Project 2011.... yeah ... I'm serious this time.....

I stopped doing my blog on Halloween, my absolute favorite holiday, in 2010. Seemed an appropriate denouement for about two years of, first, kvetching and rambling into the abyss – once every two weeks mostly to… finally, hitting my stride and becoming the voice of a school, a neighborhood, a life lived … well….. like yours. Nice to meet you. Anyway, the very next day, I was standing in my kitchen, knee-deep in groceries just lugged in from the car, perusing my dry erase board for the exact time of my three year old’s well check-up the next day, and…. deciding what to make with the acorn squashes from our last CSA, which I had just spied in the refrigerator. I was listening to my preschooler and kindergartner ask for just one more piece of Halloween candy, I could smell the paint from where my hubby was painting our bedroom (long-awaited occurrence, so… I was NOT complaining), and I was trying to answer my teen, who was yelling down the stairs, asking if I had downloaded her homecoming dance photos yet. I absorbed all of this, sighed, and…. immediately wanted to tell someone about my plight, ask advice, write it all out and analyze it with jokes and reminders of how rewarding it all truly is – this daily business of looking forward to baby well check-ups and deciding what exciting recipe to make with an acorn squash. But… I couldn’t. I wasn’t blogging anymore.

This internal monologue continued well into the evening. Is it OK / normal to be baking chocolate chip cookies and fixing my preschooler’s bloody pinky toe at the same time? Is it OK to let the kindergartner miss a day of school for a cough AND slack on homework as well? Did I have time to try the new stain remover on the carpet AND go out for a beer with my hubby? AND was THAT fair to the high school freshman diligently plowing through homework? I mean, would the “just turned three year old” flip out if we left – or , worse, would she not sleep at all? Hmmm … who to ask. Not my blog readers, for sure. Again, I couldn’t. Yeah – you can bet I was questioning my decision to stop for a while.

I pondered into the night – thinking of how my one friend cracked me up with stories of her son under twilight anesthesia before his tonsillectomy talking to the “guy with two heads” – another friend threatening me with photos of my teenage ballerina / budding modern dance self – another friend’s fashion advice – still another’s sympathetic ear and family advice. Would I have it again?

And, so, you all know the end to this story…. I started blogging again. NOW, however, I have come to another crossroads, and I am, once again, pondering why I do this AND why I haven’t launched my new super cool helpful site. THAT is precisely what I will be doing soon. So… please excuse my brief hiatus (seriously – I will take a break this time – no more jumping out of the woodwork to say hello for no reason, right?) while I attend to the "bizness" like ASAP. Seems a good project for the first month of 2011, don’t you think? See ya!

Staying occupied....

Not me, that is. I have no problem in that area - busy, busy evening last night - even busier day today. I am still in the throes of redesigning and reconcepting this blog space PLUS a new, VERY interesting writing project has entered my radar - loooong selection process and I am actually anticipating heavy competition, so.... we'll see.

Anyway - stay busy, y'all (and, SL, stay true to you - do not let anyone stray you from your path :-).

Photo: Milo, staying busy with his new indoor ring toss ;-). We did "My Little Outback" in Squirrel Hill yesterday (thanks for invite, E) - have done it before, and I do have photos to share, but.... I am also way pressed for time today. Details, endorsements and recommendations to follow shortly :-).

Oh... and EVERYONE slept soundly through the night last night! Are we back on track? I think we are :-). Off to a workout then to help at school then to run some birthday errands then.... well - you get the picture... Enjoy your "busy" today, everyone...

School drop-off, a Blogher response

Currently, we have icy pavement, muddy grass, chilly air, and a lot of mittens, hats and coats to track on our way to school. Post-holiday, we are a little slower with lunches, back packs and gym shoes, but... both my boys, the preschooler and the kindergartner, head off cheerfully and ready to start their days. My high school freshman is a little more reluctant, leggings under her uniform skirt, back pack so heavy with homework that I don't know how she makes it into the school, she does head out, encouraged by her involvement with youth group, class council, and indoor lacrosse :-) later in the day. Of course, the three year old is with me - happy to have her one on one time, though full of warm weather memories - days on which she would "help" me get the boys to school (daddy having driven the teen). Way back when school first started, it WAS sunny and warm - everyone still tanned and rested from summer. Back then, it was light and people chatted and played on the playground, walked the neighborhood, met for coffee - love that our little school in an urban neighborhood has that feel to it. Now, it is so dark - streets stained with salt (but the snow all melted ;-(, so we all head back home, like hermits, to our fires and our coffee ;-).

