Want to Sit on Santa's Lap?

The annual trip to see Santa should be a joyous tradition for families with young children.  Except for the crying and the abject terror that most 1 year olds experience when plopped down on the jolly one’s lap, the magic of our children (or grandchildren) telling Santa their dearest wish, being handed a candy cane and smiling for an adorable picture is one of our most treasured Christmas traditions.  

When I was a child, Mom and Dad would take us to the town square.  Santa would sit in his little house, we would line up, and one by one, sit on his lap and recite our wish list (in order of preference of course).  Mom and Dad would be nearby - most likely listening in - and when we were finished, Santa’s elf handed over a candy cane.  There certainly wasn’t a professional photographer, the wait time was minutes - not hours - and we were never ever told that Santa did not have time to see us.  

When our kids were little, the visit to see Santa was a trip downtown (Chicago) to see Santa at the Cozy Cloud Cottage in Marshall Fields.  We made an entire day of it - my parents would come in for the weekend, we would start our day with lunch by the giant Christmas tree at the Walnut Room with a visit from the Fairy Princess (fairy dust and all), then off to sit on Santa’s lap while Mom and Dad took pictures - later to be developed and placed in an album for posterity.  After the much anticipated Santa visit, we would walk a few blocks to FAO Schwarz toy store to try out all of the new toy displays and bask in the magic of Christmas instilled in the hearts of our children.  We all looked forward to this annual Christmas outing - the kids loved the fairy princess, they prepared their list for the “real” Santa, my dad looked forward to taking home his annual Santa Bear mug, and we loved watching the excitement on the kids’ faces.  There was never a possibility that Santa would be “too busy” to spend time with them.  

Having two 1 year old grandsons, who made Christmas so much fun this year, I have realized how seeing Santa has changed - and not for the better.  Working parents, who only have weekends free, face long lines at best, for some, Santa is “booked” 10 minutes after the doors open and he’s “too busy” to see the kids.  Many mall Santas take reservations for a price.  Forget taking pictures of your children.  If you want a snap of your little one sitting on St. Nick’s lap, you can buy their mediocre photo at a steep price, as if Christmas isn’t setting back these young families enough.  

After witnessing the aggravation of the Santa visit for the first Christmas, I decided there’s “more than one way to skin a cat”.  We had a private visit from Santa (my husband) at the house on Christmas Eve.  The suit was borrowed and Santa had a blast playing his role.  Problem solved.  Dominic wasn’t a fan (his first encounter) and Carson was already a pro, having seen Santa earlier in the season.  

The department store Santas, the decorated Marshall Field’s (now Macy’s) windows at Christmas, the fairy princess at the Walnut Room - these were always give-backs to loyal customers at Christmas, not to mention a draw for people to come to the store.  Do we really have to pay for a visit or a photo?  Is it really necessary for parents to make an appointment to see the big guy?  These young families are spending money at your stores - let their kids see Santa and take a photo. 

Being retired, I am lucky to have time to research Santa events, best Christmas lights, other Christmas events - you know, the really important things.  One website I found helpful was santainchicago.com.  If you live in the Chicago area, check it out.  It’s bookmarked on my laptop, all ready for next year.  There you will find information on Christmas events for you and your kids/grandkids including free ones.  One of our favorites this year was The Polar Express - not free of course - but worth every penny.  It’s definitely something we would repeat.  The adults loved it and the kids loved it.  It’s a magical Christmas event you can do with little ones who aren’t yet walking as well as toddlers and older children.  Each child gets a silver bell by Santa himself! 

Hopefully with some backlash from those of us who refuse to succumb to the commercialization of Christmas, the pendulum will shift back to a more positive flow to a simpler, more magical Christmas we all remember.

Have You Tried a Meal Kit Service?

Watch an hour of TV and you will most likely see 1 or more ads for meal kit services like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, or Home Chef.  Curiosity enticed me to read blogs and reviews on them and I found opinions ranging anywhere from “it’s cheating” to “it’s a lifesaver”. A meal kit contains food ingredients (exact measurements) and recipes so that fresh meals can be prepared without grocery shopping or searching for new recipes.  They have turned into a multi-million dollar business since becoming popular some five years ago.  I figured someone must like them - they must offer something that attracts consumers - so I gave them a try.      

About 2 months ago, a friend of mine shared with me how much she enjoys her Hello Fresh meal kits and had a coupon for a free box if I wanted to give it a try.  It sounded like something I might like - I like to cook, like to try new recipes, but I don’t enjoy going to the grocery store or wasting money on ingredients/spices I am only going to use for one recipe.  I chose my meal plan (2 meals-3 days/week), delivery day, and 3 meals for the first week from about 8 options (that was fun) and waited patiently for the first box to arrive. 

