{ a holiday }

I've been a bad blogger.

I'm sorry for that, because I love blogging, but time is at a premium right now, and we have been enjoying the holiday season with family and loved ones.

We have the end of Hanukkah and Christmas, and some travel and MacGyver's birthday and we've been entertaining house guests since Thanksgiving. And let's not forget the cookies we are baking and the trees we are trimming and the carols we are singing. It's getting to the point where there just aren't enough hours in my day, so I'm not going to stress about the fact that I'm not regularly posting right now. 

I do have a few things to share, and I will over the course of the rest of the year. It's just a matter of putting my nose to the grindstone and doing it.

In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the season in all your favorite ways.

With all your favorite people.

Having a wonderful time.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year!

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{ on being a grinch }

I can't get into my holiday groove. 

It could be that we don't have our tree yet.

It could be that I'm not sleeping well because I am keeping an ear out for that creepy Elf on the Shelf, lurking in my house.

It could be that my heart is three sizes too small.

No, just kidding on that last one. 

I really think it's the tree. There's just something about the little lights and the smell of pine that make the whole thing real.

We had intended to get it this past weekend, but then I second-guessed myself because I didn't want it to dry up and die by the 25th, so I thought we could go this week, sometime in between preparing the house for a special weekend guest and setting up Santa's workshop in an undisclosed location in the house.

It hasn't worked out.

And while we have the Christmas Village all laid out and the nativity scene set up and the stocking hung from the entertainment center with care, there are still boxes and bags strewn about, waiting for the arrival of an eight foot (give or take, but mostly give) Frasier Fir.

But I think today is the day. It's a little dreary out, and maybe a little chilly, so we can pretend that it's winter. Maybe we can involve some egg nog. Another showing of Rudolph from the DVR. Some Christmas Vacation after Turtle is in bed.

And by the weekend, that bad boy can be lit up and decked out and we'll be able to get this holiday season started!

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{ in which i kick myself for not planning ahead }

Turtle has requested three things for Christmas over the course of the last month or so.

An IronMan mask that talks.

Darth Vader.

And Boba Fett.

"Santa" hasn't struggled too much with the first two. But Mr. Fett, taciturn bounty hunter of the galactic empire... 

He's a tricky one.

Don't get me wrong: he's still popular. In a "geek" sort of way. A search on Amazon will turn up some action figures and items for sale, but they seem to fall in the "vintage" category. 

Which is a fancy way of saying "more expensive for the nostalgia value." 

Which brings me to this.

While we were ordering other Star Wars toys for him, we realized that it was pretty tough to find classic characters. You know, from (the good) Episodes IV-VI. Turtle is pretty devoted to Luke and Han and Darth Vader (although he does think Darth Maul's double-bladed light saber is pretty cool), and I'm certainly in no mind to introduce him to the whining version of Anakin or that disaster JarJar Binks anytime soon.

And then I stumbled upon an old-school Millennium Falcon. Like the one that was available when I was a child, and probably retailed in the $50 range. That same plastic ship, in all its glory, is now going for over $200. And while we love Turtle to the moon and back, there is just no way that we are going there.

But what was I thinking??? When my mom and and grandmother asked me if I wanted them to hold on to any toys from my childhood, and I was all "Nah... Too much clutter... No kid of mine would be interested..." Oh, how I am eating those words.

I remember complete sets of Playmobil with knights and pirates and cowboys. And Lego kits for castles and police stations and who knows what else, with all the pieces still there and pretty neatly organized.

Don't even get me started on my She-Ra and My Little Pony collections. Not that Turtle would be in love with those things, but really. Who doesn't love She-Ra?

I don't know exactly what MacGyver had, but I'm sure there were Star Wars figures and cool Matchbox cars and all kinds of good things from his childhood, too.

Oh, the money we could have saved. 

