Tuesday, December 27, 2011

3 gifts! (but no...gold, frankincense and myrrh)

Tis the season to be giving! I've decided that I'm going to give all of you, some of my wisdom this festive week! To give away that which you don't have much of... oh BOY! that's truly a special gift! So get ready to jot this s**t down!! Some of our wisdom is passed down to us from our parents. Some of our social graces as well! For instance, it was my mom who instilled in me, that if you EVER visit someone without at least a piece of cake in your hand, you better prepare yourself for a visit to the bowels of hell as well. She also taught me to say please and thank-you and to send a thank you note when you receive a gift. HOWEVER, What she never taught me about but what I want to 'gift' to you today is... 'the day after phone call'. It was my friend Flora who passed on this warm social grace to me about 10 years ago! Many of you may already be practicing this one,(Your mom may have been one up on mine!! ) Good for you! (hopefully you will enjoy my other fabulous gifts...smartiepants!)

Any time we're invited to a home for a celebration (cake or lasagna in hand!!) Any time someone has us over for a dinner and especially a HOLIDAY dinner, where you know your hostess has killed herself to make this lovely visit possible... it's SO considerate/lovely/gracious/loving/friendly..... to make sure you CALL her the day after!!!
SO often, you sit with your significant other, reflecting on the day before .... "AWW Flora went to sooo much trouble, wasn't her shrimp scampi delicious? and she even used the good china!" so how wonderful is it to pick up the phone and TELL HER this!?? it's freaking wonderful! trust me! I can't believe HOW many years it took me to begin this crucial ritual!! I used to just say thank you as I hugged myself out their door. Whenever I host as I just did this past weekend and I DON'T get the day after phone call, I usually feel a bit disappointed until I remind myself that not EVERYONE has been gifted this amazing bit of kindhearted wisdom!! (so pass it on!)
Trust me... and try it next time! you will make your host feel so GReat!! (and great things you do ...always come back to you!) (If they're smart enough to learn from you doing it!!!)

GIFT #2!!- the easy knot!!! when my kids were too little to tie their shoes and their shoes were always untying, I learned how to do a knot that UNlike that damn DOUBLE knot that always frustrates and makes your nails split... will EASILY Pull apart when YOU'RE ready to untie!!! GREAT stuff here at Lucy's petals, NO??
step 1- make that first loop
step2- wrap the other lace around the first loop as you normally would but here comes...
STEP 3!- when you pull the lace around the first loop and into itself... CONTINUE until it's ALL the way thru! NOW....
step 4- make a loop with it (bunny ear for those still raising babies) and tie the two ears together!!! Unlike just tying two bunny ears together.... doing it my way allows for you to just pull One lace and it will ALL untie!!! (i bet NOTHING in your stocking was equivalent
to this one!) everyday as you do this NEW better way of tying...my name should fondly pass thru your brain!

Gift 3- OHIO. my acronym for ONly Handle it Once! Bills, thank you cards, thank you CALLS, dr.s appointments, replying to emails, rebate slips, filing, refilling scripts, following thru on anything!... GET IT DONE the first time you touch it, talk about it, THINK of it! If I didn't follow my OHIO rule, my life would be even more unorganized than it already is!

So...begin tying the lucy way NoW! then hurry up and call your Christmas hosts! OH... but wait! don't think you're popping back here later tonight...that never happens.... FIRST...drop me a comment!! and in case I don't get back to blogland (OHIO)Wishing you all a VERY healthy, fun, loving and FESTIVE NEW Year!





Sunday, December 04, 2011

the JOY in gift giving ;)

Having small children can really limit a couples intimacy time. When our boys were young, active and ALWAYS within earshot... mr. petals and I found a crafty way to grab some... eh hem... Alone time!
We happened upon it accidently... We were locked up in our bedroom frantically rushing, wrapping the kids Christmas gifts one sunday afternoon. Within a few minutes the boys were knocking and asked... what are u doing in there? Mr. Petals replied... 'We are wrapping presents and If you stay in the den and play nice together while we are in here, we will give you ONE early Christmas gift when we're done! Excitedly they complied and excitedly we stole some extra time to unwrap each other, rustling a little foiled reindeer paper here and there, in case one of those little monkeys decided to listen by the door! So began our little genius charade to rendezvous!
After the new year, we decided to collect tiny, inexpensive treasures and keep them in a shopping bag in our bedroom closet. Fun erasers, plastic soldiers, pogs, fancy pencils, yoyo's, pokeman cards... ALREADY wrapped, READY to go! Sexy mr. petals (also, always ready to go) adopted a new 'line' when he wrapped his loving arms around me... "want to go wrap some presents??" It was Amazing how quiet and well behaved our boys would stay when they thought we were 'wrapping gifts' for them! Quite an innocent fib and small price to help keep our marriages love light burning!

The boys are grown now. No more excuses needed for alone time for us, We are empty nesters! But during Christmas time I often get nostalgic so with a wink and a smile I cuddle up to mr. petals and ask...
"Want to wrap some presents??"