Unique Like Everyone Else

Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!!

We had a lovely Christmas celebration joined by Nonnie and Pop-Pop this year!  It was fun being able to introduce them to and include them in some of the traditions we've developed over the years for our own little family, as well as partake in some of the time-honored ones they created for me when I was a child.

For the past few years we have been lucky enough to be invited to a delicious dinner at our good friends, The H.'s, Manicotti Madness Christmas Eve Supper.

     

They are such gracious hosts and such amazing chefs! 

 

On our way back home, stuffed and content, we drove through one of the most decorated streets in our community.  Almost every house is crazily lit up, with lights zig-zagging across the street connecting all the homes, ginormous candy canes flanking the entrance to the neighborhood, and the story of The Night Before Christmas painted on large signs to read as you slowly drive down the road.  A feast for the eyes, and a definite dose of Christmas Spirit.

 

 

We were all ready to head straight to the "nestled all snug in their beds" portion of the evening when we returned home, but one of Santa's elves had left a couple of packages under the tree while we were out. 

 

New jammies for J-Boy and J-Girl!

 

Christmas morning has taken on a much more mellow tone now that the kids are older and understand and appreciate the beauty and indulgence of sleeping in. Still, they were up ahead of us and quietly went through their stockings, and helped Edward with his.

 

We ate a leisurely breakfast, and then worked on a puzzle that J-Boy got in his stocking while we waited for Nonnie and Pop-pop to arrive back over at our place. 

 

After a round of kisses, hugs, and Christmas morning greetings, we introduced them to our new Sock Monkey that Big Daddy had scored at his office party a few days before.

 

I just love it, and it has become expected that if someone starts up the monkey, it is required that you stop whatever you are doing and come to dance, dance, dance, dance. 

 

 

Once the House Rule was explained, even Nonnie and Pop-pop were willing to play along!

 

 Many lovely gifts were given and received.  Some elicited more excitement and raw emotion than others, but all were good, appreciated, and met with the utmost gratitude.

 

Dishwasher rinse agent for Nonnie
(Yes, "Really."  And, yes, she was happy! 
She and Pop-pop are now SoCal residents
and must succumb to the harsh reality of hard water.) 

 

Coconut Soda for Pop-Pop--a delicacy and difficult to come by
unless you know where to look!

One bottle in his stocking as a tease...

 

...and a box with 8 more!  Next time I'll send the stockboy to the back with a cart
instead of just his bare hands with the instruction, "as many as you can carry."

 A new laptop for J-Girl, which J-Boy was just as excited about so
his sister wouldn't have to share with him anymore. 
In the Spirit ofof the Season, that kid...

 

A bit emotional...a few tears were shed.

 

 And a dream several years in the making finally came true for J-Boy!

 

Santa, so wise, brought a board game J-Boy had never heard of, but has been
proving to be one of his favorite gifts in the lot!

 

And he knew just what to get for his sister to make her smile.

 

Another neat thing that only Santa could know is that a doll can still make a
girl happy, even on the cusp of fifteen years of age.  How does he do it??

 

You can see that we were well looked after, truly blessed, and had a wonderful Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope yours was lovely, too, and that the New Year brings you
nothing but the best in love, health, and happiness in 2012! 

Changing Interests

I knew it had happened.  With one kid in High School and the second one, the baby, now in Junior High, I knew Big Daddy and I had entered a new stage of parenting.  So often the day-to-days can just morph into each other such that you don't realize you've been making little subconscious adjustments to how you interact with your kids, how you treat them, how they've been maturing, how their interests are evolving.

And then it hits you one morning while making their school lunches, that little act of kindness, that mom ritual that sends them off for the day with a little bit of your love.  It hits you when you are packing up the Go-gurt.

 

 

"Oh my!  It's time to make a change! 
I need to pack the tube with the
cute girl on it into J-Boy's lunch,
and the one with the cute boy into J-Girl's lunch." 

 

Whoa!  My babies!  I'm not even sure what else to say! 
Mama fall down, go BOOM!

