HAPPY DECEMBER 6!

Conveniently on this advent day, we were invited to a "Middle School Science Christmas/Dessert Party" last evening.  And because my science colleague is married to the KG principal, Emily was also invited to join in the fun!  YAHOO!  I immediately thought to make "cake balls" - a staple dessert in other gatherings attended/hosted by Emily and myself - and decided to pursue it for real even though Emily was unable to come over and be the co-baker. 

I learned a serious lesson here.

Cake balls are WAY more difficult when your 30 year old cake-ball-companion is exchanged for a 10-month-old-that's-not-so-much-an-assistant.  I think the entire process took me four hours to complete and I wasn't overly holly-jolly throughout.  I'm certain that Phil heard some choice words coming from the kitchen and I burned about four fingers from start to finish.  Making matters worse was the deadline I had to get them done and every time I looked at the clock, my anxiety levels skyrocketed.

Whatever.

They got done.  They aren't the most aesthetically pleasing cake balls around, but they were equally as tasty which was the most important thing....right?   

On the way to the party, I remember feeling exhausted and very ready for it to be bedtime (ha!!!!).  We stopped by the local grocery store to pick up a friend who was purchasing his dessert for the party.  His enthusiastic "HEY GUYS!" as he hopped into the backseat of the car made me realize just how brilliant he really is.  When it comes to holiday parties attended by parents, I'm fairly convinced that store bought goods are the way to go.  Criteria fulfilled and energy saved!  Win/win/win!!!! 

The party was super!  Arriving home to ZERO DISHES and a sleeping baby was also SUPER!  Have we mentioned how much we love Kumari lately?

HAPPY DECEMBER 5!

Nothing heals an aching mama's heart like holiday music!!!!!! 

No other picture for this day.  Let's be honest here - singing is like eating and nobody likes awkward pictures of either event.  I suppose I could have taken a video instead, but as the lead vocalist of the house, I had my doubts that you would see the Idol that exists inside of me (Wii Champion, 2008).  Nonetheless, we enjoyed singing along to Christmas albums by Micheal Buble (or "Boobles" as Phillip calls him) as well as the cast of Glee.  Nory got her groove on and threw in a few "ga-ba-da's" too.  I'm currently trying to teach her that CHRISTMAS MUSIC has a little extra pizaz that regular music just doesn't have.  I get the feeling she understands completely ;)

Which holiday albums does your family listen to?  I'm looking to expand our collection!!!

Friends tell friends about similar child-injury incidents.

And I thank these people SO, SO much!!!!!!!!!

The good news, too, is that all of the children injured in these aforementioned stories are alive and well today.  Phewfff. 

Nory woke up with a small bruise on her forehead and a big smile on her face.  It seems that all has been forgotten.  I think she still loves her mama and we played an epic game of tag around the house this morning.  (I confess it was not the most carefree game of tag you have ever seen.  A little bit - or a lot - of paranoia was in the air.....)

Two weeks today until we fly to Copenhagen!  I wonder what it's like to child-proof a hotel room.  Ha!  Because I was quick to disagree with homeschooling Nory, I'm pretty sure Phil will NOT be on my side when I merely suggest wrapping our daughter in bubble wrap and placing a perma-helmet on her head..........

Stories from Mamahood.  Congrats to all of you who make it look so easy! xo

HAPPY DECEMBER........(DELAYED).

Tonight while Phil was at his soccer match, Nory fell and hit her head on the side of the spare bed.  It was HORRIBLE - all CAPS.  She hardly ever cries and the cry that resulted from this collision was more-than-heartbreaking.  Ugh.  I feel sick just thinking about it.  I feel SO BAD that the whole thing happened and I feel even worse that I was sitting right beside her when it did.  SERIOUS MOM GUILT has set in (and has been lingering ALL EVENING).  It isn't pretty. 

Who's the Mommy here?

