Mom Writes

A happy goodbye

2008-01-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

Between the Christmas and the New Year's Eve parties; the holiday-inspired eating; the last-minute shopping and wrapping of presents; the phone calls to family and friends; the cleaning, baking, cooking; and--yes--the relaxing, I have found some time to think about my blogging.

After much internal debate, I have decided to stop writing in this particular online forum.

The reasons are many and varied, but most have to do with a growing awareness on my part of an intense desire for more privacy in my life. I have shared a lot of things on this blog: some mundane, some meaningful, some existentially profound (I hope), and some potentially damaging. The Internet never forgets, and that fact has been bothering me more and more lately as I watch my babies grow into children who soon will be online themselves. I can't say that I feel good about everything I've written in this very public arena; I also have the sense that I'm quitting while I'm ahead.

I have received many comments and emails about the things I have chosen to share on this blog. Most of the feedback has been amazingly supportive and kind. My favorite emails were the ones that came from people who had found some kind of strength of their own from seeing me get help for my alcohol addiction.

We all have our weaknesses and our flaws. I've always thought one of the best things about the momosphere--and the writings online by moms--is the honest admittance and discussion of the foibles women tend to discover about themselves when faced with one of the most challenging roles of our lives, the role of mother. In our online confessions and ensuing discussions we find solace from our pain and insecurities. Time and time again I have noticed patterns in the mom-centric blogosphere. We are neither alone nor unique; the struggles that surface are universal. There can be the most wonderful sense of community in this online world, and I have received much satisfaction and benefit from being a part of it for the past several years. I thank all of you for that.

Aristotle wrote that "there is no time without change." It's time for a change, and I know that my closing the door to blogging will be allowing another door to open.

P.S. If you see the February issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, check out my essay "The Valentine Box." (I think that's what they're calling it.) It's based on this blog post that I wrote last February. Hey, there's nothing like going out on a high note, huh?

xoxo
mary

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2007-12-17T15:56:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I need a vacation from blogging so I'm going to take one. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'll be back in 2008.

Santa Mommy reporting

2007-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

[Updated: I don't know what I was thinking but it's actually only 8 days until Christmas. Oh my! Maybe I should be panicked after all.]

T minus 11 days! I'm feeling good about this Christmas season. I'm done shopping for the kids and for Mike, and the remaining items on my to-do list aren't keeping me up at night -- always a good sign.

Out of town family members -- Most things got in the mail last week; a couple more packages will hit the counter at the post office tomorrow morning.

Kids -- I'm done shopping for them unless I see some must-have item on deep clearance. They're getting some simple toys, doll clothes, and art supplies. Nothing too fancy. I've been tossing things into a closet for months; I still need to go through everything when the kids are both at school to make sure one child doesn't have a disproportionate number of gifts.

Mike -- I got him a gadget for the geek who has everything. I think he'll get a kick out of it. I'll reveal more after Christmas! I also got him some items of a more practical nature.

Teachers -- I got a small something for each of the head teachers. At Emily's school, a bunch of parents are going in on a present. Thomas is giving each of his teachers a Starbuck's gift certificate.

Holiday baking -- I'm reducing the number and kind of cookies this year. Honestly, it's too much work, plus most people face a plate of cookies with a groan and a frown. This year I'm baking mini loaves of banana bread for the neighbors on either side of us and chocolate chip cookies for the kids's classmates.

We're off to a holiday party, followed by a birthday party at a jump house party place. I have a feeling I'm going to be overdressed at the second party, but that can't be helped.

'Tis the season to be teary

2007-12-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know what's wrong with me. The other day I was taking the kids to art class when the holiday classic Little Drummer Boy came on the radio. Before I could sing, "pa rum pum pum pum," I was crying so hard I could barely see to drive.

Have you ever listened to the words of that song? It's so sad!

Then Mike sent me a link to this video. In his email he described it as "almost funny." Funny?! Is funny supposed to make you cry? Maybe tears are the new laughter.

Gee, and I haven't even watched It's a Wonderful Life yet. I'm not sure my holiday-stressed hormones can handle it.

Close encounters of the caller ID kind

2007-12-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

"This bottle of champagne is for my hairdresser."

"Is it customary to give your hairdresser a Christmas present?"

"Well, I really like her and I think we have a friendship. Like today when I called to make an appointment, she knew it was me on the phone."

