They are made of warm, machine washable, knitted silk. My grandma sent them to me last birthday. I love them.
Years go by. Things change.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Defiant Socks
As requested by Running2Ks, my defiant socks.
They are made of warm, machine washable, knitted silk. My grandma sent them to me last birthday. I love them.
They are made of warm, machine washable, knitted silk. My grandma sent them to me last birthday. I love them.
9:01 PM, New Year's Eve
I'm the only one awake in the house. The only noise is that of my computer keyboard. Muffin Man's classical lullabye CD stopped playing about a half-hour ago and the dryer stopped 2 minutes ago (Wait a sec while I change loads. Done.)
I owe you folks some pictures:
Here's our tree as it looked a week ago.
Here's Muffin Man opening Madagascar from BigSister and her family.
We've watched it three times already. And as you can see behind him, he got lots of other presents as well. He's a very happy boy.
I hope you all have a happy and healthy New Year.
I owe you folks some pictures:
Here's our tree as it looked a week ago.
Here's Muffin Man opening Madagascar from BigSister and her family.
We've watched it three times already. And as you can see behind him, he got lots of other presents as well. He's a very happy boy.
I hope you all have a happy and healthy New Year.
Friday, December 30, 2005
He likes it! He likes it!
Muffin Man went to visit PNP this morning and stayed through lunch. I'm happy to report that he:
Went to art class (I'll post the picture later)
Went to Spanish Class
Went to Gym (BIG BEACH BALL!)
Ate all his apples and carrots and had two bites of the sloppy joe
Enjoyed himself thoroughly and can't wait to go back!
Yay!
Most of this was with no parent in view of Muffin Man. MM could be seen on the closed circut tv (viewed on a flat-screen monitor the size of Wyoming) in the lobby.
Went to art class (I'll post the picture later)
Went to Spanish Class
Went to Gym (BIG BEACH BALL!)
Ate all his apples and carrots and had two bites of the sloppy joe
Enjoyed himself thoroughly and can't wait to go back!
Yay!
Most of this was with no parent in view of Muffin Man. MM could be seen on the closed circut tv (viewed on a flat-screen monitor the size of Wyoming) in the lobby.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Uncle-Tandem-Bicycle
I have so many aunts and uncles that I'd insult about 20 people if I said that one or the other was my favorite, but just between you and me, Uncle-Tandem-Bicycle is my favorite.
He's the one who gave gift certificates for Haagen Daz for all occasions. He's the one who had great toys and would get down on the floor with me and play. He's the one who biked across country, through Europe, up the east coast.
He and Aunt-Tandem-Bicycle adopted my cousin Sweet-and-Shy from Russia last year. I can't think of anyone more cut out to be parents than these wonderful people. Seeing them with their daughter, the three of them so glowing and happy, makes me get all choked up.
And he's also the one who taught me to sing "Herman the Hanukah Candle" instead of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" so I wouldn't offend elderly conservative aunties and uncles during candle-lighting time.
For all of you on this fourth night of Hanukah, here are the words:
Herman the Hanukah Candle
had a very shiny light
and if you ever saw it
you would even say it's bright.
All of the other candles
used to laugh and call him names
they never let poor Herman
join in any Hanukah games
Then one rainy Hanukah night,
the rabbi came to say,
"Herman with your light so bright
won't you be my shamash* tonight?"
Then how the candles loved him
And they shouted out with glee
"Herman the Hanukah candle
you'll go down in history!"
* the candle that's in the middle of the traditional menorah. On all menorahs it's placed on a higher spot than the rest. You light it first and then light the other candles with its flame.
He's the one who gave gift certificates for Haagen Daz for all occasions. He's the one who had great toys and would get down on the floor with me and play. He's the one who biked across country, through Europe, up the east coast.
He and Aunt-Tandem-Bicycle adopted my cousin Sweet-and-Shy from Russia last year. I can't think of anyone more cut out to be parents than these wonderful people. Seeing them with their daughter, the three of them so glowing and happy, makes me get all choked up.
And he's also the one who taught me to sing "Herman the Hanukah Candle" instead of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" so I wouldn't offend elderly conservative aunties and uncles during candle-lighting time.
For all of you on this fourth night of Hanukah, here are the words:
Herman the Hanukah Candle
had a very shiny light
and if you ever saw it
you would even say it's bright.
All of the other candles
used to laugh and call him names
they never let poor Herman
join in any Hanukah games
Then one rainy Hanukah night,
the rabbi came to say,
"Herman with your light so bright
won't you be my shamash* tonight?"
