Christmas in Tampa 2010

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Wishing You a Merry Christmas...

Froehliche Weinachten, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, Kala Christouyenna and Mele Kalikimaka from our family to yours! 

Horny Cookies

I was eight years old when my mother died.  That first Christmas without her was especially tough and I remember all the adults in my life trying so hard to make me happy.  On Christmas night, we stopped by my Aunt Joan's open house and she presented a plate of cookies "just for me" to take home because she knew I loved the kind with the Hershey Kiss on top.   I blurted out, "Thank you so much.  These are my favorite.  They make me so horny!" and whole family turned and scowled at my always inappropriate father.  Having no idea what horny meant at the time, I really did come pretty close to describing how these cookies make me feel!   From then on, I call the cookies with the Kiss on top "Horny Cookies" and I smile every time I eat one!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Friday Favorites- Warm Winter Weather

Just a few days ago it was 23 degrees here in Charleston and I was completely miserable!  Today it's 68 degrees with the sun shining strong.  This little guy came out to bask in the sun today.  As did I! 

Snowflakes

I planned on making plain old-fashoined paper snowflakes with paper and scissors but ended up finding these foam snowflakes at Walmart.  The kids and I glued all sorts of cool stuff to them and hung them on our porch windows.  Cheap, simple, fun and festive!  

BFF Birthday

Rya's best friend Riley turned 3 today and we helped her celebrate at Charleston's Jump Indoor.  They jumped, hugged, ate candy, ran around and made their own stuffed animals.  It's adorable to see how much they love each other.  Happy birthday Riley! 

Dear Santa

We took the kids to see Santa tonight at Towne Center. Currier brought his wish list for Santa to read. He's asking for Criss Cross Crash and several different Star Wars Legos. Rya had nothing to say and would barely look at the Big Man.  Ho Ho Ho!

Friday Favorites- Napping with Dogs

It's starting to get chilly here in Charleston.  It's in the mid 50's which means it's frigging freezing to me!  There's nothing more comforting than taking a nap with these two little bed warmers on a day like today.  "Napping With Dogs" is my Sioux name.  Happy Friday!

Jammies, Movies and Crafts

We skipped the gym today (Mama is sore and tired), stayed in our jammies all morning, watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town and decorated paper Christmas trees to adorn our windows.  Perfect!  

23 Days and Counting

This morning the kids and I made this paper chain to help them understand how many days until Santa arrives.  It's hanging over our dining room table and each morning we'll take a link off the chain.  As the chain gets shorter the closer it gets to Christmas! 

Rya D Designs

This ensemble was brought to you by Rya D. 

She'll be coming out with her own label soon. 

Thanksgiving 2010

We actaully celebrated Thanksgiving the evening before Thanksgiving this year.  This way I wouldn't have to worry about cooking after running the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and also so that my dad could enjoy leftovers for a day before flying out the morning after Thanksgiving.  We had a quiet, simple dinner.  I have so much to be thankful for but this year I was especially thankful to have my father here with us.  

Thanksgiving morning I ran the Turkey Run 5K downtown Charleston in 80 degree weather with my good friend Ella.  My dad, Trent and the kids greeted me at the finish line and so did a giant beer truck.  Life is so good!   

After the race, we watched the Macy's Parade, ate leftovers, watched football, ate more leftovers, unbuttoned our pants and decorated the house for Christmas.  Bring on the next holiday! 

Highlights from Dad's Visit

My dad is back in Massachusetts resuming chemo treatments after taking two weeks off to be with us.  It was a great visit.  We spent a day at the aquarium seeing the albino alligator and all the other sea creatures we love. 

One evening we went to the James Island County Park Festival of Lights and enjoyed three wondrous miles of sparkly Christmasness!    

  

We did a lot of relaxing, newspaper reading, ice cream eating, tonic drinking, scratch ticket scratching and oldie music listening.  

We also had an Ultimate Scrabble Championship one evening and invited Stacey, another Newburyporter.  There were a lot of laughs, a lot of beer and wine drinking, a lot of wise cracks and of course a few arguments.  My dad enjoyed this competition and thought Stacey was a real "hot shit".  

Friday Favorites- Waking Up To This...

I love waking up to find that both kids have snuck into our bed in the middle of the night without waking us.  Love love love this!

Timeout Team

Lately these two nitwits have been partnering up for misbehavior and spending a lot of time in lock down together.  I'm definitely being paid back for my youthful magic moments!

Thanksgiving Craft

I had the kids make this little Thanksgiving craft to give Papa on Thanksgiving.  I love doing little projects like this. 

I don't even mind the messy hands.

But I do get a little pissed off when I turn my back for a second and someone decides it's a good idea to dump purple paint all over herself, the chair, the wall and the floor.  Papa better appreciate this masterpiece.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

Happy Birthday Papa and Rya

Incredibly, Rya shares her birthday with both of her grandfathers.  Papa Currier from Massachusetts came down to Charleston to celebrate Rya's 2nd birthday and his 72nd birthday.  I didn't have anything special planned to celebrate since I wasn't sure of my dad's energy level after surpassing 50 chemo treatments this year.  However, his spirits were high and his mood was terrific so I threw together a celebration at the Yamato Japenese Steakhouse on a moments notice.  Our good friends the Healys, the Buelks, the Woods, the Hudsons, the Maczkos and the Broadhursts all gathered (making a party of 26) around the hibachi to watch the chef cook, to chat and laugh, to eat and drink and most of all to celebrate the lives of these two special people!  For a spontaneous evening, it was just perfect.

