The Friendly Skies

Greetings from rainy Los Angeles! Well, the good news is that we survived a 4 hour plane ride with three kids. The bad news is that IT WAS THE MOST EXHAUSTING 4 HOURS EVER. Eugene and the girls had a row to themselves and I was across the aisle with Chance on my lap. I sat down next to a man who began speaking to me, and I knew the moment he started talking that he was deaf. Score! He wouldn't be bothered if Chance starts wailing! I brushed off my dusty sign language and we also used our iphones to communicate. It was a high tech moment, I tell ya.

But Chance was perfect despite the awful cold that he's got. I ignored the looks when people heard the sound of Chance's wet cough, fighting off the urge to assure them that he's been to the doctor several times this week and that he's actually getting better. I held him tight as he slept in my arms (for most of the flight), trying my best not to doze off myself. Several times I'd look across the aisle and laugh out loud as Eugene was getting crawled on and spilled on. Often having to be the referee because one of the girls touched the DVD player in the wrong spot (or something ridiculous like that). All the while, I smiled and relished my quiet time with Chance. I'd get these desperate looks from Eugene as if to say, please help me. And I'd toss back an equally desperate look as if to say, oh look my hands are full with this warm, soft quiet little ball of goodness.

For three hours and fourty five minutes our flying experience was relatively drama free.

UNTIL THE DESCENT.

I need to pause and get my thoughts together because it's tough to talk about.

Let me provide you with an image that might help describe our final 15 minutes....hmmmm...oh yes this works



Mia lost her ever-lovin' mind people. The moment we began the descent she decided very emphatically that she wanted off the plane. I think in fact, she screamed those exact words. GET ME OFF THIS PLANE! Believe me, if she knew any profanities she would have screamed em'. She proceeded to get hysterical and frightened and annoyed. It was heart breaking to watch. Eugene and I ended up switching seats and I held her as tight as I could and told her that it would soon be over. And sure enough as soon as we landed she calmed down. I felt horrible for the woman in the seat in front of us who got kicked about 12 times in the process.

EXHAUSTING.

As we walked to the baggage claim, the girls ran to find their Grandpa (Lolo) and jumped into his arms. And about 20 minutes after we got our bags we all ate at In-n-Out and it made everything alright.

It's good to be back.

The first snowfall

We had our first snowfall and you would have thought it was Christmas morning the way these girls reacted. I can't blame them. The first snowfall always takes my breath away. I stared out the window and marveled at the snow covered trees. The world looks so peaceful after a snowfall, doesn't it?

Sadly, my morning solace was interrupted by two little girls ready to play.

"Breakfast could wait" they said.

But my coffee couldn't.

I love watching the two of them play in the snow. They had their own little snowball fight and reused their sandbox toys to help shovel a bit. The best part? They wanted to savor the moment and asked if they could put the snow in a baggie and store it our freezer.

How could I refuse?

A Fire and Ice 30th Birthday Bash!

My sister Gabrielle means the world to me. I love her flair for style, her huge heart, her sense of humor and her devotion to my kids. Simply put, I adore her. But it wasn't always this way. I remember a time when I tortured her. A time when I would lose my ever-lovin' mind when she borrowed my clothes. Or when she touched my make-up. Or when she took my casette tapes. Ya know, average sisterly strife. But in the past 10 years, we've formed a bond that goes beyond borrowed Firenza sweatshirts and missing Madonna tapes.

A bond that has resulted in an unbreakable friendship.



Well, just recently our little Gabey turned 30!!! To honor her milestone, we did the only thing we truly know how to do--PARTY! With a fire and ice theme, we celebrated her birthday in style by throwing her a bash she'd never forget.

We turned our living room into an ice cave and danced the night away. In fact, Bella and Mia danced for HOURS under the twinkles of the disco ball! Not kidding peeps--Mia was still awake at MIDNIGHT shaking her booty!





Parenting at it's finest, here's Eugene taking a picture of Bella browsing the jello shots.



AND ANOTHER PICTURE OF HER LICKING HER FINGERS! Thankfully, it was just a lick.



The night was perfect.



We shared a ton of laughs.









