Party of Five

30 days...30 blog posts, I'd say that's a fairly successful "NAtional BLog POsting MOnth"...and yes, WE did it...because if I didn't have even the few followers that I do, I wouldn't have the motivation to write about...well, about any of the oddball stuff that I write about! So thank you fellow readers :) The lingering question now is....where do I go from here? Duh...Christmas of course!  Be prepared to see this blog all decked out for the holidays very soon!! (As in, probably later tonight)  This time of the year usually makes me very reflective, so hopefully there will be some well-thought-out, inspiring blog posts to accompany the decorating that I have planned around here. Decorating has already begun....

Total success!  I made it through the "intimidating" craft store WITH coordinating fabrics for a certain lil' princess' Christmas gift...AND a trunk that I'm going to paint to match the bed, that she'll be able to store her doll clothes in. Now, if only I could sew (well).  Time for Mrs. Claus to seek the aid of one of her elves...otherwise known as mom D.  (She also happens to have the mattress in her possession.) It's hard to tell, but the darkest purple even has silver sparkles in the material! Perfect for a princess, don't you think?

I had my plan of action for this week.  Stay on schedule, things will get done, no stress involved. I went to bed, slept like a rock, and stretched myself awake this morning at 7:00, ready to take on the day. And then I sat up in bed.  Or at least I tried to.  My body sat up....but then the room started spinning and my body went with it back down to the bed. Okay...let's try this again. I swung my legs over the bed, sat up, and got out of bed to grab my bathrobe. The room was still spinning, and I hit the wall. Great.  It was going to be one of THOSE kind of days. Third times the charm, right?  I got up determined to make it to the shower, only to realize that the bathroom was another spinning room, and a shower probably wasn't the best (or safest option) at that point. Thankful for neighbors who can take my kids to school, I managed to get the monkey children out the door, and I went back to bed... I don't have time for this.  Grocery store...

Tonight is Sunday night pizza and movie night in our house.  I don't know how the tradition started, but it did.  Every Sunday involves some kind of pizza (either frozen or ordered), and an agreed upon movie - not easy to do between the three monkey children.  Tonight's viewing selection is Transformers in the basement with the boys, and a Hallmark Channel Christmas chick flick for the princess and I. The thing is, it's exceptionally calm around here right now. Tomorrow?...That's another story. This week's project involves the bedding for the newly contructed doll bed.  Creating this bedding involves heading to my local Joann's store.  Believe me when I say there is nothing more intimidating to me ... more completely terrifying to me - even more than heading into "Man-Cave Haven" (Lowe's), than going into a craft store. I know, I know - I've already discussed the issue of my creativity resurfacing in recent posts.  But a craft store. Th...

I wasn't sure I could reach down and pull out the creative part of me that had been repressed for such a long time.  I used to be a creative person...very "right brained".  That was 20 years ago.  At some point I traded my creativity for my intellectual side.  My right side for the left side of my brain, if you will. A few months ago I reached wayyyy down deep and tapped into that creative side.  Voila!   Lego man was created.   Okay, truth be told, I kind-of impressed myself with those results.  So much so, that I knew I could pull out that creativity just a little further...just in time for Christmas. You see, a certain little princess has asked Santa for a bed for her American Girl doll.  And as any parent with an AG doll in their house knows...these little havens of rest can be pretty pricey!  Immediately, I thought "I could totally make a bed for her doll!  Surely there is a pattern, directions, something - somewhere online...

In a completely, non-serious (wait, I am very serious about this), just lighten up people - kind of way... I'm thankful that my kids woke up this morning ASKING ME when the parade started.  I could only grin.  I grew up watching the parade on Thanksgiving morning.  I still watch it every year.  Granted, for me, now it's more about seeing the Broadway performances at the beginning.  But I've always made a point of making sure the kids would see the balloons (Look!  Snoopy!)...and Sesame Street (they're in it EVERY year)...and pointing out the musical numbers (because every child should have an appreciation for good music)... Seems to me, they finally got the tradition down when they remembered the parade before I could remind them. (Score 1 for mom for establishing tradition!!) Now on a more completely serious and gluttonous note: I'm thankful for the bird that will be devoured this afternoon. The mashed potatoes...oh those yummy, creamy, buttery ...

If you've been following my little blog for a while, you'll know that Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday meal.  Okay, maybe 2nd favorite next to the Easter Ham.  But it's good.  Actually it's pant splitting, fill me so full of food I want to explode - good.  And I never have to cook.  Ever. My mother-in-law has it mastered.  Good Lord love her, we have our differences, but the woman can prepare a Thanksgiving feast better than anyone I know.   Yes, she tried to teach me one year.  I still try not to think about HOW she makes the stuffing and WHAT goes into it.  I just know that it's amazing, and I don't put much thought into what I'm eating when I'm eating it. Being the wonderful, thoughtful daughter-in-law...I inquired as to my yearly input for the feast of all feasts. It finally happened. I got napkin duty.  And apple cider.  Napkins and apple cider. Awesome. I was tempted to google the art of napkin fold...