7qt / but it WAS merry! VERY!

1. 

Anyone else feel like they can recite How the Grinch Stole Christmas in their sleep by now?

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other it came just the same!

There's a space in my head that formerly housed memorized bits of Macbeth and Hamlet. Then the Whos moved in.

2. 

We hosted company for dinner twice this week, both on weeknights. That meant grocery shopping, house cleaning and dinner making with the boys underfoot. One dinner went better than the other (as in, one was a total success and one had me banging a head against a wall in self-inflicted failure). I did give my self a good-job-mom high five for letting this happen during one grocery trip:

They did a surprisingly awesome job navigating through the mercifully not-crowded Trader Joe's. Then again, they knew the stop was for their beloved gfree mac-n-cheese, so that might explain their exemplary behavior.

3. 

With little shame I admit that my boys watch PBS Kids shows each morning--the Curious George, SuperWhy, Dinosaur Train cocktail. In the afternoons, Joe's favors Sid the Science Kid. A month ago the shows start airing these "holiday specials" wherein the main characters celebrate some version of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. The dialogue goes something like this: "At my house, we celebrate Hanukkah with a menorah! We celebrate Kwanzaa by lighting candles! And we celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree and PRESENTS!!!!"

This dumbing-down of a religious event to a secular ornament holder--and then equating that secular ornament holder with two other religious events--makes me want to hurl my Advent tombstone at the TV. I usually console myself by just turning the damn thing off and listening to the dulcet tones of my kids screaming in protest. Whatever. Go sell crazy somewhere else Sid, we're all stocked up here.

4. 

I made a new side salad for Thanksgiving and I believe it would have been described in Bon Appetit as "a bracing new addition to your Thanksgiving menu." Kale, parmesan, dates lemon honey dressing, toasted almonds. It was so good, I can't seem to stop making it.

5. 

Joe, my little pre-reader, carves out little nooks and crannies in this first house of his to sit with his books. I know this is something all kids do, and it's nothing extraordinary. But it touches my heart to see him retreat into the well-worn pages of memory books my Mom's made him or Richard Scary. Always be a reader, Joe.

6. 

An awesome and MOST generous friend (and seminarian) surprised us with a box of his home-brewed beers. Never before have I opened a USPS box, squealed with delight, then rearranged the fridge shelves to make it fit inside.

With six varieties to chose from (and a whole sheet describing the notes and flavors of each kind), my favorite thus far has been the the "Dunkelweizen... This is a popular beer in southern Germany and is the favorite type of beer of Pope Emeritus Benedict.... look for notes of banana bread in the finish." A beer that envelops both the Pope and banana bread? Yes please. If the handwritten notes inside my Christmas card this year slant dramatically or make no sense, you'll know momma got into the Belgian Dubbels ("just like the monks made it. Be careful, this one is about twice the alcohol of the other ones").

I asked this friend if he was really making beer in his dorm room at the major seminary he attends. He said "Yeah, and my rector's fine with it. My room inspections just take a little longer than normal."

7. 

Snow's starting.

I wish a very merry Christmas to all the other mommy bloggers and friends of my Mother who read this little slice of our life. :)

For perhaps the last time this year, I send you back to Jen and the other merry quick takers.