Family | Peaches Prattlings

{December 26, 2014} What a day!!!

You ready for today? It’s gonna be a long one! Get some coffee, no-doze, red bull, here we go!

The day started early, well not early like a work day, but 8am after falling asleep about 2:30/3am, that’s early when it’s not a work day. So, I got up about 8, said hello to the cat, hung with Miss A, then with Miss A and SDL while they had breakfast and prepped our breakfast, cinnamon rolls, yum!

DJL came downstairs and the three of us talked and laughed, as we always do and then the cinnamon rolls were done and it was time to munch on some sweet goodness and I believe the first time I have eaten an entire cinnamon roll.

After breakfast it was shower time, hanging out with Boogie Bear, SDL’s cat, who has no tail and from behind, looks like a bear, dress, pack, hugs and kisses and hit the road.

In the car, I headed to lunch with DL at Houston’s, if you remember, DL and I used to work together and she has become one of my closest friends who I love dearly and what a treat to get to sit with her and catch up. We talked about life, kids, grand kids, travel, romance, work, holidays, you name it, we talked about it, all in less than two hours, I was impressed! And thank you again, DL for treating me to lunch, I was very touched.

After lunch, I got back in the car and headed to Decatur to visit with another one of my besties, RJS, she’s been under the weather, so I visited her at home and it was such a great visit. We talked and laughed and caught up and talked about everything and nothing all in the same conversation. The cats came to visit, and I got love from one an typical cat disdain from the other, I was neither surprised or offended.

She was feeling up for a walk before I left, which was great, I could use a little movement and a walk would do her good. We walked towards the entrance and back to her house, then the other direction and back. It was so fantastic to see her! It’s been too long! We exchanged holiday gifts, and my gift was a fabulous pair of RJS original earrings, if I haven’t already told you, she is a master of glass, mostly jewelry and I have received a few pieces over the years and I love them!

After our walk, I changed shoes to a much warmer pair, ready to be outside for the evening and headed to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to meet CKM. We met, parked the cars and walked to the Garden to enjoy the lights spectacular. We put our names in at the restaurant, there was about an hour wait, gave them my phone number and off we went to admire the pretty lights.

They do a wonderful job a the gardens, all the wonderful lights, in the trees, on the lawns, water, orchid house, the bug and wildlife creations, all spectacular.

After a while, we headed to the café to see if our table was ready, after another 20 minutes we sat down to a rather disappointing experience. The food was pretty good, just overall, not thrilled, but the conversation was good and we had a good time.

After eating, we headed back out to walk around, went into the orchid house, enjoyed the “walk through the treetops” then headed back towards the cars, got our presents and headed to Starbucks for drinks and gifts!

We hadn’t stopped talking yet! We opened our gifts, love! Then as they were closing up, we headed to the parking lot and in typical fashion, we stood there and talked for another 45 minutes, of course.

Then we hugged goodbye, got in our cars and I headed to JT’s house to crash for the night, which is very good because my morning plans are near here.

Ok, so now it’s about one am and time to crash, another busy day ahead!

Good night!

{December 25, 2014} Merry Christmas!

To all my friends and family who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas!

All I keep hearing in my head right now is the line from Trading Places “Merry New Year!” Some will get it, some won’t! But I digress, I know you’re shocked!

Today was a great day, it started at JT’s house, well, next door at his parents house where his dad made breakfast and it was yummy! Thank you T! The best part was it was just JT, his brother, mom, dad and me, well, and the dogs, of course. It was fun sitting with them, talking, joking, talking about last night’s festivities and excitement but then, I got to watch them open their gifts and enjoy every moment with each other, that is a very private family moment and I appreciate being invited to be a part of it. All of this while A Christmas Story was on in the background.

After a great breakfast and a rousing game of backgammon with JT’s dad, which reminded me of playing backgammon with my dad, for hours and I won this game, by the way! I headed to SDL’s house for the annual Christmas Day festivities!

