Ding Dong. It’s Your Doorbell.

I am a writer by night but a realtor by day. You know what that means?  Yes, I am broke, but that’s not all. I hear a lot of doorbells.  Home buyers like to turn on the faucets, flush the toilets, and ring the doorbell to see how they all work.  I thought I had heard all the doorbells there were to hear. I was wrong. Did you see the doorbell skit on Saturday Night Live at Christmas time? It’s been two months and my family is still imitating it. Think you’ve heard every door bell imaginable? Ding dong… play the clip.

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I am a stone cold bitch when it comes to decorating my Christmas tree. At least I have been up until now. It is not easy to admit that because Christmas and holiday decorating are supposed to conjure up images of comfort and joy, not a mad woman barking instructions and rolling her eyes. “Too high! Too low! Too similar! Take it down, do it over, take a time out if your heart’s not in it!”  This year was different, though. This was the year I decided to give up control of the Christmas tree.

My  big beautiful silver & blue tree of my dreams is one of the few things I have managed to remain in control of since becoming a parent so perfect ornament placement is just one of the reasons I struggled with letting go.  Also, my house is not very big, but as I mentioned, my tree is! So I always have this fear that if the tree is a Charlie Brown mess, the whole house will take on a sad, ugly, Charlie Brown quality. I didn’t say it was a rational fear.

There are storage solutions and space savers available to us such as plasma mounts, shelving units, and under the counter numbers, to make more space, but seriously, this tree takes up the whole room.

It is only now that I sit down to write this that have taken the time to think about why it was so easy to let go this year: I think I have realized that life is stressful enough right now. Hopefully I am learning a “don’t sweat the small stuff” lesson in general, but this year in particular has been difficult for people, and me for sure. I am not really excited about Christmas - so much on my mind and so little in the bank has crowded out the holiday spirit that’s trying to tickle me and make me smile.  So as we dragged up the decorations from the basement and I felt the stress mounting, I poured a glass of wine and told the kids to have at it. You know what? It’s more beautiful than ever.

Don’t get me wrong, we still have basic rules about how to space out the spinners and what kind of bulbs go on them, and I was still in charge of the strategic placement of a few key pieces.  It’s still my tree dammit, and I wanted to be able to enjoy it even after the Lambrusco buzz wore off.  Most importantly, all the “special” ornaments, i.e. off color scheme gifts, homemade & those otherwise not meeting top branch criteria, are to be placed on the back of the tree where they can be protected and privately enjoyed by the family.  Win-win.

I caught a report today talking about how December 25, 26, and January 1st are the biggest days for heart attacks and I plainly see why. From the money spent, stress of visiting family to outdoor lights and Christmas tree decorations, this things are supposed to be anticipated with joy and warm our hearts, not break them! How did we get here?  second thought: How do we fix it?

Okay.  There is really no topic today.  Just sharing some excitement about Coconut Oil and football.  If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you know I received a bottleof coconut oil for review and am experiencing high energy today after spreading some on my toast.  Actually, to say that I have increased energy doesn’t describe it accurately.  I have diet pill energy.  ROCK STAR energy, even!  Run out and by Metallica tickets and rock out all night ENERGY!  :-)  You have probably also heard me complain the last two weeks about feeling extra lethargic and eating everything in sight. So this is a real change for me!  And speaking of eating…  It is 2pm and I haven’t thought about lunch or had any appetite at all until now.  Been satisfied!  And I don’t really feel excited about eating right now. I just will have something small because I know my body needs nutrition.  You know what else is on my mind today? FOOTBALL!

Crazy right?  I’m not the sports girl at all but I do love University of Michigan football.  Tiger baseball too.  I can see perfectly clear pictures of sitting with my Dad when I was a kid watching the Tigers or the Wolverines play.  If I close my eyes, I can even hear the crack of the ball against the bat as it for a second crowds out the sound of the crickets through the screen of the patio door behind us during night time games in the summer.  And speaking of sounds, I don’t even have to try hard to hear the Michigan Marching Band playing the fight song as clear as if they were in the kitchen with me right now.  One of my favorite school memories is playing flute in the band and every year marching through the school playing HAIL TO THE VICTORS to antagonize the Ohio State fans in anticipation of that big game. 

