baby j

hi there. another xmas in jersey has come and gone and with much success. i have now seen where the recession has hit hardest: there was a noticeable cookie deficit this year. in past christmases, there have been plates and plates of homemade cookies on every surface area in the family kitchen. there were the classics, chocolate chip and gingerbread and the more unique ones with white chocolate and cranberries - this year, the volume was lacking and the cookie inventory was seriously sparse in comparison to past years. that being said, i think it's safe to say that i still managed to eat dozens of the cookies that did make the cut.


we went to church and i fudged my way through most of the songs, refusing to sing certain lines so as to maintain my jewhood. i know it's silly but it's my own personal crusade (ha) and it makes me feel like i'm preserving something - just not sure what - while still partaking. i didn't sit close enough to see baby j or his little manger family so i can't tell you if he was a cute thing or not. given that he's G-d's son, he's probably not half bad.


M. liked all his gifts, especially the giant tub of bazooka gum - 300 pieces! along the same lines, he gave me a very special gift, a year's sponsorship of a woman in a war-torn region. once i receive my welcome packet, i'll be able to start correspondence through letters and photos. seriously awesome.

mom and dad made the trek from ct to nj for xmas day. only one problem: they couldn't find a babysitter for the libby. this is a rare problem (naturally, because everyone wants their libby time) and it was either all 3 of them or none at all since you can't leave the pup without food or a bathroom break for so many hours. well, maybe you can, but not in my family. Despite not being "dog people." M.'s parents were kind enough to host our special furry friend. She was on her best behavior ("I give her an A+!!" said my mom), decked out in a holiday bow and waggin her tail all over the place, takin in new jersey one sniff at a time. a big thank you to M.'s wonderful family for being so welcoming to my human and (non-)human loved ones and to my parents for being a part of this new tradition that i hope will continue for many years. Did i mention my mom made a homemade challach for the occasion? challach on christmas = the new wave of religion.

for M.'s dad's birthday we ate at outback steakhouse, though none of us ordered steak. i would have opted for olive garden but it was not MY birthday. next time. anyways, it seems the resident jew of toms river, NJ was also dining at this fine establishment and was quite excited to see M. all growned up and with a bride on his arm. scratch that, she was not so pleased to meet me as she kept saying, in a very thick i dont even know what accent, "ohhhhh i wish you had mahhhhreeed my Tracey!" and "Oy, i'm dying! I wish my Tracey wuhd get mahhreed awwlready! Oh my gawd, i can't beleeeeeve it!" True story.

and thus ended our christmas escapade, rinse and repeat next year, give or take many nieces and nephews.