Balancing On One Foot

The Insensitive Air Freshener

2012-02-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

In the battle to keep our house clean, organized (say what!) and in general, sanitary enough for human habitation - I have started to utilize more and more air fresheners. I try to keep plants in every room of the house, although many do not thrive without constant sunlight. I have tried incense but the smell doesn't last long enough and it always makes just another mess of crumbly ashes.

Some might say that I should just take out the garbage more than once a day. But I say that is wasteful. Some might suggest that I get oil diffusers (but little hands like to make horrible messes with that sort of thing!) Some might also point out that I should be cleaning more often. Riiiigghhht. I can't help but sanitize the bathroom and toilet with Lysol every day. What I want is a house that actually smells good instead of not smelling bad.

With the help of the most insensitive air freshener ever made, we are on our way to smelling like a fresh bouquet. I bought an Airwick device that is supposed to "sense" an odor and let out little puffs of fresh, lily of the valley goodness. Great idea. The problem with most plug-in air fresheners is that our noses adjust to a certain, constant scent and pretty soon, it doesn't seem like anything is there at all. This little Airwick guy isn't continually spewing perfume into the air - it sends out a burst of scent when necessary.

Only it is hurting my feelings.

It is in the bathroom - so of course, it is working overtime. Five people, three of them being overly enthusiastic about stinking up the house, sharing one small space. So I understand that the Airwick is working hard. But does it have to spray when I walk by in the hallway? I shower once a day - give me some credit! It sprays when I brush my teeth or use soap to wash my hands. Is toothpaste a detectable bad odor... or is my breath really that bad when I wake up? As I am sitting there, watching the kids in the bath, it sprays at least five times. That's just rude.

We have taken one big step in the direction to getting our house "floral fresh", but I wish it didn't have to come at the cost of my self-esteem!

Another Superbowl Sunday in Buffalo

2012-02-07T22:15:00.001-05:00

Oddly enough, this is not the first time I have been in Buffalo on a Superbowl Sunday. We are approaching our one-year-living-in-Buffalo- anniversary, but aren't there yet! This time last year I was anticipating another Steelers victory and packing up boxes.

Flashback to February 2004 - Gregory and I were yet to be married, hence no kids and this little thing called spare time to travel. I worked for Hyatt Hotels and one of their key benefits was the use of a certain number of free hotel rooms per year. So, naturally, we chose Buffalo! Perhaps we have a cosmic predetermination to reside in Western New York. Or not. Who knows!

The true purpose of our trip back in 2004 was to go skiing at Kissing Bridge. I was rusty (but not nearly as rusty as I am now) and we figured it would be a fun overnight trip. It just so happened that we were traveling on Superbowl Sunday, not that I place any importance on the event.

But damn, it is hard to find a place to eat during the Superbowl! We arrived in downtown Buffalo to gross slush and rain, and tried in vain to find at least a local chain restaurant. I remember driving to the Buffalo Chop House. Closing. Pearl Street Brewery. Closed. All of this driving around led us sadly to a T.G.I.Friday's (nothing against the place, but after driving for hours to a new city- it's a letdown to fail at finding at least an independent coffee shop).

And en route, either to the restaurant or from or in the elevator at the hotel - we missed the "wardrobe malfunction" completely. My soul was saved, right? Ha ha. I didn't have to bear witness to the downfall of the NFL's morality and the ensuing shock. The poor, poor football fans had to be exposed to a woman's body (as if cheerleaders serve a purpose other than unnecessary eye candy.) One of the most infamous moments in a Superbowl halftime show, and Gregory and I were driving around cursing the streets of Buffalo.

However, the next day at Kissing Bridge did turn out to be one of the best skiing experiences I have ever had. It was a Monday and gloriously free of crowds. The weather had cleared up, so we had snow but no painful windburn. The drive out to the ski resort redeemed the WNY area and we loved it.

Fast forward to February 2012 - Gregory had to work and I didn't turn on the game at all. Oh yeah, and we now live in the suburbs of Buffalo. The kids monopolize any television viewing and in all honesty, I didn't care about the game. I caught up on any worthwhile commercials via our technology savior: the internet. A win-win! I giggled at attacking cheetahs, naked M&M's and a poor overweight dog without having to care about football! (Although I do share the joy that the win made so many of my friends happy!)

This should be the part of the post where I lament on how eight years has flown by and it is stupefying how much my life and circumstances has changed. But I won't. We now live in a city we once randomly decided to visit. That opens up all sorts of possibilities, doesn't it?

Kindergarten Rules for Politics

2012-02-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

While I find it encouraging that so many people are getting riled up over primaries and the 2012 election (it means we care! We aren't all apathetic and oblivious!); I think it is going to be a long year. A long year of Facebook updates (myself included), terrible political commercials, "scandals", Republican this, Democrat that, Communist everything and misinformation from all angles. It's already gotten out of hand and we have a long ways to go!

Political (and candidate) arguments and debates, I find, are so heated because they reach into the core of who we believe ourselves to be. We place a lot of personal issues and self-definition on our decision to vote for specific people and within party lines. However, I think we also have the natural propensity to let emotions, "values" and personal gain rule over information and facts. Let me clarify: every person on the planet does this, not just one political party or one gender or one race.

