Today I took the kids out for a walk thinking the temperature didn’t look too bad. I optimistically took my camera, thinking I’d snap some shots. I took very few because it was deceptively cold out. The base temperature wasn’t bad but I had forgotten to take good old Canadian wind chills into consideration and the wind made it so that we took a brisk (brisk = “come on Hayley, walk faster… no, faster! Okay, let’s race to that mailbox!”) stroll around the block and that was it.

I did catch the above though, of a fairly large inflatable Santa on an equally large inflatable polar bear. I can never decide whether these things are funny, normal, or gaudy. I have to get a picture of the house near George’s parents where the owners have a ginormous inflatable Santa, bear, and rotating carousel, all of them fully lit up. It’s a little frightening, really.

I also managed a picture of Hayley and Ernie. Ernie comes everywhere with us.

Breanna sang in her “ahhhhh laahhh” way, and didn’t seem to mind the cold until we turned the last corner and had the wind coming straight at us. Then she started saying “oh! ooh!” in a rather unimpressed way, and I think she was happy to come inside. I didn’t get any pictures of her outside at all, but after I took her coat off, I did take a shot of her in the Best Hat Ever. I love it because it’s cute and also because the velcro means she can’t rip it off like every other hat I’ve tried.

*******

I’ve always known that I had a gene that makes me an incredible sap, crying over all kinds of lame things, but tonight I think I reached an all-time low. I watched “Elf” for the first time because it was playing on CBS. It was great, and I loved it. And I cried during the last ten minutes.

What the HELL is wrong with me?!

*******

There’s a commercial that has aired a few times over the holiday season so far and I can not for the life of me remember what it’s for. I’m pretty sure it’s for some big store chain and a sale they’re having. All I know is that it shows a family opening gifts and then the husband opens his and it’s a digital camera. He’s insanely excited about it and starts taking pictures right away.

Then he takes pictures of the food. And his wife clearing plates for the dishwasher. And his kid sitting around looking bored. And his wife while she takes a shower.

After we saw it, George looked at me and said, “that’s you.”

It’s sadly accurate.

*******

Tomorrow we’re taking the kids to see Santa and then we’ll drop them off with George’s parents because I want to go to pick up Hayley’s big ticket gift from Santa because if they happen to all sell out we will honestly have to go to every damn Walfart in the entire city until we find it. We’re going to get her this vanity. At first I thought it was a bit overkill since we were looking for a plain one with pretend styling tools, but considering how much she loves to sing, I think it will be a big hit.

Please think good thoughts as I try to fight my way through the crowds of other freaked out mothers looking for THE perfect gift. Yeesh.