The Joy of Giving

Many of you parent types already know the joy of taking of a six year old shopping to select Christmas gifts for family members.  Those of you who don't, run out and rent a six year old ASAP for this task.  You won't regret it.

Now onto the story............

Last week, with only 3 days left until Christmas, we finally got around to making the annual Weasel Family Trek to the mall to visit Santa and allow the Weasels to finish off their personal shopping lists.  We scattered through the mall in small groups, hiding our purchases as we randomly passed each other in the corridors and occasionally changed out shopping partners to ensure the utmost in discretion of our treasured finds.

I had the pleasure of taking Smallest Weasel around from store to store in search of a gift that she would choose for Mr. Weasel.  It was later in the afternoon, the mall was crowded and I was losing steam and enthusiasm fast.

Smallest Weasel led me from store to store where I spent much time explaining to her that "Dad doesn't really need a pillow pet" and "My pretty ponies might make a great gift for you, but let's think of a great gift for Dad".

Soon enough I managed to lure her into Brookstone, where she discovered that they have lots of boy stuff.  Within 45 seconds she was drawn like a magnet to a display of shiny metallic gadgetry, that she deemed to be perfect for the most important man in her life.   They even had some try me models that she could touch and play with.  The girl was sold!

My sweet little angel was thrilled that she had found something so pretty and perfect for her Daddy.  It was on sale and in her budget range. I was tired couldn't think of any good reason to talk her out of this purchase.  I chuckled to myself and shared a knowing smile with the sales clerk who had heard the entire exchange between Smallest Weasel and I as she made her selection, placed her purchase up on the counter and proudly paid for it with her own money.

The Buzz Pinpoint Mini Personal Massager

I personally couldn't wait to see Mr. Weasel's face light up when he opened it!  And light up it did!  Smallest Weasel was thrilled with how surprised Mr. Weasel was by his gift and had the joy of giving.  Mr. Weasel after shooting me eye lasers smiled big and gave a very grateful thank you hug and a kiss to his youngest daughter........

and they all lived happily ever after.

* This is not a sponsored or compensated post, just another day in Weaselville.

The Flu That Stole Christmas

'Twas the day after Christmas and I'm in the nest
hacking and sneezing, well I'm just a mess.

A virus has struck and I almost missed Christmas!
No matter how sick, I just couldn't miss this.

I made it 6 hours, from 4am until 10
before Mr. Weasel tucked me back in my bed.

Congestion and fever, a cough and a cold
The Weasels did have a great day, so I'm told.

Under my blankets, I napped cozily
while my family went to Christmas Mass without me.

Santa brought me some candies and an NHL pennant.
some chocolates and teas and candles nicely scented.

I'm still tucked in my blankets, all cozy in bed
as visions of Nyquil dance in my head.

Cough syrup with codeine and tea spiked with whiskey
I must get better soon, the Weasels do miss me.

Jello with chunks of Lord only knows what
sits in my stomach and wreak havoc in my gut.

My fever will break and I'll soon be myself
What on earth is the cat doing up on that shelf?

I'll feel better soon and get back in the swing
just in time to be well for the New Year to ring.

I hope you all had a wonderful season,
and remember what is truly the reason.

Making With The Merry

After taking my own advice about not pressuring myself about Christmas preparations and procrastinating too long relaxing like a slug all day Saturday, I woke up yesterday morning and realized that this coming Friday is Christmas Eve I swear that we skipped a week or two on the calendar AND I DON'T HAVE SQUAT DONE!

It's time to panic people.

We haven't been to see Santa yet.

I only started shopping yesterday.  I haven't even made my list or checked it twice.

Yesterday would be the same day that my microwave sparked, sputtered and started to burst into flames.  Oh, and it was also the day that Mr. Weasel's car decided that it wasn't up to the task of starting.  Mr. Weasel's gift to me this year will be a microhood combo and I will gift him with a car battery.

Oh yeah, yesterday was also the day that Eldest Weasel decided to tell me how bummed she is that I didn't bake as much this year as I usually do and that she and Middle wished that I had helped with the decorations so that our home would not look like I had contracted kindergarteners as interior designers.

