Am doing a bit of sorry-for-myself-feeling, what with the first-to-the-office-being today: Friday, the last day before vacation-beginning. I am the pregnant one! Shouldn't *I* be doing more easy-it-taking than most people? Yes, decidedly. But nooooo, I have project-managing to attend to. Stoopid money-making.
Anyway, last night I was talking with Maryb and she shared with me the very logical, sensible Christmas morning plan that her family has followed through the years. I want to write it down so that someday when my life turns organized and sensible (!), I can consider it.
First, some personal history. It seems our Christmas mornings as teens -- that is, the ones I remember most clearly, which became our usual tradition -- were slightly chaotic. We never liked going to the 4:00pm Christmas Eve Children's Mass at our church because it was standing-room only, and a little bit ridiculous. The youth group always did this crazy thing where, right before the blessing and dismissal, they sent an "elf" or "elves" up the aisle with jingle bells (one year the guy ran screaming and hollering excitedly - and very stupidly) to announce SANTA'S ARRIVAL! And then Santa would process around the church for a few minutes making all the children go wild and... well, it was just too much after a Mass that went over an hour in the first place. Not to mention ruining the solemnity of Christmas Eve, GAH. So we generally preferred singing with my cousins at the 8:30am Mass Christmas morning.
However! That meant waking up at the crack of dawn to get the presents opened (tree first, then stockings) and still have time for showers. Which we wanted to do before Mass, because right AFTER Mass we had all the family over for brunch, most of those years. It wasn't a BAD way to do it, but it wasn't quite cozy and relaxed. (No one's fault, Mom! Don't go feeling bad! Still good memories, I promise -- I mean, Christmas brunch?? That right there is divinely inspired.)
But here's how Maryb's family did it:
Wake up. Open STOCKINGS first. Her Santa *wrapped* all the stocking presents, and that was the way the kids knew which wrapping paper under the tree was "theirs." This way, Santa did not have to give himself away with his handwriting on gift tags! wink wink! Brilliant. Each kid had his own pattern and discovered it on his own. So while they did that, Mom and Dad had coffee, and Mom put cinnamon rolls in the oven. (Mmmm, cinnamon rolls.) Cozy.
After stockings, they took a break for breakfast. And that turned into a break for 8:30 Mass. Again, brilliant, because no one goes to 8:30 Mass on Christmas morning so it's nice and quiet, and really, the anticipation is almost as much fun as the opening of presents. Putting it off for one hour (8:30 Mass is quick since no one's there) didn't hurt anything. Then after that, they'd come home and tackle the presents under the tree. And have the rest of the day to play, or make dinner, or whatever.
Doesn't that seem smart to you? What's your Christmas morning schedule?
Our house hasn't really established one yet. Last year AJ woke up, glanced at the presents, then declared he wanted his Froot Loops. Ha! We waited. I have a feeling this year will be different, but we'll just have to see. I haven't decided about Mass times, and I want to do breakfast. Oh well, whatever way it works out will be perfect. It's the togetherness anyway, not the logistics. Have a merry one, everybody! :)
Friday, December 21
Wednesday, December 19
Round up: Thoughts
> I've simply got to get started on work, but don't have the necessary oomph. As any holiday approaches, my work motivation just starts seeeeeping out the cloth walls of the cube. By Friday I'll have nothing.
> We've finally started receiving Christmas cards, hooray! It's the only time of the year when getting the mail is actually fun. Unless you subscribe to Southern Living like I do, and then once a month you have a fun mailbox. I finally have enough cards to display them on the pantry door. One of AJ's big things lately is wanting to tape his artwork to every available cabinet door in the house, so this is a good project for him. Hey, I bought him a glue stick the other day. HOURS of fun! I just cut out random images from Reader's Digest, and he sticks them to a piece of construction paper! How easy is that?! He made his first masterpiece the other day and was SUPER excited to give it to Daddy "for his office." CUTE!!
> Speaking of artwork and 3 year olds -- are they supposed to be able to hold the pencil/marker/crayon correctly yet? AJ wants to write the alphabet, and sort-of can, but he's holding the writing instrument... mmm, how to describe?... his fist curls over the top of the crayon instead of around the side/back. DH and I debate over whether we should correct that or not. I'm sure he'll get it eventually. I kinda want to make it easier on him. However, he isn't much interested in trying the 'right' way, so I guess I just answered my own question: Leave him alone.
