Thanksgingukkah 2013

Can you believe it's November?!?  And Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away?!?  For us Jews, November is even more eventful this year because for the first time ever (!) the first day of Hanukkah happens to be Thanksgiving.  Supposedly, it won't happen again for another 70,000 years, so I guess it's a pretty big deal.  But really for us, that just means we need to get our shop on super early this year...uh!
To help get me on track, I came up with the boys' wish lists this weekend.

You may notice that Colton's super hero obsession carries over to his toys in the bat cave (which even I must admit looks pretty darn cool!) and the super hero figures.  Luckily, he's played with both at friends' houses during play dates...and we know they're winners in his world.  Actually the same can be said about the electronic keyboard and Hungry Hippos game.  As for the bike, I think it's about time he graduates from his tricycle to a big boy bike.  For a long time, Josh and I were sold on the balance bikes that are so popular right now, but friends (and secondhand advice from professionals) have since talked us out of them.  

Levi's list is also highly influenced by what he gravitates towards at play dates.  I am most excited by the Melissa and Doug Band in a Box (my boy loves to make some music...or noise more appropriately) and the shopping cart.  Levi has always loved to collect things and push them around, so the shopping cart is a perfect fit for him.  I'm pretty sure it was on his list last year, but we didn't get it, so this year I'm insistent on it!  There's also a standing car ramp and pounding bench on there.  Oh, and of course, there's a tricycle.  Colton isn't very good about sharing his with his little brother, so it's about time he gets his own.

We also tend to get the boys a couple things to share (usually more for Christmas, but I was making one holiday list so I put it on!).  I tried to tell Josh last year that our boys love playing with kitchens, but he didn't buy it.  Well, after another year of both boys flocking towards a play kitchen at various play dates, I am 1000% convinced we need one in our house.  In fact, I have never seen Levi play so independently for so long than when he was playing with a kitchen a few weeks back! As for the walkie talkies, I've never actually seen the boys play with them or anything, but I'm thinking they would enjoy them!

Of course, as soon as I completed the list, the holiday sales ads arrived with our Sunday paper...and I realized there were other items I could have/should have included (namely a Big Hugs Elmo for Levi and a Zoomer Robot dog for Colton), but I'm sure these boys, who clearly already have way more than they ever need, will be fin!

 If you've done the math, you've probably realized that with eight nights of Hanukkah + plus Christmas + Levi's birthday (which is January 4th), we actually have quite a few more items to purchase, but honestly we usually keep Hanukkah really small, so hopefully I'll find some good stuff to pick up while I'm out shopping...which I guess I need to start doing!  Guess you know where you'll find me while the boys are in school for the next few weeks!