One of my goals was to see all of the nominees for Best Picture at the Oscars before my friend Kerry's annual party. Spoiler alert: I did it this year! It was a good excuse to get out of the house, although I did watch a few at home. I know there was controversy surrounding the Oscar nominees this year, and these films were indeed all very white. I hope Hollywood can find a way to incorporate more minorities and women into their films as leading roles. I never understand why people are always surprised when female fronted movies open well. Hello, women go to movies, too! And so do black people, Hispanics, etc.
I will now step off of my soap box. Here is my brief review of each film, in order from my least favorite to favorite.
8. "Mad Max: Fury Road": What? Why? No.
7. "Bridge of Spies": The acting was good, but what should have been a gripping story was just boring.
6. "The Revenant": Beautiful scenery interspersed with graphic violence. I was engaged, but ugh. I will not be watching this one again.
5. "The Martian": Funny and entertaining, but I am not sure it deserves a Best Picture nomination.
4. "Brooklyn": Very sweet and well acted.
3. "Room": Super intense. I read the book and was still very nervous during pivotal scenes. Brie Larson absolutely deserves Best Actress.
2. "Spotlight": As someone who was raised Catholic, I found this especially hard to watch. It made me incredibly sad all over again. It is really well done, though. I like Michael Keaton, and he is great here. I know some people think Mark Ruffalo could be the upset win for Oscar for this, but I thought he was just okay. I found him distracting. His mannerisms actually pulled me out of the story a bit.
1. "The Big Short": So good. It made me realize I should have been a lot angrier in 2008, and that things still haven't changed. I dragged Ben with me to this one, and he really liked it, too.
And, as so many magazines and entertainment websites like to do:
Should Win: "The Big Short"
Will Win: "Spotlight"
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Ears
Clare had a small surgery on Thursday. She had a tube put in her left ear, as well as an adenoidectomy. The adenoids are tissue located behind the nasal passages. She had that tissue removed. It was done at a same day surgery center, and we were only there for a few hours total. It was still stressful, though. I was with her in the operating room when she went under, which was a little disconcerting to see. I didn't want to go back with her, but I knew she wanted me to. I even got to wear a snazzy jumpsuit and hat and boots.
Clare was a champ. She didn't complain (much) about not being able to eat or drink anything that morning. She willingly changed into her hospital gown and walked back to the operating room. She obediently "blew up the balloon" through the gas mask. And then she went to sleep. When we went to see her in recovery, I could hear her little voice before I saw her. The nurse said Clare informed her that she was in pre-k, NOT preschool, and that she had a little brother at home. Clare was calm. No tears. Her recovery has been great. On Friday, she was bouncing off the walls. You would never have guessed she had surgery the day before.
The reason for all of this is that Clare has hearing loss in her left ear. The ear drum in that ear is retracted, and the swollen adenoids were resting on her eustachian tube. We have been dealing with this for awhile, and it became clear that things were not going to correct on their own. Her doctor is confident that her hearing will be fully restored. Time will tell.
Last week, Clare turned to me and said, "Mommy, I love you more than anything in the world. Even more than JOSIE." High praise. I'll try to keep sweet comments like that in mind when I am wrestling her to the floor to administer her ear drops. You would think those would be easier than eye drops, right? I thought so, too. I was wrong. Despite that, I am proud of how well Clare handled what could have been a pretty scary situation for a little girl.
Clare was a champ. She didn't complain (much) about not being able to eat or drink anything that morning. She willingly changed into her hospital gown and walked back to the operating room. She obediently "blew up the balloon" through the gas mask. And then she went to sleep. When we went to see her in recovery, I could hear her little voice before I saw her. The nurse said Clare informed her that she was in pre-k, NOT preschool, and that she had a little brother at home. Clare was calm. No tears. Her recovery has been great. On Friday, she was bouncing off the walls. You would never have guessed she had surgery the day before.
The reason for all of this is that Clare has hearing loss in her left ear. The ear drum in that ear is retracted, and the swollen adenoids were resting on her eustachian tube. We have been dealing with this for awhile, and it became clear that things were not going to correct on their own. Her doctor is confident that her hearing will be fully restored. Time will tell.
