This should be interesting...

The boys chose new little memo books for daily lists. We are finding that the procrastinating, eye rolling, sighing, reminder after reminderand in general not getting stuff done by our two frys needs to end. Christmas break is an excellent time to start a new habit, model it and if needed some painful lessons. I modeled making the list-set a time limit: i.e. if you get home from school at 3 then you SHOULD be able to get everything done by 5-or no privileges for the remainder of the evening....hmmm no one has started a thing yet. It is now 3:27. Bets anyone on how the evening is going to go?

Favorite Christmas things

Wow, yesterday's post was a downer, feel free not to read. This one is much more fun. I did receive some very sweet gifts for Christmas and here are just a few of the faves. Kind of like Oprah's faves. (I am sure there isn't a car tucked in there, but oh well)

The socks are from the cutest little sped/preschool teacher in my building. She came in shyly and gave me the gift. I put it in the pile and said thanks. She asked if I would open it right away she wanted to know of I liked it. I did. They were cute as socks go. I came home though and put them on. I LOVE them! They are warm, fuzzy, and so girlish. I never find girlish socks in my laundry-ever. I love walking around with them in shorts, I might even tuck my jeans into them I like them THAT much. I feel 13 again-like with leg warmers, but much cooler-oh and I am not 13!


Now the gifts below are little confusing. The cookbook (may look familar to some of you) was really a gift from me to my hubby. I ordered it the very same day I got a text from Karen saying she was breaking up with PW-it wasn't good for the waist line. When I ask hubby weekly what do you want for dinner he replies "something good". I know he is meaning "NOT Cooking Light please". I thought this would be the ideal place for HIM to start making himself "something good" translation "man food please". I made migas and now my dad wants a copy!

The next gift is the griddle-heavy enough to break a leg if you drop it on your own. Hubby got this for me (see a pattern here?). He says WE are moving to all cast iron (thank goodness for the PW cookbook). I love it, I have dreamed of making pancakes, more than 2 at a time in my little pan. I did. My family will be happy though when I get the temp thing figured out. A too hot griddle gives you black undone pancakes. And a too cold griddle will give you milk white pancakes-not golden brown. I will keep practicing.

The last gift was the highly coveted Rabbit. A few years ago I bought one for my bestest friend Suree. When I go to her house I always open the wine and give small sigh, because I love the rabbit. So now I have one for my very one-and it is even better-it is RED!!

I was a little worried about the pattern of gifts though-they were so domestic...so wifely....gasp so 40ish and after 16 years of marriage. But you know what, we had the best time laughing about the rabbit being red, looking through the cookbook-my parents included. Joking about the heavier-than-heck cast iron griddle and all the things we could make on it or other puprosed it could have that they have now become my "favorite things"

whew

Well the flurry of Christmas is officially over. Now we are down to taking everything down and tucking it away. I LOVE Christmas and I always miss it when it is gone. I am avoiding taking everything down one more day but am trying to get into some normalcy. My "to-do" list and odd jobs along with errands just keeps getting longer. I blew off EVERYTHING the last week while my parents were here. Where is where the "whew" comes in.
First of all I love to have my parents visits, but I can't think of anything that stresses me out more. I worry that they are bored, I worry that my kids annoy them. I worry that they like living away from us, more than near us. I worry that they think my kids are spoiled, naughty, aloof ALL the time, based on the small snapshot they have while they are here. I worry that they can't wait for the flight back.
The time together is wonderful, but the times of small awkwardness makes the visits just seem odd. It is hard to be older and see your parents in a new light-I shouldn't say both, mostly just one. It is hard to see my children withdraw from them-maybe it is normal at this age I am not sure. And to see my parents not interact with the boys the way they used and I feel sad-is it the desire to, or just an age disconnect-I am not sure. Conversations are sometimes strained, it is downright ucomfortable. I don't like uncomfortable or strained...I feel bad even writing something so "down" after the wonderful holiday. Which it was, I can't imagine it without family, which some of us have to do. I will think about the time together, the board games, cooking and good conversation, because there is that to, and that is what counts. Maybe it is just one of those life transitions that are new-I know because I am 40 maybe:)

Happy Day-After-Christmas

I LOVE this smile and that he always willingly obliges me. (We are in need of a hair trim though)

I love this look almost as much-he is changing SOOOO much-I can hardly stand it!

Hmmm not quite a smile or the goofy look I am used to...Love those lashes

A little ray of light...

