Santa's On a Budget This Year

My kids don't watch too much commercial TV.  I'm not what I would call obsessive about what they watch, just selective.  As you well know, kids are bombarded with advertisements this time of year.  I had recorded a Scooby Doo movie for Clayton and that's where Barrett saw the advertisement for Biscuit.  Have you seen it??  It's an incredibly life-like and adorable robotic golden retriever.

We lost our yellow lab Hank just before Clayton was born and my kids (mainly Barrett and the hubby) have absolutely been driving me crazy to get another dog.  Well, Barrett decided that Biscuit was the best of both worlds.  An adorable dog, no mess and besides she would just ask Santa!  How could he refuse?  Hasn't she been the picture of "nice" this year?? (That is a matter of opinion).

We saw Biscuit at both Target and Costco this weekend.  It's $180.  I had to break it to Barrett that Santa has a price limit for each child and that Biscuit was just too expensive.  She was devastated and cried herself to sleep.  I find it very hard to justify blowing my budget for Barrett's entire Christmas gifts on one toy that she very well could be tired of in one day.  It makes me very sad because I know that at 6 years old, this could be the last magical "Santa" Christmas for her.  On second thought, Biscuit would be much cleaner and cheaper than the real thing....

Here's a picture of Barrett and Hank.  She was 10 months old.  He was 6 years old.  They were best friends.