And feasted on plenty of food. Like the chocolate fountain. De-lish!





In keeping with the fire and ice theme, we suspended about 30 electric candle sticks in the air just like Hogwarts



and had tons of candles lit everywhere.



We felt the warmth



and shared stories by the bonfire.



Gabe was surrounded by family and friends that adore her.





Friends who have been by her side for years!



And to my relief, Chance was surrounded by plenty of helping hands. Score!



And of course, it wouldn't be a Post party without a little brotherly love and a french baguette. WTH?



We raised our glasses to Gabey, drank ourselves silly and had a night we'd remember for a long time. Well, at least most of us can remember it :)




HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABRIELLE!!!!

His

His smile

His deer-in-the-headlights

His grasp

His close-up

His lip quiver

His cry

His personality

His strength

His essence

I'm so full I can barely type this.

We've been indulging on leftovers for the past 48 hours. I've been way too busy eating to blog about my eating :)

Thanksgiving was perfect this year. My mom cooked the entire meal the same way she and my Aunt Nor cooked it for my entire childhood. The same familiar marshmallowy sweet potatoes. The same perfectly spiced stuffing. And the same amount of love went into it.

She even roped the girls into helping her, much like the way me and my siblings helped assist my Aunt Nor all those years.

Tradition can be a beautiful thing.

I was hoping that the 5 hour cook time at 325 degrees was enough to kill off any grimy germs that may have come with my daughters as they slathered that turkey silly.

About an hour into the cooking process, Eugene and I snuck out and treated the girls to the new Disney movie, Tangled.

These girls were so excited. They ran into the theatre. And I mean, RAN!

Both girls polished off their popcorn before the movie even started. Which I knew would throw a huge dent in their turkey plans--but how could I not?

And the movie turned out to be really cute. Except of course for the villian, which scared the cheesus outta Bella. God forbid Disney put out a movie without one. It's like a prerequisite or something.

We arrived home with 30 minutes to spare before the turkey was done. Which, btw? Was awesome! The perfect turkey! Don't you just want to toss it a top hat and watch those legs step-kick to the tune of NY NY? No? Not at all? Not even a teeny bit?





It was as delicious as it looks. Ahhhh, the sippy cups add a touch of glamour to our table, huh?



Thank you Mom for cooking a perfect dinner that reminded us all just how much love we grew up with! Until next year.....

Happy Thanksgiving

There are many things I am thankful for. But I am mostly thankful for my amazing family.

All of them.

The family I had a ball growing up with, the family I married into and the

precious family I helped create.

Together, we all make a pretty amazing team.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Wanna Gag?

This one's for Margaret

Following the humble instructions from my friend not to purchase a birthday present for her but rather make a donation on her behalf, I obliged. Cuz' that's what friends do. She mentioned something about a website called Kiva and so I checked it out. I'll never forget that night in 2008, for it has changed me ever since.

Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty. Microfinance at it's finest. According to their website, Kiva was born of the following beliefs:

--People are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way.
--The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity.
--By connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another.

IT'S A BRILLIANT CONCEPT PEOPLE.

I was hooked from the moment I landed on the website. I planned to donate $50 and got to chose from THOUSANDS of "entrepreneurs" all over the world. I began my search and was haunted and moved and saddened by each and every story. But as a mom, my heart broke open when I clicked on Margaret's story.

"Margaret Essiam is a 34 year old mother of three children who lives in Tema, Ghana. Two of her children are in school. Margaret has been selling items like diapers, bedspreads, and baby dresses for the past seven years. She wants to use her new loan to buy more diapers, napkins, bedspreads and to buy containers to secure her products from theft and weather as she peddles them from place to place."

I stared at the picture for a long time. And couldn't help but notice the dusty roads, and the basket of diapers that must be so heavy to carry atop her head, and that sweet little girl she's holding, tugging on her clothes--a feeling I know all too well. She looks like a good mom, doesn't she? I felt a connection with her. I wondered if her daughter sometimes resisted bedtime the way mine did? I wondered if Margaret, like me, couldn't wait for the diaper phase to be over? I wondered if she's a mom who sings to her kids or overly kisses them, like I do mine? Suddenly, miles and culture and financial status disappeared and there we were, simply 2 moms wanting the best for our children.

