Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!


Before my mom moved to Louisiana, every year we would take the girls to the circus the night before Thanksgiving.  Sinobia doesn't remember this annual event, because she was only 4 when her Nana moved away.  Gabby, our circus lover, fondly remembers theses days and missed them terribly.

This year, I bought tickets to the circus for the girls.  Eric opted out of this exciting event (smart man/lucky man), so it was just us girls.


Half way through the show, I realized that this was an event that I had not really missed all that much, but I could tell that the girls were loving every minute of it (except for the elephant smell)!  I mostly missed my mom taking part in this event with us.  She would be all smiles, spoiling the girls with cotton candy and light-up twirly toys, enjoying their excitement more than the circus itself.



I'm not sure if this is a tradition that we will uphold every year...maybe every 5 or 10 years:)



Here's to love, family, traditions, fond memories and the circus.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

A Good Day:)


This weekend, Gabby was in a really cute show at the Actors Gymnasium called The Heart Tree. Because of her busy schedule, time did not allow her to actively participate the way she wanted to, so it was a different kind of role for her...but she rocked it (of course, I liked it because my kid was in it)!


What was even better than the show (for me at least) was the fact that the theater across the hall was having a show too.  When they have shows, they have a concession stand right outside of the Actors Gymnasium doors, and you get to purchase the goodies too.

Well, guess what I found on the concession stand last night?



CANDY CIGARETTES!

As you may remember from the summer, this is a "blast from the past" for me...a fond childhood memory.  The girls were super embarrassed that I bought 8 packs.  I probably would have bought the whole display if I had enough cash on me.  Cigarettes and a show! Aahh... what a good day:)

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Happy Halloween!


I've never really been a great fan of Halloween.  It may be because my mom was not the stitch and sew kind of mom, so I never had any great homemade costumes to parade around in.  My parents were all about going to Woolworth's and picking out one of the boxed costumes that were made out of plastic, so you would sweat all day in it.  I was constantly the kid in the lame costume, so I gave up on Halloween early in life.

My dad always insisted that Halloween was the biggest money making holiday, next to Christmas.  I never believed him...who cares that much about Halloween?  Well, it turns out that he was right, people spend the second largest amount of money on Halloween after Christmas.  Have you been in one of those Halloween stores? There are $50+ costumes and decorations galore!  Do you have neighbors who have the giant inflatable pumpkin, spider webs and pumpkins all over their yard?  I guess a lot of people care about Halloween.

It seems odd that I teach little children, yet Halloween is my least favorite holiday.  Every year I wake up with a headache and dread the costume changing, the parades, parties, candy, trick-or-treating and sugar hang-overs the next day.  Ugh...it all drives me crazy!

This year I had a new approach to this over-rated holiday, I embraced the holiday and joined in the fun.  I actively put together a costume (with enthusiasm).  My girls kept reminding me, "Mom, you hate Halloween" as I joyfully put together my costume over the weekend.  I bought Halloween candy instead of stickers, toys or tooth brushes for trick-or-treaters, I woke up without a headache and enjoyed the day.

I started to get a little irritated by 7:15pm when the teenagers were still ringing my doorbell, but greeted them with a smile and then shouted "enough of Halloween!" once the door was closed.

It's 8:17 pm, the neighborhood is quiet and there is still candy left over in our trick-or-treat bowl (to be stashed for mom snacking and lunch treats).  My costume has been dis-assembled and I am in my "mom pants" and sweatshirt.  Ahhh...Happy Halloween!