So .... meditating on the photo of warm weather fun - laughing (again) at the sweet little paper and marker "friends" hanging on the wall welcoming us back during "back to school season" - AND looking forward, in this new year :-), to helping kindergarten with some winter crafts, my teen's birthday, a skiing outing on the horizon, my three year old's return to her "morning out" program, and a big gymnastic party for the preschooler this coming weekend. All good. All school stuff :-).

SNAPPED, a post-holiday "story" from the "comfort" of my home.

Yeah - so total rant alert right now.... And, I do realize how I've been pontificating on how things have been going so well lately - sunshine, flowers, sushi and Christmas cheer, right? Well.... check this:

I have been awakened for... um... three? four? nights in a row now - Last night, it peaked at 9!!!!! times. 9. 9 times. And how? why? I'm sure you are riveted, right? Just waiting for my reply. Well ... here it is.... and it is NO surprise.... My kids. They wake me aaaaallllll night long.

Last night, my boys' requests ranged from some milk to getting rid of a scary noise to replacing the covers, which had - gasp!!!! - fallen off their legs. These requests came at midnight - at approximately 1 am and around 3 am-ish. They were awake and ready to go by around 5:20 am, requesting movies, yelling for me to bring them breakfast and / or fighting and wanting me to break it all up. Wait.... or was that 4:20 am? Can't remember; all my days and nights are beginning to blend together. Within all this craziness (and, if I ignore them, btw, they begin to yell - scream even - top of their lungs, wide awake, in the middle of the night - 5 and 6 years old! WTF?), my 3 year old wakes and calls out in her sleep, sometimes cries and cries for nearly 15 min, wailing, slapping at me, half-asleep, and I have to soothe her or risk the entire house waking or even just her waking fully, which would leave me with a cranky little one in the am, and one who wants to nap for 4 hours midday at that (and then, of course, would not go to bed until midnight). I am, apparently, the only one who hears all this (and, again, last night, I counted - I was up doing something for someone 9X!!!), so... I do not sleep - or I might get a full hour here and there only to stay awake tense and stressed for another hour or more, waiting for the next summons up the stairs. Usually, as soon as I fall asleep, I am awakened almost right away.

When 6:15 am comes, and it is time to wake the teen, who actually woke me at 11 pm last night (I was so tired, I was actually nauseous and had to lay down around 9pm, leaving a sinkfull of dishes that are still there as I speak - or type, rather - as is the giant load of laundry that I put in yesterday evening and the basket I was in the process of folding - good times ;-) to say that she was finally going to bed after her piles of homework, I am, once again, the only one ready to move the day forward (those teens ;-), a heavy burden when one is sleep-deprived and not feeling well. So ... although the teen did sleep soundly through the night, she is, apparently, not lucid enough to tell me what she wants for breakfast, and so I stand at the door, having all my food suggestions shot down as my boys yell (read: scream) for me from the third floor. Frustrated, I decide to move on to something else - locating her lunch money. Hubby said he had some for her last night. Cannot find cash. He sleepily tells me from the warm bed that he does not have any - was going to give her some quarters (and, in his defense, he was ALSO up during the night dealing with wee ones and their demands). Quarters. A hot lunch plus extras is $5 or more and she is supposed to put like $10 in change in her already heavy back pack. Embarrassing, to say the least. So... I pull on my UGGs, bundle up in my puffy jacket and go 'round the corner to the cash machine. It is not even 6:30 am, and I still have lunches to make, ALL the beds to make, laundry to finish, the dishes to finish..... I could cry. In fact, I did. I also yelled.... at the teen - at hubby - at the boys - at the three year old.... And I swear. A lot. In the middle of the night as I change wet pull-ups and bring milk and water to ranting little ones AND in the morning as I pull everyone's sh** together while my "important" tasks go unfinished and sit with the promise of tormenting me into the late evening hours again. On top of all this, I have discovered that my poltergeist (does anyone else have a stealth 3 year old out there?) has dismantled a couple of family games and has lost a scratchy distorted Barney tape that I remember my oldest listening to with my beloved late father. No one could have stopped my tears mid-morning today.

