Oh Christmas Tree!

I am generally a pretty easy going person. I was raised Catholic. I went to Baptist Church as a teen. I was baptized Pentacostal and went to an Assembly of God church when Gary was a kid and became quite the holy roller Christian. My son is a fundamentalist Christian. I am married to a Jewish man and am raising a Jewish daughter and have studied Judaism with fascination and appreciation. I recently took a college course on religion that was expansive and informative as well. I consider myself eclectic and intelligent and very open to religious experience and love that my daughter is fortunate enough to understand diversity of faith at such a young age. I think this teaches her kindness and compassion and tolerance all important qualities for everyone on this planet.

That said, I got an e-mail at work the other day, from a co-worker. It started so innocently with a lovely picture of a flickering Christmas tree. And then it read, quoting the best I can, "This is a Christmas Tree, Not a Hanukkah Bush, Not an Allah Plant, Not a Holiday Hedge. It's a Christmas Tree. That's right CHRISTmas, CHRISTmas, CHRISTmas. If you don't like it tough. Get over it. CHRIST is the reason for the season."

Hmmmm. How odd. I was truly pissed off by this little cyber sent ignorant, biased, insane, insensitive bit of bigotry. I called another women that I work with who had received said e-mail and asked, "Did he maybe miss the fact that my last name is of Jewish decent?" Not that it mattered, but I wondered. I generally have a great sense of humor and can laugh off stupid things chalking them up to ignorance or the source, but this irked me. Not because, it was rude, or bigoted or ignorant, but because it was not Christian like at all and it was sheerly and stupidly inaccurate.

The Christmas tree has NOTHING to do with Christmas. Not a damned thing. The Christmas tree has not one thing to do with the birth of Christ. Which is the reason for the season. Christ was born in Bethlehem. The trees indiginous to this area are olive trees and palm tree, not firs and pines that are adorned by Christians of late. The Christmas tree was a pagan tradition that evolved like many pagan traditions into Christian ones. It doesn't have a darn thing to do with the birth of Christ though. Neither does the gift giving, although as part of a birthday celebration gift giving is appropriate, shouldn't we be giving gifts to Christ since it's His birthday. Or shouldn't we give them to those in need in his place which would be far more significant and Christlike than sending spiteful, false e-mails to people. At least, Santa who gets a the bad rap of commercialism attached to him, embodies the spirit of Christmas. This spirit is that of giving to others (Christ-like), kindness to children (Christ-like) and love of mankind (Christ-like).

Christians are in an uproar because the ACLU wants people to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas in order to A) not offend anyone who does not observe Christmas and B) to include people from all walks of life and all parts of the world who celebrate different holidays during this time of the year. Christians are upset by this because they construe this action as the ACLU trying to impart atheistic views on the world, crushing Christian beliefs with one blow. The reality is that although I do not agree with actions of the ACLU in some situations, this action is kind, benevolent and actually pretty darn Christian. Heavens trying to kind to others, inclusive, observant, and understanding is difficult for certain Christians to take is pretty strange to me. But then again, the biggest problem many Christians have is adhering to one simple biblical rule. "Judge not lest ye be judged."

I think it is time that Christians started reading the e-mails before forwarding them and thinking about the ramifications of their contents. If you want to spread the word of God and your faith in God do so with love and kindness in your own words. And try to remember that in being Christian, your goal is to act in ways that are Christ-like. Christ would never have gone up to a person and told them a lie and then asked them to deal with it and all the while offending them too. It just boggled my mind and sadly, reminded me that bigotry is alive and well in the hearts of many, many people pretending to be good Christians.

Chrismukkah!!

Tis the season for nervous breakdowns, fa la la la la la la la la la.

At our house we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Gary puts up the tree and puts all of our ornaments on there. We have accumulated ornaments over the 20 years he and I have been celebrating Christmases all by ourselves. The first few years we were poor. Really poor. I went out after Christmas the first year and got a fake tree for 29.00 at K-Mart. I've had it ever since.

This year when Gary went to put it up, it started dropping needles like a dead live tree would. Which was pretty comical in itself. Then when he went to fluff the branches one of them fell off completely the wire broke. So, Joel and I are now trying to decide do we invest in a new tree.