So I've pretty much decided that I can't get rid of any of Turtle's "good" toys. Not the Lego or the Playmobil or even the sets of superhero figures. Because even though Molly chewed the fingers off of our talking IronMan (I think she got tired of his witty repartee), if Turtle ever has a child of his own, he'll probably find himself wishing he still had that fingerless Avenger, rather than stalking Amazon for a deal on a "vintage" Marvel character. And, quite frankly, Lego never goes out of style (nor do Lincoln Logs, in case you were wondering, seeing as how they are pretty much exactly the same as they were 20 years ago, and probably longer than that).

If you need me, I'll be measuring our storage space to make sure we have enough room.  

And trying to find a Boba Fett for under the Christmas tree.

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{ thanksgiving, three pugs style }

We had a pretty big gathering this year. Eight people, instead of five.

And that wasn't too bad, because I am always accused of making too much food, so I didn't add much to our menu. 

We started with appetizers at two. 

On the bar, we had shrimp cocktail, brie en croute with raspberry jam, a selection of cheeses and olives, hummus, flatbread and crostini with fig jam, ricotta and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Things got a little silly when Grandma decided to teach MacGyver The Cupid Shuffle. I only wish there was video.

And then at four, we served dinner. I really wanted to set up tables outside, but the weather was pretty chilly, so we moved all the tables into our front room instead. 

First, we had a salad of spinach leaves, sliced pears, goat cheese, slivered almonds and raspberry vinaigrette.

The feast: roast turkey, gravy, some baked salmon (we had a pescatarian guest), rolls with butter, stuffing, sweet potato souffle, green beans, homemade cranberries and spinach patties.

Everything was delicious (and we are still enjoying some of the leftovers.

Turtle stopped jumping around long enough for a quick picture.

We were so stuffed that we didn't have dessert until after eight o'clock. I couldn't go to bed without a piece of apple pie. (I make the pumpkin every year but I could do without it). And Turtle requested brownies, so of course, we had to make those, as well.

It was a wonderful family day. Although, I have to admit, I am ready to get back to lighter foods and regular exercise. Last night, I turned down the stuffing and made a huge salad instead - I didn't think I could handle another bite of carbs. And that's saying a lot, coming from me.

Hope your Thanksgiving was filled with beloved family, good food and wonderful memories!

Maybe even some Cupid Shuffle lessons, too. No holiday is complete without them.

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{ the real story of thanksgiving }

When I was a kid, the story of Thanksgiving was a pretty lovely tale of friendship and coming together. There were Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower and "Indians" who welcomed them with gifts of wild turkey and maize (which is absolutely more special than corn), and they all sat at these beautiful plank tables in the middle of a field and someone wove a cornucopia out of branches and stuffed it with grapes and apples and wheat and used it for a beautiful centerpiece, and they all sat in boy-girl order and sang Kum-ba-yah and gorged themselves on the bounty as best friends.

Martha Stewart herself would have beamed with pride at the tablescape.

But that's a sanitized version of the truth.

The real story of Thanksgiving involves some hostility and mistrust and it turns out that the Pilgrims and the Indigenous Americans really didn't get along quite so well and probably would not have exchanged BFF charms as the earlier tales would have led one to believe. It's not a story that casts favorable light on the Pilgrims, by any stretch of the imagination. 

Which is a shame, because there are so many great lessons of gratitude and sharing and friendship in the story as I, and so many others, have heard it.

When it came time to start talking about Thanksgiving with Turtle, I froze. I wasn't really sure how to approach it. Should I tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Or should I give him the clean version as it was taught to me?

Turns out, I didn't have to say a word. Turtle's teachers at school handled the whole thing for me and, I have to say, they did a smashing job. I think they handled it with tact and honesty and now, without further ado, I share it with you, as it was told to me by our four year old.

Ahem.

"Once upon a time, the Pilgrims came from England. And they got on a boat called the Mayclown. And then they went to Plymouth Rock. Where they met David and Goliath. And they said hi and shook hands. And made chemical webshooters. The end."

And there you have it. What really went down. From the first handshake to the joint making of weaponry. No turkey. No maize. No tablescapes. Just a bunch of people saying hello and making some webs.

Perfection.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope it's a special day full of love and good food and happiness.

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{ review: ProFlowers.com }

With the holidays upon us, and so many loved ones out of town, we tend to make great use of delivery companies to send gifts and arrangements. In keeping with that, we recently had the chance to review a complimentary product from ProFlowers.com.