"Oh, you mean she has caller ID?"

...

"Well, maybe you do have a psychic connection. Otherwise, welcome to the nineties."

A perfectly pleasant place

2007-12-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

I was out to dinner with some friends recently and we started talking about the suburban paradise in which we live. Our city, San Mateo, is a suburban town located 20 miles south of San Francisco. It boasts a population of about 92,000 people. It's nice here, certainly a nice place to raise a family. But sometimes it can seem lacking in something that might make it interesting or exciting or anything other than a nice place.

That night we brainstormed some taglines for our pleasant little suburb. I remembered a couple and came up with some more this morning while I was walking around our local indoor mall. Feel free to use these if they also apply to your town!

San Mateo -- A perfectly pleasant place.

San Mateo -- You won't get shot here.

San Mateo -- A nice place to die of old age.

San Mateo -- We're dull on purpose.

San Mateo -- Smile!

San Mateo -- Where people sleep.

San Mateo -- We've had an indoor mall since the 50s.

San Mateo -- A place where grandparents come to visit their grandchildren.

San Mateo -- A perfectly acceptable place to call home.

San Mateo -- A ghost town after 10:00 PM.

San Mateo -- It's nice if you are.

[P.S. Yes, I like living here.]

Hair of the Ruffles

2007-12-11T22:02:00.001-08:00

MOM is just WOW upside down
Originally uploaded by marytsao

Is it possible to get a hangover from too many chips smothered with French onion soup mix dip? If so, I had one this morning after pigging out last night while watching Tivo'd episodes of What Not To Wear. I was tired, my head was throbbing, and my mouth was dry from complete and total salt-based dehydration. Yuck. Not a pleasant way to wake up.

Maybe that's why I was crabby all day, yelling at the kids for being... well, kids. I just wanted to be alone in my chip and dip-induced misery, but today was not a school day. Therefore the kids were at home, and I spent most of the day alternating between picking up toys and screaming at them to help me pick up toys. Finally, around 4:00, when their high-pitched screams of joy woke me up again from the nap I was trying to take on the couch, I made them put on their pajamas with the idea that I was going to send them to bed without their supper. Good riddance!

By 4:30 I realized the error of my ways. Mike had a welding class tonight and wouldn't be home for dinner. I could make something at home out of a frozen chicken breast and half a can of corn (what was in the refrigerator since I didn't make it to the grocery store today). Or I could go out to eat, thereby not having to cook or clean up afterward. But going out to eat meant that I would have to retract my "to bed without supper!" declaration. Decisions, decisions.

Of course, it wasn't like the kids were in bed. Ya, they had their pajamas on but they were doing a whole lot of bouncing off the walls and not a whole lot of sitting quietly while contemplating their sins. Deciding they were too young for that particular punishment--and that I was too lazy to try and drum up dinner at home--I asked them to put their clothes back on; we were going out to dinner.

Not surprisingly, the kids started behaving a lot less like animals and a lot more like well-behaved little people once we were out in public. I felt better, too. Even though in theory I like spending some days at home, the reality is that being inside with the kids for hours on end drives all of us crazy.

After dinner we even went on a Target run. The kids were a little freaked out to be in Target at night, but they quickly got used to the idea and sat nicely in the two-kid train cart while I got the cookie sheets, laundry detergent, and personal hygiene items that I so desperately needed.

The day was saved, but the next time you see me with a bowl of chips cradled in my lap, can you please remind me that eating crap makes me feel like crap? Thanks.

On pirates and horses

2007-12-10T22:46:00.001-08:00

Emily and Santa
Originally uploaded by marytsao

I'm alive!

I'm alive, but busy, busy, busy. What else is new? December is definitely my crazy-making month. Thomas's birthday was a three-day event filled with lots of pirate booty. It started with his actual birthday, which was a family-centric day. The next day he celebrated at preschool with cupcakes. The third day-o-birthday was the day we had his friends over for a pirate-themed party.

The pirate party was a lot of fun, and apparently all the kids were talking about it at school today. Isn't that cute? At the party one kid refused to leave and his mom had to leave him here; his dad finally picked him up an hour and a half after the party ended. I was flattered, but also tired. It had been a long three days and I still needed to get gussied up for the Google holiday party.