Dear Two-Year-Old Rya D.,

You turned two years old today! This morning Currier said that you still look the same as yesterday so you couldn’t be two because you still look like one-year-old Rya. But I noticed the change, Rya. Moms always notice these things. You are no longer my baby. You’re my little girl. A little girly girl!

It’s fun to watch your little personality sprouting. You are kind and gentle and stubborn and quirky and coy. Your generous hugs make my heart melt, your insistent drive makes my heart rate soar and your adorable playfulness makes my heart swell. I love the person you are becoming. You are special and you are in my heart.

You’re an absolute nightmare to put to bed now that you are no longer in a crib. You get up dozens of times and your father and I have to keep putting you back in your bed until we both collapse from exhaustion. You think this whole scenario is hilarious. Your father and I not so much.

You are in speech therapy right now because you’re a late talker. I was worried at first but now I’m confident that nothing is wrong with you. You just don’t have much to say. You’re an observer and a good listener, like your father. This makes me love you ever more.

My little girl is no longer a baby and it all happened so fast. One day before I know it you’ll be a grown woman and this ring will fit you. I need you to know that no matter how far away you go or how different we may become, I want this ring to remind you that you will always be my little girl and you will always be in my heart. 

All my love,
Mama

Tiny Ballerinas

Rya and her best friend Riley took their very first ballet class together this morning.  They ran around, chased each other, twirled and hugged until they tipped over.  They were absolutely adorable together.  I can't wait for tap, jazz and gymnastics!   

Rya's First Movie

We met Cinnamon, Max and Amara at the Palmetto Movie Theatre last night to see Megamind.  This was Rya's first movie and she did great for an almost-two-year-old.  She snacked on popcorn and candy and laughed when the other kids laughed and lasted about 45 minutes before losing interest and wandering the aisles.  After the movie we went to On The Border for Mexican.  The kids sat at their own table and behaved long enough for Trent, Cinnamon and I to enjoy a few beers, eat dinner and complete more than a few sentences without being interrupted.  The evening was a success! 

Friday Favorites- Ciao Bella Sorbetto

I discovered this little container of goodness in the supermarket a few weeks ago!  Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbetto takes me back to Sicily with each delicious flavor-bursting bite and it's the closest thing I can get to tasting a real Sicilian blood orange in South Carolina.  È delizioso!  Manco la Sicilia. 

Roaming Free on the IOP

Yesterday we took Bruco and Paolo to the Isle of Palms to let them roam free on the beach.

While the dogs ran around like maniacs, we collected shells and took in the salty air. 

I love days like this. 

Look Who's Riding a Bike Sans Training Wheels...

Tante Auguri Bruco

Bruco turned 7 years old today and we threw him a surprise dinner.  We've been planning this party all week and you have no idea how hard it was to keep this a secret.  It all paid off though because I really think Bruco was genuinely surprised... so surprised he crapped on the floor!  Buon compleanno my pain-in-the-ass-neurotic-Italian-Greyhound.  We love you and couldn't imagine our family without you, you son-of-a-bitch!

Trick-or-Treat 2010

We loaded up the wagon with a cooler full of beer and Capri Suns, glow sticks and bug spray and trick-or-treated the hood with Wolverine and Tinkerbell and our friends the Aukamps and Patricks. 

The kids got a ridiculous amount of candy.  It was a sugary success.  Happy Halloween!

Balentowski.o

My cousin Cheryl came for a week long visit.  She arrived on my birthday, Saturday evening, and we kicked off her visit with class and rented the horror film The Human Centipede.  The movie was so incredibly disturbing that it took me hours to fall asleep that night.  I highly recommend it! 

Sunday afternoon we drove up to Columbia to check into the Hilton for the night and see our favorite comedian Daniel Tosh Live.  I scored great seats front and center and Tosh was so funny our cheeks and stomachs hurt from laughing!  

After the show, we ran into Daniel Tosh at a club and got our picture taken with him.  He looks completely different in person. 

On Tuesday we took the kids to Kiln Time to do ceramics.  Growing up in Newburyport, my grandmother and Cheryl's great-grandmother, Mimi, owned a ceramic shop so this was one of those sweet nostalgic moments that made us feel special for passing on our family craft as well as our family lunacy. 

  

Wednesday evening we did Bottles and Brushes.  The painting was Sunset Over the Battery.  We wore our Fugu Tour t-shirts to support our cousin Dickie's art tour- "Fugu and Beyond, The World Tour".

After the art class we kept it classy by going to the local biker bar, Richard's, for a few drinks and a few twirls on the dance floor.  We left our mark on the women's bathroom door! 

On Thurday we took the kids to the Scary'um Aquarium and got to pet a baby alligator! 

After our morning at the aquarium, we went to Poogan's Porch for a lovely Southern lunch.  Named after a dog, Poogan's Porch is famous for being one of the most haunted restaurants in America.  We had no run-ins with any ghosts but the Gouda Macaroni and Cheese and the Fried Green Tomatoes more than made up for it! 

For Cheryl's final day, we made Mexican Sugar Skulls in preparation for the upcoming Day of the Dead and we just felt like we needed to keep with our crafty theme of the week. 

We ended her visit with cocktails on the dock, followed by Skittles vodka shots, beer, more beer and then more Skittles vodka shots.  It was a fantastic week fueled by booze and giggles.  I love me some Cheryl.  One day I hope we marry and adopt Chinese and African babies together! 

Bottles and Brushes Part III

To celebrate my 37 years on earth, the girls and I got together for another Bottles and Brushes class.  My cousin Cheryl was here visiting for this one so it was super silly.  

We painted a Sunset over the Battery. 

I painted this one for Currier.  I know it's no dragon, but it'll do!