Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category

I hope everyone is sufficiently recovered from their New Years Eve festivities in time for this, the first Monday of a brand new year to rear it’s ugly head! Before we move forward this year, I thought I’d finish off the fun we had here at Christmas time and beyond – because I know you’ve been asking yourself “What else has Lessa been up too?!” Right? Right!

So, I mentioned the awesome gift Peppermist got me – she knows I’m obsessed with pacman, original arcade style, yo! – and she got me a blue ghostie! That walks! Which is about 15 shades of AWESOME, ya know? So I was playing with it (…shush you…) while listening to my Glee Soundtrack (..if you ain’t listening and lovin’ Glee, I’m not sure we can be friends!) on my shiny new iPod Touch that the boy is still in trouble for and the Thong Song came on. And since my Ghostie was already holding my headphones…

And well. Who am I to resist the siren call of such an opportunity?! Observe…

INORITE?! So. Very. Awesome.

And as proof that I have THE BEST Teens on the planet, including the ones I kinda adopted – The Twins decided to spoil me/us too, and got me an old fashioned popcorn maker! It’s a little mini version of the BIG ones at the Theater, ya know? And it makes DELISH fluffy popcorn, which we can salt and butter to our liking, and we’ve gone through a metric ton of the stuff after stealing Nana and Papa’s popcorn kernals – cuz we didn’t have any of our own. Heh. (Yes, Nana! The Popcorn Fairy will arrive with more soon, all fresh popped and delish!) It’s a BIG hit, and we’ve eaten the Pup’s Weight in the stuff since it was delivered. Thanks girls!

What else – OH YES. For Christmas, Peppermist, who wants to be the Alaskan Ace Of Cakes, received an awesome basket of cake decorating goodies and cake mixes from Nana to practice with! Thus, a couple nights ago, Peppermist armed herself with Auntie’s icing recipe, and took over the kitchen for her very first cake decorating experience.

There were mutterings, there were ponderings, there was the decision to simply use pink because she likes it so THERE mama. She was determined to learn to make an icing rose – and when she bounded around the corner happily to show off a perfect rose, I couldn’t help but applaud. I asked her if it was on the first try – and she said yes…around a mouthful of pink icing. Hahahah!

The cake turned out pretty damn well, especially for her first time. I look forward to sampling many other creations over the years to come. Nana’s already put in her order for her upcoming birthday, even.

Watch out, Duff! The Alaskan Ace Of Cakes is on her way!

I’m the type of mom – like so many of us parents are – who wants my kids to have everything, or at least some of the things they want desperately. First, of course, comes what they need, then what they want, but especially at Christmas? What hey want is also important. It’s hard when we can’t afford those types of things, and I find myself doing things I wouldn’t normally do in order to ensure that some of those things find their way under the tree. I accept help from the school, and as soon as I can I plan to pay that forward, and return the favor. And I also take advantage of the fact that my kids are old enough now to have some Big Topic Talks.

Which was how, a few weeks ago, I was able to put a plan into motion. It went kinda like this:

Me: So, Santa’s broke, still. And I was thinking…
Peppermist: Did it hurt?
Pup: Thought I smelt something burnin…
Me: …brats. I was thinking that WE(Wii) might ask Santa for one family gift that WE(Wii) might enjoy together, that WE(Wii) might like instead of individual gifts.

It took them a couple minutes, but finally it broke through and the cheers went up “WE(Wii) WOULD LOVE THAT.”

The boy, of course, said he didn’t care. He was more about things for his truck, and tools, than anything else. So while I put things for that into motion behind the scenes, I worked to get the Wii the girls wanted so desperately. The boy was then THRILLED to discover extra cash in his account for the truck. Mission accomplished.

The other request was one of those stupid fuckin’ Zhu Zhu pets. Those things, with all the accessories that the pup wanted with it, too, are way to expensive. Instead, then, while she was hiding out at Aunties, the teens and I got her a REAL hamster, cage, ball and book about the care and keeping of the little bugger. She was THRILLED – well, first, she was confused because we gave her everything in the box the cage came in, THEN brought out the hamster from where he’d been hiding in Peppermist’s room – THEN she as THRILLED. And shocked. And NutterButter has a doting human to shower him with affection – and I still came out ahead cash-wise. Heh.

