Between taking care of two toddlers and her blind mother-in-law, who suffers from type 2 diabetes, Christen Senas doesn't have time to work.

Of course that means no income. And without an income, there's no money to buy things like new clothes and toys for her daughters, ages 3 and 1. She also cares for her 12-year-old stepson, who is a big help, pitching in and helping with the children when Senas is making dinner or taking her mother-in-law to the doctor.

Her husband doesn't live with them, and he just got a new part-time job. He had been laid off three months ago, and it took him until recently to get another job, Senas said. He helps when he can, buying diapers and food.

"I can't work until the kids get a bit older, and if I had someone to take care of my mother-in-law," said Senas, 26. "As for hiring a nurse, well that's a lot of money. I can't afford that."

"We do what we can. I make everything stretch until the 5th of every month."

To make ends meet, she does a lot of cooking from scratch. She shops the sales at the grocery store. And she passes clothes down from one child to the other.

Because her stepson is such a big help and is good at school, Senas said she'd like to do right by him at Christmas.

"He helps out so much," said Senas, of Nanakuli. "He takes them to the park in the afternoons so I can cook dinner. He's a good boy."

She has a Christmas tree — it's small, but it's a tree, and it's all decorated. Her mom bought it so the kids would have one, but it's the stuff that goes under the tree that she doesn't have.

If adopted, Senas said she would like Xbox games or comedy movies for her stepson and toys for the little ones.

"It would be great to have presents to put under it, that's the problem," Senas said. "If someone wants to adopt us, I just want the focus to be on my kids, since the spirit of Christmas is the children."