I also found out yesterday that the Weasels are bummed that we didn't do a family Christmas card this year and that we don't have any real family traditions at Christmas like their friends do.  Baking, family picture and tree decorating are our traditions in Weaselville.

Can you say, WeaselMomma Christmas Fail?

In the spirit of the Christmas, St. Nicholas, making my children happy and building memories, you may not be hearing from me much this week as I seriously work to get my Christmas on and make with the Merry by exhausting myself to get all the shopping, decoration adjustments, cookies baking, video making, house prettifying and wrapping done.  Even if I don't feel like it.

Giving of my time, energy and talents to make this time special, magical and full of traditions will be my Christmas gift to the Weasels.  I think it's at the top of their list.

Confessions of a Blogger

Ah dear friends, readers and fellow bloggers, come on in and sit down.  I'll pour you a good stiff drink.  You're going to need it, because I am about to say things to you that bloggers aren't allowed to admit to, but are nonetheless true.  Things that you are never supposed to say in polite company, like telling about the random urge you had to trip the nun on crutches at the mall.  We all think these things, but I am about to say them out loud.  Well, type them anyway.

Bless me readers, for I am about to bloggy sin;

Numbers Matter ~ We all say how unimportant our amount of daily hits are to our blogs, but that's a lie.  I live and die on my hit count and check my stats constantly.  The truth is that I don't want YOU to care about my numbers, but I totally care about about my numbers.  A day with a good hit count and the cat is less likely to get kicked.  I wouldn't kick my dog because at 140 lbs, she could eat me.  If you really don't care about the number of site hits you get daily, then you have resigned yourself to being defeated in the blogosphere. I however am all about blog domination.

Comments are Crack ~ OHMYGOSH, I love comments.  Love them more than chocolate and diamonds combined.  A really good comment is better than a pedicure.  I hate checking my email and finding no comments or getting excited because I found lots of comments that all say, 'nice post. You should check out my link!'  Poor kitty cat.  Lack of comments can rain on my day.  However, comments from my regulars or an unexpected comment from someone I really admire will put me on cloud nine.  They like me, they really, really like me.  Total ego boost.

Come Follow Me ~ Yeah, we aren't supposed to get excited the number of followers we have or how many people have subscribed to the RSS feed.  Let me say that I check those numbers daily and when I lose even 1, I feel like a loser.  I am crushed and wonder why.  When I gain one, I feel like I just scored the winning goal.  When those numbers stagnate, I stagnate with a 1/2 gallon of ice cream on the couch.  You should all fight to keep WeaselMomma somewhat thin.

You Never Have Enough ~ When I first started blogging, I would jump for joy if I got 1 or 2 comments and 5 hits.  When I got used to higher numbers, God forbid if they went down even for one single day!  When they go up, I LOVE it, when they deflate, so do I.  I could get 100 comments a day for two months straight and is they went down to 80 a day, I would kick the cat be bummed.  Most of us, including I, would dance on a pole cut off a toe for 80 comments a day, but it will never be enough.  I'll always will want more.

It's All About Ego ~ When I attend blogging events and someone I don't know actually knows me, I feel like a rock star and I love it!  When no one else in the room has ever heard of me I feel like the kid who picks their nose and always sat alone in the cafeteria.

I Get Jealous ~ When a fellow blogger gets a great event invitation or gig with a brand or website, I am happy for them, but am also jealous and think, what am I chopped liver?  In reality, yes I am chopped liver sometimes.   I love when I get even small opportunities, but never feel as successful as I thought I would.  I would love the opportunity to make money on this blog and am not ashamed to admit it, as long as it would have zero influence on my words.

The biggest reality of these confessions, is that we are all human.  We are all insecure in own silent ways that are never to be spoken of.  We crave approval and attention from outside sources to keep us going.

I am a small fish in the open ocean.

I am a blogger and these are my confessions.

*Feel free to make my day an awesome one by commenting, subscribing to RSS feed, following me, tweeting this link, stumbling it or any other form of temporary ego boost you can throw my way.

