The Shame

meal planning

Here's the book I mentioned...
plus a little hint at what else might be going down around here.

Happy New Year!

We rang the New Year in, as we have the past several years, by planting our wishes.

It's a custom from some far off locale, I can't remember which.

So, now, at 11:59 we all scurry outside with a trowel and scoop out 4 small holes.

We bend down and whisper our wishes for the New Year into them and then cover them back up.

To grow.

I know not everyone is a big resolutions person. I am. In part, because I just love to come up with new plans, new goals, new over the top regimes. I think it's fun. Some of my ideas are somewhat outlandish... but... still they push me to try to step out of my comfort zone. I really don't care on Dec 31st if I stuck them out or not... the thought of what might be is enough for me. If I only do it once, I still challenged myself. And, I do believe, it's about the drive to change... always believing that it's possible to be more. Whether I make a life long change isn't the point, it's showing myself, and my girls (and Mr F the most pessimistic of all) that life is more fun and exciting when you actively live it.

As I said to Kid last night... "Happy New Year! Another year, another chance to be more awesome!"

Last year our family goal for 2011 was to chose happiness. That meant a very failed attempt at spreading joy through $5 gift cards (hilarious flop), to a more sustainable decision to say no to events, invitations, people and sports programs that were actively sucking our souls out. On that front we were incredibly successful. And as a people pleaser, that is a huge accomplishment! I even refused to accept friendship requests of several people on Facebook... what?!... choosing my own comfort and boundaries, over someone else's? Unprecedented.

This year we are going to focus on our social life. As in improving it. This is a big challenge for us. While there are lots of people, here, we would love to hang out with, our schedules (and theirs), various levels of social anxiety, and just plain speed of life, always seem to collide on the side of staying home. The truth is, that at this stage of life, with all our friends juggling their work and kid schedules, it just is harder to get together with people. It takes more work than before we moved to NC, when everyone's kids were preschool aged & younger... without soccer, swimming, dance, and karate lessons every night of the week to contend with. So, it will, in fact, take more work.

That's a pretty big challenge for one year.

I'm, truthfully, somewhat conflicted, since most of me is always trying so hard to slow our schedules down and carve out a moment to relax. But in doing that, it can be easy for *extras* like cultivating and maintaining friendships to be the first thing to fall by the wayside. Because, what else can you cut? We have something M-Th every afternoon/eve for the kids, which all independently seem important, and then there is Mr F's ridiculous work schedule. I've thought a lot about it. While things were stressful in NC, I was also in some ways more fulfilled socially. People were in general less busy, there, and social time was more of a priority. There was not as much pressure for your kids to take extra curriculars, as there is here, and so there were more playdates.

So, I'll be thinking on this. We are kind of locked into our current schedule until June, so baby steps for now. But come summer I would like to really focus on reestablishing our social network, and finding a way to make that a priority when we start a new school year in the Fall.

Seems a long way off... but... experience proves otherwise.

It's That Time Of Year, Again

"I'm getting excited about an extreme new way of eating." Mrs F announces while folding laundry.

"Oh My God." Kid replies.

The Greatest Day Of The Year

The day after Christmas...

No traveling, no cooking, no errands, no work... Pure bliss.

Kid got a big Santa gift this year, The Calico Critters Cloverleaf Manor ... we figured this might be her last *real* year for Santa and decided to knock it out of the park. We went all out, and she is sure we would NEVER be able to afford this ;)

Kid told Baby she could be the governess and manage the nursery on the top floor. Baby misunderstood and happily accepted the role of "Govenor" and promptly emptied the entire doll house and set it up by her own specifications while Kid was eating breakfast! Thankfully, Kid is a very patient and loving big sister. Baby didn't even get a smack for that ;) Just kidding... like it or not, in our house the only toys that don't have to be shared are American Girl dolls.

Baby's big gifts were a couple of princess Barbies and some dress up dresses. She is currently tying up her barbie's feet and pretending a Calico Critter beaver is an evil doctor that is going to light her on fire. Hmm...