So ... I guess I could ask for suggestions, but... I suspect the return to our pre-holiday routine will restore order in a few days. I also know that I need to enlist help from my able-bodied support system in the way of dishes, etc (and hubby does help - as does "the teen", so.... just need to get more organized, I suppose). And, it is important to note here that I did, somehow, manage to organize my bedroom and fill a large number of Good Will bags yesterday AND make a taco / quesadilla dinner while talking to a friend in need who has recently moved to California and is struggling a bit - DESPITE all this chaos. Sigh. Sigh - sigh - sigh.

Thanks for the vent. Anyone have any other crazy stories that will force me to count my blessings and / or refocus my narcissistic view of the world right now? Anyway.... take care. I really do need a break :-).

So far - so good

Resolutions to stop and smell the roses more - do lunch with hubby - workout - stay engaged, organized and task-oriented (blowing through that old "to do" list ;-) are going rather well. Of course, it is pretty much officially day 1, but.... a good start, regardless.

So we did a morning in the Strip District (and, yes, locals, it was cold :-). Breakfast at Deluca's (eggs benedict for hubby - veggie breakfast burrito for me) - Steelers gear shopping (as hubby said.... gotta be ready for the play-offs) - a stinky stop in Wholey's fish market where Lil was fascinated by the live striped bass and lobsters - a fragrant stop in Penzey's spices where we only had the foresight to grab ready-made taco seasoning despite loads of tempting, lovely, exotic spices - then.... limited by time, we grabbed a coffee and headed off to get Milo at school (and, yes, the routine is in full swing - Olivia due home soon - Enzo next...). A nice day :-).

And, btw - I am on a personal quest for improvement, as many of you out there are. I do always appreciate your comments - and.... lately, they have come mostly via Facebook and Facebook messaging, which I love. I also appreciate all the blog comments and my emails (and texts :-) as well. I LOVE hearing your stories - rants about your challenges - quick notes about happy moments - bursts of ego-boosting comments - and even probing questions regarding what to do in difficult situations. I even like "nice photo", "I disagree with you" and other random-ish comments. So.... thanks, as always. I'm sorry that some of you have either stopped following me or just prefer not to interact on this blog - would love to have you back - know that all bloggers in this niche area do like the back and forth, but.... I do respect the fact that some people have chosen to move on. Remember, though, it NEVER hurts to lend support, a shoulder to cry on, or a bit of snarky, funny, or serious advice ;-).

See you later this week; I need a bit of a break.

A Blur

That's right. These past few weeks at home - with family - holiday festivities - crazy hours, etc. - has felt like a literal blur. Truly. I mean, we are "in it" on a daily basis, so... it gets past us, ya know? Museum one day - home baking cookies the next - trying to get out to see a movie without kids the next - family dinner after that.... and on and on. Well, today it all ended, and we went back to the bulk of the school year (that's right - NOT half over yet) with a new year on the calendar, feeling (hopefully) refreshed and ready to begin new projects (and, if you're me, finish way old ones ;-).

So ... as is the case with most new years, new starts or - who am I kidding?? - new weeks, in general, my brain is filled with a bunch of random stuff. Foremost in my mind? The happy fact that Hidden Valley ski resort now has care for the younger kids. When we went in previous years, any little ones under 4 (and I've had a few) had nowhere to go aside from a random craft or snack gathering in one of the rooms in the very small lodge there. Now.... kids 2 - 6 years old can stay all day in the "Powder Pups" room where they will do, presumably, fun indoor activities while the "big people" ski :-). I have Lil signed up for MLK weekend.

Next? The fact that REM has a new album coming out 8 March 2011. Not sure how I feel about it. LOVE REM,but... have not been overly impressed with recent releases. I hear Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam, of course) is on this one. At one time, I thought he was a bit of a cry baby, but... after seeing his great tribute to REM when they were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Hi, Cleveland :-) a few years ago, his speech was just so great, and.... I decided to give him another chance ;-). Anyway.... we'll see.....

