Christmas vanity

Ok, I'll be the first to admit, I'm super into santa claus and presents and everything.  Every year we try to emphasize to our kids that that's not what it's about and daily we remind them what it is about, but the excitement of the season sucks me in.  Until today, when i read this:

http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/29/the-christmas-conundrum

Now I want to go return all of their gifts and throw away all of our Santa's around the house.  
I'm glad I read it today though.
Today is the first day I've had a kid home from school sick in, I don't know how long
Today is the first day of who knows how many that the Mulders are completely carless. (we sold our little car thinking we had another one lined up, ugh)
Today is the 2nd day that I've been so concerned about my weight gain....dr.'s appt on tuesday freaked me out, but really, I'm only a few lbs ahead of last pregnancy this time, and less than the previous 3.
Today  we woke up with no fruit, no eggs, no milk, no anything.
Today is the day I realized, I'm so so lucky to have an amazing, hard working, faithful husband.  4 super incredibly awesome, healthy, fun kids, a healthy semi easy pregnancy which will bring another sweet little girl, a house, food in the pantry, the cooshiest bed ever and completely awesome sisters and friends that have offered cars galore in the last 24 hours.  Even ones that don't really have one to spare.  I'm making us go w/o because I hate using something so big of someone's during the holiday season, and it's forcing us to spend a lot of time together, and go longer w/o groceries.  I've gone a week already for other reasons, and was planning on today being my grocery shopping day, but alas, pushed back. A lot of lessons will be learned today, I hope they stick. I hope I can eternally be more grateful for all that I've had and have and will have.   I'm holding what might possibly be the world's most hilarious, awesome, cuddly, ok, I'm putting it in there, smartest (yea, he still doesn't talk, but you should see how fast he can whip these puzzles together) cutest baby.

Anyway, thought I should post things I'm grateful for in a time when I would usually be so ungrateful.   And yea, I probably won't sell the kid's toys the week before Christmas (no way of delivering them anyway.  haha) but I will put more thought into the season and talking with the kids, and definitely into next year's Christmas.