Sew Crafty Halloween

 Happy (belated) Halloween, Everybody! 
Say hello to Liechtenstein and Finn!

 

sources: http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Traditional_Liechtenstein.PNG and
http://adventuretime.wikia.com/wiki/File:Finn.PNG

 

Whew!  J-Girl and I really put our sewing machine to task this Halloween!  J-Girl made her skirt and sash from scratch, altered a black blouse from Goodwill into a corseted vest, and fabricated a black stand-up collar out of the vest scraps.  J-Boy's Finn hat and backpack were experiments all the way, sculpting, pinning, cutting, sewing, fitting (seam ripping, repinning, refitting, sewing wrong sides out, seam ripping....I think that backpack was put together and taken apart every step of the way!)  But the results made for a happy kid!

 

Whoa, J!  Watch out for that Aperture Laboratories Test Subject!  He's aiming a portal gun straight at your head!  I always thought it would be cool to get inside that mind of yours, but, hey, I didn't mean it literally! 

 

ALTS, aka "Death", aka "Dr. Jekyll", is looking quite official in his Lab gear and identification badge!

 

 ALTS was hanging out with J-Boy a few weeks ago and had this great idea that they could make portal guns with Big Daddy's help.  BD was game and took the boys to the hardware store to research and commandeer some materials. 

So creative!  I love that he bought a couple of small, white trashcans
(see in the background, there?) to cut out the molded, curved plates he needed.

J-Boy's peers and younger recognized his character right off,
but ALTS got "the nod" from all the older teens and twenty-somethings.  :)

With their backpack candy collectors, the boys quickly developed a system to deposit the treats.  At first they struggled with their own bags, then taking each other's candy and putting it into the rightful bag, and finally, just putting the candy they got into the other guy's bag.  The coolest part of this system is that they got to know what each other liked, candy-wise, and started picking the other guy's favorites to put into his bag for him.

 

J-Girl has been a big fan of the anime Hetalia for a couple of years now.  She has made various cosplays (a fan contraction of "costume role play", I think.  And I think calling the anime fans' dress up clothes "costumes" is like calling an "action figure" a "doll".  Ah, but I digress...)  Last year she was the character "Taiwan" and her friend Ray-Ray was "Hungary".  They went to the Anime Expo in LA this summer as "Liechtenstein" and "England", and this Halloween they dressed as alternative renditions of those same characters.

 

 She magically whipped up Ray's blue cape and vest after school on the 31st, and Big Daddy got to work on that little blue top hat.  Bless her heart, she was working all the way up till it was time to head out trick-or-treating.

 

I took the opportunity to snap some shots of Neighbor B. and her buddy.

The girls headed out solo for the second year in a row.  I guess it's a rite of passage of sorts.  We left with the boys before they headed out, and they were gone when we got back.  So responsible, though.  J-Girl made a note and set out our candy for the trick-or-treaters to take.

We brought the bowl in when we got home, and leave it to J-Boy to notice
that "one piece of candy is being contradictory to the sign."

Let it be known that Big Daddy and I NEVER dress up for Halloween.  I don't think it is necessarily burn out from all the themed college parties we attended way back when, so much as we've made the holiday all about the kids.  But this year, perhaps because our kids are now in junior high and high school, or because there was an expectation that Big Daddy costume up for work at the freelance gig he's got right now, but he got into the spirit and put together an awesome boxer costume for himself.  The piece de resistance was the championship title belt he crafted from cardboard and high resolution internet photos and had slung over his shoulder. 

 

Even cuter,  however, is the fact that he's since hung it on the wall in our room. 
Unless Clive Owen comes a-knockin', Big Daddy will forever be my undisputed champ. ;)

The belt hangs proudly next to the cowboy mask that J-Boy gave him for Fathers' Day this year.  Wait a minute....is this actually Big Daddy's "vision board"????  Well, I made one in 2010 with a new refrigerator and a tortoise on it.  If I'm still waiting on those, then it may be a while before these goals manifest for the man!   