And.... this just in..... Applauding a mother I just saw on the Today Show who wrote the book My Princess Boy in response to her 4 (now 5) year old boy's love of dresses and anything pink or sparkly and... his conviction to actually wear such outfits, often to the dismay of his classmates, family and other peers. His mom, in a brave show of support, has written a book to help other kids struggling with acceptance and / or bullying for their individuality. A lesson for us all, I think. I just remember feeling total acceptance for all my quirks when I went to my Montessori school, but... as soon as I moved and went to public school.... not so much. I know kids, now, who have left the comfort of their smaller private grade and middle schools to go to larger high schools where bullying or teasing for all sorts of things exists - from the way people dress to the activities they do - if they are, at all, different than their peers. So.... like I said.... applauding her today.

And, lastly, I am a little freaked that I just heard a comedian, Greg Giraldo, who I really like died like two months ago. I had no idea - have been laughing at him for years now. Anyway ... it was another prescription drug overdose, which just scares me. I mean, what are people thinking when they abuse themselves in such a way - taking drugs that are legal but can causes serious damage??? Sad.

So .... yeah - the New Year. Oh - and all those resolutions..... Hubby hitting the gym this am (all energetic,basking in the Steelers recent big win :-) - the teen asked me to pack her a healthy lunch today, and... me.... well..... I finally made a couple of silly, check up appointments that I have not had time for all year (the three little ones could care less - aside from resuming their regular routine). Time to check off that "to do" list and time to get healthy and stay active. We'll see how long that lasts for all of us, huh? ;-)

Speaking of such resolutions, I will be cleaning up Christmas for the rest of the day.... trying to get and stay organized along the way. Happy day to all of you, btw! 2011. Bring it!

Photo: Hubby and his band - circa 1995 (in the spirit of reminiscing over the holidays, this photo & an accompanying newspaper article emerged from somewhere).

One person's New Year's Day is not another's.

So ... we spent the day doing a little shopping - using some gift cards, preparing for the barrage of January birthdays on the horizon and... just taking in the last bit of holiday without the crazy crowds. It was nice to have our teen with us, enjoying a lucrative and stress-free shopping outing. It was even fun to do the whole "mall experience" - the food court "Five Guys" burgers, pizza, chicken and sodas (a little junk to start off the New Year - good thing diet is not on our resolution list ;-).

A couple of highlights to the day? My teen saying, "Oh no - why are THEY in here?" as we shopped Victoria's Secret, and I turned in time to see hubby, with all three kids running around him, holding up a sweatshirt and saying, "Did you see that they have Steelers stuff?" in a loud voice. Too funny. Another highlight was the teen running from hubby when he tried on his new brimmed hat with warm side flaps and did a little shopper's dance of joy, '80s style, in Nordstrom. Again, way funny.

I sat with my wee ones a bit.... drank iced soy chai and watched Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph with them, allowing the other two to shop with their cards and have some downtime (where IS that hubby - where IS that teen?). My downtime came later when I got ALL kids in bed and hubby went to practice (jam session, right musician friends?) with his old bandmates; I did chick flicks and hot tea propped up in bed.

Even our family dinner went well :-).

Photos: Scenes from a mall.

Welcome 2011

Not that 2010 was bad; it was actually quite good. I am just anxious to start a new year - I really am (I am also anxious for everyone's "winter break" to end - schlepping teenagers from shopping to movies to sleepovers is getting old as is trying to pick up the remnants of Christmas AND keep all three little ones fed and occupied and in clean clothes and on some semblance of a schedule - I mean, they wanted chips for breakfast today and I allowed it.... uh oh).

So what did you do to ring in the new year? Hubby and I went to the gym together yesterday (at which time, I carried my new Adidas by Stella McCartney gym bag :-) - browsed Anthropologie a bit - hit Whole Foods for some treats - and had lunch at BrGr (see photo - and, yes, that really is a side of gravy, friends, with my turkey burger, which tastes like Thanksgiving on a bun - yum - glad I strayed from my "tree hugger" veggie version for a day - and hubby is partaking of the Festivus ale, which was very mild and tasty...). Anyway - a nice day. We came home, fed our wee ones, sent the teen up the street to her annual get together, and... made ourselves some eggnog and a blackberry crumble with fresh whipped cream while we watched The American (which was OK)...... we are boring, but we know what we like ;-). Of course, there was the texting Happy New Year to Olivia at midnight - the countdown with hubby here - the quiet (aside from some neighbor's fireworks) otherwise :-).