I called on my way and SDL and her sister DJL and of course, Miss A were Skyping with their parents, Momom and Popup, I’m sorry I missed them. I headed to the house, went in and started playing with Miss A, who was monopolizing Aunt F’s attention! Then SDL came down from freshening up and we started cooking.

A great amount of food [we went shopping yesterday] two types of pasta, pesto, meat sauce, steamed veggies [carrots, zucchini, squash, spinach, Brussels sprouts and broccoli, guess who was really happy!] bread and salad. Think we had enough for three adults and one child? You betcha!

All this while listening to Christmas music and really listening for certain songs. You know, like “Baby it’s cold outside” or Porky Pig’s rendition of “Blue Christmas” or Alvin and the Chipmunks “All I want for Christmas” or The Waitresses.

We ate, talked, laughed, told stories about celebrating the holidays, crazy families, you know, the usual. It was great fun and after lunch, we went into the den to hang out, watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and open presents. I got a fabulous hand made magnet, in the shape of a deridel from Miss A, LOVE! And DJL and I opened our calendars at the same time! My other favorite! I look forward to those calendars!

After presents, there was A Christmas Story, I guess I was making my own marathon! Then after bath and brushing of the long beautiful hair, it was time to watch Home Alone, I think we had a god Christmas viewing lineup. We watched movies, lounged in the hose doing not much else.

And now, my friends, I am going to turn into a pumpkin, if I don’t turn this place over.

Merry Christmas… and to all, a good night!

{December 24, 2014} Happy Christmas Eve

Is that what you say for Christmas Eve?
Or is it just Merry Christmas? Either way… Happy whatever!

Tonight I participated in one of my favorite traditions… spending Christmas Eve with JT and his family. I started spending Christmas Eve with them after my divorce, so it’s been six years, I can’t believe it!

It’s been so great to celebrate with them over the years. They are loud and crazy and from the northeast, could be part of why we get along so well.

I think I told you about going shopping with JT, or annual tradition, well, normally, I go over early to wrap gifts, but last night I decided to wrap everything at SDL’s, made it much easier today, I showed up good to go.

There are always a lot of people and food, seems like a good combination to me.

Normally, we eat and then open gifts, this year was little different as some people were going to have to leave early, this year it was presnts, break for dinner, presents. All the names were in a Santa hat, the first name came out of the bag and we were off.

The gifts were great, people really think about what to get each other, one of the reasons I love going shopping with JT.

Thank you go the family who have taken me in as one of their own, I love you all!

Happy Christmas Eve

{December 19, 2014} An amazing greeting!

Yesterday was travel day and I was coming to Boston for the weekend, as my sister calls it, my northeast connection while I am on the road, it always feels like coming home.

So…as it was a travel day, it was a long one, but I was ready to get back and see my family, especially EJS and MGS and let me tell you, it was AWESOME when I did!!!

I got out of the taxi, got my things and headed up the path, up the steps and knocked on the door. What happened next, I could not have planned and it any better! I so wish I had had a camera to record it!

I could see the girls in the window looking at the candles on the menorah, I thought they would have seen me, but they hadn’t, so I knocked on the door and when they opened it, their faces lit up and in unison they screamed “AUNTIE!!!!!” and then it was attack of the little people and it was wonderful!!!

I walked in, each girl took a bag and then I got individual hugs, told “I love you” whispered in my ear, then telling me about the presents they got…so much excitement.

I will be reliving that moment over and over and over, it was so amazing!!!

AUNTIE!!!

{December 18, 2014} Happy 10th Anniversary

Ten years! My sister has been married ten years!

Ten years ago my sister said “I do” to her bashert and it has been a long, winding, beautiful road. Bashert is a Yiddish term with several meanings, but traditionally used to mean soul mate. The wasband used to say basherbert, always made me laugh!

They met at a ski house they both had time in, one thing led to another and just about a year later, the question was popped on the top of a mountain and about a year later, ten years ago today to be exact, Mr & Mrs. The day before manis and pedis with mom, earlier in the day hair and makeup and then off to Manhattan for the big event.

