get me this gift card like now, that'd be great.
00:06:43
Speaker
Cut to three days later, no Santa. Our store claimed they had a few. They're like, it'll be on the – anyway – I had no idea this was viral, but it's part of my pitch deck and it's part of what I... And so i was like, I just kind of want this thing.
00:06:58
Speaker
I called Caitlin because in her local Home Depot, they show limited stock availability. And so when I called, they were like, yeah, we show that there's one on the truck, but it's first come, first serve. We should be unloading it tonight. And Caitlin was like, it's right around the corner. I'll swing by.
00:07:14
Speaker
First of all, when they say it's on the truck, I'm now learning that's just a load of garbage. That's... It's probably what their system says, but don't believe it. And so I reached out and I was like, is there anything you guys can do? All these stores, P.S., have the display version, but they won't sell you the display until it's closer to the holidays, which I don't know. Anyway, I'm going up to see Eleanor do her fall play on Friday. And so there is one in Nashua, New Hampshire that i purchased yesterday that is ready for me to pick up.
00:07:46
Speaker
It's the only one I found between here and Concord, New Hampshire. Well, now how I want it Like, i in and I know that it doesn't exist near me. Isn't that crazy, though, that I saw it yesterday? i had no idea. I mean, it wouldn't make sense. Usually they have that one tree that everyone's crazy about.
00:08:04
Speaker
I'll show you, Callie, because you look really confused. The only reason, and I'm not going to mention who. I'm featuring, like, the same one from Christmas Vacation. It was it literally is. It's the Christmas Vacation Santa that gets launched into the air, which is what I want on the top of my house now.
00:08:18
Speaker
Mm-hmm. There was one in Norwalk, I guess, Charlotte. And someone, I'm not going to say who, went and scooped it that is on, you know, social media platforms. And that's how I saw it. And I was like, ooh, it's kind of cute. And it's $200.
00:08:32
Speaker
two hundred dollars Yeah, not ah because it's like nine feet. I mean, I think it's not life quite life-size. Yeah. Yeah, that's the one that's in my cart, but I probably can't get it because – It's only in New Hampshire where Charlotte has it on hold. Yeah, shout out, Nashua, New Hampshire.
00:08:50
Speaker
Yeah. Megan, what is your idea? Okay, so I just, I love Nutcrackers. I feel like if you could come over to my house and do everything Nutcracker display just because i was a ballerina and my girls are ballerina. I love Nutcrackers. So maybe next year you could do a Nutcracker theme.
00:09:06
Speaker
Walmart has some really cute light-up Nutcrackers. I saw them. Okay. I'll have the light-up ones. Not little ones. had a moment a couple years ago. I like them. Hobby Lobby. I need to go there. That's on our list. So, yeah.
00:09:19
Speaker
Michael's had some that were kind of cute. um i There's nothing that I like more than like a tree with individual wrapped branches of lights.
00:09:30
Speaker
The thought of doing it hurts my brain. I cut down a tree in our front yard and the number of Karens that were like, you should have left it up and decorated it for Christmas. I remember, first of all, the tree was made of just razor blades. Those were the needles. But I was like, there's no way that I'm going to make this look cute.
00:09:47
Speaker
It's going to be my pet peeve. It's like three strands of lights that you can just see like in this janky spiral around the outside of a tree. No, no. Was it dead too? Do you think the tree was dead? No.
00:09:58
Speaker
I just didn't like that. Whatever. I mean, you know. I didn't like it. it was you could It was blocking views in your driveway. I saw you cut it down. I had one woman that was like, oh my God, literally crying over here. I would kill that. And I was like, okay, if this is what is making you cry, then you need to like. Yeah, you come dig it out and move it to your la yard, lady. Also, like, have you checked in on the state of the world right now? Like, my tree should be real low on your list of like things that make you weep.
00:10:28
Speaker
So I would individually wrap the trees. And then have you seen – don't think it's quite viral because I think it's a pain in the neck. There is an inflatable Santa that is like 50 feet high that – Yes. Like the height of a house.
00:10:43
Speaker
And I've seen a couple people do it. It requires a real infrastructure because you have to be able to like tether it. It's like a Macy's Day parade float. But I think that would be – sort of fun and weird.
00:10:56
Speaker
So I would like that. yeah I've seen those. Fun and weird. i would love to have, like, I've seen it where like you wake up and the neighbors wake up and, It's like, whoa, all right. And you just see it like your neighbor with this huge inflatable on the front yard. Our our neighbors did it. they It wasn't as big as some of I've seen, but um up the street from us, a brother and a sister live next door to each other.
00:11:19
Speaker
So the sister and the sister-in-law secretly went out and bought a giant Santa and put it between their houses to get their husbands fired up. It was outstanding.
00:11:30
Speaker
but What I like about it is that it's one thing that it makes such – it's like the giant skeleton. That's literally my Halloween decor is my giant skeleton. But Santa popped and then your money is gone.
00:11:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's the only downside. That's
Holiday Mishaps and Mom Fails
00:11:47
Speaker
risky. Okay. Well, this – I feel like this leads us well – oh, we know a mom fail. I was about to go right into the topic. I have a mom fail that I'm to start with because I can smell it. Have you guys ever left your laundry in – The washing machine. Every day.
00:12:02
Speaker
Every day. Well, I just, I didn't have the the, the laundry situation in this house is just teetering on out of control. Like the kids do it, but then we end up once a week, there's seven baskets in my bedroom and someone folds. I don't know.
00:12:15
Speaker
I didn't have the heart to like run it again. Cause there's just like a line of laundry to be done. And I should have because you're smelling it. Yeah. happens.
00:12:25
Speaker
It's okay. Okay. Who else has a mom fail? Mine is sort of similar. It's just that like, I just feel like it's been too long since I've changed my kids' sheets. Like for multiple nights in a row, I'm putting them to bed. I'm like, and then the day passes and I haven't done it again.
