Happy New Year

Fifty bucks later.... a day well spent

   Tad's friend came to town today with his daughter, who is Coen's age and his niece, who is 15 (who I adore) and we went to the public museum.  I found myself, before the day started, having to let go of things financial.  We can get into Betty Brinn's for free but the public museum was the favored venue. I wanted to park on the street and just feed the meters, but the underground parking was so much easier. 

  I pocketed a fifty dollar bill given us by my parents as one of our MANY wonderful Christmas presents and decided to go with it.

Museum admission for a family of four: $42
Watching Coen hunt for the Estonian room at the European village part of the Streets of Old Milwaukee to please his Momma and having Lucy clutch at me me in mock terror when the monkey in the rain forest exhibit roared: Priceless.... I know..its an old joke, but I couldn't resist it. And I'm not done yet.

Parking underground at the museum: $10
But priceless: Getting to leave and enter the museum unencumbered by coats, hats, mittens, boots or other winter accoutrement's.  Getting to the car fifteen seconds after we were done with the museum and ready to go home to regroup. 

That was the morning activities.  This afternoon/evening, we joined another family at their house and ate a lovely dinner and talked while our children played with their children in relative harmoniousness all evening long.

It was a lovely lovely day.

Happy Holidays

  Well, I do apologize for being so remiss in my blogging... its been busy... obviously.  I have told our 12 days of Christmas story to countless people and have not once told it without getting teary-eyed.

  We had a lovely holiday.  Yesterday, I took a walk with Tad and I realized that the last time we took a walk together, we were talking about the stress of going into the holidays. And yesterday, it was all over and I can't believe how fast that all went. 

  We started out our winter break quite poorly actually, but things only did (and could have) gone uphill from there.  We were supposed to have someone take our kids all day the day before Christmas eve and Tad and I were planning on spending some much needed time alone together and finish up some last minute details... but our date day was cancelled at the last moment.  I don't know about you, but when I think I'm going to be rid of my children for a whole day after a long run of working hard both at work and as a parent....  I mentally check out. Which is what I did...about an hour before we were supposed to drop off our kids. So when it was cancelled, for the rest of the day, I couldn't quite check back in.  It was a long day.  At one point, we were at McDonalds (having taken the kids there in desperation when they too were disappointed about missing out on their day away from us), we were sitting silently, Tad and I both a little sullen, our kids arguing over happy meal toys, french fries strewn about the table...Tad said to me: "We are like the rest of America right now."   Nooooooooooooooo!  But I take solace in the fact that most days, we are not like the rest of America.

  The holidays however, were lovely. We spent Christmas eve with my family and the 25th with Tad's family.  I was really proud of my kids, who opened their presents with appreciation and never once asked why there wasn't more.  They showed gratitude to all their gift givers.  One trick for that is that before Christmas, we practice opening presents. 
Here's how it works:
I give Coen a box.  "Here's your present!"
Coen pretends to open it.
"It's socks!"
"THANK YOU!!!", says Coen appreciatively.
I give him another box which he pretends to open.
"It's a star wars lego set"
"THANK YOU!!!", says Coen appreciatively.
It is good practice!

So we spent Christmas night at home, playing with new toys and eating leftovers for dinner.  We've pretty much been doing that since.  I love this time of year.  And I love most that I was able to save up all my vacation days. I have been off since last week Tuesday and will be off the rest of this week.  Stay at home mommy-hood is awesome.  For two weeks.  That's all I can take but I do love this two weeks.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Happy Winter Solstice

Today is the winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.    It was also Coen's last day of school for twelve days!  After we picked him up from school, I had the kids come into the back yard with their snowsuits on.  I told them that the Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year and one of the greatest things about that is that it means that every night-tomorrow and the next night and the next night, the nights get shorter and shorter and the sun shines on us for longer and longer each day.  Then I told them that we were going to have a Solstice scavenger hunt.

I told them this story:
Long ago there was just space, dark empty space going on forever and ever, but that long long ago, in our galaxy, the earth formed. Scientists do not know exactly how the universe formed but that some say that many particles of rock crashed together to form planets and some say that many particles of rock blew apart to form planets...  
Here I told them to go find some rock.  They both brought me one and I went on. 