Although Dad and I went to see some Lions games when I was growing up I have never been to a Michigan game.  Tickets are hard to come by.  I know where you can get Penn State Football tickets or Philadelphia Eagles tickets. (Heehee.  That’s a little jab to my sport loving friend Al in Philly) But I am pretty sure the Michigan Tickets are all sold out.

Anyway, this weather has me all excited for the first Michigan game this weekend.  I am sad to see summer go but I like these hot days with the autumn breeze blowing through.  And just to button up this whole post and tie things together I will share that in my so far brief research into coconut oil I learned athletes prefer it to other oils because it has less calories and converts to energy more quickly. 

Have you tried coconut oil? Excited for college football?  Have anything random to say at all?  I’d love to hear

This is our off year as far as big vacations go.  We went to Universal Studios last year so this year’s summer itinerary will consist of closer to home, more budget friendly activities.  Such would likely be the case even if it was not our off year.  Less families are able to take the big vacations this year thanks to our tightened belts and empty wallets, many instead opting for the STAYcation.  But if your summer plans are big enough to include a hotel room and maybe even airfare, I have some money saving vacation tips for you.

The best of our Orlando Vacations was a fluke.  We splurged, didn’t plan, and had the best time of our lives.  It was also the cheapest.  We didn’t realize how much money our “splurge” actually saved us until each year after when our vacation spending seemed to more than double.

THE KITCHENETTE

The secret vacation saver for us is the hotel room.  We have found that by spending the extra money on accommodations with a kitchenette we save a ton of money on food.  It might be hard to see the savings up front when you are planning because your original investment will be higher.  But, especially when you have kids, you are nickel and dimed all day and night for a week on park food that is outrageously priced and most times not satisfying.  In the end, the amount of money spent on your vacation turns out to be much higher, for much less.

A room with some sort of kitchen offers not only the opportunity to save money, but more personalized choices and a better feeling tummy at the end of the day.  I’m not talking about cooking big dinners, necessarily, but having juice, milk, sandwiches, and snacks on hand to feed your elevated appetites and keep your body satisfied and fueled for long days of non stop activity.

GROCERY SERVICE

In addition to the kitchenette, we try to find a hotel with a shopping service.  We leave a grocery list at the front desk on our way out and when we come back the fridge and cupboards are filled.  The shoppers use the local grocery store, not a convenience store, and even search for the best prices and favorite brands for you.  The groceries are billed to your room and the service is free.

FREE BREAKFAST

Different hotels offer different incentives.  Our favorite freebie is breakfast, for a couple of reasons.

• Obvious is the savings.  Think about how much money you spend at IHOP every  morning when you’re on vacation.  At a free breakfast buffet you will find all kinds of eggs, breakfast meat, bread and pastries, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, and specialty items.
• the bonus is the timing. I don’t know about you, but we all wake up at different times and we’re usually starving.  It is so nice just to run downstairs and meet up for the breakfast buffet in our jammies, rather than having to wait until we’re all up and showered and ready for the day before we get to eat.

So while planning your vacation and considering your budget, think about the food available to you at the parks.  OVERPRICED pretzels, corn dogs, hamburgers, hot dogs, spaghetti, and chicken dinners.  Pizza delivered or ordered from the hotel is very costly, too.  Now think about a kitchen stocked with bread, lunch meat, pb&j, fruits, nuts, milk, cereal, and snacks.  You can come back to the room for lunch and a nap or pack snacks to nibble when you’re out for the day. And when you get home late at night, famished from swimming all day you have all the goodies you need to avoid overspending at the convenience store or room service.   It will be easier on your wallet and your tummy.

How do you save money on vacation?

Easter has always been a favorite holiday of mine just as Spring is my favorite time of year.  Refreshed! Fresh! Reawaken! Rebirth! Anew! Renewal! New beginnings! Hope! Feast! Joy! Rejoice! Reborn! Celebration!  Family! Love!  These are common words surrounding Easter.  How can this single time of year invoke so many different feelings and such happiness?

The religious significance of Easter is at the heart of its celebration.  In Christianity Easter represents the resurrection of Christ.  What better reason to rejoice and celebrate than the rebirth of your saviour?  Part of the beauty of our world lies not only in its variety of landscape and environment, but in its scope of people, culture, tradition, beliefs and religion.    Even though religious beliefs may differ, rebirth and new beginnings are a common theme.

