Enjoying: November Beach and Small Things

November 6, 2013 By Kelle

I’m practicing restraint, and I’m going to unleash holiday cheer in a slow monitored stream. Baby Steps. But only for the next two weeks, and then I’m not promising anything. I won’t tell you that I stood in front of a six-foot Santa at Costco today and pictured what he’d look like strapped to my roof. Oh wait, I just did. Starbucks unleashed their red cups, so I think it’s only fair that I set free one holiday photo from the shackles of my bursting heart.

Psst. I found my kids’ special ornaments for this year, and I love them. They make me want to do a holiday jig. Or at least a festive herkie like that little ornament there on the left.

I am in good company though. Brett took Lainey to Lowe’s last night to pick up a sprinkler part–a 20-minute job–and finally called me an hour later. “Oh my God, you’ve got to see this place. It’s like Christmas blew up in here. You’re going to love it.” He went on to describe the trees and the inflatable snowmen and the lights that blinked to the tune of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” and all I could think was, “My God, what seven years of marriage will do to you.” He’s been Christmastized, and I love it. He even hinted around, waiting for my approval, that he really, really wanted to buy a new piece for our snow village.

“You know,” I said, “if you would have given me a snow village piece instead of an engagement ring, I totally would have said yes and you could have saved some money.”

Moving on.

I won a bet the other day, so I got to pick what we did for the evening. No brainer: beach sunset. Happy little things naturally unroll.

The family on the blanket next to us brought a boom box and played Frank Sinatra. I should have told them how happy it made me. I forgot.

Dash ate sand. Like handfuls of it.

*****

And other little things enjoyed this week:

Post sunset ice cream shop.

*****

Their magnetic connection through crib bars when he wakes up from a nap.

*****

Blue Q socks. (Blue Q is returning as a sponsor this holiday season, and they’ve stocked their shop with new socks like these. I love them. And listen. The stressful experience of the annual family Christmas photo would not have gone near as smoothly this year had I not used Blue Q’s Control Your Family Breath Spray. Lifesaver, I tell ya.) They’re so pretty, I don’t want to put shoes on. Stuff the stockings with stockings this year. They have socks with fun naughty sayings too.

*****

After ballet pretzels.
She likes her snacks in little bags, and she’s very possessive of the snack bag. Pirate’s booty ranks higher than pretzels, pretzels rank higher than popcorn. But the most prized snack bag award goes to the almighty Saltine.

*****

Baby Son.
Yep. Eight months in, and I cannot not smile when I say “baby son.” With his Chicklet teeth. First holidays are the best, and–why yes, we have some rad plaid and bow ties set aside for the coming weeks.