Now, I'm going to sit here, in my pjs all day, and think about our budget for the new year. Something I actually find fun. My mom & dad both gave us new flat screen TVs (we still have tube... believe it) and we can finally drop our TV service and just use Netflix and the digital antenna. I'm so excited! We're also dropping our house phone (only solicitors really use it)... I'm already down $125 a month! I'm also going to go down to $75/week on groceries for the next 3 months... raising our food budget has really increased both our food waste and poorer food choices... neither of which I'm happy with. While the $60 Asheville budget was difficult, we ate better and more responsibly. (And I was thinner... maybe a connection?) I'm upping it $15 because food is actually more expensive here, and I don't want to switch from Organic when we can afford it. $75 is doable, but means I will have to work with a meal plan, and carefully use what we buy. This is good on so many fronts (our health, budget, and the environment) and I feel much better about how I'm managing the house when I do it.

That's all folks.

We Wish You A...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This Is How You Know Mr F Is Home

After my Angry Birds intervention...
That's more like it.

Bwahahahaha

taken from here

(P.S. My favorite one)


I found that site last night, right after Mr F was fumbling around the kitchen at 3 AM (believe it... we're all kinds of crazy) trying to help me find my piping tips. It was hilariously fitting. (P.S. He was already up working... I didn't wake him up for this... just to be clear, I'm not that crazy)

I realize I didn't put my giveaway up in time for many of you to be able to enter in time. I'm sorry :( Next year I'll do better.
I just wasn't sure I'd be able to pull it off until I hit a sugar high, fueled by a massive consumption of clementines, coffee, & burned caramel corn.

Then I lost my mind and stayed up until 3:30 making these...

and these...

in the wee hours of the morning, all I could see was success...
And it was GLORIOUS. (I think I even heard some angels singing in the background)

Unfortunately, the sugar wore off some time in the night (er... later morning) and I stumbled out to the kitchen when I woke up

and all I could see was this...

and this...

and this...

And the first thing out of Baby's mouth, was "Can we make cookies today?"

And I kind of wanted to cry.

But I couldn't muster it because I had the shakes from severe sugar withdrawal.

So, I called Mr F and said "We're going out to dinner, tonight."

But, I did it!

(This year we made Iced Sugar Cookies, Gingersnaps, White Chocolate Covered Peppermint JoJos, Rolo Pretzel Turtle Bites, and of course some holiday tunes and a little cloved clementine for good measure.) Recipes HERE and HERE)

And if I hadn't had that unfortunate caramel corn incident, I probably would have been done at a more reasonable time.

At least this year I had some super eager helpers, one of whom would REALLY like you to know that she did the one on the bottom NOT the one on the top.(as if there was any question).

And The Winner Is...

Surly Rob!

Get ready for awesome.

Christmas Box Giveaway!!!!!

Leave a comment if you'd like it.

And why wouldn't you?

I want these babies in the mail ASAP.

I'll be doing my drawing TOMORROW at 2 PM EST.

If you want it, you have to be able to get back to me with your address BEFORE 3 PM EST!!!

Got it?

Please only comment if you'll be able to get me your address in time.

Or I'll have a heart attack.

You could, alternately, send me your address just in case you win to my email (see comments for that).

Maybe you'll end up on my Christmas card list.

It's Happening, People

Oh, It's Happening...

Introducing Big Boy

Or as Tiger likes to call him "The Enemy"

He's all "Are you f'ing kidding me?! Would you stop coddling this majestic beast, already!"

I really can't blame him, look at the size differential there. Tiger is a good sized adult male cat... Big Boy is enormous. And stoic. He won't engage in Tiger's constant war tactics. He won't even stoop to look him in the eyes. It's driving Tiger crazy. Big Boy just sits there with an indifferent look on his face, like "oh, you are one of those cats." He was the dominant cat in an animal hoarding situation, so he's obviously used to lots of cats coming in. He's extremely tolerant. So, it's up to Tiger to just give up the battle and enjoy the new cuddle opportunities. The sooner the better, please.