Remember that outfit I wore to last year's party? Hopefully not, because I wore that outfit again, from the dress to the make-up. I did get a new jacket and shoes, but the rest was all last year. Wearing the outfit twice suddenly made the cost seem much more reasonable. Plus it was easy, and this year I'm all about the easy. My parents were in town for Thomas's birthday, and my mom was kind enough to watch the kids overnight so Mike and I could have a whole night out and off. I was happy to sleep in a hotel room that had blackout curtains and a breakfast buffet.

My parents returned to Illinois on Sunday, and the Tsao family went on its second flight together with Mike as our pilot. This time we went from Hayward to Watsonville, where we had lunch at Zuniga's, a Mexican restaurant at the airport. After returning from our flight, we went to Fry's Electronics. Because that is what geeky families do for fun.

Today was a typical Monday for me, but tonight Emily met her new best friend, Santa! She decided that this year she wanted to give that guy a big 'ol hug, which she did. Right before asking him for a horse for Christmas. Interesting. I wonder if she'll settle for a book about horses or perhaps a small, stuffed horse.

Well, that's the exciting stuff that's been happening around these parts. Can you believe it's only two weeks until Christmas? Eek!

And the winner is...

2007-12-06T09:41:00.001-08:00

Flying
Originally uploaded by marytsao

The winner of the giant Miffy doll giveaway is Zoe! [UPDATED -- Zoe, Your email address isn't working. Please email me mary dot tsao at gmail dot com and send me your address. Thanks!] Thanks to all who participated.

It's Thomas's 3rd birthday so we've got a full day of fun and tantrums planned. Apparently, Thomas never got the memo that the terrible 2s are supposed to be over.

Hope you're having a great Thursday!

Holiday card roundup 2006

2007-12-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

I did this in 2005, and it was a lot of fun. I meant to do it again in 2006, but then I never got around to it. In fact, I completely forgot about the idea until I discovered a box yesterday filled with--that's right!--the holiday cards we got last year. Therefore, and with the idea that it's never too late, I give you the Holiday Card Roundup 2006.

Holiday Cards: Give and Ye Shall Receive. Donna of Socal Mom echoes this sentiment in her post today about holiday cards, and I'm here to tell you that it's true.

Number of cards mailed: 98
Number of cards received: 51

Number of cards containing or featuring a holiday photo: 35
Number of cards not containing a holiday photo: 16

Number of cards featuring newly married people: 1
Number of cards announcing a new baby: 1
Number of cards announcing a new home: 1

Number of cards featuring children in matching outfits: 5
Number of photos featuring entire families with matching outfits: 0

Number of cards featuring little girls with hair bows: 3
Number of cards featuring a child wearing a Santa hat: 3
Number of cards featuring a child wearing a holiday bandanna: 1

Number of cards featuring a child sucking his thumb: 2
Number of cards featuring a child with his tongue stuck out: 1
Number of cards featuring a child who looked like he was Photoshopped in: 1

Number of cards featuring dogs: 5
Number of cards listing the dog as one of the family members: 3
Number of cards featuring a dog wearing a holiday bandanna: 2
Number of cards featuring a dog wearing reindeer antlers: 1

Number of cards from colleges looking for alumni donations: 2
Number of cards thanking us for supporting a neighbor boy's school fundraising efforts: 1

Number of cards taken in front of the Pacific Ocean: 5
Number of cards taken in front of some other body of water: 1
Number of cards featuring a family that looked cold: 2 (down from 3 last year!)

Number of cards from people I've never met: 2
Number of cards from people I met on the Internet: 2

Number of cards that were hand delivered: 1
Number of cards that came with a check: 1
Number of cards that came with a homemade holiday CD: 1
Number of cards that came with a holiday newsletter: 1

Number of Happy New Year cards: 3
Number of Happy New Year cards that were the exact same design: 2
Number of cards designed by people who clearly hold degrees in graphic design: 2

Number of photos featuring kids cuter than my own: 0

Chicken soup and holiday cards

2007-12-04T23:10:00.001-08:00

Christmas tree: after
Originally uploaded by marytsao

It was raining when we woke up today and shortly after a heavy fog set in. The kids and I decided it was a bad day to leave the house. Instead we stayed inside, where we ate brownies, made chicken soup, and addressed the envelopes for our holiday cards. The kids ate the brownies; I did the rest.

