NFL HELL/Saved by Flavor Flav

3 yes, you heard me 3 fucking channels of NFL football last night. So much for watching TV. Between HBO re-runs and football there was nothing on. But why 3 channels? CBS, ABC (?) and whatever channel 9 is here. WHY??? I don't recall this ever happening before.

I felt bad for all the poor dudes in the sports bars around the nation. I am sure they didn't know which channel to look at first. I imaged the headlines the next day :

AP reports Local Hospitals Inundated With Drunken Whiplashed Men. ER doctors reported: "The 20 -30 somethings were drunk with whiplash, while all the over 40's ended up in the cardiac unit suffering from mild heart attacks. These men are so out of shape, that all the head spinning, beer guzzling and wing sucking forced there fat tired bodies into overload."

I guess I could've read. Instead I zoned out to the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav. Totally hysterical, and very un-PC. The feminist in me cringed at poor Bridgettes vagina jokes, but a roast is a roast is a roast.

RIF and RIP

In my quest to read I have finally started a book- The Kite Runner. I am reading it because my cousin told me "It is the best book I have ever read.". It is disturbingly interesting, and frustrating to read in snippets, but I am enjoying get lost in the book. I usually do not read books that are being turned into movies because I can't stand the hype, but I know I won't ever get a chance to see this movie in a theatre any time soon.


I also have been trying to read the weekend news papers as I feel I am sadly uninformed about local, national and international news. I was really happy to read the Sun. NYTimes magazine about people who passed on this year. The people (and animals) they are highlighting are surprisingly not celebrities. It is refreshing to read about people who have made their mark for actually doing remarkable things such as:
soldiers speaking out against the US Iraqi war machine
a sportsman suffering loss with dignity
reporters who reported the truth and not fact sheets from the government
a brilliant black blogger who lived in quiet anonymity
heroic intelligent women who decided to be something other than follow traditional norms
animals who taught humans about communication
and many others whose passing would have gone on unnoticed by most of us even though they all left and indelible mark on humanity.

I suppose a really awesome blogger would set up links to all these people. I guess you'll have to find them on your own as I have to get the kids to clean up and turn off that damn tv bc we certainly broke the American Academy of Pediatrics 2 hour limit today.

NJG vs X-mas paper

So this NJG (nice Jewish girl) finally figured out what you NCG (nice Christian girls) already know. Shiny wrapping paper can blind you.

After wrapping 7 gifts or so for my co-workers with some shiny paper I unknowingly purchased from retail hell giant the Christmas tree store I felt blinded. I hate wrapping, this took longer and I should've worn sun glasses. Why does anybody buy that stuff anyway? I will know better for next year!

PROUD WINNER of the QUEEN OF CHEEZE AWARD

I currently am the proud winner of the Queen of Cheeze award, for cheesiest post on 12/16/07 . This is probably the cheesiest thing I have written to date, but where else can I write this important family stuff? My kids have to have something other than crazy rants to remember me by!

Oh and if you haven't heard of this award yet don't worry you aren't out of sync with the blogging world like I am, it is because I just made it up. I don't even have a fancy widget for it, but would love one. (anyone interested in teaching me how to make widgets?)

Snow, Beautiful Snow!

I am so thankful for our neighbor coming and plowing us out. It gave my husband and I time to take the kids outside and go snow boogie boarding on their new snow boogie boards (thanks to their great aunt B and uncle M.). We had a blast, screaming and yelling as we slid down our little backyard hill. Now they are upstairs, warming up and getting ready to drink hot cocoa, with yes marshmallows in it.

There is nothing more precious than watching my children go down on their sleds with their daddy smiling, giggling and screaming! What fun!

HOLIDAY MEME

As asked at Blogher, here is my first MEME ever.

For all the complaints I have heard around the net, it was actually kind of fun.


CHRISTMAS MEME

1.Real tree or artificial or treeless? Any special traditions with the tree? real tree

2. Eggnog or Cider or Mulled Wine? none

3. Spiritual or Secular celebration? spiritual

4. Favorite Christmas music? El Vez-the Mexican Elvis singing Christmas songs in espanol rockin'!

5. One special holiday memory.
when my husband to be dragged me out for a walk to the Hudson river one freezing cold Christmas morn, and asked me to marry him!
HANNUKAH MEME

1. Describe your Menorah. wehave about 5, my grandmothers covered in wax, each son has a pretty painted one, my mom got us a serious silver religous one, and our friend gave us a funky one

2. Sour Cream or Applesauce with your Latkes? APPLESAUCE ONLY!

3. Favorite Holiday dish. Latkes

4. Were you with Family this year? yes

5. One special Holiday memory. My sons 2 & 4 jumping up and down to light their menorahs every night and explaining every night that they can't blow out the candles.

Chrismakah

Yes, I know to some that that is anti-religious or whatever, but to us it is the fun word we use to celebrate this time of year. We celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas. Today we put up the tree, and later tonight we will light the menorah. Sometimes it is a tricky situation-as with my family who still are uncomfortable with all things Christian. But to me, it is a celebration of light, love and family. I enjoy both holidays with equal amounts of anticipation, cooking, and fun.

I can't expect my husband to give up a holiday never mind a religion he loves, and I know he doesn't expect me to give up any of my traditions either. I am sure through the years this will take a lot of working out. But I have faith in our love and think we will do what is best for our children. So family be warned-don't be so negative about that which you do not understand. Acceptance is key to understanding and love!

woman vs. latke!

In the quest for supermommydom I took today off to make the first night of chanukah a memorable one for my two boys ages 4 and 2. In this quest I even made it to pre-school and did the whole menorah spiel for all the other 3 and 4 year olds. Getting to the god/miracle of light part was hard for me, I gulped sputtered, the teacher tried to help by saying "god" (I wasn't sure I could even say "god" in the classroom-it is a non-denominational Y.) I whispered god and said the universe a little louder. Sweating in front of pre-schoolers is never fun!)

That over I ran home to put a brisket (yes I am a grownup now...I said brisket) in the slow cooker and started hand grating potatoes and onions. 10 potatoes later, a 1/4 cup of matzo meal, plus 3 eggs some salt and pepper I was ready to fry. And man now I know why I hate frying! Luckily I wear glasses or the oil would've went right into my eye. A few splatters later I learned my lesson plus a new one:

It takes a long time to brown a latke when you (are a baby) &have to lower the heat!