My Christmas Present (the one that made me scream)

I just realized that I never let you guys in on the Christmas gift that made me scream.

It was this.

I have wanted one for probably 20 years or so.  It was just one of those things that I just figured I probably wouldn't ever actually get.....like a red Jeep, or real diamond stud earrings, or cellulite free thighs. 

I never seemed to be able to justify the expense...even though I bake quite a bit.  I mean, even on sale....they are about $200.  There are a lot of other things that $200 can be used for in this household!  Although, everytime Pioneer Woman had a giveaway ....I was right there giving it a shot!

Apparently this dream of mine escaped my husband.....completely.

But, my girls, on the other hand.....picked up on it.....

And then, did something about it.  They got their big brother involved.  They got Rainman involved.

They searched Craigslist....because the their parents are doing the Dave Ramsey thing....it is rubbing off on them....so they needed to find a cheaper way.

Lo and behold.....they found a used one in our town.  Turns out the lady is a professional baker and had her big/professional mixer break down and had sent it to the shop (who knew there was "a shop" for mixers???) to be fixed.  In the meantime, she decided to go ahead and buy herself a regular KitchenAid mixer to get her by.

When she got her "real" mixer back, she put this one on Craigslist.  My kids spotted it....arranged a time for Rainman to go pick it up.....and the part that really gets me.....they used their own money to get it for me.

Rainman had to contribute $20 to the mixer which cost $125.  Did you get that?

My wonderful, adorable, hardworking, sweet children used $105 of their own money to get me a present that I have wanted since waaaaaay before they were born!

They video taped me opening the gift....which I will NOT be sharing with you....I am wearing my  ratty old robe and there is waaaaay too much leg showing for public consumption.

But, I will give you a brief description:

D-man went out to the garage to get my surprise gift and put it on the kitchen table.  I walked over to the table in my ratty bathrobe and nighty (does anybody call them that anymore?).  I shifted the plain, unwrapped, cardboard box on the table....said, "Wow.....this is heavy." 

I opened the lid.....

Screamed in a high pitch voice (that didn't sound like me at all), "Noooooo waaaaaaay!  You guys!"  then I promptly burst into tears. 

Like sobbing tears. 

I went into the ugly cry, as Oprah would say. 

All of which is on video tape. 

All of which my children have watched over and over and over again....laughing their heads off. 

V-girl even did an impersonation of me for a few weeks afterwards.  Not funny.

Okay, it is a little funny....she is pretty cute when she does a high, squeaky voiced "Noooo waaay!"

The funniest part to me, is in the video, as I stand there sobbing, D-man casually walks by and says, in his low pitched teenage/man voice, "Yeah, I figured that would happen."

I really am not a highly excitable person.  I am pretty low key about most things.  I takes quite a bit to get me mad....and I don't get overly happy or excited either.  I am just kind of in the middle of the road.  So, this reaction took me totally by surprise.

I really, really wanted a KitchenAid mixer.  Now I have a beautiful white one.  I cannot believe how quickly I can whip up a batch of cookies or frosting now.

I also usually have running commentary, to myself, whenever I am making something.

Things like:

"See....I am now walking away while my ingredients cream together."

"Now, I am walking to the fridge to get eggs, while it is working."

"Look at how easy it is to add my dry ingredients a little at a time."

I love my new (to me) KitchenAid mixer. 

It makes me happy.

My kids knowing what would make me happy and then making it happen REALLY makes me happy!

Rainman was totally clueless and could not believe the "fuss" that I made over it.  He kept saying stuff in a totally befuddled way.  Things like:

"Hmmm....I didn't know you wanted one of these."

"Well, the kids told me you would like it.....but I didn't think you would like it this much."

"You weren't this excited when I asked you to marry me."

Stuff like that.

Oh, well.