11th Day of Christmas

Things I am feeling particularly good about -

• Most of my Christmas cards are out (or at least they will be postmarked out before Christmas) ha!
  
• My presents are mostly wrapped (ok I have one more to wrap for Danny's Grandma)
• We gave a few friends 'green' gifts (one of those green canvas bags with oranges and clementines with a message about how 100 billion bags are thrown away every year, etc). It felt good to have a soapbox in the the season...
  
• I made Holden a book for Christmas; and I am really excited for him to open it
• Most of our presents for family this year are made (that always puts me more in the mood for Christmas)
• I have really amazing friends
• The Chipmunks are playing in the background on Kozy 106.5
• I don't particularly care for Delilah*

*The other day I was listening to her and she said something about cuddling up all cozy-like at the fire place and then said 'You probably don't even have a fireplace. I've got three. I live in an old farm house and..." yada yada yada.. she starts going off about her three fireplaces? What a weirdo. I think I could do better.

Love songs with Delilah -- the other night she was talking about how she was divorced and marriage just didn;t work for her... is that weird to anyone else but me?

Back to the post at hand. I am also feeling good about:

• How Holden will just cuddle and snuggle up to me for no apparent reason
• Stoked that he appears to have completely weaned from the bottle (even at nighttime, we just fill a sippy cup with water if he needs something to wet his whistle)... it's been four days and four nights, so I think we're safe?!?!
  
• And that he's standing by himself for a few seconds and even took a couple of steps (ok, a step and a half?) today

I am nervous for him to walk... he needs to wait until his first birthday so I can be done pumping. I've mentioned it before, but that's another thing I'm looking forward to... I'm really happy to have 'nursed' Holden this long, but I won;t wish being a dairy cow...

He turns 11 months on January 1st. That is insanity...

What day of Christmas is it? (I've lost track....)

And on top of that, apparently TODAY was winter solstice? I am not even worthy to blog....

Happy Winter Solstice All! (9th Day of Christmas)

I love a solstice... don't really know why. But it sounds a heck of a lot cooler than Autumnal Equinox. (Actually Equinox, is a pretty cool word --isn't my CUV an equinox?)

But I still love Solstice. I'm sure if there were a car called Solstice it would be awesome.

So I just wanted to wish you a merry one -- it doesn't look so bleak outside today (although it's not even 2 pm yet.)

Holden's sleeping; Danny's leading singing time in the primary (such a good man)... the house is silent except for the rhythmic hum and dance from the water from the dishwasher. The sun is shining; and I've got chicken noodle soup on the stove with home made noodles drying on the counter top waiting for their big show.

Something about today just feels like perfection.

Namaste.


Wish I knew who to give the art credit to for the photo. But i found it here.

8th Day of Christmas -- Food Co-Op

Oh hello, how are you today? You are probably not reading blogs today because you are at Costco, with what I can only suppose is the rest of the valley -- eeek!


I almost had to go there and then I remembered that would be absolutely horrible!

Anyway - on the 8th day of Christmas, the universe gave to me:
a TOTAL SCORE FROM THE FOOD CO-OP, BABY!

So here is the list of the take home for today:
-1 lb lean ground beef (what am I going to do with that?!?!?)
-2 lbs chicken thighs
-1 lb pork spare ribs
-2 8oz. top sirloin steaks
-5 bananas
-6 apples
-4 clementines (oh, so cute!)
-1 head romaine lettuce
-1 bunch cauliflower
-3 green peppers
-2 avacados
- 3 lb. bag of yellow onions

PLUS, an artisan loaf of Stone Ground's wheat bread and 16 oz. of black beans.

I know I've talked about it before; but we get loads of food for such a smokin' deal. I kid you not, we only paid $23 for all of that stuff. I dare you to try and get that much food anywhere else! You'd have to coupon clip, visit 10 different stores or even (gasp!)... shop at WalMart (*ew, ew and double ew).

I heart the food co-op.

