merry christmas morning

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It's been a LONG day. I can't imagine how long it would feel if Christmas were in the summer when the days are actually longer. How do the Australians feel? It's 8:55 pm and all 3 boys are in bed.


I woke Ryan up at 5:09 am. He jumped out of bed, got dressed, came back in to brush his teeth, out again to get his milk and check out his stocking. It's the one thing he is allowed to open while I am in bed. It's a rule that we had growing up. I would be awake from about 4 am, wishing that Nancy would wake up knowing she would get angry if it was before 5 am. Then finally she woke up and we both went downstairs and got our dolls or animal and then our stocking. After that, we stayed on the couch and slept until dad woke up and came down to make the coffee and start breakfast. Then slowly mom came down and we had to eat before we could open any gifts. There were exceptions when Santa left an outfit for church and we got to open those boxes only. And mom knew right which boxes to pick. hmm...


Thinking back, I am amazed we could last so long. Not only was there the wait to eat, sometimes we went to mass and then had breakfast before we got to open gifts. And mom orchestrated the whole thing. She handed out gifts so each kid got one about equal value. Each person opened the gift and we oohed and ahhed before we moved onto the next one. Gifts were arranged in neat piles and guarded. This prolonged the gift giving and receiving quite a bit. Afterwards, we were exhausted and needed naps.


Today, the melee lasted about 15-20 minutes. Poppa didn't even get dressed before it was over. I had talked Ryan into waiting until 7 am to open any gifts but, like a kid on Christmas, I could wait. Neither could Andy and we were opening gifts by 6:30. The boys just opened and went on to the next gift. I am not sure they looked at the gift long enough to know what it was. It looked like they were finished so I grabbed a trash bag and we gathered up the wrappings. More unopened gifts were found underneath. While I did take photos when they were opening their gifts, I realize that I didn't see how they felt about those items. Probably, they didn't know themselves as they were just getting through the opening. Andy never said a word when he got his video camera, the one item he had asked for specifically.


After all the gifts were opened, then the boys grabbed the items they really wanted and then I could see their reactions. The rain stick I thought Andy would love intrigued Ryan. The books I got Andy kept Ryan busy. Andy was just happy to play with his slinky and then grabbed the laptop to watch YouTube! What? Oh no! I showed him his camera and of course he wanted that, NOW! But the battery had to charge. So poppa set him up at the kitchen table with a tall chair and he made faces and such while the battery charged.


Then I went off to church Starbucks and fuel up on caffeine. The caffeine seems to be wearing off and I am starting to feel the day so I will continue this tomorrow. Perhaps.

combination hair

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I like to believe that I have curly hair. But it's not true. While there are parts which are curly, most of my hair is not curly unless it happens to be very humid. (Living in Florida that includes all of the summer and most of the fall seasons.) I have come to realize that I have combination hair like I have combination skin. The hair at my nape is courser, darker and curlier. The hair at my crown is finer, lighter and straighter.


As a child, I had very blond straight hair that bleached to a white blond in the summer. Then in the mid 70s, when the shag look was in and I was getting my first shag (hair that is, I was only 9!) my hair began to curl. The more she cut, the more it curled. My mom sat and watched and her mouth dropped open. I thought the worst since there was no mirror and I had only my mom's and sister's reactions to go by. But it wasn't that bad, I had some nice waves. Later, I learned to use the blow dryer to straighten those waves out for the layered look of the late 70s.


I used to think this straighter top layer was from chemicals such as Touch of Sun I used to highlight my hair and allude myself into thinking I was still blonde. But it's been years since I have used any of it so that destroys that theory. Another thought is that years of blow drying has trained my hair to be straight. Whatever the reason, the top layers are straighter than the bottom layer.


What can I do with this mess? Unlike skin, there is no product for combination hair. One product will give fullness to the top layer and make the curly layers frizz. Other products will help with frizz for the curly part but make the straighter layers look dirty and greasy.