Last week, Clare turned to me and said, "Mommy, I love you more than anything in the world. Even more than JOSIE." High praise. I'll try to keep sweet comments like that in mind when I am wrestling her to the floor to administer her ear drops. You would think those would be easier than eye drops, right? I thought so, too. I was wrong. Despite that, I am proud of how well Clare handled what could have been a pretty scary situation for a little girl.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Bits and Pieces: January
When I was a kid, I actually liked getting pink eye. It was the best! You got to stay home from school and you didn't feel sick at all. Well, now hate is not a strong enough word for how I feel about pink eye. Yes, you guessed it, both kids were infected over the past few weeks. And actually, Christopher did fine with the eye drops. He barely flinched. Clare, on the other hand, acted as though I was sawing off her arm with a dull blade. My mom says it is payback from when I was a kid. Apparently I acted the same way. Conveniently, I don't remember that.
Other than pink eye, January was okay. The first week was spent in Florida, so I can't complain about that. We are now hitting my least favorite part of the year, but I am trying to stay positive. If there is even a hint of sun, or if the temperature is above 15, I am shooing the kids into the backyard. Clare loves the snow. In fact, we were leaving for school a few weeks ago in that frigid cold, and she said "I love winter!" It was negative 10. Christopher is less enthusiastic, but I am hoping he'll like it better next year when he can join Clare at the skating rink. We are going to try sledding next weekend, too. Christopher probably won't like it, but I am going to encourage him to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.
Clare is still enjoying school. We went to the winter carnival last weekend, and she actually rode on a pony. This is huge for Clare, who normally runs away in terror from any animal, except for our decrepit cat (RIP). She still challenging me constantly - if I tell her to do something she has a million reasons why she can't or won't. She is so good at getting under my skin that every piece of advice I've received or tips I've read fly right out of my head in the heat of the moment. I am working on it, though. I am trying really hard to ""engage, don't enrage" and "connect and redirect." Yes, I am reading a book about discipline. My take so far: nothing I do works.
It is not all bad, though, and we have a lot of fun together. Clare has been making valentine's for her family and friends, and she is super into it. She is much more crafty than I am. (She is bringing "Frozen" valentine's to school, because of course.) She has officially given up naps. She still does quiet time, but we usually play a few games in the afternoon while Josie and Christopher are sleeping. My favorite is house, because I am the baby and she puts me to bed. I get to lay on the couch with my eyes closed. She gets mad if I open them. Who am I to argue?
Christopher has a huge vocabulary now, and speaks in multi-word sentences. He is very generous and polite, constantly saying thank you. He also likes to hit, so we are working on putting an end to that. While Clare is at school, he sneaks up to her room to play. (She generally forbids him from entering when she is home.) I let him get away with it because I know he is not hurting anything. He loves music. He nods his head to the beat and frequently requests that we have dance parties at home. He requests several "friends" to accompany him to bed. Currently, he has blankie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Super Grover, tiger, lamb, fox, baby, doggie, school bus, giraffe, space ship, bear, star light, and I think one or two toys more in bed with him. There is barely room for him.
Over the holidays, Christopher discovered that he loves chocolate. Clare is more of an equal opportunity sweets consumer, but Christopher will choose chocolate every time.
Christopher and I have watched a few football games together over the past month. I like his analysis of the game. "Run around! Fall down! Bonk head!" Yep, that about sums it up.
Other than pink eye, January was okay. The first week was spent in Florida, so I can't complain about that. We are now hitting my least favorite part of the year, but I am trying to stay positive. If there is even a hint of sun, or if the temperature is above 15, I am shooing the kids into the backyard. Clare loves the snow. In fact, we were leaving for school a few weeks ago in that frigid cold, and she said "I love winter!" It was negative 10. Christopher is less enthusiastic, but I am hoping he'll like it better next year when he can join Clare at the skating rink. We are going to try sledding next weekend, too. Christopher probably won't like it, but I am going to encourage him to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.
