Happy Holidays 2014

Milou wishes everyone a Happy Holiday!

Here we are, the day before Christmas Eve, and I've been so busy running around that I haven't written about any of the things we've been doing. Assuming everything checks out at my next baseline appointment, today should be my last birth control only day! Come Christmas Eve, I'll be taking my birth control and doing my first Lupron injection ever, since I somehow never had Lupron in my IVF stim protocols. It looks like it will be a miniscule dose, 10 units at first and then down to 5 units, it almost doesn't seem worth the needle stick. I'm sure the injections won't be bad and I'll fall right back into the habit of sticking my belly.

In more festive news, we once again managed to find a magnificently fat Noble fir to be our Jew Tree this year. This baby was over 10 feet with the stand and I actually had to trim the tall top to stand it up. We decked it out per usual in blue and white lights and I seriously considered sticking some IVF ornaments on there, but ultimately didn't want to give anything away to visitors. Once we got it all set up and decorated, my sister posed most artfully like a little mermaid, with Milou in perfect position wearing her scarf. I attempted to pose for a couple photos, trying to minimize my still massive belly but had little luck. Milou's photo bomb is pretty adorable though, she recognizes my iPhone and knows to smile when it's pointed at her.

 

I didn't have much luck on the floor either courtesy of a Cillian photo bomb so I gave it up as a bad job. At least my Harry Potter Daily Prophet leggings were fabulous, I think I might wear them again tomorrow to my appointment. I will probably have one more pre-cycle appointment (read: not included in the base fee, of course) before I start the Estrace. If all goes well, give or take a few days, we should be on track for a January 16th transfer!

Happy Holidays everyone. My dearest wish for this holiday season is that this be the last Hanukkah/Christmas E and I spend without children. Come this time next year, I want to be holding our long awaited Frostie A as a healthy baby. This transfer IS going to work!

Jew Tree 2013

This year Hanukkah was so freakishly early that it barely felt like the holidays. We didn't have our tree in time, because who has trees before Thanksgiving? and all our gifts were stored on the top of the living room Armoire. It was pretty sad. Because of the rather pathetic holiday spirit in our house, and the fact that Hanukkah was over on December 4th, it was suggested that we might forgo our tree this year. 

Not having a tree probably wouldn't have been awful, but it's one of the only holiday traditions that E and I have carried with us from house to house. It doesn't feel like the holidays without it, and with all the TTC crap we're dealing with, it turns out it means a lot to have that little symbol of the holidays in our home.

So, E and I began looking. We checked out our usual lot, as well as a handful of others, and nothing was looking right. Our environmentally friendly tree lot, Santa and Sons, had gorgeous trees, but they were all around $200+. The smaller lots had better prices, but really shoddy, sad looking trees. I was starting to get pretty discouraged when I happened upon a Groupon for Mr. Jingles, $35 for $70. Most of their trees weren't "perfect" either and E was starting to lobby for us leaving when bam! there he was. Propped up against the fence in a corner of the lot with a big gnarly bush in front of it, was a gorgeous, hugely fat Noble Fir. E was pretty sure he'd be too big for the space, being nearly as wide as he was tall, but I was in love and he was perfect.

 

Don't let the size comparison fool you! Our tree is a little shorter than normal this year, but the super helpful tree lot guy was 6'5" and he's standing on a little ledge here. E was still pretty hesitant but, helpful again, the tree lot guy sealed the deal for us. Instead of buying the Groupon, because Groupon would take a cut, tree lot guy suggested he just give us the discount as is. He also quoted us the tree at the 7-8 foot price, so instead of $115, our tree was $45. They would even put our Santa and Son's stand on the tree for us. E was sold. 

  

Giddy with our tree purchase, another Mr. Jingles employee loaded him up and we set off to make the very short trip home. I think we got maybe one or two blocks around the corner before we started to seriously regret not purchasing at Santa and Sons. While we love the tree, it was crystal clear that the lot guy had absolutely no idea how to tie it down. We had to stop over and over to tighten the increasingly slack, thin cords, while the tree slipped further and further back and I held onto it out the passenger window. It was an experience I have no desire to repeat and we were so glad to get our tree home in one piece.  Lesson learned: at least where tree tying experience is concerned, you get what you pay for.  Our Santa and Sons trees never budged on a journey 4 times as long. 

Finally we got our beauty home, squeezed him through the front door and stood him on his thankfully sturdy stand. Another surprise awaited us when I realized that our water absorbing floor pad had been peed on by a cat, so we covered the floor with tarp before putting down towels. This system works well for us, it protects the floor from any spills and allows us to fold up the towels and shake out any needles when it's time for the tree to come down. My sister L usually partakes in the tree trimming, so E and I wound our 5 million lights around the tree and waited for L to come over and help with the ornaments. 

