The girls and Grammy made a very inviting gingerbread house this year. I really love the marshmallow accents and the use of the green icing.
The Loom
Grammy gave Chloe a beading loom for Hanukkah. Looks harmless enough, but boy does it hold some secrets. Namely, that it was created to bring nine-year olds to tears.
Macaroni Song
I have no idea what any of this song means, but Sophie learned it on the school bus and sings it frequently. It’s about macaroni and bunnies, and I don’t know what else. And she’s not quite certain of the words at the end. But boy, she sure is working it. A born choreographer.
That said, I am confident that this is one of those moments she’ll want to revisit in about 15 years.
Another Lost Tooth
This time, it was a big tooth. And there was a fair amount of blood, which made Chloe very happy. So happy that she had me take this photo. You can see the red hole on the bottom right.
Skull Earrings, Part II
Chloe showing off her new skull earrings at school turned out to be a completely anticlimactic affair. When I arrived home this evening, the first thing Chloe said to me was, “Mom, nobody even noticed my earrings!” The principal didn’t notice, the assistant principal didn’t notice, her teachers didn’t notice and her classmates didn’t notice. Her friend really liked them, though.
Appropriate for School?
Chloe begged us to get her these earrings for Hanukkah. She LOVES these earrings. And when she opened the present today, she jumped for joy and squealed. And then she asked if she could wear them to school.
Keeping it Simple
Hanukkah starts tomorrow. Can’t believe it’s so early this year. In an attempt to limit the over-consumption, we’re going to be giving the girls simple gifts. Some cash for Chloe, some books for Sophie. And a couple of small but fun surprises. Then we have a few weeks’ respite before Christmas, thank goodness.
Back to Work Tomorrow
Five days of vacation and it’s back to the grind tomorrow. Work is looking to be fairly hectic over the next two weeks, and I’m looking forward to celebrating the end of what has been an incredibly long year work-wise.
Eating Too Much
It all started on Wednesday evening with a steak and seafood dinner to celebrate birthdays and a not-too-distant Ph.D. for my brother.
Happy Thanksgiving
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. There’s no religion, no ceremony. Just family reuniting around a large table eating a lot of food, and enjoying each other’s company and each other’s differing views. On this particular occasion, there was also a little more excitement than usual: police activity (including helicopters and boats) in and around the Hudson that had us all frantically using binoculars and checking our iPhones, blackberries and laptops to find out what the hell was happening (rumor has it that it was a poor lost soul who decided to take a jump from the bridge – a stark reminder that times are still tough for many people).