> We seem to have turned the corner on this latest round of tantrumy behavior from him. I tell ya, every time I should remind myself, THIS IS JUST A PHASE! But in the thick of it, you really forget. You start analyzing and doubting and being sad and worried. BOO for that! I suspect it is easier with the second child.
> She, by the way, was kicking/punching me on both sides of my stomach this morning at 3. Like SHE was having little fits. DEAR LORD, already??
> I got the daycare teachers $10 Target gift cards, and the 3 directors $10 Chick Fil A gift cards (because they get out for lunch). Everyone seemed pleased.
That is all.
> We've finally started receiving Christmas cards, hooray! It's the only time of the year when getting the mail is actually fun. Unless you subscribe to Southern Living like I do, and then once a month you have a fun mailbox. I finally have enough cards to display them on the pantry door. One of AJ's big things lately is wanting to tape his artwork to every available cabinet door in the house, so this is a good project for him. Hey, I bought him a glue stick the other day. HOURS of fun! I just cut out random images from Reader's Digest, and he sticks them to a piece of construction paper! How easy is that?! He made his first masterpiece the other day and was SUPER excited to give it to Daddy "for his office." CUTE!!
> Speaking of artwork and 3 year olds -- are they supposed to be able to hold the pencil/marker/crayon correctly yet? AJ wants to write the alphabet, and sort-of can, but he's holding the writing instrument... mmm, how to describe?... his fist curls over the top of the crayon instead of around the side/back. DH and I debate over whether we should correct that or not. I'm sure he'll get it eventually. I kinda want to make it easier on him. However, he isn't much interested in trying the 'right' way, so I guess I just answered my own question: Leave him alone.
> We seem to have turned the corner on this latest round of tantrumy behavior from him. I tell ya, every time I should remind myself, THIS IS JUST A PHASE! But in the thick of it, you really forget. You start analyzing and doubting and being sad and worried. BOO for that! I suspect it is easier with the second child.
> She, by the way, was kicking/punching me on both sides of my stomach this morning at 3. Like SHE was having little fits. DEAR LORD, already??
> I got the daycare teachers $10 Target gift cards, and the 3 directors $10 Chick Fil A gift cards (because they get out for lunch). Everyone seemed pleased.
That is all.
Monday, December 17
Poppyseed Bread
Not necessarily festive, but altogether delicious!
(makes 2 loaves)
3 cups all purpose flour
2.5 cups sugar
1.125 cups (that's one and one-eighth cups) vegetable or canola oil
1.5 cups milk
3 eggs
.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder ('exsqueeze me? baking powder?' I always think this. Still.)
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp almond extract
1.5 tsp butter extract
2 tsp poppyseeds
Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix all ingredients together with a spoon, pour into pans, and bake at 350 for one hour.
Glaze:
.25 cup orange juice
.75 cup sugar
.5 tsp vanilla ext.
.5 tsp butter ext.
.5 tsp almond ext.
Bring to a boil and pour over hot bread.
Only thing hard about this recipe is that you may not have butter extract on-hand. But you SHOULD!! I found it at my regular grocery store. And it will seem like there is too much glaze. Not so! It'll soak in and make everything even more LOVELY.
PS - sorry about the decimals. I wanted to do 1/4c for the 1/4c items, but then it was inconsistent and I had to edit that. Decimals seem much less elegant but then again, cooking is the only science I've ever loved, so there ya go.
(makes 2 loaves)
3 cups all purpose flour
2.5 cups sugar
1.125 cups (that's one and one-eighth cups) vegetable or canola oil
1.5 cups milk
3 eggs
.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder ('exsqueeze me? baking powder?' I always think this. Still.)
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp almond extract
1.5 tsp butter extract
2 tsp poppyseeds
Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix all ingredients together with a spoon, pour into pans, and bake at 350 for one hour.
Glaze:
.25 cup orange juice
.75 cup sugar
.5 tsp vanilla ext.
.5 tsp butter ext.
.5 tsp almond ext.
Bring to a boil and pour over hot bread.
