Tag Archives: holidays
Making a list, checking it twice
Every year I make a list tracking the gifts I’ve procured for Christmas so far. On the list appear my husband, kids, mom & dad, youngest sister, sister’s kids, sister’s husband, in-laws, nephews, and a few others. Tonight I jotted a few notes down after a mad trip to Target on the Saturday before the …
The tender, terrible, two-year-old blues
Sample of real life conversation between my kids: Five year old: “Don’t point that at me!” Pretend shooting noises from my two-year-old. Five year old: “Stop it!” More shooting. Five year old: “Stop it! I’m tired of these Lego gun games!” Two year old: “Stop it! Five year old: “Stop copying me! These are my …
What makes a hero?
What makes someone a hero? On this Memorial Day, I am thinking about those who have fallen in the name of freedom, and considering what makes someone a hero. According to the dictionary, a hero is: “A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” “A person who, in …
Una Feliz Navidad
It’s Christmas Eve. The candles glow softly and create a gentle shadowlight on the wall. Pandora streams holiday music, and we listen to Eartha Kitt sweet talk Santa. The children aren’t yet sleeping with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. The eldest is watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and the youngest is somewhere behind closed doors with his …
The 12 Casualties of Christmas
1. Ball ornaments. This one’s obvious. Who can get through the season without one of those shiny, delicate ball ornaments smashing into teeny pieces? You can buy “shatterproof” ball ornaments now, but evidently we don’t have any. 2. Wine glasses. Actually, I haven’t broken any glasses in a long time, but for some reason whenever we have …
#Reverb11 Gratitude
What five things are you most grateful for from 2011? MY FAMILY My husband and boys are energetic and loving, funny and inspiring. They warm my heart and hold my hands. They challenge me: Yesterday Miles asked me if we could celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. And they make me laugh: this morning, my eldest son …
A few curios for the Christmas tree
The boxes are cool and dusty, having been stored rather unceremoniously in the basement for the past eleven months. I bring them upstairs and sneeze. They are filled with tissue paper, fake cedar greens, old candy canes, and memories. As a child, tree trimming night was a big deal. My mom sorted and spread out …
Stop! Don’t touch that dial.
I’m listening to Easy Listening on the radio these days. Oh dear. Has it really come to this? I’m not even 40! You bet it has. Easy Listening on Portland’s Charlie FM 97.1 is playing nothing but holiday music until the end of the calendar year. So for the next 30 days, I’ll say goodbye to …
A day for gratitude
I remember. I remember hosting Thanksgiving for the first time by myself, surrounded by friends. We were enthusiastic, yet unable to reach consensus when it came to how to prepare and cook the turkey. At an impasse, we each dialed our own mothers for advice. One friend called 1-800-Butterball. We listened. We learned. We shared. …
these monday moments
I am feeling anxious. I have so much to do! At home. At work. At home. How can it possibly be the 21st of November? Aaahhhh! I am feeling rushed. Although I got up at the relatively (for me) decent hour of 6:45 am, the morning did not go smoothly. Last night was my eldest’s …