That's when our political choices and causes are sometimes ill-fated and most of all, short-sighted. We get mean and exclusive. We criticize and find it impossible to compromise. We act like know it alls. We get SO hung up on one issue or ideology that all other possible points of view must be evil or stupid or Anti-American. We also get so hung up on a particular candidate that we just refuse to hear the whole story, glorifying these people that would be just like us if they weren't backed by millions of campaign dollars.

I won't pretend to be an expert in political science or economics or world cultures or even our own government's design. The last government class I took was in junior high, when I cared more about owning Gap jeans and cruising the mall. But I know a thing or two.

This post is my official plea that we can just approach this year, and the ensuing debates, with some basic Kindergarten rules for behavior:

1. Don't be a bastard. Remember that it's okay to disagree - but name calling is out of line. Don't talk to people like they are beneath you. (One of my personal pet peeves is when someone disagrees with me and their only rebuttal is to tell ME do some research. Take your own advice!)

2. Take turns. Shut up every once in awhile and listen to what someone else has to say. We love to hear our own opinions and therefore be affirmed by others that agree with us. Get into a healthy discussion about who gets to play on what part of the playground. There's this little thing called critical thinking that miraculously helps us work out difficult problems and come to a *gasp* solution.

3. Everyone is special. We are all different. We value different things. When we are parents of young children, we will accept higher property taxes in order to support the local public school. When we retire and become empty nesters, we should either move or continue funding the community at large. This thing called society needs give and take. Flexibility. Empathy.

4. Read a lot of books. Get your information from all types of sources. Watch the news network that you absolutely "can't stand" for 10 minutes, if not just to know what they are saying. Don't just listen to what your friends or your church or candidate tells you - they are biased and yes, they will sometimes lie.

5. Clean up after yourself. If you hurt someone, apologize. If you were wrong, admit it. If you made a big freakin mess with your Crayons, pick it up! Be responsible for yourself and realize that it isn't always going to be enjoyable.

That's the end of my rant. Okay, one more thing: please don't start any sentences with: All Democrats/Republicans/Libertarians/Feminists/Monkeys/Bananas think this way: (insert ideology). You don't know that and I know you wouldn't take kindly to someone saying that about you!

The Wine Cellar

2012-01-30T22:45:00.000-05:00

I have tried many times to start a wine collection. But this is difficult for me because (1) I am content with wine that costs less than $10 a bottle and (2) I drink it all.

Living in New York has been somewhat of a drinker's paradise after living in the alcohol police state of Pennsylvania. The grocery store has aisles of delicious microbrews and the liquor store down the road has its own loyalty/discount card. YES. Value prices for those who willingly sign up to admit they like booze! Not to mention the plethora of rebates available - sending in those little annoying cards has become part of my couponing madness and I must say, it is very gratifying. (When you cease to have a "real job", it's nice to see my name on an incoming check every so often!)

Right now my wine collection consists of the remainder of the case of Ravenswood Zinfandel that Gregory gave me for Christmas. I am not going to admit how many bottles are left.

However, until the New Year, I had achieved a personal record for hanging onto a bottle of wine for almost a year. For purely sentimental reasons, it was hard for me to open up this bottle and find the "perfect" time to savor it. It wasn't expensive; it didn't hail from a prized wine region - but the grapes were smashed and the liquid goodness was then bottled in Sewickley by the group at Fern Hollow Nature Center.

Why would this bottle mean so much to me? Well, it's more of a "who" than a "why". This type of traditional Italian wine-making has been carried on by Marisa Tobias and her family... but I enjoyed it as well when Marisa's father was the one growing, smashing and preserving wine in his basement. I grew up across the street from her family and to say the least, Pete and Nanny served as an extra set of grandparents.

I clearly remember spending many afternoons and nights in their house - eating (homemade) Pizelles, (homemade) spaghetti, (homegrown) peppers.... you get the idea. In our little pocket of Sewickley, it could very well have been Italy. And I'm not the only one who thinks so! Just after Elliot was born, I attended the Italian garden tour. I knew all of these families growing up, but I never appreciated how important their traditions were and how unique that kind of lifestyle has become. I follow their mantra when I envision over half of my yard being used as gardening space (and someday chickens and goats!).

But back to the wine. After moving away from my hometown and carrying this one bottle of red goodness to another state - I seem to have focused many of my sentimentalities on this one item. Of course I missed the rooms of my house, and my neighbors and friends and yard and neighborhood Giant Eagle. I felt like I needed to wait for the perfect time to truly appreciate this symbol of my past.

After almost a year of living in Buffalo, that time had not come! And duh, this wine had nothing to do with anniversaries or birthdays or Christmas... it was something that only I was placing utmost importance on.

So I drank it. Mostly because I was warned that homemade wine might not have the longest shelf life. And it was delicious. Cheers to my surrogate grandparents and their legacies, and to the Tobias family for being true historians (I haven't even mentioned my Nanny cookbook!). Cheers to Sewickley (and Buffalo) and many more bottles of wine: whether they are store-bought with a value card or stomped with loving memory.

The Ever Changing Food Pyramid

2012-01-26T16:43:00.001-05:00

I like Michelle Obama. I think she is cool. I think she puts up with a lot of crap from the fundamental right wing media - comments about her "big butt" and communist leanings (and for anyone who says that, I challenge you to stay away from a tried and true "communist" place in every community... the library! The devils!). Which is ironic because one of her major initiatives is to make our children healthier by providing better food in the lunch room. She envisions a world where our kids don't gorge on french fries every day and get so hyped up on strawberry milk that they can't sit still for the second half of their school day.