The ingredients and recipes for the 3 meals that I chose were delivered to my front door, packed in a box with plenty of cold packs to keep them cold all day until I arrived home.  The ingredients were organized into clearly marked packages.  All I had to do was pop them into the fridge.  After trying a meal kit service for 6 weeks, here is my review:

Cherry-Drizzled Pork Chops with Tomato Couscous Salad
- one of my favorites

Cost:  It’s cheaper than eating out, more expensive than purchasing your own groceries.  Hello Fresh (and many of the others) works out to be around $10 per meal.  Factor in the money you save by not buying ingredients you need just for one recipe (ever had to buy an entire jar of something and you only need a teaspoon?) and it can be pretty economical.  

Recipes:  Probably my favorite feature is that the recipes are different - not the same old meals we are comfortable cooking/eating.  Each week there are 8 completely new options.  Recipes are printed on nice cards that can be kept for later if you want to repeat a recipe.  Everything you need is included with the exception of salt, pepper, and olive oil.  For novice chefs, the recipes are easy to follow.  For experienced ones, you will expand your horizons and learn new skills and recipes.   

Healthy:  The meat and produce are fresh and the recipes use a variety of vegetables.  When selecting your meals, the nutritional information is provided.   

Flexibility:  If you are going out of town, or none of the menu options really appeal to you for a particular week, you are not committed to buying a meal kit.  Just edit to “skip week” and you won’t be charged.  Again, another great feature. 

Crispy Frico Cheeseburgers with
Caramelized Onion Jam and Roasted Broccoli - Yum!

Convenience:  I thought that once I retired, I would have all kinds of time on my hands.  Well, it didn’t work out that way.  I am just as busy (if not busier) than I was when I was working.  It’s so nice not to have to think of what to make for dinner, let alone go grocery shopping.  I can get home from my day of whatever by 5, and usually have a restaurant-type meal prepared for us by 6:15.   

Delicious:  I have yet to cook a meal I would not eat again.  There will be favorites, but they are all delicious and fresh.  

All in all, it’s not cheating.  The meals don't make themselves so you are still cooking.  They may not be a lifesaver for us because we are not going to survive on them, but we will continue our 3 days/week schedule and skip weeks when out of town - perfect.   We like them.   

How's That Bucket List Doing? Making Time for Your People

After returning from a wonderful long weekend getaway to San Diego with my daughter, my friend, and her daughters, I reflected on the short three days we had together - the giggles, the new experiences, the priceless moments we shared.  There’s no argument that saying “yes” to an extended weekend of wine tasting and beach walking in beautiful San Diego is pretty easy, but I am also aware of how difficult it was for my daughter to say goodbye to her baby and husband, and to block out all of the work that would be waiting for her when she returned.  She’s a full time teacher, part-time grad school student and new mom.  But she’s also her mother’s daughter - she took advantage of a 4 hour flight and did school work.  I so remember those days as a working Super Mom.  My schedule was so tight that if anyone even hinted at going away for the weekend, my first reaction was PANIC.  But I made the effort, juggled duties, and made sure that I reserved at least one weekend a month to spend with my parents who lived several hours away.  Either we would go there or they would come here.  We had a nice comfortable van.  When the kids were old enough, the three of us would be busy grading papers while my husband drove.  I taught them at an early age the value of multi-tasking.  I don’t regret it for a second.  Not only was I able to spend time with my parents, but my kids were also able to build beautiful relationships with both sets of their grandparents. 

One thing my mother always said to me when I started having children was, “the housework can wait, duties will always be there, people won’t”.  She was right.  Sometimes if we wait to take vacations, grab weekend getaways with our loved ones, or check anything off our bucket list - if we wait until the time is “perfect”, the perfect time may never come.  Before you know it, we aren’t physically able to get around any more and we may have lost our window.  I definitely don’t want to have regrets of things I always wanted to do and am no longer able to.  

My bucket list is important to me.  Spending time with our children, their spouses, the grandkids - priceless.  Those of us who are retired and are still physically able to travel are truly blessed.  My daughter and her family don’t live far, and I have made a personal goal to try and see my son and his family, who live out of state, monthly.  So far, since grandson Carson was born in February, I have only missed two months - not bad.  Of course, my bucket list actually hangs on my wall (a great hand-made gift from my daughter-in-law).  I’m a list person - gotta write things down.  

So far, the bucket list has a ways to go, but I'm working on it and it's always changing.  It’s a work in progress.  How’s yours look? 

Layering Lavender for Sleep

A night can seem like eternity when you are trying to get to sleep or when you have trouble falling back to sleep.  Although trouble with sleep is common (especially as we age), the consequences can be serious - low energy, impaired judgement, diabetes, depression, heart disease, obesity …  Experts say we should get anywhere from 6-9 hours/night.  Our bodies carry on a lot of maintenance while we sleep which makes us healthy.  Finding a safe and effective solution to getting a blissful sleep can be a life-saver.  