When the planets formed, scientists decided that probably the earth was the one planet that has water on it.  

I told them to find me something made of water.  They both brought me a snowball.  They looked at me, ready for more story.

We are very lucky that the earth has water for us to drink and also has air to breathe

All four of us took a big breath of air and we watched how the cold made the warm air we breathed come out like smoke. 
The earth also has two very important Elements.  Wood and Earth.  Wood is what we use to build our houses and our furniture and it gives us shelter and a place to sleep. Earth is what lets us plant seeds to grow which turns into vegetables and fruits and grains and good things for us to eat.
I told them to find me earth and wood and they each brought me a stick and some grass they had pulled.  I went on.

The last element of our earth is something I mentioned in the beginning.  And that comes from one very important star in the sky that gives us our light and our warmth and helps our earth be a place that people can live and grow. What is that star? I asked.

The sun!  Yelled Coen and he pointed to a candle that I had burning on the picnic table.  I told him that it was very good, and that the candle represented the sun or fire.

And we are very lucky because we have all these elements in our earth and we also have one thing that comes from putting many of these elements together.  And that is food.  We have everything we need on our earth to survive and grow.   And even better, and why we are the luckiest of all is that we have each other and all the people in our lives to love and to love us.

I had hidden two frosted gingerbread cookies shaped as snowflakes in the yard and both kids found theirs.

We went inside then and Tad and I gave them each a present (a superhero cape for each kid that I sewed) and then we ate a fancy solstice dinner complete with sparkling grape juice and fancy glasses.  And guess what dinner was....  The third day of Christmas, our true friends gave to us----Three French Hens! 

We had our Cornish game hens for supper with stuffing, red potatoes, and brown sugar carrots. It was delicious.  And the kids were so excited to be eating our three french hens.  

Thank you again, 12 days of Christmas elves and fairies!  
And happy Solstice everyone!

Joan Baez, politics, music, and motherhood

I just watched a Joan Baez documentary from PBS American Masters.  I'm really feeling quite immersed in it, even though it is over...

I am a musician.  I am an activist.  I am a mother.  Just like Joan Baez.  But unlike Joan Baez (not that I'm trying to draw a comparison between myself and her...just the things we have in common)  I never dedicated myself fully to music. I played at coffee shops and bars, got into a few bands for which I couldn't quite become the front woman that was required.  I wrote songs, recorded a CD and I will say that being on stage is the absolute most at home place I have ever felt and maybe ever will..  But I had children and suddenly I haven't written a whole song that I like, since I was 28.  I never play anywhere anymore. Aside from playing "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" or other kiddie favorites, I pick up my guitar twice a month...maybe.

I am an activist.  But not an activist like I'd dreamed of being. I used to feel I was born in the wrong decade...  I wanted to be part of the peace protests and the sit ins and the marches.  I wanted to get arrested.  I've been to my fair of marches against the gulf war and the war in Iraq...  I've been to peace rallies and demonstrations--I even sang at a few...  I went door to door canvassing for Fair Wisconsin, for the right for my gay and lesbian friends to marry....  But I haven't really gone out of my comfort zone...

I am a mother.   That I have done exactly how I wanted to...  I gave birth to both my children without drugs.  I loved pregnancy. I loved nursing both my children.  I play with them.  I set up elaborate indoor forts with blankets and pillows. I sing to them. I read to them. I make up stories with voices and characters that go on for a half hour or however long the car ride is...  I feel heart bursting joy watching them eat their vegetables.  I hide my tears when I sing to them at night and can't believe how much love I feel....    And of course, sometimes I can't wait for them to go to bed. Sometimes I would sooner do a load of wash than sit on the floor and play Lego's for another second.  I skip pages in a book, so that the bedtime routine is over sooner....  And even sometimes I feel like I'm parenting with one foot out the door, my head on whatever I'm doing after bedtime...  But I know for the most part, I have put myself into it ...heart and soul...