All things considered, our 2013 Jew tree has turned out to be a surprising success. Fat and bushy, he fits perfectly in our tree space and looks gorgeous decked out in all our ornaments. I can't speak to his longevity, though I suspect he won't last until February like a Santa and Sons tree, but we are so glad he didn't fall off the top of my car.

Happy Holidays 2012

Milou in her holiday bow. She's so patient with me haha.

Today, we finally set up our annual Jew Tree! It took 5 trips to various tree lots over 3 days before we finally settled on a gorgeous Noble Fir from our usual vendor, Santa and Sons. The other trees were too skinny, too holey, too crooked and too short. Santa and Sons are always a bit more expensive than other lots, but their trees are healthy, lush, environmentally friendly and long lasting so we decided it was worth it to pay a bit more. Plus, we had finally found "our" tree, and had that moment where we knew it was coming home with us.

This year, we had E's step dad's truck to help us get it home, and it was such a nice change to not drive over the canyon with the tree top hanging over the windshield of my tiny Jetta. It further solidified my growing love of larger cars, even though I used to be a diehard mini cooper coveter, and made things so much easier.

My sister L and Milou in front of our tree

The house smells so good and already feels festive and happy! It's like it fills the air with holiday cheer and the glowing lights make everything feel warmer and cozier. We added some seriously amazing R2D2 lights this year that I scored on sale while visiting my friend El in Boise and a new tree skirt to help complete the look. 

Tintin and Milou. Milou thinks Tintin's bow is HILARIOUS.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it.

Happy Holidays 2011

Somehow it feels like this year has gone by at lightening speed. Like I was writing this exact post only last week about the new Hanukkah star topper we got for our tree. Except now, the new star is the old star, E and I have been married for over 8 months, we have Milou, many new babies have been born to happy friends, I have a full time job, E is working more than ever, and somehow everyone grew up overnight.

while you were sleeping/ the babies grew/ the stars shined and the shadows moved/ time flew, the phone rang/ there was a silence when the kitchen sang

It's incredible to look back and see all that we've accomplished, and not accomplished. Like our Trash the Dress session and album which we STILL HAVEN'T DONE omgslackerswesuck. But if you ignore that, we have come a long way. E and I are happily married even though I sometimes feel like we are just "two ships passing in the night" with him getting home just as I'm going to bed. We both adore our fur children and we're doing our best to work towards our future.

while you were sleeping/ the money died/ machines were harmless and the earth sighed /through the wind you slept sound /and gravity caught my love around

 

Since I never wrote a Thanksgiving post this year, I guess I should say that I'm incredibly thankful for everything and everyone who has been a part of this year. I'm thankful that E is my husband and we're still happy after almost 10 years together. That my family and friends are the best you could ever ask for and whom I love dearly. That we have the worlds cutest puppy, see photographic evidence above. I'm thankful that I'm doing a job that makes a difference, and even though it can be stressful, it's the primary vehicle for saving for our future. I don't know where we'd be without this opportunity and I feel so very lucky to have it when the unemployment rates are so high right now. 

while you were sleeping /the time changed /all your things were rearranged /your vampire mirrors face to face /they saw forever out into space /and found you dreaming in black and white /while it rained in all the colors of the night

Whatever holiday(s) you celebrate this year, I hope you have a good one. I hope you and your families are happy and healthy and I hope that the coming year is as good as this one was.

Happy Holidays!

(Song Lyrics: Elvis Perkins - While You Were Sleeping)

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays Everyone! 

Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Kwanzaa! 

Santa Button wishes everyone well! She's taking a nap after delivering all those presents last night! 

Happy Hanukkah 2010!

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

We managed to get our Jew tree this year by the skin of our teeth. We only purchase them from Santa and Sons in Sherman Oaks because they use environmentally responsible farming practices and don't use pesticides or other unfavorable growing agents. Because of the snow storm in Oregon, where their tree lot is located, their trucks carrying the trees were delayed a few days. This delayed the unpacking process and meant that they had almost no "thrifty" trees or as we like to call them, disabled trees. 

The standard price for an environmentally responsible 8 foot Noble Fir is somewhere between 150-250 depending on the grade. Since we're nowhere near able to afford a tree like that every year, we take advantage of their thrifty section which sports slightly imperfect trees for less than half the price. I'd been calling daily per their recommendation since Thanksgiving to ask whether they had unpacked any thrifty trees yet and the answer had been no each day. 