I have a great gift story and pics to share, but feel a little funny taking pics for my blog girls while my parents are here. This blogging is a little strange to them. I will instead post some pics from our annual Christmas Vacation excursion to the little iced over creek. After much present opening, eating, movie watching, and video game playing (I have yet to get a turn at Donkey Kong). We all needed some outside time.

40 in a nutshell

The big birthday is officially over. Came in with a bang and out with a quiet whisper last night. All the things I had on my birthday wish list came true.
A night of dancing-and I mean dancing-disco ball included
Guitar serenade by Big Fry
Kindle from the hubby
All the staff at work dressing up "spangly" for the day-that is another story
Small fry asking for more "kids cereal" since it was MY bday
30 bday cards from a fifth grade class
Could have done without the naughty kids at school who didn't here the announcement obviously. But all in all 40 came and went like any other day. Just as it should be

Ugggggg

Karen is glorifying in xmas baking, Bobbi is baking for birds, and Carey actually bought a candy thermometer. I on the other hand just remembered at 9:40 (PM) that I need to make the multi-step cranberry crumble bars for the PTA cookie/bar exchange tomorrow night. I must say though licking the cream cheese layer mixing bowl is very satisfying! I actually like the crumble bars, it is the one time that streusel like topping works for me.

Here is something I am looking forward to making (see above) Swirled almond apricot bark and pistachio, cranberry, candied orange bark

Annual Tree story

You can not go a year without me having a tree story. I LOVE my trees, I LOVE picking my trees, I LOVE decorating my trees. This year I have YET to have a tree upstairs-see post below. I have a tree waiting in the garage for me to bling it up. I have a tree in the basement that I LET the boys do all by themselves-I swear I didn't touch a single ornament (because the tree gave me hives!). The story of how these trees got here is the really fun part.

For once both boys go with me to get a tree (you may recall NO one goes with me because it takes forever). We decide a tree for up, a tree for down and they can pick theirs. Before we get to the tree place small fry is already asking me how long will this take. We walk up to the gate and he continues to say how cold he is. We walk through some trees he says "Oh mom can't you just pick one fast, I am really cold". I give him the friendly public warning (I have to give these because it is mortifying as a principal to have a student or parent see you chewing out your kid in public). I tell him I wait for you ALL the time while you pick out legos. He replies, "Not very patiently". Any way we keep looking and he keeps whining. I give him the non public warning and may have used words like "ruining Christmas for me". I tell them we are leaving, no tree and get in the car. They follow me like little trolls begging to keep looking. We get in the car and go home. I ask hubby if he will go with me I get a big fat no. About an hour later small fry comes out with his PJ's on and glum, he asks if we are going to have a tree this year (I think I threatened there would be no xmas this year or next). I say of course, I am going to get tree now. He hesitates, "Can I come?". I say sure, he says, "Ok but give me a minute I have an idea" He comes out with an armful of clothes. "Don't worry mom, I have a plan this time, I will put on layers. See, then I won't get cold, you can take as long as you want". We did and next time we get legos with our allowance I will wait with smile on my face and positive body language, and I will let him take as long as he wants.

No time for Christmas Nazi

I am feeling a little scattered this Christmas. I am not sure why. I have boxes of decorations everywhere, that I meant to get up but didn't. I have cards that have names, but left them with no addresses as of yet. I had a great shopping spree with Suree-even wrapped a bunch the day after Thanksgiving and the rest still sit in bags. I have a tree downstairs but not upstairs-that one is in the garage waiting for the weekend. I can't tell you what it is. I am hoping when I accused my youngest of "sucking my Christmas spirit right out of me" at the tree place that it was really just sarcasm and not an omen. My favorite holiday of the year along with my excitement just hasn't arrived yet. Oh, I have my car cd player filled with Christmas CD's so hopefully that helps. I hope it finds me soon

Not good

My son got hit in the nose today at lunch, I think he actually said punched. And on purpose. For no reason. He didn't tell a teacher. There were tears. This was after I bit his head off in the car and hadn't even asked about his day. I suck

Eating a Pomegranate

How to eat a pomegranate (if you are an 11 year old boy)

1. Cut pomegranate in half

2. With your bare hands break it into chuncks

3. Dig into the flesh to pick out the seeds, causing a beautiful purple juice to stain your hands

4. Pick out the plump little seeds

5. Pop the seed in your mouth, be sure to wipe your hands on your JEANS

6. Eat the juicy part of the seed very loudly and spit out-with intention- the hard seed back onto your plate

7. Repeat, there are LOTS of seeds

Learning points

This weeks learning points:
Leave the room while your 11 year old eats a pomegranate
Using sacrasm with same 11 year old in the morning is never a good way to start the day and does not create "good mom" feelings