Hoping to get a handle on my on again, off again challenge of a good night’s sleep, I started looking at the consistency of my pre-bed rituals - using music as medicine, no screens, warm shower, no caffeine, sometimes listening to meditation.  Anything that doesn’t involve prescription or over-the-counter medication or even melatonin (it can raise your blood pressure) was worth a try.  After none of these seemed to be real game-changers, I tried the remedy a friend of mine uses - lavender essential oil - and it worked!  Not only does it have a calming effect, but it also makes the room smell nice.  A few drops of lavender in a bedside diffuser proved to be a great way to help me get to sleep and stay asleep.     

Lavender seems to be most commonly used for aromatherapy.  Fragrance from the essential oils of the plant is believed to promote calmness and wellness.  Some think it lowers heart rate and blood pressure.  For my birthday this year, my son and daughter-in-law gave me a nice lavender set which included shower gel, body lotion and pillow mist.  I never really thought of layering my lavender, so I gave it a try and loved it!  A nice warm shower with the lavender shower gel, followed by lavender body lotion and a spritz on the pillows with the pillow mist is the perfect combination to ease into a good night’s sleep.  Having trouble sleeping while out-of-town?  The diffuser is a bit much to pack for those of us who like to travel light, but packing the shower gel, lotion and pillow spritz is a great option for trips.    

Getting better sleep may be as easy as making simple changes like turning off your tech well before bed, taking a warm shower or using lavender.  For me, layering lavender works like a charm.  It may not help everyone, but it’s worth a try.            

Lake Life in 24 Hours

When your friend says, “Wanna go to the lake on Thursday?” a random, last minute invite turns out to be a great 24 hours of lake life.  So many times we miss out on fun and interesting experiences because we feel the need to calendar everything a month in advance or we feel “caught off guard” by a last minute invite.  When our friend, Kathy, invited Patti and me to her lake house with a 2 day notice, we took a glance at our calendars and immediately accepted.  The three of us had worked together as teachers for years.  Grabbing a last minute getaway to Michigan in the early fall sounded extremely tempting.  It was only going to be 24 hours (midday Thursday to midday Friday) but you can pack a lot into 24 hours and this is how we did it:

Early Thursday morning (but not too early) we packed Kathy’s car with lake apparel, wine, enough food for 24 hours and drove 2 hours to her lake house in Michigan.  Not far from our destination, we stopped at a roadside market and picked up fresh calico corn that we would add to dinner and homemade pineapple salsa for a snack.  We knew we had 24 hours to cram in as much lake life as we could so we hit the ground running.  1st on the agenda was a journey around the lake on the pontoon.  Enjoying wine, boiled shrimp and the warm sunshine aboard the pontoon set the tone for our 24 hour lake getaway.  Since it was a Thursday in September, the lake was pretty vacant except for the 3 of us on the pontoon and some beautiful swans.  The water was as still as glass.  We could see an occasional turtle peak his head up for a few minutes.  It was fun looking at the different lake houses and waving to a few of the year-round residents.  

Have a lake house?  Gotta have the toys.  My friend had plenty of toys to play with - ski boat, jet ski, paddle boat, paddle board, kayak, etc.   We spent the next couple of hours getting in some physical activity on the kayak and paddle board.  If you like to kayak and have decent balance, you would probably enjoy paddle boarding.  On a calm lake, it’s pretty easy and great for your core.  After playing on the toys, Kathy took us on a land tour of the lake homes on the golf cart.  We had at least another hour before starting dinner, so we took the speed boat out to the island, anchored it, and jumped in with our floats near the island in the middle of the lake.  Ahhh…just us and the swans.  

Dinner was yummy - grilled chicken marinated in The Shed all natural marinade, grilled asparagus, calico corn from the local farm stand, and a fresh peach and garden salad.  Add some girl talk and a game of our favorite cards and it was the ending to a great day at the lake.  

The next morning, we enjoyed pumpkin and ginger tea while sitting on the deck admiring the bright orange sun reflecting on the water like a mirror.  It was so peaceful.  The swans came up near the shore to say hello and the turtles climbed up onto “turtle island” to sunbathe.  After a 3 mile hike around the lake, we had breakfast and went shopping at Bullseye Marketplace and Farm House Bakery in town.  It’s an adorable market/gift shop with a quaint café that’s perfect for breakfast or lunch.  

With a few hours left, we took another ride around the lake to take advantage of some early season leaf peeping, got in another workout on the paddle board and kayak, and relaxed with a book on the lake floater.    Pretty soon, it was time to shower off, pack and head back to Chicago.

