When Your Easter Quiche Crust Goes Wrong

Clearly my mind is still in the Magic Kingdom.

Scene & Heard: Holiday Edition

[Scene - Nighttime on December 25. Chatterbox's and Giggles' bedroom. Girls saying their bedtime prayers.]

Heard...
Me: Girls, remember to thank God for your Christmas presents.
Chatterbox: But Mom, God didn't bring us our presents...Santa did!
Me: [silently] Oh boy.

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[Scene - Day 5 of Kwanzaa. At the living room table lighting the kinara.]

Heard...
Me: Girls, today we celebrate Nia, which means purpose. "Purpose" means our reason for being or what we're meant to do. Can you tell me what your purpose is?
Chatterbox: My purpose is to WEAR MOMMY OUT!

I swear I can't even make this stuff up.

Smart Cookie Tip Exchange #2: Holiday Cards

Ah the Holiday Card. They mean so many different things to different people. To some they are the ultimate excuse to show off their precious families - smiling in matching sweaters - and to also show off how capable and organized they are by sending their cards out the day after Thanksgiving. To others, the Holiday Card symbolizes oppression, stress, another expense and yet another opportunity to feel like a Beta Mom for getting their cards in the mail just before New Year's. Count me in the latter category.

But this year I have it all figured out. Instead of the yearly expedition to the photography studio where we shell out too much money for photos that take way too long to process, we are headed one of 2 places: my living room or the mall. Yes, I said it. If you're on our mailing list, you can expect a happy photo of the Fergies in front of our very own tree or in the very festive Santa sleigh at the mall. Christmas backdrop? Check.

I also stumbled across a very lucrative clearance rack at Gymboree last weekend. I was able to scoop up holiday outfits for the kiddies for a steal of a price. Seasonal ensembles? Check.

Finally, Justice Ny put me on to a little known gem called the Costco Photo Center. I knew you could get your photos developed at Costco, but the discount store never came to mind when I was ordering holiday cards in past years. For $0.13 a card and turnaround time less than 1 hour, you can't beat it! Cute and Fast Card Design? Check.

Wahla! Just like that, my holiday cards will be ready to go by Sunday. An entire 11 days before Christmas. How's that for a Smart Cookie?

Do you have any tips for simplifying your holiday card process?

The Oven's Preheating!

Holiday Baking Days in the Fergie Household are underway! No, I don't have time for this! No, I don't need to be eating desserts! But it's Christmas, people! The girls and I are going to be making holiday treats every few days from now until Christmas. I'm in a Southern state of mind these days, so most of our confections are gonna be tried and true recipes from the South. First up is...Chocolate Pie! [Ok, wow there is an entire website devoted to Chocolate Pie recipes.] Next on the menu is White Chocolate Bread Pudding - a special request from Hubby. After that we're gonna tackle a Layered Caramel Cake and I can't wait. If you have any secret, scrumptious family recipes for any of these or if there's something that I absolutely must try, let me know and we'll add 'em to the list. I will make sure to post pictures of our masterpieces before they're devoured.

2009 Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway Event!

Hopefully most of you are doing better than me and are well on your way to having shopped for your entire holiday list. Somehow, December snuck up on me this year and I've done absolutely nothing to prepare for all that it brings. Tonight, we put the tree up and decorated the house. Even still, it doesn't feel like Christmas is just three weeks away! And so I'd better get a move on and come up with this year's gift list for my close friends and family. I'm keeping it simple this year, but still - I want to make sure that I give great gifts to the people that I hold near and dear. If you're still looking for some neat gift ideas, check out these unique and fun items that I've (mostly) had the pleasure of sampling for free...and enter to win a gift of your own. After all, 'tis the season!

For the Geeky Chick in Your Life: Best Buy Private Label Products.

Insignia Little Buddy Child Tracker.