And sometimes I get worried... have I become less me?  I don't play music anymore. I don't volunteer for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, or even Fair Wisconsin anymore..because I have two kids. And when the workday is over, I want to come home and be THERE with them.

So Joan Baez was talking about how she knows her son felt resentful because she would leave his side and interrupt story time to get the phone and be booked for another march. But she was also talking about how important the politics and organizing was to her.  And I hear about other musicians, mostly men, who couldn't possibly stay with their children and their families and the everyday life that goes along with having little ones  AND have their music career.

Can I be an artist and a good mother too? How do we live our lives and nurture every part of them, and still nurture the little people that we made?  I'm not sure.  And maybe I still am nurturing my musical self when I freestyle a song at 7:30 at night because Lucy wants to hear a lullaby about a bunny in a a bunny hole and I don't know any real ones.  Maybe I am still nurturing my political self when I send emails, letters and speak out in general for the things I believe in. When I teach my children how important it is that all people's love is real and deserves to be recognized...when I teach them that Daddy and I think war is wrong...  Maybe that doesn't make me less an organizer and less a musician...  Just because I'm more a mom.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this.  I'm not always sure where I'm going at all. But I like who I'm going with anyway.  I think its probably time to hit an open mic night.  Or stage an uprising.  Open mic sounds easier though.

....and.... Twelve Drummers Drumming

 This day...Sunday the 19th of December...also in our world the twelfth day of Christmas... has been Magical.  MAGICAL in all respects.

 First of all, I woke up BEFORE my children.  Dearest readers, those among you who have small children know what a gem this is.  I had almost twenty minutes of silent household.  So excited with this time was I, I actually tried to read my book AND knit at the same time. That didn't really work.  So I alternated chapter for row.  A short time later, I heard the quiet "Mamma?" floating down the steps from my younger child.  I went up to get her dressed and freshly diapered and Coen hopped in to join us. We all went downstairs to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" And Coen immediately to the front window to see if we had a basket waiting.  "Mom!" He said. "there's no basket!"  I told him that we'd have to wait and see but that it would happen. 

After we had breakfast and TV time, Coen and Lucy, on their own, went upstairs to play.  Tad got out his book and I got out my knitting and we talked together until I was beckoned from the second floor.  I brought my knitting upstairs, feeling thankful that my kids are suddenly old enough to play alone together, not needing my constant presence.  I read them two chapters of Little House on the Prairie and three Dr. Suess books.  And we played.

At lunchtime we had some friends over to help us eat some leftover food from our Saturday night gathering.  Coen continued to check the windows and the back door for our twelfth day gift.  I told him that he just had to stop thinking about it and it would appear as it had done the last week and a half.  Shortly after, a group of Christmas elves and fairies, child and adult came marching up to our front door, twelve of them playing drums, all singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas." I carried Lucy to the front porch and Tad brought Coen.  I immediately had tears in my eyes.  Our secret gift givers were not our neighbors (boy was I wrong!) but this collection of wonderfully kind, creative, thoughtful and generous individuals--as I said fairies and elves.... That is all I will say. I have sworn an oath of Christmas secrecy. 

But if any of you are reading my blog, thank you thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Tad and I were overwhelmed with the gifts you gave us and that you chose us to give them to.  We made a thank you note for each of the twelve baskets, they are pictured above.

Oh and their gift this time, was not only of song, but they left behind a box of ice cream sundae drumsticks.  Coen and Lucy ate theirs tonight after dinner. 

After our elves and fairies left, and our visitors, The kids went back upstairs to play. (They were pretending to be baby bears hibernating for the winter up in Coen's room) and Tad and I sat downstairs together and marvelled at how lucky, and how blessed we are.

Thank you.

