Weekly Winners: December 13-20

'Tis the season, of course, and here at Casa de Planet, we celebrate in the usual way.

Light the candles:

Our Hanukkah menorah in full bloom

Silver bells ...

No, this is not our tree (we don't have one!!),

but I do enjoy the one in the lobby at work. Purdy!

Orange bugs:

Our fave-rave Chinese restaurant serves up dessert oranges

as ... um ... grasshoppers? scorpions? crabs? Bueller??

My beautiful baby:

Competition season is in full swing.

No airborne photos yet, but it's early!

Eye see you:

Thanks for visiting ... Now go see the lovely Lotus for more photos and Weekly Winner participants.

In which I demonstrate my emotional incontinence

It's official.

I am a dork.

Yep. No question about it. Not to drag out the celebration of my birthday into its second week, but the present from my daughter is proof positive of my dorkitude.

You see, I knew what I wanted her to give me for my birthday. In fact, I set the machinery in motion just to make sure it happened.

"Oh, Wonderhubby," I said about a month and half ahead of time. "There is something that I want for my birthday from Roo, and I need you to make it happen."

"Uh ..." he said, looking a little pale.

"It will require you to be just a little sneaky," I continued. "Do you think you can handle this?"

"Uh ..." he repeated, looking a little panicky.

"Because it's something I could very easily buy for myself, but I want it to come from her," I explained.

"Uh ..."

So I told him what it was.

"How do I make THAT happen?" he asked. "Why would she ask me for ideas?"

"Easy," I chirped. "Just go to her and ask HER for help with picking out something from YOU."

"Uh ..."

"And then you can offer up an idea that you just KNOW that I would like from HER."

"Uh ..."

So I waited.

And waited.

Until ...

"Hello, birthday grrrrrl," Roo chirped on first thing in the morning on the day in question.

I smiled at her enthusiasm for my birthday even at 7 a.m.

"Wait!" She disappeared briefly into her room and reappeared with a little package, wrapped in purple ribbon, in her hand.

"Here!" she said, pushing the package at me with a giant smile on her face. "Open it!"

I did.

And I pulled out a little megaphone charm.

The same one the varsity cheerleaders wear.

And in spite of the fact that I knew it was coming ...

In spite of the fact that I had, in reality, manipulated the entire affair ...

I looked at my daughter's shining, grinning face as she happily and lovingly bestowed upon me a symbol of my importance in her world ...

And I cried.

I am a dork.

Birthday dinner: the mama-san edition

You knew it had to happen.

It was my birthday, after all. So did you expect anything less than birthday dinner chez Planet?

J-bear was absent (a dirt-biking accident delayed her arrival until after), as was Fabulous Girlfriend, but the rest of the bunch were in rare form.

Evil Mother: You know what would be really funny? If Roo went to Starbucks and gave her name as "Mary Kate" ... and then watch what happens.

*You must admit there is a certain resemblance to the Olsen girls. People tell her this all. the. time.*

The Roo-girl: Bwahahahaha! Yeah, that would be cool.

Z-man and Drama King: *joining in the laughter*

Rocky: Really?

Evil Mother: Yes, but she looks like what they would have looked like if they weren't all coked up and stuff.

Rocky: I must admit I don't really know what they look like.

Evil Mother: *grabbing her iPhone and Googling for an appropriate Olsen girls photo* Like this ...

Rocky: Ohhh, yeah, I can see it.

Drummer Man: *leaning over to look at what Rocky is looking at* Oh, is that a photo of Roo-girl?

Everyone else: *hysterical laughter*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A trip down memory lane of things the kids used to watch, sing or play led to this exchange about the original "Peter Pan" with Mary Martin. (It's available on Youtube in multiple parts. Look it up. It's a classic.)

Evil Mother: Remember when you guys saw it? It was rereleased on TV, and I brought a review copy home. The TV critic reviewed it, and I wrote a story about how my boys watched it and -- even in the age of "Star Wars" and special effects -- they still loved it.

Drama King: I remember that. You could see the strings when they flew.

Evil Mother: That didn't stop you from clapping your hands and saying, "I believe in fairies!"

*pregnant pause*
Drama King: *patting Rocky on the head* I DO believe in fairies. And here he is!!!

Evil Mother: Snort.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Drama King: *stands up to leave the table*

Evil Mother: Where ya goin', huh? Huh? Huh??

