The Not So Wintry Days

Years ago, when I still lived in Kentucky even, my friend Christa shared that if you signed up to be a Makers Mark ambassador they'd send you free cute address labels. As someone who sends Christmas cards and appreciates free address labels I said HEY that works and signed up. I've been a member now forever. They send newsletters, and notices & invites to events which actually look pretty cool. If I were local I would probably even attend some of them.

Since I'm not, however, what I have experienced is their annual Christmas gift which is pretty awesome most years. Usually it's something to decorate your favorite bottle of Makers. A hat once, a sweater once, and this year it was a scarf. It turns out that at my house these items also perfectly fit a wee tiger named Tigger who is now perfectly geared for outdoor activities since adding his new scarf this year. Julia is convinced that they send them just for Tigger.

It doesn't feel remotely like Christmas to me this year. I don't know why. The kids are excited, the tree is up. I've decided which cookies we'll make for Mr. Claus (Sour Cream Cookies). I have most of the husband's gifts bought. But it's not so cold, it's kind of rainy and I don't have the holiday fever yet. I don't know why. The atmosphere is gloomy, my house isn't happy it seems like someone is always screaming or crying or yelling,despite the decorations and cheer we put up.

Five days. I need some Christmas spirit to hit me. I'm hopeful it gets here. It's my favorite holiday - so why I'm not feeling it I don't know.


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The Not So Wintry Days

Years ago, when I still lived in Kentucky even, my friend Christa shared that if you signed up to be a Makers Mark ambassador they'd send you free cute address labels. As someone who sends Christmas cards and appreciates free address labels I said HEY that works and signed up. I've been a member now forever. They send newsletters, and notices & invites to events which actually look pretty cool. If I were local I would probably even attend some of them.

Since I'm not, however, what I have experienced is their annual Christmas gift which is pretty awesome most years. Usually it's something to decorate your favorite bottle of Makers. A hat once, a sweater once, and this year it was a scarf. It turns out that at my house these items also perfectly fit a wee tiger named Tigger who is now perfectly geared for outdoor activities since adding his new scarf this year. Julia is convinced that they send them just for Tigger.

It doesn't feel remotely like Christmas to me this year. I don't know why. The kids are excited, the tree is up. I've decided which cookies we'll make for Mr. Claus (Sour Cream Cookies). I have most of the husband's gifts bought. But it's not so cold, it's kind of rainy and I don't have the holiday fever yet. I don't know why. The atmosphere is gloomy, my house isn't happy it seems like someone is always screaming or crying or yelling,despite the decorations and cheer we put up.

Five days. I need some Christmas spirit to hit me. I'm hopeful it gets here. It's my favorite holiday - so why I'm not feeling it I don't know.


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When Mom Gets It Worse

On Friday night Charlie didn't eat. That only means one thing, Charlie is very sick.  He further proved that theory true by puking all over the white sofa, and his bed. However, after two episodes he fell into a restful sleep and that was the end of it.

Then Mom got it.

I felt weird and not great when I woke up. I realized something, the past few times I've woken up and my coffee tastes like poison chemicals I've thrown up that same day. But I didn't see it coming yesterday. I had plans for aerobics, and I ate healthy and felt pretty good. Until about 3.

At 3 it was a wave of nausea and I felt like, if I JUST SLEPT I'd feel better. I realized that I had Charlie's bug, but I felt that I was mentally strong enough to fight of a couple of pukes and that if I just laid down a bit I would get better. Two and a half hours later, in the grips of unbelievable nausea and terrible pain I realized I was going to lose.

Charlie threw up twice. I experienced what I'm going to refer to as THE PURGE. While hummus was such a great choice when planning my lunch wrap it was a horror show the second time. Everything was. 

For HOURS. 

For over six hours my body rid itself of every bit of fluid it could find - the food was gone in the first 20 minutes. My thirst got unreal but all drinks of water just came right back. I tried taking some medicine, it came right back up. I couldn't think. Dehydration is a bitch. 

By about 1130 everything just stopped, leaving me a sweaty, gross mess who wasn't even tired but was so weak and exhausted sleep wasn't a problem. 

This morning I've got my green gatorade making me think I might live. I'd love a coffee but somehow it seems ill advised. Maybe in an hour or two I will try a cup. I dropped four pounds in six hours. I figure the plus side of yesterday is that I get to remove all my caloric intake from MY FITNESS PAL for yesterday, amirite?

Me and my electrolytes and are going to sit here and be coherent and hope I'm well enough to go get Louis from his Boy Scout campout. His father was up most of the night doing much needed shopping so I need to go and let him sleep. 

Come on gatorade, don't fail me now.

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When Mom Gets It Worse

On Friday night Charlie didn't eat. That only means one thing, Charlie is very sick.  He further proved that theory true by puking all over the white sofa, and his bed. However, after two episodes he fell into a restful sleep and that was the end of it.