Sometimes, the best getaways aren’t planned and cost next to nothing.  It pays to keep your calendar and mind open a bit for those last minute “hey, let’s go…”  And always, always, try something new.

Get In the Car…Book That Flight…Go!

How many times has a friend or family member asked you to come for a visit?  You have every intention of going but you keep putting it off and never go.  Too many times we wait for the “perfect time” to travel and although some dates are definitely better than others, there never is the “perfect time.”  When my friend of 48 years, Tracey, sent a text, “why don’t you come to Georgia for a few days?,” I started checking airfare and patiently waited (no more than a couple of weeks) until I found a great price.  Fortunately, one of the benefits of retirement is travel flexibility, so it’s easy to grab those flights on unpopular days.  Since I watch my grandson on Wednesdays, traveling Thursday - Tuesday worked out perfectly and allowed me to secure a round trip flight from Chicago to Atlanta for $120.  Can’t beat that!  

About 40 minutes northeast of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a great place to stop for lunch - Three Blind Mice in Lilburn.  TBM is a warm, comfortable urban eatery, a great place to enjoy food and wine.   Of course we had the Peach Salad (being in Georgia and all) and it was tasty - greens, peaches, cucumbers, spiced almonds, Farmers Cheese and champagne vinaigrette.  Add a glass of sauvignon blanc from New Zealand and you have a perfect girls lunch to launch the perfect girls getaway.   

After a long weekend at Tracey's beautiful home golfing, swimming, and gabbing at the pool, we traveled to Lake Oconee for a few days of kayaking and more girl talk (cheaper than therapy), but first we had to get in some retail therapy.  A girls trip is never complete without retail therapy.  We stopped in Madison (named for President James Madison) on the way to Lake Oconee for lunch and a little shopping.  Understandably, Madison, GA was named the #1 Small Town in America by Travel Holiday magazine and Budget Travel magazine voted Madison as one of the world’s most picturesque villages.  It’s adorably quaint with nearly 100 carefully restored antebellum homes along with many boutiques and eateries.  We chose the Chop House Grill for lunch - the Orchard Spinach Salad was delish while dining alfresco in the near perfect Georgia weather that day.  One of my favorite boutiques in Madison is Laughing Moon (right across the street from the Chop House Grill).  If you're in Madison, it’s worth a visit.  

After arriving at Tracey's SO's beautiful lake house on Lake Oconee, first on the agenda was a glass of wine on the beautiful dock.  It was late afternoon and the lake was incredibly calm and serene.  A yummy place for lunch near Lake Oconee is Sweet Kneads Bakery and Cafe.  They are famous for their chicken salad (Jack’s Favorite Chicken Salad).  We had it over greens with Thai soup and it was delectable.  Try taking home a quart of the Thai soup with the pepperoni stuffed bread - it's a great option for dinner (that’s what we did)!  With the million dollar view of the beautiful lake, hot ginger peach tea and more girl talk on the deck in the mornings for breakfast were priceless.  

My dear friend's request, “come to Georgia for a few days” turned out to be a much needed getaway with a childhood friend who means so much to me.  Take the trip. 

Be Grateful for Another Candle

Do you ever think aloud, “Oh no, I’m growing old!”  Another birthday is approaching.  I began struggling with birthdays ending in zeros starting with my 30th.  At 30 I was pregnant with my second and made a silly request of my OB-GYN to change my age to 29 on my records.  My 40th birthday present to myself was a mid-life crisis convertible, and for my 50th my only request was, “Please no party.”   

There seems to be some aversion to growing old - that slight dash of panic as our next dreaded birthday approaches.  Mention the word aging and we become fearful of all that comes with it - anywhere from wrinkles to sickness.  Understandably, we want to exercise and eat right to keep our bodies in good shape so that we have good health for as long as possible.  We strive to stay active physically and mentally to ward off Alzheimer’s and dementia.  It makes good sense to want to keep our minds and bodies young so that life is enjoyable as we grow older.  But to be offended when we get the senior discount without asking for it or to refuse to celebrate any more birthdays - shouldn’t we instead be celebrating each day given to us with an Attitude of Gratitude?

No matter how much we loathe aging, know that being given the opportunity to age is a gift.  Another year has passed and we are still here.  Every wrinkle I see in the mirror represents a time that I worried about my children because I love them.  I am so grateful for them and their families.  This is not the year I am one year closer to 60, it’s the year I get to see Carson and Dominic learn how to walk and talk.     

Age is just a number.  It’s the number of years we have spent on Earth.    There may be some nuances of social behavior that come with it, but besides that, it doesn’t mean much.  James A. Garfield said, “If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart.  The spirit should not grow old.”  Bring on another candle I say.