Then how the candles loved him
And they shouted out with glee
"Herman the Hanukah candle
you'll go down in history!"
* the candle that's in the middle of the traditional menorah. On all menorahs it's placed on a higher spot than the rest. You light it first and then light the other candles with its flame.
CD recommendation
Christine Lavin has a holiday CD that I received for Christmas. Half the songs on the album have grabbed hold of me and won't let go, and I've forced others to listen to them too. This is some of the prettiest a capella music I've ever heard. Highlights include "Dona Nobis Pacem" and "Tacobel Canon" (beautiful and tasty!), and "A New Year's Round".
The CD also includes two stories I'm probably not going to listen to again, and 5 songs that are good, but not great. But the other 7 songs, those songs are being played over and over. So peaceful, so glorious.
The CD also includes two stories I'm probably not going to listen to again, and 5 songs that are good, but not great. But the other 7 songs, those songs are being played over and over. So peaceful, so glorious.
How nice is PNP?
PNP is beyond anything I've ever seen.
* It has 4 full-time directors (as opposed to last daycare which went through 7 directors in less than 4 years)
* Included in the price are daily half-hour sessions in music, computers, art, library-time, and movement with their own dedicated rooms and teachers.
* There's an indoor gym for inclement weather.
* There's an outdoor water-play area with sprinkler installations for summertime play.
* Not one of the toys was broken.
* The front desk is always staffed.
* You can't get into the place without being buzzed in or getting your fingerprint scanned (no more codes that don't change often enough/are changed without letting parents know what the damned code is).
* You can't get OUT of the place without pushing a button that's out of most kids' reach (no more kids escaping and running loose in the parking lot - and yes, that really happened at the old place).
* All of the kids looked happy.
* The director who showed us around knew the name of EVERY kid she saw (as opposed to the newest director at the old place who consistently mis-said Muffin Man's name - if his name were Larry, she'd have called him Barry or Jerry).
And did I mention that all the kids looked happy?
* It has 4 full-time directors (as opposed to last daycare which went through 7 directors in less than 4 years)
* Included in the price are daily half-hour sessions in music, computers, art, library-time, and movement with their own dedicated rooms and teachers.
* There's an indoor gym for inclement weather.
* There's an outdoor water-play area with sprinkler installations for summertime play.
* Not one of the toys was broken.
* The front desk is always staffed.
* You can't get into the place without being buzzed in or getting your fingerprint scanned (no more codes that don't change often enough/are changed without letting parents know what the damned code is).
* You can't get OUT of the place without pushing a button that's out of most kids' reach (no more kids escaping and running loose in the parking lot - and yes, that really happened at the old place).
* All of the kids looked happy.
* The director who showed us around knew the name of EVERY kid she saw (as opposed to the newest director at the old place who consistently mis-said Muffin Man's name - if his name were Larry, she'd have called him Barry or Jerry).
And did I mention that all the kids looked happy?
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Jane! Jane! Stop this crazy thing!
*Muffin Man's new bed arrives January 3rd (a week from tomorrow)
*Posh New Place (the daycare designed by Disney) called and he can start January 4th.
*Mr. Spock will be abroad on business for three weeks starting January 7th.
I'm having an asthma attack.
*Posh New Place (the daycare designed by Disney) called and he can start January 4th.
*Mr. Spock will be abroad on business for three weeks starting January 7th.
I'm having an asthma attack.
It's here!
My Holiday of Your Choice Gift Extraveganza present arrived yesterday all the way from Canada. It jingles!!! I can't wait to open it. January 14th is sooooooo far away!
That's my boy
The day before Christmas we went over to Uncle-He's-Younger-Than-Mr-Spock and Aunt-She's-Two-Years-Older-Than-Me's house to celebrate and shmooze. Muffin Man had a good time playing with his cousins (really, my cousins but they're 8 (adopted daughter of different aunt and uncle), 7, 5 and 3) and their cousins (5, 3, and 10 months)
Sometime during the afternoon, TellsDonaldDuckStories, Uncle-He's-Younger-Than-Mr-Spock, 7-year-old cousin, Aunt-She's-Two-Years-Older-Than-Me's brother and brother in law all started up a touch football game. Muffin Man watched for a while and then joined in, the only one of the three three-year-old boys to want to play with the "Big Boys".
The first time Muffin Man got pushed down, he ran crying to me. I asked him if he was hurt, he answered "No, but they PUSHED me!!!"