Honestly, I don't think healthy food should even be considered a political agenda. As with many other things in our country that are bizarrely wrong, it is a no-brainer. If the federal government is going to subsidize or mandate nutrition for children in public school: it should be healthy. It should not be contributing to the growing American obesity epidemic.

Now I approach this topic with a true sense of realism. Kids love junk food. They love sugar. It is often more of a struggle to force broccoli than it is to appease them with hamburgers. I am not a fan of fad diets or extreme eating in any way: the name of the game is moderation. I understand why people are vegans or vegetarians: it is a very healthy lifestyle. But it is also expensive, time consuming and not entirely realistic for growing children. I used to pay close attention to every label and spend the extra money for organic this and organic that... but as a family of five, it is virtually impossible to weed out the unwanted fats, sugars and (gasp!) high fructose corn syrup.

Recently, our "food pyramid" changed to MyPlate. If you grew up in the eighties like me, you remember the different colored levels of the pyramid - calling for a certain number of servings of grains, fruits/veggies, fats and proteins. MyPlate is still that general idea - but recommends filling half your plate with fruits and veggies at every meal. Easier said than done. Because many of us lack the initiative or time to closely inspect calories - the plate image teaches us to have visual cues for how much is enough. We all overindulge. It's almost impossible not to. Restaurant portions are absurdly large and well, snack food is just so damn delicious.

Like it or not, our food choices and availability are influenced by corporations and the USDA. McDonald's is the largest purchaser of potatoes in the country: so their preference in potatoes dictates what 90% of potato farmers will grow. Say goodbye to diversified crops. All of this makes it more difficult for independent farmers to be successful or even make a living. The USDA chose to subsidize corn, which led to insanely cheap corn byproducts that are now in almost every food we eat. The same goes for soy... it is in everything. These are not necessarily good choices; and when the government has such a huge influence on what our kids are eating: we should pay attention.

The guidelines over the last century have changed dramatically. When food was rationed during WWII, the pyramid reflected our limitations. And earlier than that, when our country was recovering from the Great Depression, the USDA recommended that a good meal was a main course of whole milk, with a side of white bread to dip in it. Milk was the most affordable protein and kids at that time needed as much fat as they could get to thrive. I read this all in a really neat article in Food Network Magazine a few months ago - and of course I can't find it online anywhere.

My point is this: the government doesn't always get it right when it comes to our food. They do a horrible job at regulating the meat industry. Not to mention genetically modified foods and Monsanto! And right now, it is a disaster in school lunch rooms. If you caught Jamie Oliver's show where he challenged the state mandates for chocolate and strawberry milk, it is obvious that change is hard to come by. Basically, he wanted flavored milks OUT of the lunch room because they contain more sugar than soda. What kid is going to choose the 1% milk when they can have delicious flavors? The government's "logic" was that more kids will choose milk if they have enticing flavors. Jamie's logic was that elementary age kids don't get a choice when it comes to milk. They will get thirsty and they will learn to like the white milk. His Food Revolution is pretty freakin awesome.

I really respect that Michelle Obama is making this a priority because while most of this responsibility should fall on parents to teach good food choices, from the state of our collective health, parents are not doing a very good job. Heart disease, diet-induced diabetes and high cholesterol are all serious problems our kids are facing. I don't say this with judgement. I took my boys to McDonald's for lunch today. That indoor playground has us hooked! But you can bet we are eating broccoli for dinner tonight.

All I know is that I pack Ayla's lunch every day because the two times she has ordered lunch in the cafeteria, she promptly threw up later that evening. No one is helping her to make good choices. When we ask what she picked - it was the winning combination of chicken nuggets AND a hot dog AND fries. The week that highlighted the "National School Lunch Program" was a different variation of pasta/pizza/cheese every day. How's that for moderation?

Am I a Muppet?

2012-01-23T10:38:00.002-05:00

As if it wasn't exciting enough to see the most recent Muppet movie, most of the songs were written by, quite possibly, one of the funniest performers I know - Bret from Flight of the Conchords. I had heard a few of the songs before realizing this, and upon watching a video of him singing with Kermit the Frog, it all came together.

Flight of the Conchords. The Muppets. Kermit the Frog.

I really don't need much more than that in life.

Unless I wanted to share this joy with my children. Jackson has the appropriate response when he sees Animal screaming and bashing his head on things: laughter. Ayla... well... she rolls her eyes and leaves the room. My own daughter! How could she betray me like this?

I don't understand where her intense dislike of pure hilarity began, but we are working through it. Therapy may be necessary for us both.

Our household has been singing, "Am I a Man... or Am I a Muppet?" quite often lately. So of course I started singing it when I took this picture of Ayla's fuzzy slippers. You can see by her face how she felt about MY shenanigans.

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Living in the Minivan

2012-01-20T16:31:00.001-05:00

This is why I am a virtual captive in the Odyssey. What was intended to be a quick drop-off at the library and some veggie shopping at Wegmans has turned into Elliot's nap time.

Even though I am shushing the other two maniacs every two seconds, and making them wait to get into the Wegman's playplace may be considered inhumane - I will take the half hour nap over ridiculous grumpiness during dinner.

