I'm Headed to the Canal!

When I made my list of countries to visit on my Christmas tour I thought the traditions would vary significantly - especially in Central America where there were so many different tribal influences - Mayan, Aztec etc. And there is some of that but it I am quickly learning that the global communtiy is very quickly bleeding one culture into another.

Our next stop on the tour is Panama where I thought for sure there would be a lot of very different traditions since it is the gateway between North and South America. Guess what? I forgot about our little visit there called the Panama Canal! As a result I am learning that there is a very strong American influence on their holiday traditions.

Panama strikes me as a bit conflicted in their holiday. Christmas is brought in with fireworks - very unlike their highly religious neighbors who celebrate with midnight mass. Then they go to Mass the next morning to offer prayers. Particularly in the area around the canal they are very American in their decorating with elaborate outdoor lights and flood lights and Christmas trees. But like every good holiday they don't hold back on the food. Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), ham, tamales, fruitcake, and bowls of fruit all come together for a family meal.

Of all the countries (all 3 of them!) that we have visited so far Panama has been one of the most interesting. They have married the American and Hispanic cultures to create a very unique holiday of their own. I would love to be able to pass through the canal this time of year and see just how close that marriage is!

Mom Tip #52

Plans are NEVER set in stone – even if you ARE the one who made them.

I think one of the biggest challenges of motherhood is being constantly and faithfully flexible while maintaining your sanity. You can plan a full day and an hour after announcing the plan, the whole smash is shot to pieces and you have to roll with it like the champ you are.

Take my day today. I got up this morning (after sleeping so fitfully on the couch with a teething baby all night) bright and early. The girls were cooperative while getting ready for church. The boys were still in bed but I had a brief conversation with L.M. Lion.

Me: So you are going to carve the pumpkins today, right?
Lion: Sure.Me: Would you pick up a newspaper when you go to get the carving kit while I’m at church? I want to check the sales before I go do the grocery shopping this afternoon.
Lion: I thought I was going to BJ’s (shopping club thing).
Me: When do you want to do that?
Lion: I’ll go tomorrow before I go to work.
Me: Awesome. But get a paper anyway because we need produce and some non-BJ’s stuff.

That settled the final plan was I go to church. I come home, drop off children and run to do grocery shopping while he has quality time with the zoo. I come home; he goes to watch football with his buddies. Then we have a nice family evening carving pumpkins at home.

I came home from church to two boys still in PJ’s, my kitchen trashed from pumpkin guts, no one has had breakfast and my paper has already been torn apart. But I am Mom. I can be flexible. So I scramble to restore order to the kitchen while stewing pumpkin, toasting seeds and making PB&J’s for lunch. I look up to see L.M. Lion in the kitchen door dressed to head to football. Huh? What about the grocery store? Take them with you. When they have been trying to kill each other all day? Not on your life! Well, you’ll work it out. Deep breath. I am Mom. I can be flexible.

Three hours later he comes home. You haven’t been to the grocery store yet? No. I was waiting for you to get home to watch the children. But I was going to go to BJ’s. I thought that was tomorrow morning! I decided to do it today. And you called to tell me when? Well, can you go so I can have the van? Not everything is going to fit in my car. I am Mom. I can be flexible. I grabbed Marmoset and out the door we went for a sprint through the grocery store.

I came home to no progress on the pumpkin front and L.M. Lion napping on the couch. Do I need to mention that BJ’s is happening tomorrow? Two of the three pumpkins got done and dinner was called on account of whiplash.

I am Mom. I can be flexible – just give me a little warning, would you?

Mom Tip #40

Shoo all significant others from the room! This is for Mom’s Eyes Only!

We’re not always right!

Insert collective gasp here! And that is why I noted this tip as MEO.

Yesterday Lord of the Manor was given his first day off in over 8 weeks. He was “ordered” by the boss to take the day off and spend it with the family. So it was time to decide what to do. Through a friend it looked like we were going to the Aquarium for free but Mo was at school. Daddy begged, pleaded, cajoled and even pulled the “It’s Pre-K! It’s not like she’s studying for her SAT’s!” I folded. I didn’t want to pull her out of school on her 7th day but I folded and let Daddy pull her.

We had a fabulous family day! I was wrong. If she hadn’t been with us, it wouldn’t have been as much fun because we would have been rushed to get back to pick her up. She would have missed out on a really great visit to an incredible place. I can’t even imagine the tears I would have been dealing with! So I was wrong.

How many times have I told Tuck not to play with his food? Today he and I were having lunch together. Just us. Kind of like a date. Guess what we did? We played with our food. Have you ever seen a child peeking through the hole he just made in the middle of his PB&J? Have you ever seen the smile that comes out from behind the sandwich as he gets ready to make the hole “REALLY BIG!! Chomp!!”? Or the smile that happens when both of us play monkey and share a banana?

That was one of the best lunch dates I’ve had in a really long time! So I was wrong.

Now. Everyone reading. Right hand over your heart and repeat after me. I, (insert your name), pledge and promise to never breathe a word to the Zookeeper’s family that she can be wrong from time to time.

Hey! I’d do it for you!

Mom Tip #29

It’s okay. We all have days when we hate the sound of our own name.

I mean, makes your skin crawl, want to stab yourself in the ears HATE the sound of your own name. And not just your name but all the other names you go by. Here’s the list of names that I am not a fan of today.

“Honey!”

Hubby’s phone rang bright and early today to let him know that he was needed at the office asap. From there it went something like this. “Honey! Where’s my hairbrush?”
“Honey! Can you pack me a lunch?”
“Honey! The baby’s awake!”
“Honey! Can you get me some clothes for Tuck?”
“Honey! Can you find me a travel mug?”
“Honey! I forgot to tell you something; can you come back here?”
“Honey! Can you pass me the creamer?”
“Honey! Can you put the creamer away?”
“Honey! You have one big mess over here in the high chair.”
“Honey! Have you seen my wallet?”
“Bye Honey! Have a good day!”

I’m changing my name to Elvis.


“Mom, Mommy, and every whiney version of Mom!”

“Mom, can you check my butt?”
“Momma, Meghan stinks!”
“Mooooom! Tucker snatched from me!”
“Mamaaaaaaaah! Mo smacked me on the head!”
“No! No! Nooooo! Mooom! I don’t want to go potty!”
“Ma, I need another snack.”
“Look Mom! We just destroyed your bed again!”
“mum mum mum mum mum mum mum (you see where this is going right?) mum mum mum (Can I help you Meghan?) mum mum mum mum.”

I’m changing my name to Elvis.

I don’t think I would even want to hear my own mother say my name right now. If the lottery people called I’m sure they’d use “Mrs. C” and I haven’t heard that one yet today so maybe I could handle that. Otherwise you may call me Elvis.

And Elvis has left the building.