 Finally, because we had been invited to a Halloween party, I had to come up with a costume, too.  Goodwill glasses and dress, a borrowed wig from J-Girl, and I am ready to go-go!

We sure had a good time!  The best was running into someone I met at the party a couple days later and them not recognizing me because then I was a blonde!  Ha-ha!  I don't know that blondes have more fun, but I could see having some fun in a disguise!  Hey, J-Girl, I'm gonna keep that wig for a little longer, 'kay?  Yes, a happy Halloween, indeed!

 

Even cuter,  however, is the fact that he's since hung it on the wall in our room.  Unless Clive Owen comes a-knockin', he'll forever be my undisputed champ.)

Autism Family Surf Camp

Growing up in Pacifica, CA and going to college in San Diego, surfing has long been on my "bucket" list.  Along with holding a koala, playing the piano, and speaking fluent Spanish.  Hmm.  Aside from marsupial-cuddling, everything on my list requires time, patience, and practice--if not some innate talent.  So, while I technically can cross surfing off my bucket list, it's now holding top honors on my list titled, Retirement Plan. 

I received an email a few weeks ago from a wonderful organization called Surfers Healing, announcing their first annual Autism Family Surf Camp.  J-Boy has been fortunate to surf at their Malibu day camp event the past two years.  It is an amazing family day at the beach, complete with lunch, treats, an opportunity for kids with autism to have some one-on-one time on a surfboard with incredibly kind and patient volunteer surfers, and to meet and relax with other families who share all the challenges and joys that come from having a loved one with autism.  So, an opportunity to spend three days surfing and camping with this group??  SIGN US UP!!!!

It was A-MAZ-ING!!

 

Create a slideshow

http://www.ucsd.edu/

This was a vacation that left me feeling so full.  My heart was full from meeting so many amazing families and volunteers.  My stomach was full from the many great meals that were deliciously prepared and provided.  My soul was full from being out in nature-the sun, sand, salt, the breeze and the sound of the waves-that feeds me; that feels like home.  And my brain and muscles were filled with such empowerment at having accomplished a physical feat and proving that, yes, old dogs CAN learn new tricks.

But all of that, ALL OF IT, would not have been possible without Izzy and Danielle Paskowitz, and their heartfelt vision to bring these gifts to autism families.  Families like theirs.  Families like ours. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  We are looking forward to next time!

 

 

Slug Bug

When we were little and would go on family road trips, and there were no video games (what!?) or in-car DVD players (gasp!!), my sister and I would count Volkswagen bugs to pass the time.  Sun Bugs, the bronzy-gold metallic ones, were worth 2 points.  Lucky, the one who spotted one of them!

In my 'tween years I was introduced to a stealthier game: spotting out-of-state license plates.  First to see one of these babies would sock her friend hard on the arm with a triumphant call, "Out-of-state!  No return!" the "no return" part meaning, "no hitzees-backzees".  The bummer was you'd always lose the first round before you even knew you were playing. 

I guess as all things are like to do, the games morphed over time, and a couple of years ago I learned of a rendition called "Slug Bug" where you hit (slug) someone in the arm when you are first to spot a VW bug.  Volkswagen has since embraced the craze, tweaking it to call awareness to their entire line of vehicles with an ad campaign that demonstrates calling out any VW model by its color whenst delivering the blow.  "Green one!" "Blue one!"

 

 

We Flahertys tried to get a little creative with the game using our fondness of rhymes, AND to increase opportunities for gratuitous violence between us.  (Please know that is a joke...)  We added:

The "SUV Shove"

 The "Cop Bop"

 The "Saturn Pattern" which involved rhythmic poking

 The "Beamer Femur," a good knuckle punch to the leg for a BMW sighting

 The "Jeep Jab" and

 The "Kayak Smack" (rare, but my personal fave)

 

Big Daddy wanted to add one for trucks, but I told him I had a headache...