Since I see that most Moms I know have posted the link to the recent "Don't Carpe Diem" article on the Huffington Post... is this a Kairos moment that I will miss someday? Or will I someday see a young mom bored out of her mind in her minivan twenty years from now and gleefully skip by myself into the grocery store?

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Crafts of Christmas Past

2012-01-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

I have to say that my idea of a "sewing business" has taken on a life of its' own. Last summer I spent many a night agonizing over all of the amazing, artistic, genius, professional, gorgeous sewn items that are for sale on Etsy. I wanted to be a part of it but was (and still am) very intimidated by the sheer artistry out there. But I posted a few items and sold a few things. (Thanks to generous friends and family, of course, but I did have two unknown buyers!)

Almost six months after posting that first pillowcase on Etsy, I am now spending more of my time with shall I say "commissioned" work. So exciting! I am thrilled that friends are trusting me with their beloved t-shirts to turn into quilts and pillow shams. My brain starts to feel rusty after my daytime activities of changing diapers, chasing Baxter around the neighborhood and trying to justify my parental decisions to a saucy five year old. Therefore, it becomes such a welcome retreat to delve into a sewing project and learn something new like Claudine curtains (okay, it can be frustrating when I break my sewing machine twice in a month!).

The question remains if it would be wise, or just self-indulgent, to start a more professional blog under the ThreadAbell name/brand. If you ever delve into the world of online crafting and sewing tutorials - it is yet another overwhelming array of incredible teachers and incredible ideas! But I was intimidated before, and after putting myself out there... I have to say it has been rewarding.

I wanted to post a few photos of my recent projects: items that had to be kept secret until gift-giving days. This is where my December went!

Matching stockings for my sister and Matt - the flannel is beautiful, but honestly too itchy to be used for any apparel.

Beast, you beast! It's a long story... but Genevieve needed a Beast at school. He missed her.

A friend entrusted me with her old t-shirts to make into gifts for her god-son and god-daughter. Such a great idea!

From a $4 pattern on Etsy. I didn't like it the first night we put it up... but upon the morning light, I dig it!

The god-son pillow. I always use my t-shirts so selfishly, have to start thinking about better gift ideas.

Wii Dance Party

2012-01-16T21:24:00.002-05:00

The temperature here just dropped to six degrees the other night. Winter came late, but hit hard. Needless to say, we are all cuddling under blankets and drinking hot cocoa. And dancing, of course!

Instead of turning up the heat... we have been dancing every night on the Wii. Nickelodeon Dance Party (a dancing Diego looks pretty creepsters), Kids Dance Party, MJ The Experience (hell yes!) and Just Dance 2 and 3. If you think you need to start exercising, try these games instead! I am winded and cramped up after just a few songs... but it is worth it.

Ayla turns into Ms. Competitive while Jackson watches from the couch. Elliot has to hold a Wii remote, therefore he gets one without batteries. Or maybe I should start giving him a working wiimote... stay tuned to the end of the video to see why!

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FreeCycle Score!

2012-01-11T16:36:00.002-05:00

Just the other day I was beginning to feel annoyed with my daily onslaught of Freecycle emails. A lot of members refuse to even try to spell correctly or use punctuation or even coherent sentences. Deleting more than 30 emails every day, none that even seem useful and if they are... you missed the response by an hour. Items go so fast!

That is why I was disappointed when someone offered "sewing supplies", including bias tape, zippers and other such delicious items. I sent a response giving my name, number and pick-up time. Then the same person posted that the items has been promised, but since I had not received a reply, I believed that some other lucky seamstress/seamster (?) had gotten the items. Boo hiss.... cut me a break Freecycle!

Imagine my excitement on Monday morning when the person called to tell me that they had completely forgotten to confirm with me. I was the lucky winner after all!

I drove to her house during my two-hours-to-kill time while Jackson was at preschool and picked up the supplies. I had no idea that these were vintage items. Double score! If you look closely at the packaging, the price is a whopping 19 cents. In such beautiful retro colors! It is uncommon to find such unique designs in my frequent trips to Joann Fabrics... let alone for free instead of dishing out about $2.50 per package.

The contents of my sewing bag has about fifteen zippers (cool colors too - turquoise, purple and bright green), ten packages of bias tape, curtain hooks and really cute trim. Suddenly, my perspective has changed and it is totally worth sifting through all of the unwanted, stupid posts to really win out on something you can actually use!

Thank you freecycle for being my daily virtual Thrift store.

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Don't Shoot the Messenger

2012-01-06T16:28:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: This post is about a five year old and her Binky. If you walk into this with judgment ... turn away now.

The new year has brought on a new fire to Ayla's streak of independence (defiance) and strong emotions (drama). We have already bought the battle of THE BINKY many times before, but like a true addiction, it always returns in small, seemingly innocent ways and turns into a huge problem. We take the binky away, the Binky fairy writes lovely notes and Ayla seems to accept her new fate as a grown-up girl. Then a few weeks pass and she is sneaking a binky (where she finds them, I don't know!) in front of the television in the middle of the afternoon. When we had previously agreed that binkies are only to be used in bed at night or preferably not at all - this is a major violation.