Ten Lords a Leaping and Eleven Drummers Drumming

Last night as we were getting home from Coen's holiday program at school, everyone tired out and up way past bedtime, we walked up to our door and saw a box sitting there. Inside this elaborately folded box, hanging strings and affixed by tape and glue, were 10 lords a leaping.  There was Darth Vader and Darth Maul and Count Dooku, Al Pacino, Baby Jesus and an assortment of Eastern Gods...  Coen was so excited about the Darth Maul Lego figure that he was first speechless and then fell on his knees, very odd noises coming from his mouth! 
Needless to say, the kids stayed up a bit later, examining all the flying lords, taking them out and playing with them.  It was a late night and lucky for us, a slightly later morning.

In the morning after we'd finished Elmo's Potty Time, Coen looked out the window and spotted our basket.  Inside of a lovely large glass vase were 8 little plastic whistles, two new years horns and one recorder.  The kids played with the horns with glee, and we shared our plastic horns with some friends who came over this evening.

Tomorrow is the twelfth day of Christmas... Will we find out who our generous, creative, and amazingly thoughtful and generous gifters are?  Stay tuned!!!

Sweet dreams.

Nine ladies dancing

It is a common phrase to be heard in our house: "Is it a treat night?"  We only do desserts on weekends and when its a special occasion like if we have dinner guests.  Anyway. It's Thursday so the answer to that question is: "No, its not a treat night."

But all bets were off when after dinner Coen looked outside and noticed basket number nine on our front doorstep.  Nine ladies dancing tonight!

It was a plate of lovely pink cupcakes with nine little ballerinas, one in each cupcake.    So suddenly...it WAS a treat night.

           And a very enjoyable one at that.

Eight Maids 'a milking

I had an early meeting this morning and now I'm stopped off at home before I go teach a Boundaries and Personal Space class... 

Today was eight maids a milking. 

We all went outside together to leave for the day for work, school, daycare, what have you... and there was a basket outside the garage with eight little organic milk boxes--chocolate and white.. with pictures on them of
Rosie from the Jetsons
Benson
The Facts of Life's Mrs. Garrott (Charlotte Rae)
The broom from Beauty and the Beast
Who's the Boss-Tony Danza
Mr. Belvedere
Alice from the Brady Bunch
and
Florence from the Jeffersons.

Wow. 

Seven Swans a Swimming

After our dinner (last night's leftovers) and a very enthusiastic showing off of somersaults on Coen's couch by both children, we saw our seventh package on the front porch.

Today was a velvety box and inside was a beautifully painted ceramic tile with the picture of a swan on it.  Underneath was a musical note and the phrase "Seven Swans a' Swimming"  I put it in the kitchen.  There were also red origami folded swans, which Coen and Lucy immediately took out to play with.

I feel lucky to have such a great family.  I feel extremely lucky to have such wonderful neighbors who are so generous, thoughtful and creative.  I'm getting as excited as the kids to check our doorstep every day!

I'm going to go do the dishes now and then Tad and I are playing scrabble tonight!  Wish me luck.  I really like winning at scrabble!!!

Six Geese a-laying

It was COLD today.  Coen and Lucy came down to breakfast and I told them that Jack Frost had come. They hurried over to see all the pretty designs on the windows.  Coen ran back and forth from the window to the table, scraping ice off the windows and putting it in his oatmeal.

After work today, I picked up Lucy and then Coen while the pork kabobs (I bought this HUGE pork tenderloin and froze it in parts--it is lasting us five meals!) and the homemade french fries baked in the oven. (For the fries, just cut a peeled potatoe into thin strips, shake up in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt and rosemary).  Tad went out so I was going to be home with the kids alone.  Its been awhile.  Lucy was extremely crabby upon pick up so I got a little nervous that the night's trend was beginning. 

But we picked up Coen with no incident and then came home.  In this freezing weather, our garage door keeps getting stuck halfway as its opening.  I was trying to fix it (and had attempted to open the door six times with no success) and then realized that Coen was antagonizing Lucy in the car.  I made him get out and come see if he could reach to press the garage door button.  He touched it and it opened. All the way!  I told him he was magic.  We all got out of the garage and there was a basket sitting right by our back fence.

