We think we’ve made our decision, so now we just need to purchase it.  Then, the fun part will be preparing the boys’ room for the bunk bed arrival and setup.  I’ll need to dismantle NHL’s current bed, JSL’s current bed, move a ton of stuffed animals, move toys out of the way, remove some Cars wall clings (that the bunk will likely just cover up), etc.  Of course, I can’t do all this too early or the boys will have nowhere to sleep.

In addition, to looking at bunk beds, we needed to pick up NHL’s painted Angry Bird.  I knew that the colors would be more vibrant once it was finished, but I was still quite impressed.

The boys begged to do some more projects right then and there, but the store was closing in a few hours and we had to get home (refrigerator/freezer groceries in the trunk).

The next day, however, was a lazy day in.  It was Christmas Day and, while we don’t celebrate, we decided to make it a family day.  Ok, the fact that most stores are closed might have factored into it.  Plus, the laziness thing.  Having a lazy day in every once in a while is good.

We mainly spent the day playing computer games and watching TV, including the Disney Parks Christmas Parade.  The boys love parades, though they repeatedly expressed frustration over this one.  Too much singing and not enough characters.  Oh, and when NHL saw Justin Bieber, he let out a loud "Yuck!"  I was so proud. *wipes away a tear*

We ended Christmas Day with our traditional Jewish Christmas Day Dinner: Chinese food.  I lobbied to go out to eat.  Either to a nice, sit-down restaurant or to a buffet.  I even tried inviting B’s parents to come with us, figuring that would help push us to get ready.  Still, though the boys were dressed, B and I were still in our PJs.  (Like I said: Lazy day!)  So we ordered takeout.  I tossed on some clothes and picked it up.

Pretty soon, JSL was munching on rice with sweet and sour chicken sans sauce. (We call it "Chinese Chicken Nuggets" to get JSL to eat it.)  NHL had the sweet and sour chicken and some chicken and broccoli.  B and I shared some steamed vegetable dumplings, vegetable egg rolls, and General Tso’s Bean Curd.  (Bean curd is tofu and tastes better than it sounds!)  Behold, my Christmas Dinner:

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.  Jews eating Chinese food for Christmas dinner.  How stereotypical!  Well, it’s our tradition and I’m a sucker for tradition (and Chinese food).

Hope your Christmas weekend was wonderful no matter how you celebrated it!

Since we celebrate Chanukah, and not Christmas, this XMas overdrive can get tiring quickly.  We tend to avoid the stores (admittedly, partly because of the crowds), turn off the radios, and change the channel from the Christmas specials.  Once in awhile, we’ll find a Chanukah special, but they are few and far between.

However, in all of this Christmas hoopla, there is actually a Christmas movie that I love: The Nightmare Before Christmas.  I just love the tale of Jack Skellington kidnaping Santa Claus (or “Sandy Claws” as Jack calls him) so he can make Christmas in his own image.

Recently, I introduced the boys to this movie.  I was apprehensive at first, worrying that they would be scared of Halloween Town’s spooky residents.  Instead, my boys were instantly hooked.  Since then, we’ve all been singing “The Oogy Boogy Song” as well as the other tunes sung during the movie.  I think I’m going to have to buy the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack so we can rock out to it more.

My Aloha Friday question for today is: Do you have a favorite non-conventional holiday movie/special?

P.S. If you haven’t already, go visit FollowerHQ and let me know what you think of my Twitter application.

P.P.S. For a bit of fun, try my other Twitter Application, Rout. It’s a +F in Fun!

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #117

No, I didn’t make these.  This was a collaborative effort between Aunt M and B’s grandmother.  And, yes, they tasted as delicious as they look.

Of course, I could only maintain denial for so long.  Eventually, I had to give in and admit that fall was here.  After all, the crunching of leaves under my feet isn’t particularly “summery.”  Neither is the need to put on a jacket before going out.

But here we are now, November 28th, and I’m suddenly struck by how quickly the months have gone.  I barely realized that October had begun and then we were taking the boys trick or treating.  The candy stashes from that holiday weren’t gone when it was time for turkey and Thanksgiving.

Now, we stand on the precipice of the winter holiday season.  The stores have long ago begun the annual Christmas assault – putting up decorations and playing music the minute Halloween was over as if Thanksgiving didn’t even exist.  Radio stations are going Christmas Music 24-7.  Shoppers are crowding malls for deals (and getting a little too aggressive, I might add).

I feel like someone has pressed fast-forward on the world’s remote control.  Can someone please find it and hit pause for a bit?

Ok, maybe I can think about food a little bit.  Thanksgiving, to me, always means certain dishes.  It just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving otherwise.  Of course, one is turkey and another is stuffing.  The dish that most says “Thanksgiving” to me, though, is sweet potato casserole.

Growing up, my mother and I seemed to have a ritual.  Every year, she would make a sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows.  Every year, I would eat the marshmallows and leave the “yucky” sweet potatoes behind.  Every year, my mom would bug me to try a little bit of sweet potato.  I never would.

One year, I had enough of being bugged.  I decided to just give in, take a taste, and show my mother just how disgusting those sweet potatoes were.  I took a small bite and… loved them!  I couldn’t believe how great they tasted.  I went from skimming the casserole for the marshmallows to eating the whole thing.  (My portion, that is, not the entire casserole.)

My Aloha Friday question for today is: What Thanksgiving food brings back memories?

P.S. If you haven’t already, go visit FollowerHQ and let me know what you think of my Twitter application.

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #115

Here’s wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

First of all, zombies aren’t always calm, shuffling, hungry for brains folks.  Sometimes we can be quite angry.

Especially if we don’t get the brains.

Secondly, zombies can also be quite thoughtful.

Mostly, we’re thinking about how to catch more people with tasty, tasty brains.

Finally, you might think that zombies don’t have any heart.  While ours might not be beating, we still feel love.  Zombie love.

After this photo was taken, we dined on the photographer’s tasty brains…..  It was very romantic.

Well, I hope that’s cleared a few things up.  I’ve got to shuffle off now.  Here’s hoping you have a wonderful Halloween.

P.S. Remember to click on the photos for up close and personal zombie photos.  We promise not to jump out of your screen at you… Maybe.

P.P.S. Zombification is thanks to Google Plus’s new photo editing tools (powered by Picnik).