00:12:40
Speaker
So that's mine. Yeah. such an easy thing too. I don't know why, i'm but. It's not that, I don't, I feel like it's not that easy. it's a pain. Yeah. And the big kids. is Yeah. The big kids bed is harder. Like the, I have two kids still in cribs. Like that's not hard.
00:12:55
Speaker
Kelly, just do it like literally 60 seconds. The big kid beds is harder. Yeah. Mm hmm. um Well, I had wrote, I wrote something down that I already talked about today.
00:13:08
Speaker
So my fail is going to go along with the laundry thing. My daughter's cross country season is over and I could have sworn I washed her uniform to turn.
00:13:20
Speaker
They have to turn it in today. Hopefully I I'm going to put money on that. None of her coaches are listening or anyone that's on the team. And I pulled it out of the dirty laundry and I just put it in the dryer with like 35 dryer sheets and then sprayed it with Febreze and folded it really nice and put it in ah bag and sent it to school.
00:13:41
Speaker
Yeah, perfect. I think that's a win. Yeah.
00:13:45
Speaker
What about you, Megan? My mom fail is we took our, my son, my girl's little brother Christmas shopping the other day. Huge fail.
00:13:57
Speaker
I don't know what I was thinking. I even bribed with sports cards before we walked in and it was still just a disaster. And I was like, why did I even do this? Because it's supposed to be like joyful or Christmas shopping. It's fun. And then it was like the whole time and whining. And I'm like, here's my phone. Just chill. And it it wasn't even into the phone. So that's my mom fail. Don't take the husband's or the boy's shopping this holiday season if you don't have to.
00:14:26
Speaker
I support that. Yeah. um Well, that too lends itself well to our topic. I think we talked about this on the old podcast, and it certainly is a good follow-up to our topic from last week about gratitude.
00:14:39
Speaker
But now that we are knocking on the door of holidays and a holiday shopping, I just, as a mom, I just, I feel like I don't have a great system. And my worry is that there's always too much stuff Do my kids appreciate it? How am i giving gifts and at the same time teaching them to be grateful? Like it's just, it's a lot to sort of balance. And I thought that we could maybe talk about how do we how do we manage logistically the act of giving presents to children?
00:15:14
Speaker
And I feel like I remember people saying there is like a method to the madness. And then How do you actively teach your kids to be grateful? It's not just a day to wake up and like open things. I think as moms, we're doing all of the work. And so I don't necessarily want to walk around the house like, look what I did. Look what I did. Look what I did.
00:15:35
Speaker
But how do you... How do you teach your children to recognize the effort and the work that someone, maybe us, maybe someone else has put in to create the magic and joy for them? And I think I did come up with, I had never heard of this, but I heard, i was reading about the four A's of gratitude and it's awareness, acknowledgement, appreciation, action, and then a quick definition Awareness is just being mind mindful and noticing. So that makes sense.
00:16:08
Speaker
Acknowledgement is recognizing and consciously sort of valuing. So I would say just saying something about it. Appreciation is a deeper valuing and a feeling of thankfulness. So I guess that's maybe the feeling that you get from being aware.
00:16:25
Speaker
And then action is expressing your gratitude through actions like saying thank you, performing a kind act For us, it's like thank you notes is sometimes like the basic thing we do. Anyway, what what are your thoughts? How do you guys approach, let's start with giving gifts and what does that look like in each of your houses? Megan, what does that look like for you and your three
Thoughtful Gift-Giving and Managing Expectations
00:16:48
Speaker
kids?
00:16:48
Speaker
So I'm all about the experiences and going on a trip or, you know, going to a concert Or somewhere. Now that I have two teenagers, my son, it gets a little tricky because he still believes in Santa.
00:17:08
Speaker
So I have to do some gifts under the tree, but I feel like I don't go and buy stuff just to buy it and have items under the tree. I buy things that we, they really need or, you know,
00:17:23
Speaker
Or like it's a need, not a want. I feel like these kids are spoiled all year round and Christmas is just another... It's just... It's hard because...
00:17:36
Speaker
You know, even when people ask, they want to buy them a present that has meaning to it. But then at the same time, you want to say, just get them a gift card, where some people don't want to do that. I know like my sister-in-law was like, what do they want for Christmas? I'm like, well, the girls would take a Lululemon gift card. But she's like, well, I want to get them something that they really are going to – it's always like she wants to get them something that they're going to remember and – be like, oh, you know, Kara got me that.
00:18:03
Speaker
So I feel like in our house, it's a lot of, um yeah, just not buying stuff that we don't need because it's just accumulates and it's junk. And I feel like again, that my kids got older, it makes it a little easier because they understand how Christmas works.
00:18:22
Speaker
And, you know, I want them to be thankful for the things they already have and maybe the things that they're going to get. And I'm a big... believer of the thank you cards too, Charlotte. We still do those after birthdays. We don't do them for Christmas, but I am all about the thank you cards, even and the email going out or something just to show gratitude and appreciation.
00:18:45
Speaker
you just said um You just said something, and i I'm just like stuck on this, how you're- She says i your aunt or someone wants to buy your children something that they're going remember.
00:18:56
Speaker
Yes. The problem with that at Christmas is that they get so much that they will never remember who gave them x Y, or z unless it's they don't have a lot of family members giving them things or they're not getting a lot of things. So there is something small. I mean, I'm just thinking of my own youth, like,
00:19:16
Speaker
Agreed. Yeah. Like, do you remember something super memorable you ever got? I mean, i can remember getting the Santa Claus on VHS for Christmas Eve from my aunt and uncle. And I vividly remember it because I wanted it so bad.
