for the love of george

Ammon and his George. You will never see one without the other. Trust me.

Ever since Ammon received this Curious George stufftie for his first birthday – he has been in l.o.v.e .

Ammon always has at least three buddies in his crib at all times. Every little while he’ll trade them out for some new buddies. George has never made the cut. George has slept with Ammon since day one – the only buddy out of hundreds to earn that recognition. He used to never leave the crib. But, since our move, George is now a constant figure in our everyday lives. George and Ammon are attached at the hip. They do everything together. Buddies … through and through.

I’ll never know what Ammon’s lure to George is. We’ve never watched an episode of Curious George. We only own one Curious George book and we really haven’t started reading it yet. It will always be a mystery, I guess – but I’ll never forget that first moment that Ammon laid eyes on George’s fuzzy mug … and how he attacked him with drooly gusto.

George is Ammon’s playmate. He is his wrestling opponent. He is his dance partner. He is Ammon’s football when he can’t find his other one. George gets his own assortment of toys to play with. He gets his own books to read … and Ammon helps him out by putting him in a headlock and putting his head down on the book of choice. George is, more often than not, wearing some article of Ammon’s clothing … at least shoes and socks. He eats meals with us … as Ammon insists that we feed George, too (note the pancake syrup stains on George’s mouth). George participates in our evening family scripture reading and prayer … Ammon even helps him fold his arms. George now goes to church with us … and even goes to Nursery. He is also Ammon’s partner in crime, though he often gets the short end of the stick … Ammon has, on at least two occasions, tried to pass the blame of some miss-doing off on his furry little pal.

Truth. George is a part of our family. He is my second son, so to speak. And I love him.

I love to watch Ammon with his George. How he cares for him and plays with him and loves on him. I love how every night when we tuck Ammon in, he makes sure that George is snug under the blanket and then gives him a big kiss. I love how Ammon returns to a room where he's left George and says in his sweet little sing-song voice, "Hey!"

I caught him last night sitting in his little blue chair with George – just talking away about something very important, I’m sure. Maybe about their day, and all the fun they had. Maybe about some plot that I’m not to know about. Oh, boy ... these two.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad that my Ammon has his George. As trying as it may be for me sometimes – I’m glad that Ammon has such a giving heart. Even if it means making two plates of pancakes instead of one.

Oh … for the love of George. How we’re glad to have you.

the party food

As promised, here are the recipes for the food served at the New Moon party. Enjoy.

***
[ Stacy’s Super Salad ] From Stacy Thomas' Kitchen

This is a take on a normal tossed salad. You can put whatever you want in it, pretty much. For its base – you can use whatever kind of lettuce or greens you prefer. Stacy usually uses romaine hearts. Any dressing works well with this salad. What makes this salad so yummy – what makes it ‘super’ – is that there is more, what Stacy likes to call, ‘goody’ in it than lettuce or greens. The following is a list of what Stacy normally includes, layered amongst the greens (i.e.: small layer of greens, layer of all the goody, small layer of greens, layer of all the goody … topped with goody):

shredded parmesan cheese
slivered almonds
grated carrot
dried cranberries
red grapes
cherry tomatoes
cubed granny smith apples



[ Stacy’s Candy Chicken ] From Stacy Thomas' Kitchen

This is a wonderful marinade for chicken. Stacy often uses chicken tenderloin marinated in this in conjunction with her ‘Super Salad’. To 1 pound of chicken:

½ cup Italian dressing (drain and discard spices)
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons honey

Mix ingredients together. Pour over chicken, making sure all chicken is covered. Marinate at least 1 hour. Braise chicken in a non-stick pan or grill until lightly golden in color, but not dry.

Please note that Stacy no longer follows this recipe to the letter. She loosely follows the measurements suggested – usually using a tad more honey. She no longer even attempts to drain the spices out of the dressing, because it doesn’t work in the first place and doesn’t affect the marinade at all. She prefers to use chicken tenders (tenderloin) and let them sit in the marinade over night. She braises the tenders on the stove, allowing the honey to caramelize slightly, hence the name ‘Candy Chicken’.



[ BBQ Chicken Finger Sandwiches ] From Jessica Swatts' Kitchen

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
½ green or red bell pepper
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup BBQ sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
mustard, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve on your favorite bread.



[Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies] From Stacy Thomas' Kitchen

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
½ Crisco stick or ½ cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
approx. 48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla in bowl. Beat until well-blended. Add egg. Beat again until well-blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mixture. Form dough into 1-inch balls*. Place on ungreased baking sheets*. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Return to oven and bake for 3 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool before removing from sheet.

*Stacy lightly rolls her dough balls in sugar and bakes on Pampered Chef baking stones.



[ Oreo Truffles ] From Hila Burge's Kitchen

1 package Oreos, finely crushed
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 ½ to 2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate (or white chocolate or almond bark)

Mix together the Oreos and cream cheese. Form into ½-inch to 1-inch balls (the smaller they are, the more they will make) and put them on a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. For ease of handling, freezing the Oreo balls for an hour or so is a good idea, because it helps them be firmer for dipping. However, this is not a required step. Melt chocolate. Dip Oreo balls thoroughly and set back on wax paper-covered cookie sheet. You can decorate with the opposite color of chocolate on the top by drizzling, if desired. Return to freezer to harden. Remove prior to serving to thaw slightly.

Hila notes: The finer you can get the Oreos, the better. She uses a food processor for this step. Also, the softer the cream cheese is, the better. When mixing the Oreos and cream cheese, it is easier to use a stand mixer if you have one, as opposed to a hand mixer. In the past, Hila has used white chocolate and added red food coloring; however, she has found that adding the food coloring causes the chocolate to be thick and gloopy. She suggests, instead, using cake decorating gel, icing, or something similar when a colored accent is desired.



[ Chocolate Toffee Bars ] From Kira Hutto's Kitchen

1 box graham crackers
6 pack of full-sized Hershey's chocolate bars
2 sticks butter
½ cup sugar

Break the graham crackers into squares and use to line a cookie sheet (make sure the cookie sheet has four sides). Bring the butter to a rolling boil, add sugar, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Pour this mixture over the graham crackers and bake in 375 degree oven for 8 minutes. While this is baking, break the Hershey's bars on the lines so that each piece has 3 sections. After the crackers have been in the oven for 1 ½ minutes, remove them from oven. Immediately after pulling the pan out, place a 3-sectioned piece of chocolate on each square of graham cracker. Once you've placed all the chocolate, use the bottom of a metal spoon to spread out the chocolate – starting at one end of the pan and moving to the other. Once the chocolate is evenly spread, stick the whole pan into the freezer. Once frozen, break into small pieces.

of vamps and wolves

Night of nights. Joy of joys. Food and friends. Vamps and wolves.

It’s that time again. The telling of the tale. The New Moon Party.

Ah. Be still my heart.

Of course we were going to have a party to celebrate the release of the next movie in the Twilight series. Though we are all, first and foremost, passionate fans of the books – we honor the films, too … and use them as an excuse to get together and party hardy. New Moon was set to be released on DVD on March 20th. I planned the party for that night. And – of course – that’s when the problems began.

From the beginning, it was clear that someone or something was working very hard to keep this get-together from happening. For reasons I don’t understand yet. But – every step of the way – there were snags getting this party going. Truth be told – it almost didn’t happen at all. I’m not known for my good luck. However, my luck usually doesn’t run out before I even begin.

First of all, the release date of the New Moon DVD seemed to be released at the very last minute. At least, it was later in the game than when the Twilight DVD release date was confirmed last year. That means less planning time. That means a more trying time for our out-of-town guests. Etcetera.

Second of all, from the beginning, the out-of-towners in our original troupe seemed to have problems figuring out a way of getting here. Of course, we already knew that it was a lot to ask. Hila – in Washington State – was trying to figure out someway – somehow – to get here. She surprised us all for the Twilight party, but in the end it just couldn’t happen for this one. Ginger – now in Korea – couldn’t just hop over the pond for a party, obviously. We knew that there was a possibility that Lyndsey – in Panama City, Florida – wouldn’t be able to make it either. In the end, she couldn’t. Though, I’m glad now that I ignored this thought – for awhile I thought about not doing the party without them. We were all beyond bummed that these special girls couldn’t be with us. And yet, they all made their own contributions – in all ways, shapes and forms – and that was certainly better than nothing. We took what we could get, for sure.