"You're playing football, sweetie. Pushing is okay in football. It's not okay other times, but it's okay in football." He stopped crying immediately, hopped off my lap and went back into the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The day AFTER Christmas, we went to pick out a big boy bed for him (a gift from my MIL). He looked at all the choices and ran straight to a dark walnut sleigh bed. "I like THIS one!" He shouted. "IT'S PINK!!!!" And indeed, it had a pink comforter and pink pillows shaped like hearts.
Unfortunately, it did not have extra storage underneath or in the headboard, which is something I'd like him to have. So Mr. Spock looked at the other choices and we tried to guide Muffin Man over to a more practical choice. "NO! I want the PINK ONE!!!"
Suddenly, I had a flash of inspiration. I pulled the pink comforter and pillows off the sleigh bed and put them on the captain's bed. "What do you think, now? Do you like this one?"
"Yes! This one! This one!"
So my little manly football player is going to have a little manly captain's bed with cubbies and drawers and pink sheets with pink heart-shaped pillows.
That's my boy.
Sometime during the afternoon, TellsDonaldDuckStories, Uncle-He's-Younger-Than-Mr-Spock, 7-year-old cousin, Aunt-She's-Two-Years-Older-Than-Me's brother and brother in law all started up a touch football game. Muffin Man watched for a while and then joined in, the only one of the three three-year-old boys to want to play with the "Big Boys".
The first time Muffin Man got pushed down, he ran crying to me. I asked him if he was hurt, he answered "No, but they PUSHED me!!!"
"You're playing football, sweetie. Pushing is okay in football. It's not okay other times, but it's okay in football." He stopped crying immediately, hopped off my lap and went back into the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The day AFTER Christmas, we went to pick out a big boy bed for him (a gift from my MIL). He looked at all the choices and ran straight to a dark walnut sleigh bed. "I like THIS one!" He shouted. "IT'S PINK!!!!" And indeed, it had a pink comforter and pink pillows shaped like hearts.
Unfortunately, it did not have extra storage underneath or in the headboard, which is something I'd like him to have. So Mr. Spock looked at the other choices and we tried to guide Muffin Man over to a more practical choice. "NO! I want the PINK ONE!!!"
Suddenly, I had a flash of inspiration. I pulled the pink comforter and pillows off the sleigh bed and put them on the captain's bed. "What do you think, now? Do you like this one?"
"Yes! This one! This one!"
So my little manly football player is going to have a little manly captain's bed with cubbies and drawers and pink sheets with pink heart-shaped pillows.
That's my boy.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Alton Brown is a god.
Truly. His method of cooking Prime Rib makes, bar none, the best piece of cow flesh I've ever eaten.
And I was not alone in this assessment. My mother, my stepfather and Mr. Spock all passed out from the glory that was this perfect standing rib roast.
Wegman's gets kudos, too. Their meat department surpasses all others.
And the rest of Christmas went well too.
Pictures to come later.
And I was not alone in this assessment. My mother, my stepfather and Mr. Spock all passed out from the glory that was this perfect standing rib roast.
Wegman's gets kudos, too. Their meat department surpasses all others.
And the rest of Christmas went well too.
Pictures to come later.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
The tree is decorated, the presents wrapped...
QuiltsAlot is reading aloud to Muffin Man. He is in his jammies, brushed and washed and ready for bed.
We put out grain for the reindeer and cookies for Santa. All that's left is the stockings and Santa does that!
Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Hanukah too. And big hugs. Lots of them. Especially for Phantom Scribbler.
We put out grain for the reindeer and cookies for Santa. All that's left is the stockings and Santa does that!
Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Hanukah too. And big hugs. Lots of them. Especially for Phantom Scribbler.
Friday, December 23, 2005
All done except the tinsel.
*Buy a few more presents - All done!
*Wrap about 20 packages
*Ship one or two things
*Change the sheets in the guest and put clean towels in the guest bath
*Clean house
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet. Good: my parents want to do this with us. Can wait for Saturday.
*Shop for food for the weekend
Yippee!
*
*
*
*
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet. Good: my parents want to do this with us. Can wait for Saturday.
*
Yippee!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
...and shorter
*Buy a few more presents - Just one left!
*Wrap about 20 packages - Still only five wrapped.
*Ship one or two things - Whew. Hopefully my present for the Winter Holiday of Your Choice Gifty Extravaganza will show up where it's supposed to be on time.
*Change the sheets in the guest roomMake sure I have clean sheets for the more-comfortable fold-out couch downstairs and clean towels in the guest bath (Hi Mom!)
