Surely

The Collings home is rarely quiet.

It is filled with sounds of action.

The whirl of a power saw, the clicks of crochet needles,

the scratch of a pen doing the crossword, the flap of shuffling cards,

the clink of canning jars,

the applause of a televised tennis match,

the all too familiar tune of Jeopardy.

It is filled with sounds of love.

The patter of grandchildren's feet,

the melody of prayer before a family dinner,

the laughter of Monday night dinner group,

the chatter of an over due phone call,

the songs being practiced on the piano,

the sigh after receiving a much needed hug,

But even in those rare moments of stillness,

when it seemed like nothing was happening

you could usually still hear something.

Humming.

My grandma Shirley Collings loved to hum,

and if she didn’t hum she would whistle.

I can only imagine that a truly happy person could hum or whistle as naturally as Grandma Shirley.

Because making cinnamon rolls or doing cross stitch

wasn’t enough to express her inner joy,

she had to hum a beautiful melody while she did it.

And it makes sense.

She had many things to be happy about,

a husband of 63 years, three kids, sons and daughter in laws,

6 grandkids, 1 great grand son,

and many, many other family members and friends that loved her very much.

She had a fulfilling career as a teacher,

enjoyed her retirement by traveling around the world,

sang her heart out in choir,

and kept many of us warm with crochet blankets.

Her loyalty, strength, understanding, patience, and love were truly angelic.

What’s there not to hum about?

My Grandma Shirley was a truly amazing and wondrous woman.

A woman who loved to hum.

A woman who hummed because she loved.

A woman who hummed because she is and always will be loved.

To my Grandma...I will surely love you forever.

(click)

Sunny Days

Best Babyhead #2 Birthday

“We have to get away with it while we can.” This is what I kept telling Eli about planning Babyhead’s #2 birthday party. What I was trying to get away with was having a simple birthday party at the house, since after this year Tavian will be able to make party requests that can make things complicated like “I want my party at the Zoo and be able to pet the lions.”

The “Sunny Side Up” party idea really came to me out of pure laziness. Reflecting on how nice those weekend mornings are when you stay in your PJ’s till 4pm, watching TV while ladling sugary cereals into your mouth...who wouldn’t want to do that? As a kid I loved building blanket forts in my Grandma’s basement using her dining room table and flower sheets. In my head this party idea was any kid’s dream, but I wasn’t expecting the adults to be just as excited too! Needless to say Tavian’s #2 was super fun, especially with Eli’s home made slide shooting our guests down the stairs and into a pile of pillows, not just the kids either...

I should admit that the party was also maybe, kind of, an excuse to buy boxes and boxes of fun cereal that I normally wasn’t allowed to eat (both as a kid and an adult.) It wasn’t a mistake that there was plenty of cereal left over. So along with all of our wonderful family and friends that came I would also like to thank Lucky Charms, Apple Jacks, and Kix for making this fiesta fabulous, sweet, fun, crunchy, full of love and a part of this complete breakfast.

Click here for the Sunny Side Up Birthday Party slideshow

Worst when-is-Spring-coming weather

I still say “Colorado” when people ask me where I am from even though I have lived in L.A. for over 10 years now. Because it’s true, that’s where I came from, but after living in SoCal for this long I am definitely a California girl. I miss my home state at times, the breath taking Rockies, the slower pace, the friendly smiles, the big open sky. But what I don’t miss and never will is the cold weather.

Living in a warmer climate has made me spoiled. In parts of the country 65 degrees is welcomed with short sleeves and exposed pasty skin that hasn’t seen the sun in 6 months. When I see 65 degrees on my weather app, I whine and huff that Spring is never going to come as I put on another sweater. So annoyed that the wind is chilly when I walk from my car to the store. Seriously...I remember having to chip ice off my windshield just to drive to school. Soooo spoiled now.

The other weekend I awoke and the beach was calling me. Come sit on my soft sand, feel the rays of sunshine, listen to the clash of the waves...yes beach I hear you! But then the whining and huffing began when the weather report read 68 degrees...ugh. But I guess the beach was calling Babyhead too because he was starting to look like a caged animal, freezing or scalding he didn’t care...we just needed to get out.

Bundling up for the beach always feels a little weird to me, but I left my weirdo and spoiled self at home to head for the coast...with 2 jackets, heavy socks, a hat, and a scarf to protect me from that 68 degree chill.

Click here for a little beach day video

Blogidays

Thirty two days into the new year I’ve forced myself to stop using the “oh it's because of the holidays” excuse as to why little gets accomplished outside of play time. Perhaps it's because this holiday season was so gloriously neutral, not too much going on, but not lacking. Mentally, I want to stay in that blissful neutrality, universally accepted with the simple “holiday” excuse, but the calender moves on and so must I.

