hula hoops and hampster wheels

Confession: My sister and I met up with my Grandma friday afternoon. At the end of lunch she loaded my car with christmas presents.

My original thought: Well, this is odd, there are wrapped packages -- normally she only did wrapped packages for my dad and us kids and my mom got random presents in assorted gift bags. Mostly crap - she's old now and doesn't know what us 20 somethings are into and hasn't considered the notion that gift cards and cash are sufficent.

Now I don't mean to sound greedy or anthing like that - but she has enough money where she could be a little better in the gift giving arena. But most of the time she gets us trinkets and a hundred dollars or so in spending money. Anyways -- my point is it really doesn't matter what the gift is - it's the thought put into it.

And frankly - my poor brother was the on the short end of the stick when it came to receiving a thoughtful gift.


Anyways -- so we get and home and open our christmas presents - because we know they will be funny or amusingly tacky and it's really not worth the suspense.

Me and my sister received identical gifts as usual: A box of humingbird stationary, an artifical candel that can not be lit and a operates on batteries and some post it notes with cats on them. and the cash department was lower than standard 100. Oh well. I'm over it. My sister is a little bummed out.

But my brother -- he received a tie organizer. That'll be OH SO useful since he has a total of 2 ties. 1 of which was just aquired this weekend for a wedding, and one is clip on from his first communion back in 1993.

The fun doesn't stop here... He also received a large book about the history of american autos. Now, if my brother cared anything about cars this might be appropriate. But, she tried, maybe, I remember the one year he got penut brittle for a present.

But the kicker is the following: Now, It might be me but the present pictured below just doesn't scream 24 year old grandson does it? I think there might have been some good deals at Mills Fleet Farm or quite possibly Walgreens:



SO LIFE LIKE...YOU'LL THINK HE'S REAL

Watch the smiles as this realistic turtle starts his slow walk, and sings to the music as he goes. Even his head and mouth move as he croons, "You gotta slow down, you move too fast". Takes 3 AA batteries available everywhere.

IF you're interested in this annoying turtle check this out:
http://www.dreamproductscatalog.com/details.cfm?item=11245
photo and details courtesy of the aforementioned website.