All Rileyed Up

Every musician in the world seems to be a sucker for coming out with Christmas music, and I am the reason they keep doing it. There is nothing I love more than a cheesy Christmas album. I think Billy Mack in Love, Actually put it best when he said, “Wouldn’t it be great if number one this Christmas wasn’t some smug teenager but an old ex-heroin addict searching for a comeback at any price?”

My favorite of the Christmas covers is Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” I know it’s an absolutely ridiculous song, but how can you ignore The Boss when he is clearly getting down with “he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good — SO YOU BETTER BE GOOD FOR GOODNESS SAKE!” Yes. This Christmas carol as sung by The Boss has transcended my usual “Fun Song to Listen To” category and moved directly into “Fun Song to Yell Along With” category. If it had the possibility of coming on the radio throughout the year, it might have made it to “Anthem” category.

On that note, here are 12 more Christmas songs I enjoy:

2. Frosty the Snowman by Harry Connick Jr. I pretty much think that Harry can do no wrong. He has the perfect voice. And when I hear him singing Frosty, I involuntarily start to dance (or shake my shoulders and nod my head while I sit. Is “shake my shoulders” the right way to say that? I don’t think so. But I know what I mean, and I hope you do too).

3. Little Drummer Boy by Lauryn Hill. I always liked the rather ominous feel that the original version has, and though this version runs a little too bow-chicka to be ominous, Lauryn Hill’s voice is so commanding, it still sounds good, especially in the repetition of rum-pum-pum-pum parts.

4. Ave Maria by Jewel. Does this song count as a Christmas song? Well, it’s on Jewel’s Christmas album and it is a good song, so I’m going with yes.

5. 12 Days of Christmas by John Denver and The Muppets. Fozzie. Miss Piggy. Aw. I love them.

6. Deck the Halls by Mannheim Steamroller. My favorite holiday tune ever. Period.

7. Blue Christmas by Elvis. I guess this one probably doesn’t count as a Christmas “cover” but what would a list of music be without Elvis?

8. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by Miley Cyrus. Let’s get a few things straight: 1) I love the Brenda Lee version of this song. 2) I don’t like Miley Cyrus (I guess I shouldn’t say I don’t like her, but I don’t make a point of seeking out and listening to her music). But I like her new updated version of this Brenda lee classic, with the guitar strumming in the background. Her spunky voice is fun and she really does sound like she’s “rocking” around that Christmas tree.

9. Arbolito de Navidad by Gloria Estefan. I have no idea what they’re even saying in this song, but I like the music and she has a great voice.

10. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Johnny Cash. I don’t know why, but when I listen to him sing this song, I have the urge to watch Gone With the Wind. Anyone got an ideas on why this is?

11. O Come All Ye Faithful by Faith Hill. Faith Hill is one of those women who seem to lack faults. I hate her. But I like this song.

12. Everything by Alvin & The Chipmunks. I was initially going to write “The Chipmunk Song,” but that’s not really a cover, and everything else on their Christmas album is a cover, but I couldn’t really pick which of them was my favorite. I suppose if I had to, I’d pick Silver Bells, because that song is otherwise not on this list.

13. Everything by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Does anybody else think these guys should have been some sort of demonic-ish hard rock band?

*BONUS song: Carol of the Bells. Also a very cool song. But I don’t know of any cool covers of it. I just enjoy the choral versions I hear.

I wrote this post yesterday in response to Beck’s post on Christmas music and when I went to get the link to it today, I saw she’d posted again today on Christmas music. Including Harry Connick Jr on her list, no less.

More lists of thirteen here.

More pix here and here.

Today, I snuck off on my own to do a bit of Christmas shopping. It’s both exciting and frustrating to go gift shopping. For instance, the $10 Guiness shaped can that can be used as a piggy bank once you’ve removed the Guiness themed boxer shorts from it seems like a cute stocking stuffer, but also like an inordinately overpriced piece of trash. Are we really going to use the piggy bank? No. The Boy might, but am I really going to give him a fake can of beer to use as a piggy bank? No.