Keep tabs on your child at all times with this small but sophisticated device that combines GPS and cellular technology to provide you with real-time location updates. The small and lightweight Little Buddy transmitter fits easily into a backpack, lunchbox or other receptacle, making it easy for your child to carry so you can check his or her location at any time using a smartphone or computer. Customizable safety checks allow you to establish specific times and locations where your child is supposed to be — for example, in school — causing the device to alert you with a text message if your child leaves the designated area during that time. View the Product Demo here. Retails for $99.99

Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Desk.

Work comfortably on your laptop with this laptop desk that features a pull-out tray for accessories and a pull-out tray for a mouse pad that features a support structure for stability.

- Holds most laptops with up to a 16" display
- Pull-out tray holds mouse pad and features a support structure for stability.
- Pull-out accessory trayStore your iPod, cell phone and camera while you work. The insert can be removed to hold a beverage. Soda can adapter and paper cup hole fit multiple cup sizes.
- Soft foam bottomFor comfortable use.
- Slim designFor easy portability.

Retails for $41.99. Currently on sale for $29.99.

Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Case.

Protect and carry your laptop safely with this mobility bag that features stowable handles for convenient portability of most laptops with up to a 15.4" display.

- Protective accessory tube reduces clutter and stores your accessories while you're on the go.

- Store tube can also raise your laptop or angle your keyboard.
- Stowable rubber handles make carrying easy.
- Easy-to-use straps hold your laptop securely in place during transport.
- Hard surface lapdesk: The case can be propped open to instantly give you a place to work.
- Foam and rubber materials for long-lasting use and lightweight portability.

Retails for $69.99. Currently on sale for $49.99.

WIN IT! Leave a comment to win your very own Rocketfish Mobile Laptop Case.

For the Little Princess:

Carol’s Daughter Princess and the Frog Collection.

I don't know about you, but it's going to be a very long time before I get sick seeing Princess Tiana on things! Pamper your little princess with this trio of genuinely natural hair and bath treats that gently clean, condition and soothe. This little loving magic is sure to bring out her inner shine.

Gift Set Includes:
Shampoo "The Beauty Within" - 8 fl. oz.
Conditioner "Inner Shine" - 8 fl. oz.
Bubble Bath "Sharing Means Caring" - 8 fl. oz.
Loofah

Retails for $24.00.

WIN IT! Leave a comment to win your very own Carol's Daughter Princess and the Frog products (selection may vary).


For the Budding Bookworm:

Disney Digital Books.

Just when you thought the Mouse couldn't possibly get any more magical...Now your little reader can enjoy 500+ new and classic Disney books! Features:

- Click to hear words pronounced.
- See definitions using the built-in dictionary.
- Be immersed in Look and Listen stories with voices and sound effects.
- Use Story-Builder to create Disney stories.

Full membership with access to over 500 books retails for $8.95/month for family membership (up to 3 children); $79.95/year. Free registration gives access to limited selection of books.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a hardcopy of National Treasure: A Gates Family Mystery #1: Changing Tides (Volume 1).

For the Fashionista:

IMAN Global Chic Collection for HSN. Think globally. Live fashionably. Glamorous and affordable luxuries empower you to be gorgeous. With her collection, Iman takes the hottest trends in accessories and beauty from around the world and brings them to HSN. She wants to give her customer access to global luxury at an affordable price everyone can enjoy. Just take a look at this fabulous Teardrop Necklace and Earrings. Retail price is $54.95 and $59.95, respectively.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a Sequined Knit Wrap - color may vary. Retails for $54.95.

For the Gourmet:

Mrs. Prindables Gourmet Caramel Apples.

Are you looking for an upscale, last-minute, holiday gift for out-of-town family or friends? Teachers? Co-workers? Here's an idea: the gift of Mrs. Prindable’s, the #1 maker of gourmet caramel apples and confections. Swirling, homemade caramel; melted dark, white and milk chocolate; crushed peppermint candy and imported nuts; crisp Granny Smith apples …. these mouth-watering ingredients are used in Mrs. Prindable’s Handmade Confections workshop to create gourmet apples and other tasty treats for the holidays. This year, Mrs. Prindable's has created new Christmas and Hanukkah gifts that out-of-town families will love. (Perfect for last-minute shopping!) Retails for $22.95.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win a delicious Mrs. Prindable's handmade confection.

