Mocktail Hour

It's NEW YEARS EVE!  Are you having a party to ring in the new year?

This is one of my favorite non-alcoholic champagne recipes. It's festive, it's light and it's for you and your kids tonight. And did I mention how bored I am of Martinelli's.

1 litter ginger-ale
22 oz pineapple juice
32 oz white grape juice

Double or triple the recipe.  Mix and chill.  Drink and Enjoy.

My suggestion is to serve in a carafe vs. a punch bowl.   It's easier and more elegant for pouring, wherever your guests may be.

To add variety, pick up some good (emphasis in good!) grenadine and make Shirly Temples and Roy Rogers. A twist on the traditional Soda.  Dirty Doctor Peppers will also make your guest fall in love with soda again.  At least it did for me.

Sunday Best

jhghiT

Easy and comfortable church attire.  At least for me anyway.  I love this dress from Athleta....and it hugs my curves in all the right places (insert gratitude for spanx here).  The boots I already own.  The purse and glasses, I'll never be able to afford.

The nomination has passed me by

I work from home.  It is a would be ideal scenario for the working mother, single mom guilt.  Other days, it brings more stress than it might be worth.  Yesterday was high up on list of "those" days.  I transitioned from working full time at the office specifically so I could spend more time with my son and be a better mother.  I so cherish the opportunity to pick him up from school and be available for him.

At 5:45am I was up and working.  I'm on conference calls all morning but have a 30 minute window where I get my son up, get him dressed, turn off the Angry Birds as to finish getting him ready for his day.  When he is dropped off at school the mental checklist of the morning has been fulfilled.

Here is a run down of our conversation yesterday afternoon.

Zoom:  I'm really hungry.  I didn't eat lunch today
He is 5 and I usually find the majority of his lunch still in his lunchbox 

Dori:  Why didn't you eat lunch today?

Zoom:  You didn't pack me one

Dori:
Speechless as the guilt rushed down my spine as I realized I didn't feed him breakfast either

We all make mistakes but there are those mistakes that make you really think about your priorities.  Am I achieving the goal I set out to do?  Am I giving him enough attention to make it worth the financial sacrifice? Why do I let others control my stress level and the ability to do my jobs?  Has this ever happened to you?  I know I'm not alone and know that there are many things I'm not doing.  But its the innocent reminders that keep our pride from letting us think we're doing it all.  Because as woman, we never feel that we can.  It's the paradox of this crazy world we live in.

Needless to say.  I packed a lunch for him today.

Let the countdown begin!

It's December. The holy crap is inferred.  I'm not sure I've quite yet grasped that 'tis the season.  I had a nightmare last night that I had forgotten to buy my son a Christmas gift before he went to his dad's.  It's a hard perdicament I'm in.  I vowed I would never enter a store in December again but yet need to find the Christmas spirit.  Does that sound like Scrooge or plain old good logic in saving sanity this time of year.

However, thank goodness for holiday tradition. Rephrase. Thank goodness for other people's holiday tradition!  And in this case, thank goodness for my brother and his beautiful family. Every year they do a Christmas video in place of their holiday card. Last year's video made me laugh and cry. This years video is helping me get in the mood for the fun and uplifting season before us.  Let's celebrate and sing.  Bryan Setzer is always a good choice for a singing companion.


...and if you are one of those high definition folks click here.