holiday time

It's holiday time!  We've been into the spirit since Thanksgiving.  Went out to New York for Thanksgiving day, got our tree on Saturday, then had Sunday Thanksgiving at our house.

The past few weeks have been sweet -- spending day and night under twinkling lights, cutting paper snowflakes and making white paper chains, sending out Christmas cards, listening to the music and drinking the cocoa that make this season feel so cozy, enjoying tons of Christmas stories and advent readings and little treats, planning and making and buying and wrapping presents.

It's not all Hallmark movie around here, though...  As fun and exciting and magical as it is to experience Christmastime with a four year old, it's also at times frustrating and sad -- when we talk so much about giving but can have trouble seeing past the getting.

Another little hiccup in life: Ben got laid off this winter and so I've picked up a little part time job at the ski resort up here as the midweek kids program lunch "attendant" (read: lady).  I open up shop, clean the cocoa machine, heat and serve the food (to the ski instructors, not the kids), clean up, lock up.  It's vaguely reminiscent of my college days at Gillies Cafe.  Mostly strange; mostly I just kept cracking up at the whole thing.  Oh, so I'm leaving my home occupation of feeding and cleaning up after my two beloved little ones to do the same for 350 little ski vacationers instead?  I haven't had that many kids yet; I've only done two days -- one for training and the second I was in charge.  (Except the sixteen year old kid assisting me knew everything there was to know about the place, so I was the head lunchlady but really he was showing me the ropes.)  On my "training" day there was some difficulty finding someone who actually knew what I was supposed to do and how to do it, but eventually someone convinced 70 year old Ralphie to give me the rundown.  He had some interesting techniques -- like pre-heating the water for the steam table in a small bowl in the microwave -- but he showed me where to find the supplies and let's be honest: it isn't rocket science.  I got the idea.

very satisfied after making his own BLT

Day one was laughable but day two was a little hard.  When I went to pick up my mac and cheese from the kitchen I found a five gallon bucket full in the warmer.  I pulled it out and that crap was heavy.  My pregnant lady self was like, heck no.  "How should I get this 50 pound deadweight down to my kitchen three buildings and five sets of slippery outdoor steps away?"  Answer: "Carry it."  So I did.  Or I tried.   I made it out the door and down the first three sets of steps -- I had to stop and put it down a few times and every time I picked it up again, or actually the entire time, that sucker was killing my back.  As I endeavored the tears welled in my eyes until I reached the top of this giant double staircase and I just imagined the giant tub of macaroni and bag cheese bouncing down and spilling all over the steps, followed by me breaking myself and my baby -- and fortunately at that moment a ski instructor type man must have seen the look on my face and offered to help.  And I gratefully accepted.  It was all I could do to not burst into tears.  Somehow I held it together until I was able to sneak off to the bathroom and compose myself.  (I will not be carrying that bucket again; if they try to make me I'll dump it on the floor.  Just kidding, I wouldn't.)  I don't know why the scene made me so emotional -- it's just that it sucks to start a new job a few days before Christmas, it's kinda like an un-vacation and has sucked out some of my spirit.  And being away from my boys to carry mass amounts of nasty cheese sauce -- it's hard not to ask myself, Why?  And plus there's the pregnancy hormones, which can put my emotions all over the map anyway.  So.  Feelings will happen.  They're happening.

It's just two nights 'til Christmas Eve, and Bob's glee at that thought tonight at dinner was enough to make me grin from ear to ear.  Another big smile-inducer: Owen's urgent "Santa!" exclamation as his little finger stabs at the drawings in our books.

meeting santa at community christmas: "Santa, do you remember me from last time?!"

... and sharing his request: a new Mario game

I love the branches down low with six ornaments on them

I'm super excited for the next few days, even if I will be scooping a few hundred portions of mac and cheese.  So sweet and magical, this time is.

on good old Mr. R and tv + kids in general

watching Mr. Rogers and eating "puppy treats"

There always seems to be something floating around the web about Fred Rogers; particularly last week with all the talk about "looking for the helpers" in the midst of bad news.  And for good reason.

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was far and away my favorite show as a child.  And now as a mom, it is far and away my favorite tv show for my kids to watch.  (Did you know you can watch every single episode for free with Amazon prime!?  We've been working our way through the mid-to-late 80s and early 90s... it's like re-living my childhood.  Amazing.)

