What to Get...Yourself

This year there will be no gift guides up here at the bird due in equal part to my workload, inability to complete my own shopping and, finally, lack of skills at the powerpoint.

Confession: I don't even have the tree decorated. Yep, big slippin's (not to be confused with big pimpin') going on over here. Tonight I finally turned on the outside lights and am on pins, needles and maniacal laughs waiting for the neighbors to get home and have a look. Think Griswold. If you look out your door and see a glow to the west, THAT'S ME.

In the spirit of the season of exhaustion I think it's time you got yourself something. You deserve it.

L to R: London Sole-Henrietta, Jon Josef Cat Loafer, London Sole-Henrietta Leopard

Blame it on Olivia Palermo or, better yet, Princess Kate. She's allegedly pregnant so no one'll get on her for influencing you to get some London Sole and spill your wallet all over in their stores (or online). As someone who never really viewed themselves as a flats person, I'M WEARING FLATS.

And as for the cats, well, that's pretty much self-explanatory. Meow.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and TREAT YO' SELF. 

From, Carrie and cats.

Every Little Thing

Pardon me while I just fade off into blogland and disappear for a couple weeks. This is what happens when you become 'of a certain age' and a 7 and 3 year old come to visit. EXHAUSTION SETS IN.

Allow me to take a moment and bow down to parents everywhere.

Particularly those who are plugged into the lives of their children. You know: taking them to dance classes, gymnastics, skating lessons, karate, singing lessons and all the other essons that kids partake in.  Because you know what happens before and after those things take place? THOSE KIDS STILL HAVE ENERGY. They still want to interact with you.  And you better be ready to color in coloring books (or they'll just color on your computer screen if you turn your back for a second...true story), make a game out of emptying the dishwasher, feed the cat 17x to make sure each kid gets a turn, use your listening ears so each kid gets heard, go to the beach and run in the birds, tiptoe into the water and 'accidentally' fall in, watch a movie, watch Phineas and Ferb, plant some plants, wash the cat bed, dry the cat bed, dry the cat bed again because one corner feels damp even though it's drier than a popcorn fart...I mean they mean business.

That being said, I AM SO GRATEFUL my niece and nephew came to visit. They made my failed summer come to life! We went to LegoLand and Disneyland and the beach and some pirate dinner theatre thing. We walked and walked and talked and talked and barely got any rest. It was awesome.  

I learned that I can survive on 5 hours of sleep and have 28 winds a day. I also learned that I shower way too much, a couple times a week really does suffice, and I won't get struck by lightning if I wear the same clothes 3 days in a row. Hair combing doesn't really make a difference either. A quick rake of the fingers through slept on wet hair actually produces nice waves.  Food? You don't need that much when you're trying to make sure they're eating more than 5lbs of the sour gummy candy you got puppy-dog eye'd into getting because you only see them a couple times a year (and truth be told ate 3/4's of the bag yourself anyway). I love my family. Even though I've never seen myself as a parent, they help me understand why people do become parents. Love Love Love.

Making friends with my neighbor turned new family member...more on that later.

Don't mess with pirate making. This is serious business.

Beach hopscotch, anyone?

5 second nap...no one even noticed.