Only thing hard about this recipe is that you may not have butter extract on-hand. But you SHOULD!! I found it at my regular grocery store. And it will seem like there is too much glaze. Not so! It'll soak in and make everything even more LOVELY.
PS - sorry about the decimals. I wanted to do 1/4c for the 1/4c items, but then it was inconsistent and I had to edit that. Decimals seem much less elegant but then again, cooking is the only science I've ever loved, so there ya go.
Um, just one more thing...
Two friends said they actually LIKE the stressy posts. So, stressy it is:
-- Why THIS WEEK of all weeks, did we have a virus attack one of our servers?? (Part of my company's job is that we host some web sites that we've designed, although we don't have servers OR technical people on-site. I.E., ME, I am not a technical person and I don't know how to fix it -- but I'll get to field the phone calls of pissed-off clients.) The one guy from our group who seems to enjoy fussing over and "deploying solutions to" this kind of problem is, of course, out of town. *Sing-song voice:* LOVE-LY!
-- And BTW, corporate IT who run our email: GET REMOTE WEBMAIL TO WORK, dammit! We're in the middle of a weekend server-virus-crisis but can't check our email because.... I don't know why because. Because our multi-national company still runs a crappy version of LOTUS NOTES instead of Outlook, like the rest of the free world.
----------
That's it for real stress this Monday morning. And do I really care? No. This weekend in family-world, we knocked a whole bunch of crap off the list, like mailing Christmas cards (whose idea...? nevermind), getting haircuts, buying and wrapping a few more gifts, and baking. I made Lemon Poppyseed bread, which is really more like cake, and I'll post the recipe soon, AND I made my favorite peanut-chocolate "cussters" as AJ is calling them. That recipe:
Melt some chocolate bark. Dump in some cocktail peanuts. Stir. Spoon into cluster shapes on wax paper. The end.
I also had lunch with a friend Saturday, and laughed and laughed with her, and then attended a really fun Christmas party with some other friends -- a cast of characters for sure -- that made me COUNT MY BLESSINGS. (Swistle: haHA! You're so right! But still.) Let's just say there were cards and appetizers and one man farting outright, which was gross and so NOT in the Christmas spirit, but... still funny, and I felt like PART of the group, and the women talked in one room while the men looked at a video game in the other room until we raised our eyebrows to the vaulted ceilings to get them to quit and come be merry with us. And they were. AJ was beyond cute and everyone told me so. I think he may even have beaten out a 10-month-old for receiving the Most Attention. Look, he may not be very socially active among his own generation, but the kid knows how to work a room of adults, I'll give him that. Could be a very handy skill one day.
Finally, one of my favorite things was putting my Christmas china front and center in the china cabinet on Sunday while AJ napped. It looks so festive and it makes me surprisingly happy to putter around --gently... ever...so...gently...-- with bone china. :)
-- Why THIS WEEK of all weeks, did we have a virus attack one of our servers?? (Part of my company's job is that we host some web sites that we've designed, although we don't have servers OR technical people on-site. I.E., ME, I am not a technical person and I don't know how to fix it -- but I'll get to field the phone calls of pissed-off clients.) The one guy from our group who seems to enjoy fussing over and "deploying solutions to" this kind of problem is, of course, out of town. *Sing-song voice:* LOVE-LY!
-- And BTW, corporate IT who run our email: GET REMOTE WEBMAIL TO WORK, dammit! We're in the middle of a weekend server-virus-crisis but can't check our email because.... I don't know why because. Because our multi-national company still runs a crappy version of LOTUS NOTES instead of Outlook, like the rest of the free world.
----------
That's it for real stress this Monday morning. And do I really care? No. This weekend in family-world, we knocked a whole bunch of crap off the list, like mailing Christmas cards (whose idea...? nevermind), getting haircuts, buying and wrapping a few more gifts, and baking. I made Lemon Poppyseed bread, which is really more like cake, and I'll post the recipe soon, AND I made my favorite peanut-chocolate "cussters" as AJ is calling them. That recipe:
Melt some chocolate bark. Dump in some cocktail peanuts. Stir. Spoon into cluster shapes on wax paper. The end.