Then, on Tuesday evening, I called and they said they had three truck loads come in. They hadn't been unpacked yet but they would find us a thrifty tree in there somewhere. Lucky for us, they kept their word! When we showed up Wednesday afternoon, the first day of Hanukkah, there was one single 8 foot Noble Fir waiting for us in the empty thrifty section. It was clearly meant to be so we snapped it up for 59.99 and brought it home where we covered it base to tip in our Hanukkah paraphernalia.

Black Friday Madness

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Unless you live under a rock, don't have the internet, don't have television, don't shop in stores and don't talk to people who do any of the previously mentioned things, you know that the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. Black friday is a genius marketing scheme cooked up to get people into stores while they're still high on turkey so they buy excessive amounts of crap they later give for Christmas. On this day, crazy people stay up all night in line outside stores so they can rush in at 3, 4 or 5 am and buy some magical doorbuster items that are priced radically below retail. Stores usually only have a limited quantity so you'd better be at the front of the line.

Traditionally, I'd go to bed thursday night full of turkey, potatoes and veggies snug in my bed and laughing inside at all the crazy people standing in line. At least, that was until last year when I became one of the crazy line waiting people who got up at 3:30am to stand in line at Target. My mom really, really wanted an HDTV for her bedroom and the damn things were still outside our budget. However, for one day, they fell into our budget and we had to take advantage of it. Now that the precedence has been set (we didn't die AND we came home with a TV) it's really really tempting to do it again.

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This year, the big doorbuster deals are super tempting but not reaaaally needed. We'd really like a new HDTV but ours still functions so we don't need one. And, we have much better ways to spend 300 dollars. Plus, with the advent of the "cyber monday" or "black friday week" deals, we don't even need to stand in line anymore unless we need the big stuff. There are some great blu-ray deals and small item sales online that I think we're gonna take advantage of this year. Hanukkah is freakishly early so it's our only real shopping option to finish the rest of our holiday shopping.

What about you? Anyone waking up freakishly early to stand in line? Anyone score awesome deals last year? Or have plans to get some this year?

A Jewish Tree Topper - They Exist!

 As any Jewish or interfaith family that has a holiday tree knows, it can be tough finding Hanukkah themed tree decorations. The past few years have seen a welcome increase in the amount of available Hanukkah ornaments, likely in response to the number of interfaith families and the secularization of the holiday tree. They have silver and gold glass menorahs, colorful dreidels of all shapes and sizes and traditional balls with "Happy Hanukkah" and "Shalom" sparkling across them. Every year I add a few more to the collection and they cover the tree adding punches of color between the snowmen, the Dodger baseballs, and the kitty cats.


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Although there are now countless Jewish ornaments available, there is a serious lack of Hanukkah themed tree toppers.

The "Jew" Tree

Although both my honey and I were raised Jewish, for the past 4 years we've enjoyed having a holiday tree in our home. They smell delicious, look beautiful and generally add a lot of festive cheer. We cover it in blue and white lights, hang little menorahs and stars of david from it's branches and stash presents underneath that we doll out after lighting the menorah on the eight nights of Hanukkah.

When you get right down to the history, the Christmas or Holiday tree was not born a Christian religious symbol. It was originally a symbol of the Pagan festival Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice. Pagans used to bring cut boughs of evergreen into the house, decorate trees with bits of metal and tiny figures of their fertility god Bacchus to celebrate the Solstice and fertility of the earth. They sometimes added candles for the sun god and the ancient Germans added fruit and candles to honor their fertility god Woden. So, the Pagan Greeks did it, the Pagan Romans did it, the ancient Egyptians did it with palm trees and the ancient Germans did it too. I'm sure that there were people doing it before them too since the evergreen, retaining its beautiful green leaves throughout the winter, has always fascinated human beings with a promise that all life is not lost in the winter.  All of this far predated Christianity and establishes the tree not as a symbol of religion but as a symbol of life, the changing seasons and the fertility of the earth.

Given it's history, I'd say the holiday tree has come a long way. More than anything, it's now adopted as a secular symbol of the holiday season (as in all of them, regardless of religion). Since I've always been down to boogie with a bit of Paganism and have great respect for all peoples and cultures, I tremendously enjoy having a tree to decorate and admire. It's certainly the only one of its kind in my neighborhood and actually had the bad fortune of making some of my more religious family members a little bit uncomfortable. While we definitely don't want to make people uncomfortable with our tree, it's also important to us that people respect our decision and understand that we do NOT have a Christmas tree but a holiday tree, or even a Pagan tree. I never got to enjoy one growing up being that it was "far too Christian" and intend to let my children enjoy one every year for the sheer pleasure of having a bit of life inside when the outside is all cold and frosty (or as frosty as it can be in Los Angeles).

