Outdoor Christmas Decorating

Natasha stood outside the front door as the snow fell. There were lights strung 

along the roof and around the posts. She wondered how

they would look when they were lighted. There was a full-size 

Santa on the door, his load of presents making him bend from the waist.

She remembered the witch that had stood there on Halloween.

Taming Natasha

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Make the outside of your home as ready for the holiday season as the inside with these outdoor Christmas decorating ideas.

Better Homes & Gardens

Easy Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make

On the table there was a papier-mâché reindeer with only one ear. 

Compliments of Freddie's second-grade art class.

Taming Natasha

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Yogendra Joshi, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Kids can show holiday spirit with their own handmade ornaments.

Better Homes & Gardens

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"Look at that," Ethan murmured, sliding a hand over Seth's hair as the boy bristled. "It's a picture of the house."

"Looks good," Phillip angled it to get a better view of the clever pencil sketch of the two-story house on the bay.

"Really good."

"It's no big deal."

"I decide what's a big deal around here," Cam kept a hand on Seth's shoulder as he studied the sketch. Yes, it was clever. The boy had talent. But more, it meant home. To all of them.

"And this qualifies. This is a very big deal. Who's it for?"

The Quinn's Christmas

Classes to teach dads

Amused, Spence lifted his own glass. "She wants her hair curled."

Natasha's puzzled look became a smile; she lifted a hand to her own. "Oh. That's sweet."

"Easy for you to say. I've just gotten the hang of pigtails."

To her surprise, Natasha could easily picture him patiently braiding the soft, flaxen tresses.

Taming Natasha

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By Brian Uhreen from Calgary, Canada - Camping with friends, CC BY 2.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74784202

Salon holds classes to teach dads how to style their daughters' hair

In a Facebook comment, the salon recommends bringing girls aged 10 and under for the class. Kayla White, manager and stylist at the salon, pointed out how men are sometimes just clueless when it comes to dealing with girls’ hair.

YAHOO!

To-Die-For Hot Chocolate Recipes

"You would like hot chocolate?"

Freddie was torn between the comfort of her father's hand and one of her favorite treats. 
And Nadia was smiling at her, not with that goofy look grown-ups sometimes put on 
when they had to talk to kids. It was a warm smile, just like Natasha's.

"Yes, ma'am."

Nadia gave a nod of approval at the child's manners. 
"Maybe you would like to come with me. 
I show you how to make it with big, fat marshmallows."

Taming Natasha

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When cold weather hits, there's little more soul-soothing than curling up with a cozy mug of hot chocolate. We've created several ways to make your cup of cocoa more decadent, including mix-ins, stir-ins, and of course marshmallows!

Better Homes & Gardens

Halloween standing Mummy

"Well, it is Halloween."

Charmed

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Public Domain, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4346137

So this Mummy idea is all over Pinterest so I had to give it a try.

INSTRUCTABLES

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It took them two hours to transform Spence's elegantly decorated living room into a spooky dungeon, fit for rats and screams of torture.

Black and orange crepe paper hung on the walls and ceiling. Angel-hair cobwebs draped the corners. A mummy, arms folded across its chest leaned in a corner.

Taming Natasha

Favorite thing about the holiday: "I love knowing what's coming."

Christmas Eve was the most beautiful day in the year as far as Natasha was concerned. It was a time to celebrate life and love and family.

The house was quiet when she came in. She was drawn to the tree and the light. She sent an angel spinning on one branch, then turned to study the room.

On the table there was a papier-mâché reindeer with only one ear. Compliments of Freddie's second-grade art class. Beside it stood a pudgy snowman holding a lantern. An exquisite porcelain crèche was displayed on the mantel. Beneath it hung four stockings. A fire crackled in the grate.

Taming Natasha

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I Lived Like I Was in a Hallmark Christmas Movie for a Week

I'm Thankful for:

Nora's Life and Gift  who fill my life - through her books - with amazing people, dreamy stories and the places  I live in while reading her books.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

"She's upstairs, watching the Macy's parade with Yuri."
"He never misses it. Nothing disappointed him more than when we grew too old to want to sit in his lap and watch the floats."


Taming Natasha

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By Sandra Lemaire / VOA - VOA, 

http://www.voanews.com/content/cheers-greet-giant-balloons-at-macys-thanksgiving-parade/1799824.html, 

Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29910714

These celebrities get just as jazzed about the time-honored tradition as the rest of us.

YAHOO!



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"I'm watching the parade with Papa. He can talk just like Donald Duck, and he lets me sit on his lap."
"I see." Leaning closer, Natasha took a sniff. There was the telltale fragrance of gumdrops lingering on Freddie's breath. "Does he still hog all the yellow ones?"
Freddie giggled, casting a quick, cautious look at her father. Spence had a much different view of gumdrops than Yuri. "It's okay. I like the red ones best."
"How many red ones?" Spence asked her.
Freddie lifted her shoulders and let them fall. It was, Spence noted with some amusement, almost a mirror image of Natasha's habitual gesture. "Not too many. Will you come up and watch with us?" She tugged at Natasha's hand. "It's almost time for Santa Claus."