It feels good to have the holiday cards off my to-do list. Yesterday we finished the holiday decorating, and now it's full steam ahead to Thomas's 3rd birthday on Thursday and his birthday party on Saturday. This year it's all about his preschool and playgroup friends so I'm mentally preparing myself for a dozen little people running around in pirate gear. Should be crazy but a lot of fun, too.

It's that busy time of the year. Lazy days like today are good for me. I'm trying to take care of myself by not overdoing and getting too stressed out about trivial stuff. So far I think it's working; I don't feel nearly as crazed as I did this time last year. Let's hope that's still true after this upcoming weekend. Note to self: Don't forget to breathe!

My Kingdom for a Miffy

2007-12-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend. It was so nice not to have to blog or work on a novel. I want to tell you all about what I did do, but first I promised my good friend Mir that I would help her in her quest to give away a bunch of adorable, giant Miffy dolls.

Want one?

Here's the deal:

See that Miffy doll to the right? Please note that she is 28" tall and a Ty's exclusive. Also note that she is wearing pajamas, not a space suit.
Ty's would like to give you one of these, through a random drawing on my blog.
Due to the gigantic nature of the box in which Miffy will be shipped, this offer is for U.S. residents only.
To enter, go to Ty's Toy Box and browse their merchandise. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me which Ty's item caught your eye. For example, I think I would die from cute overload if I saw my little guy in a pair of these Curious George gym shoes.
You have until 11:59 PM on Wednesday night to leave a comment. Don't forget to tell me what item you like!
On Thursday morning I will randomly pick a winning commenter while drinking my morning coffee and announce it on ye olde blog.
That lucky person will receive their very own Miffy doll, courtesy of Ty's.

Easy enough, eh? Mir also wants me to tell you that right now Ty's is offering automatic free shipping on domestic orders over $65 (and a $10 shipping credit for international orders over $65), and that through December 3rd (that's today!) you can also use coupon code HOLIDAY5 to take $5 off a $50+ order.

Good luck, my friends. May the Miffy be with you.

NaBloPoMo happy dance

2007-11-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

Freakazoids, robots, please report to the dance floor.

I did it! I posted every day this month, thereby successfully completing National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo). I did it! Go me.

I'm going to take the weekend off. You're probably just as happy about this idea as I am. I'm sick of this daily posting business, and the Tsao family is pretty busy this weekend. We've got tree shopping, tae kwon do class, hair cuts, and my annual mothers club holiday tea planned. And that's just tomorrow.

Tomorrow night Mike and I are hitting San Francisco dressed like sluts. Woot! What started out as one invite to a big birthday bash at 330 Ritch (my friend and a bunch of her friends rented an entire nightclub to celebrate their birthdays) has turned into three invitations for parties scattered throughout The City. Lookout world, oldies on the loose!

On Sunday we're all aboard the Polar Express train ride at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. That should be fun. We also need to squeeze in some tree decorating before I meet a group of women writer friends for coffee and dessert.

A busy, busy holiday weekend filled with family and friends. I'm excited already.

Manic magic

2007-11-29T22:31:00.000-08:00

If I hadn't lived it myself, I wouldn't believe how insane a day of holiday decorating could be. It's crazy! First, you open the closet containing the boxes of holiday decor. You think pulling down the boxes and distributing the gold and red wealth around the house will be easy. Then everything you shoved in the closet the past year falls on your head and you realize that in order to get to the Christmas stuff buried deep in the back, you first have to organize the closet. Which leads to headache and hassle and piles of stuff destined for either the garbage can or the Goodwill store. Finally, sometime around noon (you started bright and early at 8:00), you can't even remember what your original goal was for the day. All you know is that every room of the house has piles of stuff in it, you've already done three loads of laundry, and your morning cup of coffee is sitting cold on the counter.

You know those decorating shows on TV? They lie! Decorating is hard work, a dirty business, I tell ya!

But I realize now, in the glow of soft lighting, that I did get a bunch of stuff done today and our house is almost holiday-ready. We're getting our tree on Saturday and will probably decorate it on Sunday. Today I put a small, fake tree in the kids's bedroom and Emily asked me if it meant Santa would leave them presents in their room, too. And you know what? That's exactly why I turn into manic Mary during this time of the year. A pre-decorated tree I just pulled from a box in the closet has the potential to equal magic to my kids. With Emily four years old and Thomas three years old, I think this will be our best Christmas yet.