Lots of friends and family were there for the wonderful occasion. As matron of honor, I gave a speech, there was laughter, there were tears, this was my baby sister getting married! I closed by telling ACS to stay out of my chair! [inside joke]. My dad, the father of the bride, gave a great speech and as agreed… if the Red Sox lost the World Series, he would give his speech wearing a Sox cap and he did. That was big!

Growing up in NYC we are Yankees fans, I am not a baseball fan, but I like my teams. And as I just mentioned not being much of a baseball fan, I didn’t know about the rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees until they started dating, and the teasing has continued to this day.

Their life was good, but not quite complete and then three years later…EJS was born and three years later MGS and now… complete and perfect.

Here we are ten years later and their bond is stronger than ever, the family is wonderful and I am so thrilled I could be there for the wedding and here tonight on their tenth wedding anniversary.

I wish you all the best for ten, twenty, thirty, fourth, fifty more years! I love you both!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shidduch#Bashert

{December 16, 2014} Happy Chanukah

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah, Happy Chanukah.

I know we have talked about this before, but here we are, it is the first night of Chanukah and I want to share some things.

As you know, or may not know… Chanukah or as some spell it Hanukkah, really a personal preference, is referred to as The Festival of Lights. The abridged version is that when the temple was destroyed and the Jews went in to rebuild it, they found enough oil to light the lamps for one night and lo and behold, a miracle, the oil lasted for eight nights!

That is the reason we celebrate for eight nights and certain foods we fry in oil, like potatoes which give us yummy potato latkes or pancakes and donuts, filled with jam, for a sweet year. I don’t know if you remember last year, the first night of Chanukah was also Thanksgiving, so we themed a lot of the foods around both holidays, so much fun to share the experience with friends and family.

We play games, like deridel, a spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side telling you if you get half, have to give some, get nothing or get the entire pot! You could play with peanuts, pretzels, real coins or the traditional Chanukah gelt, chocolate coins. There is a great song to go along with the game, you may have heard it, ‘Deridel, Deridel, Dreidel’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKreDYVWark. Be warned, the game can get heated!

There are some great songs associated with Chanukah, such as ‘Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah”, this one performed by Bare Naked Ladies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLqG3BqMC8E

And I am sure you remember Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5Z-HpHH9g, this is a great song that makes me laugh when I hear it!

Traditionally, we give gifts to friends and family and it is one gift per night. I always found it funny that there were kids when I was younger who celebrated Christmas thought I had it better because I had eight nights of gifts, I would tell them we probably get the same number of gifts, its just that we open one per night. In my family growing up, we would have one big family gift, like tickets to the Nutcracker at Rockefeller Center or one year, a Commodore 64! We were styling! And then little gifts for the other nights.

The games, gifts, food are all good, but it is the meaning of the holiday and how we celebrate and hold it near to our hearts. We gather together over a menorah, maybe some of us have more than one…I have quite the collection that my family has given me over the years [and I wish I could find the pictures right now!] and I treasure each one, and each night, we light the shamans, that is the candle that is set apart, maybe above, to the side, but it is the candle we light, say the blessing and then use to light the other candles.

I love when I have friends with me to share the experience, I say the prayer and some choose to do it with me. When my kids were younger, they loved helping to light the menorah and say the blessing. And…I have so many menorah that sometimes, people get their own!

One of my favorite memories from childhood, aside from lighting the menorah, playing deridel and my mother’s amazing potato latkes, which were fun to introduce to new people celebrating with us, was the stories that she would read every night. I wish I could remember the name of the book, but every night, she would pick one of the eight stories and read to us, it didn’t matter how old we got, she would still read a story to us every night of Chanukah, I think there was even a year that she read them over the phone, I miss that.

Tonight, I got a call at dinner from my sister, and when I said hello, EJS said Hi! Well, hello there, how are you? Happy Chanukah! Thank you for my science experiment, I cant wait to do it with you this weekend! Wait until she gets the rest of what I got her!

The Festival of Lights truly is a miracle , in so many ways. What it says to and about us as a people and what ir represents and how we are keeping those traditions alive!

