Christmas list

This morning I asked the kids what they want for Christmas. It came about because we watched part of the the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the PC this morning. As a consequence of that, the kiddos saw about 30 commercials (did you know that the average US child will see some 40,000 commercials in a year?). Which made Stephen and I curious--what kinds of things did our kids want for Christmas?

Mason: A laser, a sensor, a circuit board with holes and all the little circuit chips that go on the circuit board. And a soldering iron and some soldering wire and a transformer.

Stephen: What is a transformer?

Mason: With electricity, it actually makes more or less electricity. It's programmed. And I want a plug-in--the pokey part, and the part that you plug it in. And a motor. And I want a microphone.

Me: Why?

Mason: Because I want to hook it up all by myself and I can sing in it. Ah-ah-ah-ah. And the part that a battery can go in--the 9-volt connection thing. And the part that the negative side and the positive side go in. And the connection part between the drill battery and the drill. I also want my own drill. And a connection to a car battery, so I can use that much power. I was thinking a treble gear.

Me: What's that?

Mason: If the treble gear is going fast, it makes a different gear go slow. And a different kind of gear, like this. (He gestures with his hands and explains some other type of gear)

Elise: I want 2,000 books. I want a sister. And more Polly Pockets and pop beads. I want my own phone.

Me: Why?

Elise: Because then I can call people...maybe...if Mom lets me. I want to know Mom's password on her computer. That's all.

Sammy: I want my own real froggy. And I also want my own sled with little persons for Christmas. Little persons to go in the sled.

And there you have it.