I once had a friend call me an M&M. "You have a hard shell but you are soft & sweet on the inside."
Cute, huh? She and I went through a lot together right off the bat. We met, fell in love, dealt with a crazy friend, stuck together through it and came out the other side in an actual friendship. And I do truly enjoy her and love her to death.

You should join Freecycle. I unloaded gobs of crap from my basement storage room this week. Good crap. But crap we didn't want and wouldn't throw away. Love Freecycle. And love having space for more crap. New crap that I will love as much as I loved the old crap at first.

Today I was eating marinated mushrooms, roasted garlic and mozzarella balls. Leftovers from the party. Then, I went into the living room to talk to Abby. She walked right up to my face, took a deep breath and said "Whattayoo stink like? I want some."
How freakin' cute is she? My girl loves good food. No chicken nuggets in this house. Unless I hand bread and fry them, that is.
And she ate the mozz... not a fan of mushrooms ("they slimy, mama") and I didn't offer her whole garlic. But she loved the mozz.
One night, I was in a rush and made a frozen pizza. That kid looked at me and said "I do not like Pizza. I want steak, mom." I said "Abs, most kids love pizza. Could eat pizza every day. Mommy doesn't have any steak to cook nor do we have time to cook it." She thought about this and responded with "There's steak at the store, mommy. I'll go with you."
Nice, huh? She was willing to keep my company while I went out to buy her a steak.
She did eat the pizza that night. She is pretty easy as far as understanding reason and doing as she's told (most of the time). And we did go to the store the next day and I probably did make her steak. Why not? I don't want a chicken nugget/buttery pasta eater. I like that she likes good food. So do we.

For Thanksgiving I am making "Sweet Potato Mallow", Brocolli, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie and Cheesecake. I wanted to dress up the Pumpkin Pie a little but my mom is a crazy old woman who doesn't like her menu F'd with.

Each year both sides of our families try to think of a way to "gift" each other without spending a lot of money and capturing the Christmas Spirit.
We have done the Picture Swap (wrap a framed picture of yourself, swap it and walk away with framed pic of a loved one); Handmade Gifts (most of us hated this one); Chinese Grab Bag (we all wound up with wine - go figure) and last year we did this REALLY GREAT thing where we drew names and had to present that person with a little "ode" to them, why we love them etc... and include something for them to walk away with. I got my father-in-law and talked about what an excellent role model he was for my husband and a loving Papa to my kids etc etc and framed a small collage of pics with my little speech. I loved that. And I loved the one my husband's aunt did for me. She wrote me a poem and framed it with little scrap-booky charms and glitter and stuff. Very cute.
Don't ask why we're not doing that again, I really want to! But everyone else wants to think of something new. What's wrong with doing stuff we like, why are we always trying to TOP everything else?!
Anyway - I am on the hunt for something that my husband's side will be satisfied with and that my side will actually do... (that won't happen, I'll just buy gifts.)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
xoxoxo

I love picking out my kids' Christmas jammies. How cute is it when they go to sleep in their special jammies and wake up for Christmas morning, all squooshy-faced and happy - and wearing matching jammies?! I can't wait to find just the right ones.
And this year, if I can find them, I will get Jay and I matching jammie-pants. And by matching, I meant to match the kids... I already buy US matching jammie pants each year. :)

I am putting away all the Fall Decor... I put it up in late September, then I add a few Halloween-y things, then I take those down and leave up the Fall stuff till Thanksgiving. Usually.
But, we had that big party on Saturday night (it went splendidly) and on Sunday I was very tired and cozy, so I started plucking things from around the house and before you knew it, all the Fall stuff was on my dinding room table.
So - I am going ot put it away now.
Yeah. That's why I'm blogging. Procrastinator that I am.

I did a good "Post-Holiday-Shop" last year - got lots of wrapping paper, bags, bows and ribbons. I forgot I did that so finding it today was a major score. I still need to buy cards, tape and "Santa Paper" but I feel good.

Jay is gone for just one night this week. That's good. I miss him when he goes, but he's home a lot when he's not traveling... Let me explain that better.
In the old job, Jay would kiss Liz goodbye each morning, go to work, earn a good living and come home for dinner.
Every day, I knew he was leaving and when he was coming back. I liked that.
I always had dinner ready and we always maintained a very good routine.
Now - he travels a few days a week. So, I am adjusting to not having him home for dinner and not realxing with him each evening. That was a fairly easy adjustment (can I get an amen?) but the harder part is the "not traveling" part. Because he is home, but he is working. So, he's in my way but I can't ask him to move. That's the long and short of it.
Don't misunderstand - I love having his body in our house all day - even for several days in a row. But it is not my "routine" and I am still adjusting to that.
I know, I know - he's working hard, it's not easy being at a new job, he's stressed, he's doing his best and come on - I don't have to "work", right? Believe me, I don't take any of this for granted... we are just getting used to this new thing.