Clare is still enjoying school. We went to the winter carnival last weekend, and she actually rode on a pony. This is huge for Clare, who normally runs away in terror from any animal, except for our decrepit cat (RIP). She still challenging me constantly - if I tell her to do something she has a million reasons why she can't or won't. She is so good at getting under my skin that every piece of advice I've received or tips I've read fly right out of my head in the heat of the moment. I am working on it, though. I am trying really hard to ""engage, don't enrage" and "connect and redirect." Yes, I am reading a book about discipline. My take so far: nothing I do works.
It is not all bad, though, and we have a lot of fun together. Clare has been making valentine's for her family and friends, and she is super into it. She is much more crafty than I am. (She is bringing "Frozen" valentine's to school, because of course.) She has officially given up naps. She still does quiet time, but we usually play a few games in the afternoon while Josie and Christopher are sleeping. My favorite is house, because I am the baby and she puts me to bed. I get to lay on the couch with my eyes closed. She gets mad if I open them. Who am I to argue?
Christopher has a huge vocabulary now, and speaks in multi-word sentences. He is very generous and polite, constantly saying thank you. He also likes to hit, so we are working on putting an end to that. While Clare is at school, he sneaks up to her room to play. (She generally forbids him from entering when she is home.) I let him get away with it because I know he is not hurting anything. He loves music. He nods his head to the beat and frequently requests that we have dance parties at home. He requests several "friends" to accompany him to bed. Currently, he has blankie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Super Grover, tiger, lamb, fox, baby, doggie, school bus, giraffe, space ship, bear, star light, and I think one or two toys more in bed with him. There is barely room for him.
Over the holidays, Christopher discovered that he loves chocolate. Clare is more of an equal opportunity sweets consumer, but Christopher will choose chocolate every time.
Christopher and I have watched a few football games together over the past month. I like his analysis of the game. "Run around! Fall down! Bonk head!" Yep, that about sums it up.
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| Pony rides a the winter carnival! Yes, she is wearing her Christmas dress. |
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| Ready to watch the Packers. They lost, but Christopher and Cookie Monster didn't seem to care. |
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| Snow monsters. |
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| We might be going a little stir crazy. |
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
This Year's Resolutions
I have my 40 x 40 goals, but I am going to make a few specific resolutions for this year as well. If I write down what I want to accomplish, I feel accountable. I don't know who I am accountable to, exactly, but it seems to work.
1. Create a budget. This actually fits in with my 40 x 40 goals, because the budget will include college savings for both kids. We have a vague, general budget for our major expenses, but I want to keep track to the dollar. If I have cash, I tend to lose track of where I spend it.
2. Set stricter screen time limits and stick to them. I let the kids watch a lot of TV over the holidays. A lot. I was so busy getting everything ready for all of my hosting and present duties that I just needed them out of my hair. We developed some bad habits. And before the holidays? Well, I wasn't that great about restricting screen time then, either. My new plan: they get one hour a day. This will most likely work out to one show after lunch and one show while I am making dinner OR the equivalent time using the tablet to play games. I tried this schedule last week, and while there was a lot of initial complaining, we got through it and ended up having fun playing dress up and doing puzzles and putting on puppet shows. (And now that the holidays are over, I have time to facilitate the playing of such games, if I need to.) Of course, there will be exceptions for sick days and below zero days. There have to be exceptions to every rule, right?
And that's it!
1. Create a budget. This actually fits in with my 40 x 40 goals, because the budget will include college savings for both kids. We have a vague, general budget for our major expenses, but I want to keep track to the dollar. If I have cash, I tend to lose track of where I spend it.
2. Set stricter screen time limits and stick to them. I let the kids watch a lot of TV over the holidays. A lot. I was so busy getting everything ready for all of my hosting and present duties that I just needed them out of my hair. We developed some bad habits. And before the holidays? Well, I wasn't that great about restricting screen time then, either. My new plan: they get one hour a day. This will most likely work out to one show after lunch and one show while I am making dinner OR the equivalent time using the tablet to play games. I tried this schedule last week, and while there was a lot of initial complaining, we got through it and ended up having fun playing dress up and doing puzzles and putting on puppet shows. (And now that the holidays are over, I have time to facilitate the playing of such games, if I need to.) Of course, there will be exceptions for sick days and below zero days. There have to be exceptions to every rule, right?
And that's it!