Change of Seasons is a powerful factor in human spirit and mood.  Your lifetime of experiences, good and bad, has been accompanied by a consistent and predictable cycle of weather and landscape.  The light of the day, as well as temperature & smell of the air are a much ignored backdrop in your life, that serves as a reminder and enrichment of memory in days and years to come.  The senses and joy you felt that hot day in June when you exchanged vows will return every June, even when thoughts of your nuptials are not at the front of your mind.  Likewise, the rainy gray day in October that you lost a treasured loved one will come back to you every year in the form of October’s typical rains and uniqueness of temperature as summer’s warm breeze reluctantly makes way for the cool of fall.  Springtime is the most powerful change in season for many as the burdens and confinement of a bitter winter are replaced by blooming vegetation, warm sunshine, and a renewed vigor and inspiration to wake up, get busy, and live life.

The Feast.  Abundant dinner and celebrating with family and loved ones is the tradition of many holidays.  Whether motivated by the celebration of Jesus or general renewed spirit of mankind, people are inspired to “break bread” with their neighbors at Easter.  Bread for Easter is found in abundance in many forms at every dinner table.  Rolls, braided Easter bread, Easter bread rings, even biscuits & gravy and banana bread encourage us to forget we ever even heard the word “carbs” and embrace the smell, flavor and contented fullness that only bread can deliver.

Yes there is so much to love about Easter.  Set your diets, worries and job stress aside for the day and focus on what’s important.  Real life won’t let you wander too long.  Let Easter’s spirit of renewal, hope, and starting over inspire solution to your problems, relief to your worry, and the reminder that you can return to your healthy recipes and workouts tomorrow.

We don’t watch much television through the week.  Hubs goes to bed early, kids have lots of homework, and after sitting at a computer all day, it’s hard for me to sit still and watch tv.  Everything stops, though, for American Idol.  Does your family watch it together?  Who are you rooting for?

After last night’s performances of Season 8’s Top 8, Sari announced, “Bottom line Ma, It’s gonna come down to Adam and Danny, then it’s anybody’s guess.”  Such musical wisdom from a 9 year old with frosting on her top lip and clenching her gut because she has to pee.  But in addition to the bladder infection she is going to have from holding it, she also has a good point.  We have been torn between Adam and Danny for 8 weeks now and trying to decide who should win.  Over the last couple of weeks the choice has become abundantly clear.  Adam is so far beyond the talent and excitement of everyone else that he doesn’t even belong there anymore.  But will America let him win?

My concerns just three weeks ago about Adam were that he did not fit the “American Pie” mold and he would alienate the majority of voters.  Danny, on the other hand, in addition to having an amazing voice IS the American pie mold.  I was pretty sure he would win.  Until now.

Adam Lambert’s RING OF FIRE rendition sent America into a tizzy.  I thought it was amazing but I thought he might go home.  It was too weird.  Even though I loved the sound of it, his performance was too provocative and made me uneasy.  Part of the beauty of Adam, though, is once the performance is over…regardless of how dramatic, uncomfortable, dark, or over the top it is… it is over.  And there stands this smiling, happy, charming, nervous boy.  He is a performer.

Whereas I thought RING OF FIRE might be the end, it was actually the beginning.  Adam got people talking about him and they haven’t stopped.  Since then he has delivered two tender, beautiful performances and one funky dance tune, each one remixed to suit him, and each one more genius than the last.  When Adam showed up for Motown week with a suit on and slicked back hair, he startled us with his heart breaking rendition of Smoky Robinson’s TRACKS OF MY TEARS.  Smoky gave him a standing ovation.  Last night’s performance of MAD WORLD was breath taking.  Simon gave him a standing ovation.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so enthused.

Meanwhile, Danny has been pretty consistent, but the goosebumps have faded and he doesn’t seem to be growing.  We still have several weeks to go, of course, but I don’t see how anyone can top the magic and electricity of Adam’s performances.  They would have done it by now if they had it in them, you know?  Adam is without question the most talented contestant this year.

But back to my original question.  Will he win? Will the majority of American voters vote for a good natured, handsome Emo style Elvis Presley look-a-like who wears black nail polish & eyeliner, kisses boys, and pushes the envelope of comfort and originality with his breath taking and electric performances?

I hope so! How about you?