Seriously, Mr. Rogers helped shape me.  His television program is so unlike any other, and the differences are critical.  The Neighborhood program engages viewers as "neighbors."  It is slow paced to encourage reflection, it's encouraging of the individual, supportive of arts and music, it teaches preschoolers how to interact politely and show genuine interest in others, encourages curiosity and creativity, encourages pretend play while differentiating between real and pretend, shows small children that there can be trusted adults other than their parents, it features songs that instill simple truths about love and acceptance, it introduces kids to all sorts of different people, teaches about taking good care of our bodies and possessions, teaches us that we can be liked just the way we are.  I could go on and on.  In short, the Neighborhood is a place that helps us live better lives, instead of being merely a distraction from real life.  {I can't think of one other kids' program that stands on its own merit; even "educational" shows use flashy graphics and goofy voices to suck kids in and make them expect that kind of entertainment in real life.}

I think that a little tv around here does us all some good.  Gives the kids a chance to chill for a bit; gives me a chance to take a shower or cook dinner.  Plus, the tv did pretty much teach Bob to read.  BUT-- it's a slippery slope for sure.  You've got to set rules and limits and stick to them -- otherwise it's whine, whine, argue, push, push, push.  When the begging for more tv time occurs, I try to give thoughtful answers instead of just "because I said so," like: "I know your play time is very important to you.  I don't want dinnertime or bedtime to come and you to feel like you didn't play everything you wanted to today!"  We've had seasons where we slipped into relying on way too much television (like when Owen was born, as I recall), but the good news is: it's possible to climb back up and reset normal.  You've really got to screen everything before you let those little eyes see it, too -- to make sure the show's not too scary, or mean, or annoying, or pointless, or whatever else.  If I could do it again, I think I'd keep the pups from everything except the reading show and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.  Lately we're on an almost-strictly Mr. Rogers diet -- plus Fireman Sam.  {It's hard to imagine our lives for the past couple of years without Fireman Sam, since -- for better or for worse -- that's what Bob's entire existence is built around.}

On a somewhat related note, I read this post earlier and it really resonated with me.  (And from reading the comments, lots of other people too!)  I'm still a dumbphone user, and as much as I've been coveting the iPhone since the day it was dreamed up, I really am glad I'm too cheap (or is it poor?) for one, because I see the way people can't look away from them and it's sickening.  Plus I know the pups would be annoying the crap out of me begging to play with it.

Still, my imac demands much of my attention, and I could certainly stand to "unplug" more often.  This blogland here can be addicting, for one!

But... the weather's warming up and summertime helps.  for.  sure.

Whatcha think?  Am I the only one who is nutso for Mr. Rogers, not just in theory but in real life?

also: linking up with little days today

jesus vs. santa {and fun times at ioka}

I didn't mean for my post title to sound like a Christmas battle.  It's going to be more of a rambling I'm sure.

Bob's still a tiny bit young to fully get all of the ideas swirling around at Christmastime.  When he asked me during book time one night whether Santa was really real or not, I wasn't quite prepared.
Me: "Do you think he is?"
Bob: "But is he?"
Me: "Do you want him to be?"
Bob: "No.  I don't like Santa.  I don't want him to be real.  I just don't want him to walk and talk."
Me: "Ok.  He doesn't have to be real if you don't want him to be.  But if you do want him to be real, he can be.  Because that's what makes Santa real: people believing in him.  Santa's spirit is all about loving and giving, and the spirit of Santa is very real.  But do you know where it really comes from?  Jesus.  Jesus is really, totally real.  And He is the best gift of Christmas."

As a kid I never believed in Santa; my parents never tried to let anyone else take credit for all the presents.  And my mom made sure we knew that Christmas was about Jesus.  There was no Santa, yet Christmas was still magical.  We were still all, Where on earth were they keeping all this stuff!?  We loved reading from our advent calendar every day.  But I remember there being a couple of years when I wished I believed in flying reindeer and a shop at the North Pole, when I would just pretend that Santa was real.  The magic of The Night Before Christmas I couldn't resist.  And, I think I want my kids to experience a little of that.  But at the same time, I don't want to take any of the glory away from Jesus.  I think Ben's closer to the 'no santa' camp than I am.

Does it have to be Jesus vs. Santa?  Or can it be Jesus + Santa?

See?  I told you.  A rambling.