The complexity of the situation is that traditionally there are no Christmas trees in Hanukkah. However, some people we know do have "Hanukkah" bushes which are more evergreen trees decorated with blue and white lights and dreidles, angels, snowmen, and stars of David. Gary is getting married in a year and a half so he won't be here to do the tree every year. Therefore, should we get a tree or not. Hannah has always had a tree and loves to decorate it. Still we really are trying to teach her the values and traditions of Judaism. Hanukkah is quite cool. We light candles for eight nights and she has an adorable Pooh menorah that she loves. We play dreidle and I make latkes a couple nights and a special dinner a couple nights and sufinagyot at least one night over the weekend (they are jelly doughnuts). We exchange presents every night and she really makes out between us and family she's usually opening 4-5 present every night. All things being equal, this is probably better than I made out for Christmas gifts and believe me I did really well at Christmas. Santa was really generous to my brother and I.

Still, the tree is a quandry. So I was thinking, if we keep a tree rather than calling it a Hanukkah bush or a Christmas tree, we could call it a memory tree. A memory tree came to mind as I was on my way home last night. Every year I buy a new ornament for Gary, Joel, and Hannah that is symbolic of something they like. Gary has gotten Snoopy ornaments for many years cause he loved Snoopy. Michael got hockey and Flyers ornaments when he lived with us. We have Sesame Street ornaments that Gary had as a baby and that Hannah now loves. We have Nutcracker ornaments that I bought after Christmas one year with Michael's real mom before she died. I have an ornament she gave me and several Karin did when she was alive. I have the cowboy boot Joel gave me the first year we started dating and the one we bought on our honeymoon and when we took Gary to Disney before he graduated highschool. The tree is full of memories. Additionally, my stepmom, Mikey sent me a bunch of ornaments that she and my Dad picked out before he died. I was thinking that this year I would buy a few ornaments in memory of the family and friends that I have lost to add to our tree, too. Hence, a memory tree.

I was thinking that for Aunt Laura who was a bell telephone operator and loved her martini's that I would either find an old fashioned telephone ornament or a martini ornament for her. My dad loved golfing, fishing, and cars and was an accountant by trade, however his love was the 1965 Baracuda we had back in the late 60's. That is the ornament I'd love to find for him. Would be great if I could find a green or brown one since the car was green originally but green was bad luck in racing and rallying so he painted it metallic brown. Karin loved Lighthouses and all things red, white and blue cause she was born on July 5th, 1950. I would love to find a red white and blue lighthouse for her. My uncle Tom, loved me most of all, I think, but he loved beagle dolls and hunting deer, so that would be what I'd like for his ornament. I thought I could do this with all the loved ones we've lost over the years and put their names and dates of birth and death on them too. So, each year when we are going through all those memories and those we love most are gathered near, we can still have those we miss most as part of the festivities. There is just something about all these wonderful memories and people that makes the holidays so very special for me. I'd like for Hannah to share that much of the tradition.

Since it's all about traditions too, I'd like to be able to incorporate the memories and fun that we associate with the tree decorations and going through each year and laughing at what each signifies or what year we bought it or who gave it to us. This is the part of Christmas that I hold most dear. So, when we merge into Chrismukkah for yet another year, I try to stress the beautiful aspects of Hanukkah and the special things that make it unlike Christmas, while still allowing the traditions of Christmas to glow throughout our house as well.

It's interesting to watch. Hannah wrote a letter to Santa today. She dictated I wrote. It went something like this.

Dear Santa:

I have been a good girl. I got your message about having accidents and I will try really, really hard to not do that anymore. I promise. How is Rudolph? He as a red nose that is shiny. I know you can see me because the gingerbread man you sent me told me. I wanted to tell you what I want for Hanukkah or Christmas. We do both. I want......

It was great to hear her asking Santa for presents for Hanukkah. What a hoot. I'll bet the mall Santa will be floored when he hears this one. Still, the traditions and religions all seem to be melding nicely at our house. Mostly Jewish, but culturally diverse.

Whatever you are celebrating, I hope it is happy!!!

