By the Numbers

TEN gift cards, and 1 rebate check, to help pay for the 3 DSi consoles, games, holders and accessories.

NINE x 10 lectures on responsibility, rules, when allowed to play, don't even waste your breath asking, and what did we tell you about putting everything away so you don't loose it.

EIGHT games cartridges given or bought, 1 already lost.

SEVEN times we changed our mind, Lites, i's, Lite's, i's, before purchasing. 
(We thought we had made up our mind, but then the i's were on sale, priced lower then the Lites.  After much debate, the i proved to be a good choice.  The camera and vocal abilities on the i's are worth the extra money.  And, just because it has the ability to access the web, doesn't mean our children have been given that ability.)

SIX reply's to our Craigslist posting.   0 actual takers.  Two didn't realize "Metallic Rose" meant pink.  Finally sold the Lite to a friend. 

FIVE trips to Target and Best Buy, just to look at the DS's and cases. 

FOUR very happy people in the house.  Yes, we only bought 3 DS's; however, Hubby has been playing with a DS when available.   

THREE stylus' already lost, and found by Mom and Dad.  They are kept in an undisclosed location, until someone starts whining about having no stylus'.  I'm hoping we find that lost game, to also be held in the undisclosed location.

TWO sweeps of the sofa, looking for that lost cartridge.  Other then the fact that it is lost, I'm trying not to care.  It was one of the three games bought with a rebate check, no real money lost. 

And, two times the consoles have been off limits.   Yep, they have become a discipline tactic.  May have been the best money ever spent. 

ONE happy Christmas.  Our kids are always happy with their Christmas gifts, even that Christmas when they received packs of construction paper.  However, this year they scored.  All those Christmas' of construction paper gifts have added up to one Christmas of the most awesome gifts ever.  Score one for Mom and Dad.  Next year, notebooks and pencils.