I also had lunch with a friend Saturday, and laughed and laughed with her, and then attended a really fun Christmas party with some other friends -- a cast of characters for sure -- that made me COUNT MY BLESSINGS. (Swistle: haHA! You're so right! But still.) Let's just say there were cards and appetizers and one man farting outright, which was gross and so NOT in the Christmas spirit, but... still funny, and I felt like PART of the group, and the women talked in one room while the men looked at a video game in the other room until we raised our eyebrows to the vaulted ceilings to get them to quit and come be merry with us. And they were. AJ was beyond cute and everyone told me so. I think he may even have beaten out a 10-month-old for receiving the Most Attention. Look, he may not be very socially active among his own generation, but the kid knows how to work a room of adults, I'll give him that. Could be a very handy skill one day.
Finally, one of my favorite things was putting my Christmas china front and center in the china cabinet on Sunday while AJ napped. It looks so festive and it makes me surprisingly happy to putter around --gently... ever...so...gently...-- with bone china. :)
Tuesday, December 11
Christmas Past, Present, and Future
So! *Brisk claps* (hat tip to Swistle) No more stupid stress-n-drang talk! Pinky swear.
On to fun holiday questionnaires from Sophie.
I'm supposed to tell you my favorite childhood gift, my favorite gift I received as an adult, and a gift I would like to receive in the future.
BUT FIRST: Important, and relative, Literature Question: In your opinion, did Scrooge have a really vivid dream, or was he ACTUALLY visited in the night by those famous Christmas ghosts? I mean, as "actually" as possible -- it is a story, after all. Just curious -- either way, he was morally moved and ultimately redeemed, so it's all good. I personally think it was a dream. But since it's a story, it COULD have been a real visitation...
My favorite childhood Christmas gift: It's pretty hard to decide. The two that stand out are my kitchen set -- a white wooden stove and sink that must have been hand-painted -- and my JAM BOX, received when I was about 11 and listening to the radio for the first time. Y'all, it had a DOUBLE tape deck. I pirated many a cassette with that gift. I believe that was also the year I received Wham! Make It Big and Mr. Mister, Welcome To the Real World, so I was rockin' hard core.
My favorite adulthood gift: The first Christmas DH and I were married, he surprised me with an extra stocking gift -- a velvet box with these teeny diamond chip earrings. He said, "I had to get you something sparkly." Awww. I don't wear them very often, but that doesn't mean I don't love them. They mean a whole lot to me. It was such a sweet, young-love romantic gesture.
A gift wish for the future: One day, probably not next year or even the year after that, but one day, I'd really like to do a kitchen remodel. It's not something that can be wrapped up with ribbons and bows, but it sure will take the place of any gifts for me the year we decide to do it!
No taggies today, if you want to play let me know so I can come see!
On to fun holiday questionnaires from Sophie.
I'm supposed to tell you my favorite childhood gift, my favorite gift I received as an adult, and a gift I would like to receive in the future.
BUT FIRST: Important, and relative, Literature Question: In your opinion, did Scrooge have a really vivid dream, or was he ACTUALLY visited in the night by those famous Christmas ghosts? I mean, as "actually" as possible -- it is a story, after all. Just curious -- either way, he was morally moved and ultimately redeemed, so it's all good. I personally think it was a dream. But since it's a story, it COULD have been a real visitation...
My favorite childhood Christmas gift: It's pretty hard to decide. The two that stand out are my kitchen set -- a white wooden stove and sink that must have been hand-painted -- and my JAM BOX, received when I was about 11 and listening to the radio for the first time. Y'all, it had a DOUBLE tape deck. I pirated many a cassette with that gift. I believe that was also the year I received Wham! Make It Big and Mr. Mister, Welcome To the Real World, so I was rockin' hard core.
My favorite adulthood gift: The first Christmas DH and I were married, he surprised me with an extra stocking gift -- a velvet box with these teeny diamond chip earrings. He said, "I had to get you something sparkly." Awww. I don't wear them very often, but that doesn't mean I don't love them. They mean a whole lot to me. It was such a sweet, young-love romantic gesture.
A gift wish for the future: One day, probably not next year or even the year after that, but one day, I'd really like to do a kitchen remodel. It's not something that can be wrapped up with ribbons and bows, but it sure will take the place of any gifts for me the year we decide to do it!
No taggies today, if you want to play let me know so I can come see!