00:19:33
Speaker
But other than that, like, I don't remember. Yeah. And we come from big Italian family on both sides. So you're right. it's It's hard. And I even tell our aunts now too. They're like, what do the kids want? I'm like, please don't get them anything. Let's go to dinner.
00:19:47
Speaker
Let's go out to dinner one night, all of our cousins. And that's what we did last year. We all went to Colony Pizza on a night in January rather than buying gifts for 30 cousins. And it was like, and the kids remember that. And they were giggling and having fun. So plan a dinner or an experience or tickets to a show rather than, you're right, all the things they're never going to remember.
00:20:10
Speaker
What about you, Callie? Yeah, I feel like so last year was the first Christmas with four kids and Michael and i just like sat back and we're like, it's too this is too much stuff. Like even we felt like we were fairly minimal to begin with, like when we we had always in the past followed this something they want something they need something to wear something to read.
00:20:30
Speaker
But you just lose the thread on that. And then when you add in family members too, and then now, so you know, my two older kids want to be able to buy presents for their siblings. Like it just became way too much.
00:20:40
Speaker
So this year, i mean, we're going to try our best. I mean, you never know once you get into it, but I mean, the good thing that we've started from the beginning in our house is that in our house, when Santa comes, he only brings one present. He brings one present the kids really asked for. so that's,
00:20:56
Speaker
thanks Santa. That's lucky for us in our house. And he fills the stocking. So like, that's just one thing. It's like the one thing that they ask for, for Santa. I made a list of things to send to family that was like,
00:21:10
Speaker
I basically it was like, we have four kids and I can't have four presents for four kids times every. Like it's just too many toys that they're just never going to play with. So we made Michael and I sat down, like made a list of things. Like some of it was like restocking consumable stuff like arts and crafts.
00:21:26
Speaker
Some of it was books that the kids really like or like additions to toys that they use. Like our kids love their Tonys and their Yodos. And we have a dollhouse that all of the kids use a melee one.
00:21:37
Speaker
And I sent that out and I was like, these are things, you know what I mean, that can get added to our house that like the kids will legitimately play with and it's not just going to end up in goodwill. I mean, I said it much nicer.
00:21:48
Speaker
And luckily, everybody has been really cool about it. um So that's just how we're trying to. And then Michael and I were like, we're going to get one gift that's a family gift from us to the rest of the kids.
00:22:01
Speaker
But yeah, I love your idea, Megan, of the ah going out to dinner. i feel like, Charlotte, it was you at one point that mentioned maybe it was like your grandma or maybe it was your mom did for your kids.
00:22:12
Speaker
where they would get them a McDonald's gift card, and then they would take them out to – was it you who said that? Me. Oh, I think it was me, yeah. And then they would take them out, like, on a one-on-one grandma date to McDonald's. I'm like, stuff like that is so much – like, kids are so much more excited about that.
00:22:26
Speaker
I find that, like, yeah, especially last year, like, it was just overwhelming. Like, kids are not even – enjoying it at a certain point, even like I said, being sort of minimal about it, or I would be really good and get them like practical gifts. I'm like, well, they need snow boots.
00:22:39
Speaker
It's still just too much stuff. And I do think it totally takes away from like the point of Christmas. And I'm yeah, I'm like with four kids, if everybody gets a gift from Santa, and then there's like a big gift from us, and then all of the 8 million others, stuff I'm like that's more than enough of what needs to happen.
00:22:55
Speaker
So yeah, we're really trying to to rein it in because it's just It's just a bunch of stuff that nobody needs or wants. and Yeah. yeah art Our tree is insane on Christmas morning.
00:23:09
Speaker
with this you know There's seven people. And you know my sister and I do give each other an experience. So I'll give – she has five kids as well. so we will And maybe the experience is like gift cards to – what's the – What's the convenience store in Philly that people go crazy for? Sheets.
00:23:32
Speaker
No. Well, sheets, but there's another one that's like hoo-ha or woo-woo. Wah-wah. That's fun. Wah-wah. That's fun. Hoo-ha. Or like one year it was the local toy store. So she'll be good about saying this is a place that kids would enjoy. And it's – But I just, i I feel like now the horse is out of the barn a little bit. So if there was a year when it was like, guys, we're going to go away for the weekend instead of opening a single presents, my kids would be like, that's not fair. We really want presents and we want to open them. And I get that because I love opening presents. And that is the unique and special thing about Christmas.
00:24:09
Speaker
But I also feel like I'm not very organized. And so I'm not buying like garbage just for the sake of wrapping it. Like there is usually like, oh, you need sweatshirts. So here's a sweatshirt or like this would be a good learning game. So I do try to get stuff that will be used, but I just don't keep track. And then all of a sudden,
00:24:32
Speaker
I've purchased three or four things for everyone. And that's like the trees buried. And, you know, sometimes we're now at the age where one of the kids wants like an e-bike and the other one is like, I just want a baseball hat.
00:24:45
Speaker
And so you're like in my brain, it's like if I'm getting and one e-bike for this kid, then this kid should get, I don't know. You can't help but do the math of the cost.
00:24:57
Speaker
I don't know. Caitlin, your kids are disparate in age. Do you have, have you figured this out? Uh, it's so bad. It's like bad to the point where I said to my husband this year, I'm like, we got to figure something out because I have, we have so much stuff in our house that was from Annabelle's child, like little times to then Eileen took it over and then Arbor needs to take it over.
00:25:24
Speaker
And I've tried tried to get stuff out of my house so we don't have it anymore. But like, why did Santa bring two American Girl doll kitchens a year apart?
00:25:34
Speaker
why Why would he do that? And then you just have them in your house. And this year I'm going at it as I did the same thing last year where I get the kids lists.