Anyway... last year we went to Ioka Valley Farms for a Christmas tree and to have breakfast with Santa Claus, featuring their own maple syrup and sausage and it was delicious so we went back this year.  Bob was checking Santa out from a distance but was still insistent that he doesn't like Santa.  But mom wanted the photo op.  I didn't care if both of the pups cried -- just for a second.  {Bob wasn't a huge fan last year; here are the pics:

) So I just thought it would be funny to have one from this year too.

Me: "It's fine if you don't want to tell Santa what you'd like for Christmas, I'm sure he can just send you some clothes or something."
Bob:  "Ummm... Yes.  I really want to go talk to Santa."

So, yeah.  Bob whimpered.  Owen screamed "Bobby save me!"  As expected.  But only for about five seconds.  Then Ben rescued Owie and I held Bob and we crouched by Santa and they had quite a cute conversation.

Bob: "I would like a real puppy bone."
Santa: "Oh!  And would you like a dog house?"
Bob's eyes get huge.  I didn't even think of that!  "Yes, I would like a dog house!"
Santa: "Anything else?"
Bob: "A dog bowl to put my bone in."
And then Santa gave Bob stickers, which Bob used to make a card for him, so now they're pretty much besties.

The hug was voluntary on Bob's part, but once he got in close with the beard he didn't much care for it.

Cute family day.

grocery shopping's not for girls anymore

Two important components to a happy grocery shopping trip: race car cart & free cookie.

Stop & Shop is literally one of Bobby's favorite places to go.  The other day in the car, not wanting to go home Bob said, "I just like going to... Gram's, Imperial Bowl, Stop & Shop... and... a hotel."  So, it's top four at least.

Once or twice I may have said, "Keep your eyes open for a race car cart."  Now every time we drive into the parking lot Bob says, "I have to keep my eyes open because if I close my eyes I won't see any race cars!"

I'm normally a Price Chopper girl myself, seeing as how working there was my high school career, but the race car carts there don't accommodate an infant car seat, and that's a deal breaker for now.

Owen doesn't have enough of a handle on sitting up unassisted to get through a shopping trip any other way, but he is mature enough for a quick bank/free cookie stop.

Owie's first time riding in the grocery cart like a big kid:

Love those munchkins.  It'll be fun when they can sit together and steer; but of course then it'll also be double trouble with two jumping in and out...

{PS>  Someone should invent a race car cart that's a little easier to maneuver because those things are beasts to steer.  During the course of one shopping trip I normally knock over a display or two and have to apologize to at least seven other customers.  You try to blame your horrific driving on your kid, but most people realize he's not really the one in control of the vehicle.}

For American Idol lovers only

This is the first year I've watched American Idol right from the beginning.  Oh, what a difference that makes in addicting you.  I've got to admit, I'm totally into it.  And I'm totally opinionated about everything even though I have no judging credentials whatsoever.  Except that I can sing in tune and I was in a musical my senior year of high school and I was in band for like 10 years.  So there.  I'm qualified.  And here are my rankings and commentary.

1.  Casey Abrams.  This guy is nothing short of a musical genius.  He is friggin awesome, in a league of his own.  Wouldn't it be great if he actually won?

2.  Pia Toscano.  This girl's got pipes!  She busted out All By Myself like she's the next Celine; I think she actually is.

3.  Jacob Lusk.  Man, can he sing!  Still, I guess I have a little trouble imagining what an album of his would be like...

4.  Scotty McCreery.  I'm not the biggest fan of country music, but Scotty could convert me.  Of all the contestants, he's the one I think could put out a record right now and be successful.  That angelic voice of his is all he needs.  He can sing pretty much any country song and make it sound better than the original.

5.  James Durbin.  He's got some friggin pipes, too.  He's a little bit of an oddball, but he's talented for sure.

6.  Lauren Alaina.  I wasn't a fan of her performance last night -- sounded like she was winded the whole time and took breaths in all the wrong places.  Still, she's a cutie pie and I still kinda think she's going to win it all.

7.  Naima Adedapo.  I like this girl, but don't always find her singing to be the strongest.  I didn't love her song choice, as I am absolutely not a Rihanna fan, but when she broke out the reggae!?  That was hott!  If Naima keeps going that route, she could climb right up my charts.

8.  Haley Reinhart.  You know, I just like this girl's voice.  Randy's always critical, but I always disagree.  I think she has a really beautiful quality; not sure why she's not higher on my list, but I can't go back now.