Thursday is "Genksgivin". (That's how Abby says it, in case you couldn't figure that one out.) I cannot wait. I am making a few dishes this year, in addition to pies. And we will be driving the new car to my parents' house which means I can stare out the window and not curse at the traffic. I love Thanksgiving. Then, Friday we can go get our Christmas tree!!!

Listen to this menu:
Chicken Nuggets (Handmade, no Weaver bullshit.)
Mozzarella Sticks
Stuffed Mushrooms (Garlic-Haters be warned, these babies are chock-full.)
Salmon & Spinach stuffed Pastry Bites (Handmade, as well, as is the honey mustard to dip in.)
Warm Brie wrapped in crescent rolls with raspberry jam.
Blue cheese and Apples wrapped in Bacon.
Supressata, Provolone and garlic-stuffed Olives.
Wings (Yeah, this is where Weaver wins.)
and of course, Pigs-in-a-Blanket.

Sounds pretty good, eh? I throw a good fucking party.

Today I had so much on my mind to Blog about, and now I am procrastinating and can't remember what I was going to say...

Being a mom can be very hard.
Today I took my kids to the pediatrician. Wyatt, because I decided he needed an allergy test. He has very bad eczema, pukes a lot and has tracheomalacia which has never bothered me (or him) on it's own, but coupled with the other 2 things and that he doesn't seem to be outgrowing any of it, I decided it was time.
So - that means that the little guy had to have blood drawn. A big needle inserted into his arm and left their, moved around a bit to jostle the blood out, and then pulled back out. Then, done again, in the other arm, because that first arm stopped giving blood and better to keep him crying than to have to bring him back and make him cry again.
So - hopefully this test, as high level as it is, will point us towards something that is bothering my little guy so we can cut it out of his life and make him happier. :)
Abby - she has not been letting me clean her right ear. No biggie, I just chalked it up to the fact that it's annoying but I asked the doc to check it out, just in case.
Sure enough - there's something lodged in there. So - when I was cleaning it I was pushing whatever that thing is deeper into her ear and causing her pain.
"That thing" could be a Barbie shoe, for all I know. Or (and I suspect this is it) it's a huge glob of wax that I pushed too deep when I was cleaning her ears.
See, my kids have wicked gross ears. Wyatt has never had an ear ache or infection, Abby has only ever had one. But the wax that I pull out of these kids' ears is leg-en-dary.
Anyway - she is going to an ENT tomorrow and I am looking forward to having a conversation about the kids' ears.
Anyway, before we decided she had to go to the ENT, Dr. R tried to remove the "foreign object" in the office. Abby cried. Hard. It broke my heart. And I could only hold her hand because I was also holding Wyatt. It was awful.
Fortunately, Abby recovers quickly with mention of lollipops, so she's over it now.
Man.
That was a tough morning.
Seeing your kids hurt is, by far, the most painful thing you will ever feel. And, from what I hear, that never goes away.

Let's lighten the topic, a bit, albeit not much - because I want to discuss something that can be a very touchy subject to some.
Christmas/Holiday cards.

Each year, I truly look forward to choosing the cards that we will send. Our list is long and as much as I try to whittle it down each year, I just can't. Some people on the list are people that we only talk to through Christmas cards. But that doesn't make them any less meaningful to me, I care about them, our lives are just busy.
So, each year I choose the cards we will send. Since we had kids we started including a picture of the kid(s), too. I tossed around the idea of doing a "Christmas Letter", too, but decided I didn't have much to say - most of the people who care about what I would write already know it all. So, I write out the cards, pop a picture in, lick it and write out the address. We print our own return-address labels, too, because the ones you get for free never spell our name right and why pay for them!?
Anyhoo - each year, Jay and I settle in together at the dining room table and go through the ritual. We add people, we take away people and we leave a few blank cards for the people that we will feel badly for forgetting once we receive their card.
And we receive a lot of cards, too. I honestly don't know if we send a lot because we receive a lot or if we receive a lot because we send a lot. We've been doing cards together since before we were married so it's too many seasons of giving and receiving to keep track.
When I receive a card, I love to see the pictures that people send. I save them all. I have every single picture of every single kid and I like to look at how they've grown over the years. (Sorry, I don't save the pics of the cats - lol).
So - here's the touchy part - do you write out your own card? Do you print address labels? Do you buy the pre-printed picture cards? Do you buy the pre-printed cards and stuff them into pre-printed envelopes? Where do you draw the line? When do you say "I don't enjoy this, I just do it cuz I have to and I will do it with as little effort as possible because this list of people are not worth my time anyway."
Don't get me wrong, I love the pictures.
I just wonder if the people even know they sent us one sometimes. Or did the computer just spit me out and they just stuffed the envelope, with no thought or consideration as to who is receiving what...
I enjoy the tradition of writing out our cards together because we laugh and chat and reflect on our list, on our previous holidays and on what we write or draw or think about with each card... and I just wonder if that is odd. Am I the only one? I don't view it as a chore, I love it. It's another fun part of the whole season...
So - when I get those pre-printed envelopes with pre-printed cards, I still hang them up and I still save the picture. But I don't always send a card back... because I don't think that person will notice one way or the other.