But before I do dear Blog, let’s reflect on some highs and lows that brought 2009 to a close.

Best Holiday Party

Every now and then the universe throws you a bone. One of mine is the blessing of our Fabulous Neighbors Russ and Laura Roenick. Not just because they throw a killer holiday party every year where this Momma can get her cheer on and then simply walk two doors down to her own home, but because they are two truly good, fun, and caring peeps.

The night was over the top when my beloved friends Natalie, Melissa, Rusty, and Patrick all showed up to celebrate their holiday spirit in the form of laughter, conversation, and competitive karaoke. As recapped in last year’s blog, the hot spot of the night was in front of the TV with microphone in hand. I toned it down this year to let some of the other guests play, but I still ended up being that last one there begging my tired friends to do just one more song with me.

Fabulous Neighbor Laura totally out did herself with the spread. Her latest party menu additions included BBQ chicken sliders, Mac n’ Cheese cups, Caesar salad shrimp skewers, and sinful Cake Balls (little balls of cake dipped in chocolate) which Eli swore he ate at least 8. As a thank you/Christmas present to my Fabulous Neighbors I contributed Ahi Tuna Tartare (easier to make than you think!) to the menu, which was a nice touch to an already classy party.

To see more Best Holiday Party photos click here!

Worst Photo Shoot

What did we do before digital cameras? Well, we for sure didn’t leave taking photos of a toddler to put on a holiday card till the week before Christmas. So thank God for me that we have digital cameras.

I found myself scrounging through my photo files trying to find a family photo to grace the front of our holiday cards this year. Panic set in, I only had photos of Eli and Tavian together (me being the photographer) or just of Babyhead, but never smiling.

For awhile we had a great stretch of photo taking with Tavian. He was such a ham for the camera, and would give big cheesy smiles long enough to get a few shots. But for some reason that ham and cheese streak stopped, now we only get serious looks. Serious, uninterested, I-know-I-am-cute, toddler looks. Knowing this, the task of trying to get a picture complete with a Babyhead smile, was very daunting. This coupled with running out of time lead to a very stressed out Momma taking her two boys out on a Saturday afternoon for a panicked photo shoot.

Two hours, an unexpected dead camera battery, and 50 photos later we returned home, with no smiley ham and cheese photo for my holiday card. Hoping for a Christmas miracle I looked over the photos on my computer. Wait...this one isn’t so bad...actually it is pretty good! One, one out of 50 photos captured a little toddler Babyhead smile. Hallelujah and lesson learned...no last minute photo shoots!

To see more of our photo shoot click here

Semi-Best Grown Up's Weekend

The last time I was in Las Vegas I was celebrating my college graduation with my best friend Linda. Vegas is a magical world for a 21 year old. Exciting, sexy, delicious, intoxicating, risky, and up all night. When you don’t get hung over and can function off a few hours of sleep you fit right in, but so many years later when two glasses of wine and staying up past 10pm is a “wild night,” Vegas is an alien planet.

So when Eli presented me with a surprise 24 hour whirl wind trip to Las Vegas for our one year anniversary I thought...really? Wine country wasn’t an option? But his intentions were very sweet motivated by the desire to take me to the show Love Cirque de Soleil. The in-laws were scheduled to watch Babyhead and before I knew it we boarded a plane to begin our much needed grown up adventure.

Our upgraded room at The Mirage was awesome! I decided at one point in my life I would need to live in a house with his and her bathrooms. A remote control prompted a TV to rise out of the bench right in front of the bed, another feature I will now dream about. Treating ourselves to a little snack we ventured down to BLT Burger and split an amazing cheeseburger and an equally amazing chocolate milkshake, spiked with Godiva liquor.

Being the worst gambler ever I had no desire to sacrifice any cash to Vegas. But with the promise of only spending our pocket change on penny slots, Eli convinced me to test Lady Luck. Once we entered the casino it wasn’t my bad luck that made me head for our room after 20 minutes, but the cigarette smoke. I HATE SMOKE! And in this short time I vowed to never return to Vegas until it was smoke free. And even though I ended up winning $40 on my last pull of a 2 cent slot, I will be spending my winnings on dry cleaning to get that toxic terrible smell out of our clothes.

Our dinner at Japonais was interesting but not worth the scrilla we threw down for it. I oo-ed over the Orchid martini with it’s floating flower, but the exotic stopped there since it tasted like fruit punch. Moving on to the main event we headed over to the theater to see The Beatles Love. The next two hours were filled with heart thumping acrobatics and dance, soul touching music, and mind blowing sets, lights, costumes, props, and effects. I have never heard The Beatles like I did that night and it stirred an urgency in me to pass it onto Tavian so that the music’s power will be passed on to future generations. Deep for a Vegas show, but true.

