Finding Christmas Spirit

It's hard to get into the Christmas spirit when it takes 40 effing minutes to leave the mall parking lot. Yesterday, I took the kids to Night at the Museum. We found a parking spot with minor effort but leaving was a bitch! I told the kids to pee before we left. Weston said he needed to go but could hold it. Great, one less line to wait in. Outside it was bumper to bumper down every row. People couldn't back out and were getting agitated. The parking lot echoed with angry car horns and people shouting, as if either did any good. I hear tell that the white Cadillac in front of me had been in the same row for more than an hour. In front of them was a transit bus with its flashers on. Leave it up to me to turn into THAT row. Then to top it all off, our heater has a mind of its own and decides it wants to shut off as it pleases. By now both of my loverly children have to pee. *Insert teeth-chattering and pee-pee dance here.

Finally, a kind middle-aged gentlemen emerged from the Cadillac and marched up to the intersection. I chatted with a few passerbys and turns out he was late to work so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Traffic slowly but surely started lurching forward. Car horns subsided. I said goodbye to the spot I'd idled in for no less than 20 minutes. I must've felt the tingly warmth of holiday spirit because I could've hugged that stranger. Or maybe the boys weren't the only ones that had to pee. After our parking lot adventure, we were pleased as punch to arrive home. It was a race for the one bathroom. One of the downfalls of our small house.

We woke up this morning to snowy bliss and the boys were so excited. It'll be a white Christmas after all. Christmas just isn't the same without a little snow. And to the man who was late for work that risked his own well-being to direct traffic, thank you. For Christmas, you gave me my sanity that night and even the hope that there is still Christmas spirit out there among us if we are willing to sacrifice a little for others.

A Mom's review of Charlotte's Web

This is one of those movies that I wanted to see more than the kids ha ha. I had to bribe them to go give it a try with me. But a bucket of popcorn, two giant sodas and a bag of Twizzlers later we were happily snuggling in front of one of the classics from even before my childhood. E.B. White's cherished novel was published in 1952. The movie was quite like I remember the book, but certainly not a replacement! The animals were truly brought to life with very vivid computer imagery. Seriously, sometimes it is hard to distinguish between what's real and what's computer animated. Dakota Fanning is adorable and determined as Fern, who saves Wilbur the runty pig from his certain doom. And Julia Roberts as the voice of Charlotte the spider was a lovely choice. Charlotte reminded me of a teacher, gently guiding Wilbur and promising to save him. The movie returns again and again to the theme of keeping your promises.

My boys ages 8, 6, and 2 1/2 sat through the entire movie without getting distracted. We had a few good laughs but I was more pleased with how it let you feel such a range of emotions from being sad and scared for Wilbur to happiness at the lengths friends will go for eachother. The movie follows White's ending as well, tears and all. Charlotte dies after making her spider egg sac. It might bring up questions from younger children but if you have a hard time explaining death like I do, this might just be a chance to get a dialogue going. It did upset my more "emotional" child some. It is just ones of those movies that pulls and tugs at the heartstrings until you think you will most certainly burst. New life breathed into a classic tale certainly appropriate for the whole family, but especially those that read the book in the past!

Christmas Crack Recipe

It only has that name because it is so addicting! I will be asking Santa for larger pants this year hehe. It is so easy and yummy. Would make a good neighbor or teacher gift.

From KraftFoods.com

Crunch Bars
Recipe Rating: Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 32 min Makes: 16 servings

35 PREMIUM Saltine Crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Place crackers in foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

PLACE butter and sugar in saucepan; cook on medium-high heat until butter is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Bring to boil; boil 3 min. without stirring. Spread over crackers.

BAKE 5 to 7 min. or until topping is golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with chopped chocolate; let stand 5 min. or until chocolate is softened. Spread chocolate evenly over ingredients in pan; sprinkle with walnuts. Cool. Break into pieces.

Variations: I use a bag of "chocolate chips" instead of baker's chocolate. Any type of "chip" works, like I tried the caramel & chocolate swirl but they make so many kinds! Hershey's kisses would work too.

Toppings: Walnuts or other nuts, crushed Heath or Skor bar, candy cane

I spent half of yesterday preparing for Jason's work Christmas party. By the time 6 'o clock came around, everything came together in one sexy little package- the waxed brows, the painted pink toenails, silky smooth legs, the sultry smoky eyes and lips of wine. I had one of those days where I felt 110% woman. I exuded confidence which is unlike me but it felt damn good.

The party was nice, despite the fact it was held on a Thursday night and in a busy and loud casino. It wasn't the games or the prizes that I enjoyed most. Sure I enjoyed the drinks but they didn't do it for me either. It was the attention! I kept noticing eyes on me and it felt really good to ditch the frumpy so-and-so's Mom look I usually sport. I could get use to glam! Before you target me for going out seeking the attention, you must know that at the end of the night it sure felt amazing to come home with the man I love and hear him say he thought I looked really hot, maybe even hotter than when we met. That having kids has been really good to me. And we did what we used to do as teens, spontaneous and carefree and 100x better because we are still in love almost 9 years later.

Jason took time out of his busy day today to drop by the house bearing flowers, the ones in the picture! It was a sweet gesture. He told me how his co-workers had been telling him today how nice I looked last night and that he felt lucky I was by his side. And while it's back to motherly things like making Christmas candy and taking the kids to see Charlotte's Web, I can't wait 'til MILF gets to make another appearance.

What's Gross?

Discovering a sippy cup under the couch where the heater vent blows that's been there who-knows-how-long with an unidentified molding liquid inside.

What's Grosser Than Gross?

Going to wash out the sippy cup and realizing you've smelled that exact same odor before inside Safeway.

Housework- The Downward Spiral

In my daydreams, I tear through the house like a maid on a mission, dusting trinkets, tossing trash, meticulously folding clothes and making beds 'til they scream of Martha Stewart crisp corners. When I peer into the shiny cold metal of the kitchen sink, I stare back at myself instead of a week's worth of soiled dishes begging for a drop of Joy or twenty. The tubs are scum-free, the toilet is spotless and releases the scent of bleach and there are no more damn Legos under my feet because each and every toy has a place. I am able to deep clean the whole house and it stays pretty much that way with some minor daily maintenance. Right?

Wrong, wrong, wrong! Boy is that wrong. Or should I say "Boys is that wrong?" The laundry multiplies. When the kitchen is clean, I actually enjoy cooking for my family but that just makes more dishes. When I clean the tub, it seems like everyone in the house wants to bathe in it with some sort of filmy bubble bath or I shave which upon draining sticks to the filmy bubble bath and coats the tub with tiny hairs. Made beds are thrown into a state of "unmade" daily. This dust bowl desert we live in is unforgiving and dust sneaks in daily from I don't even know where and threatens electronics and my state of sanity.

Know what really throws the house into a state of chaos? Christmas decorations. You know what I've got now? Pretty clutter. Whoopdefriggindo. Can you sense my excitement? Thing is, I know it makes the boys happy. A ceramic snowman/knick-knack Santa/jingling wreath upon every nail and shelf and I've got a dazzling mess. I just hope company looks no farther than the Christmas decorations!

So here's a plea to the hubby this year. All I want for Christmas is a maid. Really honey. No fancy diamond jewelry because I probably won't get to wear it often enough. No slippers and pajamas and fancy smellin' bubble bath because I won't have time to relax. Forget the big screen T.V. (unless I can hide some of the clutter behind it perhaps?) and that pretty purple Dyson I've been eyeing is useless unless you can find somebody to push it. Yep just a maid. Now I'm going to go play on the computer, ie: google Merry Maids.