Anyway, this was a game for playing in the car.    Until one day, as we were coming out of a Starbucks we spotted two friendly Sheriff's Deputies enjoying a coffee break.  Two feet from them, J-Boy reaches up to enthusiastically wonk me on the head saying, "Cop Bop!!"  Can you say, "mortified"???  We scurried to the car where I explained that it was GAME OVER and why.  We agreed to go back to counting VW Bugs for points--convertibles would be worth 2.

Sadly, the game has fallen out of favor.  Part of the reason could be that somewhere along the line silver convertibles became worth 5 million points instead of just 5.  We have one that lives down the street from us.  Everyone knows it's there, and the game could end in two blocks if it is in the driveway and someone in the car decides to play and calls it out.

 

Ni-Ni-Ni-n-Ni-Nineteen

Big Daddy and I celebrated our 19th anniversary last month!  

 

 

  Like my "sushi"?   I adapted them from a flower-making lesson by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.  I kept the green plastic thingy that came with our real sushi appetizer and the chopstick wrappers, too.

 

I incorporated the lovely handmade card that Big Daddy's mom sent us.  Cute!

 

 

The photos were taken by the restaurant hostess and given to us in a little frame as a momento.  I cut out the sentiment to add the date to this page, and added a hand-painted heart left over from another project from Julie's class.

 

Lastly, I stitched around the page to kind of anchor all this hodgepodge together.  I based the layout on this sketch from Pencil Lines Challenge Blog:

Sketch #237

 

We sure had a nice night out with the kids to celebrate our special day.  Being new to scrapbooking, I will enjoy being able to revisit this day through a tangible record of the memory.  :)

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BIG DADDY!!  I LOVE YOU!!

http://www.pencillines.com/

Playing Catch (Up)

Big Daddy always says, "Life is for living, not recording."  At the same time, he does enjoy my blog entries (I think!) and he definitely likes looking back at old pix of the kids and our long-gone dogs. 
That being said, he has no sympathy for the concept of being "behind on blogging"
and is more likely to pull me outside to play a little catch now and then.

 So, I decided I would do one massive post to catch you up on some of the stuff
we've been up to for the last *gulp* four months, so I can clear the slate
and leave more time for living.

 Leeeettttttt'ssss seeeeeee.......

I had a lovely getaway with my High School buddies

 

J-Boy graduated from his Adaptive Skills/Behavioral program.

 

And he had a Floor Hockey tournament.

 

The kids enjoyed sibling time.

 

 
 

I retaught myself to knit and actually made something.

 

Apparently I cooked some good food, too.

 

We had one set of grandparents come for a visit.

 

And then the other set came.

 
 

And we skyped with Aunt Vicki.

 
 

J-Girl worked on some sewing projects.

 

J-Boy had a pretty big part in the 6th grade play.

 

We almost adopted a puppy.

 

But worried it wouldn't be fair to Edward.

 

We went to Staples Center/L.A. Live.

  

where J-Girl and her buds ice-skated.

 

 

And then cheered on the Kings.

 

from all but the last row in the stadium.

 

Three of us were able to move to a lower altitude to combat severe acrophobia,
the cure for which, who knew, is cotton candy.

    


The kids grew, J-Boy surpassing his older sister,

 

which made us realize how little time there is before these kids are not kids anymore.
We down-sized one of our business ventures.

 
 

And simplified our life so we can enjoy more leisure time together
while we are, still, all together.

Doing things like playing frisbee golf at our local park.

 

 

And while we stay busy living this life that is for living,
we still take time out to record those cherished moments that make
the living of this life so very precious.

 

"I'll be right there, Sweetheart!"  
I think Big Daddy wants to head up the street to shoot some hoops. 
J-Boy's basketball season starts tomorrow.

 

Watch Out for Yellow Sn...Snow!!!

A few days ago I had started to blog about this:

 

 

But then THIS happened:

  

J-Girl's phone blurted with buzzes as the teen text squad spread the word, "It's snowing!" and J-Boy exclaimed, "It's a miracle!"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally!