00:25:46
Speaker
I pick the big ticket items on the list. and pass it out to the grandparents. And I say, you may not buy them more than this. This is what they want. Please just get them this. Don't throw ah bunch of activity books and markers and paper in here or whatever, because I have enough arts and crafts supplies to bring, to donate to the school, to schools. Like we don't need any more, unfortunately, like, ah or experiences or pay for things such as like an art camp that they want to go to.
00:26:16
Speaker
And then Santa will bring, Santa always brings toys or whatever. Santa used to bring clothes, which was really silly of him to do. And so now we gift clothes or shoes that they need.
00:26:30
Speaker
Yeah, makes it hard to return when you it comes from the North Pole. Yeah, you can't do that. There's there's no return label. So really to answer your question, i have not figured it out. I have no idea what we're going to do. It's going to be a madhouse.
00:26:42
Speaker
I think my biggest problem is Christmas Eve we host every single year and everyone comes to my house that's on my side of the family.
00:26:53
Speaker
And so my parents come and then my siblings come. and their children come. Then my sister's in-laws come and everybody brings presents.
00:27:04
Speaker
And it's like the supermarket sweep of rushing to open your things. And the kids don't even know what they open by the edge by the end of 30 minutes and everything's done. And usually the little ones are now crying that there's no more gifts.
00:27:17
Speaker
No one even knows what they got because it was so chaotic. So last year my mom said, you know what, I'm going to not bring any gifts to your house and I'm gonna pass them out Christmas morning. But then you come Christmas morning, they just opened all the Santa stuff and now you're bringing over more toys so they don't give my parents the reaction that they want.
00:27:37
Speaker
And then I have two sets of in-laws who ship things that we FaceTime and open. And you talk about that like excess things, like it's insane. And you can't have experiences coming from grandparents who live out of state because it doesn't work that way.
00:27:53
Speaker
So don't know. It's, don't know. I love it, but I also feel like I want my children to be truly thankful for what they get, but how do they know what they're, like, they don't even know where it came from.
00:28:07
Speaker
Yeah. Right. I know. I think it's hard to, because i think as a parent, like we're, we worry so much about Christmas morning, right. That there's something there that they can open, you know, and that's how we end up with these, like we're sort of saying where we're like,
00:28:22
Speaker
well, they need sweatshirts. So we get them sweatshirts or I've, you know, I've like, I've done the winter boots or the new lunchbox or whatever, just so there's things under the tree. But I think this year, that's what like Michael and I have agreed that like, we're just stripping that away. Like it's just, there's so, even if some of it's staggered, like we do Christmas with my in-laws earlier in the, in the,
00:28:43
Speaker
December because they they come up from Florida. And then my dad comes like at the end of the day on Christmas. And I'm like, so even if they're, it doesn't matter that they're not opening ah bunch of stuff on Christmas morning. Again, like I said, with four kids and then Michael and I are there and then we have stockings and my mom comes and spends the night Christmas Eve.
00:29:02
Speaker
Like there's more than enough stuff that's being opened. I think some of it is just like the idea in our mind of what we think is supposed to be there. So that's sort of what we're like, we're we're getting rid of like that, the fluff, the sort of like, oh, well, they have to have, there's going to be more than enough stuff getting opened that I, and don't know. I'm just, we're have to stance fast on it, but that's where we are.
00:29:24
Speaker
Do you guys ever feel pressured when you're talking to other parents about what they, you know, you know that they're getting their children who are friends with your children? Because I sometimes feel pressure to be like, well, I didn't, I didn't get that. Yeah.
00:29:39
Speaker
is I don't know. I think it's, it's hard. Yeah. I mean, Mike, I don't know that my kids are nest maybe miles now finally this year are at the age where they're like comparing notes with friends, but I don't know. We've always just done this. I mean, it's the same. Like you guys know that we don't do birthday parties for the kids until they're five and 10. Like we've, it's just always been like, that's how we do it in our house.
00:29:58
Speaker
And like, it's, it is what it is. Um, But I think, yeah, I mean, it's the same. It's the same pressure like I was mentioning before. It's like you feel like there has to be this sort of whatever. on chris I'm just keep reminding myself like to like validate it. I'm like, that doesn't make it better. It doesn't make it more magical. like It sucks more when there's all of that stress and chaos in the morning. So like I keep reminding myself like it's going to be like a better – we're gifting ourselves like a farm. There's still a million presents coming in. You know what you mean?
00:30:29
Speaker
– so Yeah, and and social media makes it hard too because like the other day there was some like lip gloss that my girls wear that they're coming out with a holiday edition of it and it's different flavors. And they're like, one's texting it to me and I'm like, we already have the summer flavors that you don't even use. Why would we need the holiday flavors, you know? And then like Starbucks is coming out with some...
00:30:54
Speaker
ah Teddy bear drink thing Did your girls see this Caitlin? Hopefully not And i you know It's just all these things That they're seeing On social media So then like They want them And then One thing I want to say we did But it didn't work Amongst all the cousins We all picked a name out Because there's like 40 cousins You know And last year we didn't even do it because the year before we did it and it was just a way – like it it wasn't needed either. We were just like even doing – rather than buying for 40 cousins, we all bought for like one family. And even that, I said, we don't need to do this anymore. Let's – and we went out to dinner. It's just – I love the dinner thing. I think that's actually a really great idea.
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah. Thank you. We do, ah you know, I'm now thinking, it sounds like none of us have a great answer for not buying our kids too much garbage.
Fostering Gratitude and Meaningful Traditions
00:31:46
Speaker
But as far as trying to create a little bit of gratitude in the mix so it's not just like tearing into it, my kids, we have... They do Secret Santas for each other, and that is usually just a fun... So like the gifts that I will get are the the lunchbox or the boots or whatever, but the gifts that the siblings give each other are just this wonderful little sweet insight into what child number two thinks child number five would be interested, or, yeah, she was telling me the other day that she really wanted this. So that is sort of an opportunity for them to
00:32:23
Speaker
think about the recipient and, you know, put themselves in their shoes. What would, you know, what would Louisa want? Because I think part of gratitude is recognizing that it's not sacrifice, but recognizing what the other person, what thought went into it. And so I love the idea that they have to think about their siblings.