I’m constantly not sure about whether or not to get this one thing or that other thing. I prefer buying practical presents, but I also don’t want to be known as the woman who gives kids toothbrushes and underwear for Christmas. This is why I enjoy browsing Gift Guides (though I find Beck’s take on Oprah’s gift guide even better than the real one).
Mom Central, a network of mothers which I belong to, also has a Gift Guide. See the new nifty button on my sidebar? Here it is again:

I rather liked this gift suggestion For Him:

After you get over the notion of your own insignificance, it’s really cool to see how beautiful and striking the world beyond our planet is.

These cards For Her are also cute:

I am a sucker for note cards. What can I say, they’re pretty. When I was a kid, I used to try to make them myself with cut outs from magazines and such. They often came out sticky from too much glue. These are much nicer.

There’s plenty of gift ideas, and also lots of categories — Baby/Toddler, Kids, Tweens, Teens, Pets, and, of course, what would a website be without Giveaways. To be eligible to win prizes, register here with the Mom Central Testing Panel.

Enjoy your shopping!

So the last time I did a Tacky Tuesday post was over a year ago. In a nutshell, I collect tacky postcards and then post them here for everyone to enjoy-slash-groan over.

Some of you old time readers might have thought I simply ran out of tacky postcards, but no. I was just lazy. The scanner and my computer have been in separate rooms and yes, I really don’t have the energy to move between rooms with my computer.

Here are 5 postcards for you to, er, treasure:

Do you think that insurance building in the background is a car insurance company? Hi, what’s the deductible on falling cacti?

The sad thing is, I think people would be better off wearing gas masks in LA.

Welcome to the Howlin Wolf in New Orleans. You would never believe it from this picture, but I went to one of the wildest concerts EVER at that bar. What’s with the guy in all white showing off his butt?

Want to know what it says on the back of this card? “Greetings!” Indeed.

He shot JR. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

Did you know…

I’m calling this week’s Carnival of Family Life the “Did You Know…” edition because I’m treating you to a barrage of holiday trivia, courtesy of Wikipedia and Google?

Education

Did you know…

Perth College has a program called Courses for Christmas, wherein one can buy education courses for their loved ones?

Mark Montgomery presents Elements of a Good College Fit, Part One: Academics posted at Great College Advice. “Finding the right college is like finding a good pair of shoes,” Mark writes. “You have to know what you need and want — and shop around.”

Alvaro Fernandez presents Torkel Klingberg Helps With Overflowing Brain Information Overload posted at SharpBrains, explaining “why attention is a critical component of learning.”

Shen-Li Lee presents Learning New Words with Signing Time posted at Babylicious.

Brigid presents Brain Fitness posted at New York Public Library. “After attending a recent staff training session offered by the library’s Office of Staff Development, I decided to return to a habit of my childhood — eating sardines,” Brigid announces.

Terri Mauro presents Special-Education Director Takes Handicapped Space, Gives Attitude posted at About Parenting Special Needs.

Family Cooking & Recipes

Did you know…

Kwanzaa was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966, and got the name from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits,” and at a Kwanzaa feast, you might find yourself eating jollof rice, yams, and coconut pie?

Kelly from Almost Frugal presents Apricot Dijon Chicken posted at Almost Frugal Food.

Momma presents Cheap Homemade Baby Food. . . with ingredients you would never guess . . . posted at Engineer a Debt Free Life, describing “an inexpensive idea for baby food about which many families aren’t aware.”

Joanne presents Candy posted at Fun Easy Recipes for Kids.

Family Crafts and Activities

Did you know…

That the results of the 16th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition are on display at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville , NC?
(Try here or here for details and cool photos).

Chief Family Officer presents Works for Me: Use masking tape to label plastic containers posted at Chief Family Officer.

Annette Berlin presents Easy-To-Make Lollipop Kids posted at Craft Stew. “Lollipop Kids are a great craft to enjoy with your kids before the holidays . . . or any time of the year,” according to Annette.

GrrlScientist presents The Psychology Behind Wrapping Paper posted at Living the Scientific Life. Ever wonder how gift wrapping impacts the gift recipient? Is it worth the expense and effort?

Catherine Eagleson presents Puzzles Save the Holidays posted at Crosswords For Fun, explaining how “good old crossword puzzles can save you from bored children!”

Stephanie presents 5 Simple Christmas Crafts for Kids posted at Make It From Scratch.

Stephanie presents A Handmade Grandparent Gift posted at Stop the Ride!.

Joanne presents Personalized Gift Baskets For Christmas posted Personalized Gift Baskets.

