The Nutcracker

Richard and I were able to take Savannah to see The Nutcracker at the Opera House in Boston the day after Christmas. We had amazing seats and it was so wonderful! Savannah really loved it, as did Rich and I.

The Eyes of a Child

Grayson is in preschool and when I picked him up yesterday he informed me that one of his classmates spit at the teacher and got in big trouble. This classmate shares the same first name with another boy in the class. One of them is Grayson's "buddy" (as they call each other) and I couldn't remember who was who. So I asked him what the spitter looked like.

These two boys look very different, mostly in the color of their skin, one being very light and the other very dark. I thought this would be the easiest way to differentiate the two. But Gray's reply was that the spitter was wearing a green shirt and the other boy had short hair.

This was, of course, no help to me seeing as how they both have short hair and most likely both own green shirts. But it opened up my eyes to the fact that he doesn't see color. Through the eyes of a child...

I was doing so good...

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions. I know I should be but I don't. And guess what. I never fail at them. Of course I never succeed either.

So instead of a resolution I made a conscience decision to try to eat a little better. Last night, after a little workout on the Wii Fit (hey, it may not be a gym membership but it's more than I usually do) I wanted a snack. I bypassed the apple pie sitting on the counter and had a delicious clementine. Yum!

Then, just a little while ago I was needing a little mid morning snack. I went right for the carrots and hummus, which I do admit- I love. As I reached my hand in the 3/4 eaten bag I come upon a what I can only think was a moldy carrot. Just one. Ewwww!

You know how carrots usually get that dry, white coating to let you know that there are only a few more days, maybe a week or two till they need to be tossed? Well they didn't have too much of that coating so I felt cheated-they weren't that old! And I had to toss the carrots prematurely.

Then I headed right for my kids' left over Christmas candy. If that's the way healthy food is going to be, then fine. I'll just stick with what I know best- junk food.

It's shelf life is a lot longer.

{Oh yes I did.}

This was a post I started a month ago and it never got quite posted so I'm posting it now in hopes that it will be an encouragement for me to set some new goals for the new year. Eating better being one of them. You'll see why.

At some point during reading this blog post you might find yourself saying "Oh, no she didn't!" Possible even audibly. But the answer is, in fact, "Yes, I did".

I have a very sweet husband who, while at the mall last night, stopped at the Cheesecake Factory to get me a slice of very delicious White Chocolate Rasperry Truffle Cheesecake. We sat around the T.V. while we ate our little treats. I really like to spread the love (with myself) and wanted to save a little for the next day so I ate only half and set aside the rest. My husband (again, remember that he's sweet) gathered it up for me and took it to the kitchen. I assumed he would put it in the refridgerator because he knows me so well and knows how I love my leftovers.

Well, he didn't. He Threw. It. Away! So innocent little me goes to make the kids' lunches in the morning and low and behold what do I find in the trash can? The cheesecake. Gasp!

I was quite taken aback but then (remember what a great husband I have) I realized that was ALL that was in the trash can. He had emptied it out the night before. Before throwing the cheesecake into it. And so I did it. I dug it out of the trash can, put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. And then ate it. And it was dang good!

A video to remind you of the true meaning of the Season

I don't like "firty"

Grayson: Mom, I don't like "firty".
Me: You don't like thirty? Why not?
Grayson: Because it's really really old.

But then he redeemed himself-

Me: Well, I'm thirty, do you think I'm old?
Gray: No.

And then he smiled his cute little smile and all was forgiven. :)

My not-so-living NIGHTMARE!

Most people who know me know that I have one paralyzing fear. And I use "paralyzing" in very literal way.

Mice.

I know that very few people like them, I get that. But I can't move and go into hysterics just at the sight of an empty mouse trap.

Shortly after we moved into our house last year it occurred to me that our back yard borders a pretty large forest area and what do you find in forests? Squirrels and bunnies, yes. And we see plenty of those. But it was the fact that mice might abide there that bothered me.

I called pest control immediately (probably before we had our gas or electricity hooked up). They came and set these super poison trap thingies in the basement and come every couple of months to check on them. I usually ask about it and they usually tell me that there has been some "activity".

"Activity", I now realize, is a very nice way of saying that your house is completely infested. But in almost a year and a half I have seen nothing so I let my little brain assume that the pest controllers are liars and just after our money. But I make sure they keep coming anyway.

And then it happened. Last Tuesday I went to the basement to start some laundry and I saw IT.

A dead mouse. To say I freaked out would be one of the biggest understatements EVER. And it was dead. Had it been alive my heart might have actually stopped between beats. The way I reacted will for sure make my poor 4 year old seek therapy someday. But my husband saved the day by "taking care of it" and checking out the entire basement. Given a choice I would never go down there again but then we'd have to join a nudist colony seeing as how we wouldn't have any clothes.

There have been no other signs thus far but I still won't go to the basement before an intense investigation is performed or without a chaperon. Which reminds me-Richard already left for work and laundry needs to be done. Oh well, maybe tomorrow...