Ode to A Fine Lady

This little one was born some time ago: my grandfather’s younger sister, Lena. She lived a wonderful life, married a good man, had four great kids, who had great kids, who’ve since had great kids. She passed recently, ending her time here with one family, and reuniting with another. Perpetual light shall no doubt shine upon her, but boy, will she be missed. She had a beautiful smile, an effervescent personality, and an energy that put gals half her age to shame (including me).

Aunt Lee, Friday afternoons, circa 1975, at your fancy small-town hair salon, will always remain dear to my heart. While waiting for my Nonni and Nonna (Aunt Lee’s sister-in-law and mom) to get all gussied up for bingo, my Aunt Lee always let me creep up to her private bathroom and select one of her personal stash of nail polishes for my mini-manicure. Here's to you, Auntie Lee. You have my heart.

It's A Marshmallow World

Aaaaah, December. How I love thee. And not because I skate like Dorothy Hamill (does that reference date me?) or navigate a slope like...ah, who's that kid?...oh yeah, Shaun White. If I put on a pair of blades I'd be down in a nanosecond. And snowboarding? I figure if the Good Lord wanted me to race down a mountain at any sort of speed, he'd have made my feet wider and flatter. No, I love you because I'm lazy.

I'm ready to hibernate, and I'm waiting for the first snowy day to turn my world into that "marshmallow" snow globe that Sir Deano sings about on my favorite holiday album. Yes, I want to wake up to see soft flakes falling on a Saturday morning. I don't have to haul my, ah, backside anywhere early on a Saturday, so I can flop around in my slippers just that much longer.



I want to bring out any candle that goes by the name of "Holiday Cookie," "Evergreen," or "Apple Wreath," touch it lightly with a small flame, and let its scent fill up the hallways of my home.

If I venture outside, it will be in my big fuzzy boots and my warm winter jacket. My car will point in the direction of the nearest Dunkaccino, which I will pick up, pop in my cup-holder, and drive directly home lest it get cold. "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?" will play in the background throughout the afternoon while I wrap all my presents with real ribbon.

I will string sparkly silver ornaments along my mantle and roll pine cones (thank you, Kristin) in white glitter to bring all the wonder inside. Some warm, hearty stew will be simmering in the crockpot because on this perfect day, I have thought of everything.

That first snowy night, I will curl up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee (oh, don't doubt it: I've built up such a caffeine tolerance that I can pretty much have a cup just before 8 and still be out by 9:30) and "The Shop Around the Corner," my favorite classic Christmas flick, on the tele.

Where's The Boy through all of this, you ask? Well, of course, he's out with The Husband picking out the absolute perfect, most meaningful Christmas gift for Mom. Well, let's just leave it at "they're out."

So c'mon, snow. Let's go. I'm ready for you.

It Is Good To Be Thankful!

Sa-weeeeet! It's Thanksgiving Day, and I'm in heaven. I'd consider this my favorite holiday: everyone's warm-and-fuzzy (well, at least until the afternoon cocktails kick in); there's no anxiety involved over gift-giving; and it marks the beginning of the Christmas season! I love all that Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and Holly Jolly stuff. And of course, there's the STUFFING and mashed potatoes with butter and GRAVY! I have about an hour before THE parade starts (and yes, I'm a sucker for it every year), so I'm going to quickly show a bit of gratitude for some of the things that keep me going and put a smile on my face throughout the year. This is just a sampling...I have much to be thankful for.

• The Man and The Boy. Love, love, love that dynamic duo. I guess that makes me thankful for the Sugar Shack, too, circa 1996, where it aaaallll started. Bet he didn't know that spilling a drink on a gal would actually work.
• Friends who know my history. Love that I can look at these gals' faces and see the little girls they once were. Of course, that's not difficult...they've aged pretty well. I bet they could still fit into their pegged jeans.
• Friends who know my present. What would I do without the beautiful posse who keeps me laughing, helps me navigate motherhood, and saves my sanity on a sometimes daily basis?
• Also quite thankful that there are no friends who know my future. That would be creepy.
• Coffee. Any form of it. I'd suck on a bean if I needed to.
• Everyone who's hit a "like" or "follow" button in response to this blog. It's been a form of therapy for me, and I really appreciate every man, woman, and child who's hopped on for any part of the ride.
• Stay-and-Play. That one's a no-brainer. And Miss Michelle, Miss Caren, Miss Nancy, Miss Shelly, Miss Kathy, Miss Denise, Miss Donna. Angels, I tell you. Angels.
• The Grand Trifecta of Homegoods, TJs, and Marshalls. Seriously, thanks for feeding my decorating habit. You've been chockful of goodies lately.
• The mango-scented shampoo smell of The Boy's hair, post-shower.
• Vintage magazine ads. I love the look but also the commentary. Like how good-quality slippers can keep a woman from having a nervous breakdown. Yes, I really read that once.
• My BodyJam and Hip Hop Funk classes. I may have two left feet, but I'm not afraid to move 'em. Those classes just make me smile.
• And I'll throw in a shout-out for The Crazy Dog Ruby. Yes, she may be loco, but she sits at my feet every time I write a post, and that should count for something.

That's all for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy the day, eat everything you want (the high pace of Black Friday should burn it all off, right?), and again, thank you for tuning in to this episode of That's My Boy! Hope we gave you a Turkey Day giggle.

Let's Hear It For....Sarah Scoville!

Thanks to all who visited That's My Boy and shared their thoughts and remembrances in honor of the March of Dimes National Prematurity Awareness Day. Thanks to those who joined me on Facebook and Twitter, as well! I'm happy to announce that the lovely

Sarah Scoville

is the winner of the Vintage Pearl necklace! Congrats, Sarah! Email me at your earliest convenience.

Have a great weekend, everyone!