For the Smart Mama:

Mamalaw T-Shirts!

Last but not least! If you're a friend of our blog, you know that we are constantly in search of ways to navigate this crazy journey called motherhood. As we grow along our journey we've realized that there should be laws to govern our universe and we've coined these as "Mamalaws." We are excited to announce the re-opening of our boutique, which offers items based on these laws; so if you agree (and we know that you will) feel free to try one of these on for size. Retails for $23.80.

WIN IT! Leave a comment below to win one of our sassy t-shirts.

Giveaways end Sunday, December 13th at midnight! Winners will be selected at random. Note: by leaving a comment, you will be entering to win one of any of these prizes (not a particular one).

Happy Holidays!

Stop & Think: Holiday Edition

It's funny; the students in Chatterbox's school are participating in the "Stop and Think Social Skills Program" which teaches kids interpersonal, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills (and I could think of an adult or two who could benefit from this exercise). Anyway, each week they focus on a different topic - from "listening" to "teasing" to "being brave." Stop and Think day is once a week and I dare say that I had mine on Sunday.

I carted the three kids to a children's holiday event for a group that I am a member of. The event started at 9am (on a Sunday). By the time we got to the place and parked, it was already 9:45am. So then we were rushing to make sure that the kids were able to decorate the cupcakes, color the pictures, listen to the performer, and watch the magic show before it all ended. The holiday event was supposed to be even more exciting because there were vendors selling all sorts of fun, luxurious, yummy and stylish items so that folks could do some holiday shopping. I invited my sister along for this very reason. And she did enjoy herself.

It was only by the time we got to Aisle No. 3 of the collection of shops that I realized I needed to Stop and Think. The girls were all sugared up on cupcakes and were running amuck. Touching expensive pearl bracelets on display and stabbing each other (and anyone in striking distance) with their balloon swords. L'il Buddy was not in a good mood. He didn't want to be in the stroller, he didn't want to be picked up, he didn't want to eat a snack, he didn't even want a balloon sword - nothing. The only thing he wanted to do was holler and scream and wriggle and throw. It was then, in Aisle No. 3, that I stopped and thought to myself: "Fergie, this is not keeping the holidays simple."

Why did I subject myself to a 9am event, 40 mins. away from home, without bringing along Hubby? I basically asked for trouble.

And so, I am pleased that it is not too late for me. Thanksgiving is a couple days away and I can still salvage my sanity this holiday season. In fact, I will have no choice but to relax and slow down when Hubby and I leave for our spa vacation on Thursday. Yep, that's right! Grandma is coming to town to take care of the kiddies. And clearly she already had her Stop and Think moment: the first thing she said was: "Turkey? Who wants to cook a turkey? Let's order one!"

Mama does know best.

And you know who also has her mind right? Simple Mom. She has a checklist for 12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas. Don't worry that Christmas is less than 12 weeks away - you can still jump in now at Week 5 and save yourself loads of drama and stress.

Stop. Think. Don't feel the need to trek the kids all over town for various holiday events. Order the turkey. Heck, order the pies too. It's all good.

It's [Not] All Gravy

Today I was sitting in the faculty lounge reviewing lecture notes and preparing for class. One of my female colleagues was in there baking greenbeans, chicken, and, well, working.

We started to chit chat and wouldn't you know, her meal was for the Thanksgiving Holiday Feast at her daughter's school. Ah yes, the Thanksgiving feast and parent sign-up sheet. I'm pretty familiar with this requirement. My colleague goes on to say that this week alone she had already been at the school one other time for another Thanksgiving obligation- the holiday play. And before you know it, were talking about all the requirements of having a child in school.

Preaching to the choir sister; try that times three!!

