Bungee Jumping - Who Knew the Terror?

But once the terror subsided, WHAT A RUSH!

One minute is all it took, but I'll enjoy this video for a long, long time. Too bad I didn't have a video of running with the bulls and skydiving in my youthy-youth.

Our kids are like, "When can we do it?" We're like, "NEVER!" Just kidding - they can do it at an appropriate age, hooked to Mommy or Daddy. We're really open minded about our children getting special experiences that way. You know, when we can completely control the situation?

Husband did it too, but truthfully, the videos are identical, so I'll only bore you with one. AND it took 40 minutes to upload, for goodness' sake!

Enjoy.

The Obligatory Vacation Pics

Vacation came and went and with these pictures, it's finally time to put it to bed.  Promise.  ;)

Craft time during nap time!

Our favorite local watering hole - yes I took them without Husband.  Bad me.  Actually, my Dad (below) was supposed to go with us, but Youngest dropped her blankie on the way and he was scouring the streets looking for it while I was drinking a margarita.  Not kidding.  I'm sure I'm going to hell for that.  Good pic though!  And he found the blankie.  Yay, Dad!

The girls L-O-V-E their grandma - "Mammy."  

Worst Part of Vacation?

Airport bathroom trips without Daddy are the WORST part of vacation.  Seriously.  My respect for single parents knows no bounds when this catastrophe occurs.

Let me set the scene:

Arrival at airport two hours early after a harrowing almost-missed-our-flight-last-year-fiasco-lord-knows-not-cutting-it-that-close-this-year:  discover flight delay of 30 minutes.  (now have 2.5 hours to kill with overexcited children - Oh.  Lord.  Help.  Me.)

A-ha!  Play area, then lunch.  Brilliance.

Completely wear them out playing.  Allow their natural exuberance to be felt throughout the play zone.

Wash hands on way to lunch.  So EWWWW in airport play areas.  Am assured no one needs to potty yet, we can all potty after lunch - before flight.  Mea Culpa on believing THAT tall tale.

Lunch:  get seated - with two children, car seat and 30 pound carry on (Momma needsa lotta things to do on the flight).  Order lunch.  

"Mommy, I needa go pottay."

"No.  We're getting ready to eat lunch.  You can wait."  (She really can - total camel)

Doubles over, crosses legs, says, "Can I just go in my diaper?"

"You don't have a diaper on.  DON'T GO YET!"

"Waitress?  I swear we're coming back, even though we're taking everything but our drinks to the out of the restaurant potty halfway down the terminal.  Swear."

Drag car seat, carry on, Oldest, Youngest and self to potty - at light speed.  Mission accomplished.  Minor shenanigans ensue - like both children sitting on the changing counter while I pottied, laughing at my "method," so to speak.  Who needs privacy when you have kids, right?  Or Blogs . . .

******
Moral of the Story?

I missed Husband the whole trip, but not nearly as much as this moment.  Had he been with us, it would have been soooooo much easier.  Like leave Oldest, car seat, and carry on with him, whisk Youngest down the hall.  Back in a jiffy.  But I wouldn't be writing about THAT happening, would I???  That would be B-O-R-I-N-G.

Ah, well, all's well that ends well.  Youngest pottied AND slept on the return flight.  Bliss.

And I just successfully inserted the word "well" 3 times in 7 words.  Can anyone top that literary brilliance today?

My Happiness Project - Post Vacation

It's Happiness Monday (well, Tuesday, don't sue me)!  I love My Happiness Project, where I decided to spend a year "finding" happiness with the help of Gretchen Rubin and her awesome book.  Check out her website for more information.  And buy the book!  It's never too late to start your own Happiness Project.  

My vacation - Cliffs Notes Style:

We went.

We sunned.

We funned.

We slept.

We ate.

I drank.

We read.

We walked.

We swam.

We bonded.

We loved.

We played.

We didn't stay.  

We said goodbye.  

Life awaited us at home.  

Now we're back - refreshed and ready to plow through Spring.  :)

My Happiness Project and Spring Break

It's Happiness Monday!  I love My Happiness Project, where I decided to spend a year "finding" happiness with the help of Gretchen Rubin and her awesome book.  Check out her website for more information.  And buy the book!  It's never too late to start your own Happiness Project.  