Under Pressure

With the Christmas season in full swing around us, as we creep closer and closer to the big day as it draws nearer, there is a lot of pressure for all of us to make with the merry.  We hustle and bustle, wrap and bake, shop and visit all under the glitter of shimmering decorations and a mandate to be happy.

Unfortunately, there is much suffering that happens in this world and not everyone is feeling all holly jolly about the festivities.  Their are many all around us, friends, neighbors or family, who are grieving.  Grieving their financial situations or the loss of a job.  Grieving the death of a loved one or grieving life as they knew it as they face fearful and uncertain futures thanks to a recent medical diagnosis.

As I sit happy and content under the sparkle of my the Christmas Tree and the warmth of my home, I can't forget these people and I hope that you won't either, for I have been these people in Christmas' past.  All by the ripe old age of 38, I have buried my father, gave the legal consent to stop life support for my mother, buried a sister, a nephew and the most painful of all, a daughter.  I understand the pain that the holiday season can bring to those who suffer and how inescapable the holidays are.

In that vein, I'd like to offer some tips for holiday survival that may be of use to all of us, grieving or not;

Shop Online ~ If you have to shop because of children in your home, shopping online at your own pace can help you to avoid the crowds, decorations, music and glitz that you may not be up to dealing with.

Don't Deck the Halls ~ You can simply not bother with decorating your home inside or out.  If you feel the need to decorate for the kids or any other reason, you can keep it minimalist.  Take the pressure off of yourself and only do what you are up for.

Keep Your Plans Flexible ~ What may sound like a good idea today, may become a daunting obligation that you are not in the mood for next week. 

Communicate ~ Let your family and friends know that what you need right now is patience and understanding.  Let them know to keep their expectations low and that you will participate when you are up for it and that you don't have to when you're not.

Cut Yourself a Break ~ If you don't send out Christmas cards, diligently shop or complete all of the tasks that you had hoped to, don't sweat it.  It's okay.  If you won't cut yourself some slack, who will?

Don't Despair ~ Do what you have to to get through today.  If you can survive today, you can deal with tomorrow when it comes.  Keep life simple, take it as it comes and remember to breath.

Two Words ~ Ron Bacardi.  Ron gets along well with many of my closest friends including egg nog, cola and lime.

For the rest of us who are busy enjoying the holidays to the fullest, don't forget the people who are not.  Offer patience, kind words and gentle understanding for their lack of merriment without forcing festivities upon them.

Wishing you all Peace, Joy and Hope in your lives.

Jump, Jive and Snuggle

As you probably already know, I, the WeaselMomma have a special affection for teddy bears.  I still have my favorite bear that Santa ever brought for me as a child in all of her well worn and well loved glory. 

Over the years I have refused to grow up managed to build myself a collection of teddies (the hugging kind), but my favorite ones are the ones that I have made myself.  Now you are right, I am anything but crafty, actually, I'm very crafty, just not when it comes to crafts. so of course I am talking about bears that I have made at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

That's why when my friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop contacted me and asked if I would like to make a trip to my local shop and check out their Christmas collection of furry friends, including the new Speaker Starz Bear I jumped up and down with glee at the opportunity.  After all, making a trip to Build-A-Bear is part of my personal Christmas tradition anyway.

You see, I have been a fan of this special place for long before they were ever a fan of mine years.  Their furry friends have been a source of comfort for me when I just needed something to hug and snuggle and every year for Christmas I get a special outfit to dress my Claire Bear in for the holiday.  After all, the Weasels get new Christmas outfits every year.  It just makes me feel better to dress Claire Bear too.

Last Wednesday the Speaker Starz Bear was launched and after I dropped the Weasels off at school I headed out to go make one.  All. By. Myself.  I love going to Build A Bear for myself.  It's not just for kids.  Stop mocking me.  I happily made my bear, named he Bloggy Yes, I go through the entire ritual of kissing the heart and all. and went on to pick out a special Christmas outfit for Claire Bear who was tucked up in my bedroom at home.  It had to be just the right one.

Whatcha Think?