My Little Mathilda

I was reading Aly's post about baby names and she mentioned the name Mathilda. This was the name that I had originally wanted to name Hannah. It was my grandmother's middle name, Florence Mathilda. I envisioned calling her Mattie or Tillie. I love the name Mathilda. Sadly, I was the only one. I was out voted and Hannah was my second choice.

As luck would have it. Hannah has grown to have some resemblence to a young actress named, Mara Wilson . Mara has starred in the movie "Mathilda" about a child with special powers who outwits her mom and dad played by Danny DeVito and Rae Pearlman and the evil head mistress of her school. Hannah has come to love this movie and the little girl star who looks like her. Mara Wilson also starred in the new Miracle on 34 th Street, Thomas the Train, A Simple Wish and the Balloon Farm. All movies that we own. Watching Mara grow up on the screen is liking looking into the future of what Hannah will look like. It's rather weird.

What is weirder is that I'm not the only one who has noticed the resemblance. We were getting Hannah's hair cut a few months ago and the hairdresser commented that she looked so familiar. After moments of trying to place where she new our daughter from, she says, "Oh my God, she's Mathilda!" We assure her that she is not Mathilda and that the real Mathilda is now in her teens. Still the hairdresser cannot get over the resemblance.

Then the other night we were out to dinner with my in-laws and the waitress kept saying she looked like the little girl from the kid movies. I smiled and said "Mathilda?"

"No." the one with the train.

"Yep." I say. "We've noticed."

So what do you think? Is Mara Wilson, Hannah's doppleganger?

GIVING THANKS!

Well, the holiday season is upon us. My in-laws have arrived and soon Joel's family will be here to feast on Turkey and fixings and visit us for a few days. It is a wonderful time. Since I have been doing Weight Watchers (for next to forever), I have been trying to focus more time and energy on the meanings behind the holidays than the foods associated with them. Since Thanksgiving has always seemed to be entirely about the food and has such strong food connections, it is hard to change the focus. After all the Indians and Pilgrams ate together, isn't that the gist of the story. Of course, we all know the true reason for the holiday is to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest. Sadly, my farming days have pretty much never happened beyond a couple failed vegetable gardens. I leave the harvest collection to Acme. Still my thoughts have been directed toward being thankful.

Quite honestly I have a lot to be thankful for and I think it is time that more time was spent on thankfulness and gratefulness, so I'm listing a few of the things I am thankful for...

1. For my family, who although scattered across the nation is kept close by e-mail and computer allowing me closer relationships with family that might have otherwise been lost to long distance.

2. For my children who are the light of my life and who bring me constant joy. Gary the quiet artistic one, always full of kindness. He is gentle, intelligent and has been the easiest child to raise into adulthood. I'm grateful that he never did drugs, got arrested, got anyone pregnant, got involved with unsavory kids, or got bad grades. He was a good kid and is a great adult. I am very proud of him. Hannah is my wild child. Full of life, giggles, and sparkling wit. She is a firecracker filled with emotion, reeling with laughter in one moment, screeching with anger the next and screaming with disappointment a few moments later. She is smart, feircly manipulative and the sweetest little darling all rolled into one. She is my baby girl and I love her dearly.

3. For my wonderful, supportive and loving husband. He is the kindest, sweetest man on earth. He takes care of me, loves me, and is so very patient with me. I am truly blessed to have found him and to have him fall in love with me.

4. For living in a time and place where I am free as a women to complain, rant and express opinions that are unpopular without fear of oppression, penalty or worse. That I am capable of supporting myself and have been afforded the opportunities in education, and employment that I have enjoyed.

5. That my father lived long enough to see me happily married and that he knew I was loved and cared for before his death.

6. That I have a circle of exceptionally caring and compassionate friends who although dispersed throughout the country are connected to me electronically and whom I can count on in good times and bad.

7. That I have always had enough.

8. That love is still the single greatest possession one can receive or give away and it is free of monetary cost but priceless to all who have it.

9. That the world is filled with kind and compassionate people who continue their good works in an effort to combat the cruelty and ignorance in the world.

10. That I have talents, passions, and skills and the time to enjoy, cultivate and participate in them.

11. That I can see a sunset, a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful blue butterfly fluttering through a field of lilac, and the fire of a oak tree in the midst of a grove of fir trees in October.

