Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Magic of Christmas

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Lit and Laundry
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas. It's a Wonderful Life!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

How NOT to drive.

I have tried to be so good with the kids lately.  Teaching them everything about traffic safety and how to drive carefully.  Trying to be a good role model as a driver.  I want them to be good drivers.  But yesterday I gave my son a thorough lesson in how not to drive.

I had two tickets to San Francisco ballet's Nutcracker.  I've had these tickets for months and I had the date in my calendar.  For some reason I didn't bother to write down the time, so imagine my surprise when I pulled the tickets out yesterday morning and saw that they were matinee tickets.  Curtain time 2:00.

This shouldn't be a problem.  The kids were done with finals at 12:20 that day.  If they got right to the car and we whizzed home, they could grab what they needed and I could drop the girls and be on the road by 12:30 with Jungle Boy.  Plenty of time to make it to San Francisco Opera House.  I texted each of the kids and pleaded with them to go straight to the car after school.  I got out a change of clothes for Jungle Boy.  I changed and made it to the pickup spot in plenty of time.

Drama Girl rushed over.  Then she was on the phone with her friend.  "Mom, I'm going to hang out with L.  She'll drop me by the house later so I can pick up my ballet stuff.  Have fun at Nutcracker!"
Great.  No problem.  One kid taken care of for the day.

Jungle Boy arrived and then, after waiting for what seemed like forever, Wasabi Girl showed up.  She hadn't read the text and had spent the usual amount of time socializing.  I checked my watch.  12:40.  It's a 40 minute drive to the Opera House.  We could still make it.

Then I couldn't get out of the parking lot.  I just needed to back out and get in the line.  Nobody would let me in.  Car after car after car.  I finally gunned my engine backed out and forced the car behind me to stop.  "um, don't ever do that kids."  Too late for regrets, I needed to go.  People are so rude.

Whizzed up the hill to the house.  "Don't drive like this!"  Into the house.  I asked Wasabi Girl if I could drop her at the deli by the gym.  She said yes so I made sandwiches for myself and Jungle Boy to eat in the car.  She came out of her room "oh a sandwich for me?"  Of course I handed it to her.  Jungle Boy had done a quick change and was gnawing on his.  Into the car we went.

Down the hill in the Titanic car.  This car is a big old minivan that requires half a football field to make a u-turn.  I've been lobbying my husband for new wheels and as part of my campaign I've covered the steering wheel and drivers seat with pink shag covers.  He does get embarrassed when he drives it but we still haven't worked out a time frame for getting a new one.  These facts will be important later in the story.

Pulled over next to the gym to drop Wasabi Girl.  Jungle Boy got a call on his phone.  It was Drama Girl.  "Put me on speaker phone!  Mom?  Mom I don't have my key and I'm locked out of the house.  I need my ballet stuff."  "What?  okay honey, I'll be right there to let you in."  Kids come first.  I panicked as I looked at the clock: 12:54.  We could still do this but it might be close.  I was still talking to Drama Girl when I noticed I was dodging a bunch of construction trucks right and left.  Construction workers were making faces at me.  Jungle Boy filled me in - "mom, you're driving through a construction zone!  I think this street is closed!"  Whoops.

Glided through the pylons and back up the hill.  Let Drama Girl in.  Back down the hill.  It was now 1:14.  "How long does your phone say it will take us to get to the Opera House?"  "39 minutes."  Okay, I'm thinking, we're probably going to be late but there is a remote chance.  Time to hit the highway.

Made it to the Opera House at 1:54.  I know there's a parking garage on the block behind it, next to the ballet school.  I dodge traffic and construction and there was the sign...LOT FULL. 

It was one of those moments.  I did one of those slow motion movie screams "NOOOOOOOOO!"  I seriously considered bagging the whole idea of getting to the ballet.   It was as if it was not meant to be.  But I have tickets and determination.  I know there's an underground lot a few blocks behind us at City Hall.  Of course I'm now in the land of one-way streets all going the wrong way from where I want to go.  Finally at the underground lot I pull up to the window.  The bored attendant points to the ticket dispenser that I have somehow driven right past.  Back up, take ticket.  Don't panic.  Try to find a spot now.