Friday, January 15, 2016
The Sunshine State
We flew to Florida the day after New Year's. My parents rented a house in Fort Myers Beach, and my brother and sister-in-law flew over from England. My sister and brother-in-law and Miss Josie were there as well.
It was wonderful. Clare swam in the pool every day - she is getting braver and braver in the water. We went to the beach. We rented a pontoon and tooled around the back bay. We saw dolphins. We drank lots of wine. We ate Mexican food. We had dueling dinner parties. (Clare won the Eiffel Tower building contest. She used toothpicks and cheese - she is quite the engineer.) We took long walks. We visited Sanibel Island and a wild bird sanctuary. I almost hit a car with our rental minivan, ruining both my brother-in-law and my lunches while we stewed over whether or not I had in fact caused the large scrape on the side of the other vehicle. (Our conclusion: I hadn't.) Christopher was crabby for the first few days. Uncle Gobby's orca impression in the pool snapped him right out of his funk. Uncle Andrew's mermaid impression wasn't bad, either. Ben, Andrew, Robby and Andri visited the Everglades. Some of us saw Star Wars. We watched football. We talked and laughed and had a blast.
I can't wait to go back next year.
It was wonderful. Clare swam in the pool every day - she is getting braver and braver in the water. We went to the beach. We rented a pontoon and tooled around the back bay. We saw dolphins. We drank lots of wine. We ate Mexican food. We had dueling dinner parties. (Clare won the Eiffel Tower building contest. She used toothpicks and cheese - she is quite the engineer.) We took long walks. We visited Sanibel Island and a wild bird sanctuary. I almost hit a car with our rental minivan, ruining both my brother-in-law and my lunches while we stewed over whether or not I had in fact caused the large scrape on the side of the other vehicle. (Our conclusion: I hadn't.) Christopher was crabby for the first few days. Uncle Gobby's orca impression in the pool snapped him right out of his funk. Uncle Andrew's mermaid impression wasn't bad, either. Ben, Andrew, Robby and Andri visited the Everglades. Some of us saw Star Wars. We watched football. We talked and laughed and had a blast.
I can't wait to go back next year.
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| Ready to fly. |
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| He ended up on my lap for most of the flight. |
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| My favorite girl and I at the bird sanctuary. |
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| With two of her favorite people |
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| Christopher is under that towel. Crabbypants did not like the wind. |
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| Captain Clare. |
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| The best family photo we got. It was a bit chilly that day - but we had some wonderful weather too. |
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| Joy. |
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| Ready to be entertained. (And he actually went swimming!) |
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| 75 and sunny in January? I'll take it. So will Clare, even though she complained that the beach was "too bright" and the sand was "too dirty." Be glad you live in Minnesota, kid. |
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Year in Review: 2015
I think I may have ended the year by making a big mistake: I let Clare watch "Frozen." She has watched it three times in three days, and has asked to watch it at least 12 times. Sigh.
This year flew by, didn't it? As usual. I'd say overall it was a good one.
1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Sent a child off to school on the school bus. Became a daycare provider for my niece.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I actually kept 3 out of 4 this year! I think this is the first time I have ever followed through on my resolutions. Resolution one: get organized. I did this, but I think it needs to be a yearly task. I plan to try get rid of stuff every January. Number two: stick to my workout routine. I did this, for the most part. I have more work to do, and hope to be even better about exercising in 2016. Resolution three: read all of the books on my bookshelf rather than checking books out from the library. Nope, didn't do that. Resolution four: watch all of "Friends" on Netflix. Yeah, that one was easy.
3. Did anyone close to you have a child?
Yes! Katie had Remy, Peggy had Finn and my cousin Jackie had Violet.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my grandpa died in March.
5. Where did you travel?
Golden Eagle Lodge on the Gunflint Trail with my in-laws, camping at St. Croix State Park with friends, a girls' weekend in Hayward, Wisconsin, and many trips to Evansville.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
More time kid-free time with Ben. I am hoping we can take a trip for our 10th anniversary in May.
7. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory?