In keeping with last week's theme of contradictions, this week is about "knowing when to take a break."  Loving my Children's Gifts will be on Spring Break for the next week.  

While on break, my happiness will (hopefully) consist of the following challenging decisions and nothing more:

1. Beach or Pool? 
2. Cocktail hour at 5pm or 5:30?  Or 4?
3. Breakfast in or out?
4. Would you like fries with that?  (yes)
5. Go to bed early or stay up reading?
6. 1 Sudoku puzzle a day or 2?

While I'm gone, take this time to check out old posts!  Get to know me a little better.  Peek in my closets, look in my medicine chest.  Talk about me behind my back (as in - make comments that I won't see for a week).

Here are some of my favorites to get you started:

Birthday Parties in the old days 
Birthdays now

Losing TV when grounded
Giving up TV for Lent

The Day before School starts - sob

The Day I Locked it up for Mom of the Year

A letter to my Friend I miss so much

When a 2 year old falls in a window well and gets stitches

Thanklessness - it's maybe OK.

Being a Grown Up 

All my Super Sundays in One easy spot

What you DON'T want your child to tell their teacher

Missy's Maxims

Paci Go Buh-bye

The Castle and the Purple Dragon

I heart Albus Dumbledore

I can't wait to see you upon my return!  Until then, Happy Blogging!  

Missy

6 word Saturday

Leaving . . . on a jet plane.  Soon.

Head over to Cate and Show my face for more.  Try one of your own!  They're fun.

Dear So and So - Vacation Edition

Dear airplane rides
Be kind to Momma.  Flying alone with a 7 month old and a 5 year old seemed challenging 2 years ago.  Flying alone with an 18 month old and a 6 year old seemed challenging last year.  Flying alone with a rambunctious, zany, highly energetic 2 year old who never stops talking EVER and who gave up her pacifier in February (what WAS I thinking?) and a just turned 8 year old who still wants to ride her Trunki no matter how many times I say it's not happening without Daddy and who also never stops talking EVER seems a little challenging this year.

Signed,
Maybe a little sleep before leaving would help, but what the heck - let's really play Russian Roulette and have a tired, cranky, slightly over-stressed mommy too

Dear Youngest
By today's count, you've taken 4 headers this week.  Since MONDAY.  I'm beginning to think you're a closet drinker.  Let's try not to get a traumatic brain injury on the eve of vacation, hmmmmm?

Signed,
Mommy wants to REST on vacation, child

Dear hot water heater
Right.  When you busted on Wednesday that was super fun.  Running sopping wet towels up and down the stairs to wring out outside was uber-cool.  Not knowing whether water coursing like a river under the furnace as it gushed from the hot water heater was a bad thing was super-reassuring.  Roto-Rooter coming within an hour really was reassuring, so thanks for that. Youngest not napping during the debacle was that final touch of AWESOME in the afternoon.

Taking 6 hours to replace your 23 year old self was a great way to practice patience.  Not having the water on for those 6 hours wasn't a problem - we like not flushing the toilet.  Forgetting that Youngest didn't nap until she laid down on the floor crying over how tired she was was a pretty proud mommy moment.  And the $1,681.00 bill was the piece de resistance on a sunny, warm, beautiful Spring St. Patrick's Day.

Signed,
Seriously.  I can't think of any other way I would have done it.  Can you?  Doesn't that sound fun?  I found it titillating.  But on the bright side, at least it didn't happen while on vacation!

Dear neighborhood sisters who Oldest has a case of unrequited friend love for: 


So it's been 7 months since you rang our door bell.  In that time, I have told Oldest 673 times that "no, she actually can't come down to see if you're home."  Because, see, last time she did that and you guys shot off on your scooters leaving her behind at a stop sign and she felt lost and scared at dusk and was paralyzed with fear to even come home because she was thinking about monsters and scary people, and I was at home having no idea this was happening and thinking you all were playing at your house, like you told me you would be doing?  She may have forgotten that, but I haven't.

