Getting Off My Ass...Halloween Relief

Getting some steam under my ass to start writing again. To be honest, I have been so consumed with life and the choices that I have before me that the additional stress has not allowed me the clarity to write in this blog. Forgive me.

I find myself wanting to do this:
(see right)

When I should be facing my stress head-on, like a joust.

So, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I know last year I had the Halloween party for the kids at the house which was followed by a post with pictures of family fun. See "Halloween Fun Party: For the Little Monsters" and "Halloween Party Maddness And The Fall of Super Mom"  and read again about last year's antics. 

This year the NuNu took one look at the decorations for the party and proceeded to tell me to place them back in the garage. What a bummer. What a relief. I'm disappointed that she was scared by the decorations but I can't lie, I was relieved that I didn't have to orchestrate a Halloween party. I have just been too on edge lately to deal with any of that.

Instead, we dressed her in her Princess costume and took her to meet the princesses at Disneyland. She enjoyed every minute, including seeing the Mickey Parade for the first time. priceless.

Easy peezy. Now, to get through Thanksgiving.

Halloween Fun Party: For the Little Monsters

Even though it took a lot of drama to get it off and running, (for a real horror story; see "Halloween Party Maddness and the Fall of Super Mom" post)  the Halloween party was somewhat of a success. It ended up just being a get-together night with close family. But I thought I would share with you some of the highlight shots.

I couldn't get Jolie to sit still long at all so her is a motion shot of her adorable costume, Tinkerbell! I was interested in all the other costumes that would arrive to the party but once the word was out that this would be a more chill affair we only had a few adults with costumes, one sheriff and a house full of fairies.  My hubby was Prince Naveen and I, Tiana, both pre-froggy of course. He is pictured to my left with Lil Wayne. Don't let me forget, Nicki Minaj! (pictured below, right).

One thing that did save me from complete oblivion was the Potluck style party. So much food! We had homemade spaghetti with meat sauce (two kinds!), shrimp with white wine sauce lasagna, lemon chicken lasagna, fresh made salad and garlic bread. Spinach dip, Goat cheese and crackers, popcorn, jello shots (non-alcholic of course), fresh fruit and animal crackers for the kids. I only had fruit snacks and candy corn for everyone because I didn't want to go too candy crazy. Oh, an we can't forget the cupcakes, thanks Cousin Jessica!



After eating the kids had an opportunity to decorate their own mini pumpkins with stickers, markers and puffy paint! They had a pretty messy and fun time. And the result of the pumpkins was, well, interesting to see. The adults relaxed on the couch and watched "Avatar" (something Halloween-y) due to the excessive make-up but not to scary for the children, and drank hot apple cider.

It was a nice evening, and I'm glad we did it all. Thank you family for coming.

Halloween Party Maddness And The Fall of Super Mom

Our attempt at a Halloween Party this year came with the same package most of our life's events come with, a nicely wrapped box of drama. With a red bow of course...

I ambitiously sent the invite for this thing a month in advance. Requested the days off from work month(s) in advance. Bought low priced decorations online weeks in advance. Shopped for party favors, kid activities and recipes also weeks in advance. But what does God do when he hears our plans, laughs right? right.

Maybe I should have looked at the calendar. Then, I would have noticed that we were moving our office the week before this shindig and we WOULDN'T be closing. Which means the same work would have to be done in between packing and unpacking myself and 3 attorneys. Maybe I would have known that each night the week before this party, I would be too dog tired to do any shopping, cleaning or preparing. No No, not me. I'm Super Mom.

Maybe I should have thought about the weather. Then I would have noticed that it was going to rain every single day leading up to the party, including the weekend before. Meaning no outside decorations could have been put up till the day of the party. And dragging my family in the cold to buy shit may not be the most responsible choice. No No, not me. I'm Super Mom.

Maybe I should have bought Jolie's costume. Oh no, I had to get all Martha Stewart Wanna Be and ask an amazing friend of mine (who is just Renaissance amazing woman but that's another post) to make it for me. And no, my dumb overachieving multitasking mother of the year ass didn't stop there. I asked her to make a matching one for me too. Maybe I would have thought about the fact that I would never even get home early enough throughout the week to even get fitted for it. And I in turn for her kindness, would waste her time. No No, not me. I'm Super Mom.

But then the one thing happened that even I, Super Mom, could not have forseen, Jolie getting sick. And oh, no, not just regular sick. Teething, bacterial infection, whining, fever, mommy-don't-put-me-down-or-in-my-own-bed-up-all-night sick. Yea, that's niiiiiiiiice.

2 Hours before the party: What do you get when you mix a stressed, guilty, sleep deprived mommy with a screaming baby in the background and a long "To-Do" list? A healthy heaping of meltdown.

I laughed. I cried. I dramatized. It was better than "Cats" on Broadway.

The thing I just couldn't get past was that I had done all this for Jolie and she wasn't even well enough to enjoy it. She was in teething hell, poor baby. I couldn't focus on anything but that. This was all for her. Then, I collapsed on my bed crying like an orphan child.

As I lay there frazzled, calling and texting all I could to tell them it was cancelled. Certain family and friends began to call back. Worried. Telling me that they still wanted to come, if even to check on us to see that we were OK. The party wasn't important to them. It was our well-being and being together that was the important thing.

Now, I know all this but being told by others is something much better. Especially, when you are in such a fragile state. So, I pulled myself together. Whisked through the rest of the decorations, got the baby dressed in the one finished costume, helped Hubby in the kitchen and put a smile on. The smaller more managable family gathering ended up being a success. Everyone had an amazing time. And I learned yet another lesson.

Super mom is not the truth. Just doing the best I can with the cards I'm dealt is the true miracle.