I brought it in and the Coen and Lucy opened it up.  It was an emptied egg carton wrapped in cellophane.  In the cups were six little ornaments with a paper ornaments to match.  The paper ornaments had little nursery rhymes or poems to go with.  Coen and Lucy had fun playing with the ornaments while I read all the rhymes. Then they hung each one on the tree. They didn't even fight over who hung what. It was magical!!

I sing, I sing
From morn till night
From cares I'm free
And my heart is light.

Happy sixth day.

Six Geese a-laying, Five GOLDEN RINGS.....

Okay, well, our anonymous 12 days of Christmas giver is keeping it going.  I can only assume thatthis is the doing of my next-door neighbors.  On Saturday morning, Coen was up at 6:00, excited to watch his Eyewitness Sharks video that his daddy got him at the library.  After Lucy got up at 7:00, we all watched Frosty the Snowman.  I stood up to put away the DVD and happened to look out the window.  There, on the porch, was package number four.  I pointed it out to Coen and he ran to the door to retrieve it.

It was a small basket with four little bird whistles. Two of them were beautiful, Mexican looking ceramic.   And the other two were plastic birds that whistle like a garden warbler when you fill the bottom part with water.  The kids were going crazy blowing their bird whistles around the house for the next 1/2 hour.

We were very lucky to get to drop Coen and Lucy off at my parents' Saturday afternoon for an overnight date night.  We went to Tad's cousin's wedding.  In between the ceremony and reception, we got some Christmas shopping done (and some coffee).
Sunday morning, we slept in (yay) and got up to wrap the kids' presents while they were out of the house.  When my parents arrived with them, Coen found basket number five on the doorstep.  It was five red cloth napkins with..... FIVE GOLDEN RINGS...around them.

I told my parents the story of our gifts and soon my sister and family showed up and we all decorated sugar cookies and listened to The Little Drummer Boy on record.

This week I'll be making my cookies and will bring a big container next door!

Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

I have received many a kindness since we started this year of simple living.  Honestly, I have received many a kindness in my life in general...  I had my anonymous gift card donor... who gave me the gifts of a dinner out at Chipotle with my family when I was DESPERATE not to cook dinner, a gift card to Noodles which provided for two lunches on days when I forgot to pack a lunch, and best of all the opportunity to go out to the Cheesecake factory with my girlfriends and have a delicious and fun night out.  Thank you anonymous donor! Now I know who you are, due to my super sleuth skills :)  But you know that!

Now, two days ago, I went outside to load up the car and there was a basket outside my door.  I brought it in to look at it. It was full of pears surrounding a tiny little snowy tree upon which hung little pictures.. After closer inspection I looked at the pictures and finally realized that it was photos of the Partridge family.  The pears were ripe and lovely and there were two pear shaped candles as well!

Yesterday, I went outside and there was another basket!  This one had two turtles carved out of stone and two Dove chocolate bars... catching on yet? 

Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!!!  I figure it must be my next door neighbors. They are incredible people. They have eight children, all grown...  (gosh, it could be nine...I might be wrong!) and they always leave little gifts for our kids birthdays and other holidays.  She is a very crafty woman so even before I caught on to the theme, I realized that it must be from her... because of the tree. 

So today, I went outside and there was a basket with three Cornish game hens with little French flags stuck around them.  Next to that was a big basket with chicken broth, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, and rolls!  This is the most creative and generous and amazingly kind gift.  They are giving us the the 12 days of Christmas! I am awestruck and humbled by this.

I know they are doing this in the spirit of kindness, not for retribution, but I am already thinking of how I can do so....

Driving in to work today, I felt very warm and happy.  That there are people in the world who take that much time and effort and thought....on just a gift for their neighbors....that makes me know that it is a wonderful world we live in.

Take a deep breath

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed... 

I have gifts to make, cookies to bake, cards to send and a dress to mend (it rhymes AND its true!)

But I am taking a deep breath.  Take one with me.

In................          Out..............        In....................    Out.................

Good job.

I love the holidays.  And no one is going to die if they don't get to eat one of my pinwheel cookies or if my dad's gift arrives on January 15th instead of December 15th because I screwed up on the ordering (sorry Dad). 