I also haven't forgotten when I was in a pinch for a babysitter for a one hour lunch meeting last summer and walked down and asked your dad if she could hang out with you guys and good old Dad checked with your Mom who said "sure, bring her down at 11:30," then when we came down the next day you two and your mom were backing out of the driveway to go to the zoo because she "forgot" (even though we'd discussed it 18 hours earlier) and Oldest cried for the hour in her room while I had a mommy's helper watching Youngest.

I'm a Taurus and a mother and that combination makes for a long, long, long memory.  So this week, when you saw Oldest having a playdate with another girl up the street (who is a much better fit for her), is that why you suddenly have been ringing our door 3 times a day for three days straight?  And then when you told me that if Oldest could come down to visit the other day and your mom would tell her to come home at whatever time I said for her to, and then Oldest didn't come home and Youngest and I went down to pick her up and your mom actually wasn't home and your dad was inside sleeping?

Yeah, all those memories from last summer come rushing back even more.  And guess what?  I'm going to teach Oldest how to play a NEW game this summer.  It's called playing hard to get.  Despite my repeated Super Sunday Posts about friendship in January, this isn't how I envision a healthy friendship.

Signed,
Maybe this is how it rolls with neighborhood friendships.  It's just not how I roll.

Dear Friday Follow



Hello to you and thanks again to Hearts Make Families, One 2 Try and Midday Escapades.  Link up if you want to meet new people.  I've discovered some genuine, new, engaged and totally fun followers through this link up.  So enjoy if you're interested.

Signed,
And head over to Kat's place at 3 bedroom bungalow for more Dear So and So fun.  You won't be sorry!

They Shared a Room and . . .

Our girls shared a room on vacation.  They loved it.  LOVED it.  We loved it.  After the first 24 hours of giggling together until 10pm then waltzing into our bedroom at 7am, that is.  I had some, um, what do we call it?  Oh, terror.  Over the entire Vacay being sleep deprived, and you know I'm obsessed with sleep.

Alas, after that night they would merely giggle themselves to sleep.  Youngest would wake up in the middle of the night and instead of calling me, she would wake up Oldest to ask her a question, then they would go right back to sleep.  In the morning, I would hear them wake each other up, start talking and sometimes stay in there for 45 minutes before coming out.  YES!  I said 45 minutes of extra sleep time for MaMa and PaPa.  Ohhhhhhh, delicious.

One morning, they were in there so long after I knew they were awake talking, and I'm like, "What in Sam Hill is going on in there?"  And rather than screaming that down the hall (with a shotgun on my hip), I tiptoed down to see what I could peep and find out.  Youngest was in bed with Oldest, they were wrapped in each other's arms, sound asleep.  I found out later that Oldest got her out of her crib, per her request, and told her it was too early to get up yet, but that she would cuddle her for a little bit just like with Mommy.  Then they fell back asleep.

Swoon.

I've also long held the suspicion that one of the "American Dreams" of  Each Child Having Their Own Bedroom doesn't necessarily make everyone happier.  And while in Florida, I witnessed first-hand how much MORE my children bonded through their room sharing, rather than having their own "space."  Their conflicts were less often, Oldest helped Youngest much more readily than at home, Youngest "went" to Oldest for all kinds of things, rather than rely on Mommy.

Kinda makes me wonder about a few issues, really, but I must save them for another day.  What do you think?  I would love to hear. 

Because I simply can't resist it, I'm sharing some vacation pics below.  I tried to be thoughtful and put the blog first, and gratuitous pics second.  Feel free to disregard if you have no interest. 

See you tomorrow!  :)

Youngest received the best gift EVER from Santa - her own camera.  So she can stop breaking Mommy's.

Oldest posing with Santa ONE MORE TIME!  That girl would take 5 encores with him if she could.  I love, love, love her enthusiasm for him.  For magic.  Maybe she's going to marry an older man.

At the airport, before boarding.  They weren't excited.  Too bad another family decided ours was having so much fun they let their toddler climb all over our stuff and our children, eventually spilling our special airport chocolate milk all over me and the floor.  But that's OK.  We were happy to babysit for a little while.  That's what airports are for, right?