Happy New Year!
May 2011 be filled with miracles!




 

Mother/Daughter Bunco Night

If you've not heard of it, Bunco is a simple, low-key dice game with a lot of partner switching.  It's really easy to learn, and so simple that it's easy to socialize over while playing.  A group of Bunco players usually consists of 12 players.  I used to play with a group regularly, and one of those women also belonged to a Mother/Daughter Bunco group.  That's so cool, I thought, I wish my Mom lived close enough to be part of a group with me. 

Well, the group disbanded as lives seemed to get busier and busier.  But I always thought about that Mother/Daughter group.  Then I realized something:  I'M a mother!  I have a daughter!  I could start that group!!  And why not?  It's a simple game; no where does it say that teens can't play.  In fact, my Bunco box says "For Ages 7 to Adult."  There is that small gambling element (everyone pitched in five bucks to play).  Mrs. Do-er pointed out that the chance of a monetary prize might be just the thing to pique these girls' interest.  And J-Girl and her friends are fun!  I enjoy their silliness in carpool and at the house, the giggles that spill from them on outings or trickle down from J-Girl's room.  They are a great group of kids, and it is hard to believe that they are a couple blinks away from going off to college, and won't be so big a part of our daily routines.  Yes!  This was a good idea!

Surprisingly, it was difficult to round up 5 other pairs of players.  It seems Friday nights are excellent times for sporting events and school functions, not to mention birthday celebrations or stuck-working-late last minute cancellations.  We ended up with eleven, and I had this penguin stand in for my nieghbor, C. 

As much as I love C, it was almost a nice thing to have Penguin as an ice-breaker.  Having a prior relationship with this penguin, I kept referring to it as a "he", and Neighbor B would pipe up from anywhere in the room, "Hey!!  That's my MOM!!"  It was quite funny, and soon Penguin was having M&M's balanced on his her beak and perhaps even being the preferred partner, as she needed help rolling the dice and keeping score.

All in all, it was a great evening, full on the fun, light on the head injuries.  (Whose idea was it to toss the fuzzy-on-the-outside-hard-on-the-inside dice around?  Oh, mine?  Sorry...)  It would be great if we could manage to get together every month or so.  Are you game?

 

Banner Late Than Never

Spoiler Alert, Sis!  This is a gift coming your way...

I have always admired the genuine love and thoughtfulness that my sister showers upon her loved ones every day, but especially on their birthdays.  She has a way of making you feel so amazing and special and loved and cherished.  Yeah, I'll bake my kids a cake and wrap them a few gifts, but I'll only put up decorations if there is a party and "others" are coming over.  And doing that for Big Daddy?  Fahgettaboudit.  He's lucky if I get him a card. I know, I know--you don't need to tell me how much I suck. 

So, I had this idea when my Sis's birthday came and went in September, and started working on this belated birthday gift that she could use over and over again to celebrate everyone else's birthday.  Am I thoughtful, or what?  I suppose her kids could put it up for her next year. 

 

I tried to get it done for my Dear Niece's birthday in October, but with not dusting my light fixture and ALL that decorating I needed to do for Halloween, the project just didn't get finished in time.  Again with the sucking comments?  Really?  I KNOW!!!  I KNOW!!!  It's just the way I roll.  The way I slowly, achingly slowly, roll...

 

This Happy Birthday banner came out just as I'd imagined it!  I think I will have to make one for our house, too!  And maybe a Merry Christmas one, too!  Fun! 

 

 

I "freehand" single-crocheted the first triangle without a pattern, then went back and counted out stitches and rows to see what I did so I could create the rest of them.  I added contrasting edges by single-crocheting around, then embroidered the letters with chain stitch and attached each panel with a very long crocheted chain.  Easy peasy!  It would be even cuter embellished with some buttons or other crocheted doo-dads.  Give it a try!  Let me know if you'd like the pattern and I'd be happy to pass it along!