Finally, her chicken was done and she was off to the races to deliver her food, decorations and paperwork in hand, of course.

Poor thing. I know exactly what she is going through. Trying to juggle her work and family requirements all with a smile on her face.

I always thought that raising kids would get easier as they get older (so cliche, I know). But really, it just creates new challenges. This week alone I have three Thanksgiving events to attend. Each one with a please bring X item with you. As organized as I try to be, I'm not. So each night this week I've been looking through my class lists to make sure I didn't forget to buy vanilla, not white, whipped, not cream cheese, cake frosting. And if I did forget, I had to decide whether I would make a run to the 24 hour Walmart at 11:34 pm, to buy said cake frosting, or wake up at 6 am while the rest of my family sleeps peacefully for the next 45 minutes.

As much as I look forward to the holidays, it's not all gravy! It means extra time in three classrooms for me, making costumes for plays, reciting lines, practicing songs, and extra activities in the evening. And don't be fooled into thinking that the minimum one hour of homework each night eases up during the holiday season. No sir, not second grade homework.

And, after all the turkey eating this week, the kids will be home with yours truly for Thanksgiving break which, wouldn't you know, is a week long and this would be the perfect time to catch up on all my other work.

Sigh...

I'm not sure how my full-time working moms do it but I can tell you, I'm beat even with my "flexible-work-from-home-a-few-days-a-week-schedule." (Notice those air quotes around my flexible-work-from-home-a-few-days-a-week-schedule? That's because that used to be my mantra, however, I have many a weeks throughout the semester where I'm working like a high paid attorney at a high-powered firm except that I'm not well paid and I'm not at a high-powered firm. But that's all a topic for another day.)

What happened to keeping it simple during the holidays? I don't know. Maybe such a thing does not really exist. If it does, I don't think it can co-exist with a working mom's schdule.

What do you think?

P.S. If you haven't read our MamaLaws that should govern the unviverse, take a moment to do so now. Enjoy!

Falling for Fall

It took me awhile, but I'm finally excited that fall is here. It did take some time letting go of summer, but there is something about the prospect of Halloween, changing leaves, pumpkin patch visits and apple picking that makes me feel like a kid all over again...We're gearing up for our annual apple picking excursion this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm also planning on dusting off my fall decorations (late of course) and adding some spice to my house. Next project is to find Halloween costumes for my troop. My first request? An Orange Blossom costume, size 4T. Then we've got Giggles' school field trip to the Pumpkin Festival. Finish off the month with homemade apple pies and the Florida vs Georgia game and we'll be more than ready to take on the winter holiday season.

Happy New Year!

It's 2009. Crazy.

Come on - spill it! What's your New Year's Resolution? Do you have one?

Ok, at least give me three things you hope to do in '09.

Our Motley Crew

The gals over at BabyBunching have been offering great holiday tips for parents of 'twiblings' (siblings close in age). One of them was how to make the picture-with-Santa trip easier. Reading that post reminded me of our trip to see Santa this year and I thought I'd share with you the comment I left for them. Oh and our photo of course:

"We totally lucked out and ran into santa by accident in an EMPTY mall the weekend after thanksgiving. the stars were aligned and we managed to get ALL THREE kiddies on santa's lap, facing the camera AND smiling. (pausing for applause) Besides the fact that we were totally unprepared for a photo and so that outfits are not a-la-Children's place, the only mishap was one bleeding 4 year-old finger thanks to the staple on the goody bag santa passed out.

Note to Santa: KIDS + SHARP OBJECTS = ALMOST ALWAYS BAD IDEA."

And so went this year's photo with Santa.

We are just all holiday'd out over here! Wait 'til you see the photos from the cookie party... (The suspense is killing you, I know).

Because I Must Share With You How Dora Is Always An Integral Part of Each Holiday At My House

On Black Friday, while you (and I) commercial consumptionists were pillaging the racks at the local mall, Chatterbox and Giggles were at home, joyfully building a gingerbread house under Grandma's loving care.