There are dark parking garages and then there is this subterranean pit that my headlights could barely penetrate.  I can't imagine how depressing it must be to be the attendant working down there.  We cruise around.  Obviously there aren't going to be any free spaces on the first level.  I look all over before I found the ramp down.  It's one of those tight corkscrew ramps.  Titanic car and I hate those.  Down we went and began searching the next level.

One space.  Next to a cement post, with the car next to it crowding the free space.  "I can't park here Jungle Boy, I'll never get Titanic car in there."  But then the other half of my brain kicked in and told me to do it anyway.  I have tickets to see the Nutcracker and I want to see the Nutcracker!   About eight swipes later I'm in, with that post about 2 inches from the side of my car.  I will never get this thing out again.

Up the elevator and into the blinding light.  Walk one long city block and the Opera House is in sight.  It's 1:59. 

Between us and the opera house is a sea of hundreds of kids with matching shirts proclaiming they are from some middle school.  Seriously?  Tall Jungle Boy took the lead and cut a path as we weaved through them.

2:01 in the door.  The calm usher scanned our tickets.  "Has it started?" "Yes, but we're still seating people."  I nearly cried with relief.  We had excellent orchestra level seats.  I felt terrible about scooting in front of half a row of people but just so relieved to be there.

The production was fabulous.  The snow scene started well, with beautiful falling snow.  Then I think something went wrong with the snow machine because it became a total blizzard on stage.  You could barely see the first row of dancers, and nothing of the rows behind. Jungle Boy and I both burst out laughing. Of course nobody else was.

After the show, it took me another eight swipes to get the car out of that space without hitting anything.  It was a nightmare.

At this point I was absolutely starving, since I'd given my sandwich to Wasabi Girl earlier.  Back when I was thinking it was going to be an evening performance, my husband had suggested that Jungle Boy and I have a nice dinner. Seemed like a good plan now.

We pulled into a nice restaurant that was valet-parking only.   The valet came up to us "Do you have reservations?  The restaurant is full tonight."  It was 5:00 on a Wednesday.  Give me a break.  Jungle Boy took charge.  "Wait here mom, I'll check inside."  A minute later he was back out, waving me in.  The valet gave me my claim ticket and we had a marvelous dinner.

It was only later that I realized the valet probably just didn't want to drive Titanic Car.  I'm still laughing.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Cookie Party

I spent most of last week preparing for our cookie party.  Gathering supplies at about 8 different stores.  While I'm at it, I want to be sure everyone knows about this great invention:


Pop-up garbage and recycling bins.  Where have these been all my life?  So perfect for a party where we have drink containers to recycle and lots of paper plates and napkins to toss.  Wish I'd found these years ago.

Anyway, back to the party.  After making four batches of gingerbread cookies and setting up a big brunch, the teenagers got to work.

Boys and girls put their best efforts forward to decorate the cookies.   We voted and had prizes for the best.  Here are some of the contenders:



This one was decorated to look like one of the tiny cookies on my kitchen Christmas tree.

A tribute to Anna and Elsa from the movie "Frozen."

One of the collections of cookies the kids exchanged.

My counter while I was trying to distribute all the cookies the kids brought.
One more shot of beautiful Elsa.  I think the kids did an amazing job.  Everyone had a lot of fun but I admit I was exhausted when it was all over and I'm ready for the next Christmas fun.

My kids have finals this week so shorter school days all week.  I need to get all of my top secret tasks done somehow when they aren't around.

If only somebody would come over and get this laundry done so I could do the rest of the fun stuff.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Email Problem

I wasn't born with the technology my children use every day.  But living in Silicon Valley, I learned to use email back at the dawn of time.  I picked an email address for myself and kept it.  Still the one I use today.

I check my email 3-4 times a day.  Sometimes from my phone, sometimes from my Kindle.  I have a work email that I check at least once a day (my job isn't very urgent).

I guess not everyone is like me.

Over the years, I've used a great site called Evite.com to send invitations to our annual cookie party.  When the kids were little, I sent invitations to their parents, who sent replies.  I knew exactly who was coming, who had seen the invitation and hadn't replied, and those who couldn't come could send a note to me.  It's one of my favorite tools when planning a party.

This year I used Evite again.  But the kids are teenagers.  I had a lot of their email addresses, my kids got the rest, and I sent quite a few copies of the invitation to their parents - just to be sure they got them.