12. That I can smell the sweet clean fragrance of a tiny baby's head, the heady musty earthy odor of rotting leaves in the forest, and the gingery, spicey scent of baking ginger cookies.

13. That I can feel the softness of my cat's fur, the roughness of my husband's five o' clock shadow and the cushion of my soft pillow at night.

14. That I know the warmth of a home and it's safety and comforts. A blessing so many do not share.

15. That I have never known hunger, thirst, or severe poverty.

16. That I am here, alive and well and amazingly blessed


I hope that you all can find similar blessings in your lives. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hannah turns 5!!

It is so hard to describe the whirlwind my life has become in the five years since our darling girl came into our lives. It is difficult to describe the emotions that a parent encounters as they journey through life raising their children. With Hannah, the journey thus far has been truly a breathtaking experience. From the moment she arrived all scrunchy faced and purple we have been completely in awe of her. She melted her Daddy's heart the instant he held her. The amazed look in his eyes as he watched me pushing and grunting her into this world was worth far more than any expression to pass his upon his face since. In that moment, all of our lives changed. I had my baby girl to pamper with frills and lace. Gary had a baby sister to protect and adore and Joel had his first child, his little angel to spoil and dote upon.

Each day with Hannah is an adventure and it has all raced by so quickly it is hard to imagine how only yesterday she was struggling so desperately to roll over and then she was wobbling across the living room on precariously unpredictable legs, and today she was climbing a rock wall and running through a children's museum trilling with her friends and laughing with joy.

Each moment I spend with her I am enraptured. Her smile and laughter are intoxicating. The light in her eyes as she mischeviously teases or plays with us fills both of us with the greatest delight. She is strong, and independent. She will triumphantly march into a room to announce her latest success at the potty or to display a work of art. She is fearless which most times causes me great fear in this scary world we live.

Hannah is a brilliant light in the world. She is spirited and wild, expressive and unique. She has a sense of style that would rival some of Hollywood's divas. She loves to primp and polish and wear dresses and wild colors. She will create her own sense of style by mixing and matching her wardrobe to suit her moods and nuances. She loves to look pretty, cute and most importantly "sharp". This is her newest target in the fashion world, to look sharp.

Each day I grow more enamoured by our little diva. As she has celebrated this milestone of a birthday, she is so grown up now. She is eloquent when dialoguing with grown ups or chatting with her girlfriends. One moment she is innocently still a toddler and the next she is sarcastically demanding like a teen. You never know which Hannah you will get, but you can be sure that whichever one she is being, she is being true to herself and her own feelings.

I am so proud of this little firecracker of a girl as she turns five. She impresses me greatly with her affectionate nature and her infinite desire to learn and appreciate. Today, we had a birthday party for her and a few friends at the Discovery Museum www.discoverymuseum.com. This is a wonderful place for kids of all ages. Gary and Jessica even had a real blast. There are dozens of activities for kids to do. Hannah had her name written in Korean since they are having a Korean appreciation exihibit and put on a show of Korean music and dancing. The costumes were gorgeous with vibrant, hot pinks, yellows, reds, blues, greens, and oranges. We could see the dancers and hear the music during our time in our birthday room where we had pizza and birthday cake and juice. Hannah also got to pretend she was a news anchor for Action News and her picture was on the TV in the restaurant out front thanks to the help of a fellow toddler camera man. Then they got to play on a blue screen where with a push of a button, they were riding a pretend motorcycle down the highway, or were in the ocean waves, or under the sea swimming with the sharks or at the zoo in the lion's cage. They have Diner where the kids can pretend to cook, clean and wait tables it is very fifties style complete with an old VW beetle that kids can sit in and pretend to drive. They have a Courier Post news room where computer stations can help kids create a news paper complete with their own picture and byline in a matter of minutes. They have a huge Bob the Builder area with legos and hard hats, and a bulldozer bed. There were snakes and tarantulas, boats and fishing, sand pits with dinosaur bones, and a big bubble maker that will make a bubble around your kid. Hannah's favorite part was the elastic band spider web that kids can walk through.