Holiday Shopping and Family Finance

Did you know…

That the PNC Christmas Price Index Report annually determines the cost of purchasing all the gifts in the 12 Days of Christmas, and it’s soooo not cheap?

Loraine Lawson presents Family Gift Idea posted at Time for Family, asking, “If you’re looking for a way to cut down on the holiday hassle and possibly save money, why not consider giving family gifts this year?”

Credit Shout presents Common Sense Ways to Protect Your Credit Cards During the Holidays posted at CreditShout.

MoneyNing presents 32 Sensible Tips for the Holiday Shopping Season posted at Money Ning, wishing you “a safe, happy and frugal Christmas!”

Raymond presents Tips For Buying, Giving, and Using Discount Gift Cards posted at Money Blue Book.

Heather Levin presents When Does It Pay To Buy Organic? posted at The Greenest Dollar.

Lauren Rose presents Credit Card Skimmers - Keep Your Eye on Your ATM card posted at No Debt Anymore.org. “With the holiday season in full swing, credit card and ATM theft is increasing at an alarming rate,” according to Lauren, so she explains “three common ways thieves may try to gain access to your  personal information using a skimmer device, as well as ten tips to protect yourself.”

Donald Latumahina presents Diversify Your Income to Prevent Financial Problems posted at Life Optimizer.

Polly Poorhouse presents Santa Strategies posted at Economic Crunch, assuring the little Poorhouses that “there is a Santa.”

Cap presents Five Quick Reminders for the Holidays: Post-it Notes Style posted at StopBuyingCrap.com, providing some “quick financial reminders for the holiday season about what’s truly important — and what’s not.”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents 8 Lessons I Learned From The Cheapest Family In The Nation posted at
The Digerati Life.

Heather Levin presents How To Have A Green Christmas posted at The Greenest Dollar.

Tom Tessin presents Top 10 Most Affordable Vans for 2008 posted at FGC Auto Blog, saying, “Looking to tow your family around in the family van? See what we recommend as the top 10 affordable family vans in 2008.”

Family Health and Wellness

Did you know…

That although Charles Dickens never specified what ailment Tiny Tim suffered from in A Christmas Carol, some suspect it was renal tubular acidosis or rickets? Or that there is an organization in Longmont, CO called The Tiny Tim Center that was founded to help parents of children with disabilities and later expanded to help educate all children?

Alvin Hopkinson presents Foods for High Blood Pressure - 6 Healthy Tips to Control Hypertension
posted at High Blood Pressure Treatment and Medication Reviews, explaining that “foods is instrumental in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and minimize the affects of the annoying side effects caused by medications.”

Aparna presents Teeth Whitening Remedies posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming. Teeth can be naturally dark or discolored by repeated exposure to tea, coffee, red wine, smoking, medications, decay or
trauma. Aparna offers treatments and remedies that will adorn you “captivating smile with a row of glistening pearly white teeth” just in time for all those holiday season photos.

Carole Fogarty presents Upgrade Your Level Of Self Care posted at The Healthy Living Lounge, inviting you to “give yourself permission to upgrade your level of self care on a regular basis. 2009 is going to be the year I
honor the importance of relaxation, deep rest and self care even more.”

Jody DeVere presents eBay Auctions 2008 Dodge Challenger to Benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children posted at Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women.

Matthew presents Allergies posted at Fast Medical Information. “An allergy is a reaction which is exaggerated in our immune system in response to a foreign substance that is harmless to and does not trigger a response in a non-allergic person,” Matthew explains. Allergens include dust mites, mold, danders, foods, and pollen.

Alvin Hopkinson presents Key to Successful Weight Loss - 6 Tips to Get You There posted at Fat Loss Diet Blog - Effective Weight Loss Tips. “Many people are looking for that one diet scheme that will actually work,” Alvin opines as he offers six tips to help you lose weight and keep it off.

Family Humor

Did you know…

Santa Claus also goes by these names: Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas or St. Nikolaus, Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, Père Noël, Joulupukki, Babbo Natale, Weihnachtsmann, Saint Basil and Father Frost? And that David Sedaris wrote an essay about the Santa Claus story as told in Holland, which you can read here?

luvmy4sons presents I am Safe and Warm. You Need Help. posted at Do You Weary Like I Do? ”Teens make your laugh at yourself . . . a little!”