Before Christmas (and with the help of our elf, Elfabet), the Binky fairy finally laid down the law. All binkies were confiscated and rightfully given to the new babies that needed them. Ayla made peace for the moment, but come bedtime, there were many tears and laments for how difficult life had become. However, over the holiday in Pittsburgh, the binky was not mentioned once.

Then we came back to Buffalo and the drama continued. Every night is a full-force tantrum, loud wailing and inconsolable crying. Ayla naturally turns her anger and frustration towards her evil parents for causing her such misery. When the crying and screaming and names and guilt stopped working - she has now turned to her next device: Jackson.

The poor, loyal guy has now been assigned the role of messenger. He makes the trip up and down the stairs from their room with Ayla's comments and pleas for her Binky. Ayla uses him to sneak into the kitchen for snacks or to deliver angry messages.

We can hear her lying in bed, telling Jackson what to say... then he trudges across the room.... walks down the stairs... and proclaims whatever Ayla has told him to repeat. And if he gets it wrong, she clarifies and makes him tell us again. An example:

Ayla (muffled under her covers): "Tell Mama and Dada that you only love me and you, that you don't love them anymore because I can't have Binky."

Jackson: "I love Ayla (pronounced Allah) and me." (Walks back upstairs.)

Ayla: "NO! Tell them that you don't love them!"

Jackson: (Walks back downstairs) "I not love you anymore."

Gregory has always said that he would prefer that they stick together as siblings rather than become competitive with each other - well, that wish is coming true! This whole process has been comical but also wildly frustrating as Ayla's screams go on for 45 minutes when our infant is sound asleep at 10 pm. Let's just hope that Ayla will return that loyalty to her brother someday!

First Night Buffalo

2012-01-03T21:20:00.000-05:00

When it came to planning our big night out for New Year's Eve... the main idea was to find something family friendly (that didn't cost a bazillion dollars) and how to tire the kids out so they would actually be sleeping at midnight.

The only person sleeping at midnight was Elliot but we reveled in family fun at First Night Buffalo. It is growing into a huge event for families, especially families that cannot find a sitter on New Year's Eve!

I bought our advance tickets at Wegman's and we drove downtown to the Convention Center. We even showed up late (the whole thing runs for five hours) because I didn't think we could possibly need to be there that long. But I didn't factor in the long lines for bounce houses and carnival rides. We watched a little bit of the "Birds of Prey" show. What's more exciting than sitting in a large room with hawks flying low over the audience and instead of returning to their trainers... they perch in the fake ficus trees? We also became acquainted with this dude, Wacky Chad.

Unfortunately, we missed out on arts and crafts and the Storytime village. There's always next year! For under $40, we ate ice cream, were nearly attacked by wild birds, laughed at a guy on his pogo stick, watched indoor fireworks, rode the merry go round and supported a downtown event in Buffalo. Not too shabby for a night out.

Elliot wasn't too sure about Wacky Chad.

And due to our new digital antenna (thanks Gramps!), we watched the Times Square coverage after returning home. It had almost been a year without local channels and news - and it is comforting in a way to have it back. Just in time for the ball drop. Happy New Year everyone!

Resolutions and Spousonomics... Say What?

2011-12-31T01:14:00.010-05:00

One of my hopes or resolutions for next year is to read more books. Among other things like attain financial freedom, perfect skin, a desire to work out three days a week, a full-blown crafting empire and children who don't sob hysterically over the mean Binkie fairy for 45 minutes at bedtime.

Also, don't forget world peace and equality for all!

At least I have control over the number of books I read. I just finished one that I could not stop recommending to my friends. It is Spousonomics. Meaning the combined study of economic principles and how they relate to our irrational and profit-driven decisions in our relationships. And while one may think that a book combining the free market and relationships wouldn't exactly work or have "readability", I challenge you to give this book a chance.

The authors are funny yet realistic, somehow making the transitions from financial markets to housework make sense. I reawakened that part of my brain that studied economics a decade ago and seriously felt like their marriage advice was stellar. And if think you are in one of those perfectly matched, don't need relationship advice kind of place... they have a chapter just for you! I loved the book. Gregory may feel like he read it too because I simply wouldn't stop relaying every chapter after I finished it. So if you love someone or want to or just want to read a quirky take on married life, pick it up.

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Christmas: Sponsored by the Thrift Store, Craigslist and Generous Family

2011-12-29T21:36:00.001-05:00

We have just returned to Buffalo after a prolonged Christmas including three straight days of gift giving and many a delicious dinner at Gregory's parents. Santa arrived here in Buffalo on Christmas Eve with some amazing gifts - more amazing to me because "Santa" found so many of them for about a dollar. I have yet to write a post about the epic thrift stores in this area, but my Christmas finds were fantastic. Although I have to credit Gregory for many an item. Ayla's side of the room is plastered with Princess wall decals (AND GEMSTONES!) and Jackson's Yoda alarm clock is by far the cutest clock ever.

It was so relaxing and rewarding to have one day here, just our little family. I know the years that all of my kids truly believe in Santa are fleeting and it is such a gift to feel that again! And I know that the years we can get away with "inexpensive" (relatively, when kids are asking for ipads) presents are even more fleeting. So add their true enchantment with the season and the ability to be pleased with toothbrushes: we might have just had our best Christmas yet!