When I'm A Teenager...

"I'm going to write a Nancy Drew called The Mystery of the Magic Sharpie!!!" Baby announces.

Then adds with a deep dramatic voice...

"It fell on my nightgown, but it did not stain. It is a mystery."

More Misheard Christmas Lyrics

"Hey, Mom! In Silent Night is it 'Holy infant so tender and wild'?" Kid asks this morning.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Oh My God, it's 12 days to Christmas!

Which reminds me, the other day Baby asked,

"What are the gifts Jesus brings me?"

To which Kid replied,

"Jesus doesn't bring you gifts; you mean Santa?"

"No, Jesus, like in that song." Baby repeats.

"Hmm, I don't know what song you mean. I don't think Jesus brings you gifts." I say.

"In the song you were playing!" Baby asserts.

"I'm sorry, I don't know that song." I return, somewhat confused.

"Yes, you do! You were playing it on the piano." Baby explains.

"You know, 'On the 1st day of Christmas Jesus gave to me...'!!" She explains.

"No, that is 'My true love gave to me'; Jesus doesn't give you those." Kid tells her laughing.

We sang the whole song with Jesus instead of My True Love, it gave a whole new meaning to Christmas.

Oh, we had a good laugh over that misheard lyric.


Anyhoo, we finally got out all of our Christmas stuff and I feel SO much better...



I'm not sure if you can tell in these pictures, but our tree is 7 feet WIDE.

For real.

You know how much fun it is to water a tree that is wider than your arm is long?!

Not fun.

Baby Is Singing A Song

With the refrain...

"this is the very worst life, this is the very worst life, woah oh"

Should I be concerned?

Things That Make You Go Hmm

"The first time I had beer I was two years old." Baby chirps up from the backseat after Kid points out a "Wine & Beer" sign.

"And all it did was make me sleepy." She adds.

Maybe her love of Pabst Blue Ribbon was real.

The Good News Is

Baby wasn't having a heart attack.

The bad news is I only found that out after the doctor had me rush her in.

You know how we like to have one medical crisis, right after another, right after another around here?

Keeps me on my toes.

P.S. You know what can cause a 35 year old woman to have a heart attack? Thinking her 4 year old is having one.

Hey kids could tomorrow just be a TV day? Pretty please?

On The Mend

Whatever was going on with our gastrointestinal systems seems to have come to an end.

I wouldn't think traveling through Epcot would be rife with such horrors, but I think we had something like dysentery.

For real.

Neither Kid, nor I, feel 100% up to snuff, but I think that's to be expected when your innards have been ravaged.

We are, as of yesterday, back to eating normal foods.

In response to last weeks health disasters, I'm planning to take the week off of home school and just rest up and try to catch up on all the housework.

I would like to be decorating for Christmas, but I think we're going to have to push that back until next weekend.

Kid's ankle is resting. So far, so good. She hasn't had cause to get too frustrated by her infirmity as of yet, since Mr F has been home all weekend, carrying her where she needed to go, and letting her use his iPad for large scale Angry Birds.

This morning may prove to be a rude awakening, now that we have to get her around without his help.

And try to keep entertained while lying on her back with her foot raised without an iPad to help break up the monotony.

We did pick up a spare walker at my grandmother's house...

Which is as adorable as it is helpful.

We have another 5 days to go, before we'll know more conclusively if this is a sprain or a break and what her full recovery/treatment will have to be. Until then it's my goal to keep her off of it at all costs.

I'm just glad she's old enough that she can be left on the couch while I run Baby to preschool & dance down the street this week.

Okay, off to do the laundry, clean the fish tank, roast some chicken and tackle the playroom...

and pick up more Nancy Drews.

It's broken

Broken ankle during winter?

On my predisposed to moodiness, uncoordinated child?

Awesome.

Did I mention we live in a raised ranch?

Which means there is NO way to come or go without navigating either the steep basement stairs, or the icy outdoor walks and steps?

Merry Fucking Christmas!