Third – there was the issue of where to have the party. The last time, it was at my house. I love to entertain, but rarely get the opportunity. These are ‘my’ parties, so to speak, so I felt like I needed to host them. This time, though, I felt like we needed to have the party in Enterprise – to be fair to our Enterprise guests. Of the options – I decided on my mom’s new apartment. She’s there by herself, so we wouldn’t be upsetting the routines of any children or spouses – and she has enough room, for sure. Of course, I wasn’t especially happy with this alternative. Having our party in Enterprise ultimately created more work for me. However – unbeknownst to me at the time – having the party in someone else’s home proved necessary. A week after making this decision, we found out we were moving in just two short weeks. Of course, our move created an hour drive to Enterprise – instead of only 20 minutes. Again – more ‘work’. But – I was grateful that I didn’t have to worry about getting my new home ready for a gathering quite so quickly.

Fourthly, was – of course – the move, itself. A difficult undertaking indeed to plan an important festivity in the middle of moving. And not just moving across town – but moving into a new town 30 minutes away. A bigger deal, in a lot of ways. This relocation had to happen quickly. And there were hiccups nearly every step of the way. Truly this was a hard move for me. An important move – but difficult. The New Moon party was important to me, as well. I wasn’t for a second going to postpone or cancel it for this. So – I organized my thoughts, created some priorities, thought out a time-table and fashioned some solutions. I did what I could before we actually moved, housing finished products at my mom’s (so I knew where they were) until I needed them. The invitations were such a project. While packing our possessions, I held out the things that I would need later for the party – whether it was craft supplies or décor. Of course, I had some help. By nature – I like to work alone. Experience has taught me that, more often than not, that is the easier remedy for me. But this time – I couldn’t do it alone. Kira stepped up of her own accord – and did so much for me. For which I am so very grateful.

We can’t forget fifthly, of c.o.u.r.s.e – my feud with the Abbeville post office. My home of only one week and I already seemed to have enemies. The invitations were supposed to be sent out by the first of the month. Because of a hiccup in our move – like having to camp out at our townhouse for an extra week without any of our things – I wasn’t able to stick to this deadline. They ended up being mailed about a week later. A few days after that – longer than it should have taken, in fact – I received these invites back. They were rubber-banded together, with a janky little sticker on them asking for more postage. Now – these invitations weighed nothing. I knew that I had mailed similar things in the same sized envelopes before with no extra postage. I couldn’t understand why in the world these had come back to me. I couldn’t understand what post office on the planet had the time to sort out the mail, find all 16 of my invitations, rubber-band them together, stick a sticker on them and hand-write a message on it. Well – clearly my new back-woods, janky, hillbilly post office did. Anyhow – I absolutely refused to put any more stamps on these. So – I drove back to Dothan and mailed them again from there – risking them coming back again and me not having enough time to send them out again before the party. That’s just how sure I was that these shouldn’t require more postage. And – sure enough – they went through. All but one, that is. Which came back to me with a voided stamp, a torn envelope and stickers over the mailing and return address labels asking for more postage (though this time, I didn’t have a personal message). Again – I couldn’t understand what was going on. It only muddied the matter further that only one came back. But this time – after making up a new envelope – I just added an additional stamp and mailed it out. I almost stopped our mailman a day or so later – just to ask him why all that happened. Just to try and prevent it from happening again. Because I don’t understand what the problem was. But I didn’t do it – because, at the time, I was so very a.n.g.r.y . But anywho – what’s done is done. I guess it will always be a mystery. Of course Brian has said – in response to my quandary about never being able to mail things from our new home and trust it to go through – “Well … you can always go up to Dothan to mail stuff.” To which I replied, “That isn’t the point, dear. The point remains … I shouldn’t have to.”

