Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. And Regift

I've been thinking about Christmas lately. Don't know why. But when I start thinking about Christmas I start thinking about gifts.  

Gifts are expensive. Especially when your son is helk-bent on getting an iTouch. You get me? All of his friends have an iTouch. He haves not an iTouch.

When I was a kid it was a stereo that I haved not. And a waterbed. But I weathered it. 

I bet it was hard for my mom to watch me weather it. 

Christmas can be really hard for the have nots. But it can be really great too. Those of you who have read my Sharing Christmas article in the New Era may think that was my favorite Christmas, but it wasn't my most memorable. My most memorable was the year all my brothers and sister wrapped up our favorite stuff and exchanged it.  My Rock Star brother Dan, gave me his favorite pair of Guess jeans--the pair I always borrowed with or without his permission. My apostate brother Stephen gave me his favorite red sweater--the one I always borrowed for or against his will. 

We were the original re-gifters, my famdamily. 

The cutest was my youngest brother Scott, who was maybe seven years old at the time. He went to 7-11 and bought us each something from the 10 cent damaged items table and wrapped each gift himself. I'll never, never, never forget how his eyes lit up when my mom opened her box of o.b. tampons. And how confused he became when we all busted a gut laughing out loud.  

I've been sitting here for hours trying to think of the perfect gift to re-give my hub. I finally decided on a book. The book I gave him last year. He hasn't read it yet so I don't think he'll mind.   

Jack Johnson would be proud, right?

I learned this regifting trick from his parents. They were known to grab toys from the closet, wrap them up and stick them under the tree for their kids.  In between the new socks and underwear.  

Not a bad strategy if you think about it. 

So my mom came over today and we made five magic blankets. And then we delivered three blankets to three little boys, Nik, Nate and Noah, who have a very sick daddy.  

You wanna see?

 I have a special place in my heart for little kids with sick daddies.  

Lulu came too because I thought it would be good for her to practice being a magic dog, but she was a very bad dog. BAD, BAD dog! I had to chase her around a life-sized nativity, through two yards, down 5 steps and over one electric fence. The magic is in there somewhere, I can see it, but she hasn't quite learned to channel it.  

(Okay, I added the electric fence for dramatic effect.)

The sick daddy's name is Clint Jepperson and he's been diagnosed with Leukemia. FYI, it's hard to support your family when you're sick. You feel cruddy. Plus being at the hospital is your full time job. I know this first hand, hence the favorite-things re-gift exchange. When my daddy was sick many kind people stepped up and helped out. Now Clint's friends and family are stepping up and helping out. They have started a Friends 4 Clint fund. 

You can click on that link if you're super rich and want to donate. Even if you're not super rich you can click on that link and donate. I haven't donated yet, but I will. And if I win that SAM-e job I will donate generously. 

What a cool thought.  

But fer reals, there must be someone out there right now who is just looking for somewhere to donate $$$ to something besides Friends of Scouting.

I received this email from Clint's wife, Amy, after we dropped off the blankets:

Thank you so much! The boys are loving the blankets. I haven't seen them that excited for a long time! It really is an amazing thing that you did for them. And they thought it was cool that twins gave them the blankets:) I really don't know what we ever did to deserve such kindness. 

Okay, can I just say something here? You don't need to do anything to deserve kindness. You just need to need kindness. That's all. It's simple. Three little boys with a sick daddy . . . 

Enuff said! 

So peeps, I'm about to have a John Mayer moment. I need to say what I need to say.  

I believe in Santa Claus, despite what the 6th grade teachers say. And I believe in magic too. And finally I believe in St. George.  

I'm off to St. George for a b-ball tourney.  This is the last post you'll see from me until I find out whether or not I'm the next Good Mood Blogger. 

So cross your fingers and hold your breath until I come back, okay?

P.S. Marie won the scrapbook pages. CONGRATS Marie!

P.S.S. Even though I won't be posting here for the next few dayz, I will be posting on my Magic Quilt blog TOMORROW! (Which is actually TODAY for you.) Kritta finished another quilt and I want you to see it. Plus I want to teach you to make magic blankets. Plus I want to tell you about some coupon commotion going on over at JoAnn Fabrics this week.