Once home I plugged my iPod into my new pal and cha-ching, I loved it!  The speaker is tucked into it's left foot and the sound quality was really quite good.... and it came preloaded with batteries!  There is something profusely awesome about Christmas in Hollis belting out of your teddy bear while it is sitting on the kitchen counter.  

Yeah, I got to Jump, Jive and Snuggle.

Check out their entire holiday collection online and take a few minutes to visit one of their workshops, with or without the kids, while you are out Christmas shopping anyway.  They make great gifts Mr. Weasel even wants a Bumble for kids of all ages.

Just to sweeten' the idea of what a great place this is to visit let me mention that

• You can play with your furry friend at Buildabearville.com for free.
• They partner with The Marine Toys For Tots program.
• They partner with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

And just to keep the FTC off my back and all, I'll let you know that Build-A-Bear Workshop provided me with the Speaker Starz Bear at no cost to myself.  I paid out of my own pocket for the Christmas outfit that I bought for my Claire Bear.  I have not been compensated for this post and as always, my words are always my own.

 

It's Virtually a Birthday Party!

Today is the big day,  my 38th birthday!  Thanks for coming to my virtual birthday party!  Come on in, sit down and make with the merry!

Here's how it works, leave any gifts, appetizers and/or libations in the comments.  Mingle with the other guests and pop back in out through the course of the day.

I am going to get my hair all done up and have my tiara placed professionally in it.  I'll be visiting with party guests and popping all around the celebration!

Most of all, have fun and feel free to bring friends along.

Thanks for coming, it's great to see you here and to to celebrate my favorite holiday with family and friends!

Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

~ Don't forget to tune into Suburban Wow this morning at 10 am est/ 9 cst/ 7 Pacific for a really fun episode! ~  Here's the direct link for show time.

Image via JuniorTheatre.com

I just got home from the annual school Christmas Pageant and thought I would share with you a few highlights of the evening.  Unfortunately lucky for him, Mr. Weasel was unable to attend this year due to a previous commitment.  That left me to feed, dress, supervise homework and get 4 out of 5 Weasels back to school by 6 pm.  Yay Me!

Surprisingly, we made it out of the door and arrived at school right on time without too much ado.  I walked Smallest Weasel to her classroom and headed to the the gym to find a seat in the sea of parents, most of whom had obviously never gone home after school dismissal in favor of ensuring themselves seating in the same time zone as the pageant was to take place.  I on the other hand may as well have been in the Presidential Inaugural crowd of Uncle Barry.

I took a single seat approximately 4 miles from the stage, right next to a joyous little 4 year old by the name of Julio (Julie-O).  Right away, I was welcomed with a great big and friendly "Hi!".  I still had half of an hour to kill before showtime and my mind started to wander as I contemplated the enjoyment that I would extract from the upcoming performance.  I thought to myself, "Ya know, with this seating, I could really sneak out the back door and have time to grab a couple of drinks and something to snack on, be back in time for the finale and the Weasels would never be the wiser".  Then I realized that I had not said that in my head, but out loud!  I'm one point closer to that Mother of the Year Award.

The show started with one of the 7th grade classes clanking trash cans playing the bells and I was reminded that these are indeed grade school children and I should not expect them to be of a caliber to play The Carol of The Bells.  uh wait, maybe that was The Carol of The Bells they were playing.  Nah, it sounded much closer to the Jingle Cats.

The kids really did do a great job and I love to see the Weasels perform.  The only real problem I have with these events is having to sit through watching 275 other parents children sing in order to see mine.  The one benefit though is that with a family of our size, 1/2 the performances (the better 1/2, of course) feature a Weasel.

Just as I was longing for the Herdman's to come barging down the center aisle, little Julio blurted loudly, "Would baby Jesus just get born already!".  My sentiments exactly kid.  I snickered to myself as wished I could take that kid home with me.

Boy Weasel was a Wiseman and when he was up on stage I told Julio that he was my boy.  Julio was impressed at how grown up Boy Weasel was, "That's your kid?  He has a beard!". 

The Pageant ended and I was glad that I opted to stay and had not to make a break for the back door.  I had a smile on my face as I waded through the herd and into the hallway to reunite with my Weasels and head home to tuck them snugly into their beds a little later than usual and wish for them some sugar plum dreams.

