Big Sigh of Relief...

It seems the craziness from the holidays is starting to calm down a little. See... I actually have time to sit here and type something up for my poor neglected blog!

Work is slowing down, things returning slowly but surely back to normal.

Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. It was fun. Just crazy.

Maya was quite a happy camper, she really made out this year... between Santa and family, she is now the proud owner of a Nintendo DS lite (red!) and 8, yes 8 games. I have shamelessly been hogging the DS quite a bit, I must confess.

There are also a whole variety of other various toys and games and doo-dads to keep her occupied. We've been playing boggle and have yet to try out the joys of cupcake making with her Gourmet Girl cupcake maker. It's nice having her home from school, but the poor kid has a pretty bad cold right now. Sipping hot apple cider and watching Nims Island. Great movie, by the way!

I'm also the proud owner of a new Fondue Set, which I have been wanting for, well, a long time. I'm thinking of trying chocolate rum fondue recipe for New Years eve. Yummy.

I haven't had a chance to read up on all my wonderful fave blogs recently, I plan on taking some time to do that today and tomorrow, but I do hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday, whatever and however you celebrate!

Bark At The Moon

So, tonight is going to be the largest full moon of the year, and I will be out and about Christmas shopping, out among the masses of already crazed people all trying to get that ever coveted deal of the century. Will the full moon make them even crazier? I can only hope not.

Going on a Friday night, 2 weeks before Christmas.. not so smart to begin with. But hey, it was pay day for the hubby and I, and my schedule doesn't allow me much freedom and flexibility. The stars aligned (albeit with the largest full moon of the year!) allowing a night off, alone time with hubby, grand parent provided kid-sitting and money in our pockets... all at the same time, on the same night. How could I pass up this opportunity?

The kiddo has requested the follow items from Santa, which will no doubt leave her one very disappointed little girl on Christmas morning:

A Laptop (Hahaha.. Santa has not yet finished paying off her laptop, and kiddo thinks she can get one? She is EIGHT!!!)

A Cell Phone. Yes, a cell phone. Once again... she is EIGHT!! Now, I do see the logic in kids having cell phones... safety concerns all that. But I'm thinking, maybe let her hit double digits first? I don't need a cell phone bill through the roof because she's downloaded 6,754 Hannah Montana and Jonas Bros ring tones. Besides, I am perfectly capable of providing my very own through-the-roof cell phone bills, courtesy of my new friend MoBlogging.

A Video Camera. HA. She is the daughter of an aspiring photographer who works in a camera shop! The kid already has a digital camera nicer than most kids her age have, AND it does shoot video, and she has a pretty little 4 gig SD card to go with it! So, ixnay on the ideovay ameracay.

Nintendo DS. Ah. Now this, I can do. Mainly because I want to play with it, too. If she lets me. Well.. she will have to sleep sometime right?

Happy Holiday Shopping to all, and... hey, wish me luck out there with all the werewolves and frantic shopping lunatics under the glow of the gigantic full moon!

No Boyfriends Until You're 40 (Her Dad Says...)

Getting back to my "mom blog" roots...

Maya has a boyfriend.

Here's the thing. I want to be the kind of Mom she feels she can talk to about to anything. I want her to be able to come to me for support or advice, I want her to feel like she can tell me anything, I want us to have that close relationship.

She is only in first grade, 7 years old... but it starts now. The trust thing, we have to start building it with our kids from day 1. I firmly believe this and I have tried, in so many ways, to do this as a parent...

I have been very involved in every aspect of her life (well, DUH, I'm her mother!), and obviously school is one of the most important aspects... so obviously, I have been very involved in this, also. I have volunteered in her library, her computer classes, class parties, book fairs. I meet with her teacher and we discuss her "gifted" status and the challenges her teacher gives her, I have a wonderful relationship with her teacher.

A few weeks ago Maya was Student of the Week. This means, among other things, parents get to come to the school and do a special project with the class. We made and decorated foamie sun visors, the kids loved it! Many of her classmates know me pretty well by now, I get a lot of "Hi, Maya's Mom!" comments as I walk through the halls.

I keep getting off point here. Anyway. While the kiddos were busy with their projects, Maya's teacher pulls me aside and says, "So, have you heard the news? About the romance?" I was like, huh?

So she proceeds to tell me that Maya and Devon have announced that they "like" each other and are now boyfriend-girlfriend. Whatever that means, to 7 year olds. At first I was a little freaked, I mean it's cute when it's someoneelse's kid... I asked the teacher if this was normal and she assured me it was, normal and healthy at this age. She got married in first grade. Hehe.

My next reaction was, why didn't Maya tell me?? Have I failed already?? At only 7 years old, does she already feel she can't tell me these things?

I didn't need to worry, though. While we were driving in the car, a almost an after thought, Maya says "Oh, hey mom! Guess what!" and I got to hear all about her and Devon, and how funny he is, and how nice he is, and how great of a climber he is on the playground equipment.

In other wonderful mom news... They have moved Maya up, from level 1 to level 3 in gymnastics. Skipped her right over level 2!

Also, I'm looking forward to her spring school musical show this month. These things are beyond cute. Their Holiday show was adorable and just awesome, and now they are going to have a spring show... A Year with Frog and Toad.

Obviously, I will have photos! :)

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend's Weekend Snapshots:





And now, I must go back to my couch and my soup, because I have a rotten case of Strep Throat :(

Our Family Comic Book: Part One

I can't remember how it all started, but one evening my daughter and I were drawing cartoons about our family. We drew quite a few of them, all highlighting some of the quirks we have both individually and as a family. I decided to post a few of these on my blog every so often, and here is the first installment... please disregard the lack of artistical talent. I'm not going to tell you which toons my 7 year old drew and which ones were my doing, because frankly there isn't much difference.

Weekend Snapshot(s)

It's Weekend Snapshot time!

This weekend was a time for play:

A time for learning about reptiles:







And a time to be goofy: (Yes, that's my hubby with Steve Irwin!)