The Barbie car, horse and neighborhood of Barbies came from Craigslist, the Fisher Price pirate ship from Amvets, Hello Kitty from the dollar store and all of the free toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo that I super-couponed from Rite Aid. I splurged on everyone else in the family instead. This is what I love most about this time of year. It's not a consumerist, materialistic drive that takes me Christmas shopping: it really is my chance to buy cool, quirky, necessary or not items for the people around me! Gregory and I are always buying each other what I feel other couples buy on a normal day, only nicer because it is a special occasion. We have had the same set of semi-ugly, chipped plates for the past decade and after years of us both pining away at Ikea dishes, Gregory finally splurged and bought beautiful Corning ware dishes. I couldn't have asked for anything more than a new iron (not a housewife iron, but a sewing business iron), new plates, an organizing system, a case of Ravenswood wine (intact with rebate form... for a super couponing nerd like me) and Archer Farms coffee!

Only, we got more because we then drove to Pittsburgh on Christmas and spent time with as much family as we could. I am always blown away by the generosity shown for ourselves and our kids. Santa brought the highly coveted Fijit robot for Ayla to Nano and Gramps' house. Santa also made a visit to my mothers' and our kids nearly peed their pants when the gifts were discovered there!

Elliot wearing my new onion goggles. They will definitely be put to use. Good call, Mom!

I will go on record saying that Christmas is not about the gifts... but it also kind of IS about the gifts. I get so excited giving the presents I have been scheming about for months. I spent a lot of time crafting and sewing and on Snapfish.com thinking of fun presents to give, so for me, that is a huge part of the day. Of course I love receiving presents, mostly because I am blessed with family that is thoughtful, funny, generous and with really great taste!

Is a caption really necessary? YES, they all have matching tutus. Ok wait, yes, please note Baxter eyein' up the cheese on the table...

Could we be happy without presents? Sure. But in my life, where I don't often splurge, it is fun to go shopping and give myself "permission" to get something nice for the people I love. (I mean, I never would buy a broccoli stuffed toy for myself, but for Erin on Christmas, most definitely! :) )

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas like we did. And of course, every other holiday that you may celebrate. (Note: must write blog post about the importance of being polite about that during the holidays.) I know we really appreciated the chance to spend time with family and friends in Pittsburgh - now that we had to actually "return" for Christmas, it's really setting in that we live in Buffalo for real!

Audience Discretion Advised: For Parents

2011-12-23T01:25:00.000-05:00

I have always been a fan of scary stories. UFO's, ghosts, spontaneous combustion, angels, monsters and anything in the "supernatural" realm. I was so excited the one year at Christmas that my mother bought me the entire encyclopedia of the unexplained. I consumed Stephen King novels like candy in junior high (but I no longer read his books, enough is enough.)

Basically I would read these books under my covers and really freak myself out. I tend to lean towards the conspiracy theories and will listen to any argument about the existence of any "unproven" event or entity. Who am I to say that the Chupacabra or Bigfoot doesn't exist?

So being scared is obviously something I am comfortable with. Or WAS comfortable with. In our desensitized existence, I can watch movies about death or murder or other horrible acts and not awake screaming in the middle of the night from terrors. (If that isn't a commentary on society, I don't know what is!) But anyways, my point in this post is that my perspective has changed and I am becoming much more sensitive and generally freaked out.

I blame this on being a parent. Not to say that people who don't have children aren't legitimately scared by the same things... but certain "scary" things stick with me much longer now that I worry about the welfare of small little people.

Below is a list of the most terrifying movies I have watched, some with all new meaning as I define myself as a mother:

(In order of ability to give me nightmares of least to greatest):

1. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle: This is an old one... but damn, if it doesn't freak you out more as a wife and mother.... I feel skeevy all over thinking that another woman would try to breastfeed my child as a means of manipulation! Ewww, ewww, EWWW!

2. Contagion: Yes, the concept has been done before. World wide epidemic, no cure. But this movie was portrayed very realistically and since I live in a sea of germs, it is horrifying to think how quickly my family would succumb to a virus. This particular virus started with a hacking cough that is eerily familiar to the cold I maintained a few weeks ago. We share drinks; boogers are everywhere: there isn't enough hand sanitizer or Lysol to save a family with three kids.

3. The Good Son: I thought you were so cute, McCauley Caulkin! But seriously, what is a parent to do when they find that their kid is a psychopath? Because it happens. For real.

4. The Lovely Bones: (this should also be on the Caution! Very Sad Reading Ahead list) This film makes me want to teach my kids to view every adult as a predator until proven innocent. I am not, don't worry, because a paranoid life is not a happy one. But still....

5. Paranormal Activity 2: The other two movies in this trilogy were scary indeed. But they pale in comparison to the trauma of imagining your baby being tormented and then kidnapped by a demon. We watched this movie shortly after moving into this house and I was freaked out for weeks. New house, new noises and my kids wake up at very ominous hours of the night. 3:33... both Elliot and Jackson are awakened at the same time on different floors. And I am supposed to be brave enough to get out of bed and comfort them?

There could be an entire line of horror movies geared towards parents. I am already there! What seemed scary about ghosts and goblins and aliens from space take on a whole new dimension as a parent. Am I alone here? What movies would you add to the do-not-watch list for parents?