Some people don’t know anyone who is Jewish or maybe you were the first they met, which is the case for me often. Someone, a dear friend, from collage posted this on my wall tonight:

Very happy Hanukkah to all my Hebrews and Shebrews! I have some amazing Jewish folks in my life but, let’s face it, you never forget your first. Sending love from long ago!

Happy Chanukah or Hanukkah to one and all! May it be sweet and bright!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

{December 14, 2014} Holiday Movies

How much do you love holiday movies?

Do you start watching them around Thanksgiving? Sooner? All year long?

There is the Hallmark Channel, famous for their holiday movies, even Lifetime Movie Network, Netflix has them all year long and there are times, admittedly, even in the summer, I am feeling the need for some holiday cheer and will put on a holiday movie and feel a chill in the air and the proverbial holiday spirit, lifts my spirits right up!

Unfortunately, most of these movies are horrible and have a very similar theme…broken hearts, boy meeting girl, girl or boy already involved with someone but there is always someone better…someone gets hit on the head and ends up in an alternate universe and when they come back to their original self realizing what they really want and end up where they were supposed to be. Maybe it’s a Groundhog Day type of movie, repeating the same day over and over until they get it right.

My sister and I are addicted to these things, no matter how bad they are, written, acted or whatever the case may be, we still love them, she DVRs them and sometimes, watch them over and over and sometimes…once is enough and delete. We like to sneak in a holiday movie in here and there, EJS and GES will watch with us sometimes, but most of the time, GES and I sneak in some time and even stay up late watching them.

I’d write you a list, but I don’t think I have enough time or space!

Guess what we’re doing right now as I write to you?

{December 12, 2014} Girls night

Had a great time at girls night tonight!

I got to Boston last night, kissed the girls, so cute when they’re sleeping! spent some time with GES, got some sleep, was confused for a moment where I was at 6:27 this morning, MGS came in and said hello, then a little while later EJS came to say hello.

Then it was showers and lunches and school. Got some work done, ran some errands, got on some calls, then it was time for girls night!

RG picked us up and off to girls night at BR’s house. There was RG, TS, BR, DB, LR, RG, GES and me and a spread of sushi, Chinese and challah. After hellos, we sat around the table, lit the lights for Shabbos, said the prayer over the wine, the blessing for the challah, then it was time to eat.

We ate, chatted, laughed and had an all around good time! They like to do their “Wow” of the week, and when it was my turn, my wow was “Molly came into my room this morning, said hello and as she crawled into bed, she said “I missed you” and that was amazing, so I had something to talk about at girls night.

The evening was a smash success and everyone had a good time! Thank you for including me!

I hope you had as good a time tonight I as I did!!!

{December 11, 2014} Holiday cards

They are starting to come in and I love it!

I love getting the photo cards people love sending, I get to see how the kids have grown, it’s awesome! I’ve thought about sending photo cards before, but what would I send? Me and my two cats? Just me? Boring! Just the cats, that would be cute.

One of the things I love doing is making my own cards and sending them out and that is what I will be doing this weekend, finishing the cards and putting them in the mail, I know I’m a little late, but as long as they get there before the holidays, that’s what counts, right?

Want to trade cards? I would love it! Let me know and we’ll do it!
Happy Holiday Carding!

{December 5, 2014} LaLa has a new love!

I wanted to wait a day or two before I shared the news.

LaLa or LD, has a new grandson to love on. I had wanted to wait to give them time to let people know, I probably could have told you seconds after the happy event, they may have been posting right before, during and after! No, I’m kidding.

LaLa has two sons, G and his wife Wendy have two girls, B&A, thirteen and nine (I hope I got that right) and three years ago, her other son, M, and his girlfriend, T, had her first grandson, B. A year later, I was at their wedding and their son was running around having a great time and charming everyone.

Wednesday, her daughter-in-law went in for her scheduled c-section and little man B became a big brother to a beautiful baby brother.

Much Mazel to the entire family and LaLa for a new baby to love on!

Email Subscription

What was I thinking?