Trying to keep the spirit of our grown up’s weekend alive we tried to have a drink after the show. But the cigarette smoke was intensifying with the late night party-ers (probably a bunch of 21 year olds) and I couldn’t ignore the clock that read 11:30 or my very heavy Momma eyelids. Plus my grown up, pointy, high heels (which had to be dusted off for the trip) where torturing my sneaker-wearing feet.

And with that, the adventure was over. A quick flight back to Los Angeles brought me home to my Babyhead and smoke-free house. I was happy to spend the time with Eli, but very happy to be home. As they say “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and even though this was true for my non-21-year-old, early to bed, one glass of wine, Momma life...I don’t think my heart with miss that much about Vegas.

To more of our Grown Up's Weekend click here

Worst Season Starter

There are several wondrous events that make my heart cheer out “Its that time of year again!” The new season of Design Star and 30 Rock, semi annual sales at my favorite stores, the first holiday card received in the mail, taking an evening walk when it is still 80 degrees out. But by far one of the greatest sights that signifies a certain time of year is the table set up outside the grocery store covered in brightly colored boxes housing delicious treats and little girls wearing green sashes chorusing together to the passing shoppers, “would you like to buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies?”

Girl Scout Cookie time, I consider it a very important holiday. I can’t tell you the exact begining and end dates, but the surprise of seeing that table piled with cookie boxes rivals many Christmas mornings. I try to calmly walk (not run) up to the store entrance and wait to be coaxed by the little voices “would you like to buy...” “Yes!” I interrupt. I already know my order, 2 boxes of Samoas, 1 box of Thin Mints, 1 box of Shortbreads. Always convincing myself that this will last me through the season, and when I return a few weeks later for a few more boxes I rationalize that they are only around for a short time, I mean I can’t eat Samoas all year ya know so back off!

In college I hid all my boxes of Girl Scout Cookies under my bed away from the mouths of my roommates. I rationed them for as long as I could because cash was tight and these cookies were like gold. But now as a parent and an example of moral values (like sharing) to Babyhead, having a box to myself is rarely possible. So when Eli brought home a box of Samoas on his own (beating me to the first purchase of the season) my heart melted like the chocolate coating of a Thin Mint...even though it was only one box.

The box was presented after our dinner one night, and I could hardly wait to christen the season with that first chewy, gooey, coconut-y bite of a Samoa. But to my culinary horror my bite was not soft, but very hard! So hard I had to stick it in the back of my mouth and break off a piece with my molars. Speechless I stared at Eli...what did you do to the cookies? What have you done?! “I put them in the freezer,” he said, “I thought they would be good that way. But why aren’t they soft anymore?” Again speechless...I didn’t know how to respond to such a crime or ridiculous question. My husband, the cookie criminal, had ruined the beginning of Girl Scout Cookie season 2010.

This did not hinder me from finishing the cookie, or the second one either...or for the next few nights. The cookie hoarding instinct kicked in, despite their frozen state, I know those delicious darlings won’t last much longer. After a long lecture to Eli about properly preserving Samoas’ signature softness and you only put Thin Mints in the freezer, duh...I was able to recover from the incident with the aide of some hot tea to dip each frozen cookie in, thawing out the goodness I crave all year.

Worst Holiday Tradition

We all have moments of bah-humbug during the holiday season. Stressful moments are interwoven with gleeful moments. You go through the craziness of finding, buying, and wrapping a gift just to then feel the joy of watching your loved one open it. My only hope every year is that I break even, those glorious moments even out the bah-humbug ones.

Standing in line sparks my bah humbug moments. Standing in line is the worst holiday tradition, but one you have to face again and again. Needing some milk one afternoon Babyhead and I ran into Smart and Final. We passed up the carts since we only needed one thing. Milk in one hand and Babyhead’s hand in the other we got in line behind one woman who was already checking out. But since standing in line usually takes longer than .04 seconds, Tavian was over it and wanted to wander off. After yanking his hand from my grip he took off for the wide open aisles. Luckily my reflexes have been sharpened and he only made it 5 feet away.

Once Tavian was back in my grasp I turned around to step back in line, but the woman behind me had stepped up and taken my place. I had literally just moved a few feet out of line for 10 seconds so I could grab my escaping toddler, but yet to this woman it seemed like an opportunity to cut down her wait time. Let me remind you dear Blog, I was only buying milk.