Drama King: To pee. You want to come with me?

Evil Mother: Ah, no thanks.

The Roo-girl: You've seen it before.

Evil Mother: It's been a long, long time, and I'm ok with not seeing it again.

The Roo-girl: *snicker*

Evil Mother: *continuing our trip down memory lane* He potty-trained really easily cuz he watched his big brother and wanted to be like him.

Drummer Man: Yeah, I remember we used to cross streams.

Evil Mother: You did WHAT? Never mind. I don't want to know.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And for our last trick, we have Drama King's parting words to Drummer Man as he reached out and pinched his brother on the chest.

Drama King: BOOBIES!!!!!!

Evil Mother: Please tell me you didn't just do that.

Rocky: Oh yeah, it's what he does. Trust me.

The Roo-girl: What? Why?

Evil Mother: Just as long as he doesn't do it to YOU.

The Roo-girl: Uh ... yeah.

*The end*

The gray in my hair is totally earned

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I was 39, in LURVE ... and pregnant.

(Continued at Mid-Century Modern Moms)

Weekly Winners: December 6-12

Hi! Miss me? I have been absent from Weekly Winners for almost a month. Why? Who knows. My camera and I were on a bit of a hiatus, I guess. But the start of the holiday season -- and the beginning of Hanukkah -- brings me back to the fold.

So without further ado, here's a little bit of this, a little bit of that ... starting with Hanukkah chez Planet of Janet.

Latkes in the oven:

Seriously, people. Trader Joe's latkes. I'll never grate or fry again!!

... And onto the table -- YUM!!


Roo lights the lights for the first night:

Please notice the fine china for dinner on Friday night! Heh.

It's raining! WHOOHOOO!


Even in winter, a little piece of spring appears:


The first official look at Roo's "new" room:

Look very carefully on the left and you'll see her collection of "Twilight" hardback books.
And yes, that's a pretty close approximation of the real color of the walls!

Competition season has begun:

What? You thought I was done with cheer photos? HA!

Roo in the jump-off:

Thanks for visiting ... Now go see the lovely Lotus for more photos and Weekly Winner participants.

Happy birthday to ... ME!

Today is yet another anniversary of my 21st birthday.

(And yes, that does mean there will be birthday dinner in a few days. Let the rejoicing begin. Heh.)

Now for my present ... just leave me a comment. I only ask twice a year -- my blogoversary and my birthday. So please delurk and wish me happy birthday ... or just say hi.

I like to know you're out there.

Love n kisses ...

Everything always comes out ok in the end

Z-man underwent a little medical procedure yesterday. Its genesis goes back to this, so you can figure it all out for yourself.

It reminded me of that old Jewish joke that a minor surgery is surgery that happens to somebody else.

But mostly it was just a pain in the butt.

Anyway, when all was said and done, everything was fine.

Which is why I can share this story of the aftermath.

Z-man: What are those drugs you gave me? That is some good stuff.

Nurse in recovery room: Propofol.

Z-man: I gotta write that down ...

Nurse: It's the stuff that Michael Jackson was taking.

Z-man: Ohhhhh. This is goooooood! Now I understand why he did that!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nurse: You might pass a little air. That's normal.

Z-man: You got THAT right!!!!

Evil Mother: *snicker*

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nurse: Now you can't drive or operate heavy machinery ... or power tools.

Z-man: Aw, hell, I was gonna see if Wonderhubby could lend me a chain saw.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In preparation for this day, Z was on a liquid diet for about three days. Can you say STARVING?

Z-man: *pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket* So I've put together a short list of what I want to eat right now.

Evil Mother: Bwahahahahahahaha!

Z-man: *reading* A big bag of Ruffles potato chips, an omelet, turkey bacon, bagel and cream cheese and edamame.

Evil Mother: Ruffles?

Z-man: Oh yeah. I've been dreaming about them for two days.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Evil Mother: *TOTALLY earning her name* I suggest you don't put anything up there that ... uh ...

Z-man: Well, DUH.

Evil Mother: No zucchinis or ...

Z-man: Jeez, mom. You know you can get toxic shock from carrots ...

Evil Mother: *totally choking with laughter* No, I had no idea. Where DO you get this stuff?

Z-man: *smirks*

Evil Mother: Never mind. I don't want to know.


And no, we really don't. Really.