Family Pets

Did you know…

That many pets under two years of age brought into shelters or euthanized because the owners couldn’t take care of them were originally Christmas gifts? Think before you buy a pet! And adopt instead of buy!

Carole DeJarnatt presents A List of Hatcheries posted at Fowl Visions.

Jim presents Total Cost of Owning A Dog posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Family Relationships and Self-Improvement

Did you know…

Back in the late 1100s, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine led a revolt against her husband, King Henry II, and as a result, was locked away in a prison for a number of years, during which she was only let out on special occasions like Christmas?

muse presents Wheels posted at me-ander about her eldest son’s favorite mode of transportation.

Suzanne presents Christmas Wishes to Melt Your Heart posted Adventures in Daily Living.

Leticia Velasquez presents Reasons to give thanks at my house posted at cause of our joy, sharing details about “Thanksgiving at my new home with my entire family.”

Susan Gaissert presents Are You a Bridge Burner? posted at The Expanding Life “about how my husband has changed me for the better.”

Ian Peatey presents Meeting Tom posted at Quantum Learning - nonviolent living. “There are some moments that are reserved for the father. Meeting Tom (my daughter’s first boyfriend) is one of them,” Ian explains.

Shamelle presents Are You Constantly At The Mercy Of Circumstances? posted at Enhance Life.

Family Spirituality/Belief/Worship

Did you know…

The letters on the Dreidel are an acronym for Nes Gadol Haya Sham, which means “a great miracle happened there”?

Jennifer presents Christmas Music: Annie Moses Band! posted at Diary of 1.

GP presents EnLightening Gifts posted at Manely Montana.

luvmy4sons presents Repeat Performances posted at Do You Weary Like I Do? The mother who authors this blog is finding out that teens and toddlers are “remarkably similar!”

Yvette Nietzen presents Ministry opportunities are right in front of you posted at Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l.

Parenting Tips and Advice

Did you know…

According to a The Baby Website survey, the most common white lie told by parents (at 84 percent) is that Father Christmas only brings presents to good boys and girls. The second most common white lie is that Father Christmas only visits homes on Christmas Eve where the children went to bed nicely.

Gil Ortiz presents Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl posted at gilocafe.

karen alonge presents My daughter is scared to be alone posted at advice for parents.

pearl mattenson presents Name Your Mommy (or Daddy) Monsters: Parenting Tips posted at Carrie and Danielle.

Ronit Baras presents Teen Mocktail Party — Family Matters posted at Family Matters, saying, “Why do people think kids are trouble at parties if they never have parties at their own house?”

mary presents Potty Training posted at A Mom Learning More Everyday.

Becca Glouzstein presents Inspiration for Mothers . Com: 3 Steps to Attracting the Life you Really Want for
You and Your Family posted at Inspiration for Mothers.Com, asking “How do you want 2009 to look for you and your family? As you approach the New Year use the Law of Attraction to bring your life into line with your dream for your family.”

Kathryn presents Kids and Christmas posted at Living the Proverbs 31 Life, opining that “there really is something about giving that makes the Christmas season all that more special.”

Melitsa presents Overlooked creative toy posted at Play-Activities.com, saying, “the best toy for the season might be right under your nose.”

Melitsa presents Play, Rhymes with baby posted at Play-Activities.com, saying, “having fun with baby.”

Did you know…

…that we are at the end of yet another Carnival?

…that next week’s Carnival will be hosted at Destroy Debt?

…that if you would like to participate in next week’s edition of the
Carnival, click here to submit?

…that if you you have questions, you can review the Carnival guidelines before submitting your posts?

Would you like the Carnival to pay a visit to your site? Check out the hosting schedule, select a date, and then drop a line advising what week you would like to host.

For those of you visiting here for the Carnival of Family Life, it will be coming out later today. In the meantime, feel free to meander around my other posts.

Guess what - I have a post featured on 5 Minutes for Parenting. An oldie but a goodie – the infamous Christmas newsletter post. I guess it’s time for a sequel to that post…

Come along and sing a song and join the jamboree! M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E.

Mickey Mouse!

Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner high!

I’ve talked about my love for Disney before.

They say Disneyworld is the happiest place on earth.

And they say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

So Christmas at Disneyworld would mean you’re spending the most wonderful time of the year at the happiest place on earth, which should result in some sort of double ecstasy, right?