---

A quick recap of yesterday: I haven't blogged about it, but I've been doing some writing-type work for PickPackGo, a vacation rental company started by some friends of mine. My official job title is City Host. The lovely Julie is a city host, too.

Yesterday I drove into The City to visit PickPackGo. It was neat spending some time in an office, especially since I didn't actually have to sit at a desk and work or anything. I just got to play dress up and go to a meeting, after which I returned to my regularly scheduled life. It was a brief--yet fun--diversion. If you're interested, here's something I wrote for PickPackGo about kid-friendly adventures in San Francisco.

Visiting PickPackGo

After the meeting, I returned home to pick up the kids from preschool. Then the three of us returned to San Francisco for--guess what--a kid-friendly adventure. First we did some kid clothes shopping at the H&M in the Westfield Mall, then we saw Enchanted, checked out the kittens and puppies in the window at Macy's, and visited the big Christmas tree in Union Square. Emily loved Enchanted, except she thought the prince's stepmother was "not a very nice girl." I agree, but since she was played by Susan Sarandon I had to love her despite her evil ways. Thomas's favorite part of the movie was the peanut M&Ms I bought him. Which was why I had to pry the half-empty bag from his hands after he threw a sugar-induced tantrum in front of Macy's.

Oh, that holiday magic. Pictures of our fieldtrip are on Flickr.

Goodness me, when will this hell called NaBloPoMo be over

2007-11-28T20:26:00.001-08:00

Emily's second gold star
Originally uploaded by marytsao

"If it wasn't for the focus and determination I learned in karate, I would still be in karate right now."
[The Onion: Karate Lessons Give Child Self-Confidence To Quit Karate]

I had a long, fun-filled day, which I will blog about tomorrow. Right now I am tired and want to vegetate in front of the boob tube.

You understand.

For the love of lentils

2007-11-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

One of Mike's signature dishes is a yummy little something called Savory Lentils with Goat Cheese. He discovered it in The Soy Zone cookbook. This dish is so good that you will find yourself shoveling spoonfuls of it into your mouth long after you've finished dinner; you will eat it until there's nothing left and then you will lick the bowl. The night you eat it you will dream about lentils, and the next day you will consider making it again. For breakfast.

This dish is that good.

I served it last night as a side dish to a roast chicken. We had blackberries with a squirt of whipped cream for dessert. Yum. God Bless Barry Sears.

Savory Lentils with Goat Cheese
1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
2 radicchio leaves for garnish

In a medium saucepan, place lentils, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender, but still have texture. Remove from heat and drain.

In a medium-size bowl, mix lentils, garlic, cilantro, and chives together. Add olive oil and lime juice. Toss gently.

Before serving, fold in goat cheese. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Arrange radicchio leaves on plate. Spoon salad onto radicchio and serve.

Serves 2 as a hearty side dish

P.S. My mouth watered as I typed the recipe. Now that's love.

It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas

2007-11-26T16:26:00.001-08:00

NaNoWriMo is over!! That calls for two exclamation points, people. I had no problem reaching the magical word count of 50,000 yesterday, and this is what I got for my trouble:

Woot! This makes me happy.

I am declaring today to be the official start of winter and thus the start of the season formerly known as Christmas and now known as holiday. I'm putting away the throw pillows and candles colored plum and pulling out the decorating accessories colored cranberry, red, and gold. Bring on the red plaid, baby! I picked up our Christmas wreaths today at Trader Joe's ($12 -- what a bargain!), and there's a pot of red and white cyclamen on our back patio. The bath towels adorned with Christmas trees are hanging in the bathroom, and the Advent calendars are awaiting Saturday morning and the official countdown to Christmas.

Oh, and people? I haven't even taken the official holiday boxes out of the closet yet. Look out.

In other sweet news, our holiday cards have been printed and are on their way to us. Doods, the joy of the season is upon me in a big way. I am feeling the love.

I'm also sending out the love to a couple of family members who might need good thoughts sent their way. My cousin recently had her second baby in a year. That's right: two babies less than twelve months apart. That automatically makes her a saint as far as I'm concerned. I wish I lived closer to her so that I could cook her a meal; luckily she's got a strong support network of family members who live close by. I'm also thinking about my aunt who went in for surgery today. Fingers crossed that all goes well with that.