ProFlowers.com has some beautiful offerings for the upcoming holiday and Christmas seasons. Their floral arrangements would be perfect for table centerpieces or just general festive decor.

Flowers range from simple, like these elegant white tulips (my favorite),

photo courtesy of ProFlowers.com

to more festive, like these candy cane lilies in a red and white vase, 

photo courtesy of ProFlowers.com

There are even other gifts and treats, like arrangements delivered with chocolate dipped strawberries, for something extra special.

photo courtesy of ProFlowers.com

We ordered a bouquet of bright flowers in a pretty green vase, as a "thinking of you" gift for someone very dear to us. 

The process was simple. We were able to select the size of the arrangement, the type of vase and the style of personalized card that would be sent. We had the option of delivery dates, and were able to choose one that was within several days of placing the order. Both the order and the delivery were confirmed via email and the flowers arrived on time and fresh.

ProFlowers.com is an excellent gift giving resource with wonderful quality and easy ordering. It's definitely a great way to remind those special someones that you're thinking of them this holiday season.

This is a sponsored post. I was compensated in the form of a product to review from ProFlowers.com. All opinions expressed are my own.

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{ confessions of a team mom }

Saturday marked the final game of Turtle's official first T-Ball season. 

He took to it far better than soccer.  I totally get it. It's pretty alarming to be swarmed by the opposing team if you happen to get possession of the ball. I'm not a fan.

But T-Ball is far more individual. Less tackling. More opportunities to get to the ball and make a play without having to elbow someone out of the way.

This particular league is sponsored through the county and depends very heavily on parent involvement. It's pretty great to see everyone step up and participate, whether they are coaching, working shifts at the concession stand, or bringing the post-game snack and drink. I really can't give enough credit to everyone for doing their part to ensure the success of the entire league.

After we registered and Turtle was assigned to his team, the coaches put out a call for help. They needed a Team Mom. So I volunteered. It sounded like a fun way to be extra involved with the team and even though I had no idea what was entailed, I supposed it wouldn't be too hard to figure out.

It took a few practices and games to get in a groove. From checking out other dugouts, I learned that teams get round laundry basket from The Dollar Store, line them up under the benches and label the spots with jersey numbers, for the kids to stow their gloves, hats, batting helmets and drinks. Whoever came up with that was a genius, and I was quick to equip our dugout in much the same way.

And after that, it was routine. Organizing the kids in line to bat, collecting bats as they came in from running the bases, making sure shoes were tied and gloves were with their owners. 

The kids were great. 

The coaches were fantastic.

The parents were wonderful.

And Turtle really loved it.

He learned so much and really enjoyed the games. Definitely a marked improvement from his soccer experience.

And MacGyver and I both enjoyed our participation. He, on the field, helping out as base coach or from the foul line, me keeping the kids together and organizing snack schedules and the post-season party.

I get kind of giddy about organizing things.

I hope I get the opportunity to help in this manner next season. It was a great way for me to be involved, without actually getting on the field. I didn't get to focus on Turtle 100%, but that's also a positive - he was responsible for his behavior and his interaction with his teammates and coaches, and we didn't have to step in too much. It was nice to see his development in those areas. And of course, I have great ideas for next season and how to improve on things from the dugout side. 

Practice makes perfect, right?

I think all three of us are impatient for Spring Season to start! 

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{ a birthday cake for a little adventurer }

This past weekend, a friend's daughter celebrated her third birthday with one of the most adorable parties ever. 

And I got to make the cake!

It was my very first time making confetti cake, and I wish I had a picture of the inside to show how it came out, but I wasn't thinking.

The outside, however, was so cute. If I do say so, myself.

And the birthday girl loved it. :)

Happy birthday, Chloe! Thanks for letting us share your special day!

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{ the day after }

I am going to come right out and say it: I'm not a political expert. I probably have no business writing anything about politics. But as a citizen of the United States, a country I do love, I'm going to give it a shot.