Over a third of these families never opened the email over the course of over two weeks.  I'm just amazed.  My three tell me that email is old-fashioned and kids don't use it any more.  Are you kidding me?  I must be an old idiot because I don't see how you can survive without email.

What makes me sad is how many adults on my list didn't open the invitation either.  People keep changing their email.  Why?  How am I supposed to find their new email address?  I've lost them.

So yes, next year the invitations go out in the mail.  On paper.  Guess what?  Evite is offering real paper invitations as an option now.  Live and learn I guess.

Now go check your email.  And tell all your friends when you change your address.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Tis the Season to Stress

I bring it all on myself.  I'll be the first to admit it.  Christmas is the "Big Show" for this mom.  I keenly feel how close we are to the end of all semblance of childhood.  Soon the kids will be merely coming home to visit for Christmas, and not experiencing the full season together.  So I'm trying to make it wonderful. 

Party! This year, when the kids wanted to invite lots of friends to our cookie party, I said "Sure!  Why not!" thinking that half the invitees usually aren't able to come.

Guess what?  Everyone can come.  Our tiny house will be absolutely packed.  We're going to have to figure out how to do cookie decorating in waves.  I'm going to have to triple my brunch entrees.  Still need to bake hundreds of gingerbread men.  I'm simplifying everything.  Choice of drinks?  Milk or water.  It's a cookie party.  I only have so much bandwidth.

Huge charity project.  I am fiercely determined to meet my goals on this one, if I have to stay up all night getting details done.

Gifts!  I swear every year that I wont wrap gifts on Christmas eve.  Last year I achieved this goal.  This year it's getting put off...maybe next week.  I did most of my shopping online this year.  Thank heavens for awesome sites like Etsy.

Handmade gifts!  Very few this year.  Hope to have more time next week.

Christmas dinner!  My favorite meal all year.  Also the most work.  Goose is ordered.  Menu planned. 

This is what I want to do; curl up with some quilts and a cat and just take a nap. 

On the bright side, cards are done, gifts are in done, we've been to wonderful concerts and a Christmas musical.  Lots of family time in the evenings watching Christmas movies.  It's all good. 

Just don't look for me in January.  I'll be sleeping on that couch.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Christmas mp3 Bargains

I have a huge collection of Christmas music.  I've been a fan of Amazon's deals for years.  Maybe I can save you some hunting with a few recommendations.  It's easy to download songs from Amazon into iTunes, if that's where you keep your music.  Amazon also offers a free digital copy if you buy your music on CDs.  Here are a few to consider:


100 Classic Christmas Songs features pop songs from several decades.  Many of the retro classics were new to me but I love them now.  You'll also find all the basic must-haves from artists like Eartha Kitt, Elvis, and Bing Crosby.  Well worth the current $5.99 price.


Feeling a little more serious?  For 99 cents you can pick up this Big Christmas Box from the Bach Guild which has 13 hours of beautiful classical music.  Includes Messiah and The Nutcracker.  An incredible deal for less than what a single song usually costs.  Click on the picture to find it at Amazon.

 

This bargain classical album features the Vienna Boys Choir and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as well as a lot of instrumental music.  Much of it is not strictly Christmas related, but for $1.99 you will probably find a lot of seasonal music that you'll enjoy.

  

$5.00 gets you this collection of 16 Christmas Classics from Barbra Streisand. Or buy the CD for $7.00 and get the "autorip" mp3 version for free.

This year Amazon is again offering  25 Days of Free Music.  Check back for free tracks.  Some of these are great. 

What's your favorite Christmas album?  I love to add to my collection

Sunday, December 8, 2013

He Said It

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Lit and Laundry


Just as predicted yesterday, we braved the mud and massive puddles to pick out our tree. It doesn't take as long as it used to.  Now the three teenagers glance around, mumble "this one's fine" and ask if they can wait in the warm car.

Then the inevitable complaining from Jungle Boy about carrying it up the stairs into the front door.  The yearly ritual of husband asking "is it straight?  how about now?"  over and over while we pretend he has to keep moving it around in the base.

Then the family scatters while Wasabi Girl and I fuss with the lights and ornaments. 

Then the biggest challenge of all.  The Christmas train.

Who invented this tradition?  We both love and hate our Christmas train.  We're on at least our third model now.  This one was a gift to Wasabi Girl a few years ago.  She had been in tears when the previous incarnation broke beyond repair.  Since this is her train, it falls on her to set it up.  And by setting up, I mean reconnecting the tracks a hundred times when one part or another comes apart, finding the right batteries for the engine and remote, and getting the cars to stay on the tracks.