By the way, has anybody on the planet ever run into Michael's craft store for one small thing--in my case, gold spray paint--and come out with a shopping cart full of projects, picture frames, cookie tins, washable markers, pine cones scented like cinnamon, and wired ribbon? Oh good, so I'm not alone.

0 to 20 in 50,000 words

2007-11-25T09:51:00.001-08:00

New Mexico vacation
Originally uploaded by marytsao

I'm going to finish NaNoWriMo today. I'm at 47,551 words, and there's nothing that's going to get in the way of me writing the remaining 2,449 by day's end. Mike and the kids just left for a fieldtrip involving a train ride so I know the house will be empty for at least a couple of hours. The quiet is beautiful.

Finishing NaNoWriMo for the third year in a row is going to feel good. Heck, it already feels good. More than good, it feels like a habit. And from the advice I've read, the key to writing is to make it a habit.

That's not to say that I won't be grateful when NaNoWriMo is over and I can kick this habit and begin to think about preparing for Thomas's birthday, whether or not Baskin-Robbins can make an ice cream cake with a pirate motif, decorating the house for Christmas, which cookies I want to bake this year, what craft projects would make good gifts for relatives who are under obligation to like them, how to get through the holiday season without gaining ten pounds, and other very important things. Anything other than the minutiae of my life and the chronological order in which these precious moments occurred.

At this point, my memoir could be titled "All plod, no plot." I'm just trying to get down as much as I can remember without embellishment or thematic leanings. And that means that after writing 50,000 words--roughly 85 single spaced pages--I will end up about 3 months shy of my 20th birthday. In other words, not done. In fact, only about halfway done since I now am almost 40.

But I will be done for this year's NaNoWriMo, and happy to have gotten down on paper as much as I did. Because really, who knows what child rearing-induced brain damage will occur between now and the next time I want to think about how I once got an F in a college sociology class because the night before the final exam I went to a Grateful Dead concert and didn't make it home until 4:00 A.M.? Ah, good times, and a true spiritual journey filled with hard knocks of the mostly self-inflicted variety.

Until it's Monday, Happy Sunday.

Flight of faith

2007-11-24T11:36:00.001-08:00

First Family Flight
Originally uploaded by marytsao

In honor of Mike getting his pilot's license, yesterday we went on--and survived!--our first family flight. Mike was our pilot and we flew from San Carlos to Half Moon Bay and back. Our original plan was to land at Half Moon Bay then walk to get ice cream, but some turbulence meant it would have been a bumpy landing. Mike decided to spare us the teeth-clenching excitement on our very first flight with our newly-licensed pilot. Instead, we turned around and flew back to San Carlos. And then we drove our car to get ice cream.

The flight was relatively uneventful--in a good way--except for the wind that came off the coastal mountain range as we flew into and around Half Moon Bay. Bouncing around in a tiny plane over the Pacific Ocean, one can't help but think about the watery deaths of guys like John Denver and John F. Kenney, Jr.. Rest in peace, dudes.

I'll admit it: I was scared.

But what is a life without fright? A sorry one, that's for sure. Besides, "your chances of being involved in an aircraft accident are about 1 in 11 million. On the other hand, your chances of being killed in an automobile accident are 1 in 5000. Statistically, you are at far greater risk driving to the airport than getting on an airplane."

So there. Just keep repeating that statistic to yourself the whole time you're up in the air and you'll be fine.

And of course, when we weren't bouncing around like a Jack-in-the-box and my stomach wasn't lodged in my throat, the experience was really cool. Yesterday the skies were blue and it was warm and clear. It was fun to fly over all of the cars of people driving like maniacs to get to the shopping malls for Black Friday deals. I'm so proud of Mike for having the tenacity to stick with his flight training and get his license.

Pictures on Flickr. Happy day after Black Friday!

Thanksgivings past

2007-11-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

As you know, I am using this year's NaNoWriMo as an excuse to write my memoir. This activity has forced me to think about how handy it would be if I documented more of my life as it was happening, rather than waiting thirty years and having to use my feeble, aging brain to remember things.

Therefore, here is a rundown of all of the Thanksgivings I have spent with my husband. Try not to fall asleep, okay?

Thanksgiving 2002: I was pregnant with Emily. Mike and I were newly married. We went to Santa Cruz to spend Thanksgiving with Mike's mother Jewel and sister Jennie.