Yes, Little Weasel. There is a Santa Claus!

During his life, my father instilled in me many lessons that are much more important than anything I could ever learn in school.  He was a wonderful teacher, who taught me about life and how to truly get the most out of it.  I was lucky enough to learn at his knee philosophies on life that have rewarded me ten fold.

He taught me that my family is my greatest treasure.

He taught me to appreciate the friendship and devotion of a good dog.

He taught me to welcome each birthday as my own personal holiday, to be savored and enjoyed, no matter how many candles you have to blow out. (That is this coming Monday, btw)

And he taught me that, Yes, Little Weasel.  There is a Santa Claus!

Dad went to his grave still believing in Santa.  He took much flak over the years from co-workers and acquaintances who chided him about it, simply because they misunderstood.  Yet, he never quieted or back away from his belief.

As my siblings and I came of age to understand Santa on more than a magical level, he would explain to us that Santa is very much real and comes to us in ways never expected.  Santa is the spirit of doing for others.  Santa is the force behind small and large acts of kindness that you never take credit for.  Santa is the magic behind unexpected good will unto others and charitable acts to friends and strangers alike.  Santa is giving in the spirit of Christ and the God that St. Nicholas devoted his life too.

He taught me to never stop believing in Santa Claus and to continue his work throughout my life. 

I am proud to proclaim that I still believe in Santa and I am proud to be my father's daughter.

Meet The Family part I

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Mr. Weasel and I were were engaged.  We came from different cultures and backrounds.  Mr. W having been a rural farm boy and I having been a street rat big city girl, you can only imagine that our families had very little in common with each other. Insert Green Acres Theme Song Here.

During this magical time, I had the chance to meet the family at Mr. Weasel's ginormous family reunion where I was meeting dozens of members of his bloodline for the first time, as they had traveled far and wide, to spend the day discussing the finer points of pig farming and debating about who had the biggest and best tractor with each other.  Oh, and let's not forget the best procedure for Do It Yourself farm animal castration methods.

As much as my mind was hanging onto every intriguing and insightful conversation that was swirling around me, I eventually meandered my way into the house to find a group of DNA sharing folks gathered around the talking radio television set that was already tuned into a COPS marathon.  I took this opportunity to blend in with my soon to be kin-folk and a chance to keep my mouth shut in order to save myself from further comment about my Philadelphia accent.

Not five minutes after I copped a squat on the floor of the living room and joined in the family bonding that is non-interactive entertainment, a new episode started.  COPS in Philadelphia!  My jaws remained closed that doesn't happen very often and I watched on as comments about the show and it's unintentional stars flew about the room.  I recognized local landmarks and areas, yet I kept out of the conversation.  That is until a police chase by car turned into a police chase by foot that ran right through the neighborhood where I had grown up and my parents still lived.

"THAT"S MY HOUSE!"........

managed to escape from lips at high volume and any conversation concerning cows coming into season and or debates about the pros and cons of artificial insemination and livestock came an abrupt halt and were then immediately forgotten.

I don't know who held the Best First Impression Ever Award that day.  All I know is that I hope some day to live it down.

Did You Ever, part I

~ Today I completely and unabashedly am stealing the style of this post from one of my blogging heroes, Momo Fali.  The post is mine, but the genius is hers. ~

Did you ever have a weekend when friends, who are as close to you as family, have come to town and you took your kids out of school on Friday so that you could all hangout together at the hotel pool for the day and eat peanut butter sandwiches in between dips in the whirlpool and sweating in the sauna,  all in one day before you spend Sunday bundling up the entire gang and taking the train downtown while drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows, laughing lots and wearing a pair of jeans that you haven't been able to fit in for two years that your oldest child swore just the other day that you would never be able to get one leg into just the other day and meet up with your friends at the outdoor German Christmas market where you drank warm spiced wine and hot chocolate and ate stuffed pretzels, potato pancakes and wiener schnitzel and bought a few absolutely gorgeous ornaments for the Christmas tree before you went to eat lunch together at the oldest and best Italian restaurant in the city and topped it off with a cannoli before you said goodbye to each other until summertime and hopped a train back to Weaselville?