Yes!  They do have parents!  Our obligatory once quarterly family shot to prove they aren't raising themselves.  I think my dad, cameraman extraordinaire, didn't realize how tall Husband really is.  ;)

Youngest doing her prom date pose with HER future Older man, Old Salt.  No lie, this is one of maybe 10 pics of her acting like this with the guy.  And she would have done more if we let her.  L-O-V-E.

It's a Party in the USA! 

Much love with the M and M guy at the Tampa airport pre-flight.  Much.  Love.  Like get out the anti-bac body wash kind of love.

And finally, much love to YOU, readers, for following and being interested in our corner of the world.  I didn't realize how much blogging would lead to caring about people you've never met! 

Dear So and So - New Year's Edition

Welcome to the New Year's Day version of Dear So and So.  After you finish here, head over to Kat's blog to see what the other Dear So and Sos are up to!  Or even better, make it a resolution to link up through hers each week and write your own! 

Dear New Year's Resolutions:

Barf.  Let's do it again, K?  We pretty much dance the same dance every year.  **Editing note:  I have literally written this sentence 5 diff times and find a different mistake every time.  Can it really be that complicated?**  How 'bout this year we keep the train a-rollin' longer than, say, 3 months?  How 'bout my main resolution be "that I am still successful in all my resolutions on December 31st, 2010.  THAT would be success. 

Signed,

See the remaining letters for why this is so difficult

Dear holiday eating:

This morning I'm on the "what in the HELL was I thinking" train and am annoyed (practicing my nice words again).  Here's the thing about me:  I'm really good at not dieting, I'm pretty good at dieting and I'm JUST AWFUL at maintaining.  Anybody else have this issue?

Signed,
Can't WAIT to get back in the winter weight loss saddle, Really.  Seriously.  Can't WAIT.  Maybe I'll go think about it over French Toast and Mimosas.  And bacon.

Dear Plan to organize:

I'm really good at having a messy house, I'm pretty good at getting things organized and I'm JUST AWFUL at maintaining an organized state of non-clutter.  All the time.  With everything in its place. 

Signed,
Need a Live In Organizer


Dear Exercise plan:

I'm starting to see a pattern here!  I'm really good at not exercising at all, I'm pretty good at going at it hard core to get back into shape, I'm JUST AWFUL at maintaining a healthy exercise schedule.

Signed,
Don't I Want to Live to a Ripe Old Age? 

Dear Organic food:

I'm really good at shopping at Kroger.  I'm pretty good at getting to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to do a more sustained organic lifestyle - every now and then.  I'm JUST AWFUL at keeping up the rotation between three grocery stores to get the diverse organic selection I desire (which, of course, I don't even know what that entails since I don't get there often enough).   Plus who's givin' up Diet Pepsi or Coke?  Not moi.

Signed,
Bring Diet Drinks to Whole Foods in 2010

Dear Super Freakonomics -

Thanks for the quote.  Now I no longer need to think I'm lazy, unmotivated over the long term, can't follow through or uncommitted.  Because sometimes when I start these yearly resolutions, I wonder. 

"The brilliant rationalist had encountered a central, frustrating tenet of human nature:  behavior change is hard."  Page 148.

Signed,
Isn't it great to be normal? 

Dear Optimism -

Still there?  Good.  I'm gonna need ya.  Now off to eat some bean curd and tofu for breakfast, followed by a 3 mile run, a trip to Whole Foods and a trip to Target for my organizational essentials.  ;)

Signed,
Sometimes Optimism is Delusion in Disguise

Dear Readers:

What are YOUR resolutions for 10?  Mine are still under construction, so look for the real ones in a future post.

Signed,
It's not really THAT bad.  I'm actually super excited for 2010! 

10 years ago - From 20s to 30s - My, my, my

A fun little look at aging from your late 20's to your late 30's. 

1999-2009

1999 - We ended it with a "Millenium Party."  75 people at our house, a karaoke machine and a contest for best "end of the world" item.  As in - if Y2K really happened (at our house, with those 75 people - at least 20 we'd never met, two of which used our spare bedroom turned coat closet to start the New Year off with a BANG, if you know what I mean), what would be our best way to survive?  By unanimous screaming, the blow up doll won.  The Viagra (yes, seriously) came in second.  The party lasted til 4 (that's AM people - we WERE still in our 20s), we allowed smoking in the house (Husband had obviously lost his mind) and found champagne sprays on our walls on sunny days for months.  Our neighbor told us he woke to a "cat dying" around 3am and realized it was just me singing "1999" by Prince over.  And over.  And over.  And linking to it on You Tube makes me want to start singing it AGAIN!  LOVE that song!  But, wait . . . didn't I just write a post about the ridiculous-ness of neighbors singing drunk - late night? 