And lastly, sixth – the food. The day of the party, I prepared the food that I was going to bring. I had everything planned out to the minute. When I had to get up. The order in which I was preparing everything and when I needed to start and finish each item. Etcetera. I had gone through my recipes the day before and made a list of everything that I needed to get that night at the store. So – I was ready to go. So I thought. I made my ‘Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies’ first – and went ahead and got out all of my ingredients and unwrapped all my kisses. I measured out my peanut butter, brown sugar and shortening and went to measure out the vanilla. I opened the box, took out the bottle and opened it up – only to find it b.o.n.e dry. I shook it desperately – hoping, I guess that some vanilla extract would just materialize in the empty vial. I guess this situation falls under the same category as pushing-the-buttons-on-the-remote-harder-rather-than-just-changing-the-batteries-already. Or maybe even the picking-up-that-little-piece-of-fuzz-that-the-vacuum-won’t-suck-up-to-examine-it-and-then-put-it-back-down-on-the-ground-to-run-over-it-again-with-the-vacuum-rather-than-just-throwing-it-in-the-trash-while-you-had-it-in-your-hand category. Either way, vanilla extract did not materialize in the bottle. Ammon was standing right next to me at the time and I just shut my eyes and said, “Amm … cover your ears.” Because I was about to spew. Consider this moment the straw that broke the camel’s back. Because I was done. But – I persevered. I ran like the wind, shouting all the way, to inform Brian that he and Ammon had to go locate some vanilla extract. In the town with no Wal-Mart, where nothing opens before 10am on a Saturday, it seems. But, as luck would have it, he found some. And my cookie dough wasn’t totally ruined for sitting in that state for so long. But those cookies weren’t the only things that I had to make. And I had issues like that through the whole process. Let’s just say that I needed to be in the shower by 2:00pm – and I finished the last food item at exactly 1:58. Of course, there was the whole disaster with the finger sandwiches once I got to my mom’s. I had made these many times before with lovely results – using a recipe I got from my cousin, Jess, a long time ago. For some reason – even though I did everything exactly the same – the filling for these turned out hideously this time. So not right. Anyway, this was a situation we had to rectify – which placed us over an hour behind schedule.

And so on. There were so many more things that went horribly ‘amiss’ during the planning of this party. I won’t mention any more – for I’m sure you get the point. There were many, many times when I threw up my hands and just screamed, “Forget it!” So many times when I seriously thought about just skipping the whole thing. Though I’m sure everyone else would have just gone on without me – I’m so very glad I stuck with it and kept on going. Like I mentioned before – it was almost like someone or something was trying to keep this get-together from happening. For whatever reason. Maybe because these shindigs are so good for the mentalities of those in our group – good for me, at least. I truly don’t know. But, whatever the reason – and whoever you are: Hardy, Har, Har. It didn’t work.

I will say, though, that the original concept of the party came together easily for me. The planning itself was a joy to do – it was only the execution that really proved trying. I went with a different ‘theme’ for this party. Whereas the original Twilight party had a more vamp-ish tone with elegant silvers and reds and blacks, this one had a more Native American tenor to it with its earthy qualities. All to honor the werewolves, of course, since we feel that they deserve at least a few minutes of glory. I used lots of rich browns and oranges – with accents of ruby, turquoise and deep violet. I found the most gorgeous orange tulips with a vivid purple vein up the side. Kira found some nifty graphics that included various quotes from New Moon. We decided on a few and she had them printed up for the party. I hung them with some rich golden gauze ribbon from the chandelier in my mom’s dining room. She also made t-shirts for some of us that read, ‘I Need My Twilight Fix’. Because – after all – that Twilight ‘fix’ is the reason for all of this. The party also gave me an excuse to finally make my ‘book wreath’. I used a mass-market copy of New Moon, ironically enough. And it turned out so very lovely. So very lovely, in fact, that I now have orders for some.

I was especially pleased with the invitations for this party. I loved the papers that I used – enough that I have a new love of this color-scheme. I was able to perfectly execute a ruby red stitch around the border … with a sewing machine (as I am a hand-stitcher, this was quite the feat). I stamped an image on the top sheet with paint, rather than ink – letting it dry slightly beforehand, so that it would give the illusion of a natural compound, like mud. A lot of thought went into these – I do hope it shows. I don’t know how I did it, to be perfectly honest. Again, these all came together in the middle of our move.

But alas – that Saturday came. The day we had all been waiting for. I loaded up my car with all my goodies (what I hadn’t already taken to my mom’s, that is) and headed up to Dothan to pick up Kira. We got to Enterprise, unloaded the car, and I started putting the finishing touches on the decorations. Kira got the food situated while Mom tried to make sense of those dang finger sandwiches. Our guests all arrived early, which was a treat. I like to think that it was because they were all so incredibly excited. Crystal brought her mom, Debbie, with her – which was so nice. We were excited to add to our few numbers and it was great to get to know her better. Kristy brought sweet Baby Jane along with her, of course – all decked out in a fab Twilight onesie which she rocked.