March 4, the day my grandpa died. Also, the third weekend in June: we went camping with friends. Christopher was sick and crabby, and Clare had an allergic reaction after eating a cashew. There were some fun things that happened, too. (Mostly I remember devouring chili mac and beer.) It was a memorable weekend, even if not all of the memories good.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not going crazy? I don't know.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Luckily, nothing major went wrong this year. I feel like I had 10,000 colds, though. I even have one right now! Ah, life with small children.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
Our minivan! I never thought I would want a minivan, but it has been so nice.
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Family and friends who were generous and helpful and kind.
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sadly, there are too many to list here without throwing myself into a deep depression. I'll limit myself to one name: Donald Trump.
13. Where did most of your money go?
The new car and the other usual Things for House and Children.
14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going away on a girls' weekend to Hayward, Wis., with Heather, Kerry, Peggy and Sarah. I was so excited that I drank a pint of gin the first night and was super hungover the next day. All well. It was still really fun.
15. What song will always remind you of 2015?
"Dreams" by Brandi Carlile. Clare insists on listening to it nearly every time we're in the car. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which we sing to Christopher every night.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, thinner and poorer.
17. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time doing things to exercise my brain. Sometimes I feel like I am getting dumber by the year. I do read a lot, so that helps, but I need to find another activity to do as well. Maybe a crossword puzzle? Am I an old person?
18. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I'll just repeat what I wrote last year:
Worried about things that are out of my control. I think I'll wish that every year. Also: obsessed about things that have already happened. (And are therefore out of my control.)
19. How did you spend Christmas?
We hosted a Christmas Eve lunch with my in-laws here. That was the start of the present extravaganza, and Clare loved every minute of it. We went to church next door, and Christopher sang along to the music. Christmas Eve was at my sister's, complete with taco dip and more presents. Katie and Andrew gave me a ceramic tree with lights that looks just like the one my grandmother has, and I love it. Christmas Day was here. The kids opened presents and ate homemade gingerbread, and then I cooked a big English breakfast for my parents and Katie and Andrew. Clare got some great gifts. Santa didn't let her down: she got her Doc McStuffins kit. I also gave her my Samantha doll that I had when I was a little girl. She was pretty excited. Christopher got a Cookie Monster stuffed animal and a few different school buses. These are his two favorite things in the world, so he was happy. Among many others things, they also both got pillow pet dream lites from my neighbor. These might have been one of their favorite presents. They both insisting on having them on every night.
We had Christmas dinner here with my parents. It was nice, especially the martinis my mom mixed up. Overall, it was a great Christmas.
20. What was your favorite TV program?
Master of None, Parks and Recreation (I will miss you!), Broadchurch, Game of Thrones (Yes, I am very late to the party - I have only watched the first season so far), Veep and the Great British Baking Show.
22. What was the best book you read?
My top five:
1. "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel
2. "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty
3. "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
4. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
5. "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I could use some recommendations here, actually. I haven't discovered any new music in a long time.
24. What did you want and get?
THREE girls' weekends away. I am spoiled by a very accommodating and understanding husband.
25. What did you want and not get?
More time to myself.
26. What was your favorite film of this year?
Once again I saw very few movies this year. I'll go with "Still Alice." Sad, but very well done.
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Ben took me to dinner at the Surly taproom. They have really good food! I still think about the chicken sandwich I ate there. And the beer was okay, too. I turned 36.
28. What one [or three] thing[s] would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Like I said before, Ben and I could really use some more time to ourselves. I am going to try to schedule a date night once a month in 2016. Maybe that can be one of my New Year's Resolutions?
29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
I think I should delete this question.
30. What kept you sane?
Routine, routine, ROUTINE. Also, girls' nights out and my yoga class.
31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Aaron Rodgers. I love you.
32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gun control. Yes, Amy Klobuchar, that should be listed as an issue in your drop down menu!
33. Who did you miss?
Christina. Jenn. Sara. Rob and Andri. My grandpa.
34. Who was the best new person you met?
My new friend Sarah!
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
I've been better at putting things into perspective. When I start to get into a funk about something, I think about how lucky I am to have the life I do. I don't have to worry about where my next meal is coming from or whether or not I'll have heat this winter. I spend a lot of time fretting about the state of the world, and it finally occurred to me that maybe I should try to do something about these things. My actions may be small, but they help me feel better, and hopefully will help the world be a better place, too. Is that cheesy enough for you?