Once she was done, she played with that train for the rest of the evening.  Forward, reverse, forward again.  She has more fun with it than any of the rest of us.  I'm scared to touch it for fear I'll just mess it up.


With the living room complete, she sat down to practice  In this shot you can see Scrooge sitting on a pile of Dickens and other Christmas books, and I just noticed the sky out the windows is sort of an awesome color.  My two amaryllis are in full bloom.

I love Christmas.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Easily pleased

I spend way too much time on ebay.  I very seldom buy things, but I love looking through vintage needlepoint kits.  Some have gone way up in price.  Needlepoint isn't available in the mass-market the way it used to be in the 80s.  Sometimes I find deals on beautiful kits.  The best ones have wool included instead of acrylic yarn.

This little beauty from 1983 was only $3.00.  For the hours of entertainment I'll get stitching it, it seemed like a good deal.  Then I opened it...

Score!  They meant for the ornament to be two sided.  But why make a Santa with two faces? I'm going to make two separate ornaments and back them.  One for me, one for a gift.  It's the little things like this that make me so happy.

Meanwhile, my attempts to cat-proof the village continue to be ignored.  Now both cats are setting up shop there.  Hopefully when we get the tree they'll settle onto the tree skirt and leave the poor village alone.

We had planned to get the tree today, so of course we had a storm last night.  Plenty of mud for us!  Hopefully the rain will ease up and we'll bring a beauty home.  Every single year, in the evening once the tree is up, my husband sits in the darkened room with only the tree lights on and says the exact same thing;  "This is the best tree we've ever had." 

Friday, December 6, 2013

Surviving School Concerts



My husband and I have been to many school concerts over the years.  We love our kids, and love their dedication to  music, but for the most part, these outings are usually over-long, overcrowded, and somewhat off-key.

Last night was the exception.  Jungle Boy has moved this year from the band to the symphony orchestra.  Of the three trumpet players, he is first chair - the lead trumpet.  At the beginning of the concert he blared out the opening notes from the Grand March in Tannhauser.  It just took my breath away.  My favorite opera.  His tone was golden.  It was absolutely beautiful.

He had solos throughout the program and the finale was the medly from "The Empire Strikes Back."  I braced myself for the campiness.  I was wrong.  I guess I've never heard this music live because it was fabulous.  Tons of trumpet.

All these years of lessons.  All the band practice.  Sometimes it takes a special moment to remind me why we pay for all these things.  I am so so proud of what he's achieved. Fingers crossed he still makes room for his music in the future.


The picture is the ornament I made for him last year. It's from a fabulous old book that's still available on Amazon:

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Vintage Thingy Thursday: Christmas Classics

Vintage Thingy Thursday is hosted by Colorado Lady. I haven't posted in a while, but now that I've dug out my Christmas treasures I have some more items for show and tell.  I moved the cat and used my village as a backdrop.

First up is a small planter.  Lefton made these in a whole range of sizes.  This one is about 5 1/2 inches and is perfect for holding candy canes.  I love his green mittens and the fact that his fur looks like ermine.  I wonder if people really used these for plants?

Here is Santa Salt winking at Santa Pepper.  These are a little loved and the paint has worn down, but they're still wonderful.  I think these are Howard Holt.


I think this shy girl might also be Lefton, but she has no marks.  I love her Christmas coat.

Stop by Colorado Lady for some wonderful vintage goodness.  I'm going to bake cookies and finish my Christmas cards today.  Then off to hear my kids in a concert tonight.  Busy season!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Surrounded by Christmas

I set my Christmas village up very carefully so that there would be no room for a cat to sleep.  Think I'm joking?  Let's look at the spot Dumbledore chose:

He didn't move that figure.  He sat right on top of that guy.  I really can't believe that was comfortable. 

Drama Girl took pity on him.  I came back later to find the village rearranged like this:

*sigh*  Does everything have to be a cat bed?

And while we're at it, here's one more shot of my Santa's Village up on the wall now.

The OCD part of me needs to go rearrange the village back the way it was.  The cat can find someplace else to sleep.

Hope you're getting in the Christmas spirit!  We sure are around here.

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