Monday, December 10
Alright, this is just getting insane
The lists are going to eat me alive. I'm making more lists. I'm making lists to organize my lists. I want to clean everything. I want to put away stuff in AJ's new room so when I glance in there I don't see loose screws and brackets rolling around on the nightstand. I want to BAAAAAAKE. Lemon Poppyseed bread, cookies, heck, I even want to make banana pudding which I don't really like (but hubby does) and I feel like Making Stuff and making him Happy. And I happen to have some pudding mix on-hand.
This is nesting, right?
Other things that are insane:
- That my manager can't say "Staff meeting at 10," he has to say "staff meet at 10." Meet. Never MEET-ING. Not even "Mtg." "meet." All lowercase. Makes me twitch.
- That my back-door neighbor, always a strange yardbird, and that's the only way we know him, really, by watching him do yardwork.... decided yesterday to pile all of his raked leaves in the drainage ditch that runs through his yard.... and ours. So, we're all under a drought watch and outdoor watering ban, right? He can't burn the leaves until we get about four feet of rain and are able to use our hoses again. And whose yard is going to flood if we DO get any rain? That's right, mine. His leaves are going to cause a backup, I just know it. So he burned a few last night in a barrel, which, despite the outdoor watering ban *HELLO SAFETY VIOLATION I WANTED TO CALL THE COPS,* was preferable to letting them sit in the ditch... I think?
- Three-year-olds.
- That this week my only two freelance projects both come due, GAH, while I have no free time because of an influx of office work projects, too! I'll handle it, just... pardon me one more time while I WHII-YI-Y-YIIINE.
- That AJ turned down his beloved Pop Tart this morning for a Clementine instead. What the... who the...?
I should point out that my Dear Husband could sense my sanity level sinking this weekend (might have been all the crying out loud) and ushered me out of the house on Sunday afternoon. I had my nails done. It was lovely.
EDITED TO ADD: Sorry, guys. Really sorry. I just revisited my archives from the last, what, 3 months? and every other post has been, "I'm stressed and I'm busy." BULLlAAAGHGAHH. So boring. I will try to come up with a different topic, I sware. ;)
This is nesting, right?
Other things that are insane:
- That my manager can't say "Staff meeting at 10," he has to say "staff meet at 10." Meet. Never MEET-ING. Not even "Mtg." "meet." All lowercase. Makes me twitch.
- That my back-door neighbor, always a strange yardbird, and that's the only way we know him, really, by watching him do yardwork.... decided yesterday to pile all of his raked leaves in the drainage ditch that runs through his yard.... and ours. So, we're all under a drought watch and outdoor watering ban, right? He can't burn the leaves until we get about four feet of rain and are able to use our hoses again. And whose yard is going to flood if we DO get any rain? That's right, mine. His leaves are going to cause a backup, I just know it. So he burned a few last night in a barrel, which, despite the outdoor watering ban *HELLO SAFETY VIOLATION I WANTED TO CALL THE COPS,* was preferable to letting them sit in the ditch... I think?
- Three-year-olds.
- That this week my only two freelance projects both come due, GAH, while I have no free time because of an influx of office work projects, too! I'll handle it, just... pardon me one more time while I WHII-YI-Y-YIIINE.
- That AJ turned down his beloved Pop Tart this morning for a Clementine instead. What the... who the...?
I should point out that my Dear Husband could sense my sanity level sinking this weekend (might have been all the crying out loud) and ushered me out of the house on Sunday afternoon. I had my nails done. It was lovely.
EDITED TO ADD: Sorry, guys. Really sorry. I just revisited my archives from the last, what, 3 months? and every other post has been, "I'm stressed and I'm busy." BULLlAAAGHGAHH. So boring. I will try to come up with a different topic, I sware. ;)
Friday, December 7
Fat on top, but not "fat on time"
Or: el-e-e rambles on and on -- be warned
Something I forgot about pregnancy and weight gain, as I have gone about my merry way eating every brownie and snack-pack of M&Ms I can find, is that you gain weight not only in your belly, but also around the torso -- the shoulders and triceps and, naturally, the chestseses. Padding and extra fat for making milk and all that jazz. I was cruelly reminded of this fact yesterday when I took my bridesmaid dress to be altered. Horrifying. I haven't been wearing all that many spaghetti straps lately, you know. I hadn't noticed. I was a bit surprised to be so stinking voluptuous. These wedding photos are going to be happy memories, aren't they? Gaaah. Oh well, motivation I suppose. In the three weeks from now 'til the wedding, I don't suppose my little 2.5-pound handweights are going to do one ounce of good, especially since I plan to CONITNUE eating brownies. It's Christmas for Pete's sake. So screw it. I'll be the fat bridesmaid and everyone will marvel when they look back at 2007, and say, "Wow, she really lost that pregnancy weight, didn't she?" YES THEY WILL.