Happy New Year, all! And here's hoping that I get "Let it Go" out of my head sometime before 2017.
This year flew by, didn't it? As usual. I'd say overall it was a good one.
1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Sent a child off to school on the school bus. Became a daycare provider for my niece.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I actually kept 3 out of 4 this year! I think this is the first time I have ever followed through on my resolutions. Resolution one: get organized. I did this, but I think it needs to be a yearly task. I plan to try get rid of stuff every January. Number two: stick to my workout routine. I did this, for the most part. I have more work to do, and hope to be even better about exercising in 2016. Resolution three: read all of the books on my bookshelf rather than checking books out from the library. Nope, didn't do that. Resolution four: watch all of "Friends" on Netflix. Yeah, that one was easy.
3. Did anyone close to you have a child?
Yes! Katie had Remy, Peggy had Finn and my cousin Jackie had Violet.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my grandpa died in March.
5. Where did you travel?
Golden Eagle Lodge on the Gunflint Trail with my in-laws, camping at St. Croix State Park with friends, a girls' weekend in Hayward, Wisconsin, and many trips to Evansville.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
More time kid-free time with Ben. I am hoping we can take a trip for our 10th anniversary in May.
7. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory?
March 4, the day my grandpa died. Also, the third weekend in June: we went camping with friends. Christopher was sick and crabby, and Clare had an allergic reaction after eating a cashew. There were some fun things that happened, too. (Mostly I remember devouring chili mac and beer.) It was a memorable weekend, even if not all of the memories good.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not going crazy? I don't know.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Luckily, nothing major went wrong this year. I feel like I had 10,000 colds, though. I even have one right now! Ah, life with small children.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
Our minivan! I never thought I would want a minivan, but it has been so nice.
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Family and friends who were generous and helpful and kind.
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sadly, there are too many to list here without throwing myself into a deep depression. I'll limit myself to one name: Donald Trump.
13. Where did most of your money go?
The new car and the other usual Things for House and Children.
14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going away on a girls' weekend to Hayward, Wis., with Heather, Kerry, Peggy and Sarah. I was so excited that I drank a pint of gin the first night and was super hungover the next day. All well. It was still really fun.
15. What song will always remind you of 2015?
"Dreams" by Brandi Carlile. Clare insists on listening to it nearly every time we're in the car. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which we sing to Christopher every night.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, thinner and poorer.
17. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time doing things to exercise my brain. Sometimes I feel like I am getting dumber by the year. I do read a lot, so that helps, but I need to find another activity to do as well. Maybe a crossword puzzle? Am I an old person?
18. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I'll just repeat what I wrote last year:
Worried about things that are out of my control. I think I'll wish that every year. Also: obsessed about things that have already happened. (And are therefore out of my control.)
19. How did you spend Christmas?
We hosted a Christmas Eve lunch with my in-laws here. That was the start of the present extravaganza, and Clare loved every minute of it. We went to church next door, and Christopher sang along to the music. Christmas Eve was at my sister's, complete with taco dip and more presents. Katie and Andrew gave me a ceramic tree with lights that looks just like the one my grandmother has, and I love it. Christmas Day was here. The kids opened presents and ate homemade gingerbread, and then I cooked a big English breakfast for my parents and Katie and Andrew. Clare got some great gifts. Santa didn't let her down: she got her Doc McStuffins kit. I also gave her my Samantha doll that I had when I was a little girl. She was pretty excited. Christopher got a Cookie Monster stuffed animal and a few different school buses. These are his two favorite things in the world, so he was happy. Among many others things, they also both got pillow pet dream lites from my neighbor. These might have been one of their favorite presents. They both insisting on having them on every night.
We had Christmas dinner here with my parents. It was nice, especially the martinis my mom mixed up. Overall, it was a great Christmas.
20. What was your favorite TV program?
Master of None, Parks and Recreation (I will miss you!), Broadchurch, Game of Thrones (Yes, I am very late to the party - I have only watched the first season so far), Veep and the Great British Baking Show.
