my mansions

outer looks like this...



inner feels like this...



Merry Christmas to my loves!
Hope it is free of the whoops and bugs!

What is that sound?!

Oh. Wait.

I think I recognize it.

It is the sound of two exhausted and over excited sleeping babes.

It is the sound of snow falling.

And of the furnace churning in the basement.

It is the sound of creaky walls, settling floors and the humming of the fridge.

And of my fingertips typing.

Snowflakes dancing?

I hear them!

On a winter's night.

Fingers typing?

I hear them!

Every creak in this house is audible.

Every rattle and hum is peaceful.

What is that sound?!

It is the sound of silence.

Silence, you are very welcome indeed.

Wish it for them.

Yesterday.
I was in a store
Searching for presents.
Like every other crazed person I know.
And I overheard a conversation that I can't get out of my head.
A little boy said:
Why did you put that back up on the shelf?
And his mom said:
It is too expensive and we can't afford it.
And the boy said:
But it is Christmastime!
Christmas is in a few days!
And the mom said:
I know!
That is why I wanted to get the present for them.
And the boy said:
No mom, all you have to do is WISH it for them.
And the mom said:
What?
And the boy said (with such sincerity my heart actually hurt a bit):
Wish it for them, mom.
All you have to do is wish it for them and they'll get it.

***

And then I walked away.
And I wished it for them. For all of them.

* About the picture - I, the dog-sitter, type from Mom's computer and this is from her files. But I thought it was a bit Dorothy from the Wizzard of Oz - clicking her heals. You wit' me on that?!?

One sweet chick. My ma.

Tonight I read Mom's blog.
Listen, mom, I know you are busy, but HELLO some updates would be nice.
I vote for a picture a month.
Start slow.
But give me something.

I read the one about bringing the car in to Tim and forgetting that Buttercup was in the back.
She went up.
And you drew her there.
Now I need more!
I am not saying to shower me with pictures, I want to, but I'm not.

What I'm trying to say is, you are too good to be true.
Are you true?
And will you come over for an early dinner on Wednesday?
xoxo
e

Holiday Tips...

DO taste test all candies before assembling graham houses.


DO NOT expect even the most fun auntie surrounded by a table of sweets to steal attention away from Christmas movies.


DO build a graham village and santa's sleigh. DO NOT use a chocolate chip for the tail of the reindeer. It looks like reindeer poop.


DO go sledding. DO NOT tell your auntie she is too big and that is why the sled is not moving even though the hill is clearly not steep enough. Clearly..


DO rescue your little-white-fleece-vest-wearing-dog from the snow banks.


DO shovel the snow off the porch to make a huge snow pile. DO NOT keep telling your auntie when her breaks are over even though she is making trips hither and fro to get all the snow off the rocks.


DO make snow angels.


DO climb a many-branched tree and say things like "I don't think mama would like to see this".

Ode to the Weekend....

Oh dear sweet weekend, how fleeting though art...

how I long for you days to extend, and your nights to be endless.

How sweet it tis to pass your days with family, starting with your ALWAYS pleasant FRIDAY night....perhaps your best night, fore Monday is but ages away, and how much fun we had, all three, hiding under the snuggie and getting our hair all full of static....

And then to Saturday morn, when getting out of bed is fun because nothing lies ahead but pajamas, waffles, coffee and old fashioned classic Christmas movies to pass our idle time.

Then the rest of the pleasant day filled with wrapping and organizing and trying to provide a Christmas for a family in need.

And alas, never to forget Saturday afternoon, with the car trip to that notorious BOB'S, what a pleasant store, to sit and test out some new furniture, a couch perhaps? And who knew that the BOB'S had free candy and drinks and treats galore, and a beautful koi pond abundant with fish! A must destination for a restless 16 month old on a cold day. And then, a visit from the beloved Googy and Marmee full of kisses and hugs and presents of course!

But then, oh weekend, on the break of dawn Sunday the wee one wishes to...SLEEP. Yes, believe you me we were all taken aback as his little eyes resisted the daylight as we always dreamed they would, yet a Granny and a Googy were waiting with bells on, as we had a race to get to. So out in the frost, all bundled of course. To Jingle Jog our morn' away. With promises of a feast to fit a king at the diner to follow, all runners were swift, and out of the cold none too soon. To the safety and warmth of our home we retired, to read and play and Crock-A-Stew all day.

And so here we are weekend, on your most dreaded....SUNDAY NIGHT. And what do you give me? A Giant's game to endure.