Once we finally got situated, we decided to settle in and start our rendezvous. We all stood around the bar ready to bless the food, and – low and behold … we all got the giggles. We all groaned, “… and here we go, again …” Of course, that only tripled the chuckles. About this time, Kristy glanced over at the table, saw the Oreo truffles and said, “Oh, wow … those make me think of Hila.” I think we all had the same idea at the same time. Kira grabbed her phone, and we called Hila. She was plopped on speakerphone and … wait for it … we asked her to say the prayer. From Washington State. A little unorthodox, yes … but so special to us. Of course, Hila’s heartfelt prayer still gave some of us the chuckles. I know that I was elbowed at one point. We took the opportunity to shout our hellos to Hila – my how we missed her.

We decided to have more of a filling ‘meal’ this time around, since we were ‘starting’ about an hour earlier. To fill our tummies, we had: ‘Stacy’s Super Salad’ with ‘Stacy’s Candy Chicken’ and barbecue chicken and pineapple finger sandwiches made by Stacy. I made these finger sandwiches not only because Kristy specifically asked me to, but also because the filling slightly resembles dog food … which I felt was appropriate in tribute to those stinkin’ werewolves. But – I digress. We also had fresh pineapple and strawberries. I made my ‘Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies’ and Kristy brought some peanut butter M&Ms. Kira made Oreo truffles in honor of Hila and also made her yummy ‘Chocolate Toffee Bars’. We also had a little surprise courtesy of Lyndsey – a red-velvet cake with cake batter ice cream ordered from Cold Stone Creamery that said, ‘I Need My Twilight Fix’. Yummy to our tummies, indeed. Humorous, though, that Kira wanted to have a more ‘nutritious’ spread – when she was the one who brought most of the sweets. Hmm.

By the way, I will post recipes later … as I have been asked to do.

We – of course – had sparkling grape juice. It’s a ritual now, after all. Kristy provided that – hoping that we would have the same ‘luck’ as last time. Kira also brought ABC Root Beer and Crush Strawberry and Black Cherry Soda. She had labels printed for the bottles – designed by the same individual as the other quote graphics – that read: Type A, Type B, Type O, I’m Thirsty and Drink Up. So very cool.

We enjoyed a nice, leisurely dinner that included lots of conversation. We took our time eating – all going back for thirds. We laughed and joked. We talked about all kinds of random things. We took the time to all sit down one by one and contribute to a message we sent to Ginger via Facebook. We all reminisced about the original Twilight bash. The fangs made an appearance, of course. All in all, wonderful moments. The quiet before the storm, so to speak. I think that we all sort of expected Hila or Lyndsey – or maybe even Ginger – to just walk through the door at any moment. We talked about them a lot that night.

Our game this time around turned out fabulously. Just the right mix of challenging and riotous. Of course, I know that it would have been so much more fun if our entire troupe was there. I’ve always thought that we all are the perfect blend of personalities – that we all just mesh impeccably well – making for f.a.n.t.a.s.t.i.c times. But anywho: We played Twilight Cranium – specific to all the books, not just New Moon or the movies. Kristy helped me with the concept and Kira helped me with some ‘answers’ when my brain gave up the ghost. I designed the cards and I was so stoked with how they turned out. Basically, it was a play on the actual game, Cranium. We used the categories: Taboo, Charade and Sculpt. Because of our few numbers, we did not split into teams and we really didn’t stick to any time restrictions. Each category was assigned a color, and we took turns rolling a dice to determine which category we would pull a card from. Those of you non-Twilighters won’t get any of this – probably don’t get any of this post – but nonetheless, here’s a basic overview:

[Taboo] For this category, you had an ‘answer’ that you would have to get the others to guess. It was a verbal play, where you could say anything apart from the ‘answer’ and a list of specific ‘taboo’ words/phrases listed on the bottom of the card. Just a few examples of ‘answers’ and taboo words:

First Beach (ocean, driftwood, la push / reservation)
Onion-Skinned (translucent, white / powdery, delicate)
The Third Wife (knife, sacrifice, story / legend)

[Charade] For this category, you had an ‘answer’ that you would have to get the others to guess. It was a simulation play, where you would have to act out your ‘answer’ without speaking. Just a few examples of ‘answers’:

Laurent (the cards were stacked for this one … my mom had to get it since her impersonation at the original Twilight party was such a hit … or hiss, I should say)
Phasing (which Kristy performed flawlessly)
Sparkle (which I interpreted pretty well, if I do say so myself)

[Sculpt] For this category, you had an ‘answer’ that you would have to get the others to guess. It was a modeling/artistic play, where you would have to sculpt your ‘answer’ out of clay. You could help the guessing along, without saying your ‘answer’, of course. Some examples of ‘answers’:

‘La Tua Cantante’ (a direct quote from New Moon – the one that I was worried about – which lucky Miss Crystal picked in the game’s final moments)
Volterra
Jane

I don’t know who actually ‘won’ the game. I will say that I got entirely too many Sculpt cards. I do know that we all worked hard, played hard and laughed hard. For reals.

After the game, I handed out the party favors. Not everyone has theirs yet, but I’ll go ahead and share what I put together. At the last party, I made tote bags with everyone’s favorite Twilight quotes on them. They also got a vial of dirt from Forks, Washington, courtesy of Hila (along with the Forks pin and those lov-e-ly fangs). This time – everyone got a wooden frame, complete with Native American-esque details. I included the New Moon quote: “Before you . . . my life was like a moonless night.” One of my favorites that I thought went along so well for this night with friends … because that is what they all mean to me. And, to go along with their Forks dirt, I had Hila send me sand from First Beach in La Push, Washington (a location that figures prominently in New Moon). Everyone also got a little New Moon decal that Kira had found.

Slowly but surely, we started cleaning up. We went ahead and put away the food and decorations so that ‘we wouldn’t be so late’ going home. My mom did mention that, despite starting the party an hour earlier, we were still running about normal. To which I replied, “No. No, no, no. We have 20 whole minutes before we’ll be ‘running about normal’. Last time we started the movie at 12:30am on the dot … it is now only 12:10.” I do think, though, that had it not been for the finger sandwich fiasco, we would have been doing a heck of a lot better on time.

Crystal’s mom had to leave around this time, but the rest of us settled in to watch the movie. Of course, like with the first Twilight party, we actually didn’t ‘watch’ the movie. We talked. And laughed. And talked some more. We talked about just about everything, I think. Everything under the sun … or – well – the moon, in this case. Not just funny things – but serious things, too. It was – without a doubt – lovely conversation. So nice to just sit and talk with the girls. We did comment on the movie at one point - wondering why Robert Pattinson didn't do anything about his – err – physical apperance for this film. Especially when compared to Taylor Lautner's interpretation of Jacob. Because – it wasn't good.

Once the movie wrapped, we loaded up and said our see-you-laters. It was around 3:30am – and sprinkling lightly in Enterprise. Kira and I headed south – talking about various things, trying to stay awake. I don’t really remember what exactly we talked about. Phantom of the Opera, I think. At one point, she said something about printing a retraction in the newspaper … something that did not make any sense in our current conversation … so I just shut up and let her doze. I dropped her off at her house, dug out my peanut butter cookies, hooked up my iPod and got ready to make the last leg of my journey alone. I was good and awake at that point – but it was still a long drive in the drizzly rain. I blared some Billy Joel, some Black Crowes, and some My Fair Lady. I munched on cookies. I thought a lot about our little party. And – before I knew it – I was home.

From the very beginning, I knew in my heart that this party would be different than that first Twilight soirée. And it was. Without a doubt. And yet – in so many ways – it was the same. There we all were – friends – laughing so hard that breathing wasn’t quite an option. There we all were – with faces as red as beets, with tears streaming down our faces, with our entire bodies aching from the hysteria. The whole thing reminds me of one of my favorite funnies from New Moon. Spoken by Emmett: “. . . I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always . . .”

Yes. It was different. We missed our dear friends who couldn’t make it this time around. And yet – I would not change a thing about our little gathering. I would not have missed the chance to spend such precious moments with my friends that were able to come. Not for anything.

Yes. We all got home late. I know that when I pulled up in my driveway at 4:43am, I wondered what-in-the-name-of-all-that’s-holy I was doing. The next day, I surely suffered from the obligatory vamp-party-hangover (something that I have figured out has nothing to do with the sparkling grape juice, but everything to do with the uncontrollable laughter … laugh for 7 hours straight when you aren’t used to laughing very much and see how your body/muscles/brain react). But, the next day I was still able to attend church and a family reunion and spend the afternoon with family. After a short nap, I felt as good as gold.