I was so shocked buy this fellow holiday shopper’s rudeness that I didn’t say anything and simply took my place in line again behind her. I still didn’t say anything when the woman turned around to smile and wave at Babyhead commenting on what a cutie he was. As I was buckling Tavian into his car seat, my face flushed with anger I wondered why I still hadn’t said anything.

Driving home the radio played “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” and I sang out my “have a hap-py ho-li-day”to a clapping Babybead. I realized perhaps my holiday spirit subconsciously kept me from being rude to an already rude person. I am sure if she is in the habit of making cutting lines, she has gotten more than just a bah humbug from other shoppers. So happy holidays cut-the-mom-with-the-toddler-and-one-thing-to-buy-in-line lady, you might not know it but Christmas came early to you this year.

Then...Christmas 2008

Now...Christmas 2009

Best Holiday Tradition

It was a sad day when Babyhead squirmed uncomfortably in my lap as he tried to drink his cup of milk before bed. This was our routine, our daily tradition since he was born, Sit in the rocker and sing a song till the milk was gone then off to bed. I guess I thought it would last forever, not really thinking what it would be like to have a 13 year old lay in my lap, as Tavian would be some day. But alas the day had come after only 19 months that he no longer fit laying on my lap in our rocker.

So now we skip that part and we do our song and cup of milk already laying the crib. He is nice and comfy, but now momma is a little awkward leaning over the hard rail of the crib so I can still gently rub his tummy and softly sing a song. I admit there are nights where I just feel too tired and imagine him finishing his milk and just throwing the cup out of his crib, I could pick it up in the morning...

But recently I remembered that there were Christmas carols to add into the rotation of songs Babyhead hears before he trots off to dream land. Our favorite is Silent Night. His big brown eyes sparkle at me in the dark whenever I sing it, a sign he is calm and focused (a rarity in our house.) Oh come all yee faithful, a new Babyhead tradition is born! Softly sung carols for Christmas bedtimes, I hope he still likes it when he is 13.

To see more Holiday Babyhead photos click here

And a little Christmas morning video click here

Best TV Shows

This time of year is so busy that flopping on the couch at the end of the day to zone out in front of the tube feels as relaxing as a tropical vaca. Becuase free time in now a precious commodity I have become very picky about what shows I watch, bad TV is a painful waste of my time. So here’s what makes the cut on our TiVo list and worth every second.

Modern Family

Best new half hour comedy that has reached our airways since Tina Fey became an Emmy winner. I find all the jokes even more hilarious now that I am married and have a child...maybe not so much in my younger 20’s when babies were like aliens.

Hoarders

This is not just based on my obsession with all things organized. Normal people have been raving about this show too. You think watching whiney rich housewives is a train wreck you can’t help but watch, wait till you see the guy who spent half a million dollars on a beer can collection, or the woman had to be rescued from paramedics when she fell in her kitchen and was smothered by garbage.

Sesame Street

I am actually thrilled that one of Tavian’s first words is Elmo. It is an amazing site to see your normally non-stop toddler sit and concentrate on something for 10 minuets. Watching Sesame Street as an adult is a whole other experience, it is a mix of nostalgia and parental insight. As a kid you think singing the alphabet along with Big Bird, then again with Elmo, then again with Grover is soooo fun, but as a parent you think “these guys just had my child recite the alphabet 20 times in an hour, genius!!” Hand downs my favorite is still Cookie Monster, that guy is hilarious...with the google eyes, come on! And surprisingly, just like a good Pixar movie, they will throw in a reference only an adult could really appreciate, knowing we are watching too. Holla, Sesame Street, holla...

30 Rock

Still just the funniest, smartest, most entertaining show since Sienfeld. It doesn’t get much better than Liz Lemon having to “cry” out of her mouth because she had cheap Lasik surgery. Only the greatest twisted minds can come up with stuff like that. That one gave me the hiccups.

Worst TV Shows

Community

I gave you 4 episodes of my time Community, 4 episodes I can’t get back. Depsite my excitement to watch Chevy Chase I couldn’t take the boring and predictable “tension building” (eye roll) love story between the two characters. Maybe the show didn’t get the memo that over the top is annoying, not funny.

Any Show About Bad/Crazy Pregnancies

When I was pregnant there were a few shows that Eli watched about emergency births or moms-to-be battling health scares during their pregnancies, but I hated them all. Now two new shows have emerged that I find just beyond disturbing. First, “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant”...women who care babies almost to full term and then surprise...they give birth. What? (blink) What is wrong with these women? The other, “I am Pregnant and...” The rest of the title is filled in according to the topic of the episode. Such as I am Pregnant and Homeless or I am Pregnant and an Addict. Um no thank you, I’ll watch the whining rich housewives instead.