A Squiggly, Sparkly New Friend

Yesterday I had the absolute pleasure of spending the day with one of my best friends and her insanely adorable 8 month old daughter. While my friend worked on an aquarium, I got to prance around Manhattan Beach carrying the sweet and smiley Roxie while she waved and beamed at every passerby.

Roxie is so talented that she can convey her wishes with just a two toothed smile and a loose fingered wave.  "Why hello Mr. Bicycle delivery guy! Hello there puppy! OH tree I didn't see you there! Hello Starbucks Man, may I have a cup?". She often gets what she wants, it's impossible to resist her.

Aside from making me seriously reconsider why my honey and I are not having a baby right now, she helped me pick out a sparkly new friend from the amazing little shop whose aquarium her mom takes care of, Magpie.  They have beautiful fare, if a little pricey, from a variety of local artists that make you feel better about spending those extra few dollars. We spotted it at the same time, artfully arranged in an expensive and breakable wine glass, little string peaking over the edge. I was going to attempt to resist when Roxie decided that she I had to have it and made the decision for me. Since he was so cute and so breakable, I decided she was right.

Note environmentally friendly recycled bag with awesome stamped logo

There he is!

I would say "blub blub" but jellyfish sea jellies make more of a "swish swish"

That's right! Roxie picked me out a pink sea jelly ornament, she must be paying close attention in her mommy's fish store. This adorable pink fellow is the first of my ornaments purchased for this season, and while he was a little more expensive than I usually spend per ornament (we have a lax strict no more than 10 dollars per ornament policy) the people at Magpie were incredibly sweet and gave me a 10% discount. Now I want to go back and buy pretty much the whole store. If you're looking for anything unique, locally made and awesome, I would highly suggest checking them out. This isn't a sponsored post either, though if they'd like to sponsor me with gift certificates I'd be more than happy to buy most of their store!

Now I just have to wait till next Friday to get my hands on that delicious girl again. Why, oh why, are weeks so long??

Holiday Cards!

At some point in your life, I'm sure you've encountered the holiday card. You have probably posed for them, loved them, hated them, displayed them and chucked them but it's almost impossible to grow up in America without seeing them.

Previously reserved for pictures of posed families or horribly dressed up children, the holiday card has morphed with the times to reflect our changing definition of "family" and social norms. Last year we got a few traditional family shots, but mixed in were pets with and without costumes, couples both married and unmarried, new babies with naked tushies and even a goldfish in a bowl made an appearance. They were actually a nice window into people's lives and I really enjoyed seeing how much families had changed.

Gone were option A, the christmas tree or santa and option B, the menorah or l'chaim and in their places were tasteful, modern designs that appealed to all religions and creeds. Some were so fabulously un-tacky that we proudly displayed them without embarrassment for the world to see.  I think we actually got more "Happy Holidays" and "Happy New Years" than "Merry Christmases" and "Happy Hanukkahs". This refreshing trend is probably due to the crazy variety of holiday card designs that you can get online, especially from websites such as Shutterfly.

I still have a couple shutterfly cards tacked to the fridge from over the past year showcasing my nieces and kids I babysit that are growing up so quickly it's hard to keep a clear image of them in your head. When I picture the twins I've watched since they were 3 months old  I see chubby cheeked babies, rambunctious toddlers and bright eyed first time sleep away camp campers in addition to the smart, wonderful 11 year olds they've grown into. When I picture baby emily I have to remind myself to stop calling her a baby since she's now 4 years old and look over at the picture of her new baby brother Jonah on the fridge. Oh yeah, he's the baby now, she's technically a big girl.

Since this is the last holiday season my honey and I will spend as single chums, I was toying around with the idea of sending out a holiday card reflecting our merging families. Our friends and relatives have become scattered across the globe from Los Angeles to Istanbul and while technology keeps us connected there's something special about holding a physical object like a card. Now that we've sent the Save the Dates I also have everyone's updated address so tracking people down should be easier than ever.

I've been toying with the idea of something sweet and vintage like this Mint Frame Holiday Card:

Something funky and modern like the Mod Ornaments Holiday Card:

Or something traditional but still secular like this Vintage Provence Holiday 2011 Card:

I personally tend to stay away from any overtly religious or holiday tied cards. No Merry Christmases or Happy Hanukkahs, even Joyful New Year cards tend to feel a little too Christian. Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays tends to cover everyone without offense and with the huge selection of neutral holiday cards Shutterfly has this year the only difficult part will be narrowing down my choices. Even picking only three for this post was tough so there should be something for everyone.

This year Shutterfly is doing something a little special for bloggers. If you blog and want 50 free awesome holiday cards of your own, check out this link. Just apply for the promotion, write up your post, and try to make up your mind!

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly http://bit.ly/sfly2010