The smiles on my kids – and my niece and nephews – faces is more than enough of a gift for me. That’s all I want, is for them to feel special everyday – but at Christmas especially. But the Boy… that darn boy… He decided it wasn’t going to be enough for HIM this Christmas. He wanted me to feel special, to have something I wanted, but would never get for myself, or let him get for me had I known he planned too. It was too much – and I was completely shocked…

Yup – that’s an iPod Touch (cradled next to my many chins), and my son? Is in SO MUCH TROUBLE… as soon as I get over the awesomeness of my new toy…

… yeah, he’s pretty safe. And has been excused from gift giving to mom for like, the next 2-5 years of birthdays, mother’s days and Christmases. hehe.

So here’s hoping that you and yours were able to get some of the things you needed, some of the things you wanted, and more importantly, were able to see though the squeals and squabbles and mounds of shredded wrapping paper to discover just how special your family is as they crowded around you. Especially if they were nice enough to give you ONE DAY to take as many pictures as you wanted, without making faces, hiding, or worse.

Even if it makes you see JUST HOW TALL your lil tiny baby is next to you and Nana… Sigh.

Merry Christmas, PTB readers. Bring on the New Year!

Wow. Today’s the last day of school before vacation for my rugrats, and others around the country are being let out tomorrow – and you know what that means… only a few days left to shop, and also? The kids will be HOME for TWO WEEKS.

I give it less than 24 hours before I hear the first “I’m bored!” But that’s Ok, because I’ve a WHOLE LIST of “Honeydos” for when they’re silly enough to say such things. You know, “honey, do this… honey, do that…” – it works for more than just husbands!

One thing I’ve noticed about the kids as they enter pre-teen and teen years, is that while the presents get smaller, they’re more expensive! But here’s one for your (and my!) girls who are ages 8-14!

It’s called the “New Moon Girls“, and there is an online community and a bi-monthly print magazine, too. The chats are moderated, and there’s a staff member online at all times to ensure the safety of the girls. It’s an ad-free space that’s by girls for girls, where they can share their thoughts, opinions, poetry and artwork in an environment meant to help boost their self-esteem, positive body image and confidence.

You can get a 30 day free trial, and then it’s just $29.95 for a full years access, which includes the bi-monthly magazine too. (You can see the current magazine here.)

You know me, I’m all for safe and positive places for our girls, where they can express themselves and be the strong amazing people we know them to be! So check it out today!

Yes, there are ways to tell that there is but a few days left before Christmas arrives in the House de Lessa. I’m sure these signs are seen all across the land, in various degrees, with the added style of your own unique family thrown in – so I’m sure you’ll recognize these in spirit, at least.

Number Five: The Annual Search for the Ornaments.
I know I put them somewhere special so that we wouldn’t forget where they were this time! They were in the green tub – no, the blue one! No, not THAT one… CRAP. Well, there’s the tree, pre-lighted even. Isn’t it lovely? Stop crying, we’ll find the ornaments! Somewhere… are you SURE we didn’t put them under the house again? No, the Garage? OH YEAH! There they are! Whew. It would have been a lonely Hannah Montana Ornament if we hadn’t found them!

Number Four: “Don’t worry Mom! We’ll clean up the living room and move the couches for you so we can put up the tree! Don’t you worry about a THING!”
Sudden attacks of niceness and sibling cooperation that last approximately .09281 seconds before they’re bickering like always because YOUR FOOT IS ON MY SIDE and HEY that’s MY priceless piece of crumpled paper how DARE you throw it away! MOOOOOOOOOM! Is it wrong to want to wrap them up in ribbon and duct tape and keep them under the tree? FOREVER?

Number Three: I want this, and this, and THIS, and OMG THIS!
Many, many crumpled pieces of paper are horded and EVERY TOY KNOWN TO MAN is written down, added too with every commercial, every trip to the store, every whispered conversation with BFFs, every second of every day – All in hopes that out of the FIVE GAZZILION THINGS wished for, Mom can pick out the one you REALLY want, REALLY REALLY bad…

Number Two: Ninja Present Watch.
Or alternatively ‘practice for future NYE Parties involving lampshades and beer bongs’. This time of year, the kids do seem to think that we don’t notice them lurking around the corners, holding fast to the childhood belief that “I can’t see MOM, so MOM can’t see ME!” all in hopes of discovering that mom DID listen and got that longed for really expensive present. Luckily they soon remember that “Curiosity killed the cat, then Mama took the presents back!”

