The Shopping Ninja, Amongst Other Things

Happy Leap Day! We have had lots of fun here at The Pizza Palace over the last week or so. My beautiful and talented mother came to visit from her home in upstate NY. She helped me prepare for my “Pink Couch Party” and she also took Phoebe on a birthday shopping spree.

Here she is in the candy store making sure my kid was properly sugared up.

Phoebe got the biggest pixie stix type thing that should be allowed by law. I was very proud of my sweet and humble girl. I whispered into her ear,”Let’s avoid any ‘I want an Oompa Loompa NOW, Daddy!’ type scenes.” She responded by mutely standing in front of the toys she liked until someone took notice, blushing all the while. She is in the no pink, no glitter and no frou-frou stage, choosing a well-made LL Bean bathing suit, a real chemistry set with parental warnings of eminent death and destruction, a remote controlled helicopter, and a Big Nate book.

Nevie and Phoebe are so funny in how different their shopping styles are. Nevie jumps into the sport of it, oohing and aahing, touching fabrics and always knowing what to get for each person, what color their eyes are and where to find a coupon. Even Bob has commented on the marvel of it. She really does always find the perfect thing. There is a constant dialogue and much skipping. Phoebe, in contrast, shops like a ninja. Silently she enters a store, eyes scanning like a hawk. You must follow and wait, for you will hear one of only two responses,” There is nothing I want,” or,”This one is good.” I have brought my little ninja into huge department stores full of all sorts of buzzy gigaws, following behind the silent ninja, only to hear,”There is nothing I want.” Phoebe was born a zen master without attachment.

Ooh, a zen master with a chemistry set, what do you think will happen next?

Let’s talk about the party! I had one, and I was so busy having a good time that I forgot to take pictures. My plan was to have a series of pics of friends-upon-couch. It was a Tastefully Simple tasting party, so we had lots of things to try and about twenty ladies and kids joined us. Yes! In my little apartment. The kids were entertained by building houses out of toothpicks and marshmallows. Everyone was shocked and awed by the giant rabbit. At the last minute I put a folding table over my bed and set up the drinks there. This was great because the guests came in, put their coats on the bed, grabbed a drink, and continued on to the livingroom to mingle.

This would probably help out anyone who is entertaining in a small space, and I will definitely use this setup again.

I was so happy that people actually showed up. I’ve been really cautious about having people in the house since my custody battle. I always felt not “good enough” or “not safe”, like a mother bird hiding her nest. As a result, many of my good friends had never been inside. I think that they thought I had a marijuana farm in here! This year my resolution was to Get Over It. Seriously, it has been quite long enough! Now, if only I could be free of the doorbell phobia…

Crocus are blooming here, which they shouldn’t be for another month. Winter just never arrived. We have more of a Paris/Londony type of thing with the constant drip and the grey that seeps down into the crevices of your very soul. What? Spellcheck says Paris/Londony is not a word?! That’s right. I invented
it.

I hope things are all swimmy for you on this Leap Day.

Love and Light,
Your Friend,
Hil