In Poor Taste

We were driving through lovely farmland on the way to cut our Christmas tree and daydreaming about moving to a house with enough land to raise a few chickens. I suggested that perhaps we get a few miniature goats as well. And my meat-loving husband said to his vegetarian wife, "Sure, if we can name it Tasty!"

Fairy on the Shelf

I decided to give the "Elf on the Shelf" tradition a go in our house. Only, I wasn't about to buy some cheesy made-in-China-of-who-knows-what-materials elf. So, I got the winter fairy from Magic Cabin, my favorite natural toy catalog. She is so gorgeous, with a light blue sweater and the softest white hair ever. Her name is Crystal Tinselfrost. So, last night I put her on the shelf intending to surprise the girls in the morning. Well, this morning, as I tried to inform the girls that Santa's elf/fairy was going to keep an eye on them, I was promptly informed that I was sadly mistaken. Their points were as follows:

a. This was a fairy doll from Magic Cabin. They know that blasted catalog from cover to cover. This fairy simply did not escape their notice. Any they would like to know where all her accessories are.

b. She doesn't have a real mouth and therefore won't be reporting anything to anyone.

c. Knee and elbow joints are made of buttons, further proof of her not realness.

d. Santa's elves are tiny and invisible. Everyone knows this. As this doll is a good 12 inches and clearly visible, she is NOT, repeat NOT one of Santa's elves.

e. If she is an elf on the shelf and may not be touched, then they can't play with her. This is bad. They sneakily started small. Could they make a house for her out of blocks? (Sure.) Could they make a pillow for her? (Sure.) Could they put her in the house with the pillow? (ok) Can they keep her out to play with forever and FOREVER and not just at Christmas time, please, please, please mom, PLEASE. (oh, good heavens)

I think I lost. We have no elf on the shelf. We have a new fairy toy and her name is Laura.

Thanksgiving

I would like to give sincere thanks that Gwen and I were able to attend our Thanksgiving Feast. Steve & Michelle and their daughters Alex and Elizabeth came over for dinner, but Gwen and I were not there to greet them. We were at Howard County Hospital's pediatric emergency room. Gwen swallowed a piece of apple (sliced with the skin peeled off) without chewing it. It got lodged in her esophagus and hurt like the dickens. She also keep spitting up. We tried water and eating a piece of bread, but that just came choking back up. So it was off to the emergency room we went. Gwen had a CT scan to confirm an obstruction in her esophagus. Yes, it was there and distinctly apple-slice shaped. However, after being in the hospital for about two hours, listening to me read Little House in the Big Woods, and relaxing a bit in the dimly lit room, the apple piece finally went down. She sat up suddenly and said, "I don't feel it anymore." We stayed there long enough to drink and eat a bit and verify that food was staying down and then they released us. We made it home in time to have dinner with our friends and for that both Gwen and I are truly thankful.

My Personal Stylist

While I was putting the breakfast dishes away this morning, Caitlin swished into the room to show me the ensemble that she had put together for the day: a blue tunic-style shirt with colorful butterflies all over with a pair of berry colored yoga pants that exactly matched the berry in some of the butterflies in the top. The items were bought separately, so the matching thing was a coincidence. But, Caitlin, with her eye for style and color, knew a good thing when she saw it. Impressed by her choices, I asked her to help me pick out my clothes for the day. I picked out the jeans, and she picked out a top. She was so excited to help me pick out my clothes! It was such a treat to see her consider her options and, with the confidence of a experienced fashionista, decisively select the top.

The Other Daughter's Dress

My dear husband took the older daughter out to get her Christmas dress while I was home with a terrible cold. They bring it back and it is lovely, it is twirly, it will match her sisters AND it is dry-clean only. Awesome.

The Dress

I mentioned to my dear husband that I was going to have to take the girls shopping for a few new pairs of warm pants for winter. A guilty look suddenly came over his face. "What???" I ask. And he confesses, "I took Caitlin shopping for a Christmas dress yesterday." More guilty looks. "It is polyester." He knows I hate polyester. "Caitlin loves it."

When I saw the dress, I knew what he meant. Caitlin had to have picked out this dress. It was red with puffed sleeves and the skirt was ruffled and embroidered to within an inch of its life. And it had crinoline underneath. And, the coupe de grace, it had a matching doll's dress. OMG. It is a polyester nightmare to be sure, but it is Caitlin's polyester nightmare. And she looks like a princess in it.

I guess it could be worse. It could be dry-clean only.