It has been three fun filled days of birthday party. First Thursday was her real birthday so we had a little family party and she opened presents from Mommy, Daddy and Gary. Then Friday, Aunt Terrie was here so we sang Happy Birthday again and she helped make smiley face cookies and caramel apples for favors for her friends. We made gigantic chocolate chip cookies with M&M faces on them and Caramel apples drizzled with chocolate and dipped in peanut butter M&M's. She loves to help. Then today was her kid party. Mommy's tired, Hannah's playing and Daddy is giving away left over cake. What a great day we had.

Little Bo Peep

Well, I am pleased to announce after several weekends hard at work, I finished Hannah's costume. It came out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. She had the best time trick or treating this year. I got home in time to go out with her for a little bit. She walked up to the house and rang the bell by herself and said "Happy Halloween" and "thank you". She was quite the cutie. I just stood on the sidewalk and smiled and yelled "thank you" to the neighbors as we wandered from house to house. She was so excited by the whole process.

I made her a little lambie pocket book that she would put her candy in and then when it would get filled up we would dump the candy into the big bag that I was carrying. She truly made me laugh the way she would be so grown up running to and from the houses. Then when we would come to a house with a scary display involving a blow up grim reaper or big spider with glowing red eyes, she would suddenly turn into my baby girl and meekly ask me to hold her hand and go to the door with her. At one house, the teenagers who live there had turned the front yard into a huge grave yard complete with coffin and had the likes of Freddy Krueger, Dracula and Michael Myers hanging about waiting to scare the other kids. They left little ones be, but let me tell you, Hannah held fast to my hand while carefully eyeing up Mr. Myers who was casually posing for a photo op with some fellow trick or treaters. Glad he left me alone. That movie scared the heck out of me when I was in high school.

The best part came on the way back home. She squeezed my fingers with her tiny ones and told me that she loved me. I love that she is so sweetly affectionate with me. All those hugs and kisses and "I love you, momma" days are truly the best. As we neared the last few houses before our own, she visited a neighbor who admired her costume much to her delight. The woman, then asked her if she had been out looking for her sheep. Hannah held up her lambie pocket book which the lady admired saying that it looked as if she found her sheep after all. Hannah smiled and said, "I found her, but I have 20 more I'm still looking for." and she quickly returned to my side to find me laughing hysterically at her play acting. She is such a little ham bone. Sadly, Little Bo Peep had to potty so we had to hurry past the last few houses, but rest assured she is fully stocked with sugary confections enough to last through the winter.

I hope you all had as much fun this Halloween as we did.

Girl's night out!

Every week, Joel works late one night and Hannah and I are left to fend for ourselves. This has turned into a ritual "Girl's night Out" where we go and do whatever we feel like doing. Most times, Hannah wants McDonald's or ice cream or to go to the Chinese Restaurant and eat inside. All big doings for a five year old. Last night, we ventured to the grocery store and picked out something special for dinner. I picked crab legs and shrimp. Hannah picked a kid's meal with mac and cheese and pizza and the little ice cream bites that Edy's makes. We also picked up some other needs and wants. Hannah pushed the mini cart which are store has for shopper's who are only grabbing a few items without much incident. We then proceeded to self check out where Hannah scanned every item, bagged it all nicely and put the bags back in the cart while I paid. She even sat up on the counter alongside to enter the codes for the fruit so it could be weighed. She did a great job. She loves to help.

The amazing part of the entire thing was another mommy at the scanner behind ours was admonishing her little boy and said to him, "Look at that little girl and how good she is being. You need to act more like her." I looked around for other children. Hmmm. Did she mean my little girl, Nah, couldn't be, but she did. She meant Hannah. Wow!!! My Hannah, the good little girl. My little girl being so good and well behaved as to warrant attention from an envious parent. Could have knocked me over with a feather. I smiled and told the other mommy reassuringly that this is not always the case, but I appreciated it anyway. I gave Hannah big kiss for being such a great helper and such a good girl. She looked up at me with her big eyes and said, "I love you, mama."

Such a perfect girl's night out. My heart melted all the way home. And once at home, it was a tear free, meltdown free night too. Yay!!! I don't know if this is going to stay, but I'm grateful for the time we had together.

Days of Whines and Neuroses

Things were so much simpler with Gary. He was an easy child. Hannah not so easy. She's been hormonal since air first hit her lungs. I don't quite get it. I am usually patient and tolerant but this little child can push buttons like you would not believe.