If your dvr cut out Adam’s performance of MAD WORLD due to American Idol running over, you can check it out at this official American Idol link.  All the youtube videos have been taken down.

This post goes out to my fellow Parents & Guardians of children who fall into the category, affectionately intended, VIDEO GAME FREAKS.  After years of struggle, I have found some other great things that my kids enjoy and I am going to share.

First, let’s talk about video games.  What’s the big deal?  I loved playing Pac Man and Tetris growing up, didn’t you?

Well for starters, the kids aren’t playing Pac Man and Tetris.  Or table tennis, jai alai, or super breakout.  If we’re lucky they are playing some variety of Super Mario Bros.  But even then, the game addiction is strong.  In the case of my Son, the more shooting and fighting there is involved, the better.  I do not allow games that are rated “M” to be played in my house.  The exception being a spy game that he plays with my husband.  But even Hubby gives me a hard time about this rule.  He believes the games are all fine and that I am being overprotective.

Is it fine, really, for my kid to play a game that involves shooting cops and picking up hookers while he races his car through the streets?  Is that all in good fun?  Not gonna happen under my roof.  I get a twitch, as it is, when I hear some of the language (mild, teenager trash talk) spouting from the Tony Hawk skateboard games.  And the famous excuse I always hear from my Son and other parents is, “it is just bloody. No big deal.”  AS IF that is my criteria for what is and is not appropriate.

I wonder why people, Hubs included, think it is okay for kids to take part in video games and movies where heads are being blown of and people are being torn limb from limb by various bad guys/monsters/aliens etc.  But then they freak out over an “F bomb”.  No kidding, my husband will come out and lecture me on MY standards because I am watching a meaningful, thought provoking movie with my kids that has a bit of language but he thinks that all the blood and guts under the sun is going to settle healthily into their psyches.

ANYWAY!  I strayed a bit, didn’t I?

My Son is 13 now and my daughter is 9.  She seems to be appropriately interested in Mario games.  I am smarter this time around and I have been sure to enforce limits and make sure she engages in other things so she doesn’t forget about the other activities she loves.  My Son’s situation is more complicated.  We went wrong in the beginning, mainly from Hubby and I not seeing eye to eye on the need for limits and variety.  So trying to find other things he loves to do after the video game bug has already bitten hard has been tough.  But here is what we have come up with…

• Both of my kids love Magnetix/Magnexts and will forget about video games all day long if we dump the whole bucket out and let their imaginations run rampant through the living room.  A little more costly is the Magnext roller coaster. But I have to say it is worth it.  We have tried and given up on many of the big themed kits that come along with Legos and Bionicles, etc.  But this one is awesome!

• Any kind of magnets, in fact, keep  my kids busy.  You know, those really strong ones that work through your hand or a table and you can do all kinds of cool stuff with them.  Find them at the Discovery type stores.

• BENDAROOS!  Don’t be afraid of them.  We, too, were disappointed by the likes of FLOAM and MOON SAND, but the Bendaroos have been getting a workout since Christmas.  Not messy, easy to play with and you will like it too.  I made the coolest duck!

• Rubik’s cube.  My Son got the regular cube and the electronic one for Christmas and one of the two of them has been in his hand almost constantly.  More often the regular one.  It was a gamble.  He didn’t say he wanted it but I remembered how much I liked it as a kid and put it in his stocking.  Big hit!
• Arts and crafts.  This is more of a girl thing at our house.  We set my daughter up with a painting easel and all the supplies (Thanks Granny!) and when she is down there with her palette and apron on, Mario himself could walk by and I don’t think she’d bat an eye.
• Multi game table.  This was a great buy.  It has table tennis, air hockey, chess, checkers, soccer,and I don’t know what else.  We all love it.  We didn’t buy a super cheap one but I did shop around for the best bargain and although this one does the job, if I had it to do again I would spend a little more.  The air in the air hockey doesn’t work that great and the table is a little small for table tennis for me and Hubby.  But the kids love it and get a little exercise playing it.  SUCCESS!

So that’s what has been working for me.  Your own kids have their own tastes, of course, and you have to find what they love enough to get their mind of the games, but these items have worked wonders for us.

Please share any of your kids favorite activities and video game distractions!

My Son apologized to me today.  “I’m sorry you are going to have a bad weekend” he said.  When I asked him why, he laughed and said, “Cus Dad doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body and you are going to get juked for Valentine’s Day.” So true.

