Book Blogger Holiday Swap – Package Arrived

“Happy Day After Boxing Day” everyone!  I took a brief little break over the Christmas weekend to enjoy the company of family and to read a few books *happy dance* !!

In the hustle and bustle leading up to the arrival of Santa (which was HUGE in our house this year), I had forgotten about the Holiday Swap.  We went to the post office one more time on Christmas Eve praying for a few outstanding gifts and found the motherload.  It seems that Canada Post decided we could have all the packages all at once!  With fingers crossed, I looked through everything and it seemed that there was an unexpected package from an address that I didn’t recognize.  Not to worry, we needed to get the almost manic 7 year old home and get ready for Christmas eve dinner at my sister-in-law’s.  Everything got stashed under the tree and we went on to the next task.

Christmas Morning, which started at ungodly hour, found my husband and I clutching cups of coffee while the shortest member of the family decimated the colorfully wrapped presents under the tree.  “Here Mom, this one is for you”, the short one says.  Right, the package I don’t recognize….I opened it up to find this:

I was speechless!  I couldn’t for the life of me remember what I had put for answers on that form, but this was perfect!  I just started a job as lunch time supervisor at my daughter’s elementary school.  I was telling my husband that if I was going to stand outside everyday supervising little kids, I was going to have to buy a hat.  It doesn’t really get cold here in BC in the winter time, not like back east, but the wind can blow!  Here I have a hat – and not just any hat – a handmade hat.  I’ve always been of a mind that handmade gifts are way better than store bought gifts – as every member of my family, who owns sweaters, afghans and hats can attest to 🙂

As you see I have a book also!  Not just any book, but one of the books that I have been lusting after! As I did my Christmas shopping, this book seemed to be everywhere!  Taunting me from the shelves!  I have just finished reading Lisa Kleypas’s most recent series and have enjoyed it so much I wanted to read something else by her.  As I keep emphasizing  to my daughter – don’t shop for yourself before Christmas, that interferes with Santa’s work.  It came true this year!  I got a new warm hoodie from my husband to keep me warm on the playground, and a new and a new book from my secret santa Thank you , thank you , thank you!!

My gift was kindly sent to me by Chrystal of Snowdrop Dreams of Books.  Although I had dropped by Chrystal’s blog several times on the Blog Hops, I hadn’t taken the time to read about her.   I was pleased to find that she is a proud Canadian like me, and lives not far from where I grew up.  Thank you so much Chrystal – an absolutely perfect gift!