Mucho Dinero

As Christmas approaches, so does the thought of all the money I'm going to have to spend. We buy for immediate family only but it adds up. Here's a list.

1. Mom and Mike
2. Jill (sister) and Jeremy
3. Mandi (sister)
4. Kaelynn (niece)
5. Madison (niece)
6. Jaden (nephew)
7. Austin (nephew)
8. Dad and Karen
9. Tony and Debbie (Dave's parents)
10. Gma and Gpa Hoefer
11. Gma Griego
12. Damien
13. Dominic
14. Alexzandra

We usually do $10 for my sister's kids, $75 on the parents, $30 on my sisters, and $20 on grandparents. The biggest expense is the kids. Before Dominic came along, we'd spend $300 on Alexzandra but then it went to about $200 a kid and well now, since Damien is here. I'm thinking maybe $100-150 a kid. Does that sound like enough? I've been scouring ads and the internet and some of the prices are insane for the hot toy items this year. I'm hoping Amazon won't fail me this year as I usually buy from them for Christmas. Some of the items the kids are wanting need to be bought soon because they are the hot ticket items this year that EVERY kiddo is going to want. I've learned my lesson on waiting several times.....don't do it. Once a store is out, you usually will never see it again till after Christmas.

Here's a list of toys my kids just HAVE TO HAVE.

• My Little Pony-Baby Pony
• Dora Dance Doll
• Dora Talking House
• Furby
• Shake and Race Racetrack
• Pirate Matchbox Car deal
• Geotrax Train set
• Tumbletime Tigger

The list goes on and on but these are the main ones. I wonder what else will be hot this Christmas? Anyone have a toddler or preschooler hopping around saying "I want that for Christmas?" All I know is I want the kids to be happy but I hate to go completely broke! The grandparents buy so much but I wish I could get it through their heads to buy 1 big ticket item and not 500 things that are small. I also ask them to consider educational toys as well. I love the Leap Frog brand so that's one item I always tell them along with pajamas.