Project Runway All Stars

     I've missed the past few seasons of Runway.  I have missed it so.  I was excited to see some of the All Stars...but I have to say that it is just not the same without Tim, Heidi and the crew of judges.  I guess I'll just have to make it work...

Words With Friends Extravaganza

     Here and there I throw out a word and if I'm lucky someone plays one back.  Tonight I was kind of pooped.  So I put on some pjs and some horrible tv and played Words.  I have seven games going and people were actually playing back so it ended up being a great little brain exercise.  I broke some records and even won a game or two!  Now if you'll excuse me...I need to cool my brain and allow the smoke from my ears to clear. 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

     See that...a little green in the eye does indeed mean superior intelligence....;)

"Jimmy Fallon Style" Thank You Notes

     We love Jimmy at our house.  So today to break up a tricky little thing to reinforce with children...I made it a little extra goofy.  It is time to be grateful for all of the money, time and effort spent on them this holiday season.  It is time to say thanks.  So we busted out our thank you cards and added a little something special.  Emily took a seat at the new keyboard and Ethan put on his best Jimmy Fallon impression complete with pen wind up and funny tone.  I wrote the actual cards as he pretended to...just like the big guy himself.  SO if you should get a thank you card in the near future and it seems a big odd now you know why! Thanks Jimmy for the millions of laughs and for making a "chore" seem downright fun!

Ethan's 50's Themed 6th Birthday Party

     I try to match up the Halloween costumes to the birthday party that follows just a short few months later.  It has made for some cool themes.  This one might not have been the typical kiddie party...but that was just fine with us. 

   We had stations like:
--At the Hop Dog
--Slurp's Up (drinks included Shirley Temples)
--Cake, Rattle and Roll (record shaped banana and nutella cake)
--Burger Bar (3 types of burger, 3 types of cheese and toppings)
--Whole Lotta Shakin' (shakes and root beer floats)

There were cupcakes that looked like tv dinners, decorations complete with dangling 45's and jukeboxes and menus for our diner for the day, "Ethan's Eats". 

We even had a hostess with a poodle skirt, little plastic baskets to hold our food and music right from the era.  So maybe none of the attending party goers were around for the 50's (except Pop of course) but for a few hours we sure all got to feel what it must've been like!!!

Toast the New Year with Apple Cider and my Kids

     No crazy party.  No crowded streets of drunkenness.  No expensive champagne.  Just a bottle of sparkling apple cider and a little ball drop on television.  Oh, there were a few poppers and there might have even been a little naked boy running in circles and declaring that he made it to midnight...

     And I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

Karma Support

     Almost to the day a year ago...I heard the same news but for someone else.  Three days to live.  Lung cancer.  When the universe needs you to learn lessons as completely as you need to it makes sure it works overtime.  So there we were driving to rush to the side of a cherished man as he lived his last few moments on our great big spinning planet.  This time instead of making the hard decisions...I held the hands of the others that had to.  Instead of gathering a collection of friends and family that needed to say goodbye...I hugged the people that needed some strength.  Instead of holding up my courage to get through moments of hell...I laughed out loud at stories of hilarity that brought peace to the distraught.  I hugged.  I encouraged.  I prayed. 
     Almost to the day a year ago...I was the one being held together by the loved ones that surrounded us.  Those that brought us food, coffee, solace, and love.  Today, I had the tools, wisdom and love to return the favor to the world.