The marriage of traditions...

So I was thinking about Thanksgiving and holidays in general and the traditions that each of us hold near and dear to us....starting with the meal.  It all came to me while making a traditional turkey dinner the other night just because my husband wanted that for dinner....um, yes, I am that awesome to whip up a full turkey dinner on little notice!  I was thinking about how the simple parts of family meals are different from family to family.

I should tell you that I come from people that make green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, french style green beans and crispy fried onions on top.  Simple, high in calories and the lubricant needed to make that turkey slide right down your pipes.  Some people think its the gravy that makes it all go down.  I'm here to tell you it is the green bean casserole. 

My husband comes from a people that marries regular cut green beans with crisped bacon pieces and fresh sauteed onions.  An equally brilliant side dish with all the earmarks of a delicious waistline inch-adding, high calorie dish.  I remember the first Thanksgiving that I enjoyed with my then fiancee.  I looked all over for the creamy bean dish that I had always known and loved.  But there it was.  The future of my green beans right there in front of me.  Grandma Bates' bacon and green beans.  It would have been rude to refuse them.  I happily scooped them upon my plate and even had seconds as I recall.

I have since hosted many family dinners for the holidays...with both green bean dishes.  You see, Bill and I have been married for over 14 years and sometimes compromise is good but sometimes excess is best!  We'll compromise on the small stuff but matters of traditions and beans are nothing to play foolishly with.  It is always best to add a little extra to the holiday table for the blended families.

I hope that you all have a lovely and Happy Thanksgiving with your family....no matter what their bean of choice is!

So easily swayed....

It's true. I am easily swayed. I'm the kind of person that retailers dream of when they load up end-caps and impulse purchase isles at the check out.  Don't let them fool you.  There are PLENTY of cash register trained employees at work that day but they aren't there on register because the longer you wait in line the longer they have your attention to purchase some nonessential whoozie-whatsit or a patent pending dumafacochi.  Ah, yes the the heralded dumafacochi.  For example, it is a marvel that we have existed as a society till the day that someone came up with the fabulous "Hook, Line and Stinker".  As the name implies it is a game that you play while doing well....doing number 'two' in the loo.  Gone is the day of a little Reader's Digest during your post-digestive privacy.  Now you can spread out a floor mat and pull out your handy compact magnetic reel and go fishing for plastic fish.  I'm currently holding back about 14 really filthy jokes that are surely in bad taste over this gem.

I do love a really good impulse buy.  God bless the "As Seen On TV" brand placement at your local retailer!  I need something else to shove into the back of the closet and forget for another day.  There are plenty of fabulous options out there for a society consumed by consumerism.  We certainly don't lack an avenue for all of that disposable income we have.  I guess truth be told....I'm just mad that I didn't come up with some of those peaches where I could have made my millions!

My badge of honor....

Yesterday, I was sitting here and I looked down and saw it.  It was my visitor's badge from the elementary school where two of my children attend school.  A visible sign that I was there.  It is like a beacon to all to say I did something special today with my children at the heart of it.

I'm a stay-at-home mom so I guess there is always that feeling that I don't do what others do.  I don't leave the house for the 9-5 fast paced life like I used to.  I recall being considered a professional person.  I could package a loan for the secondary market in minutes years ago but now I don't think that I could accurately calculate a loan to debt ratio anymore.  And to go out just to go out....oh, I vaguely remember that.  Now, a hot night for me consists of staying up till 11pm and my fuzzy pj's of the day.  Last night I sported Thumber a la Bambi fame.

It is rare when I do something without my kids in the forefront in some way.  I certainly do all the less than glamorous things with them in mind....scrubbing toilets (mostly because they must dance while urinating--I think you get what I mean there), making meals, doing laundry (always endless laundry), whatever other domestic greatness I am mastering on any given day and of course my volunteer work.

I guess what I do is important but sometimes it is just nice to have others see what I do and not feel like I'm "just" a stay-at-home mom.  I'm glad that I was able to wear my visitor's badge....my badge of honor for all to see.

And Cupcakes for all....

It isn't often that I am rendered speachless and this time is no different!

I had to smile today when someone...suggested that I run for public office (altough....I have run for the school board...twice....unsuccessfully).  Boy, the face of politics would surely change then!  Let me take you on an imaginary tale of narcism and complete fiction...

Image if we were in a world where anything is possible...where even a slacker mom can achieve greatness.  You find yourself going to your local polling place to cast your vote for the town's public official of the day.  There are two candidates to choose from...the incumbent who has been in office for the better part of the last decade and a new comer....me, the cupcake candidate!

I imagine that I would run a clean and honorable campaign.  No mud slinging and saying things like, "the status quo is no longer for the Average Joe."  Corny and idealic campaign slogans stuck in your head for months at a time?  Not from me!  Wouldn't it just be nice to see just a name and a face and not some sort campaign trickery meant to have you think of an easier time or an easier way of life?  I'd like to just say: this is me, flawed, human and a bit brash.  I'd leave it up to voters to decide who to cast their vote for based on my positions and not my attack style.  Heck, you might even catch me heading to the grocery store in my cartoon inspired pajamas....where would my PR guy be then?

I would hope for a public forum for a debate.  I could thank the incumbent for their willingness to step up and serve when they did.  It is admirable no matter what their reasons once were.  I figure they stepped up when others didn't.  They were fairly elected and they showed that the system worked.  I would hope that I could use some of my humor too...a little dark, a little colorful and a whole lot of me!  I'm tired of seeing the mushed up and cranky faces.  Sometimes just being yourself is the way to go even if not popular.  Wouldn't it be nice not to see all the anger and bitterness?

I would make sure that I didn't make someone feel stupid or socially unacceptable for being in a different political party.  I sure wouldn't make them feel like less for dare I say it...disagreeing with me!  I would never want to make it about what we all have different about us but more about what makes us similar.  I certainly wouldn't post my opinions for all to see and then get mad when someone responded with a differing opinion.  After all, aren't we all out for the same freedoms and rights in the long run?

And then I would of course have to think of anyone surely possessing questionable taste in candidates when supporting me....sure, there would be cupcakes for all from the cupcake candidate!  Let them eat cake!  Wait...didn't someone else once say that foolishly too?