Today, we went to Chuck E Cheese for a birthday party. It was just the two of us today cause Daddy had to work. We had a great time despite the torrential downpours flooding the East coast right now. Any body see the Penn game today. LOL. What a mess. So drenched though we were, we played and partied and sang and used tokens. Hannah had a blast. She didn't put up too much fuss when it was time to go. The little plastic inducements they sell you for a gross of tickets helped.

We then went to the library. This was good and bad. I had to return some books on Cd that I had listened to last week. I love these for the drive to work, since my reading time is limited by college. I get there and the place is packed. Today was the last day of the used book sale. There are literally 100's of people meander through. This makes me nervous as my daughter is not exactly the best at staying with me. So, I grab three new CD's and take her to the children's section to look at the book sale items. What does she pick? A Santa Claus coloring book. The fact that we celebrate Hanukkah and she has had little actual contact with the pudgy guy in the red velvet suit is completely lost on her. I tried to gently persuade her to another choice but she was having none of it, so fine we color Claus. I'm cool with that. I then grabbed a few classics, The House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Not bad for book sale stuff either. I then head her out to the children's area to pick some books to take home and then the trouble started. She wanted to use the computers. I told her she could use the computer at home if she was good, but not today at the library there were too many people and all the computers had kids at them already. She whined, stomped and made faces. I then told her if she didn't pick books right away we would just leave. More stomping and then sitting. Now, there is no way I can do anything in a room full of witnesses that will not result in DYFS and she knows it. Then starts the "Hannah, let's get a book and go." .... loudly and with dripping sarcasm the cute one says, "NO!"
Okay, I calmly try to figure out how to do this. I can not leave her and walk away cause I'm panicked by the crowd. I cannot pick her up as I'm holding books. I could dump the books and pick her up, but Damn It I came to get the books and coming back later is more time I don't have. So, I cajole, bargain, beg, and try to engage the young little demon who sits smuggly saying No over and over. Finally, enraged. I get her up and in a chair and set books in front of her. She is disinterested. I throw them in my bag and tell her it's time to go. Suddenly, she's fine. She wants to look at the videos. She quitely picks two.

Then the really good part happened. The speaker announced that the book sale was ending in one hour and that they were now having a bag sale. All the books you can get into one bag for $3.00. Woo hoo!! So, we went to the grown up section and I got 3 Nora Roberts books. She is my new favorite author for light reading. John Jakes, Savannah. A Barbara Taylor Bradford book "Silent Night" and two others that I had heard good things about, but hadn't read. I'll let you know how I like them after I read them. All were hard cover and in exceptional condition. Plus the books I picked out of Hannah all for three bucks. So, despite the nonsense with grumpy girl, we managed to get a great deal in the bargain.

So, you never know. Sometimes, the stress has a payoff later. Today it was books. Who knows what tomorrow holds? Hopefully, no more whines.

OVERWHELMED ANYONE?

It is the time of year when all hell breaks loose at my house. As if school, work and a toddler were not enough it is the time of holidays, birthdays, and stress. Lots and lots of stress. I always start stress about now at the prospect of the whole season looming in the distance. It starts in October with Rosh Hashana which although we only send some cards to friends and family, I try to acknowledge the holiday and do something traditional to let Hannah understand a little about each holiday in the Jewish calendar. Then we have Yom Kippur which is supposed to be for atoning for sin and fasting in penance. Not that we generally fast, but again I want to do something. And so it goes. Through October.

I am also making Hannah's Halloween costume. Little Bo Peep. The store bought outfits are dreadful and so I am making it. I bought patterns (yes, more than one), material, and extras and now have to budget time to get this done. Meanwhile her birthday is coming up and I usually throw a bash with lots of crafts for the kids, a big homemade cake all decorated and cute, goodie bags and games. It is a four hour free for all of fun. This year we decided to party out. We checked out Little Gym and it was expensive and only for 1-1/2 hours. So I searched. Libby Lui, a little too old for her. Tea Party a little too dull and cucumber sandwiches for five year olds? Yeah ! Right ! Enchanted Dreams is tea party Princess style dress up with games. Sounds great at 30.00 per kid no food. No chance! Build a bear at the mall. Arggh! Too crowded. Riverwinds swimming party in the fall? Cool idea, but a little too much worry with little ones around water. Then I happened upon the Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill. Inexpensive 2-1/2 hours, lots to do for the kids and educational. Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.