Just enjoy yourself. What gets done will get done.  Enjoy the twinkly lights. And the snow! (I know it takes million years longer to get out the door in the morning for those of you who have kids, but it sure makes them happy).  Have some hot chocolate, or coffee. Dip in a candy cane or a latke.  (well that might be gross). 

Take another few deep breaths.  Enjoy it. 

Love,
Alie

I've been dreaming of a thrifty christmas



Me and my homemade shirt

 So I've been trying to work on a lot of handmade stuff this year to give as presents. I made superhero capes for both my kids and my nephew. The rest of the stuff I can't say becasue I assume that if no one else is reading my blog, my parents are because that is the cool thing about parents. They read your blog and they notice your bruises and they listen to your stories about the stuff your kids say... and so there fore I will not disclose the other items of hand made origins!  Hi Mom and Dad!

But yesterday, having some scrap fabric and leftover iron-on letters, I looked into my little notebook that I keep with me at all times for ideas, thoughts, doodles, and the like.  I found this little doodle I did of a wierd little plant with the words next to it "and and and and and"  I only had enough iron-on letters for 3 'ands' but I thought, since I had this plain blue shirt I was doing nothing with and time alone with my sewing machine, I'd make myself a little present.

Voilla! There's my new shirt.  The only sad thing is that I was expecting to come to work today and have all these people say "Wow, what a wierd shirt! Where did you get it?" and I would smile gleefully and say proudly "I MADE it!"  Yeah, that didn't happen.  No one said a thing.  Although my coworker Ben did give it a once over glance, so I jumped on it! "Do you like my shirt!!" I said, "I made it!"  "And and and..." Ben said. 

Well, I will wear it again.  Perhaps to another arena.  Maybe I'll make some more after this holiday season is over and I'm done knitting and sewing and cutting and pasting presents for my family.

Winter Wendall

Tad and I are attempting to give our children a nature-filled Solstice-focused holiday season.  In this vain, Tad invented Winter Wendall when Coen was a baby.  Winter Wendall is a winter wizard who has a long white beard and a crooked nose and lives in the forest in a huge old hollow tree.  He comes in early December (on St. Nick's schedule) and delivers presents and candy to the kids' stockings. 

He came this year along with the season's first snowfall and it was lovely.

Coen got a star wars toy and reader book.  Lucy got a Hello Kitty coloring book and a wooden pizza for her kitchen set.  Both got fairy food, peppermints and lollipops. 

Tad received a bottle of Sprecher Ginger Ale, a Mississippi Mud bar from the Public Market and a music magazine.  I received a knit hat, a bag of my favorite candy and a sewing magazine.

We celebrated by letting the kids eat candy in the morning after breakfast and then going outside to play in the freshly fallen snow.  Then we watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special and put up our Solstice tree.

Happy Winter Wendall, everyone!

The outcome of the dentist debacle

Debacle is a weird word isn't it?  It could be some Italian dessert.  Debacle with vanilla cream sauce.   Or chocolate cake with debacle ganache.  Or some kind of fancy eyeglass.  Hold on, let me get my debacle before I read that document.  Or you could just say it a bunch of times in a row until it no longer makes sense.  debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle debacle
debacle
debacle
debacle

Anyway...yes, my dentist debacle. Remember that?  How they denied my appeal and how mad I was in that cartoon picture I drew of myself?

Well, let me tell you. That after I had my appeal denied I called an advocacy agency and they said they would take the matter up.  They too were denied.  What?! Even the experts!

So I wrote a very pleasant and unscathing letter to the dentists office, explaining the situation and asking, very kindly, if they might be willing to remove this fee from my record OR at least help me with part of it, since they were indeed the ones who peer pressured---well, hygienist pressured me into making the six-month appointment AND then giving me a six-month appointment two days before the actual six months. 

And guess what?!! The dentist office called me last week Wednesday (and I do apologize for having forgotten to tell you.) and said that they received my letter and would be more than happy to take that particular bill off my record!  Isn't that nice? 

I tell ya, a little advocacy goes a long way!