Looks like she's going to have a bruise on the forehead, but the good news is she was all smiles about ten minutes following the incident.  In fact, she was crawling around and pulling herself up on anything she could - including the bed that she smashed into in the first place!  The cold cloth/ice pack didn't so much end up on her bump but rather in her mouth and swirling around in the air.  She also offered it to me a few times.  One of us DIDN'T stop crying after ten minutes.......(I'm guilty!!!!).

Running through my mind now are the following thoughts:

1)  What if she got a concussion?
2)  How massive is that bruise going to be in the morning?
3)  There's no way I can sleep tonight without worrying about her.
4)  I'm the worst mom ever.
5)  So much for today's advent.

You will have to stay tuned for December 5th's family activity.  Lucky you - TWO in ONE DAY tomorrow!

XOXO 

He's gonna have to deal with the boys.

Ice painting in Christmas colours earlier this week.....

A conversation from this evening.....

Phil:  I think we should home-school Nory.

Lindsay:  What?!

Phil:  Yes, home-school her....even for college....then I don't have to worry about boys.

Lindsay:  Phil.  We're NOT home-schooling her.  In my experience, home-schooled kids are weird.

Phil:  They are weird.  But at least she would be OUR weird kid!!!!

HAPPY DECEMBER 4!

The joy of making your OWN advent calendar is having the right to make adjustments as needed.  We swapped jammies for hoodies and enjoyed a family walk also!  (And before you go thinking about how romantic this all was, remember that we had to dodge stray cats, smelly dumpsters, random syringes and wild drivers en route to the Starbucks.  It is, though, the THOUGHT that counts!)

Family snap in the elevator!

Safe at home in the playroom :)

HAPPY DECEMBER 3!

We took the "actions speak louder than words" approach......

I am a constant "WHY DON'T THEY PUT THEIR NAME ON IT?!" complainer.

For real.  It drives me insane when students leave their work NAME-LESS.  Especially because I have 85 students.  Especially because there is a particular spot on every handout for their name.  Especially because I GIVE THEM TIME to write their name.  And ESPECIALLY because I RE-REMIND them to write their name prior to the submission of ANYTHING.

You can imagine, then, how much my day was MADE when I found this sitting on my desk:

Besides making me laugh, I wonder if posting this sign by my classroom inboxes will do any good.  I have been thinking about other Beyonce-inspired "DO NOT FORGET YOUR NAME!" signs that I could create, too.  The following lines come to mind:

"IF I WERE A BOY.....I would put my name on it." 

"I'm CRAZY IN LOVE with people who put their name on their paper."

"I like the NAME ON TOP, yeahhhh kids!"

Haha.  Can you tell that I'm overtired?! 

GOODNIGHT PEOPLE! xo

HAPPY DECEMBER TWO!

HAPPY DECEMBER ONE!

Today was the GLORIOUS December ONE - the very first day of our family advent calendar!  Recall that this year we made the switch from mini treats to family activities and the whole thing is a big surprise for Phil and Nory.  As of today, the morning routine now goes:  find Crimson the Elf and then head to the advent calendar!

The first activity read:

Writing the cards up was a BIG, BIG job this weekend.  I think I wrote 42 cards total and it definitely wasn't a one-time thing.  I had to write them here and there with Phil away and I was pushing myself to do so in order to keep up with my December 1st tradition!  Nory did her best to help me out with this task, but after tonight's GIGGLE FEST, it's obvious that she finds the delivery of the cards much more amusing.  Check it out:

Yep, she's into that SLAPSTICK sort of humour that involves things falling to the ground.  Thanks to Phillip for capturing it on video and THANKS TO THE INTERWEB (and my hardcore Googling persistence) for FINALLY figuring out how to upload my videos to the blog once again.  (It's an app called YouTube capture.  It's FANTASTIC!  Message me if you want details!).

Speaking of FANTASTIC things.  Cookies for breakfast is a really good idea.  Especially when it's a special day like today.  Especially when the cookies come in gingerbread family form.

HAPPY DECEMBER EVERYONE!!!! xo