It may not be a partridge

It may not be a partridge ...but it is in my tree. This year like every year our tree is made up of the things that are relevant in our lives the things that inspire us, the hand made goodies of our children, ornaments with special meaning handed down from generation...NOT. Our Christmas tree is usually a collaboration of items found on sale the day after Christmas, a Hodge podge if you will of items marked 75% or less, Picking from the sparse shelves of unwanted Christmas goodies. Somehow we manage to find a common denominator and the items fit together as if we had ordered them from a catalogue( I wish there were such a catalogue). This year our tree was decorated out of necessity, the need to have more storage space. I recently decorated for a friends baby shower the theme was Feather The Nest. So while taking down the decorations and trying to find storage space for them , I thought hmm why not the tree.Birds live in trees, and fake birds should live in fake trees, and I posses such an item. So this year it may not be a partridge ...but it's in my tree.

There are bird nests with tiny feathers and eggs, large wooden vine wreaths, small sequined birds, and exsplosion of feathers, brown tissue pompoms,small church style bird houses,pine cones(that I Love),rust colored netting and a few decorative balls left over from 2 Christmas ago. So even with the constant redecorating, done by my artistically challenged two year old. The Christmas Tree still stands(although my five year old Avie did nock it over once I had it fully decorated, she manages to do this every year).

I know there are those of you who may think my tree a bit unconventional, but it to is a tradition passed down from the women in my family to make the ordinary a bit more creative. Thanks mom, tho not all appreciated your purple tiaras and feather boa tree, your purple and blue peacock complete with giant peacock feathers crowning the top tree, or your black ornament tree, your inspiration is contagious. So whether you like the traditional green tree (mine is white,and yes Blake it is staying that way)with red and green balls, with an explosive amount of tinsel, or you have stepped out of the box a little. Decorating the tree is a fun expressive way to say to all who see, Merry Christmas. So Merry Christmas to all. Plug up your lights and let your Christmas Spirit shine.

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

Black Friday is one of my favorite days, it is a Christmas Tradition, or is it a thanksgiving traditions seeing how they festivities start the moment after we clean the turkey carcas from the table. It is a bit of a science that has evolved into each person being assigned to their own task. Melba and Debra (granny and mom) are in charge of delegating who goes where and what to buy. I am in charge of making a list of who opens at what times and the sizes of each individual we are shopping for. My grandmother Melba will ask you prior for a list. If you fail to fill out a detailed list you will be on your own, left to fend for your self after Black Friday to find your own presents, purchase them and wrap them yourself. So it would behoove you to have your list ready, for the items that are on the list will be purchased by a third party(us) for the price listed in the sale paper, wrapped and delivered on Christmas Eve. So as we sit around the table each one paying special attention to the orders givin, the "Plan" is made. So don your comfortable sweat suit your festive christmas hoodie, your best tennis shoes and your sales papers and get ready for the shopping( grapping , rushing, running over others with your buggy)experience of your life. This is not for the faint you WILL ,

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

Melba Toast

This blog thingy was started as a way to keep track of all the crazy yet often hilarious still outlandish thing that come out of the mouths of children. My Children, and as a request from my grandmother Melba who inspired my to do so. So here it goes though I realize I should have started this much sooner, like five years soon when my first daughter started talking, and by talking i mean embarrassing the living crap out of her mother. As Melba said "one day you will want to remember all the things she said", Even tho I have repressed most of the nerve wracking things that have come gushing out her tiny mouth there are a few that stick out. Among the less offensive, I love how she called the refrigerator the food -a- rator ( very Dr. dufinsmet-ish, if you have children I am sure you have seen Phineas and Ferb) McDonald's- old Mac Donald's, where we would get Pantie cakes. She would correct any one calling her Abby and say "No my name is Avie A-V-I-E. I was proud that my two year old could spell her name but not everyone else was as impressed, maybe it was the way she would put her little fists on her hips and call them out on there miss pronunciation of her name. In any case I would watch from a distance with one eye shut and the other half opened, waiting for the reaction of the scolded adult to see if they took the correction in stride.

I will probably spend the rest of the night recalling humerus and embarrassing phrases she would say.

So I am starting this Toast To Melba while Eliza is just starting to spew these phrases that make me laugh and in the same breath make me cringe. However the latest is when she sees something scary be it on the telly or in our every day adventures. She will say" He not scary, a not scary ( as she looks to me for re assurance, and when I tell her no it's not scary) she laughs a nervous laugh and says " He just silly momma he just silly". Well here is to you Melba as I figuratively raise my glass to you(my half full glass) I toast your persistence to make me take note and document... my life's work...my children. Melba Toast