Then Mom got it.

I felt weird and not great when I woke up. I realized something, the past few times I've woken up and my coffee tastes like poison chemicals I've thrown up that same day. But I didn't see it coming yesterday. I had plans for aerobics, and I ate healthy and felt pretty good. Until about 3.

At 3 it was a wave of nausea and I felt like, if I JUST SLEPT I'd feel better. I realized that I had Charlie's bug, but I felt that I was mentally strong enough to fight of a couple of pukes and that if I just laid down a bit I would get better. Two and a half hours later, in the grips of unbelievable nausea and terrible pain I realized I was going to lose.

Charlie threw up twice. I experienced what I'm going to refer to as THE PURGE. While hummus was such a great choice when planning my lunch wrap it was a horror show the second time. Everything was. 

For HOURS. 

For over six hours my body rid itself of every bit of fluid it could find - the food was gone in the first 20 minutes. My thirst got unreal but all drinks of water just came right back. I tried taking some medicine, it came right back up. I couldn't think. Dehydration is a bitch. 

By about 1130 everything just stopped, leaving me a sweaty, gross mess who wasn't even tired but was so weak and exhausted sleep wasn't a problem. 

This morning I've got my green gatorade making me think I might live. I'd love a coffee but somehow it seems ill advised. Maybe in an hour or two I will try a cup. I dropped four pounds in six hours. I figure the plus side of yesterday is that I get to remove all my caloric intake from MY FITNESS PAL for yesterday, amirite?

Me and my electrolytes and are going to sit here and be coherent and hope I'm well enough to go get Louis from his Boy Scout campout. His father was up most of the night doing much needed shopping so I need to go and let him sleep. 

Come on gatorade, don't fail me now.

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An Homage to My Middle School Home Ec Teachers

My mom majored in Home Economics Education. That means that despite the fact that I'm lazy and don't cook, she did teach me a lot of the basics of baking and the kitchen. (Make note, I can bake - I don't cook).
When I was in middle school, we had home economics teachers who seemed to think that all foods kids needed to learn to make could be made out of those biscuits in a can. You can make pretzels, or pizzas, or apple turnovers, or beef wellington (with a hamburger patty inside), you can make cinnamon sugar donuts, you can make - BISCUITS.
I feel like it was the worst sort of phoning it in, and they weren't actually teaching anyone anything except all the things you can make with canned biscuits which isn't really all that helpful as biscuits every meal doesn't seem like a good idea.
Personally I do think, though, that letting kids bake stuff is a good idea as my facebook can attest to. But it keeps them busy and they love to do it.

We made cookies on Sunday and even the twins can get in on the action when it's cut out cookies. Charlie just wanted to eat the dough mostly, but we got him to cut out a couple.

There was a lot of variation in our gingerbread men, we also had a house, and an M and an N. We also had the fabled NINJABREAD MEN. Julia made a big circle for her Daddy. Daddy needs a big cookie she declared.

Miles felt certain that he should taste test them.

For our evening meal Louis wanted to make something together so I called upon my impressive arsenal of Home Economics formal education and we made these.

BBQ Chicken that's shredded, and cheese, stuffed inside crescent rolls. Oh Home Ec teachers of Perry Township - I did you proud !
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An Homage to My Middle School Home Ec Teachers

My mom majored in Home Economics Education. That means that despite the fact that I'm lazy and don't cook, she did teach me a lot of the basics of baking and the kitchen. (Make note, I can bake - I don't cook).
When I was in middle school, we had home economics teachers who seemed to think that all foods kids needed to learn to make could be made out of those biscuits in a can. You can make pretzels, or pizzas, or apple turnovers, or beef wellington (with a hamburger patty inside), you can make cinnamon sugar donuts, you can make - BISCUITS.
I feel like it was the worst sort of phoning it in, and they weren't actually teaching anyone anything except all the things you can make with canned biscuits which isn't really all that helpful as biscuits every meal doesn't seem like a good idea.
Personally I do think, though, that letting kids bake stuff is a good idea as my facebook can attest to. But it keeps them busy and they love to do it.

We made cookies on Sunday and even the twins can get in on the action when it's cut out cookies. Charlie just wanted to eat the dough mostly, but we got him to cut out a couple.

There was a lot of variation in our gingerbread men, we also had a house, and an M and an N. We also had the fabled NINJABREAD MEN. Julia made a big circle for her Daddy. Daddy needs a big cookie she declared.

Miles felt certain that he should taste test them.

For our evening meal Louis wanted to make something together so I called upon my impressive arsenal of Home Economics formal education and we made these.