2009 - We're ending with an early dinner, with kids, at a friend's house - our former next door neighbors.  Likely home by 9  tonight - latest.  Sad, sad, sad.  But happy, happy, happy.  No hangover = good start to 2010.  I always suspected I was starting the New Year off poorly when staying out until practically dawn on the 31st.  No worries about THAT any more!

1999 -  we'd been married 1 year, I practiced criminal defense law, and had recently lost 30 pounds. 

2009 -  we celebrated our 11 year anniversary, my "free job" is far from criminal defense (more like excessive volunteerism in early childhood education) and I've gained still undetermined because I'm afraid to get on the scale a little weight this holiday season.

1999 - sleeping in meant noon and sometimes getting up then was a challenge. 

2009 - sleeping in until 8am would be like winning the lottery.  It'd be like Christmas 360 days early!  Spa vacation!  Losing the holiday weight overnight! 

1999 - weren't we the selfish little punks with no kids yet?  Didn't we know how WE were going to parent kids when they came along?  Much better than everyone else we judged.  Mostly at church.  I've been learning about that karma for about 7 years, 9 months now. 

2009 - Have we now gone from BEING selfish little punks to RAISING selfish little punks?  Maybe not punks (yet - doesn't punkism occur in adolescence?), but I'm having a Circle of Life moment here!

1999 - I knew it all.

2009 - I have so much to learn. 

Bring on 2010 - with learning, living, laughing, loving.  In other words, maybe I'll win the lottery of life.  Or at LEAST stop alliterating with L for cripe's sake! 

:)

Back to Life, Back to Reality

We came . . . to the airport.

We saw . . . a bunch of kooky people.  Airports are good for that.

We dodged a bullet . . . with the enhanced security.  Arriving during off-peak - very good idea.

We dominated . . . the flight.  My kids are good fliers.

We landed . . . safely.  Colder, but happy, rested and (pretty much) glad to be home.

:)

And dude, not reading other people's blogs for a week?  Makes you feel like you've missed out on a LOT.  Catching.  Up.  Now.

The clock's ticking and other musings

Remember my goal to complete at least 23 books this year because, for heaven's sake, the last time I read that few books I'd given birth to my first child who cried for 6 months straight? 

I have one more to go and 5 days to do it. 

Can I?  Can I?  Huh, huh, can I?

I'll let you know.  Gotta get back to the grind. 

On another note, here we are in Sunny Florida - if you've forgotten the obnoxious Frosty remix from a few days ago. 

I haven't been on Facebook for 5 days and guess what?  I don't miss it!  I'm kind of over Facebook right now.

What do I miss?  All of the little TLC touches I give my little bloggity-blog every day.  Sigh.  Guess I'll go back to the beach. 

From our last trip to Florida.  Because, sadly, I'm too busy drinking cocktails and sitting on the beach reading People to download pictures from this trip yet.  Oh wait . . . I still have young children.  I'm too busy drinking cocktails and yelling louder than the seagulls to tell my kids "WATCH FOR THE UNDERTOW" in the water.  Just kidding - I'm YANKING them out of the undertow. 

But I'm not too busy taking that puppy out at all hours of the night.  Ahhhhhhhh, sleep GOOD.

Next musing:  I thought people moderated comments b/c they wanted to make sure people weren't posting hate mail before publishing it.  So I was all about NO comment moderation for ME - I can take the hate mail if it comes.  I used to be a Public Defender for goodness' sake!  Talk about hate mail!  Since being here, I've gotten two spam comments - one about vegas gambling and one about someone asking if I think they're sexy.  What do you all do about spam like that?  SO annoying - here I'm all excited that I'm getting comments and it's fake-o ones like that?  Grrrrr.  I might have to moderate after all!

