Good Morning and can the Eagles actually make the playoffs?!?
With all the Christmas lights twinkling and the tree decorated and the toy commercials showing children what they are 'missing,' it shouldn't be too surprising when the little ones get overstimulated.
It always does take me by surprise, though. They can see and smell Christmas morning and the presents and the trip to Gramdmom's for more gifts. They can feel the chill in the air and the thoughts of sugar plums (whatever they are) dancing in their hair.
They can't sleep, so they are always overtired. Add in the final week of school and, well, somehow I am surprised it's not worse.
Still, when they are at each others throats this week over little things, I have to remember what's ahead. I have to remember it's just a week before Christmas and everything is shaded.
Using the old Santa Claus is watching trick doesn't work anymore (did it ever?), so I'll have to just grit my teeth and let it roll off.
That and some rum balls. Lots of rum balls.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Rise and Shine --- Soup's on
Good Morning and, yes, that is frost again on the car windows!
The best part about this time of year (by that, I mean winter, not the holidays), is it is the perfect time for a big pot of soup.
My plan this year is to make a different one every week, then spread it out through dinners. Of course, thanks to the sophisticated palates around the table, that's a lot easier said than done.
Started out with some chicken noodle soup.
"Don't like it," said the toughest critic.
Well, I said, if you don't eat your dinner, you can't have dessert.
"OK, I don't want desert."
Last week, I went with a potato/leak soup.
"Don't like it," said the critic.
Wait a minute, you didn't even try it.
"It looks disgusting."
OK. What kind of soup will you eat?
"Vegetable."
We'll see when I make that this week.
The best part about this time of year (by that, I mean winter, not the holidays), is it is the perfect time for a big pot of soup.
My plan this year is to make a different one every week, then spread it out through dinners. Of course, thanks to the sophisticated palates around the table, that's a lot easier said than done.
Started out with some chicken noodle soup.
"Don't like it," said the toughest critic.
Well, I said, if you don't eat your dinner, you can't have dessert.
"OK, I don't want desert."
Last week, I went with a potato/leak soup.
"Don't like it," said the critic.
Wait a minute, you didn't even try it.
"It looks disgusting."
OK. What kind of soup will you eat?
"Vegetable."
We'll see when I make that this week.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Rise and Shine --- A new Low-es
Good Morning and I really don't like the cold!
So, I kind of glanced at a story yesterday about how Lowe's was pulling it's advertising from some show called "All-American Muslim."
Now, up until I read the story, a copy of which you can see HERE, I had never heard of "All-American Muslim."
Unless you are an avid watcher of TLC, you probably never heard of it either. It's apparently a reality show about, well, a Muslim family living in America.
Sounds like it's probably one of those shows that follows a family around, they talk to the camera, they argue, they hug. Much like any other reality show on TV.
Then, some wacko group out of Florida decided to protest the show because, well, basically they hate everybody.
For some reason, Lowe's saw this protest, must have agreed and pulled their ads.
What's next? They pull ads from reruns of "Good Times" or "Everybody Loves Raymond?"
Just one question, where's the nearest Home Depot?
So, I kind of glanced at a story yesterday about how Lowe's was pulling it's advertising from some show called "All-American Muslim."
Now, up until I read the story, a copy of which you can see HERE, I had never heard of "All-American Muslim."
Unless you are an avid watcher of TLC, you probably never heard of it either. It's apparently a reality show about, well, a Muslim family living in America.
Sounds like it's probably one of those shows that follows a family around, they talk to the camera, they argue, they hug. Much like any other reality show on TV.
Then, some wacko group out of Florida decided to protest the show because, well, basically they hate everybody.
For some reason, Lowe's saw this protest, must have agreed and pulled their ads.
What's next? They pull ads from reruns of "Good Times" or "Everybody Loves Raymond?"
Just one question, where's the nearest Home Depot?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Rise and Shine --- What happened today in history?
Good Morning and wasn't it nice not to see any white stuff on the ground this morning?
So, yesterday morning before school, I asked the 12-year old why Dec. 7 was a big day.
"I don't know," he said.
Come on, I prodded, it's one of the most important days in history.
Perplexed, he tried to remember, but finally can another "I don't know."
Really, I guess that's the way of the world. The further we move away from Pearl Harbor, the less likely it's going to be mentioned in school. It happens with everything. We don't talk about Appomattox the way they did in the early part of the 1900s.
In the year 2041, they probably will gloss over 9/11. It's up to us to keep the history alive. So, I recorded a couple of Pearl Harbor shows yesterday and will put them on today (as long as I can get past the whining).
Of course, history comes fast and furious in December. After all, we all know what happened Dec. 8.
