Look at my present!

I got a present in the mail!



A closer look at the festive wrapping let me know who it was from.



The nice, generous and good-looking people at See's Candies sent me a whole box of chocolates! They sure know what a mama likes.



See's are not just any chocolates. They are "Famous old time candies."

Just look at how gorgeous these chocolates are:



Here's a closeup. I had to Photoshop out the drool in the untouched version of this photo. That heavenly glow, though, isn't something I added.



Even my cat appeared and started begging. Then she acted like, "Me? I don't beg. I'm a cat. Besides, you know I can't have chocolate anyway."



Then my son insisted I turn on the Christmas lights outside at that very moment, and when I came back, I discovered he had sampled some of the See's chocolates. Clearly, he's become an expert at diversion tactics.



I couldn't leave partially eaten chocolates in a box, now, could I? So I finished them. And I may have helped myself to more.

And my husband may spotted the chocolates and eaten some too. Even though he said his mother grew up eating See's Candies in northern California when she was a little girl and I said so that's why we should set the chocolates out for Christmas and surprise her.

But I don't think these chocolates are going to make it two more days.

I know you are all jealous of me, but you can get your own See's Candies near you to treat your family and friends over the holidays or to give as a gift -- near me, there are several malls that have See's Candies kiosks. (And that's a good thing, because we will probably run out of chocolate. Tonight.) Or if your school or organization is having a fundraiser, you can sell these delicious candies through See's Candy fundraiser.

Thank you, See's Candies! Chocolate gifts are perfect any time of year.

Them vs. Us

Sometimes, the news really does say it all.

Christmas is my job -- And here's how it's gonna go

Somewhere along the way, Christmas became my job.

As in, not my husband's job.

For the past several years, I have been the one to shop for the presents. Wrap the presents. Package and ship the presents.

I pick out or design the holiday cards. Address the cards. Stamp the cards. Mail the cards. I keep track of who has sent us cards to make sure they get a card from us, too, because HOLY HECK, that has to be the top rule of holiday cards. Wars have been started over less.

I bake the cookies. And clean up afterward. I make the neighbors a treat and deliver it to them on Christmas Eve. I make Christmas breakfast/lunch/dinner/whatever we're doing on a particular year.

I decorate the house. (He puts up the lights outside. Some years.)

Then after Christmas, I write the thank-you notes to family and friends.

I shop the after-Christmas sales to get good deals on holiday stuff for next year.

I pack all the Christmas decorations away. (My husband loads the boxes into the attic because he has decided that's a man's job.)

And then I scrapbook the whole season so our family will have the memories.

Of stuff I did.

But I'm not bitter. Sure, it would be nice to have my husband help out more during the holidays, but -- women, say it with me -- if I didn't do it, it wouldn't get done.

This year, I am taking some shortcuts because my time is already spoken for by a non-napping toddler and pregnancy makes me tired. For example, I ordered photo cards that look like they've already been signed by us me. HUGE time saver that was!

I didn't set out all the Christmas decorations. Less time setting out, less time putting away.

I also got a food catalog in the mail that looked good, so I went ahead and ordered several food gifts to be shipped to people on my list. People have to eat, right? Or feed holiday guests? No wrapping, no treks to the post office, and I ordered enough to qualify for free shipping.

For cookie baking, I'm going to make bar cookies. They take less time than individual cookies. For the neighbors, no more homemade cinnamon yeast rolls that take hours -- a nice breakfast loaf will be fine.

I'm sure I'll think of other ways to help me keep from getting completely overwhelmed during this hectic season.

And if you really want to help a mama out, offer me the gift of saying you don't need a formal thank-you note sent to you through the mail!

Read more about holiday overload at Parent Bloggers Network.

Blame it on the baby

I don't know what you might have heard about me, but most of it is probably not true or at least partly embellished.

However, it is true that


I'm pregnant!


Yes, a Tropic Baby is on the way. ETA is mid to late June. (Am I the only one who has ever been given two due dates? For one child?) Fatigue is keeping me away from the computer. Oh, and a gajillion Christmasy things to do . . . .

Except for the Winterfest boat parade I wanted to kayak in so badly. It was last Saturday night. We missed the entry deadline. And wouldn't you know that night we were at a relative's house celebrating Christmas a bit early with some family that won't be here for Christmas, and we could hear the parade going on while there. Life can be so cruel.

Ah well, I don't know if my bad pregnant back could have sat in a kayak that long anyway.

This poor baby isn't even here yet, and I'm already blaming things on him / her . . . .

Kayaking in the Everglades

In Everglades National Park near Flamingo

Zebra longwing

Zebra longwing butterfly, the Florida state insect

Sweetwater Strand

The swampy Sweetwater Strand in Big Cypress National Preserve