Motherhood Mondays: What family traditions do you have during the holidays?

What are your family traditions around the holidays? When we were growing up, my parents would light angel chimes at the dinner table, and the heat from the candles would make the angels spin around and ring the bells. That little "ding, ding, ding" sound still makes me feel so warm and cozy...

Toby is two-and-a-half years old, so this is the first holiday that he'll really understand. I've been thinking so much recently about the value of rituals, and I'd love to create some for our family. So angel chimes are the very first holiday tradition we're starting with him.

Does your family light angel chimes? (Apparently, angel chimes are actually Swedish, but they were introduced to America about fifty years ago.) What other holiday family traditions do you have? A big Christmas Eve dinner? Homemade stockings? Super spiked egg nog? I'd love to hear—and get ideas!

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Hurricane week: photos

How are you all doing? Is everyone OK after the hurricane? The photos of the aftermath have been shocking, and we've been thinking so much about everyone who was affected. How devastating for those who lost their homes, and this story was utterly heartbreaking. We feel so, so lucky to have gotten through the hurricane unscathed. Lower Manhattan still doesn't have power, so our apartment is pitch black, but we're safe and fine. Here are a few of our photos from this crazy week, if you'd like to see...
On Monday, the day the hurricane was heading our way, Toby and I went for a little morning walk around our neighborhood, along with his Thomas-the-Tank-Engine umbrella and a peanut butter sandwich. I wanted to give him a run-around before we got stuck inside for a couple days. His enthusiasm was contagious. Little kids can be so blissfully (and beautifully) unaware.
During our walk, most businesses were closed, except for the pizza place (hurray! of course we ordered a large) and the children's pharmacy, which has a train table. Party at 10am! As a special treat, Toby was allowed to have a purple lollipop, which basically made his whole life.
That afternoon, the rain started, and trees bent over almost halfway in the wind. We ran over to our neighbors' house, where they built a fire and made Negronis and pasta. Toby and their one-year-old daughter spent the afternoon running up and down their hallway and...that's pretty much it. They loved that hallway.
That night, we ran back across the rainy street to our house, and the power went out shortly afterward. We lit candles (including this pumpkin one, which is officially The Coziest Candle in Candle History) and Toby fell fast asleep with his adorable little tractor PJs sticking right up in the air.

The only real bummer was having to throw out everything in our fridge, as Toby was dismayed not to have his morning and bedtime milk. The next morning, I gave him a sippy cup filled with orange juice instead, and tried to make it sound exciting: "Toby! I have a special treat for you! Juice for breakfast! Just like at Meriwether's house!" But after smiling indulgently, he said, matter of factly, "Mat." (=Milk). I was like, "Well, we actually get to drink juice today!" His reply: "Mat." He would not be fooled.
Yesterday, Alex and I walked up to his office in midtown, which had power, so we could check emails, work and recharge our electronics. A whole conference room ended up being dedicated to displaced spouses.
We grabbed Chinese food after work, and everything felt almost normal. But the cab ride home was SPOOKY. As we drove below 31st Street, the city plunged into complete darkness (you can see the view from the taxi window, above). The buildings were towering gray shapes against the moonlight. Suddenly nervous, I asked Alex if we were crazy to go back home, but there were lots of people walking around with flashlights, and a general feel of camaraderie, so we forged ahead.
The French restaurant down our street was actually open! Glowing with flickering candles, the room looked really romantic, and couples were enjoying wine and sandwiches.
Meanwhile, we all agreed that the best decision was for Toby and his beloved babysitter Naudia to take a cab to her apartment in Brooklyn, which had power, so they could have a sleepover! He was so excited.
Naudia was SO sweet and bought a clown costume from a drugstore so they could go trick-or-treating. Toby was Mr. Clown, and she was Mrs. Clown. His friend was a dinosaur. I almost keeled over from the cuteness of her photos, and then almost burst into tears because I wanted to beam myself there so much. How delicious does he look? I can't wait to hear Toby's full recap of the night. We chatted quickly on the phone this morning, after he woke up, and he kept saying, "Silly! Fun!"

Really hope you are all doing OK and hanging in there! Here are a few more photos from the news...
And did you see this rainbow arched over the city after the hurricane? Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the storm. Here's a great list of ways to help. All our best wishes to you and your loved ones. xoxo

P.S. I'm bumping the challenge series to next week, thank you! xoxo

(Bottom news photos from The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, Gothamist, MTA's flickr stream, Inga, Reuters/Lucas Jackson and Andjelicaaa's Instagram)

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Husband moment

Alex just asked me—totally seriously—if he would "jinx" the game if he put on his SF Giants baseball hat.

#sportsmakepeopleweird

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Fall Challenge #1: No TV for a week (how'd you do?)

Last Thursday, I wrote about doing weekly fall challenges (think: write a handwritten letter, go see a movie alone) and was psyched that you guys were up for it. So, the first challenge was to NOT watch TV for one week. How did you do? Here's our recap...
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British words

Alex just wrote a funny article about how Americans, more than ever, are adopting British words in conversations (think: "rubbish," "mates," "cheers"). It made me laugh out loud. Do you say British words? I, for one, am totally busted.

Read the full article here.

(Illustration by Adam McCauley for the NYTimes)

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Challenge: Cook every night this month

Alex is usually the chef in our family, but...
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Vacation photos: Capri

Last week, Alex and I took a four-day getaway to Capri, Italy. (Here's why:) Have you ever been there? What a magical place! I'd love to share a few photos, if you'd like to see...
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Our third anniversary

Alex is definitely nicer than I am. Here's why...
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Do or Don't: Scheduling sex

So. Alex and I have started a new thing...
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Making friends as an adult

Alex wrote an article for last Sunday's New York Times about how hard it can be to make close friends in your thirties and forties. The astonishing thing is what a nerve his story has hit. The article has been viewed a gazillion times and is getting a record number of comments. It's fascinating to realize how many people feel the same way.

Read the story here, if you'd like, and weigh in: Have you, too, found it hard to make new friends after college? Do you wish you had more close friends these days? Do you ever find it awkward to "ask someone out"?

P.S. Seinfeld's take. :)

(Illustrations by Roman Muradov for the New York Times)

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Vacation photos: Chicago and Michigan

We just got back from a week-long trip to Chicago and Michigan to visit my parents. We hadn't spent much time in Chicago before (thanks again for your advice!) so it was awesome to explore all the neighborhoods. Here's what we did...
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Are you a city mouse or country mouse?

Toby is a born-and-bred city kid (who knows how to hail a cab and wear tattoos), but this Saturday, we decided to escape to the country...
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