I feel like I just can't, and will never, catch up with my December schedules and to-do lists. Every time I scratch one item off, I definitely add a few others. Every day at lunch is some errand that must be accomplished TODAY. It's only the 7th but I feel like I'm already late shipping presents to Seattle and Virginia and various other locales. Is everyone else getting this unnecessary "hurry-up" vibe? I heard "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" this morning on the radio and thought, "Beginning?? Sheesh, people, where have YOU been? We're late, we're late for a very impor-tant-date!"
Deep breaths. Deeeeeep breaths.
Hey, I KNOW you people buy some holiday gifts that are perishables. Chocolates, fruits, etc. There comes a point in your life when you just don't think you need any. more. random. STUFF, so your neighbors and uncles and parents' friends, whose homes have been filling up 20 years longer than yours, don't either. Do you go with Hickory Farms or Harry & David, in those cases? Is there a favorite gourmet food gift that you give? We had a client once who always sent us Crate & Barrel's Christmas snacks, which are DIVINE. I like those. Last year, I was introduced to John & Kira's floral chocolates, and WOW. They're pretty snazzy. Sometimes I just run to World Market and pick up something that looks international, hoping it suffices. If you have some fancy regional or local food item that I need to check out and can order online (I have about 3 gifts of this sort that I need to buy), spill it!
Wouldn't it be fun to hear some of the RESULTS of all this Christmas-purchasing frenzy? I think it would. I can't tell you everything, because many of my recipients read this blog. But I can tell you a few things:
For Nanny (DH's grandmother): 2 twenty-five-dollar Schwann's gift certificates. We got her these last year and she hasn't stopped raving about how useful they were. She has shopped with Schwann's for years.
For my MIL: The new Eagles' CD; a hand-painted ceramic plaque that says, "I am woman. I am invincible. I am tired." (ha!) Saw that and loved it and it's definitely her style; an Emerilware skillet that she asked for.
For my FIL: a pair of jeans; a Thrashers ballcap; half of a new office chair (we're counting on my brother in law to pay the other half and actually purchase this -- I'm not sure he can be counted on, but I hope so. *Add to to-do list: DH needs to call BIL and remind him.*)
For my secret-Santa cousin: a book I think she will like (and now Sis probably knows who I got)
For AJ: Shake-n-Go Crash Cars racetrack; 2 new Imaginex dinosaurs (from Gammy, but posing as From Santa); an air-powered football kicker-guy; 3 Berenstain Bears books; a preschool-appropriate clock for his room (from Grandmommy but might pose as From Santa); and for his stocking, some animal figurines, loads of stickers, some candy, etc. etc. We're still mulling over the V-Tech or Leapster handheld. Can't decide. I'd love to hear what you're buying.
Something I forgot about pregnancy and weight gain, as I have gone about my merry way eating every brownie and snack-pack of M&Ms I can find, is that you gain weight not only in your belly, but also around the torso -- the shoulders and triceps and, naturally, the chestseses. Padding and extra fat for making milk and all that jazz. I was cruelly reminded of this fact yesterday when I took my bridesmaid dress to be altered. Horrifying. I haven't been wearing all that many spaghetti straps lately, you know. I hadn't noticed. I was a bit surprised to be so stinking voluptuous. These wedding photos are going to be happy memories, aren't they? Gaaah. Oh well, motivation I suppose. In the three weeks from now 'til the wedding, I don't suppose my little 2.5-pound handweights are going to do one ounce of good, especially since I plan to CONITNUE eating brownies. It's Christmas for Pete's sake. So screw it. I'll be the fat bridesmaid and everyone will marvel when they look back at 2007, and say, "Wow, she really lost that pregnancy weight, didn't she?" YES THEY WILL.
