N is for Nutcracker

Ha! I know what some of you thought when you read that title!

I got a message the other day that kind of went like this:
"This is going to sound crazy, but I'm mailing you a package. I had to mail the card separately. So, don't open the card till you get the box!"

It was from my middle sister, Christen, on October 14. I couldn't believe she would torture me like that. I do not like waiting! And to tell me I had to wait for both things to be together?! As if!

I was the kid who would lay under the Christmas tree and shake all the boxes. I got really good at un-taping the ends of presents without getting caught.

Okay, I still do that.

Anyway, the BOX came Saturday. No card in the mail. My youngest sister, Hilary, put the box right on the couch where I would see it.

I stared at it, shook it, and tried to get the dogs to "accidentally" open it. About 20 minutes after getting home, I had to leave this message:

(The rule follower part was sarcasm...)

Believe it or not, I went to sleep WITHOUT opening the box.

I am trying to improve my self-control.

I wanted to wait for the card to come and open them both at the same time. And I wanted Christen to tell me I could open it anyway. Yes, I was prepared to whine if she didn't give me permission... I get my way like that a lot.

To be fair, she DID tell me not to open the CARD until the BOX got here. The box got here first!

FINALLY, on Sunday, I got this response:

Yay!!!!!! Permission!

I pushed the cat off the box, wiped off the dog drool, and grabbed the corner of the tape.

It came of VEEEEEERY easily. So easily that if any postal workers had tipped it sideways everything would have fallen out.

I thought nothing more of that and started digging through the packing material.

It was THIS:

An awesome, cool, hand-crafted TEACHER NUTCRACKER! It even says 2010 so I can always remember what year I was the T.O.Y!

Her glasses can even move to her head! Exactly like I like to wear my sunglasses!
And when you lift the lever on the back, her bow comes down! Exactly like I...nevermind.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I think it was very thoughtful and sweet of my middle sister.

Here is my response:

I don't think the cat could open it. And the dogs wouldn't be that sneaky. Or neat.

Hello! Remember this? I got really good at un-taping the ends of presents without getting caught.

You can NOT fool the MASTER, Hilary!

By the way, it's Monday and I am still waiting on that card. Maybe I'll be the one that gets to open it first.
 

Thank you for the awesome gift, Christen.