I can only speak for myself – and I know that I needed that little break from my reality. I needed that time to recharge my batteries. I needed that chance to do something for myself – because if I can’t keep hold of me, what can I keep hold of? I am so very grateful that Brian recognizes that need, trusts me, and wants me to have a good time on my own every so often. I’m glad that he allows me to make some decisions that probably don’t make complete sense to him, but that help me. Help me to be a better wife, mother and person. I do the same for him. It makes such a difference. Thank you, Sweetheart.

These last few thoughts are retrospective, of course. I had some getting-over-it to do after the party was over. Some aggravating things that sort of got dumped in my lap. And then, of course, there was the whole debacle of making this get-together happen in the first place. My g.o.s.h . That was enough to make anyone want to go out and dig their own grave. And yet, I’m so glad that I persevered through it all. I’m glad that I was able to just put away my frustrations. Move on and recognize the wonderful qualities of it all. I have to say that it all happened when I sat down to sort through the pile of party stuff that I just dumped on the floor when I got home that night. I read through a print-out of funny quotes from New Moon that we were going to incorporate into the party. We weren’t able to use it then, but I read through it for the first time the other day, saw this quote by the compiler, and my heart warmed:

“Though New Moon is a heavy tome with a seriously heartbreaking plot, there’s still room for plenty of humor. And that’s a good lesson to take into life – no matter how rough things may get, always look for opportunities to laugh and keep yourself surrounded by people who never fail to elicit a chuckle.”

How true. Life is often ‘a heavy tome with a seriously heartbreaking plot’. And yet those moments are what get us from one joyful minute to the next. Looking back now, I am so grateful that I sought out the opportunity to start this tradition of sorts in the first place. I’m so fortunate to have so many individuals in my life who surely do keep me laughing. So many to share this with.

Thank you, girls – for everything. Mom, Kristy and Baby Jane, Crystal and Debbie, and Kira – I love you all. Ginger, Hila and Lyndsey – I love you all, too. We missed you – but we’re glad that you were all a part of this party in some way. You all made your presence known – your spirits were certainly there – and I treasure that. We all do.

Success again. Good times, for sure. Eclipse ahead. In one way or another … see you there.

little people

It’s no lie that Ammon is a little boy. Obviously. Oh, how I get tired of hearing it! Every single day – for the last week – I have had at least one comment about how small Ammon is. I’ve listened to folks ‘comment’ on their children and how little they weigh – all the while thinking to myself, “. . . hmm. Your child is younger than my child and weighs more than my child. What’s the / your problem?” I know better than others that my child is growing at a normal rate. I know better than others that my child is perfectly healthy. I know that he is just on the small side. And – for that matter – I happen to like him just the way he is.

This past Saturday, I was making a purchase in Hot Topic and chatting with my Hot-Topic-employee-/-Twilight-fanatic friend. Ammon was with me and she said, “Oh wow! He’s getting so big … and still rockin’ those Vans.” She went on to say that she remembers me being pregnant and remembers him being an infant – and that she was amazed at how fast and big he’s grown. I thought to myself, “Thank you. Finally, someone notices.”

Brian and I love our tiny little man. He looks just perfect standing next to the two of us. We’re little people, too, after all. So – I thought I’d post a little something in honor of Ammon’s little-ness. And mine.

They laugh at me, these fellows, just because I am small.

They laugh at me because I'm not a hundred feet tall!

I tell 'em there's a lot to learn down here on the ground.

The world is big, but little people turn it around.

A worm can roll a stone.

A bee can sting a bear.

A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care!

A sparrow in a hat – can make a happy home.

A flea can bite the bottom of the Pope in Rome!

Goliath was a bruiser who was as tall as the sky.

But David threw a right and gave him one in the eye.

I never read the Bible but I know that it's true.

It only goes to show what little people can do!

A worm can roll a stone.

A bee can sting a bear.

A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care!

A sparrow in a hat – can make a happy home.

A flea can bite the bottom of the Pope in Rome!

So listen here, professor, with your head in the cloud.

It's often kind of useful to get lost in a crowd.

So keep your universities – I don't give a darn.

