Christmas Cookies, The Burn Victim and My Fav Christmas Specials

Last night Allison baked Christmas cookies. She used my Grandmothers recipe for Snickerdoodles and Walnut Balls. The Snickerdoodles came out great. I haven't tried the Walnut Balls yet. She also made Ginger Snaps and Italian Rainbow Cookies. It's shocking to me that most Floridians have never heard of Rainbow Cookies. The NY transplants know what they are, but most native Floridians have no clue. Potato Knishes too. C'mon Florida! Wake up. You guys are missing out.

While she was baking cookies, she burned her fingers. I felt bad for her, but not too bad because it was her own fault. Before you attack me and say "that's your wife, the mother of your son, you better feel bad for her" hear me out. She burns herself almost every time she bakes. Instead of putting the oven mitts on her hands, she holds them from the outside and grabs the cookie sheet with the oven mitt folder over the side.

Every time she does this I tell her "you're gonna burn yourself, put your hands in the mitts." She tells me I'm crazy and carries on her way. Well last night she burnt 4 of her fingers using her method. It wasn't a bad burn, there is only a mark on one of her fingers this morning, but I don't get it. I'll put on the oven mitts if a plate in the microwave gets too hot. She's sticking her hands unprotected into a 350 degree oven. What's up with that? It's like using a power saw and wearing the safety glasses on top of your head.

I said to her last night "I'm very torn right now. I want to feel bad for you because you hurt yourself, but I also want to say I told you so." We laughed about it and I told her if she promises to put her hands inside the mitts I'd get her some new heavyweight oven mitts. She's thinking it over.

I have really been enjoying the Christmas specials and movies that have been on this month. I've given up my front that I am only watching them for Ben. Most of the time he is in bed while I'm watching them. I love Christmas specials. I can't wait for Ben to be old enough to watch them with me.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Twas the Night Before Christmas - The one with the clock tower and the mice. Kerplunk? Kerplouwie. Maybe I have something for clock tower. Back to the Future is one of my favorite movies and that has a clock tower in it too.
2. Yogi's First Christmas - This is a great cartoon too. It has all the Yogi characters in it. I haven't seen it on TV in a few Christmases. It might be time for a letter to ABC Family.
3. Christmas on Sesame Street - It starts out with the gang ice skating. They sing a bunch of awesome songs. What's the deal with Big Bird. He used to be the face of the franchise, but now it's all about Elmo and Abby Cadabby. When we were watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, there was an Abby Cadabby float. I said "what the heck is an Abby Cadabby?"
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas - How can a dog win a Christmas decorations outfit? I like when Linus does his speech and Charlie Brown's tree.
5. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer- She thinks I'm cuuuuute.
6. Frost the Snowman - Happy Birthday! I like the sounds when the rabbit jumps around too.
7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - It's awesome when he dresses up Max as a reindeer and when his heart grows 3 sizes and breaks the heart measuring device. I was pissed when they didn't do it in the Jim Carey version.
8. Emit Otter's Jug Band Christmas - This is another Jim Henson creation. I used to watch it all the time as a kid. I haven't seen it in a few years. There were some great songs like "Ain't no hole in the washtub" and "Riverbottom Nightmare Band"
9. John Denver & The Muppets Christmas - I don't remember much about this show, but I remember being very young and in the hospital for either a bloody nose or a problem with my ear. The jerk hole next to me had the remote and wanted to watch basketball. I saw this special but missed whatever was on next.

Stay tuned for some of my favorite holiday movies, but I'll leave you with this tonight. I think it's one of the funniest holiday bits ever done. From SNL it's Pete Schweddy Balls

Week 7 for Ben, What a week it was!

Ben turned 7 weeks old this week. He's getting so big and his cheeks have puffed out a little bit. He's looking cuter than ever.

This week had a crazy end to it. There was a shooting in an office building in Downtown Orlando. Allison and I used to work together downtown. I since have left and found another job, Allison was laid off and is currently unemployed. If anyone wants to hire her with a starting 6 figure salary, please leave a comment below. Anyway, being laid off is never a good thing, but I was glad she was safe at home and not locked down in her 16 story downtown office building. Next week Tropical Storm Ida is expected to hit Florida. Stay tuned for news on that one.

I noticed a difference in life before Ben this week, maybe even before marriage and life now. If you know me, you know about my hair. I used to use lots of gel. I styled my hair and it didn't move. I got it cut every 2 weeks and I made sure it looked good. Now if I got my hair cut every 2 weeks I'd ask if Allison heard bad news from the doctor and this was her way of breaking it to me. Ben is 7 weeks old and I've had 1 haircut since he's been born. I look ridiculous. I've been using Jim's dad from the movie"American Pie" as a comparison. "Don't forget your penis cream son"

In a simpler time before Ben and before Allison I would never NEVER be seen looking like this. I would call in sick to work or wear a hat if the job at the time would allow it. But now, oh well. I go to work, I go running, I take Ben places and I look like a schlemiel. It just doesn't matter what I look like anymore. I have nobody to impress and until Oprah calls for me big interview, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Speaking of taking Ben places, this morning we took him to Downtown Disney. First we met up with a longtime friend and his family for breakfast, then we went to Downtown Disney to look for Ben's first Christmas ornament. There is a store there that sells and customizes Christmas stuff year round. We did a few laps around the store and selected his ornament and stocking. Want to see them? Sorry, you have to wait until Christmas, well at least until the weekend after Thanksgiving when we decorate the house. You can trust me when I say they are awesome.
I tried to take pix of Benjamin with some Mickey Mouse and other character merchandise, but he was not cooperating. Mommy wasn't a big help with the photography today either, but still it was a good day. I think it's a preview of his first couple of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny pix. We did get a few good shots with the soldiers outside to make up for it.
Just like every other kid that goes to Disney, Benjamin came home and passed out. Get used to this kid, lots more of this in your future.