Mom vs The Dining Room Table

2011-12-14T14:27:00.000-05:00

Most milestones that babies reach are pretty cute. Smiling, sitting up, rolling over, feeding themselves, babbling and especially learning sign language are all pretty helpful developments.

Walking can be amazing too, once they get a hang of it.

Elliot has mastered all of these skills and my heart bursts with pride. My heart also skips many a beat as he masters his latest skill: CLIMBING.

Excessive, ridiculous, repetitive climbing. I now trust him to safely take himself up and down stairs, even the scary basement ones. I can leave him safely to put himself on and off the couch without fearing a major head injury.

But there is one major safety hazard that can't be avoided. The damn dining room table. Most days, Elliot is not happy unless he is standing on top of the table. Gleefully stomping on my papers, spilling drinks, throwing crayons and making Ayla insane with frustration as she tries to draw.

It takes a minimum of 4 seconds for him to scale a chair and scream with delight as he presses his dirty little hands and face on the window. This all occurs while we attempt impossible tasks like making dinner or washing dishes. Ayla and Jackson have now taken it upon themselves to build barricades and drag Elliot away from the table. Pure family fun!

We have never been big on "baby-proofing" our house, and honestly, it has never been a problem. My kids manage to hurt themselves on pillows, grass and their own feet instead of dangerous chemicals. And Elliot's obsession with the table proves that no home can be safe! That is, unless you want to live without furniture.

Enjoy these photos of our daily insanity!

How could I say no to Jackson when Elliot is on the table 5 hours a day?

Maybe Elliot will love drawing like his sister... he breaks into her art stash constantly.

Yep! Gotz to be on the chair.

Father Christmas

2011-12-07T21:02:00.000-05:00

This time a year ago, Gregory was still in Oklahoma and I was preparing to move out of our house. The mood was a little grim, a little bah humbug and I certainly didn't have the inclination to decorate for Christmas after spending most of my days cleaning out closets and taking every unnecessary item to Goodwill.

Fast forward a year and we have gone Christmas bonkers here in Buffalo!

It took Gregory about five minutes after Thanksgiving to put up icicle lights outside and we were scouting for trees the first available weekend. It makes this "temporary" home feel cozy and loved... although we don't know if we will spend one or several holiday seasons here.

The spirit is strong, but our available space is not. With three sets of little hands to grab at ornaments, family heirlooms and very breakable lights... most of our decorating has been limited to the living room. Please enjoy the tour...

Hand-knit stockings! I am very lucky that my Aunt Janice has continued the tradition.

Little incense man and my extreme-couponed free pointsetta.

These hecklers have to be kept in a safe place!

How about this sassy bird? Thanks Nano!

A ceramic tree I've had since I was little. Totally unsafe though... the bulb inside is unreasonably hot.

We had fun visiting the local nursery(s) to shop for a tree. Two stops meant two visits with Santa and double doses of candy canes. The first place was a little too pricey for my taste - although every tree was magnificent. But who buys a 12 foot tree for $160??? The second place, Adams Nursery, had a wee little tree for our wee low ceilings here. Then we got our decorating on.

(And off, because Elliot promptly removed many of the ornaments. He is worse than a cat!)

Jackson is embracing his weirdness.

Elfabet, You Elfabet

2011-12-03T21:16:00.000-05:00

He has returned for another holiday season of threats, warnings, midnight wandering, secrets and mysterious promises to report to Santa with our family's every move...

I am talking about our Elf on a Shelf - Elfabet!

We were given this book and personal "elf" by some of Gregory's most loyal customers at the Outback two years ago, and we have loved his antics. Our Elfabet watches our children for good behavior (beginning the day after Thanksgiving) and travels to the North Pole nightly to give Santa the full report. Then when he returns, he is found in yet another random spot around the house.

The second most endearing thing to me, of course, is the high value of threatening that Elfabet will give a bad report if there is fighting in the house. I'm pretty sure that is the first reason that this book is a top seller. Several times a day, you will hear me yell, "Stop hitting! Share with Elliot! Or else Elfabet is going to tell Santa!"

What is the most endearing thing about our Elf on a Shelf?

The fact that Ayla and Jackson truly believe with their beautiful, innocent hearts that Elfabet gets up, travels to the North Pole and then returns to be with our family. Ayla asks about every five minutes if Elfabet has moved and when he does... man, she and Jackson run from room to room with anticipation. When they find him, they giggle and then discuss how exactly he jumped from the furniture to the mantle to the window and so on.

Our house has limited "out of reach" elf hiding spots... so right now, Elfabet is sitting in the gravy boat in a kitchen cabinet. If I were a semi-creepy but really cute plastic elf, that's exactly where I would want to be too.

I No Like Dead Turkey

2011-11-24T23:11:00.001-05:00

As we were preparing to fill our plates with Thanksgiving deliciousness, I overheard a little conversation...

Ayla (pointing at the turkey in her big sister voice) : "This is a dead turkey. It tastes really good."

Jackson : "I no like dead turkey!!"

PETA would be proud, if only for the words spoken, because we promptly ate dead delicious turkey.

I am most thankful for my weirdo kids and their weird words.

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Bring on the Bubbly

2011-11-23T14:11:00.000-05:00

As we all start our travels (or bar hopping!) for the Holiday weekend, I thought I would share a delicious, exciting find at our Western NY grocery store.