00:32:44
Speaker
We, we didn't do it last year, but one thing we did a couple of years ago, which I'd love to do again, is we went around the neighborhood and we had a little, I think, what did I put in there? Like a thing of hot chocolate or like some, not a candle, probably hot chocolate.
00:33:01
Speaker
And we put them in a little bag and we gave them to houses that we thought had really pretty decorations with the little note that was like, thank you for making your house so pretty for the neighborhood. So that sort of forced them to think about like, these people worked really hard to do this and how nice is it that we get to drive by it every day?
00:33:19
Speaker
and then- on the day of, i think we do what we can to not have it be like chum in the water. So they wake up, they have to wait for a certain time before they can go and see whether Santa came. We still have one or two believers and Santa comes for everyone.
00:33:40
Speaker
And so we have to wait for that. And then, you know, just slowing down the whole process. Like, oh, Arthur, why don't you show us what you got? it just, it forces them to recognize that this is something they've been given. And then we will have like a nice brunch and everyone will help with that. And then we'll move on to presents under the tree. we do Christmas with my in-laws the next day. So that, I do think slowing things down is an interesting way of sort of giving space for gratitude and all the four A's that I've already forgotten, you know, awareness and acknowledgement and all that.
00:34:15
Speaker
I like the idea of slowing down. i would like to – I just like the whole holiday season. So having two December babies is really difficult because we end up having two family parties before we even host Christmas Eve.
00:34:30
Speaker
yeah So everyone's brought gifts to my kids twice already yeah or to one of my children twice already. And so I'm just sitting here thinking, wow, this would be really nice if I – I can't do it now, but maybe when my kids are a little bit older saying, hey, girls, can – You care if we extend your birthday and maybe do it in January? you know, can we can we push this out? Because it is a lot and and I want you to be take a moment to sit there. And like you said, what is the effort that someone went into buying this gift for me? I mean, i have some family members that do very, very thoughtful things.
00:35:07
Speaker
And I, sometimes my children don't even notice what just happened because there's so much going on. Uh, Charlotte, you mentioned the Christmas lights. We've been doing that now for maybe since I think we lived in Georgia, we did it. And I make,
00:35:22
Speaker
I print out a card and it says, thank you, making spirits bright. Thank you so much for, you know, the hard work you put into your home. Love the Houston family. And we, we print it out we glue it to construction paper and we spend, we used to do it one night. Now we do it almost all of December and I keep them in my car.
00:35:41
Speaker
And we just drive around town and drop them in people's mailboxes. And last year, I think, was the first year that people in our community forum started posting, hey, does anyone know who the Houston family is? i got this.
00:35:52
Speaker
Tell them thank you. And so I would share that with my children. And, you know, because a lot of people do do a lot a lot of work to put up stuff outside, but we also do homes that are like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree house. We always because if it's cute and it makes one of us in the car happy then give them little note. That's why need my giant Santa.
00:36:13
Speaker
Yes. You would get like three notes. That's right. I force my kids if I recall to go knock on their door and actually have some face to face contact which is a nice little yes exercise too.
00:36:24
Speaker
I like that. I like that too. yeah The one that's sort of been tricky for us but I thought of Charlotte, when you said that your kids do secret Santa, I love, I mean, obviously we have two that are not old enough to do that yet, but I love that idea. Cause I feel like last year was the first year that it like really entered the chat where it was like, they wanted to buy for each other too.
00:36:45
Speaker
so so we've been trying to think about how to navigate that. I love the idea of the secret Santa when they get older, that they each can just get one sibling. But our thought this year was like that maybe we would take the two older ones they care about buying, like just like to the grocery store and be like, buy some snacks, you know, that the other ones really like, because like, you know, that's, it's like useful. I joked that that's what we did for Opal's birthday, but like it was great. It was like snacks and she ate them.
00:37:09
Speaker
Because otherwise we just, you know, that you take kids into a toy store to buy toys for their sibling. It's just, we're just going end up with stuff that we don't need. so Or if they're too young, stuff that they want. It's like, no, no, no. I think Opal really is going to want like the He-Man doll. Yeah. Like we can't take them into a toy store to buy toys for each other. so I mean, because we even debated, we're like, well, we just take them to like Goodwill and let them pick some. But I'm like, it's still just crap in my house that I don't really want.
00:37:34
Speaker
So that was the thought. Or like, go take them to Old Navy and let them pick out like a sweater for each other or something. yeah age is definitely like my middle daughter. She has a nice group of friends and she will do Secret Santa with her friends, which is sweet because they'll do it a week or two before Christmas and they have like a very strict $10 limit.
00:37:55
Speaker
And, you know, it's usually just like Sour Patch Kids and like some janky lip gloss. Like it's very sweet. And then they just get together and I think they decorated like sugar cookies and hot chocolate. it So that, I think those occasions, obviously when they're little, you can't do, but I think that's a way of appreciating the season. And, you know, when the kids have to do it themselves, they do tap into like what we're going through, you know, they have to learn about the planning and the, all right, like,
00:38:25
Speaker
You need to do of the money. i don't know that I give her the money. So it's like if you don't have it, you need to do a job and earn it and then go get. And then for a while, we would also make. Do you guys make presents with your kids for anyone else in the family?
00:38:40
Speaker
Ailey makes presents on her own. Last year she made – it was either last year or the year before. She took cardboard and made something that everyone – like gifted us all a piece of cardboard that was something that we would like.