I could go for a perm but have promised myself never again. I have had 3 perms in my life. The first one was given by my sister in 1981. It worked and I had some curly hair. One photo looks very similar to Roseanne Roseannadanna. It also seemed to jump start some wave in my hair. In 1983, I had my sister-in-law given me a home perm. Again, my hair took it well and I had some nice curls. In 1985, I sought out professional services thinking that I could get looser waves instead of tight curls. I was wrong. Or maybe I just went to the wrong place. I ended up kinky, curly hair. The stylist burned hair at my crown but "luckily" that was covered up by the abundance of curls. I was told it would relax. It did, in 1988. Never again. Well, probably not.


I try to let me hair do its own thing but when I look in the mirror, I see my mother's unstyled hair and I cringe. So I am stuck blow drying my hair at least during the dryer months in Florida and using chemicals in hopes that I won't fry the ends. (It's a pet peeve of mine to see fried ends.) I hate this added primping to my routine because I am so not a primper. I don't even own make-up. But I am grateful that I have nice hair that hopefully will not thin out with age.

trying something new

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A lot of time, I thinks of things to blog about while in the shower or folding the laundry or driving. I try to remember to blog these things but am lucky just remember to write down the topic. But then days or weeks or even months go before I get to blogging that topic. You see, I think blogging should be done in a comfy chair with my laptop. And recently, Ryan has taken over my laptop to research more baseball facts and trivia. Yes, Ryan does have his own computer but it's all the way in the playroom, about 30 steps away. And I mean foot steps, not stairs. And Ryan's computer is on a nice desk and he has a comfy stool to sit on but he would rather kneel on the floor and use my slower laptop on the coffee table.

Finding the time to blog in my comfy chair is a bit difficult. I should do it at night when Ryan has gone to bed like I am doing right now. But usually my brain is fried and I can barely keep my eyes open. I am a morning person. Mostly.

I had this idea to blog on Sundays when I am out of the house pretending to go to church. My dad thinks I go, I hate to spoil the illusion. But then I would need my laptop and well, Ryan is usually using it. And if he isn't when I leave, he will most likely want it while I am gone and it being gone will cause major problems. I could use my iPod Touch but I don't have one. I had planned to get one with my stimulus check but then I realized that being on social security, I get half the amount as the regular tax-paying folks get. Oh well, Andy is enjoying his new bike.

But hey, I could write it out long hand. Huh? Yep, you read that correctly, I could write it out on paper with pencil using cursive printing and using no abbreviations or spell check. I tried it today and it kind of worked. I have a 5x7 sheet of paper filled, front and back about hair. My hair. And maybe tomorrow I will take that sheet and type it up in the computer. Maybe. I will try.

busy busy busy

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I was going to be organized this holiday. I was going to get everything done in a calm, timely manner. I made the planner, I filled it in (mostly) and followed it for about 2 weeks.


Then I realized I had to clean up the house before my dad came. OK, I'll just push things off for a couple of weeks, no biggy.


Then my brothers suggest to come down for dad's 80th birthday and I have even more cleaning to do! Things that I knew I could do in the coming months had to be done pronto.


And in the midst of all this I decided to make cookies and give them to the neighbors. The problem is that I haven't baked cookies in years. Not baking is not the problem, having homemade cookies in my house is. I can't stop eating them! My weight loss has stopped and is threatening to reverse. I must get these cookies out of my house!

But not before I make some more. I'll need the sugar to help me get all the presents wrapped by Friday.

mythbusting

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Making pumpkin pies is not difficult. My mom always made it out to be such a big chore and hassle. My biggest problems were realizing I didn't have a pie plate (long story but I blame Gail) and that I couldn't find ground cloves so I had to smash them with my making memories hammer. (At least the second time I learned to put the cloves in a baggy rather than risk smashing my fingers and having them fly around the kitchen.


In the end, I am reminded of the Rice Crispie Treats commercial where the kids are heard asking when they will be read while the mom is seen in the kitchen relaxing. She hears their cries and yells back then throws the flour on her face (there is no flour involved in Rice Crispie Treats that I know of) and hurries out with the completed treats.

domesticated

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• The brownies were/are so good! But so rich and heavy. After eating one, your belly feels like lead. That lasts a couple of hours until you crave another. I have eaten too many and I feel less that good because of it.