So ... have a pleasant day, all. I know everyone's eyes are on the rain and the pending "Winter Classic" hockey game, so... good luck with all that ;-). We are off to dinner with family later - have a lot of laundry catch-up and Good Will bag packing to do (all those discarded and forgotten toys - tsk tsk).

2011. Wow.

It's New Year's!!!

A lot of posts lately with exclamation points, and I am not an exclamation point kinda writer - weird. I think I am feeling some of these passages this year (finally being able to get out with the kids & no toddlers in tow, both my boys leaving preschool, the year of chaos ending only to start a new challenging one for which I want to be primed and ready ;-). I have been reflective lately, thinking of the past - what I've taken for granted - what I'll miss - what I am finally looking forward to. AND... for that last point, I say "finally" because I have been enmeshed in babies, family angst to varying degrees, and my own physical decline (back issues, pregnancy anemia, unable to get to a dentist for filling replacement, teeth whitening - all my usual "tune ups" - used to love the dentist ;-) for such a long time that the fact that actual home improvement, working out regularly at a gym, and taking vacations (at all) that will allow me to relax are all new ideas to me. Oh - and welcome ones - trust me. Also, I have a new niche as a writer, a lucrative and interesting one - I have some new ventures on the horizon, all new to me and all exciting - plus, I have finally (there's that word again) figured out that some people are worth mending bridges and odd rifts over YET others are best left to their own devices and their own lives, a hard but valuable lesson.

So ... the semi-solemn year-end review begins. I am really looking forward to this passage. I normally do not like to see that time is passing as I am a lifelong sentimental fool, crying over lost loved ones and moments gone - lost summers, friends moved away, children growing up - long before they actually passed or moved or died. I am a worrier, and I often dwell on such things. For the first time in a long time this year, I feel renewed and freer than I have for years - more like ME. I recognize myself now (from my clothes down to my newfound motivation), and I feel that I am, as a result, a more useful (yes, I mean that) and loving person. Hopefully, my hubby, my mom, my 4 sweet cupcakes and other new and old friends will benefit. I don't want to be a bitch anymore; I want to be zen-centered calm :-). Is that a resolution? I believe it is ;-).

So... Happy New Year, everybody!!!!! (exclamation, exclamation, exclamation....)

Photo: Playing with the iPhone again (and you know how I love self-portraits) - don't even mind that I can see my dark circles and some lines around my mouth this time - marks of a life well-lived? OR.... marks of these last 5 years or so with my wee ones and my life as a SAHM. You decide; I am OK with either.

Children's Museum!!!

The photos should say it all (and thanks to a new preschool class friend for suggesting the outing :-)....

Skate photos

Apparently, Milo tackled the ice like he does everything else - with a vengeance and with no fear. Enzo was more methodical, as he always is, and was doing really well - able to skate faster than his older cousins. I was treated to videos of Milo having one of his meltdowns, which kinda made me chuckle, as he was able to right himself on his wobbly skates and continue on his way as freaked out skaters looked on, and Enzo with his sweet face just beaming with pride as he glided along unaided and happy in his surprise ability to skate well. Anyway, next time, Lil's feet will be big enough for skates (though she had fun with Mommy on our shopping outing :-), and Olivia, who has rediscovered ice skating, will join us (I feel confident in that ;-). I actually took lessons as a kid - though did not take to it like my Mom had hoped (she is a really good skater - many times, my mom showed me up on both roller skates and ice skates :-), so... I will, of course, be present for the festivities as well. For tonight.... just glad they had SUCH a good time with Daddy :-).

Gussied up ... a party... and some skating....