00:38:55
Speaker
I mean, yeah, yeah she's my she's my little artsy girl. But I love the idea of making things. Right? I made presents like living in New York City because I didn't have any money. And I remember making presents for every grandmother and aunt. And it was – like that was my love language.
00:39:11
Speaker
And I've tried to do that with my kids. It's easier said than done. And we don't always, I can't always come up with a project that they can all execute that'll be cute and not just stupid. But that that's always something that I'm trying to think of too, is like, how can I get them involved in the gift giving process?
00:39:27
Speaker
Well, like ornaments, you know, we... We haven't done it in a while, but we would make ornaments for family members different ways. um We've done ornaments. Yeah, it's that's an easy one.
00:39:38
Speaker
For Gianna last year, she made frames for everyone. And when I say everyone, it was like everyone. So we went to the dollar store and she wanted to do it. And she's off her electronics and she bought frames and then she put them on the dining room table and she painted one each color for like Joey. It was blue and Joey likes.
00:39:58
Speaker
soccer so she bought little soccer thing so it was like we went to the dollar store and it was like she was so excited about doing it it took her hours where you know and we still have one of the frames up and and you know it's just stuff like that when they really get into it i feel like it's it makes it fun for them yeah we've done bookmarks bracelets How do you like but easy bookmarks? What do you do? i love the idea. my God. My mom is big in the bookmarks, but like you can do, I mean, we have a little laminator, so you need ideally laminator, but I mean, you they could just draw whatever my mom's done them where they've like painted different stuff and then you cut it out and then they kind of collage it.
00:40:38
Speaker
That's always an easy one. And then they can like put their name on it. And then we still, I mean, I feel like we're far enough away from COVID that like, I mean, we cook stuff. So like I'll have my kids help me cook. You know, make fudge or cookies. That's good for like the neighborhood people or teachers.
00:40:52
Speaker
That's a good idea. We did one year and I think I got this idea from a friend where we i had the kids each do a drawing. And I think at the time they literally did a collage of sorts. So there was no pressure.
00:41:05
Speaker
to finish it, they could just do whatever. And then whether it's Shutterfly or like I had it turned into notepads, you know, so you can have the drawing as the header and then it'll be like the Houstons, the Brancifords, the, you know you know what i mean?
00:41:20
Speaker
Or Photos feel a little indulgent, but yeah, you can turn artwork into useful things. Yeah. Yeah. There was company that- Even like little kids, you can cut up their artwork into bookmarks or yeah, make it into a notebook or- Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. the placemats.
00:41:37
Speaker
Have you seen those? yeah That's a good one too. Yeah. That's- Yeah. We did that one year. I mean, not that the grandparents used the placemats. It was just more fun for the kids. But it's sentimental and it teaches them that you don't have to spend a thousand dollars you know thousand You don't have to spend $50 on something. You don't have to spend $20. You can make something. and I just wrote all of this down. I cannot wait to tell my kids.
00:42:00
Speaker
We are making gifts this year. yeah I know. That's a big one. I feel like I'm trying to bring back. like I was thinking about teacher gifts and just like all the little odds and ends people that we have. and you know Those like little extras.
00:42:11
Speaker
like It's like you think of all the people and then you end up with all these – And I feel like in the past, I've always just like, I mean, if it sounds like I just like throw money on it. i'm like, here's a gift card. Here's a gift card, which is fine. But I'm like, maybe I can do like, it's like I do a smaller gift card. And then like, can I just like make something or do something with it? Because like, at the end of the day, feel like most people, especially like, I always think about like teachers or people who are like doing something for you, like providing a service of some kind.
00:42:36
Speaker
Like they just want to feel appreciated. You know what I mean? we made bread one year for teachers and I think giving baked items to teachers I get it it's always a risk I feel like having been a teacher yeah i didn't care I ate it all I mean but you know who you're dealing with but for the most part I was like this has all been cooked whatever and so I had my kids make little bread and then I put it with a nice like fancy jam so it's like if you pitch the bread you still have the jam it's like win-win and they can see that the child
00:43:09
Speaker
The kid was involved. And so for me, you know, Christmas can be so frenetic and it's easy to do everything on our own. So any chance that I can include my kids is kind of, I don't know. That's that's one of the methods to my madness is just get them involved whenever I can.
00:43:28
Speaker
think I'm going to make granola this year. That's a good idea. Because those poor teachers, including you back in the day, Charlotte, they don't need another mug or candles. No, No. I mean, I got ornaments that I still set up, but like even ornaments, it's like we can't get them all on our tree, guys.
00:43:45
Speaker
yeah My friend has a student. ah She teaches STEM class, so she's had this child for a couple years because she will have this child until they're out of eighth grade, K through eight. And every year the child's mother makes a salt scrub in a little mason jar. That's so easy. and yeah there And every year it's a different scent, different flavor. And she does nails on the side. So she'll always be like, you know, guess what kind I got this year. And it smells so good and it works so well. And they're super easy to make. So that's. yeah So it's literally salt, like a good olive oil and or a great seed oil. It's yeah stupid it easy and some essential oil.
00:44:24
Speaker
Exactly. Okay, I did find a couple of stats, not that anyone needs convincing that like gratitude is important, but I thought of you, Caitlin, specifically for this first one, because aren't you, you do the journaling, right?
00:44:36
Speaker
Yeah. Well, I haven't in a long time, but I was a solid streak of about six months. And Callie, I feel like you're good for a journal. I have never been great at it, but this says regular gratitude journaling, which in my mind is just the act of thinking about something each day that has made you feel grateful.
00:44:52
Speaker
It's shown to result in 5% to 15% increase in optimism, which is not a ton, but I'll take it. And then 25% increased sleep quality. All right. Just thinking of one thing you're grateful for, like, why not? There's no downside.