So, yesterday morning before school, I asked the 12-year old why Dec. 7 was a big day.
"I don't know," he said.
Come on, I prodded, it's one of the most important days in history.
Perplexed, he tried to remember, but finally can another "I don't know."
Really, I guess that's the way of the world. The further we move away from Pearl Harbor, the less likely it's going to be mentioned in school. It happens with everything. We don't talk about Appomattox the way they did in the early part of the 1900s.
In the year 2041, they probably will gloss over 9/11. It's up to us to keep the history alive. So, I recorded a couple of Pearl Harbor shows yesterday and will put them on today (as long as I can get past the whining).
Of course, history comes fast and furious in December. After all, we all know what happened Dec. 8.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Rise and Shine --- Too early for the tree?
Good Morning and isn't Global Warming pretty nice?
So, when the dishes were put away from Thanksgiving dinner and everybody was sitting on the couch, the question came for the first time: 'Can we get a tree?'
Of course, I knew that didn't mean taking a ride to the garden shop and picking up a peach tree.
It was time to start thinking about a Christmas tree. Growing up, we always had the artificial one, so timing didn't matter. Pull it down from the attic and start decorating.
With a real tree, though, you have to balance out how far in advance of the holiday you get one. I'm always afraid it's going to dry out and we'll be greeted Christmas morning with brown needles.
So, I've been able to put it off for the last couple of weeks. I somewhere along the line mentioned Dec. 10. They can't remember what was for dinner last night, but they remember that date.
So, we'll be out tree hunting this weekend.
So, when the dishes were put away from Thanksgiving dinner and everybody was sitting on the couch, the question came for the first time: 'Can we get a tree?'
Of course, I knew that didn't mean taking a ride to the garden shop and picking up a peach tree.
It was time to start thinking about a Christmas tree. Growing up, we always had the artificial one, so timing didn't matter. Pull it down from the attic and start decorating.
With a real tree, though, you have to balance out how far in advance of the holiday you get one. I'm always afraid it's going to dry out and we'll be greeted Christmas morning with brown needles.
So, I've been able to put it off for the last couple of weeks. I somewhere along the line mentioned Dec. 10. They can't remember what was for dinner last night, but they remember that date.
So, we'll be out tree hunting this weekend.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Rise and Shine --- Shoot the messenger
Good Morning and what do we have here?
You know, most years I kind of ignore all the Christmas shopping commercials that pop up on TV. I'm going to buy what I'm going to buy and no commercial is going to change that.
This year, though, there's something different. This year, I secretly hope Godzilla makes a pre-Christmas run and crushes all the new Lexus' people seem to be buying.
Really, is there anything more annoying than a car commercial where somebody does some 'cute' way of showing how good they are by buying somebody a new Lexus. First of all, let's get past the whole personal choice thing. A car is, after all, something deeply personal.
Who has that kind of money sitting around. Certainly not the people they show in commercials. How does the woman who reprograms the elevator music to play the Lexus jingle get the money to buy her boyfriend a new car while working at Starbucks?
Meanwhile, those people who apparently shop at Target, WalMart, Best Buy or any of the other places that exist in these commercials need to be attacked by zombies. I mean, really, if I saw somebody singing the praises of WalMart while shopping, I might turn into a zombie. Then again, I have a feeling the zombies would starve since there doesn't appear to be a brain anywhere.
Don't even get me started with the jewelery dealers. Yeah, 'Every Kiss begins with Kay' but you can't spell bankruptcy without that same 'Kay.' So there.
You know, most years I kind of ignore all the Christmas shopping commercials that pop up on TV. I'm going to buy what I'm going to buy and no commercial is going to change that.
This year, though, there's something different. This year, I secretly hope Godzilla makes a pre-Christmas run and crushes all the new Lexus' people seem to be buying.
Really, is there anything more annoying than a car commercial where somebody does some 'cute' way of showing how good they are by buying somebody a new Lexus. First of all, let's get past the whole personal choice thing. A car is, after all, something deeply personal.
Who has that kind of money sitting around. Certainly not the people they show in commercials. How does the woman who reprograms the elevator music to play the Lexus jingle get the money to buy her boyfriend a new car while working at Starbucks?
Meanwhile, those people who apparently shop at Target, WalMart, Best Buy or any of the other places that exist in these commercials need to be attacked by zombies. I mean, really, if I saw somebody singing the praises of WalMart while shopping, I might turn into a zombie. Then again, I have a feeling the zombies would starve since there doesn't appear to be a brain anywhere.
Don't even get me started with the jewelery dealers. Yeah, 'Every Kiss begins with Kay' but you can't spell bankruptcy without that same 'Kay.' So there.
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