Well, you should.

The Weasel Constitution

It's not often that I pull something out of the archives and re-post it.  However, this morning I came across an oldie, but a goody from way back when.  More than one commenter described it as 'genius' and thus I ask you to click through and read the Weasel Constitution;

Ask Not What Your Momma Can Do For You, But What You Can Do For Your Momma  



Have a great weekend!

Pasta! Pasta! Read All About It!

........Cause I won't share mine with you, you'll have to go order your own.

Life here in Weaselville is buzzing along busily as we, and I am sure most of you, make preperations for the biggest holiday celebration of the year ..........

MY BIRTHDAY!

Monday, December 13

In that vain, I want to share with you a special little present that I got myself.

First, a little back round....

If you are a regular around here, you already know that I was born and raised in Philadelphia. South Philadelphia to be exact.  A wonderful bastion of eclectic entertainment in the form of the Mummers and highly ethnic area of Italian immigrants sprinkled with vivacious pockets of Irish neighborhoods.

In the past, I have shared with you the masterpiece of mouthwatering satisfaction of a real Philly Cheesesteak. I make my own water ice that rivals, if not surpasses Italiano's.  Tastycake is the only boxed cake that crosses over these gums, but today I want to share with you the pure, unadulterated, joy that is P & S Ravioli Company.

P & S makes The Best, fresh, homemade pasta that has ever tickled my taste buds, bar none.  This I say as a woman with an incredibly picky palate who grew up eating in the kitchens of people who take traditional Italian Cooking and produce dinners that make Mario Batali look like Chef Boyardee.  Yes, my standard of good Italian food is set high.  

When I was a kid, our favorite answer to the age old question of 'what's for dinner?' was, you guessed it, P & S.  Their ravioli makes me want to dance cheese is my favorite.  Their sauce is something that I can eat by the spoonful.  It's smooth and clingy thick without any chunks I hate chunky sauce.  Their pastas are so tender, yet firm don't ever overcook pasta for me.  I'm melting just fantasizing about it.

So anyway, I haven't had the sheer delight that is P & S in about twenty years and yes, I still dream about it.  It's that good.  and every so often I still get a craving for it that I can't ignore.  However, they are family owned and local to the Delaware Valley, i.e. Philadelphia area.  I called a few years back to see if they would/could ship their little delicacies, but alas they were not yet equipped for the task.  My longing would continue.

So, to make a short story longer, two days ago I had an intense want for their cheese ravioli in my mouth,  I had to settle for elbow macaroni and butter. and decided to check if they were online yet or had starting shipping.  Eureka!  I hit the jackpot!  They are online and they now ship anywhere in the country!  Their site is still pretty old school, but if you call them you can place your custom order.

I decided that I wanted P & S for my birthday dinner, just as I had done so many years long ago.  The next morning I got on the phone with Patty whose accent put an even bigger smile on my face and she helped a girl out.  Uber friendly and happy to get me this special treat that I have been hanging for.  Those of us that have eaten the manna that is this pasta truly understand.

I ordered 3 dozen cheese ravioli, 3 quarts of that luscious sauce and 3 lbs of spaghetti,  I should have ordered some linguine too. and got off the phone as giddy as a school girl and went running upstairs to tell Mr. Weasel all about it.  He, having never known this culinary delight, is looking forward to eating it.  Yet, couldn't help himself from laughing at me and my excitement,  "You sound all hot and bothered about this stuff".  I am.  P & S can only be described as a taste-gasm and I can't wait until next week.  I might not share with him.

It doesn't take much to make me happy.  It's all about the simple pleasures and when I find a pleasure this good, I savor it. 

*BTW - No, this is not a paid review.  It's just that when there is something this good that I find in life, I opt to share it with you, my dear readers.  I paid for my own order and have not received any compensation for advertising or links.  However, if P & S wanted to send me a t-shirt that reads 'My pasta kicks your pasta's butt' and a life long supply of ravioli and sauce, I wouldn't stop them.