Monday, November 26, 2012

Christmas...Conquering the Fiscal Cliff

Who would'a thunk that having our ninth kid would've made my world crazy?  I really apologize for not blogging lately.  It's been hectic to say the least.

So as we look at the calender and the sights around town, we see that Christmas is fast approaching.  Did you break the bank on Black Friday, Cyber Monday or like our priest called Thanksgiving Day or "Blood Thirsty Thursday"? 

Not me...crowds aren't my thing.

I would love however, to talk about Small Business Saturday.  I know, I know, it's come and gone, but we can treat the whole month this way by spending our money locally. 

For the hard to buy for, pick up a gift card from Steele's Service or one of the many gas stations in Canby.  Each year when Gate City Store gets their chocolate covered peanuts in, I'm right there.  They make a great gift...after all, who doesn't like them? Not only that, but they really have some good deals here and there.  Back before we raised our own pigs, we used to buy all our bacon from Rob's locker.  He has the best bacon.

Then there's Canby.  Many business' come to mind.  Paper Moon (the best wrapping paper), Mobergs Meats (best brats!) Rhonda's Originals, Cenex (who wouldn't love a gift card for gas?) etc. The most fun that I have with the kids each year, is when I take them Christmas shopping at Canby Drug.  Before we go, I sit each of them down and we talk about a budget and what each child would like to get each of their siblings. 

They have a budget:

$1.50 per person.

That's right.  The older kids have to PUT IN $1.50 to match my $1.50 for each sibling.  It seems when they have to shell out a little green, more thought and caring go into it. 

So as I sat down with Rachel, we talked about Cody. 

"I bet Cody would love gum or a new mechanical pencil" I said to her as she wrote a future purchase very carefully for each child.
"Or I could buy him a new laptop" She said matter-a-factly and not looking up from her paper.

Something tells me she's sailing down the fiscal cliff like a bat outta Haiti!
Sincerely,
"Furiously laying down the law for when Levi suggests getting Dad a new tractor"
Fairchild Farmgirl.