So, the next time I write a post we'll be back in Ohio - sigh.  Poor us.  Unless we don't get out of the airport because of the enhanced security thanks to that idiot who tried to blow up the Detroit airplane.  Seriously?  I thought we had that security stuff all worked out.  Grrrrrr again.

And finally, I hate cilantro.  Just had to get that out there.  I feel all better now.

See ya on the flipside!

Super Sunday Series Holidays and Routines

Super

Sunday

Series

Welcome to Week 4 of the Holiday Edition of the Super Sunday Series.  We've talked about sleep, nutrition and transitions this month.  Today, we close out the Holiday Series with the importance of routines. 

For any child, a predictable, consistent routine is paramount to their success as a contributing member of your family.  The importance is raised, however, for the gifted child.  A gifted child needs the consistency of a routine like a person on the beach needs sunscreen (get it?  Shameless reference to our current location).  In other words, it's pretty important for long term health.  Without it, you won't die (likely), but everyone will be much more comfortable and happy when it's provided (the sunscreen AND the routine, that is). 

Sticking close to a routine during the holidays is important (and a challenge!).  Just as important, however, is the transition from “laid back holiday routine” to “back to school routine.”

During the holiday season, try to keep mealtimes, snack times, rest times and bedtimes as close to the norm as possible. Right now, with most two week breaks at the blissful halfway point, it may be tempting to just go with the flow of wherever time off takes you. Or you may be so overscheduled with holiday happenings, that you feel like you can’t keep up with the normal routine. To deviate from it significantly would do a disservice to both you and your gifted child(ren). All children, and especially gifted children, crave the structure, the knowledge of a routine. They like knowing what’s coming next. To take that away from them can sometimes spell disaster (it actually always spells disaster in our house).

 The closer you stick to the routine, the more easily you will transition everyone back to “normal” when back to school comes.  Holiday time isn't like summer, where you can spend several weeks with late bedtimes and late wake times (if you're lucky!).  It's a short enough amount of time that sticking as close as possible to your normal schedule is your best bet.  

Finally, remind your children about the routine and what it means to get back into it as the holiday break comes to an end. You may not get back into the swing of things without a few bumps, but the more knowledge you arm your gifted person with, the more likely they are to handle the changes.

They’re smart that way. ;)

One more thing (added on location due to its timeliness).  Just last night, the 26th, mind you, with 9 days until school is back in session, Oldest had some moments (sobbing, actually) over her worry about getting back into the school routine, how hard it was going to be and how it is so close, how can she get ready for it?  We shared some tears and started the "this is what happens when you go back" talk.  So sometimes your gifted ones need that "back to routine" talk sooner than you may think.  Be ready for it.  Youngest?  She's just going to bed every night saying "tomorrow's my school day, right?"  Gotta love the age of two. 


P.S.  Don't know what's up with the font, I'll get 'er fixed when we get back.  :)

Dear So and So - 25th

Dear Santa -

Please keep the "hits" coming to my kids.  Dude, you rock.  How do you get them such awesome stuff year after year?  And please keep my 2nd grader believing in you one more year!  Like the Journey song says, "Don't Stop Believin!'

Signed,
One More Year!

Dear Florida -

Ahhhhh.  I love you. 

Signed,
The Former Ohio Dweller

Dear Ohio -

We'll be back when you thaw out.  Take your time.

Signed,
Winter Hater

Dear Busy Season -

You're almost here, aren't you, you sneaky little "taker of all things family time?"  Let's try to be friends this year, shall we?  You release Husband a little on the weekends and I'll still take care of the kids practically solo, no matter what you decide. 

Signed,
Nuthin' to be Done About It, Is There?

Dear God,

Thank you for bringing Jesus to save the world.  Much appreciated.  We will try to live up to your hope for us this coming year.

Signed,
Praying for Patience Again

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Great Day, filled with Love, Laughter and Joy.

Missy

Me LOVE Cookies, says Cookie Monster

Over the years, I've developed a repetoire of December baking that is extensive.  Extensive, I say!  One reason why I gain 10 pounds every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's.  Lucky me. 

