Letters

Dear Drew,

You helped me to make the cutest placecards for our Thanksgiving table next week.  I love that you love to help and take pride in your work.  I look forward to eating glitter in my mashed potatoes. 

Love,
Mommy

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Dear Bass Pro Shop,

We call you "The Fish Store" because that's easier to say when you're only two.  We're lucky that you're just right down the street from us and we can visit you about once a month to look at all the neat fish and things you have BUT when we went on October 27th and saw you were all decked out for Christmas, we kind of thought you were insane.  Get a grip next year and at least wait until Halloween, ok? 

Fondly,

The Peters Family

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Dear Caramel Brulee Latte,

Why, helllooooo there.  I am so very glad we've met.  I have a feeling over the next two months we'll get to know each other very well.  Apologize to your friend, nonfat peppermint mocha, because I've officially broken up with her this winter.  You're my new best friend.

Mwah,

Ashley

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Dear Crayola colorwonder markers,

A huge thank you to you.  Finally a marker that Lauren can carry around, paint her face or the carpet with and I have nothing to clean up after.  Drew and William love you too because you magically appear on their special paper which is just so cool.  My guess is you have a 1 year old, a 4 year old, and a 5 year old, too?  Just a guess.  

Appreciatively,

Ashley

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Dear Santa,

My friend, Melissa, told me of this new perfume she likes.  I went to try it and it's so lovely.  I haven't written a Christmas list in quite a few years but if you could, do you think you could find a way to leave this under the tree this year?  That'd be awesome.  And remember, Chris Santa, when mama is happy, everyone is happy.

Much love,

Ashley

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Dear Harry,

We've been pals for over 15 years now.  I just want to thank you for your Christmas albums.  Christmas music and Harry Connick, Jr. - a marriage of two of my favorite things on this planet.  You are my official baking companion for the next 4 weeks.  Would it be too much for me to say I love you? 

I love you,

Ashley

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Dear faithful blog readers,

Please be sure to enter our Christmas giveaway!  Peppermint snow?  C'mon!  That's as Christmasy as it gets.  If you haven't done so already, click here to enter.  As a brilliant young man once said, "Free is good."  ~Brandon John L'Herault

Lovingly,

Peters Party of 5

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Tur - what?

We're hosting Thanksgiving and instead of a turkey we're serving turducken!  I ordered it from an online grocer a few days ago and it arrived well packaged and frozen solid yesterday afternoon.  It's resting in my freezer and a week from Friday it will meet it's fate (our Thanksgiving is on Friday this year, such is the life of a firefighter's family).  Have you ever had turducken?  I don't eat turkey or duck so it totally grosses me out but I'm excited about the novelty of it.  If you haven't heard of it, here's Paula to show you how it's made:



What do you think?  Would you enjoy it or does it give you the heebie jeebies like it does for me?

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I knew it was coming...

Do you know what you're looking at?  Well, among other things, this is my sweet little girl who now only naps once a day.  *tear*.

 

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He who thinks too much...

I was unloading the dishwasher and William came into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, when you die, who will be my mommy?"  I said, "I'll always be your mommy, even when I'm gone.  No one else will ever be your mommy, that's my job.  Forever.  And when you're old and I'm gone, I'll still be your mommy, just in your memories and in your heart."  William said, "Oh, ok.  That's nice.  But... who will drive me to school?"

Remember, you can vote once a day. Everyday you check in and read a new blog post, please click the banner below. Big mommy hugs to all who vote.

Nothing wrong with a kid-free zone

Kid-free flights?  How do you feel about that?  I'm an outspoken mother of 3 kids and I think it's a fabulous idea.

In August I was coming home from D.C. and after a 4 hour delay in Chicago and switching planes because of mechanical problems, I had a screaming kid on my flight.  I honestly didn't mind all that much, my heart was breaking for the mother who was being given dirty looks from other passengers, but it did cross my mind that this was MY time away from all that crap.  I was finally away from my 3, should I have to spend my last 5 hours of freedom listening to a crying 2 year old?

I don't find this proposal offensive AT ALL.  I totally get it.  You don't want to be around my kids.  I don't take it personally because you know what?  I don't want to be around yours.  Not if I'm trying to sleep or work or I'm grieving or on a kid-free vacation.  Just saying.  And you shouldn't take it personally, either. 



What do you think??

No guilt

Today I had a to-do list that was quite long. I put the kids in the after school enrichment program until 3:30pm so that I could get it all done without four additional feet following me around.  Some were in-house things (laundry, baking and freezing, changing linens, emptying all garbage and putting it on the curb, writing out two birthday cards and getting them in the mail) and some were errands I had to run (post office, drycleaners, grocery shopping, Target for diapers, Costco for milk, carwash).  Instead I took a one and a half hour nap with Lauren this morning after we dropped the kids off, we woke up and ate lunch, and then we went shopping for the kids' outfits for our family photos we're taking next weekend.  The worst part?  I feel no guilt about it at all.  But it does mean that tomorrow is gonna kind of suck.  I have a lot to do tomorrow.  

This is how my day started - 3 little bugs, snuggled in my bed. 

Oh, Come All Ye Faithful...readers! Time for a giveaway!

I don't want to go all crazy mall-like on you and shove Christmas down your throat when we are still more than a week away from Thanksgiving but I want to announce the Christmas giveaway I have planned!  This way you have time to enter (and time to pass this info on to your friends!) and it will give me time so that I can ship the winner the goods just in time for all the Christmas fun at your house.

I get an email summary, it's rather generic, about how many visitors I have had on my blog every week.  It doesn't give specifics about where they come from, it just gives numbers.  I'm always astounded that it's more than 10.  I'm so grateful that I can write and share (too much sometimes?) and have others be a part of my ridiculously boring life.  The feedback to some of my posts is invaluable.  I am grateful for you, my faithful readers.  This is my MerryChristmasILoveYouThanksForReading gift to you!

This is what could be yours:

This is a vintage Christmas paint can made by my crafty friend, Misty.  These are great as housewarming gifts filled with towels or utensils. These cans make darling baby gifts (she makes different patterns for different holidays/occasions), or put some chocolate in it and it's the perfect teacher gift!  I bought this same pattern a few years ago from Misty and I use it at Christmas time for my big kitchen utensils on my countertop.  The current vintage Christmas can may vary slightly from this one.

I will fill your vintage Christmas can with a jar of peppermint snow from Williams Sonoma.  These are great to sprinkle onto brownies or cookies or even into hot chocolate.  I suppose you could just take a spoonful and eat it and it would be heavenly but I am just taking a wild guess about that.  'Cause I've never ever ever done that before.  Well, just once.

In addition to your peppermint snow, your can will have peppermint North Poles, too.  If you haven't had these, you've been missing out!  They are candy-coated peppermint sticks that are a Williams Sonoma exclusive.  They are great for stirring hot chocolate or tying onto the top of a package or just sitting in front of the TV and eating!  The kids love these.  

All you need to do to enter this giveaway is: 

• become a fan on our facebook page by clicking the vertical blue and white facebook banner over there to the right and then clicking "like"  

AND

• leave a comment on this blog post.  I would love if in your comment you'd share with me one of your most favorite family Christmas traditions.  

My trusty helper, Miss Drew, will draw a name out of a hat on Thanksgiving Day.  You have until then to enter.  Pass this on to your friends!  

Mwah!  Big kisses to you, my readers.

*If you are interested in seeing more of Misty's crafty cans or want to get in touch with her, leave a message for me on the Peters Party of 5 facebook page.  Thanks! 

Remember, you can vote once a day. Everyday you check in and read a new blog post, please click the banner below. Big mommy hugs to all who vote.