My Kids are Awesome!

I remember when I was pregnant with both the boys that people thought they would get the short end of the stick when it came to gift give (both were due at the end of December and my first child was 10 days late).

I've always heard about doing a 'charity' birthday but often wondered what kind of people really do that. Well, now we have done it and it was fun! The kids loved it!

For Carson's third birthday we only invited close family and friends and told them NO GIFTS. They were asked to bring spare change and that would start to make a "Mile of Change" for the 2011 March for Babies.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARSON!!!

Our kids have so many toys that they could gift a small nation and likely still have enough to play with!! I have come to understand that all that matters to them is fun and family. It's amazing how much of the expectations of birthday parties is what the adults want and doesn't take into consideration what the kids enjoy or look forward to. My kids look forward to having people over for a meal and a cake...that's it, pretty simple.


After supper we sat on the floor and placed rows five feet in length of various coins. We ended up with 150 feet of change!! The kids enjoyed the start of the project and soon were off playing other games while the parents and older kids finished the task.

Carson starting the line!

When all was said and done, the 150 feet of mixed change was equal to 717.25 feet of pennies which equaled $114.76. Not bad for a three year old's birthday party!

The adults finishing the task!

THE MASTERMINDS AND THE MONEY!

After the last guests left, there was no mess of wrapping paper to clean up, there were only a few new toys (grandma's just can't be stopped!!) and everybody was happy.

The very next day, Kevin was talking about the evening and said, "Mom, do you think I can do that for MY birthday too?" Of course we can, and we will.

So now I know what type of people have these giving events...WE ARE, I AM.

Next week I will talk to my kids about giving gifts to children who aren't as lucky as we are. Maybe children who have to spend Christmas at the Ronald McDonald house because they have a sick sibling, or something to that effect. Something that my kids will take to heart.

Tomorrow, as the smells of Thanksgiving fill my house we will randomly shout out thankful thoughts. We will be thankful for a year that has been something better than we could have ever imagined, we will eat and be merry.

On Friday, I will wake in the middle of the night like a child trying not to scare Santa...and sneak off to grab some great deals.