No picture available. This was BK (before kids) and before we took pictures of every life event, no matter how large or how small.

Thanksgiving 2003: Emily was 4 months old. We went to San Francisco to spend Thanksgiving with Jennie and her boyfriend Nick, Mike's dad Denis, and family friend Daisy.

Witness the world's cutest baby at her first Thanksgiving celebration.

Thanksgiving 2004: Emily was a year old. I was pregnant with Thomas and weeks away from giving birth. We hosted Thanksgiving and invited Jennie and (now) brother-in-law Nick, Nick's sister and boyfriend, and Denis.

This photo is from another day right around that time. Surprisingly--or not--I took no photos that holiday.

Thanksgiving 2005: Emily was two years old. Thomas was almost one year old. We hosted Thanksgiving. Jennie and Nick came over and were kind enough to help us take that year's Christmas photo.

Food made by our good friends at Whole Foods.

Thanksgiving 2006: Emily was three years old. Thomas was almost two years old. We hosted Thanksgiving. Jennie and Nick came over with their new baby Alex. Jewel and Denis were here, too.

2006 was the first year I documented Thanksgiving in a blog post.

Thanksgiving 2007: Emily is four years old. Thomas is almost three years old. We drove less than two miles from our house to spend Thanksgiving with our good friends Dave and Miriam. Their daughter Sarah was born less than two weeks before Emily, and they'll be starting kindergarten together next fall.

The kid table rocks, and I am thankful.

Gobble, gobble, gobble

2007-11-22T21:43:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2007
Originally uploaded by marytsao

It's hard to believe that I'll ever be hungry again. Our friends Dave and Miriam put together the usual spread: turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad, green beans. Am I missing something? Dessert consisted of pumpkin pie, cheesecake, brownies, and apple tarts. Whipped cream on everything. The company was amazing, and the conversation flowed like wine. The kids entertained themselves, and it was just a nice day all around.

Before we ate, we went around the table and said what we were thankful for. I said that I was thankful for a healthy appetite and for good friends.

Other things for which I am thankful on this fine November day:

I made it through the day without drinking, and you know, it's not easy to do that sometimes. Especially when the wine is flowing and memories of Thanksgivings past remind me of how fun it is to wash down turkey with a whole lot of vino. But I refrained and now I'm awake to write this blog post instead of passed out in front of the television. Yay, me.

Mike got his private pilot's license! This is the big secret I've hinted about in the past, although for the love of me I can't find the specific blog post in which I did my hinting. A series of unfortunate events delayed him taking his test until today. Yes, that's right, Mike missed Thanksgiving with us and our friends because he was taking this exam. We didn't know he would have to miss the party until today. When we found out, I was happy for Mike that he was finally going to get his chance to take the exam but also a little sorry for myself that I had to go to the party without him. But the feeling passed after I was with my friends, and everything is better now that Mike's passed this freakin' test. He even made it to Thanksgiving dinner in time to enjoy the second round of desserts.

My NaNoWriMo word count is up to 42,000. I'd doing it, people. I even wrote 2,000 words today after we got home from our Thanksgiving party. It feels good to know that I've got only 8,000 more words to write and I'll be done. Done!

Thankful

2007-11-21T14:42:00.001-08:00

Thomas is thankful
Originally uploaded by marytsao

Today I had the joy of going to a Thanksgiving feast at Thomas's preschool. It was so sweet. The teacher lined up all of the kids and had them sing a song: THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOR MOMS AND DADS AND FRIENDS AND SUCH...* Then each child presented his or her parent with a laminated picture that also contained a special Thanksgiving message that the child had dictated to the teacher. The picture Thomas made for me read, "I am thankful for my daddy and my mommy make me happy." Somebody hand me a tissue! After some discreet wiping away of tears, everybody feasted on a potluck buffet that included corn dogs, pizza, pretzels, brownies, and homemade mac-n-cheese. I made turkey and cheese sandwiches, but Thomas liked the cupcakes with sprinkles the best. Naturally.

Emily's school had a feast, too, and Emily realized that she does like pumpkin pie. There was some question earlier today about whether or not she liked pumpkin pie, and it turns out that she does. Oh, happy day. Her school collected food that will go to a local agency for families who need some help this year. They put together four large baskets of food.