But enough about me.  How about you?

Television ads and in-store marketing lead us to believe that everyone celebrates the big red & pink holiday with wine, roses, and lavish gifts.  Do you?

I wonder how many “real” folks like me actually get diamonds and jewelry for every Valentine’s Day?  Our budget is so tight I’d probably go bananas if I DID receive an expensive gift.  Plus I am still boycotting diamonds.  Partly because I don’t trust that the evils of the diamond industry have magically disappeared and partly because I am rebelling against the inflated value of them.  It’s a shiny rock found in abundance where people are dying over them, then sold here, at ridiculous prices, as a rare commodity.  No, there is no romance in diamonds for me.

You know what I want for V-Day?  Gift cards !  Want to talk about a rare commodity?  Shopping!  I would get great joy from going to Sephora or Pier 1 and shopping for me and my house.  Ahhhh.  Sounds heavenly.

So the humanitarian in me rejects diamonds. The realistic housewife in me accepts there will be a shortage of romance this weekend. And my inner practical gal would love a gift card or two! Hmmm. Maybe Dad isn’t the only one with broken romance bones.

When all is said and done we MIGHT have gone to dinner.  But more likely we will sip a bottle of Traverse City wine, (ask the kids to stop running in the house), munch on some top of the line chips & salsa, (yell at the kids to stop fighting), and enjoy a bootleg movie, (while marveling over the fact that the kids will barge in without fail the moment someone onscreen gets murdered, gets naked, or drops creative curse bombs).

So what are you expecting from this Valentine’s Day?

Well I have had the blues today for some reason.  My doctor diagnosed me a couple of years ago with seasonal affective disorder because I hit some real lows in the winter.  Although I agree that I may have some lower lows from December to March than I do from April to September, I think everyone experiences this to some degree, right?  Do you?  I think I am just coming down off Christmas and exhausted from working in these extreme temperatures.  Whatever the case, when this frigid cabin fever hits I think about OTHER places.

So yesterday I was thinking about a lazy, relaxing trip to North Carolina.  A friend pointed out to me that I don’t need a lazy vacation.  I barely have a pulse right now as it is.  She suggested what I need is sunshine, fun, and music.  The picture she painted in my mind got me giggling and thinking about Branson, Missouri! Talk about a mismatch!

I hate country music and never imagined wanting to go there.  But just for fun I googled it in case the universe was trying to send me a message by embedding the thought in my mind in the first place.  You know what?  It DOES look fun!

At first I was reminded of the trip to Opryland I took with my Family when I was a kid.  I rode my first roller coaster and I saw Dottie West in concert at the Grand Ol’ Opry when I was 8.  That’s pretty cool.  Suddenly my mind was becoming more open.

My family loves theme parks and rides so Silver Dollar City caught my eye right away.  Just looking at the pictures of the people screaming with arms flailing riding the roller coasters cheered me up.  My blues started melting.  I found lots of shows ranging from magic to musicals that looked like a lot of fun.  Hold up!  Was I smiling at the thought of going to my PARENT’S uncool vacation destination?

Here’s the thing.  I think I was misinformed.  Sometimes you get a notion in your head as a teenager that whatever your parents would like is dumb and not cool.  Geez Louise though, just think what we could miss out on over the years by dismissing things for silly reasons without taking the time to investigate. And if just pictures of Branson’s attractions and elegant hotels cheered me up, imagine what an actual visit could do.

I am sure that few of us would categorize ourselves as being closed minded.  I know I didn’t think I was until I realized I had shut out pieces of the world and slices of life just because they were things my parents enjoyed. (EW!) I think I will rethink some things and think outside my box.  Try a new vacation spot… sample some different music… read a different genre of book, etc.  After all, my parents never steered my wrong before.  And just think… what if I had never tried coffee!

There are happy tears and there are sad tears.  We know about those, right?  I do not know the name for the tears and emotion I am experiencing right now.  Hysteria? Madness? Overwhelmed?  I don’t know.  But this is the funniest and most beautiful clip I have ever seen.  Whether you are a parent or someone’s kid, this is something you cannot miss.  Please Mama Mar, I know the clips are hard to view way up there in northern Michigan, but this one is worth it!

Thanks to my friend Nancie for sending it my way!