Results tagged "Christmas and holiday season"

Let me preface this entry by making a huge excuse for the spoilage of my son, Will. Aside from his inherent awesomeness and beyond this planet cuteness, he is also currently the only Grandson with one set of Grandparents, and a 3rd Grandchild to the other set. He is also a Nephew to my two sisters and my husband’s siblings – two sisters and a brother… not to mention the endless sea of extended family that we all love and adore. Then there are the friends… Wow, we sound like the most popular kids in school, right? Not.

In Will’s vast lifetime of 2 years… I think that Mr. Sal and I have purchased–at the most–10% of his belongings… toys and clothing… All the rest have been bestowed upon us by our loving collection of friends and family… The toys that have truly turned our home into a playhouse… and the clothing… MY GOD THE CLOTHING. Honestly, we love it… so if you are reading this… please DO NOT STOP… But during the holidays… it does beg the question as parents… What to buy?… I turned to Mari @ Small for Big, a friend that I am stalking whose website I am slightly obsessed with… I love Mari’s picks because the items are all dollar friendly, somewhat green and are usually created with an AWESOME design sense… I might just buy a few things for myself to display as our Holiday centerpiece.. Regardless, I’m sure by the end of this list I will have spent it all–sorry to the rest, it’s all for Will this year… Take it away Mari!…

When I sent out my request to help shop for the kids dear to you this holiday season, little did I realize Ry’s response would be: “what do I get for the boy who has everything?” Hmm. That’s one of those tough ones isn’t it. And with the grandparents’ tendencies to spoil kids rotten (we love it though, right?) I think the phenomenon is pretty common.

So, I thought I’d help her out with some of my favorites for a 2 year old boy who happens to like trucks, trains, blocks puzzles, and balls. There’s something in every price range here – and some great things for girls too.

Magic Gertie Ball – Many parents already know the wonders of the easy to grasp, easy to inflate Gertie Ball.  But the Magic Gertie is special – remember Hypercolor clothes in the 80′s? It’s baaaaaack.  (This is much better than my HS choir teacher and his hypercolor shorts. Not Kidding.)

Stacking Cone – An Act Two twist on the classic stacker – it’s definitely harder than your standard version – for the puzzler side of Mr. Will.

Billibo – A toy beyond explanations. Because it’s creative potential is best unlocked by a kid (hat? Rocker? Pail? Sled? Something never seen before?) This one made Small for Big’s theWANTlists this year.

Dexterity Stellina Color Sorting Puzzle – Mr. Will can find hours of puzzling choices with this crazy star-shaped shape/size/color sorter.

Douglas, from Monster Factory – Because every single monster at the Monster Factory is worthy of Mr. Will’s love, but I could only pick one.

Switchback Racetrack -  A vertical way to get your fix of racing, crashing, and little boys’ squealing.

Dalmation’s Choice Fire Engine – The Cadillac (sorry, fire truck) of ride-ons. It’s a retro classic to keep for the grandchildren. It has to be for that price.

Thanks Mari!–To follow up, en-route to our house via Santa’s sled (PS did you know that if Santa actually went as fast as he would have to go to reach all the children of the world in one night, his sled would burst into flames? sorry.)…

• Billibo – I’m just so curious to see how Will approaches this thing…
• Dexterity Stellina Color Sorting Puzzle – He loves puzzles!…
• Switchback Racetrack – Hours of predictable fun…
• Douglas, from Monster Factory – Honestly… ALL FOR ME, ALL ME – do you think Douglas drinks? Kinda looks like a Patrón man… shots anyone?

I have been inspired. And by saying that – I don’t mean that I was enlightened or that some random hot guy pushed me over the edge… What I am saying is that this Holiday thing has me smitten. I am actually really loving it… and I promise that this will be the last time that I write about it…

Until next year, of course. But you see, the thing about it is that I don’t think that I have ever looked at this time of year the way I am currently… I don’t think that I have ever attempted to analyze myself and how I behave… or not behave when faced with this time of year. It is stressful… The shopping, which I have not started, and the decorating, which was completed in record time while my 2 year old took all the ornaments off the tree as I put them on. The planning of seeing each and every deserving relative despite the 4 to 5 hour car rides to actually do so… while still having a nice quiet Christmas morning all to ourselves at home. Not to mention the possibility of guests, food, booze and the constant battle with money. Damn you GIANT ECONOMIC DOWNFALL. Not to mention CHURCH and the reality of what it all means paired with the guilt of all things Catholic. Did I say I was loving this?

Survival combined with rage and yoga.

My tactic? Irreverence…

Not in the proper defining DISRESPECT… not in the disregard of authority that I must participate and ENJOY the holidays… just.. taking it all as it comes. Doing it proper if it happens and wrong if it must. A new found calm that one should be relaxed when faced with multitasking on limited and ever decreasing brain cells. But I am not alone… so I asked via internet of great things… what about you this time of year? How do YOU handle Holiday stress? Rage or yoga?

Jojo said: Chocolate, red wine, avoidance, screaming, and getting outside as much as possible.

aslapintheface said: I play “chicken” with the people in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Just kidding. The little security guy told me to stop. Actually – I am a huge fan of the warm bubble bath with some good magazines or a book.

mstinak said: Karate chops.

jeristhird said: I go to bed early.

Mona said: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. If it’s particularly bad, margaritas. No red wine, though, because it makes me hot and angry…even if I’m not already angry.

ChattyAli said: Rage, definitely rage. Also depression.

cipsi said: Rage AND Yoga. At the same time.

puasamanda said: Oh, rage, rage, rage. I love a good rage. It makes me feel all warm and
fuzzy inside. I do yoga, too…but I won’t give up my rage, dammit!

momdot said: Rage. Is there anything better?

iheardsheknits said: I second the red wine. I don’t have the energy for rage or the motivation for yoga

brilliantsulk said: I deal with stress by redesigning my blog. Then I get stressed and drink vodka, fall asleep, wake up and start all over again…

suelagunatic said: I handle Holiday Stress with a shotgun. (wish)

quirkyjessi said: Neither and both? lol It can get stressful and things can get really hectic, but I usually just push through.

So – there it is. A big holiday season filled with tons… and I mean TONS of alcohol, chocolate, bubble baths, going outside, sleeping, karate, creative forces, pushing and shotguns–Just good ol’ irreverent rage and yoga at the same time. I think we might just make it through…

Yes – it’s the truth. And because of this fact, my mind decided to leave my body and go on a little vaca — thus leaving the rest of me to fend for itself in this merciless society that spends countless hours of judging itself. I’m not clear on the reasons, exactly, for the departure… being mindless at the moment… but I think it had something to do with a massive dumping of obscure golfer behaviors paired with Sid the Scientist’s cracked out Grandma doing the Chicken Dance with Elmo. Not to mention that a bastard-red headed demon of a camp owner was just caught stealing some of my design work — Merry Christmas…. let the bad PR elf dance all over your 4′ self. Things have been a little up and down. A little bald hairy. A little POP CULTURE.

And so, as I digress. If you need me, I’ll be under the dining room table with my Etch-A-Sketch and clementines, hugging the bottle of Chardonnay with bunny ears on in preparation for Easter.