*Also, Danny wanted me to make sure to let everone know that he doesn't hate WalMart - they made a generous donation to Discovery Gateway (the Children's Museum). So he has a soft spot for them in his heart - even though he doesn't shop there. I say, even the devil can use good to do his dirty work. I'm just sayin'.

My Letter to Santa - Seventh Day

I'm sending this USPS later today, what do you think? I don't want to be too demanding, but I want to make sure Mr. Kringle knows I mean business.

*****

Dear Santa,

How have you been? As you know, I have been a very good girl this year (despite YOUR COMPLETE FAILURE at fulfilling my ONE and ONLY Christmas to be famous wish from last year.) But as you know I am a very forgiving individual and so instead of my request to be famous turning into the proverbial 'wish for a pony'... I've changed my tune.

This year - make me skinny.

There are many reasons to fulfill my grown up Christmas wish, but here are three key areas that make this a selfless request:

THE ENVIRONMENT
Skinny people are smaller and therefore use less resources. It won't take as much material to clothe me. Plus, I won't eat as much (because from what I can see, skinny people usually don't eat much).

MY SON
No one wants a chubby mommy. I mean sure, I'm great to snuggle up with. But I'm pretty sure Holden wants a mom who is cute and cool and youthful. And no one can be cool that is destined to live life in sweat suits because nothing else fits.

MY MARRIAGE
Really I'm doing it for my husband and in the name of building a better family. If I'm skinny, I'm more likely to 'be in the mood.' And for some reason, that makes my husband really happy.

So are you going to deliver, or what?!?!

Please hurry and make it so, or all these chocolate chip cookies I made for you will be gone before you get here.

Yours truly,
Sabrena

*****

PS. When I started this letter I was typing too fast for my fingers and accidentally wrote 'Dear Satan." Am I supposed to read anything into that?!?!

Sixth Day of Christmas - A plea for liquid gold

So I almost thought we might get more than a couple of posts without talking about breast milk... alas, it is not so. But this is not about me. It's actually a call to action, like ARUP but for mommy's milk. (Sorry, those of you looking for something witty/funny etc. This post hits a little closer to home.)

Anyway, today I received this message on Facebook from "The Mothers Milk Club Of Utah." (MMCU)

Subject: We need milk!

Hi Moms! We are running low on milk. We are feeding several babies and we were hoping someone out there knows of any donors. We just have one mom right now who is feeding her twins plus 4 other babies all by herself! Let us know if you know of anyone!

Thanks
Robin Mothers Milk club collector

Emphasis added, obviously! But seriously?!?!? One mom, feeding twins AND pumping to feed four other babies?!??! I thought I was a saint giving some of Holden's excess to his cousin. I have been humbled.

So I know this is kind of weird to a lot of you, but if you know anyone in SLC or surrounding area with a stockpile (or even just a few ounces) of breast milk to spare, please contact Robin (801.273.0636).

Utah doesn't have a milk bank, but this is the closest thing. The milk goes to babies with serious issues like brain/head injuries, those diagnosed with cancers/leukemia and a plethora of other diseases. Additionally, (like now) they help adopted babies; and there's even a baby who's mother just died and the Milk Club is supplying breast milk to the father for the little one.

If you aren't familiar with the benefits of breast milk, they are immeasurable.

And if you don't know anyone, or aren't in a position to donate, I just ask that you set and intention (or remember in your prayers) that along with all those in need at this time, that the MMCU will be able to find some mommies to help out soon, and that these sweet little babies will be helped.

Love and thanks,
Sabrena

The Drummer from Def Lepard on my Solstice Tree -OR- 5th Day of Christmas

Since Little Bits loves to get into things, I figured this would be a good year to 'make' some of the decorations for our tree. I tried Gingerbread Men this year (that way, if Holden decides to eat the ornaments it's organic sugar and molasses.)

I think they turned out pretty good....
But there was a casualty:
A bigger spatula could've saved this one...

Rest in peace little man. You died as a martyr -- a very delicious martyr.