BBQ Chicken that's shredded, and cheese, stuffed inside crescent rolls. Oh Home Ec teachers of Perry Township - I did you proud !
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We Love Terrible Things

If you don't know by now, we love terrible things. Good grief we sat through ALL of Peter Pan LIVE! if that doesn't prove it. (Seriously quit making these live terrible musicals, please). So, when we went to the Georgia Aquarium we were excited to see that they were having the Mermaids of Weekiwachi as part of their holiday events.

Have you ever seen the Mermaids? It's like watching someone with a tail swim, and then also smoke from a hookah. She's actually breathing with that tube I know, but the image got stuck in my mind. I can see why this was huge in the 50s. Oh wait, no I can't. But Julia LOVED it and so now I can cross this off my EVERYTHING list.

They also had Victorian carolers and dancers, and while I think it's nice to let folks from the cafeteria and gift shop participate in your holiday event, seriously - maybe you should invest in people who could carry a tune next year? It was both lovely and hilariously terrible. But still, kids were having fun and these carolers brought in the big man himself ! Since we were positioned perfectly - we got to go see Santa first and tell him what we wanted for Christmas and get our photo taken! Julia told Santa all the things she wants, which include all the things we told her she can't have right now, a bike, a scooter, etc. She said "Don't worry I'll ask Santa." She's gaming the system folks.

When we looked up on our way into the Ocean Voyager tank - we realized there were divers over our head, and one of them was the mom of one of the families next to us. They were waving like crazy and she was waving at them too. I want to do this, I mean I REALLY want to do this. Can you imagine how breathtaking it would be to get into that big tank with the whale sharks? We're going to find out what it costs and all the details. I'm going to do this.

Despite my critique of bad singers and silly mermaids, it was a lovely time. We saw the Dolphin show (ok also that would go on my list of terrible things except for the dolphins - they are amazing). I love seeing all the fishies and just soaking up how amazing they are. It's unreal that such big creatures exist - yet they do and aren't the biggest. I can't wrap my mind around that.

We also revisited the exhibit that is like BODIES but it's for fish and sea life - see all the gross insides and guts of fish and various things. It was interesting. There is a flayed Emperor Penguin that was bleh - I should've taken a pic but I don't want to remember it that closely.

There was an interactive game there so Miles was the king of that. He was making sea monsters arise while Julia made the mermaids sing. It was an interesting collaboration.

When we left and walked outside to Pemberton place the whole plaza was alive with Christmas. I love living in Atlanta, the city is so beautiful and at Christmas it's just lovely. We walked over to the World of Coke decorations to have a look. They always do such a lovely job at the holidays.

The city is just magical this time of year. I'm so glad we came downtown at least once for the Christmas season. It was beautiful.
My husband took this next pic - I'm stealing it.

Now, I'm officially ready for Christmas.
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We Love Terrible Things

If you don't know by now, we love terrible things. Good grief we sat through ALL of Peter Pan LIVE! if that doesn't prove it. (Seriously quit making these live terrible musicals, please). So, when we went to the Georgia Aquarium we were excited to see that they were having the Mermaids of Weekiwachi as part of their holiday events.

Have you ever seen the Mermaids? It's like watching someone with a tail swim, and then also smoke from a hookah. She's actually breathing with that tube I know, but the image got stuck in my mind. I can see why this was huge in the 50s. Oh wait, no I can't. But Julia LOVED it and so now I can cross this off my EVERYTHING list.

They also had Victorian carolers and dancers, and while I think it's nice to let folks from the cafeteria and gift shop participate in your holiday event, seriously - maybe you should invest in people who could carry a tune next year? It was both lovely and hilariously terrible. But still, kids were having fun and these carolers brought in the big man himself ! Since we were positioned perfectly - we got to go see Santa first and tell him what we wanted for Christmas and get our photo taken! Julia told Santa all the things she wants, which include all the things we told her she can't have right now, a bike, a scooter, etc. She said "Don't worry I'll ask Santa." She's gaming the system folks.

When we looked up on our way into the Ocean Voyager tank - we realized there were divers over our head, and one of them was the mom of one of the families next to us. They were waving like crazy and she was waving at them too. I want to do this, I mean I REALLY want to do this. Can you imagine how breathtaking it would be to get into that big tank with the whale sharks? We're going to find out what it costs and all the details. I'm going to do this.

Despite my critique of bad singers and silly mermaids, it was a lovely time. We saw the Dolphin show (ok also that would go on my list of terrible things except for the dolphins - they are amazing). I love seeing all the fishies and just soaking up how amazing they are. It's unreal that such big creatures exist - yet they do and aren't the biggest. I can't wrap my mind around that.

We also revisited the exhibit that is like BODIES but it's for fish and sea life - see all the gross insides and guts of fish and various things. It was interesting. There is a flayed Emperor Penguin that was bleh - I should've taken a pic but I don't want to remember it that closely.