*Clean house
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet. Good: my parents want to do this with us. Can wait for Saturday.
*Shop for food for the weekend - Aside from the Roast Beast we're having potato latkes and braised brussells sprouts. Now I need to figure out what we're going to eat the rest of the weekend and go shopping. Also we need vodka and lime. Tonic we've got, as well as the other beverages our guests like best. Oh! Can't forget bagels! Though TellsDonaldDuckStories often likes to take the trip to go out and get them so that he can also get a copy of the NYT and an espresso.
*Wrap about 20 packages - Still only five wrapped.
*
*
*Clean house
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet. Good: my parents want to do this with us. Can wait for Saturday.
*Shop for food for the weekend - Aside from the Roast Beast we're having potato latkes and braised brussells sprouts. Now I need to figure out what we're going to eat the rest of the weekend and go shopping. Also we need vodka and lime. Tonic we've got, as well as the other beverages our guests like best. Oh! Can't forget bagels! Though TellsDonaldDuckStories often likes to take the trip to go out and get them so that he can also get a copy of the NYT and an espresso.
Happy Birthday!
To three of my favorite on-line people:
Purple Kangaroo turns 29 today, Chloe is three, and Frances is TWO!
And here is a birthday card for all of you.
Purple Kangaroo turns 29 today, Chloe is three, and Frances is TWO!
And here is a birthday card for all of you.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Can you tell me what time it is?
(bump)
(creeeeeeaaaakkk)
(thumpThumpTHUMPthumpThumpTHUMPthumpThump
THUMPTHWAPThwapthwap)
(ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss)
(WHOOOOOSHHHHHH)
(thwapThwapTHWAPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP)
"Mommy? Is it morning?"
answer: 6:30 AM. That's my good boy.
And yes, I sent him back to wash his hands.
(creeeeeeaaaakkk)
(thumpThumpTHUMPthumpThumpTHUMPthumpThump
THUMPTHWAPThwapthwap)
(ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss)
(WHOOOOOSHHHHHH)
(thwapThwapTHWAPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP)
"Mommy? Is it morning?"
answer: 6:30 AM. That's my good boy.
And yes, I sent him back to wash his hands.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Meme of the senses (as seen at R2Ks)
Favorite Sound(s): My son laughing. The sound of small waves lapping at the shore of a lake or pond.
Favorite Colour(s): That blue that they use to make those fancy bottles of water. The chocolate brown of my son's eyes.
Favorite Image: My son snuggling with my husband.
Favorite Tactile Sensation(s): The feeling of flannel against my skin. Hugs and kisses from my boys.
Favorite Scent(s): The top of Muffin Man's head. Good things cooking in the kitchen
Well the list is getting a bit shorter
*Buy a few more presents - Two more to go.
*Wrap about 20 packages - I've gotten 5 wrapped.
*Ship one or two things - Whew. Hopefully my present for the Winter Holiday of Your Choice Gifty Extravaganza will show up where it's supposed to be on time.
*Change the sheets in the guest room and the towels in the guest bath (Hi Mom!)
*Clean house
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet.
*Shop for food for the weekend - Aside from the Roast Beast we're having potato latkes and braised brussells sprouts. Now I need to figure out what we're going to eat the rest of the weekend and go shopping. Also we need vodka and lime. Tonic we've got, as well as the other beverages our guests like best. Oh! Can't forget bagels! Though TellsDonaldDuckStories often likes to take the trip to go out and get them so that he can also get a copy of the NYT and an espresso.
*Wrap about 20 packages - I've gotten 5 wrapped.
*Change the sheets in the guest room and the towels in the guest bath (Hi Mom!)
*Clean house
*Decorate. Seriously. The tree isn't up yet.
*Shop for food for the weekend - Aside from the Roast Beast we're having potato latkes and braised brussells sprouts. Now I need to figure out what we're going to eat the rest of the weekend and go shopping. Also we need vodka and lime. Tonic we've got, as well as the other beverages our guests like best. Oh! Can't forget bagels! Though TellsDonaldDuckStories often likes to take the trip to go out and get them so that he can also get a copy of the NYT and an espresso.
Monday, December 19, 2005
As promised
Muffin Man at his new computer, playing Tt(F)TE: "Trouble on the Tracks".
He is so happy, he can't wait for it to be turned on in the mornings.
Check out his cool robe, a hand-me-down from his cousins. LL Bean, y'all.
He is so happy, he can't wait for it to be turned on in the mornings.
Check out his cool robe, a hand-me-down from his cousins. LL Bean, y'all.
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