Kitty in a Bag

December 11, 2014December 11, 2014 | Melia Alexander

One of the things I lurrvv about the holidays is the newness of it all. Sure, there’s a tree and candy and gift wrap and Poinsettias and loads of cookies. There’s also Christmas music and parties and seeing friends and family. But each year, it’s somehow different. I know, I know. The same, but different.

Right about now my writer friends are snickering at what we often hear that editors and agents are looking for in our stories – the same, but different. But I digress….

This Take Me Back Thursday pic was from last year, shortly after Daniel Alexander came into our lives.

For him, everything was new, everything was exciting, and everything had to be explored. (Yay!) He climbed over packages under the tree, he batted at dangling ornaments on the tree, and if there was a bag sitting around, watch out! Nothing was sacred to this little guy. (Half chewed-on wrapped gift, anyone?)

And so it is again this year. But that’s a story yet to be written…. 🙂

Happy-almost-Friday,
Melia

The Battle of the Gingerbread House

December 3, 2014December 4, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Welcome to Food and Wine Wednesday!

‘Tis the season of celebrating the beauty and wonder that is life, and those people and things we hold most dear. Not the least of which is the gingerbread house.

Tonight, Niece 2 decided that the two of us would face-off in a gingerbread decorating contest, one whose winner will hold bragging rights (of nearly unbearable proportions!). that clearly means more to one participant than the other (the other being me. Ha!).

We spent a fabulous evening together, talking. I learned that 1) Niece 2 has decided she’s no longer vegetarian, but will not consume a large amount of animal protein; 2) According to Niece 2, Nash Grier is still super-hot! (way more than I needed to know. Trust me on this…) 3) There’s not nearly enough candy that comes in the enclosed packets when a fifteen year-old is swiping at them while decorating (and when you’re not looking!). Just sayin’…

At the end of the evening, care to guess which side had been decorated by moi?

Gingerbread houses – yay or nay? Tell us what you think!

Happy gingerbread decorating,
Melia

Bear Country, USA

December 2, 2014December 2, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Happy Travel Bug Tuesday!

One of the traditions I adore is picking up a Christmas ornament when we travel. This one always makes me smile. Well, okay, it makes me laugh out loud, too.

When I see it, I’m transported back to one of the most amazing vacations I’ve ever had. Road trip 2011. With family. Five adults and two kids in a minivan with ten days worth of clothing and two coolers of food and drinks. Yep, we were pretty tightly packed….

So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when ten minutes out of the driveway, ten-year-old nephew yells from the back seat of the minivan, “Mom! Sister’s in my zone! Tell her to stop!”

And, yeah. This ornament brings it all back. The laughter. The tears. The bonding that took place. ‘Cause, really, how could it not?

Do you collect Christmas ornaments? What’s one of your faves?

Happy travels,
Melia

Operation Christmas 2014

December 1, 2014December 1, 2014 | Melia Alexander

The holidays are finally here!

I love traditions. Especially the festive kinds. So on a cold, Sunday afternoon (the wet kind of cold that seeps down to the bones and begs for us to stay indoors) we decorated our Christmas tree. Yay! Okay, so I was the only one excited, but I know the girls had a blast, too. That’s my story and I’m writing it that way! 🙂

Anyhoo, the nieces and I dragged out the ornaments, indulged in mugs of yummy, steaming hot chocolate, listened to Christmas carols, and spent a wonderful afternoon together. By the time dinner rolled around, we had this:

Next step in Operation Christmas 2014, platters of cookies and loaves of cake that will make the house smell yummy! It’s the next step in bringing the holiday spirit into Domicile Alexander. And I know both Niece and Niece 2 will love doing that with me, too. *snort*

In whatever tradition you follow, this holiday season, celebrate well!

Happy Mash-Up Monday,
Melia

A Brief Moment in Time

November 20, 2014 | Melia Alexander

It’s been a year since I’d last held this little guy. Of course, at fifteen, he was much larger than in this photo. But to me, he’ll always be my baby.

Time passes so quickly, the hours turning to days, then weeks, then months, and years. Until one day, it’s all used up. And what we’re left with are those brief moments of time strung together into a fabric so rich (hopefully!) that even though they’re gone, we’re left with wonderful memories that linger with us the rest of our lives.So it is with this little guy. He came to us weighing less than a pound and immediately imprinted himself onto our lives. Yeah, Mr. A and I miss him terribly.

Rest in peace, Alexander James. May the sun always shine where you are.

Happy Take Me Back Thursday,
Melia

Being Silly

November 13, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Happy Take Me Back Thursday!

I do love looking at old photos. There’s so much to be said for the moment that’s captured and the kind of memories that are attached to it. Take this one, for instance:

Niece 2 in one of her many playful moods. (Back then, anyway. These days she’s a brooding teen more often than not!) I swear we couldn’t get that girl out of the diver’s mask (is that even what it’s called?) that afternoon! And when we finally did, it involved some sort of bribe. (I forget now what it was. Ice cream?)

She giggled and giggled and GIGGLED, ducking in and out and in and out of the danged thing. And, yeah, it was too cute!

Do you sometimes look at photos so powerful they propel you back in time?

Happy almost-Friday,
~Melia

Dear Santa ~

November 10, 2014November 9, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Ah, Mash-Up Monday…. How quickly you arriveth!

Our girls (Niece and Niece 2) are leaving for Guam in a few weeks to spend the holidays with their parents, which basically means we have a scrunched up Christmas schedule with them. Which also means we’re celebrating early this year. And which ultimately means getting their Christmas lists uber early.

Still, I had to laugh (to myself, of course! *snort*) when I saw Niece 2’s list:

Ah, to be fifteen again!

So. Any votes for getting her Nash Grier for Christmas? 😉

Have a fab week,
Melia

And The Winner Is (Part 2) . . .

November 5, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Welcome to Food and Wine Wednesday!

Last week, Niece and Niece 2 squared off in a pumpkin-carving contest. The winner had her choice of donut plus chocolate milk – trust me, this is a HUGE deal in the Alexander home! Thanks to those who left a comment, Niece 2 won. *Insert much cheering and a cartwheel or two*

But instead of happily choosing a donut and leaving her older sister donut-less she surprised me, and struck a deal for this, instead:

We brought the frozen rolls home (What? You didn’t think I’d make these puppies from scratch, did you?). After a short time in the oven the scent of cinnamon and baking bread wafted from one end of the house to the other – yummyliciousness! And, yeah, I gotta admit I was tempted….

Have your kids ever surprised you in a good way? Please share!

Happy Eating,
Melia

My Little Punkins

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 | Melia Alexander

Welcome to Take Me Back Thursday!

Once upon a time, there were only two kitties in the Alexander home, Alexander James and Bennett Charles. Both were wonderfully curious kitties, and loved to explore anything new that came into their field of view. But then they got a baby sister. Things changed with this one, as neither boys liked her very much, and typically left any air space Chloe Marie was in. But at Halloween that year, there was a shift in the household.

See, Mr. A carved a pumpkin. And all three cautiously entered the breakfast nook. Seemed they had to explore the weird scraping and cutting along with the occasional expletive. (Have you ever carved one without swearing?) And for the first time, all three fur babies came together! No one hissed at anyone, no one swatted at anyone, and no one growled. It was beautiful!