Santa Hoops!

I sold quite a few hoops at a craft fair yesterday. To my suprise, my last sale of the day was to Santa. He came over when I was packing up and picked one out for his wife. Apparently Mrs. Claus was a big hooper back in the day and he thought that she would enjoy a big hoop in the colors of her college sorority.

Just when I start hatin' on Christmas, Santa has to come along and melt my scrooge-y heart just a little bit. Sigh.

Abundance

Last night Frank and I made sour dough stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn casserole and green bean casserole. Frank is my sous chef - chopping, sauteing, oohing over the addition of ingredients. The other kids ran through the house in tutus and wigs. We made hot chocolate. We played music loud. We taped hula hoops and made iron on t-shirts gifts for family. We stayed up much too late.

They got up much too early and turned on the parade. I made a double batch of pumpkin muffins and read the paper.

My house feels different with all the kids here. Even sitting up here in my office, I can feel their presence - what a friend of mine would call their "chi" - and they bring an energy that is not here when they are elsewhere. Bill and I have a quiet energy. Or old energy. Whatever it is, I note the contrast because it makes me appreciate each more. I am happy to have my whole family in the house at this moment.

I feel an abundance of everything (most especially six beautiful, healthy children!) right now and feel very grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving.

What Would Jesus Buy?

My favorite movie from last year is now out on DVD.

Mary and Frank were horrified that I might actually make them watch it again. Once is probably enough.

It's that time of year again. I start getting crabby about the holidays.

The neighbors put their inflatable snow globe up this week. Mary is notorious for hating those inflatable yard things. Her sister gleefully pointed it out on our way to school this morning.

"How creepy is that? Ho, ho, ho!" Mary said, mimicking the waving Santa from a neighbor's yard. "Giant Santa! You're scary! Seriously! Don't come to my house! I'm Jewish!" she joked.

"Scary like the Futurama Santa," I said.

"You've been very naughty!" Anna and I both said at the same time. "Uh-uh-uh-uh" we said making machine gun sounds.

So, yeah, these are my kids. I'm awful proud that I am raising some kids who are realistic about the holidays and what they mean.

They're such good kids I think I may even get them those Wii light sabers that are on their list...but I might get Frank a copy of this DVD to open first. Just because I am that kind of mom.

Lea and the Mick Jagger of Tribal Bellydance

You will notice that my face looks as if it is going to explode with happy tension. I know that you will not have any idea who this is, but it's Amy Sigil, and this picture just tickles me so much that I have to share it.

It was an amazing weekend for me. We hosted some dance instructors for the weekend and I went to three days of dance workshop classes and I am a happy, happy, happy woman.

Mary noticed me uploading pictures and writing earlier this evening and she asked me if I was writing about her. No. Not this time.

When the kids were little I was their whole world and in return, they were mine. I cared for them and worried about them and thought about them just about all the time. My life revolved around them and their needs.

They got older, they can make themselves a sandwich, they can ride their bikes to school, they have activities that don't involve me. I am still important, but I am less important to them. So I have time to explore my own interests, and world dance is one of those interests.

It's not always about Mary. :-)

The Election

In past presidential elections the election wasn't over until the next day or even months later. So I sent the kids to bed just before 10. And then the polls closed on the West Coast and I got them all up and we sat in the living room together watching the speeches of Sen. McCain and President Elect Obama.

But as in past years, things are dragging out a bit.

It ain't over until we decide it is. Who's with me? (I prefer that quotation to the one the LJS uses.)


Nebraska may split their electoral votes! (click on the link)

And (my high school friend) Darcy may make it to the House of Representatives! (click on the link)