I feel like I just can't, and will never, catch up with my December schedules and to-do lists. Every time I scratch one item off, I definitely add a few others. Every day at lunch is some errand that must be accomplished TODAY. It's only the 7th but I feel like I'm already late shipping presents to Seattle and Virginia and various other locales. Is everyone else getting this unnecessary "hurry-up" vibe? I heard "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" this morning on the radio and thought, "Beginning?? Sheesh, people, where have YOU been? We're late, we're late for a very impor-tant-date!"
Deep breaths. Deeeeeep breaths.
Hey, I KNOW you people buy some holiday gifts that are perishables. Chocolates, fruits, etc. There comes a point in your life when you just don't think you need any. more. random. STUFF, so your neighbors and uncles and parents' friends, whose homes have been filling up 20 years longer than yours, don't either. Do you go with Hickory Farms or Harry & David, in those cases? Is there a favorite gourmet food gift that you give? We had a client once who always sent us Crate & Barrel's Christmas snacks, which are DIVINE. I like those. Last year, I was introduced to John & Kira's floral chocolates, and WOW. They're pretty snazzy. Sometimes I just run to World Market and pick up something that looks international, hoping it suffices. If you have some fancy regional or local food item that I need to check out and can order online (I have about 3 gifts of this sort that I need to buy), spill it!
Wouldn't it be fun to hear some of the RESULTS of all this Christmas-purchasing frenzy? I think it would. I can't tell you everything, because many of my recipients read this blog. But I can tell you a few things:
For Nanny (DH's grandmother): 2 twenty-five-dollar Schwann's gift certificates. We got her these last year and she hasn't stopped raving about how useful they were. She has shopped with Schwann's for years.
For my MIL: The new Eagles' CD; a hand-painted ceramic plaque that says, "I am woman. I am invincible. I am tired." (ha!) Saw that and loved it and it's definitely her style; an Emerilware skillet that she asked for.
For my FIL: a pair of jeans; a Thrashers ballcap; half of a new office chair (we're counting on my brother in law to pay the other half and actually purchase this -- I'm not sure he can be counted on, but I hope so. *Add to to-do list: DH needs to call BIL and remind him.*)
For my secret-Santa cousin: a book I think she will like (and now Sis probably knows who I got)
For AJ: Shake-n-Go Crash Cars racetrack; 2 new Imaginex dinosaurs (from Gammy, but posing as From Santa); an air-powered football kicker-guy; 3 Berenstain Bears books; a preschool-appropriate clock for his room (from Grandmommy but might pose as From Santa); and for his stocking, some animal figurines, loads of stickers, some candy, etc. etc. We're still mulling over the V-Tech or Leapster handheld. Can't decide. I'd love to hear what you're buying.
Wednesday, December 5
Add a Dash of Meaning
I'll admit that I got caught up in a bit of a frenzy right after Thanksgiving, in preparation for the small party we had this past weekend. We decorated the house and have been ordering and buying and wrapping presents... even baked some goodies. We also had a birthday party thrown in there for extra stress good measure, and so the "spirit" of the season so far has basically been one of Hurry Up and Git R Done, as we say here in Georgia.
However, I would really prefer to have an appropriately anticipatory ADVENT. (Say it 3 times fast: GO!) Last year I managed to remember that we "deck the halls" for a reason -- to quietly create a space in our homes and hearts to welcome the King. And this year.... well, we didn't make it to Mass on the first Sunday of Advent (or the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, either) if that's any indication.
It makes me sad when we don't make it to church. But that's another topic for another day.
Onward. Advent. Looking forward. I did let AJ help me set up our nativity scene on the fireplace hearth, and it felt good to share that with him, telling him who these characters are, and what they are doing at the stable. Of course, he wants to put them ALL in the "house," so they don't get wet when it rains. I have to keep telling him that the shepherd with that lamb in his arms can't go in, because that lamb is too loud and will definitely wake up the baby Jesus. And that the 3 wise men are just visiting -- it isn't their house and they didn't wipe their feet, so they need to stay outside and just watch.
It's cute, and he's learning the Christmas story bit by bit.