I voted yesterday. I am comfortable with the vote I cast and I am ok with the national results (not so much the local ones, but that's another story). Neither of the two primary candidates represented my beliefs exactly and I did end up compromising. I'm not thrilled about that, but I really doubt that anyone is going to come along in this two-party system and be My Perfect Candidate, fulfilling every single hope I personally would have.

Such is life, sometimes.

I stayed up late last night, way too late, trying to watch some of the analysis and hoping to see the speeches. I didn't make it but I did have the misfortunate of seeing some tragically vicious things on Facebook and Twitter regarding both candidates, and the people who voted for them respectively.

How sad and unproductive. What are insults and name-calling going to solve? It's time and energy wasted on bad feelings, and that's the last thing we need right now.

The President is one person. Whether it is Barack Obama or Mitt Romney or someone else. The fate of this country does not rest in that one's person's hands alone. It is my hope that everyone in Washington DC will look at this country and its people and decide that their love for the USA runs deeper than party affiliations and personal gain. It is my hope that the Congress and Senate will work together with the President (and vice versa) to realistically solve some of the critical issues, instead of fighting against each other and stalling out. It's what we have so desperately needed for a long time. 

I also hope, now that the election is over, we can unite and stand together. Maybe we disagree with how things should be done, but I am pretty sure that we all want similar results. We're not going to get them if we're at each other's throats. I think we need to start with ourselves and model the behaviors and belief systems that we want to see across the board. 

I also know that the cost of the Presidential and Congressional elections added up to about $6 billion. We, as a nation, are plagued by debt and yet somehow, this is allowed to happen. I have said it before and I will say it again. The candidate who is really going to get my attention is the one who holds his conventions and rallies in public fields or venues, invites everyone who wants to come and asks them to bring a picnic lunch. He or she will be the one who spends his donations, not on glossy mailers and television ad space and galas, but on the people and projects he or she claims to want to help. It's the whole action speaking louder than words thing and it's about time we start seeing some of that.

The election is over for another four years. Right now? People in the northeast, already devastated by Hurricane Sandy are facing a nor'easter, many without power and gas, and some without roofs over their heads. That's where my heart and thoughts are going to be.

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{ there's still time to get out and vote }

That's right, folks. If you are United States citizen, 18 years or older, and you have not yet voted in the 2012 Presidential Election, you have about eight more hours to get it done.

For me, it was a new experience. I usually put in for an absentee ballot and vote in advance, from the comfort of my home. This year, I had some issues with the website, and therefore, I had no choice but to brave the polls.

And I procrastinated, deciding to go in on the actual Election Day, even though early voting was an option. I figured since it would probably be raining and I would miss getting out for a 4 mile walk anyway, why not spend that time voting?

I was nervous. I don't do well in new situations. I had no idea where I was going, and I had no idea what kind of system would be in place.

The unknown and I are not on good terms.

But I got it together and found my polling location (which turned out to be not so very far away), assembled a little cheat sheet and headed over after dropping Turtle at school. I think I will take him for the 2016 election. I really wasn't sure what to expect as far as lines or procedure and so decided to go it alone.* 

The entire experience was a positive one. From start to finish, my total voting time was about 40 minutes. The workers were all absolutely pleasant and lovely. Everything moved along smoothly, even when I managed to make a mistake on my ballot and had to sign off on the spoiled ballot and mark a new one (So embarrassing. I had a cheat sheet! How could I mess up?). The longest part of the whole thing was waiting to feed the completed ballot through the scanner. There was only one at our location, so that line got a little backed up.

But... I did it!

And you should, too!

*On a side note, we stuck to very bare bones basics with Turtle. We explained (as did his school), about the President of the United States and how we vote to choose who will run the country and live in the White House. He seemed pretty excited with that, and I think we can be more specific with him for the next Presidential election. MacGyver and I need to find a way to present things objectively to him, because we are not always politically on the same page.We can both get pretty passionate about our opinions, which is not always the best way to demonstrate sound decision-making. 

We did show him how the process works by unanimously voting that he take a nap this afternoon. He is currently showing us how to stage a political coup by refusing. And so it goes.

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