Yes, right.

If I lived in Florida right now, I would totally buy Disney world tickets for Mickey’s A Very Merry Christmas party.

I’ve spent many a day of Christmas fun at Disneyworld. I grew up a couple hours north of it and my family drove down all the time. Those were the days when a road trip was a road trip – no seat belt laws, no in-car DVD players, just me and my brothers and sister left to our own acrobatic devices in a big van while my parents drove. The ride to Disneyworld often involved lots of discussion on which rides we were to definitely get on (Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Tea Cups) and which attractions would not be of interest (Hall of Presidents, Dumbo – that line was always too long to make it worth it). In between discussions, I usually got carsick. Then we arrived at Disneyworld and all was better. The ride home often consisted of four passed out children and two tired adults.

Being in California now, I still have close access to a Disney park, but no matter how often I go to Disneyland, Disneyworld will always have a special place in my heart. Disneyworld, where Cinderella’s castle beats out Sleeping Beauty’s and where Space Mountain and Splash Mountain are cooler. Disneyworld, the park I associate with home, with being a child, with growing up. It’s hard to beat nostalgia. Which is why I really wish I could be in Florida right now, to go to Mickey’s A Very Merry Christmas Party.

Throughout December, Mickey and the gang will be celebrating the holidays in the lands of the Magic Kingdom, complete with fireworks, snow, and hot cocoa and cookies for one and all. Mmm… cookies. There is, in true Disney fashion, a Christmas parade, as well as a visit from Old St. Nick, and yes, Cinderella’s castle is decorated with no less than 200,000 lights. Think what you want, but Disney knows how to throw a party. You can even catch a rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in Tomorrowland. Does anyone else think that’s ironic? (“night before” vs “tomorrowland”)

So if you like Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck and Goofy and Pluto and all those other guys, buy Disney World Tickets for Mickey’s A Very Merry Christmas Party.

And if anyone wants to buy some tickets for me and family, along with plane tickets, I’d be ever so grateful. (I’m just kidding.)

(But seriously, if you want to…)

Time for another round of Susanne’s Friday’s Fave Five.

Five things for which I am grateful:

1. I had dinner last night with some friends of mine I hadn’t seen in a while. Even though the holidays get a little stressful, at least I get to see everyone.

2. I finalized my plans to go to Austin for my friend’s wedding on New Year’s Eve. Get to see all my college pals. Whoo hoo!

3. My daughter, who has been prancing around in her Santa Claus outfit (which I got for $4 at Children’s Orchard):

4. My son drew this fantastic drawing of Wall E and wrote the name out. I love it because he did this without any help from anyone else:

5. Karate class. Oh yeah. Grateful for that one, for sure. But I bet Sensei wasn’t.

I was tagged for this meme by Diapers and Dragons - 13 signs that you are a mom.

You know you’re a mom when…

1. You no longer think it’s irritating that people show off pictures of their kids. (Look! Look! They’re so cute, aren’t they!)

2. You bring a camera with you to take pictures of someone getting their hair cut. (Smile for mommy! Smile! Yes! That was perfect, could you cut his bangs again?)

3. You give your friends the arched eyebrow for cussing. (Dude, would you mind not talking like that when my kids are around?)

4. You start to sympathize with Halle Berry’s character in Losing Isaiah.

5. People assume you watch Oprah.

6. You know that mops are more than just a cleaning supply.

7. The phrase “I couldn’t get a babysitter” and “I just don’t want to pay for a babysitter” no longer sound like lame excuses.

8. A night out is a bottle of wine and reheated leftovers after the kids are in bed.

9. You suddenly develop a fear of hard candy, marbles, electric outlets, and cabinets without safety locks. (or is that just me and my paranoia?)

10. Your precious dog that you used to walk all the time and feed only the finest butcher cut steak is suddenly “We need to pick up Ol Roy for that dog tearing up the couch.”

Ol Roy? Oh, heeeeeeell no.

11. As you think back to the playgrounds of your youth, you CAN’T BELIEVE your parents let you play on those life-threatening things (The wooden swings with splinters? The hot metal slide that seared your flesh? Anyone?) AND without supervision!

12. Airplane rides. Whole new experience.

13. You know perfectly well that five minutes of silence is not a reason to relax.

Read other lists of thirteen here.