For those of you who were concerned about Grandpa holding down the Fort Christmas Eve Day, I'm pleased to announce that the Bribe worked!!! *Winks* Yes, we were able to have our 'Stocking Party' when I got Home from Work and hand out the Christmas Stockings early because the G-Kids behaved for him in anticipation for their Reward!
You may notice that we don't use the Display Stockings for stuffing... there is a reason for that... these G-kids are hard on Stockings & I figured 100 year old Burlap had already taken enough of a beating! *winks* And I wasn't up to wading through Christmas Storage looking for my large Christmas Stocking Collection. Remember, this was the Christmas I improvised and nothing came out of Storage! And they're just as content with Dollar Store Stockings that they can drag around for as long as they'll last... which I suspect won't be long! *LOL*
The added Bonus to Good Behavior was the Special Big Gift to them both that they could have Christmas Eve to take the edge off waiting to open the rest... a Miniature Billiard Game Set... which has a Story behind it actually. I purchased this in 2003... that's right, Prince R was only 3 years old & Princess T wasn't even conceived when I 'scored' this for a mere $8, marked down from $30! And being the extreme Junquer that I am I couldn't resist a well made Toy {it's wood} at such a deep discount... Custodial G-Parents have to be resourceful to stretch the budget of raising Kids in Retirement. I knew one day he'd eventually be old enough to receive it... and then as usual at this Season of Life... I promptly forgot all about it until now! *LOL* I like to think it was a perfectly timed memory lapse for such a time as this... when I needed a good Bribe for not just the one, but two G-Kids we'd be raising now!? *Smiles*
They had even cleaned their room! *Gasp!!! Shocked look of disbelief!*... Yes, that's right, this is their room CLEANED, or at least their version of a 'cleaned' room... sad but True... but you should have seen it BEFORE! *I try not to, I shut the door so I don't have to in fact. LOL* That's another thing about this Season of Life and raising Kids... you choose your battles wisely and don't sweat the small stuff... and it's ALL small stuff in the grand scheme of things. *Winks* I could see some floor and so that was good enough for me & they've obviously become quite adept at building massive Toy Mountains and somehow balancing it all... I may send them off to join Cirque du Soliel.
Prince R was supposed to be teaching his Lil Sis how to play Pool since she's only barely 6... little did he know she's already a Hustler and Ringer... she cleaned his clock in the first Game like a Pro... she's probably been intently watching Billiard Tournaments on the Discovery Channel. The ante was that now he has to play Barbies with her... *winks* But at least for a brief time, there is no Trouble in Paradise and there's Peace in the Valley...
Which gives me the chance to work on Burlap Stocking #4...
Which is almost complete so it will be ready before Christmas...
The Cuff is all that is left to stitch...
Merry Christmas my Friends... may there be Peace in your Valley as well...
Dawn... The Bohemian