More Fun with Holiday Food

Exile in Boyville, case in point:

At lunch today, Isaac began fussing and rubbing his face, saying "nut, nut!" He's at that point where his words don't always correspond to the situation, so I didn't really put it together until Ryan asked, "Did he stick a pistachio up his nose?"
Mommy Alert goes from zero to sixty. Kleenex in hand, I tilt his little head back and am trying to figure out how to tell if there is, in fact, a pistachio up his nose (turns out it's not as obvious as you'd think). I am also trying to remain calm, so that nobody else (Isaac not least) will be worried about the fact that I have the baby in a headlock. After a couple of totally useless maneuvers with the Kleenex, he sneezes tremendously, and what should fly out of his little nose but an enormous snot-covered pistachio. It lands on his hand, and before I, who am still slightly in shock, can react, he pops the whole thing in his mouth AND EATS IT.

At this point, I have given up trying to remain calm, and am screeching like a banshee. My other kids and husband are doubled over laughing. This parenting thing is not for the faint of heart.

the toilet gods do not feel the holiday spirit

My general theory of Ignoring It Til It Goes Away often does not work so well where plumbing is concerned.
Now the "ga-GLURG! ga-GLURG!" issues in chorus from the toilet, kitchen sink, and washing machine drain, and is, most recently, followed by something decidedly un-Christmassy backing up into the bathtub.
Places to rent a snake are not so plentiful over the holiday weekend.

Daisy's Christmas breakfast

12:00 am - 6:44 am: two M&M-filled plastic candy canes, pilfered from stockings
7:23 am: cinnamon roll abandoned by distracted toddler
7:46 am: pizzle stick left under tree by Santa Claus  (if you are not familiar with pizzle sticks, try to stay that way)
8:05 am: partially nibbled gingerbread cookie and carrot left behind by SC and reindeer

The World According to Owen

"Oh no, Mama, help! There are boogers coming out of my nose!!!!"

cumpleanos feliz!

So I had my first experience (though probably not my last, judging by the makeup of Alec's kindergarten class) as a guest at a latino birthday party this weekend. I am, in general, famously underdressed, and this was no exception; all other females present were wearing patent leather heels and had their hair professionally styled in swirly little doodles...it actually felt kind of like prom, if prom entailed half a roasted pig and a two-foot-tall castle cake complete with turrets and spires and whatnot. Actually, the cake looked like the hairdresser might have gotten hold of it.
My little monsters had a splendid time, as there were about twenty-five other kids under the age of ten, and running around screaming is totally tolerated, and even encouraged. The good news is that none of my progeny peed on the front stoop.

Not making this up

Got a call at work from my husband (who was at home) to ask if I knew where his belt was.