And, the Number One Way to tell Christmas is Coming? Moments like these:
“Here you go, mom. A bow! That I made! To place upon you, for I am giving you YOU for Christmas! Want to know why? Because I wanted to give you something awesomely TOTALLY PERFECT!”

…awwwwww.

Shameless, the whole lot of them!

Laura asked a question on the post below this, and when my reply became a post in itself, I thought I’d move it to it’s own post here. Here’s her question:

Whats everyone doing for safety precautions for Halloween? My husband came across an article (http://i-newswire.com/pr220892.html) with some info about background checking neighbors. I thought that may be a little overboard, but it had some other good suggestions for some precautions I haven’t thought about. Last year my youngest son came down with a massive fever after Halloween. I almost thought about just taking the kids to our church’s fall festival this year instead of door-to-door to prevent that from happening again. I don’t know yet. What’s your advice? Am I over-reacting or just being a concerned mom?

Wow, maybe it’s because I’m the product of a small town, but that seems incredibly overboard to me. I can’t imagine letting my kids go trick or treating without me – but that’s probably because we have to drive to the “good neighborhood” that gives the good candy. *L* So that much is smart and I agree with – don’t let the kids go out on their own.

As for demanding to know why someone has a “No candy here” sign? Maybe they don’t celebrate, maybe they aren’t home, maybe they don’t like kids – it seems an incredible invasion of privacy to do ‘find out why’ as if it’s not their right to not have candy if they don’t want too. That’s going overboard. I’d be really pissed off if someone was running checks on me to see why I won’t put candy out – it’s not like I’m offering razorblades and crack in little packages – it’s no candy. Ya know? That’s ridiculous. If there’s “no candy” or the lights are off, then you move on to another house. Simple as that.

Personally, when we go trick or treating, we take the kids to walk two streets in the “good neighborhood” where they get a decent amount of candy, then we pop over to the local Boys and Girls Club for their Trunk or Treat, where they can get prizes and more candy, then to the local Elks club where they have a haunted house and games. That’s a good two hours, and aside from the actual door to door, everything is in a protected environment, and I’m with the kids every step of the way, either watching from the car on the street as I follow them through the walk in the neighborhood, or with them at the group functions.

Again, my town is small, so I may come at it from a different point of view – but I’d definitely check out some of your local area organizations and see what’s out there. More and more boys and girls clubs are doing what ours does with Trunk or Treat at their parking lot, a lot of shopping malls have indoor trick or treating Keep in mind I’m in Alaska, too, so our Trick or treating has to take weather into consideration. It’s COLD out there, and T or T doesn’t last too long, because omg COLD. IN fact right now, it’s a chilly 7 degrees outside.

I have my own personal annoyances with Church “Fall Festivals” but that’s just me. It’s a good alternative if you can convince your kids they don’t need that door to door, or do the “one or two streets” or only people they know, then a festival of some sort. Depending on how old they are, definitely talk to them and see what they’re thinking, and make a plan together. That’s the best advise that article had. My kids and I make our plan before we leave the door – which usually involves “Well go no, and when I’m done we’re going home.” *L* I’m all democratic like that.

Most of all – remember it doesn’t have to be an all night thing. When I leave, I tell the kids straight up – 2 hours, tops. To hit all the spots, before I can’t handle the crowds anymore and I’ll wanna come home. So they know off the bat there’s a time limit. As they get older, they start to lose interest anyway, and it’s more about parties, and group functions with their friends, which opens a whole NEW can of worms, hm? My son has to work this Halloween for the first time, but before that, he is much more of a help chaperoning the younger kids then he is going for Trick or Treating purposes. He’d rather buy his own candy.

Also – be SURE to check your paper, an your fire department possibly. See if someone local has set up an x-ray machine to check the candy if you’re worried about it to that extent. I always check the candy myself for my kids, or watch as they do. We don’t accept home made treats unless it is from someone we know, and everything needs to be in their original wrapping.

That’s just common sense – and checking the candy allows you to steal all the Reese’s cups. *shining grin*

There’s nothing wrong with being a concerned mom for sure, though sometimes it’s hard to let them go enough, but to keep them wrapped in Mom’s Bubble Wrap too. Hope this helped – lemme know if my rambling made any sense at all – or lack thereof.