We've done our shopping and we're all set for tomorrow's celebration. Our friends Dave and Miriam have been kind enough to take on the cooking and cleaning duties. We'll show up at their house tomorrow with our mascarpone and cranberry cheese spread, creamy green beans, and Costco cheesecake and appreciate their hospitality very much. Thank you, thank you indeed!

Because there's no reason for me to scurry around cleaning my house, I'm taking the kids to the park. Happy Thanksgiving!

*Yes, I got it on video.

Gold star girl

2007-11-20T13:17:00.001-08:00

Emily's first gold star for excellence during Tae Kwon Do class
Originally uploaded by marytsao

I'm feeling swamped with a big 'ol to do list. Here's a short and sweet post about Emily, our gold star girl. Conversation snippet courtesy of Mike.

Emily: Dad, why did you get us a mouse?

Dad: Because I want both of you to learn how to use a computer. When you go to school and the teacher says it's time to learn how to use computers, you can raise your hand and say "Teacher, I already know how to use a computer!"

Emily: But Dad, at school we're learning about turkeys and books.

Girl, you know it's true

2007-11-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday. We had a crazy thing happen over here on Saturday. It was so crazy that I had to take several deep breaths into a brown paper sack. It was so crazy that I had to remind myself over and over again in my outside voice, "You are only human! You are doing the best that you can!"

On Saturday the crazy thing that happened was that we received our first holiday card of the season. Yes, that's right; this year we received our first holiday card on November 17. I didn't even have our holiday photo taken and we were already receiving cards. Well, card. But still! The season has officially begun! The pressure is on! Succeed, mothers of the suburban universe, succeed!

(I'm not sure why, but I have an irrational fear that I'll forget to do my holiday cards on time. It's kind of like that anxiety dream where you forget to wear your clothes to school. I'll have to bring it up with my therapist and see what she thinks.)

Understanding what a lunatic I am about this holiday card business, you will be happy to know that yesterday Mike set up the tripod and camera and we got a GREAT shot of the family by using our new mantra: "A skittle for a smile!" This year our holiday photo features four people who are all looking at the camera and smiling, a first for the Tsao family. Except for the obvious fact that Mike and I are aging rapidly, the shot was so great we wasted not a second and ordered our holiday photo cards. The cards will be delivered in plenty of time for me to address the envelopes and drop them into a stuffed mailbox. That will be a happy day for sure.

I keep telling Mike that we should be very proud of ourselves for pulling together and getting this done as a team, but he doesn't understand the taking of a family photo as a reason to feel good. I guess he saves that prideful feeling for things like graduating law school or doing really well in a poker tournament. Whatever. *Holds up fingers in shape of a W* I'm proud of us. This is the fifth year that we've managed to keep up with the tradition of the holiday photo card, and I think they should hand out awards for that kind of thing, yes, I do.

What about you? Do you do a holiday card? With a photo? With a photo of the whole family or just the kids and the dog? Just wondering.

House of change

2007-11-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

There are big changes going on here at the Casa de Tsao.

We've decided to go bunk bed.

Yesterday we went to the place where dreams can be bought inexpensively, IKEA, and got a bunk bed. It's being delivered today. Last night was Thomas's last night in the crib, and tonight both he and Emily will begin what is known in family circles as "sharing a room."

I was against this idea originally, but in a moment of NaNoWriMo-inspired weakness I relented and agreed to Mike's plan. Emily and Thomas will share Thomas's room; my crafty decorating skills will bring it to life as an all gender-encompassing wonderland. The playroom, which lacks heat and insulation in half of it thereby making it unsuitable for a small child's bedroom, will remain the playroom. Emily's big closet turned tiny bedroom will become home to the crib and may one day also host a small, wailing thing, if our scheme to procreate becomes a reality. My office remains the office/guest bedroom. Mike's office remains his office. Oh, and our bedroom remains our bedroom. All other rooms remain as is.

Whew. Welcome to my world.

In other family news, today is the day that we will dress up in our color-coordinated outfits chosen with care by yours truly and attempt to take a photo special enough to grace the cover of our holiday card. Unfortunately, our photographer had to cancel at the last minute due to a death in her family and so we are relying on ye olde tripod and timer method to get our perfect shot. Bwahahahahahaha! Insert maniacal laughter here.

It's only 10:00 AM and already it feels like midnight.