But our bellies our satisfied and our eyes are heavy, and our schedules are full for the upcoming week, but we are comforted as we go out to seek our fate.

Because we know you'll be back.

PS....photo of LAST weekend, which was also BRILLIANT!

I Now Know Why

Today was a bit hectic. But I'm glad to say that right now, at 11:32pm I now know a few more things than I did this morning.

* After a good long soak in the hot tub, chased with a jaunt to the steam room, and a hop to the sauna (in lieu of working out this evening at the gym) - I now know why Susie speaks so highly of the tri-bathalon. I think I won it.

* This evening, I watched out the windows as Declan skied and skied and skied under the spotlights (!) in our backyard, down a wee-slope I can hardly call a hill, well after sunset. And, I now know why Damien spent countless hours (and the good Lord knows how much money) working a few weeks ago on "outdoor lighting" while my insides boiled over because he wasn't addressing the real issues with this crazy little Happy House that has more quirks than you can shake a stick at. The outside lights weren't even close to making it on the "needs attention list".

* After driving home from the tri-bathalon with a pit-stop/sista' chat fest - at Emah's, I can honestly say - I now know why I tell any and everyone that I'm so lucky to have family who live close by.

The Rollercoaster....

The ups and downs of nursing are crazy. There is much more that I thought I would write about it but for now, I think thats about all I should/can/will divulge.

Oh, by the way, is this a Christmas decorating contest? Is there a way I can capture the essenence of the wimpy wimpy wimpy tree with WHITE lights that are ALWAYS ON and COLORED lights that go from s l o w f a d e to seizure causing within seconds?

Probably not, let your imagination take you there. For now feast your eyes. The making of a Christmas card.

Christmas Lights and a Fa La La

Last night, as I unplugged my Christmas lights before bed, I felt bad.
I felt bad that the people driving by would not get to see how cute my lights are.
Do you think they are cute?
I think they are cute.
A lit wreath! Come on!
What I really want to do is copy everything the lady across the street does because she is so clever! If only she were on a different street!! 'Cept she uses colored lights and I've got my white ones.


Last night there was caroling at the Old Round Church. It was so small-towny.
Having been inspired by Tese, I'm sure, Eric tried to harmonize with some of the songs.
Really loudly.
I of course sounded like a song-bird and will be cutting my first Christmas album shortly.
I thought about snapping a pic of the ORC for my Christmas Card, but the only thing I got was chilly fingers.

At least my lights are cute!

Dear Santa, YOU better watch out!

Christmas magic has stormed Happy House and with it comes the barrage of questions:

1. Without a chimney, how will Santa get in?
2. Is Christmas tomorrow?
3. If Christmas is baby Jesus' birthday, why don't we eat birthday cake?
4. When I wake up tomorrow, will it be Christmas then?
5. Can I eat this candy cane before breakfast?
6. If Jesus is a king, did he wear a crown in his mommies' belly?
7. Why isn't Christmas today?
8. What happened to the Advent Calendar Chocolate for the 23rd of December it isn't the 23rd yet is it? (my question, not Dec's)
9. Did the crown hurt his Mary?
10. Momma, have I been nice or very nice? (gotta love that there was no "naughty" option)
11. How can Santa see me if he lives way in the north pole?
12. Nonie, can you pretend it is Christmas morning with me?

...and wonders of His love!

One of those daze

It was one of those days.

Not the good kind.

The kind where your eyes are bleary, hair is knotty and breath is....well...less then favorable.

It was a Monday, 2:00 a.m., lights on , toys out, full on play mode. Until about 5.

I could blame teeth, or a nagging cough, or over stimulation from days and days of family.

Finally after 15 hours of no sleep (for me anway, the kid grabbed a few zzz's sleeping on my chest while coughing in my face), I decided to try the car. Which was not part of my plan. Sleep in the car for him means no rest for the mama.

Moi.

So I load up the car, hoping that I can at least be productive and get a birthday treat for Bri.

But I can't find my keys.

Any my hair looks like a rat's nest, and my breath is oh so desirable, and I am an my pj's.

And my keys are missing.

But I just had them.

And the radio is blaring and the seat heat is keeping my bottom warm. And my keys are....yup....in the ignition because the car is ON.

Genius!

And he starts to fall asleep about 2 seconds before the store so the windows are down and the radio is up and the singing is LOUD.

And we make it to the store, birthday treats are bought, and we survive the day. And the daze.