There was an interactive game there so Miles was the king of that. He was making sea monsters arise while Julia made the mermaids sing. It was an interesting collaboration.

When we left and walked outside to Pemberton place the whole plaza was alive with Christmas. I love living in Atlanta, the city is so beautiful and at Christmas it's just lovely. We walked over to the World of Coke decorations to have a look. They always do such a lovely job at the holidays.

The city is just magical this time of year. I'm so glad we came downtown at least once for the Christmas season. It was beautiful.
My husband took this next pic - I'm stealing it.

Now, I'm officially ready for Christmas.
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When You Stop and Think About How Lucky You Are

My husband and I randomly started thinking last night about all of the amazing random things we've done and seen last night. In 46 years, we've had quite the adventure. It makes me feel really good to think about this list. It's amazing when you consider MOST of the Earth won't get to do all of these things, or even some of them. It's when you stop and consider how much you've had already that you can appreciate your life sometimes, and how fortunate you are. Some of our list from last night and more:

• We've seen The Persistence of Memory
• We've seen Warhol's Soup Cans - all of them
• We've seen The Girl with the Pearl Earring
• We've seen a large collection of the Dutch Masters
• We've seen more than on Pollock
• We've been to Disney World ( a ridiculous number of times)
• We've been on airplanes and trains, I've been on a cruise ship
• I've been at elevation 14,110 feet - Pikes Peak
• I've been inside a real castle (more than one)
• I've been to Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy and France
• I've been to the Bahamas
• We've both been to Canada
• We've gambled in Casinos
• We've been to Vegas (but never together)
• We've been to Graceland
• We had children when they said we could not
• He's been deep sea fishing
• We had twins
• We've seen a whale shark
• We've seen beluga whales
• I've been inside large caves
• I've been to where Abraham Lincoln was born
• I've been to where Mozart was born (I opted to go shoe shopping rather than go inside though)
• We've seen a large collection of Dali and also Warhol
• We've been to an Opera (La Boheme - the paper warned it would be sung in Italian)
• We've been to plays
• We've been to a wine tasting (a fancy Valentine's one)
• We've seen every corny Christmas Lights display we could every where we've lived (seriously we love them)
• We've seen pandas

This isn't even close to a full list. This is just me with a cup of coffee full of creamer and raw sugar trying to remember what we said last night and thinking up a few more.  Thinking about what you've done, what you've been privileged enough to experience, the art, the music, the beauty of the world - it's a breathtaking thing to reflect upon.

We're not even close to done. I want to see everything and do everything.

My bucket list?

Everything.

And now, a random pic of Darth Julia enjoying Room on the Broom. Because that's part of everything too.

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When You Stop and Think About How Lucky You Are

My husband and I randomly started thinking last night about all of the amazing random things we've done and seen last night. In 46 years, we've had quite the adventure. It makes me feel really good to think about this list. It's amazing when you consider MOST of the Earth won't get to do all of these things, or even some of them. It's when you stop and consider how much you've had already that you can appreciate your life sometimes, and how fortunate you are. Some of our list from last night and more:

• We've seen The Persistence of Memory
• We've seen Warhol's Soup Cans - all of them
• We've seen The Girl with the Pearl Earring
• We've seen a large collection of the Dutch Masters
• We've seen more than on Pollock
• We've been to Disney World ( a ridiculous number of times)
• We've been on airplanes and trains, I've been on a cruise ship
• I've been at elevation 14,110 feet - Pikes Peak
• I've been inside a real castle (more than one)
• I've been to Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy and France
• I've been to the Bahamas
• We've both been to Canada
• We've gambled in Casinos
• We've been to Vegas (but never together)
• We've been to Graceland
• We had children when they said we could not
• He's been deep sea fishing
• We had twins
• We've seen a whale shark
• We've seen beluga whales
• I've been inside large caves
• I've been to where Abraham Lincoln was born
• I've been to where Mozart was born (I opted to go shoe shopping rather than go inside though)
• We've seen a large collection of Dali and also Warhol
• We've been to an Opera (La Boheme - the paper warned it would be sung in Italian)
• We've been to plays
• We've been to a wine tasting (a fancy Valentine's one)
• We've seen every corny Christmas Lights display we could every where we've lived (seriously we love them)
• We've seen pandas

This isn't even close to a full list. This is just me with a cup of coffee full of creamer and raw sugar trying to remember what we said last night and thinking up a few more.  Thinking about what you've done, what you've been privileged enough to experience, the art, the music, the beauty of the world - it's a breathtaking thing to reflect upon.

We're not even close to done. I want to see everything and do everything.

My bucket list?

Everything.

And now, a random pic of Darth Julia enjoying Room on the Broom. Because that's part of everything too.

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