9.  Paul McDonald.  He's got a pretty unique voice, and I like his music style, but I wasn't the biggest fan of his performance this week.  The chicken arm dance is kinda amusing, but maybe not in the right way. (Btw, seriously, J-Lo, you've never even heard of Ryan Adams?  And I love how Randy follows up that comment with everything he knows about R.A. as if to prove that he knows more about music than Jennifer.  And while we're talking about the judges, let me say that Steven Tyler is hilarious.  I was worried that Idol would suck without Simon, but Steven is great.)

10.  Stefano Langone.  I kinda understand why the judges love him so much, but I kinda don't.  I dunno, I'm pretty much ambivalent about this guy I guess.

11.  Karen Rodriguez.  She's ok.  Sucks up to J-Lo a little too much, but she does seem genuine about it, so, whatever.  Still, she's easily in my bottom three.

12.  Thia Megia.  First off, who in their right mind would name their daughter Thia Megia?  That's like if my parents decided on Theplant LaPlante.  And as much as I dislike her name, I think I might dislike Thia's personality even more.  I really don't get why the judges love her voice so much; to me it's good, but nothing special.

13.  Ashthon Jones.  If she doesn't get voted off this week I am going to lash out.  For realsies.  I cannot stand this chick.  Her voice is just plain awful.  Her personality is annoying.  All she has going for her is her fro.  And that ain't redeeming a thing.

I didn't vote, so I guess I shouldn't complain if one of my faves gets voted out tonight, but I will anyway.

Oh, television.

My Gordon friend Lindsey wrote about television recently.  And now I'm going to.  Not necessarily because she did, but I'm just saying.

First off: superbowl.  Generally nothing makes me more ashamed of our country than watching the superbowl.  I could have told you that Christina was going to screw up the national anthem.  Seriously, I would have rather heard a kindergartener sing it; at least the five year old would have gotten the words right (and probably would have been closer on the melody, too).  Her response: "I got lost in the moment... I hope people could see how much I love this country."  No, you got lost in yourself.  And yes, we could see how much you love you.  Superbowl commercials: I find the fact that people care so much about the commercials even worse than the commercials themselves.  Except GoDaddy.  Sorry, Leann, if you ever happen to read this, but I find the use of sex appeal to sell web domains both unnecessary and disgusting.  The half time show: can people who like football even stand the artists that usually perform at half time?  I kinda like a couple of Black Eyed Peas songs, but Fergie's rendition of Sweet Child of Mine was possibly the most offensive noise I have ever heard.  And this is all besides the crazy obsession with football and sports in general, about which the talking heads go on chatting 24 hours a day.  But at least we don't have to hear so much about Brett Farve anymore.

Television in general: I guess I have to say I like it.  While I'd probably argue that reading a book is a better use of time, reading is also rather isolating.  You can't share a book with your loved one like you share a movie or show.  Plus, vegging out in front of the TV is just so darn relaxing.  The only thing I really can't stand about it is advertising, but with DVR and Netflix on demand via the Wii, you can almost avoid it.

In these winter months with little to do, Ben and I have been watching quite a few shows.  I'll tell you what they are in case you're looking for something good to watch.

Our favorite is Thursday nights on NBC: The Office, Parks and Recreation, and 30 Rock.  All soooooooo funny.  Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey are geniuses.  Thursday is easily our favorite day in the winter.

We've also been watching some American Idol (can't lie, whatever, it's entertaining) and Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel.

We just finished watching all eight seasons of 24 on Netflix.  Don't even try to add up the total number of hours because I don't want to know what it is.  I have purposefully NOT let my brain do the simple multiplication required.  That show is darn addicting.  I'm glad it's over.  But I'm also glad I experienced the 24 phenomenon, albeit 10 years too late for anyone to care.

Our new Netflix series is Modern Family.  Wasn't sure I'd like it, but so far I'm giving it an A.  Hilarious.  ("Hilarious" the slang term; it's not literally driving me insane.)

We DVR all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting, and if we're ever feeling super lazy and want to watch TV in front of Bob or during dinner or something, that's what we put on.  Bob loves watching all the kids, there's a zero percent chance of anything inappropriate appearing, and it's less annoying than his "read show."

More about the "read show" in the future...

Trying to figure out how to turn on his "read show" for himself.

So... what do you watch?  What awesome shows am I missing?