22. What was the best book you read?
My top five:
1. "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel
2. "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty
3. "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
4. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
5. "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I could use some recommendations here, actually. I haven't discovered any new music in a long time.
24. What did you want and get?
THREE girls' weekends away. I am spoiled by a very accommodating and understanding husband.
25. What did you want and not get?
More time to myself.
26. What was your favorite film of this year?
Once again I saw very few movies this year. I'll go with "Still Alice." Sad, but very well done.
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Ben took me to dinner at the Surly taproom. They have really good food! I still think about the chicken sandwich I ate there. And the beer was okay, too. I turned 36.
28. What one [or three] thing[s] would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Like I said before, Ben and I could really use some more time to ourselves. I am going to try to schedule a date night once a month in 2016. Maybe that can be one of my New Year's Resolutions?
29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
I think I should delete this question.
30. What kept you sane?
Routine, routine, ROUTINE. Also, girls' nights out and my yoga class.
31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Aaron Rodgers. I love you.
32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gun control. Yes, Amy Klobuchar, that should be listed as an issue in your drop down menu!
33. Who did you miss?
Christina. Jenn. Sara. Rob and Andri. My grandpa.
34. Who was the best new person you met?
My new friend Sarah!
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
I've been better at putting things into perspective. When I start to get into a funk about something, I think about how lucky I am to have the life I do. I don't have to worry about where my next meal is coming from or whether or not I'll have heat this winter. I spend a lot of time fretting about the state of the world, and it finally occurred to me that maybe I should try to do something about these things. My actions may be small, but they help me feel better, and hopefully will help the world be a better place, too. Is that cheesy enough for you?
Happy New Year, all! And here's hoping that I get "Let it Go" out of my head sometime before 2017.
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| At Ben's family Christmas party. (Which was really fun - she went swimming on her own in the hotel pool, and Christopher spent most of the time hiding under the buffet table with his school bus or chasing his Great Uncle Chris around the room.) |
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| Getting ready for a puppet show with the puppet theater Meema Jo and Baba Ralph gave C & C for Christmas. |
Monday, December 21, 2015
RIP Cat and Other Updates
The cat is gone. At long last. As most of you know, I never liked her. She kept me awake. I blame her for my other cat running away and, in all likelihood, getting lost in a cornfield and eaten by a coyote. She peed all over our basement. She scared Christopher to death.
That being said, though, it still made me sad. She was a living thing, after all, and making the decision to end her life was not an easy one. It was her time, though. She was ill and pretty miserable. She was 22 years old, which is quite old for a cat. When we adopted her, she was 10. I like to think we gave her those extra 12 years, because most people don't want to adopt a 10-year-old cat. (Including me. This was all Ben.) So RIP cat. I hope you are in cat heaven, taking a long nap in the sun.
I wonder if I should blame myself for Christopher's current fear of both cats and dogs. Our cat spent most of the time in the basement, and when she did come upstairs she walked around meowing at the top of her voice and looked fairly demented. I don't blame him for being a bit scared of her. My friends and I had our office holiday party at my friend Heather's house, which is also home to two cats and a dog. Christopher spent much of the time clinging to me. He finally calmed down when the dog was penned. Clare is also scared of dogs. (She is fine with cats.) I don't know.
Speaking of the office party, though, it was really fun. We decided that since our husbands all get fun holiday parties, we should get one too. We drank wine with lunch and ate a bunch of cookies. It was grand. I think I'll get a babysitter next year, though.
We've attended a few other holiday parties this month, including one without kids! We had a Christmas get together with Ben's family on Sunday, too. We went out for a nice dinner, and the kids are always so happy to see their grandparents. It has been a busy month and we haven't even gotten to the main event yet. I am hosting brunch and dinner on Christmas Day and a lunch on Christmas Eve, and have been waking up at 4:30 every morning with lists of things to do running through my head. I am trying to relax and enjoy the season, but that is only happening sporadically.
Luckily, I have been the recipient of many of Christopher's hugs. He gives the best hugs. He wraps his arms around me and squeezes as tightly as he can. They make my day.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and good luck during Christmas Break. I have a feeling it will be a mixed blessing here, but I am going to try to enjoy my extra time with this bearded lady.
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