I'd like to do the following other Adventy, preparatory things this year:
1. Get an Advent wreath. I say this every year and have yet to do it. I like the idea of having one at home and then the kids noticing, hey, there's one at church, too! (This has more impact if we start GOING to church, ahem.) I'm not saying we need to do all the prayers around it or anything that devout; I just kinda feel like it'd be nice to have one. THINGS beget questions, and questions become teaching opportunities. And besides, I like candles and need a centerpiece for the dining room table.
2. Paint or make some ornaments. There's a great how-to here," -- hey, look at that, I'm an "editor!" what fun to collaborate with kara marie! -- but I might not actually BAKE ornaments. I think I have some ceramic ones already in a craft drawer somewhere. It's still a fun activity and maybe AJ can paint some and then decide whom he'd like to give them to. Thus teaching him about the spirit of giving, instead of receiving, see.
3. Hmm. Why don't you help me here. Do you do any Adventy things? A paper chain? A Jesse Tree (OVERACHIEVER)? Even if it's just driving around the neighborhood one evening, looking at all the lights (we're TOTALLY doing that, too). Make our December meaningful. :)
However, I would really prefer to have an appropriately anticipatory ADVENT. (Say it 3 times fast: GO!) Last year I managed to remember that we "deck the halls" for a reason -- to quietly create a space in our homes and hearts to welcome the King. And this year.... well, we didn't make it to Mass on the first Sunday of Advent (or the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, either) if that's any indication.
It makes me sad when we don't make it to church. But that's another topic for another day.
Onward. Advent. Looking forward. I did let AJ help me set up our nativity scene on the fireplace hearth, and it felt good to share that with him, telling him who these characters are, and what they are doing at the stable. Of course, he wants to put them ALL in the "house," so they don't get wet when it rains. I have to keep telling him that the shepherd with that lamb in his arms can't go in, because that lamb is too loud and will definitely wake up the baby Jesus. And that the 3 wise men are just visiting -- it isn't their house and they didn't wipe their feet, so they need to stay outside and just watch.
It's cute, and he's learning the Christmas story bit by bit.
I'd like to do the following other Adventy, preparatory things this year:
1. Get an Advent wreath. I say this every year and have yet to do it. I like the idea of having one at home and then the kids noticing, hey, there's one at church, too! (This has more impact if we start GOING to church, ahem.) I'm not saying we need to do all the prayers around it or anything that devout; I just kinda feel like it'd be nice to have one. THINGS beget questions, and questions become teaching opportunities. And besides, I like candles and need a centerpiece for the dining room table.
2. Paint or make some ornaments. There's a great how-to here," -- hey, look at that, I'm an "editor!" what fun to collaborate with kara marie! -- but I might not actually BAKE ornaments. I think I have some ceramic ones already in a craft drawer somewhere. It's still a fun activity and maybe AJ can paint some and then decide whom he'd like to give them to. Thus teaching him about the spirit of giving, instead of receiving, see.
3. Hmm. Why don't you help me here. Do you do any Adventy things? A paper chain? A Jesse Tree (OVERACHIEVER)? Even if it's just driving around the neighborhood one evening, looking at all the lights (we're TOTALLY doing that, too). Make our December meaningful. :)
Monday, December 3
Cute-isms and oddities of the weekend
AJ was sitting at the table eating a snack, when his foot must have fallen asleep. He said, "Ow, Mama! My foot feels all sparkly!"
----
Saturday night, we woke to a little boy standing by the bed saying he'd had a bad dream. (First time this has ever been reported live and in person!) He naturally proceeded to kick us in the ribs the rest of the night, and was ready to wake up by 6:00am. Gah.
----
This morning around 4:30, Hubby woke me to point out that AJ was sleeping on the floor, in the corner of our room, wedged between the armoire and some CD binders. Why there? Who knows. We thought it best to return him to his own bed. He didn't mention it when we all woke up later, and we didn't ask.
----
Saturday night, we woke to a little boy standing by the bed saying he'd had a bad dream. (First time this has ever been reported live and in person!) He naturally proceeded to kick us in the ribs the rest of the night, and was ready to wake up by 6:00am. Gah.
----
This morning around 4:30, Hubby woke me to point out that AJ was sleeping on the floor, in the corner of our room, wedged between the armoire and some CD binders. Why there? Who knows. We thought it best to return him to his own bed. He didn't mention it when we all woke up later, and we didn't ask.
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