I know you're wondering how we managed to find a Dora and a Boots that were appropriately dressed for the "weather." It's because we're fly like that.

I take no responsibility for the cow though. I was out-voted when I suggested that the cow may not quite be necessary. But then my ability to reason is questionable anyway. After all, I had just woken up at the crack of dawn to buy a Bratz World House for dirt cheap. The cow makes plenty more sense.

*UPDATED* Holiday Deals, Steals & Giveaway: Tech Products Edition

Only 9 days 'til Christmas! Can you believe it?

Deal!

kajeet, the cell phone service made 4 kids, is offering MamaLaw readers a special $10 bonus in airtime with the purchase and activation of any kajeet handset. kajeet offers a full suite of easy parental controls plus all the sweet stuff your kids love...all for less than $5-10 a month! There's no annual contract and the service includes a GPS phone locator and 3 great mechanisms for parents and kids to set limits for calls and texts. Mention code "Bonus10" at checkout. Offer expires Feb. 1, 2009.

Steal!
MobiStories, virtual books for kids ages 1-10, is offering MamaLaw readers a download of up to $15 of MobiStories books for FREE! MobiStories offer children quality choices to enjoy great books on their terms, anywhere and anytime. The stories can be downloaded to all major media, including: iPhone, iPod, Computers, DVDs, MP3s, Zune, iTunes, MySpace, Facebook and more. Enter the promotion code "BSM125A" on this page to download your FREE MobiStories from the library!

[I'm totally doing this since we bought Giggles the Fisher-Price KidTough FP3 Player for Christmas. She'll be all set!]

Giveaway!
Still haven't had time to get your holiday cards printed yet? Or maybe you want to make a photo book for someone of your gift list? Don't wait another minute and enter our HP Photosmart Giveaway! Leave us a comment telling us what you would use the giftcards for and we'll select TWO of you to win a $14.50 giftcard to use at the HP Photosmart Express station. It's the easy way to print photos in seconds! Giveaway ends Friday at midnight.

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Congrats to our winners, Tech Savvy Mama and Lady Amanda!

This & That

I lost 2lbs! I lost 2lbs! Not bad for the first week. I've been following the Weight Watchers plan and exercised twice. I even managed to survive a holiday party on Saturday amidst trays of cookies and dips without blowing my diet out of the water. Yay for me. I do have 2 holiday parties this weekend though, so hopefully I can do as well then too.

In other news, I finally dragged the Christmas decorations up from the basement last night and we started putting things up. Never mind that December is half over. We still need a tree and hubby and I are going back and forth about whether to get a real or fake one. I am totally over the real tree idea (vacuming needles, refilling water) - I have enough work to do as it is - but hubby is set on having "the real scent of fresh pine" in the house. I told him that we can get a fake tree and I'll get him a spray bottle of the pine scent :) He's never had an artificial treee before so I think he's expecting it to look like Charlie Brown's. We're still in deliberations.

Lastly, congrats to Justice Ny on landing a fabulous new job! She is much too modest (and busy) to brag about it herself, so I am doing it for her. You go, Mommy!

That's all for now. Check back soon for another great giveaway...

Day 1 -- Holiday Steals, Deals and a Giveaway! UPDATED

In the spirit of the holiday season, we'll be giving our readers the lowdown on steals, deals, and the chance at some great giveaways -- consider them holiday gifts from us to you!

STEAL!
TODAY ONLY! Leapfrog is offering its Friends and Family discount of 30% off all orders of $50 or more. Use promo code HY8NFF at checkout. And until 12/19, all orders of $50 or more qualify for FREE shipping. Put those together? Definitely a steal!

DEAL!
ENDING TOMORROW! Target has a ton of coupons available for awesome toys. They are even divided into categories suited to all the kids in your life: Junior Geniuses; Creative Constructors; Gifted Girls; Wonder Boys; Media Maniacs; and Good Sports. You can use them in the store or shop online. You can find the coupons here.