So, now all I have to do is finish my school stuff before Thanksgiving and the family folk start to arrive for the food fest. I also need to finish Hannah's curtains and dust ruffle so the room is done. And I should clean at some point. It would be nice for Joel's family after all. Then the shopping, baking, cooking, and entertaining begin. So much to do and so little time. I just keep breathing deeply and trying to focus.

First things first. Costume. I'll keep you posted.

Bedtime Battles

My darling daughter has really begun to drag out bedtime. She fights getting ready for bed. She interrupts story time a dozen times. She gets in and out bed to go potty, brush teeth, drink water, turn on night light, and ask 20 questions that aren't really questions. She comes into our room around 3 a.m. and wants to get in with us because of bad dreams, noises, and sometimes nothing but denying her turns into a crying and screaming chaos that neither of us desire at 3 a.m.

And so I am trying the bedtime sticker board that has worked so well for my cousin Michael's little girl Hazel. Hazel is 3 and apparently suffered the same nonsense at bedtime. Sticker board worked like a charm for her.

Well, first night bedtime went great. Hannah wanted to get right to bed. Kept telling me to hurry the clock was almost at bedtime. She stayed in bed, went to sleep. Viola. She did get up in the middle of the night and come in with us, but she was in bed by 8:30 p.m. I gave her half a sticker. The agreement is 5 stickers in a row and she gets a special fun thing like Little Gym or Chuckie Cheese. Second night, I got home late due to Weight Watchers meeting, and she was up it was already 8:45 p.m. I told her that she better get upstair and get in bed, or she was going to lose the sticker. She grabbed Joel's hand and pulled him upstairs for a quick story. She went to bed no problem and stayed in bed. YAY!! She got a sticker.

Then last night. She went up no problem all excited ready for a sticker and then meltdown. She wanted to stay in our bed. She wasn't tired. She didn't want to go to bed. She wanted another story. Joel came down and said that at 9:45 she was finally asleep, but in our bed. What? Did you tell her no sticker. "Yes" he said beaten "she wouldn't do it" So this morning I told her no sticker this morning cause you wouldn't go to bed for daddy. She kicked the door where the board is. She then refused to change her shirt. Refused to go downstair. Refused to eat breakfast. I tried the method recommended by the parenting specialist. The "specialist" recommends giving them the power to make some decisions. So I told her she needed to finish getting dressed now, because I had to leave for work and if she didn't get ready now, there would not be time to watch Jakers (a PBS show) and eat her breakfast before school. So, if she wanted breakfast, she needed to get dressed now, but if she wanted to go to school without breakfast that was her decision. Ten minutes later she is standing at the top of stairs calling Daddy to show him that she has not changed her shirt and basically did the nananana thing.

Needless to say things got ugly and I changed her shirt and she cried and she came downstairs in tears to eat breakfast. Now, I want to know what makes a parenting specialist so special???

I'm thinking we may need reform school for this one. She's a real toughie.

Vermont Vacation

Eight glorious stress free days in the mountains of Vermont. It was wonderful. For those with little ones ages 3 to 12 I highly recommend the Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville VT. It caters to kids and gives moms and dads lots of kid free time for snuggling and doing grown up stuff like mountain biking (yeah, right), hiking (a little more my speed) or shopping (now we're talking). Hannah loved it so much she wanted to live there. Check out their site www.wildflowerinn.com . But, warning. No A/C which would normally be no problem in VT right? Except we were there during the hottest spell ever and the first two days the temp was close to 100. So we spent quality time (lots of it) in the pool. Take an extra fan just in case. Also, no telephones although wireless internet is available and your cells will work if you have a certain plan. Mine didn't for you T-mobile users. Also, no TV. Which amazingly didn't bother us a bit. The one day it rained we snuggled on the bed and watched a movie on the portable DVD. There is a t.v. in the kids playroom in the main house where a Video movie is shown everynight for the kids.

Hannah had a blast as the pictures attest.