Instantly, the thought of someone stealing her basket of diapers or rain ruining her inventory was enough motivation for me and I proudly lent Margaret my $50. I often thought about Margaret and prayed that more people would be moved to help her. And you know what? 28 other people felt the same way I did and put their faith in her. I'm happy to report that a mere 9 months later, Margaret fully paid back her $900 loan. Which is so great, especially since the average annual income in Ghana is $2,643! Apparently, with her loan, she was able to take her business to another level. She bought an increased stock of diapers, bed spreads, baby dresses and best of all, she had secured a place in the market to sell her goods.

No more walking. No more carrying. No more door-to-door.

Look at her proud smile. She's so pretty, huh? I'm so thrilled for her and her children and I'm happy to hear that her little girl is now in school. Isn't this concept so amazing? There are so many other stories like hers. And they all have happy endings. In fact, the entrepreneurs have a 98% repayment rate. It's so astonishing that I'm going to type it again. In caps.

98.95% OF THE LOANS HAVE BEEN FULLY REPAID.

Now that restores my faith in humanity.

Also, 81% of the loans are to women entrepreneurs. Right on! The best part of all is that my original $50 keeps getting lent out. Once the loan is repaid, I could either cash it out or lend it to someone else. In the past two years, I have made 5 different loans---all of which have been paid back. And tonight, I plan to lend even more.

It feels good.

It feels right.

I encourage you to lend to someone. All it takes is 5 minutes for your perspective to be forever changed. Poverty is so unfortunate and so crippling that EVERY LITTLE BIT helps, as proven by amazing organizations like Kiva. Go there. Look at the pictures. Read their stories. Make a difference.

Be a lender.

The Fairy Sprayer

I wonder how many times a day I bend over to pick up a toy or a trinket or some ridiculous little knick-knack that SOMEHOW made its way into our house, onto the floor or stuck in between a couch cushion. In fact, I'm often found cursing profanities under my breath as I make the daily rounds putting away the tea cup or the toy spatula or the godforsaken fairy figurines.

But as much as I complain about the 25 cent yo-yo, they'll play with it. And have fun with it. And make memories with it.

Like this particular morning, when Bella spent 15 minutes at the kitchen table, intensely focused on creating a masterpiece using every little knick-knack within arms reach. When I walked past her, I did a double take and grabbed my phone.



Her imagination makes me smile. I see her do these things every single day but sadly, I don't pay enough attention to them. I let my schedule and my routine take precedence. I should stop and listen more before it's too late, before tea parties and doll houses are "soooooo uncoooool mommmmmmm!"

Until then, go-on girl, spray your fairies!

Happy Halloween!!

I think it was some time in June when we walked out of the movie theatre after seeing Toy Story 3



and Bella informed me that she would like to be Jessie for Halloween. She's hard core like that. Moments later, Mia too started jumping up and down and began howling something inaudible. About 5 minutes later we figured out that Mia was making it clear that she wanted to be Woody. After all, they've had their Woody and Jessie dolls attached to their hip since that day in June. And believe me, these dolls have gone EVERYWHERE with them. Their dolls have made perfect

reading buddies



and dance partners



They can be seen in almost every picture



at every event we've attended since June.



Clearly, we've taken our adoration of Toy Story to the extreme.



Which is why when Halloween came around, it was crystal clear what needed to be done. Introducing the Sergeant, Mrs. Potatoe Head, Alien, Woody and Jessie.




Oh but wait. There's more. Here's Barbie







And did it stop there? Heck no! We drove to my brother's house to meet up with Buzz Sr., Buzz Jr. and Ken!







It was one of the most memorable Halloween's I've had. There was a collective giddyness among us. We laughed at eachother all night. My sister's boyfriend gets the kudos though, since his Ken outift was AWESOME! All day Mia insisted on being called Woody. Even when she was getting yelled at. Bella negotiated different candy choices and even performed a return/exchange at one unlucky house.

Man, I love my family! Happy Halloween!