Those Nine Months...

Zoey's Attic Infant Gowns

When I was a younger I detested the Fall! Summer vacation was over, school had started and it seemed the following nine months of the school year would never end! The funny thing, I think, is that those nine months were actually preparing me in a weird way emotionally and psychologically for a future nine months of pregnancy! When I think about it, those first few months of the new school year, while somewhat exciting, were actually pretty rough getting back into the routine of all day school and homework. A busy and very tiring time for sure and oddly paralleling that difficult first trimester. Then things settle a bit with lots of excitement and anticipation as the holidays approach. Seems a bit like a long winter's nap with energy finally ramping up again... oddly similar to that second trimester. Then Spring fever sets in and I would start to get antsy and couldn't wait until the school year was finally over. Ha! Just like that third trimester! So funny, I never thought to compare a kid's school year with a gestation period, but it really mirrors a similar path. And the one thing I truly loved at the end of the school year was the annual school picnic! New outfits were top priority for this super fun day! Funny again, the arrival of the baby after a seemingly never ending nine months culminates in the biggest event of all! Of course, a new homecoming gown is a must for the precious new little one! Zoey's Attic can help. Zoey's infant gowns and sibling sets with tiny bodysuits for the new arrival add such a special touch to this joyous occasion and are so perfect for memory making photo ops!

Zoey's Attic Sibling Sets

Festive Holiday Drink Ideas Needed!

Red Wine Sangria Punch
photo courtesy of epicuria.free.fr

So I'm thinking ahead to Thanksgiving and I need your suggestions. I love hosting holidays in my home, and I especially love decorating the holiday table. I also try to use my "good" china, silver, and crystal whenever possible. I figure I didn't put it on my wedding registry just so I can look at it setting so pretty in the china cabinet, so why not use it! And, over the years I have collected many festive centerpieces and serving dishes which add so much to the holiday table decorum. The menus are basically the same year after year except for the varying (and sometimes experimental!) side dishes. Turkey is always served on Thanksgiving, filet mignon steaks and roast beef are the main entrees for Christmas, and Easter brings a variety of barbecued meats including chicken, ribs, and hamburgers for the kiddos. For the accompanying side dishes I like to make recipes that can be prepared in advance, refrigerated overnight, and then baked, microwaved, or tossed just prior to serving. This plan allows me extra time to visit with our guests. Additionally, another time saver is having an alcoholic punch for the adults and a non-alcoholic drink for the children (and adults too!) readily available for the guests. These drinks can be made in batches ahead of the big day and also allows for easy serving of drinks. Anyone can just help themselves when a refill is needed. I've served a red wine sangria punch for Christmas and a white wine sangria punch garnished with lemons, lime, and strawberries at Easter. The kiddos always request frozen non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiris which I keep in the freezer year round! I also make sure to have several cans of whipped cream available to top off the frozen daiquiri. And depending on the holiday, the kids also love when festive stirrers and straws are included with the drink.  The local Dollar Tree Store is a good source for holiday drink accessories.  I've even found adorable bunny glasses to serve the frozen drinks. They look so cute when topped with a mound of whipped cream!  So this year  I'm looking for a special alcoholic and also a non-alcoholic drink appropriate for the Thanksgiving holiday that can be made in advance and can easily be served. I did find a recipe for an apple cider punch that looks interesting and tasty, but would love your suggestions too. And, if you're also looking for a Fall themed shirt or bodysuit and leg warmer set for your little one for the Thanksgiving holiday, Zoey's Attic can help!

We Remember

Tomorrow is September 11th. Of course this date has no significant meaning to the current post millennial generation, but to members of previous generations it is a day which will never be forgotten.  It is interesting how certain events in history are forever etched in one's mind as well as the psyche of the nation as a whole.  I know my own parents remember every personal detail of December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor which led to the United States' entry into World War II. In the same manor I can recall each and every defining moment of November 22, 1963... the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.  To this very day I remember the exact moment I first heard our President had been shot, to praying with the entire school family gathered together in our Parish church, to exiting the school bus and walking the remaining distance in the cold rain to the safety of my own home and my mother's welcoming arms.  As a family we watched the continuing news reports on our black and white television. Quite unlike the 24/7 news coverage of the current day! I even remember being huddled around the TV set in our living room when Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the prime suspect in the murder of our President.  Our country again faced the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 8, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. Then once again on June 8th of the same year our Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, brother of the late President, was killed in Los Angeles, California. Time stood still and the aformentioned tragedies are forever ingrained in my memory. As the years moved forward we then watched and read in the local newspapers and national publications the horrors of the Viet Nam War. However, there is not a single particular date relating to this conflict that stands out in my mind. And then so many years later, feeling carefree and enjoying life, it happened... the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  Many moments from that day are so deeply embedded in my mind, my heart, my soul... watching the Today Show from the comfort of my family room as the first and then second planes hit the World Trade Center Towers in New York City, then the moment of panic as I learned the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia had also been attacked, and finally the stunning revelation that Flight 93 carrying 40 brave passengers and crew had crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Remembering the innocence of life lost due to the careless ways and misunderstandings of our fellow man. Seeking the day when all mankind will learn to live in peaceful coexistence.