Our little Rosie! Can a stuffed animal be considered as a tax deduction?

Caleb is obsessed with stuffed animals. He absolutely loves them, and treats them like family members. He has a few favorites, but lately Rosie the Chipmunk has been at the top of his list. For well over a month Rosie has gone everywhere with him. She's been to church, the dentist, shopping, and most recently to Chicago.

Caleb had a minor heart attack last week when he realized he left Rosie at our Chicago hotel. We went back to look for her that afternoon, but couldn't find her anywhere. We called the hotel and asked them to be on the look-out for a rosy cheeked chipmunk and luckily Rosie turned up the following day. Apparently, Rosie decided to see what it was like to be a maid for the day. The staff at the hotel was kind enough to box her up and send her home to us. I have a feeling she wasn't much help to the hotel staff so they decided to give her a pink slip. Too bad for them, she's pretty cheap labor!

Rosie showed up in the mail today, and after all the hugs, kisses, and happy dancing, Rosie was promptly placed in a long time-out. Caleb reprimanded her and made sure she understood she was NEVER EVER again to be a stow-away in a strange hotel without her family to protect her. He most definitely did not appreciate her trying to extend her vacation longer than the rest of us by hiding under the bedspread while we were checking out. I'm crossing my fingers she got the message because I'm not sure we could get through another week without our Rosie!