For better or for worse it is the way that I am!

Be careful as you go –

‘cos little people grow . . .

And little people know, when little people fight,

we may look easy pickings but we got some bite!

So never kick a dog – because it's just a pup!

You'd better run for cover when the pup grows up!

And we'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up!

A worm can roll a stone.

A bee can sting a bear.

A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care!

A sparrow in a hat – can make a happy home.

A flea can bite the bottom of the Pope in Rome!

A flea can bite the bottom of the Pope in Rome!


*Lyrics: Little People, Les Misérables

this easter ...

... remember the reason for this season. Pause the tunes at the right and enjoy Mark Mabry's Another Testament.

Happy Easter to you

80s lovin’

It is no lie that the 80s are still alive in the Thomas home. What with Transformers, Fraggle Rock and Voltron to name a few – Brian and I just can’t seem to grow up. And Ammon has – with flying colors – welcomed our childhood loves with open arms.

We can now add a new element to our repertoire: Thundercats.

Brian – why, of course – watched Thundercats as a wee little boy. We are now proud owners of part of the series – so now Ammon can see it. And … l.o.v.e it.

One of his current favorites is to run wildly and uncontrollably around the room waving his foam sword, shouting, “HO!”

We couldn’t be happier that he loves these classic things. That he loves so many things that were good. And still are.

To quote Liono: “Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats ... HO!”

this boy

My, my, my. Golly. Whoo. Sheesh.

But – oh, how we love him, anyway.

I don’t even know where to begin. Unless you live a day in my shoes, or inBrian’s – you cannot even start to fathom this child. This boy.

I am not speaking as a ‘proud parent’ or a ‘doting mother’. I am speaking as a bystander. As someone simply observing the everyday. I so wish that others could see Ammon’s true personality. The one he exhibits when he is in his own territory. Because he truly is a different child there. Of course, no one else believes us when we say this. No one else believes us when try to describe some of his usual antics. Maybe if others could see his true self, I would not get so many what-is-his-deal-? comments. Maybe – whenever I run like the wind to ‘help’ him go down a slide, and someone tells me that I am too ‘overprotective’ – they will understand that I do that because I am used to him attempting to run down the slide, instead. But – we are just grateful that we get to see this side of him.

He is at such a fun age right now. Such a fun stage. And quite the character. He has personality oozing out from his toenails.

Some very random things that he is up to right now:

Practicing his letters. He goes around the house pointing out letters galore. Vowels are still his fav. However, lately our days are brought to us by the letters B, C, F, G, H, J, K, M, P, Q, and T.

Drawing. And drawing. And drawing some more. Preferably with a monochromatic color scheme (i.e.: blue, light blue, gray, white and black crayons only on mid-range blue paper). Ammon has an artistic streak I’m beginning to notice. He makes very deliberate motions with his crayons, for instance. Interesting to see where this takes him.

Head attire. I have never known a child to like things on their head like Ammon does. He has a foam crown that he will wear all day. He’ll wrap his head up in his blanket and wear it like a turban. The potty-hat incedent. Need I say more? In the photo above, Ammon is wearing a hat that belonged to my grandfather. I didn’t realize until today that the photo was taken on what would have been my Grandpa’s 81st birthday. As a matter of fact, in the photo above he is sitting on that dang little frog potty. In the kitchen. Fully clothed. Scooting around ...

Music. This boy l.o.v.e.s music. It is a rare thing for Ammon to hear music that he does not like. As a matter of fact, in his whole life I can think of only two times. Astounding, considering he has heard the entire spectrum. I love his love for music. I love that his head bobs to any beat. That his toes tap to every tune. In addition to art – I know that he has a large musical vein in him. He has already shown interest in piano and guitar. Again, making deliberate motions and strokes – not the usual banging of a 2-year old. And then – of course – there’s all the air-drumming and air-guitar playing to Metallica that he’s been doing lately…

Dancing. Oh, heavens, the dancing. I have no idea where he gets his moves. I would love to know where he learned to moonwalk, for instance. But – he dances all day long. He shakes and boogies and bee-bops and even does the salsa. We're going to have to keep our eyes on him, I have a feeling…

Sweet little Ammon. You are small, for sure – but what you lack in size you make up for in personality. A hundred times over. How we love you, little dude.

From our home to yours.