So ... Lil and I got all gussied up in our jewels and lipstick and went grocery shopping tonight (we like to get the to do list out of the way then indulge in some coffee for me - chicken nuggets for her ;-). So ... with Olivia at her friend, Danielle's 15th birthday party (cannot believe these girls are THAT old) - and hubby taking his boys (mine too, but... his tonight ;-) ice skating downtown (still waiting on some photos, MF...).... Lil and I are left to our own devices. I think I have a tea party, a bubble bath and a girls' movie night on my agenda tonight (Lil picked out a winter watermelon for herself at the store - so we'll have that with the "tea" ;-). Love it! Love, too, that Olivia, on her way out, said to be sure to tell Enzo that she was using the cosmetic bag he got her at Santa's Treasure Shop for her sleepover tonight, and... well... isn't that sweet? Lil using the "prince-ness" bath gel he gave her too ... Milo also gushed over his gift Christmas morning (Enzo got me the best gift ever, which was... to the "not in the know Mommy here" - some sort of Transformer robot thing :-). See? They don't have to fight all the time (holiday cheer not entirely lost on my angels at all ;-).... because they DO look out for one another (whether they know it or not ;-). Feeling happy. Hope you are too.

So I finally made it out sans kids :-)

We chose Tamari in Lawrenceville - went with hubby and a friend (Salt not open until New Year's Day, but... if you are interested... they are doing the traditional "good luck" pork and sauerkraut meal - no reservations allowed, though). We did appetizers, beers, wine and sushi (don't know why - but I am so into avocado and cucumber these days....love it... crazy for the California Roll ;-) - though, tonight, I tried my "When Harry met Sally" ordering technique where I want everything customized, and I confused the waitress, resulting in one extra order of spicy tuna. Oh well). Conversation. Nice atmosphere. Night out!!!

Have I said this yet this week? Take care of "you", blogger pals :-). Enjoy family - soak in the season - remember the charities, but... take care of YOU. Very important.

Photo: Waiting and waiting to go out tonight - kids fed, bathed and in pjs - pizza ordered for teens.... Now - where IS that hubby?

Calm?

Not really - but... we have a whole lot of togetherness going on. Everyone in the house all at once. Took my cold shower yesterday morning - took the whole brood to D's for lunch where my veggie dog was burned beyond tasty - was late to our original choice of movie, Megamind, because we were carting the teen back and forth from sleepover to lunch to house to shopping and had to see the Jack Black, Gulliver's Travels, which wasn't that good - spilled my chai tea latte in the theater (HUGE sticky puddle) - just one of those days......

Did get to relax and watch a Harry Potter movie with little ones late night - then... engaged in a midnight game of Scrabble with Olivia, Olivia B and hubby (should have photographed game board - we had words that I'm not sure were words.....) - snacked on homemade nutroll, cookies, and other holiday dinner leftovers all day - played with our new air hockey table and Hungry Hungry Hippos - got the boys signed into a ski school for MLK weekend - so..... mostly good. Ebb and flow - yin and yang ;-).

Enjoy time with those close to you this week if you can :-).

Cousins...

... One side anyway (and our kids make up half this group :-). More such meetings to come this week. Year in review countdown, all - start with those resolutions ;-).

What a day!

OK - so yesterday, morning was chaos and the day was a blur, but we did have fun in the evening - eating, talking and trading gifts with this other side of the family. And, yes, as I said Christmas morning was great too, but I did spend all day cooking, cleaning, and taking the gifts that cluttered the living room up the stairs - hubby (who treated us all to family electronics as group gifts - Blueray player, surround sound stereo, boxed Harry Potter set, etc. - spent a large part of the afternoon hooking it all up and hiding wires... good times). I would have rather sat on the couch and watched our new Harry Potter, eating cookies and drinking coffee, but... that's not how this year worked out. All good. I was a little peeved at first, but... like I said, happy to see that everyone enjoyed themselves in the evening (including me - again, need to lighten up ;-). Of course, there is no zen approach to Christmas with this group - they shower everyone with little gifties and bring trays and trays of cookies and candy. So... the photo? Yeah- all that is filled with cookies, pie, nutroll, etc. Christmas lights tonight - possibly a matinee this afternoon.... Enjoy yourselves, all! Oh - and make a run to the Community Food Bank or write that check to another favorite charity if you already haven't :-).

Was reminded this morning of the fact that Darci Kistler, someone who I watched growing up as she is just a little older than I am, danced her last dance as a professional ballerina earlier this year. Wow - passages.... huh? The year in review begins.....

Ask and ye shall receive....

... snow for Christmas Day!