I make about 450 baked goods.  Here's the breakdown:

1. Cutouts - 10 dozen
2. Thumbprints - 3-6 dozen
3. You Won't Believe 'ems - brown sugar, butter, chocolate and nuts over saltine crackers - about 50 pieces
4. Lemon bars - 3 dozen
5. Chocolate Turtles - 6 dozen
6. Mini-Lemon Pound Cakes - 20-22

I carve out 2-3 nights a week the first two weeks of December, doing nothing but baking.  And tasting.  Then I go to the Container Store (talk about YUMMY, a girl could blow her bank account in THAT Shangri-La) and find the cutiest-patootiest baked goods holders I can find. 

I divvy up all of my treasures and give them to pretty much everyone I can think of.  Teachers.  Babysitters.  Friends.  Relatives.  Neighbors.  Make-up girl at Nordstrom.  Dog walker who goes past my house every day looking hungry.  People at the bus stop. 

It's a lot of baked goodies. 

And I'm not doin' it this year.  I'm devastated and ecstatic at the same time.  Devastated because I love the creating.  Devastated because at the time, I love the tasting, tasting, tasting.  Devastated because it makes me feel so fulfilled - in that I am a feeder.  MUST FEED PEOPLE to feel fulfilled in life. 

Ecstatic because I might escape with only a 5 pound holiday weight gain this year.  Ecstatic because the removal of that pressure to perform is quite delicious in another way, it's freeing, if you know what I mean.

So WHY did I give it up?  Two words. 

Swine.  Flu. 

I read an article predicting most people would pitch their homemade baked gifts this year for fear of H1N1 exposure (of course I can't find it online now, but I SWEAR I read one). 

Really, can I spend hours upon hours creating these labors of love to have them hit the trash?  I just can't and it makes me sad. 

So here's my Q of the day - do you plan to throw away homemade goodies this year for that reason?  I wonder where this article got the validity for a prediction like that - so I'm asking you good people what your plans are. 

For a Cookie Monster like me (Husband nicknamed me the Remorseless Eating Machine the first year he watched the Bake and Taste Fest - I love it THAT much), this is a hard decision.  But I would be lying if I didn't admit to a little relief (ok, a lot!) - this year especially. 

Maybe next year I'll double the amount and give them to some new people - airline pilots, check out clerks, friendly Wendy's drive-thru guy.  You get the picture. 

See you Wednesday!  Remember, Tuesday's bon-bon day, so no post.  Store-bought, sadly. 

Missy

P.S.  I won't throw away any bakedy-bling that comes through my front door, back door, side door, down the chimney, through the window, home in my children's backpacks, etc.  Just sayin,' in case you wanna deliver any to me. 

:)

NaBloPoMo - What I Learned

I came.  I registered.  I blogged daily.  For 30 days. 

What do I have to show for it? 

Should it be another T-shirt? 

I blogged for 30 days and

all I got was this lousy

sticker on my

sidebar

I could do the t-shirt, because I doubt I'm getting any tangible rewards from it.  No prizes, I'm sure.  Too many other people in the running, plus I forgot to add my blog to NaBloPoMo's blogroll until about 2 days ago, so I'm loooooooooooow on the list. 

But I have intangible rewards.  I've learned things from doing this for 30 days straight.

1. Blogging 30 days in a row, during one of the busiest Falls I've ever had, has been exhausting.  But so's having a puppy, chairing a strategic plan, executing my first Thanksgiving, helping a neighbor at 2am last night (don't ask, just suffice it to say yet another weekend night that Missy's sleep went out the window - NOT by choice).  So why not now, right?  It was a great time to see if I could do it and I could!
2. I was forced to write about things other than complaining about the hard parts of parenting.  Even I can't come up with whining for 30 days straight!
3. I learned to think outside the box and tried to pay better attention to the little things. 
4. I raised my readership significantly.  Including inviting some family members to the site - which was terrifying.  But ultimately rewarding - so far.  Couple of people just learned Friday, so we'll see if I get any hate mail.  ;)
5. I had fun!  Even on the days when I didn't really want to do it.   

Most of the time I'm a realist.  Therefore, I'm not going to say "Hip, Hip, Hurray!  This was SO wonderful!  I'm doin' it every day for the rest of my natural born life!" 