00:45:07
Speaker
And then over 90% of American teens and adults indicated that expressing gratitude make them extremely happy or somewhat happy. Again, that feels like Captain Obvious, but I think we sometimes forget that it's like the easiest way to feel good about yeah life.
00:45:23
Speaker
Yeah. and To be grateful. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Let's move into pits and peaks. Megan, do you have a pit or a peak? I have a peak. We got rid of Gianna's kind of babyish desk and she got a vanity for her birthday and we cleared a lot of stuff out of her room now that she's a teenager. Yeah.
00:45:44
Speaker
And she said to me that, mom, now that my room feels more clean, like it motivates me. So she's been making her bed in the morning and like she been folding her clothes and putting it back. We'll see how long this all lasts, but I'm going to roll with it. So that was my, my peak.
00:46:02
Speaker
What is yours, Callie?
Adopting and Caring for a 20-Year-Old Tortoise
00:46:04
Speaker
I have a pit. So we, i don't know if I told you guys this. so over the summer we got a pet tortoise. I did know about this. No. Okay, so his name is Vern.
00:46:15
Speaker
We spent six months learning about tortoises, and we decided this was the pet for our family. Yes, he is going to live until he's like 90. We got a tortoise that's 20 years old already, adopted him from a family that this is pretty typical because they live so long that typically they will change hands, maybe two families or two or three families.
00:46:35
Speaker
So he's a Russian tortoise. So not one of the huge ones. He's about this big. And we got him and it was, everything was great at first. They're very funny. They're sort of like finicky and they're very particular.
00:46:48
Speaker
And so we were told to expect about a month for him to like fully adjust to being in the new place. And that seemed like he was doing. And then all of a sudden he just like stopped coming out and stopped eating. so then we're like, we kind of know about it already. Cause I forced the kids to like learn about And of course now I've become a tortoise expert.
00:47:03
Speaker
So we, We have learned that he's probably, we think he's self hibernating because this kind of tortoise, if the environment indicates that he should hibernate, he will, but nothing about the environment we've created for him says that he should hibernate.
00:47:16
Speaker
So then we've started doing all of these things that you're supposed to do if your tortoise is self hibernating to make him not so we're giving him warm water baths and we've adjusted the lights and he's still not coming out. So I finally have to take him to the, it's been long enough. I'm like, I need to take him to the vet. Something might be wrong.
00:47:31
Speaker
So we take him to the vet and they think he has an upper respiratory infection. this crisis So now in case you're wondering, how you give antibiotics to a tortoise? It's got to be up the butt.
00:47:43
Speaker
Nope. It's through a shot. So now I've had to learn. I don't even know where his butt is behind his tail, I guess. um I've had to learn how to give shots to a tortoise. add that to the list of things I didn't think I'd need to learn in parenthood.
00:47:57
Speaker
and you have no the Five children. You have five children. Five children. yes six Plus Olive. all of this I know. What's Olive think of the tortoise? Olive is not allowed to – she's actually a few times seen it. and she We have them in a raised thing. It's sort of like – think of like a raised planter. It's this big – they're called tortoise stables.
00:48:17
Speaker
So she can't see them, luckily. Otherwise, she'd probably go crazy for bird. You might have to break your social media or your, ti I don't know how you could find this. There's a tortoise I follow on TikTok and I think it's called like tiptoe the tortoise and it's a giant one.
00:48:33
Speaker
Oh no, he's, they live in California. So the tortoise is like habitat is the backyard. yeah And it's all about what they feed the tortoise. They had to evacuate with the fires. yeah so it was like how to get the tortoise into the truck and they go for walks around the neighborhood. i mean, it's I get it.
00:48:48
Speaker
yeah Wait, are they like me you watch this? Yeah. I mean, the kids are they like humans? They they have emotions. No, they're just sort of funny. Like they're very finicky. And then I ended up speaking to this woman one time about tortoises and she's like, oh yeah, my best friend's mom has tortoises.
00:49:04
Speaker
She's like, and they're very, they each have their own little, they do have their own little person. I wouldn't say there is like much of a personality, personality as like a dog or a cat necessarily, but like they each have their own little things that they think and they care about. You know what i mean? Like they're sort of particular. Yeah. So probably some kind of tortoise.
00:49:22
Speaker
Yeah. No, Vern is not big like that. But does Vern have more personality than Olive? Probably yes. Wow. Because Olive has none.
00:49:33
Speaker
Not hard to beat. Wow, Kelly. Where have you been hiding this tour? Vern is sick and I have to give him shots. Can he come on and the next episode, please? Huh? I would love to see him. Oh yeah, I can bring him out.
00:49:44
Speaker
How did you find a vet for this thing? Bring him out and he like sticks his little, I have to wake him up out of his self hibernating and he like, he's like, oh, oh, is it time to get up? I'm like, Vern, get out of the thing.
00:49:57
Speaker
So and's very funny. Yeah, you have to go to an exotic vet. and Turtles are not allowed. You can't sell turtles in Connecticut. i feel So turtles must be different because I know that our Petco, yeah there's a bunch of turtles in Connecticut.
00:50:10
Speaker
in a tank and there's always a sign that's like Connecticut law we're not allowed to sell and it's like so like why do why do you have them here there is a lot of weird rules i think tortoises are somewhat similar there's a lot of weird rules about ah some people like get them from the wild and you're not supposed to do that you're only supposed to have like captive braised tortoise blah blah blah and like I said we were we originally were gonna get one that was like a few years old because if you get them as tiny babies that's like a lot of work you have to like manage their humidity so much more closer and all of this whatever And then because they live, the breed that we have typically lives 60 to 80 years.
00:50:44
Speaker
We're like, let's get one that's like, you know, like past, but you can't just like get it from Joe Schmo because you don't know where he got his tortoise from. So we went through a tortoise sanctuary is what we did where like something, like adopting a dog, right? Yeah. um But yeah, there are weird rules around it. And they say like, you should never buy a tortoise from a pet store because you just can't trust like the quality of how they were raised.