I had my first Eggnog Latte of the season today. And, fittingly, I had it at the Mall, with my husband and children. I believe the first Christmas Coffee of the season should be enjoyed whilst Shopping. And I know very few people who enjoy The Mall as much as I do. Buckland is, by far, the Worst mall in the world. I didn't even buy anything. But it's still a mall. Love the smell, the early Christmas decorations and the Sbarro pizza.

Did you start thinking about Christmas Cards yet?

Thanksgiving.
A time to Give Thanks.
I wrote this letter to the pastor of our church this morning and thought it was worth sharing with my friends, too:

I wanted to thank you for your message in the November newsletter. I love reading the monthly letter, it keeps me caught up even with my absence from regular sunday services. And feeling like a part of the church is important to me.

This month, specifically, I loved your message because Thanksgiving is, by far, my favorite holiday.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be with friends and family at the most beautiful time of year. I love the long drive to NY, talking with my husband, listening to Christmas music, hearing my kids chirping (talking non-stop, really) in the back seat.
I look at the trees this time of year and thank God for the beauty he has shown us as they change from green to orange, yellow or red and then brown. And then I thank Him for giving them the strength to stand through the winter, barren, but with hope for a green, beautiful spring.
My mother hosts Thanksgiving and everyone is in such good spirits, happy to be together with nothing to do but eat, drink and enjoy each other. I love that day with my family.

I look at my children, daily, and I thank Him for their health, for their happiness, for the beautiful, warm home that they live in, for the dedicated husband that works so hard at the job that God has provided for him and for our health and our ability to enjoy each day with our family.

I know that I am not perfect, by any stretch, but I take the good with the bad and I try to stay positive. I thank God for my daily blessings and I lean on Him and take comfort in my faith when things are not so good.
I never shove my religion down anyone's throat, but I do my part in sharing the peace that it gives me, I hope that being open and honest about how much loving God brings me peace and security that someone who is not so "in tune" might consider it, maybe reach out... I believe that is what I am "supposed" to do as it suits my personality and doesn't scare anyone off.

So, thank you, Pastor. All of this comes from your November newsletter, it was good timing, it made me take inventory of myself and remind myself of my blessings and remind me to share my thankfulness. (Maybe I will cut and paste this onto my Blog!!)

With thanks & love,
Liz

Went on a date with my husband last night.
Let me let you into this private little underworld we call "romance"... no one does it better than my husband.
He cleaned up the kitchen and waited downstairs for me while I got ready. When the babysitter (aka - Stina, Jay's cousin and Abby's bff) arrived, he called up to see if I was ready - not bugging, just alerting to the fact that the sitter had arrived, therefore free time had arrived and getting out of the house quickly and enjoying every last drop of that free time is very important to me.
I came down - decked out in full cleavage, tight jeans, high boots and lipstick. And even though I do think the red lipstick was a bit much, he still made a face that said we could have skipped "going out" entirely. And I appreciate that in my man. 10 years and 2 kids later, I still make his head turn.
We kissed Abby goodbye, who could not have cared less about us leaving now that Stina had arrived.

Through dinner, we had a lovely discussion - we talked about the election, and politics in general; the school system in town, taxes, work, our house... all things "adult", not a thing about our kids. Sure, we digressed to a quick story here or there because our kids are ridiculously cute... but the point is, this stay-at-home-mama had an adult conversation with her husband - without interruption or explanation of why someone could not fly or eat candy before breakfast.
Grown up time is important.

Now, for the really important part-
Jay had Crab Bisque, House Salad and a Kansas City Strip.
I had Shrimp Cocktail, Blue Cheese Wedge and Filet Mignon.

Folks - if you respect a good piece of beef - look no further than J. Gilbert's in Glastonbury, CT. You may wait longer than you'll appreciate (relax, have a drink in the over-crowded bar) and you may pay more than you'll anticipate (it's worth it when you only go out a few times a year!) but it is the only place in the area worth ordering steak of any cut.

The desserts are also good, but don't expect to have room. Wyatt and I just polished off my Pumpkin Cheesecake over a cup of coffee... we loved it. Abby was not impressed. She's a chocolate fan, though, so I am not surprised.