It's December.  Also known as the "most wonderful time of the year."  Sometimes coined as "so much fun it's painful."  Always known as "the month you can barely find your fanny with both hands because they're always so full of your December tasks." 

So here is my promise.  FIVE days a week, instead of 7.  I think that's reasonable, don't you?  I'm taking Tuesdays and Saturdays off in December. 

Then in January, I really do intend to ramp back up to 7 days a week.  This blog is making me a better person.  Swear.  Why?  Because I have an outlet.  Instead of these thoughts swirling " 'round me head like a whirlpool with nowheres to go," I can get it onto "paper" and improve my mental health.  It really is less expensive than therapy!  Couple hours lost sleep a day and "hurrah!"  Instant zen.

So see you Wednesday.  Tomorrow I'm eating bon-bons and watching the Price is Right after sleeping in until 10:30.  I've earned it.

What?  I still have a family to nurture?  Oh rats.  Then tomorrow I'm doing everything I've ignored since last Tuesday.  My to-do list is 31 items long.  And that's all extra "stuff."  Not just the day to day upkeep of life. 

Wednesday?  Dunno - but it'll be better than working on that list, I'll bet! 

Happy Monday!  You KNOW it's my fave day of the week. 

Missy

Ahhhh, Vacation

So we're back from our vacation.  We actually came home Wednesday night, but I've been digging out.  I haven't even let myself open this page, so I wouldn't be tempted.  I have discovered, though, in my absence, that I missed it!  A lot.  Now that the fire to write has been re-ignited in me, it's burning steadily.  Speaking of writing, I'm reading Pat Conroy's new book - South of Broad right now.  Really, really good.  You should check it out!

Where did we go on vacation you ask?  Before I answer, nauseatingly I'm sure, let me assure you that I have not been endorsed by this place to write this description.  It is pure love only.  We went to The Greenbrier.  It's a place with history, quality, service and luxury.  We go every year. This was Husband and I's 8th visit, Oldest's 7th and Youngest's 2nd visit. 

So fun on many levels.  Oldest did the Adventure Zone for kids both days we were there.  It's a 1/2 day or all day program.  If you choose all day, they plan so many fun things for your child!  She got to do a carriage ride, stable tour, swimming, bowling, hiking and crafts both days.  Usually Husband plays lots and lots of golf, but this year, he took the year off to do family time.  As an alternative we helped ourselves to some spa time.  It was Heaven. 

The food is top notch, known throughout the country for its high quality.  We weren't disappointed. 

But what I like the most, is that every year that we go back it seems a little more like home to us.  They pride themselves on keeping their staff for many, many, MANY years.  They have 5-6 people who have worked there for more than FIFTY years.  At least 60 or so who have worked there for more than 25 years.  And they remember you.  It might not be the moment we walk in the door, but as the days go by, they remembered our visit from last year.  One of the doormen has been there for 52 years.  He told me as we were leaving that a man in his 30s came up to him last week and said, "do you remember me?"  And he didn't, and felt so bad.  His Southern Hospitality is so strong, that he couldn't stand not remembering this man, thinking he should.  The man then said "Oh, I'm just kidding, I used to come here with my grandfather and I remember you from when I was a kid.  I just wanted you to know I remember you and say hi to you again."  How cool is that? 

The kids were, well, practically perfect in every way, to quote the oft-misunderstood Mary Poppins.  It is like they are sprinkled with good girl dust upon arrival at the doors and it lasts the whole time we are there.  Youngest WAS a bit of a beast at the beginning of every meal, but we all know her propensities toward craziness when she's hungry.  Once her belly was full, though, she would start what we called the "FBD - Full Belly Dance" in her chair, which was this funny, rhythmic swaying to the happiness of her full belly.  Hilarious, that girl.  Plus she mastered the lyrics of Twinkle Twinkle - only slightly changing words - like "Gwinkle, Gwinkle, wittwle tar."

So we're all feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, repaired and ready - for Fall, school, work, my "free job" (excessive volunteerism).  And we have a little more sparkle in our eyes than we did last week. 

Has anyone been there?  I would love to hear your stories.

Don't miss Sunday's post - Super Sunday Series - Imaginational Overexcitability.  See you then!