Before you gag at the thought of eggnog flavored soda water - just let me state my case! The seasonal flavors are just that - seasonal and temporary - and worth trying at least once. The cinnamon flavor was pretty tasty and when mixed with a little whiskey and ice, it became pretty dang tasty.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

STOP! Did Jackson Wee-Wee?

2011-11-15T23:21:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure this post needed a title with the picture of this home-made stop sign (courtesy of Gregory's master mind)... really, all we need to do is STOP and make sure Jackson wee wee'd. That is the secret to success.

We have been sharing this computer with Jackson much more than usual. I have been lucky enough to get some Etsy sales and some commissioned sewing work from friends, and well, the computer games keep Jackson very happy. We spend a lot of afternoons sitting next to each other while he plays matching games and I annoy him with the sound of the sewing machine.

The only problem is that he often zones out and has a potty accident. (Which is very frustrating because he's been pretty much awesome for months now!) It's that mind-numbing effect of technology. So the new rule is that he must use the bathroom before logging onto PBS Kids.

And in related news, Elliot had a bit of an episode in the tub the other night. All babies do it at one point or another... and the upside is that I finally sanitized and bleached all of the bath toys. But tonight, Ayla freaked out and yelled that Elliot had pooped again and there was a frantic emergency evacuation of the bathtub.

Only it wasn't excrement... just a brown Jawa Star Wars toy. It could happen to anyone, right?

Gimme some fries with that Shake!

2011-11-14T20:08:00.001-05:00

All of the parents were talking about "watch week" like it was the world premiere of the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show... okay, maybe I am the only one thinking of MJ.... let's just say we were excited.

We couldn't wait to get in that little dance studio and find out what our kids have been learning for the last two months.

Hopefully this video shows just how much shaking and grooving is going on in Bowmansville NY on Saturday mornings. The only footage missing is when Elliot got out on the dance floor and had more spunk than most of the 3 year olds! That boy has rhythm.

I can now check one item off of my life goals... to witness my kids tap dancing. All we need now are some top hats, sequins and jazz hands!

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Penn State Morality: Fail.

2011-11-10T15:05:00.000-05:00

It has been awhile since I have written an angry, outraged blog. There are many happy things going on in the world right now (my cousin just had a sweet baby girl, for example). However, humanity never disappoints to behave terribly and make me question what is wrong with our values!

Yes, I am going to spout my opinion about this Penn State molestation cover-up garbage. If Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier and others did ignore or cover-up evidence of child molestation ... and I do realize that this still has to be processed in a court of law... then they deserved to be fired. At the very least fired.

Why do so many people value effing FOOTBALL (and sports in general) above common morality? WHY? It is beyond absurd. Men who play sports and men who coach sports do NOT get a pass on behaving like normal human beings. It is not okay to value an institution over a person (or persons since this psycho Sandusky had 15 years of opportunities to abuse kids!).

I went to Penn State. I know that students there will find a reason to riot, if not just to exercise their stupidity and desire to move in large groups like cattle. How these things get started and how they get so out of control is beyond me. I am going to believe that their displays are misguided emotions. This is shocking news to us all: we know that this kind of evil exists in the world and it is awful to find out that someone who had our respect could be so callous. So instead of being angry at the right source (the administration, Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky), students and many adults who should know better, are angry that these men are being punished. But haven't we figured out by now that power/success/image in the world of sports doesn't equal sainthood?

The excuses that are made for sports "icons" really are too much. If it were YOUR kid, YOUR family, I hope you wouldn't be making excuses for the abuser. And that's the biggest part of the problem! It shouldn't have to be someone you love or care about - we should care because a human being was hurt. Duh! Child molesters will find a way to be with kids... we need to constantly remind ourselves to be suspicious. Hasn't anyone watched Oprah in the last decade?

To very deductive: anyone that knew about the abuse and didn't act is just as complicit as the person abusing those boys. No more passes for these grown men that should have known better! This is a very disturbing trend in our media and American culture. Tiger Woods "had women throwing themselves at him... it was only a matter of time." Big Ben gets excused because "his personal life has nothing do to with football". And now, just because an old man has been a coach for a bazillion years, he is allowed to shirk responsibility for letting a child molester get to kids!

I hope people get over themselves and their short-sighted reactions. Pretty much everything else on earth is more important than a football game. You know, even convicting child molesters. Seriously.

It's Not Easy Being a Muppet

2011-11-03T00:00:00.001-04:00

So calm. So determined. Elliot doesn't think twice about chomping on a Honkers' nose and then throwing him to his death down the stairs. How could I have let this happen?

I would normally object to such blatant Muppet abuse... but then wouldn't he just turn on me instead? God save the Muppets (and glow worm too.)

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Alexis and the Horrible, Terrible, No-Good, Very Bad Laundry

2011-10-25T19:33:00.001-04:00

Here's a little post to hopefully make YOU feel like a superstar! Because I am not - at least in the laundry department. Stains conquer me on a daily basis. Every time I use bleach I ruin a shirt. And now I realize that I should pay better attention to "dryclean only".

I bought this valance at Goodwill for $2 - I can cut the fabric to make pillows and thought the trim would be fun to add to a different curtain.

Riiiiigghhhhttt.....

Now I am stuck with a washer and dryer full of little bitty strings that will haunt me until we move.

And a baby in a box (box entirely unrelated to laundry).