00:51:08
Speaker
I've talked about John John Occoquan on the podcast, haven't I? No. no So the Occoquan River is a nearby where I grew up in Virginia. Maybe a lake. I don't know. We went there fishing once. I must have been six or seven or eight or whatever. I was not whatever.
00:51:24
Speaker
So we found a box turtle and my parents... I'm sure I was like, can we keep it? And my parents were like, sure, bet. Why not? And so we drove home an hour with this box turtle.
00:51:36
Speaker
We named John John Occoquan and put him in our little tiny backyard, which was the size of my dining room. And this turtle, bless his heart, I think for three or four years, it would just dig a hole somewhere in the corner of our yard and then we'd wait for it. why don't We didn't do anything. But can you imagine being like, sure, let's bring it home, kids. Yeah.
00:51:56
Speaker
That was our trip. was telling a story the other day because this woman was telling me she went to a medieval fair. And I was like, I remember going to a medieval fair in eighth grade, an eighth grade field trip. And I came home with a lizard.
00:52:07
Speaker
I'm like, who let me do that? How about the goldfish? Yeah. We ended up with the goldfish and they were like, you're going to need a 20 pound tank for this carnival goldfish. Oh, yeah. They were right. the worst. Yeah.
00:52:18
Speaker
It lasted four years. By the time I went to flush it, I was like, this is going to clog the toilet. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, God. Who have I – who's next? Caitlin, have we done I have a peek.
00:52:29
Speaker
um I confirmed with my roommate that I'm allowed to go do this.
Moms' Getaway for Gift Wrapping
00:52:35
Speaker
Have you seen where moms can – like, it's like we had the best idea ever. We got our hotel room and we wrapped all our gifts and then had a sleepover.
00:52:45
Speaker
oh yes. Okay. So our friend – one of my friends in our, like, dance mom circle got us ah the penthouse at the casino. And we are all going in a couple weeks to wrap Christmas presents. Oh, that's cute.
00:53:02
Speaker
um And have a sleepover. Oh, that's fun. That's so fun. I'm very excited. I love that. You too. Yeah. That means you have to get all your shopping done in a few weeks. have to bring all the presents. So that's what I always think about that. i'm like, you're lugging it all up to the hotel. So i well, because I do keep our gifts usually very organized, but that will force me to get things done before.
00:53:24
Speaker
And it's going to help me because I also have to wrap my in-laws gifts that they send here for my children. So I need to, yeah, I need to get this out of the way.
00:53:34
Speaker
What I always do for birthday parties too, Caitlin, bring like an empty, well, fill it. Suitcase. Suitcase with all this stuff. Like I do that at the birthday parties too. So then at the end, you put the gifts and whatever the heck is laying around, left sweatshirts, whatever, and throw it all in there. And then you can wheel it out rather than like carrying 40 million things. I have this and envisioned in my head.
00:53:56
Speaker
You got it down. I'm pumped. What is yours, Megan? Megan. Oh, already did mine. did have the vanity. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Sorry. Yeah. I know. We got involved with the tortoise challenge. I know. Sorry. That was exciting. I knew that one was going to go I'm happy about Vern.
00:54:10
Speaker
Mine – well, mine was a peek finding that apparently viral Santa. This is such good news. Yeah. So now I'm going to pivot and give a pit because it's just, I don't know, it's a stupid one. But I just, you know, when you, there's no way that you would have known something, but you feel stupid that you didn't know it. And it's anyway, all my son wants for his room are motorized blackout shades.
00:54:32
Speaker
And I found a company that was doing a thing and i partnered with them. And when you're doing shades, you know, you can have them, they can roll out or they can roll in So typically I always do my shades rolling out because I don't want to see the like backside of the roller wheel. Yeah. You know what I mean?
00:54:52
Speaker
yeah And so I didn't even think about it and I just had the shades. It's like picture a roll of toilet paper. You can either have the paper going over or under. So when I'm doing blinds, I always have it going over because I don't want to see...
00:55:04
Speaker
The back. The roll. The roll. And so I just did that for these, but because, i don't know if it's because they're remote, whatever, they they stick out from, and our windowsills are kind of narrow.
00:55:16
Speaker
Point is, they stick out. like longer than I expected. And so there's a little crack of light around either side because they come away from the window. The room is plenty dark and like little Pookie doesn't need it to be like black, but this is also the child who puts like post-it notes on the letters of his window air conditioning unit because like the, the lights bother. Yeah. And I yeah and i like I'm even thinking about like deconstructing the whole thing and like putting them back on the other way. But I also am like, I need to let it go.
00:55:51
Speaker
There was no way you would have known, but it's like, but I feel like I was so close. Oh, but that's. I remember that when we got shades and blinds here, Charlotte too, when they come to measure. Cause it's like that little, little, little, right?
00:56:06
Speaker
Yeah. I just didn't. I mean, i told him, I was like, buddy, I've never ordered from this company. I didn't know. And he's very cute. He's like, that's fine. That's fine. That's fine. But I'm like, oh, if only I'd known.
00:56:18
Speaker
Anyway, so that's, we did it. We did it. Yay. i think this is airing. Is this airing right before Thanksgiving? Yes. Well, I hope you guys have a great Thanksgiving, everyone.
00:56:31
Speaker
You already have. You're probably listening to this while you're Black Friday shopping. and Yeah. Don't get too much. Gratitude. Gratitude. i Remember the four A's. Remember the four A's.
00:56:42
Speaker
All right, guys. Well, thanks for joining us. Leave us a comment, rate, and review. We appreciate We are grateful that you guys are all listening. Thank you. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Bye.