Like most kids, my children are obsessed with stuffed animals. They have stuffed animals they have gotten from toy stores during our adventures, dozens from friends and family, still more that they won at fairs and carnivals, and some that they get at events we go to.
And, the level of love that they have for these stuffed animals usually goes in that order. Silly carnival and event animals usually have a 3 month or less shelf life around here before they ultimately get ditched and then thrown in the donate bin, but those given as presents and those from our adventures typically become beloved friends that they play with day after day. 
One day while they were playing Zoo with all their stuffed animals it dawned on me that most of their favorite stuffed animals for playing with are Aurora Miyoni Signature Series. This isn’t really a surprise considering the life-like detail that goes into each Miyoni plush. My kids have great imaginations, but even they don’t want to play with purple cats and tigers with hats. No, they prefer animals that you can almost believe are the real deal. 
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In looking back at my 2016, I see a trend starting that I would like to stop immediately. I am realizing that I have a hard time giving bad news, saying no, or asking for things, and I tend to add qualifiers or say things I don’t mean in order to soften a blow or decline an offer. 