Tonight we have our Quarterly Meeting. Some new members joining us this time around, but they're grandfathered. More on that another day...

I don't think I have ever cried about Election Results.
I don't think I have ever felt so proud to be an American.

I will have to take another picture of my Dining room. (I told you I make a project out of everything.) I think I may need more than a Buffet Table. I actually may need a Buffet, a Sideboard and a Corner Piece.
Yes. A $200 purchase just jumped to at least $500. If not more. I'm pretty cheap, though, so I could get it done for $500, plus shipping of course.
If I go for the 3 pieces, though, it cancels my need to move that shelf that I was whining about, and negates the need for a mirror - and you know what I found? Mirrors are at least $100 for a decent one, decent size, with a frame... ridic.
Anyhoo...

Today I voted.
Did you vote?
I am proud of my vote. Proud that I showed my children what it is to vote for the President of the United States. And as it is right now, it looks like my choices are KICKING ASS.

Saw the old ladies today.
Took the kids to Danbury hospital to see "Mama's Gramma", as Abby was referring to her great-grandmother. She looked very old and repeated herself a lot.
My gramma was married to my grampa for over 60 years and she is turning 90 this year. My grampa died almost 4 years ago - it was Spring Training, just before I got pregnant with Abby. My point is - my gramma has been all alone, for the first time in her life - her VERY LONG life - these past 4 years. And she got old very quickly.
Sometimes old people die when their spouses die. I think I thought that would happen to my gm. I'm not wishing her dead, obviously, but her last 4 years have been lonely and confusing and scary - and while she has clearly been trying to be independent and brave, I don't care what she says - it could not have been easy or fun. And she's a Bagen. So showing weakness is not an option - God Forbid.

Then we went down to Waterview Hills to see my great-aunt, Law Law. Or, Auntie Eleanor as she is called by most. She is all but completely deaf. I write her notes and she yells answers to me. You should have seen her face when I walked in with my 2 kids. Man - you woulda thought that Jesus Christ came in behind me. She loves the babies. LOVES the babies.
She was so happy to see us, so cute and smiley and blowing kisses to Wyatt and waving and just so friggin' happy.
It's weird - but it's like she's happy to be in the Nursing Home. She's cared for, content, visited and loved. She has no worries - she just "is".
And I say good for her. She is in her late 80's. Never married. And if she lives another year or 10, I think I agree with my aunt, she is a happy woman, in a good place.

We love Tono and Belle. After we saw the old ladies, we headed to Dutchess for some "cousin-friends" and pizza. We had a wonderful visit. My bff came with her baby, Ben, who is my Wyatt's bff and my Abby's future husband.
Sami, Leen and Abby sat at the table for pizza. So Wyatt decided he would, too. My 1 year old boy sitting at the table, eating pizza and drinking from a juice box like he's been doing it for years. And aside from a minor choking incident (a bite of apple went down the wrong pipe, no big whoop), he really did it like he has been eating pizza and kabitzing with the "big kids" for years. Hysterical. I will post pictures another day. I don't do the uploading around here.
We put Ben in the tub with Abs and Wy. That was cute - for about 30 seconds. Ben is a little too small for that giant tubby with my 2 maniacs. We did get some cute naked pictures, though!
I have a good "network". Two sisters and a best friend - that's a nice support system and sounding board.

I don't think I am making sense anymore. I am unbelievably tired. Today was busy. Did I mention that the Hospital, Nursing Home and Sister's House are all in NY - so in addition to the 100 miles to my sister's house, there is the additional driving in between all the visits. It's a lot. But, You gotta visit the old ladies, and you can't make it an entirely boring trip for the babies. So, I have to go to sleep. More tomorrow!

Congratulations on completing your First Day in your new Career, honey!!
I am so energized FOR - and so proud OF - you!!
Goodnight ~ xoxo

I love this time of year. It gets dark earlier so our families are nestled into our homes just a little earlier. The heat is on or the fire is crackling so the smell is just a little homier. The crockpot is cooking so the dinner is just a little tastier.
If you're like me, the occasional - not quite yet constant - holiday music makes the house just a little cheerier. The leaves are still crackling under our feet, we're not quite slipping on the ice and snow yet. We can see our breath in the air while we feel the warm sun on our faces. We're not hot and sweating but we're not cursing messy slush yet, either.

Yeah, this is definitely my favorite time of year. I feel more patient, more forgiving, more loving, more charitable, more blessed, more content and I just feel a real peace in my heart. I try to feel this all through the year. And I do, for the most part, but not to the same degree and not with the same ease.

So, my friends, may God bless you with the same happiness that glows around my home - that wish is the greatest gift I can offer this season.