GIVEAWAY!!
The fine folks at One Step Ahead - a fabulous toy company founded by real-life parents, Karen and Ian Scott - sent me the Animal Crackers Giant Stacking Toy for L'il Buddy to try out. I have to say that this toy was a hit right out of the box. First, the toy really is giant! And what kid doesn't like a big, colorful toy? Since L'il Buddy is only 5 months old, Giggles took it upon herself to "help" him play with it -- and she enjoys the toy too! Each stacking ring is made of a different, but soft, textured fabric -- perfect for little hands learning their way around the world through touch. Second, each ring makes a different sound when squeezed, stacked or shaken. The sounds are what make L'il Buddy's eyes light up. Last, the rings are of differing sizes so kids will have fun trying to stack them in whatever order they choose. This toy makes a lovely gift for any baby. Bonus: they can even chew on the rings to their heart's content! My only minor complaint is that there is a little fish at the top of the stacking ring which makes it little tricky for little ones to get the stacking rings on without some extra effort. The Animal Crackers Giant Stacking Toy retails for $34.95. More details on the toy, below.

Now I promised a giveaway and here it is: One Step Ahead sent me two of these cool toys, one for L'il Buddy and one to giveaway to a lucky reader. Just leave us a comment by midnight on Friday, 11/28, telling us who this would be the perfect gift for. A lucky winner will be chosen at random.

But wait! There's more. All MamaLaw readers can take advantage of this sepcial discount: Use Coupon Code - BLOGSAVE, valid now through 12/7/08, and receive 15% off orders of $85 or more when shopping on the One Step Ahead online store.

More Holiday Steals, Deals and Giveaways coming your way soon!! Stay tuned...

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Manufacturer's Description:

Kids will go crackers for this giant critter stacker! Terrific play value: more than a towering, stacking toy, it's a menagerie of plush animal pals. Squeeze 'em, stack 'em, shake 'em - each piece is a toy in itself, with different sounds and textures to explore. Great for coordination! And a whopping 18"H, for bigger stacking fun! This is a One Step Ahead exclusive! Our in-house Design Team invests thought and care into every last detail, to bring you high-quality products you can't find anywhere else. Encourages eye-hand coordination, and this developmental toys also provides visual and tactile stimulation, with different colors and textures (velour, terrycloth, velboa, corduroy, and poly/cotton)

Each ring makes a different sound: rattle, crinkle, jingle, squeak!
Beautifully sewn, with charming appliqués and embroidery
Spot clean with a damp cloth
18½"H x 10"L x 10"W when assembled

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Congratulations to Lisa Pizza the winner of the Animal Crackers Giant Stacking Toy Giveaway!!

Here is the number pick from Random.org (we didn't count J. Ny's comment since she is a member of this blog):

Making My List, Checking It Twice

When did it become Thanksgiving week? I swear it was just summertime. Here I am once again caught totally unprepared for the next 5 weeks. (I kid you not - my work calendar is still turned to October - this is how crazy life has been). I'm determined not to be caught holiday shopping and all that jazz at the last minute though. I've made a good dent in my kids' gift lists, with the exception of the tech items which I am still undecided on. I even sent an email to my friend Tech Savvy Mama asking for her recommendations. And so the holiday list is here once again:

• Figure out a plan for Thanksgiving dinner that doesn't involve thawing and roasting a turkey (who has time?)


• Order and send out holiday cards (at least we've taken the photo, so that's pretty good)


• Finish holiday shopping


• Take the kids to see Santa


• Put up holiday decorations/Buy a tree


• Decide what to bake/give neighbors.


• Find the kids (and me) outfits for the wave of upcoming holiday parties


• Help the girls fill and deliver stockings for their Children's Ministry holiday donation project


• Figure out a plan for Christmas dinner that doesn't involve thawing and roasting a turkey.

I'm sure I've forgotten 2 or 20 things, but this is plenty for now.

What's on your list?