Teen back asleep already after opening a literal pile of gifts - Lil cried the entire "Christmas morning video" but then calmed to see her "kitty" and "My Little Pony" - NEVER seen the boys so excited - listening now to the constant sound of "Sher - I need your help" (hubby) - smell cinnamon rolls and coffee - have pot roast, chicken pie, pumpkin curry soup and other yummies (wine, pie - the whole deal ;-) on the menu for when family comes over later....

Peace.

Santa's elves... hard at work....

... drinking ginger ale and eating cheese and crackers (I know, right? You would think it would be hot chocolate and sugar cookies. Hmmm... Definitely going to tackle the cookies and milk in a bit - though reindeer's carrots may go back in fridge ;-).

Lovely night - driving to my Mom's along that familiar stretch of road reminds me of my childhood - totally. Summers at the pool, dance class, long drives back from my grandma's.....

Good time this Christmas Eve - fantastic, actually. Felt nice to be back with my brothers and my Mom - nieces and nephews from many blended families all got along so well - yummy dinner piles of gifts and good cheer (as corny as that sounds - it is TRUE). And... all that worrying and fretting.... sheesh. Goes to show you that even hurt feelings and odd behavior will come to pass when more important things matter, ya know?

So ... time to partake of coffee and get a'workin'. Actually, just nice to enjoy some quiet time (because presumably all the children ARE nestled all snug in their beds while visions of Ds's, Kinectimals, "kitties that walk" and UGGs dance in their heads). LOVED seeing them all have a good time tonight. Olivia got the crazy, loud, happy family that she loves SO MUCH together again - the boys were thrilled to be at Grandma's and... Lil seems to finally understand all the hoopla this year :-). And... miracle of miracles.... another side of the family - a bit distant now due to unavoidable circumstances - did send a friendly greeting. Maybe they heard me - maybe they just wanted to? Doesn't matter; I'm glad they did.

I've said it before - I'll say it again.... Happy Christmas, all!

Peaceful

Woke this morning and got to do the highly coveted snuggle buggle under the comforter while watching Curious George with the little ones (after a truly calm and lovely evening watching Love Actually, my favorite seasonal movie, and drinking tea :-). The boys put the last little star up on the Advent calendar - we read Olivia helps with Christmas one more time (and giggled again). Coffee - holiday finery - beautifully wrapped gifts - CHECK. Cookies and cards to neighbors - almost check. Most importantly, it is a day to spend with those close to you and a time to, once again, think of and reach out to others hurting or worried or otherwise upset this season.

Happy Christmas -).

A beautiful night brings a change of heart.....

....So.... I was out amongst shoppers tonight - all of them cheerful and polite, a far cry from what I had experienced earlier this week and last. Fat, wet snowflakes fell as I went about my errands - picking and choosing last minute items for family gift baskets, and... I really got into the spirit, picking things I knew people would really like.

I came home to find my three boys (hubby included) having a snowball fight in the front yard, Christmas lights ablaze, snow still falling (and little Lil inside - eating Cheetos and watching Finding Nemo alone - hilarious ;-). Olivia was ready for her "reunion Christmas party" (friends from Oakland Catholic and Shadyside Academy), all dressed up in cute boots and scarf tucked around her neck, holding some nicely wrapped gifts. The night is cold, but... the temp is hanging around freezing, so it is pleasant. My brother in law showed up to go to the Steelers game with hubby (these are my family's tickets, so he rarely gets to go - which makes it all the nicer that this opportunity occurs at Christmastime). I spoke to my Mom earlier, and she was anxious for a visit with my kids (and me and hubby, of course) - so what if my brother changed the details of the Jan ski trip on us, right? I need to lighten up.

By some miracle, I AM organized - gifts wrapped - cookies and pumpkin bread on the agenda for tonight (and books Auntie Claus and Olivia helps with Christmas) - downstairs and upstairs cleaned up for guests (thanks to my hubby and kids who helped with everything from grocery bags to vacuuming to laundry and toy schlepping up the stairs :-). Holiday greetings keep rolling in - I am watching movies fireside with my little ones - all the mysterious wrapped packages have me all excited (as I said, I do like the retail - CANNOT help myself).

Anyway, so what if I have some laundry to do and some baths to give. So what if all can manage for dinner tonight is pasta with butter. So what if I'm still laying out and laundering holiday finery. We are happy and together and excited for the festivities to begin.