• I made White Bean Chicken Chili today. It wasn't what I was expecting though it was good. I should have searched for the chili from Ruby Tuesday which is more what I was looking for. I have more recipes to try but since they make such a big batch, I will have to eat up what I have first. Though I did freeze some.


• I finally made some Christmas cards. I had plans to make one each day of November. Twenty three days gone, 5 cards made.


• I am trying to make the boys pick up each evening. Ryan is doing pretty well but he fell asleep tonight before I could remind. Andy whined a bit but that was because he couldn't find Harold the Helicopter. Once Harold was located, the whines were gone.

best.brownies.ever.

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And I made them.




I love chocolate brownies. I love making them, they are pretty darn easy using a mix. Only twice did I mess them up; once when I was making 3 batches and forgot the eggs in one batch, and another time when I thought to follow a Prevention recipe and substitute applesauce and banana for the oil and eggs. The first failure resulted in a flat chocolate-y mess. I don't recall what happened with the low fat batch but it must not have been good since I never tried it again.


I love regular chocolate brownies. No nuts, no frosting. I will tolerate nuts but will decline to eat a brownie with frosting. Frosting belongs on cake if at all. I also prefer the edges. I love the corners the best with their chewiness.


I don't know where of when I heard about this wonderful pan, Baker's Edge, but I bought it a right away. But then it sat a long time ago in my garage until today.


First I went looking for a recipe. You see, I am trying to eat healthy. Yes, I know brownies are not health food but I figured that using fresh ingredients would be better than a box. I got a recipe from Martha Stewart but then saw that it called for a 8x8 or 9x9 pan. The Baker's Edge pan is about 9x12. I checked the pamphlet that came with the pan and found a recipe. OK. Oh but I don't have enough unsweetened chocolate. OK, off to the store. And maybe I will get some walnuts since they are good for omega 3s and I can grind them up so you won't be able to tell they are in there.


What a production that was! I had to get out my Kitchen Aid mixer and my little food processor and learn to melt chocolate using a bowl over a simmering pot of water. And could I dirty anymore dishes and bowls? But finally, time to put the pan in the oven and let them bake. Oh the aroma!


We had lunch and then the brownies were done (I need to remember to get toothpicks.) and I tried to let them cool. I knew a girl in college named Tere. Her mother had told them that warm brownies caused diarrhea and they believed her. I told Tere the truth. Finally an hour later, I decided to try them.


I read about someone saying that you had to sacrifice the first brownie to get the rest out neatly. I remember trying to cut up regular brownies and always having a few less than pretty pieces but they tasted the same so it was no loss. I tried using the little nylon spatula that came with the pan, but it was too thick to get between the brownie and the side of the pan. I saw the Tupperware citrus peeler I used to test if the brownies were done. I used the flat side to separate the brownie from the pan and gently ease the brownie up.


Right away, I knew they would be good. I could see the ghiradelli semisweet chocolate chunks melted and oozing. I took a bite an fell in love. Believe the theory that eating chocolate releases the same chemicals as having sex does. I was a bit concerned because these brownies are thick and I thought they might be too cake like. Nothing to worry about. Just rich chocolate goodness. Not too rich but rich enough that one brownie is enough. At least it's been an hour and I am still satisfied.

losing teeth

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When the boys have lost teeth in the past, they really lost them. The most I could get from them is what room they were in when the tooth fell out. We could never find the teeth.


So the tooth fairy never came to visit.


Yesterday, Andy's tooth was hanging by a thread. I told him to give me the tooth when it fell out and he did. Then we put the tooth in a plastic bag and hung it up on the fridge. The tooth fairy came and took the tooth but left $.50 in the bag. Andy took the money out and put it in his bank. He was not excited by the money.


I doubt the tooth fairy will make a return trip.