Taming Natasha

What It's Like to Be a Single Dad

Their eyes met in the mirror again; he rested his chin on her shoulder. She smelled of the pale green soap she loved because it was shaped like a dinosaur. Her face was so much like his own, yet softer, finer, and to him infinitely beautiful.

"You could, but then tomorrow would be your first day of school. You'd still have butterflies."

"Butterflies?"

"Right here." He patted her tummy. "Doesn't it feel like butterflies dancing in there?''

That made her giggle. "Kind of."

"I've got them, too."

"Really?" Her eyes opened wide.

Taming Natasha

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By nerissa's ring (Flickr: girl, lost) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Parents are constantly shamed for their choices. From how we feed our children to how we educate them, everyone has an opinion. The result? Moms and dads feel endlessly judged for the choices they make — even if they have no other options. This week, families around the country are sharing their inspiring, funny, honest, and heartbreaking stories with Yahoo Parenting in an effort to spark conversations, a little compassion, and change in the way we think about parenting forever. Share your story with us — #NoShameParenting.

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Full-custody single dads are a growing group, with 24 percent of single-parent homes headed up by fathers — a ninefold increase since 1960,according to the Pew Research Center. But living that reality can still feel pretty lonely for the man managing everything for his family solo.

To find out what it’s like to be a single father, Yahoo Parenting sat down with 42-year-old Ian. 

YAHOO! Parenting

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"Dad." She giggled, as she always had, when he scooped her off her feet for a hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you. I've missed you." She blinked back tears she hadn't expected as she reached out for Natasha. "I've

missed you both so much."

"The house isn't the same without you." Natasha rocked in the tight embrace, then eased back. "But look at you! So sleek and polished. Spence, where's our little girl?"

"She's still in there." He bent to kiss Freddie again.

...

"You've accomplished a lot in less than a month," Spence pointed out. There was a little ache, just under his heart. He expected it would always be there when he thought of his baby living away from him. 

But there was pride, as well, and that was what showed in his eyes as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

Waiting for Nick

A fry-up DOES cure a hangover

Some swear by hair of the dog, others by a strong black coffee. 

But the best way to cure a hangover is to tuck into a fried breakfast, a leading researcher has claimed.  

DAILYMAIL

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Spence made his bleary-eyed way downstairs. He and the gray dog exchanged glances of sympathy.
Yuri had been generous with the vodka the night before, to guests and pets. At the moment, Spence felt as though a chain gang were chipping rock in his head. Operating on automatic, he found the kitchen, following the scents of baking, and blissfully, coffee.
Nadia took one look, laughed broadly and gestured to the table. "Sit." She poured a cup of coffee, strong and black. "Drink. I fix you breakfast."
Like a dying man, Spence clutched the cup in both hands. "Thanks. I don't want to put you out."
Nadia merely waved a hand as she reached for a cast-iron skillet. "I know a man with a hangover. Yuri poured you too much vodka."
"No. I took care of that all on my own." He opened the aspirin bottle she set on the table. "Bless you, Mrs. Stanislaski."
"Nadia. You call me Nadia when you get drunk in my house."
"I don't remember feeling like this since college." So saying he downed three aspirins. "I can't imagine why I thought it was fun at the time." He managed a weak smile. "Something smells wonderful."
"You will like my pies." She pushed fat sausages around in the skillet. "You met Alex last night."
"Yes." Spence didn't object when she filled his cup a second time. "That was cause enough for one more drink. You have a beautiful family, Nadia."
"They make me proud." She laughed as the sausage sizzled. "They make me worry. You know, you have daughter."
"Yes." He smiled at her, picturing what Natasha would look like in a quarter of a century.
"Natasha is the only one who moves far away. I worry most for her."
"She's very strong."
Nadia only nodded as she added eggs to the pan. "Are you patient, Spence?"
"I think so."
Nadia glanced over her shoulder. "Don't be too patient."
"Funny. Natasha once told me the same thing."
Pleased, Nadia popped bread into the toaster. "Smart girl."

The kitchen door swung open. Alex, dark, rumpled and heavy-eyed, grinned. "I smelled breakfast."


Taming Natasha

ground rules for dating a single dad

Freddie played with the edge of her blanket. "Will you come and see me when I'm not sick?"
"I think I might." She leaned over to make a grab and came up with a mewing kitten. "And to see Lucy and Desi."
"And Daddy."
Cautious, Natasha scratched the kitten's ears. "Yes, I suppose."
"You like him, don't you?"
"Yes. He's a very good teacher."
"He likes you, too." Freddie didn't add that she had seen her father kiss Natasha at the foot of her bed just the night before, when they'd thought she was asleep. Watching them had given her a funny feeling in her stomach. But after a minute it had been a good funny feeling. "Will you marry him and come and live with us?"
"Well, is that a proposal?" Natasha managed to smile. "I think it's nice that you'd want me to, but I'm only friends with your daddy. Like I'm friends with you."
"If you came to live with us, we'd still be friends."
The child, Natasha reflected, was as clever as her father.

Taming Natasha

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Great news: You just met a wonderful guy! ... Yes, you’re dating a divorced dad, and he’s a tricky species, indeed. Whatever rules you’ve applied to dating in the past, just throw them out the window. Because when it comes to having a relationship with a man who has kids, you’ll need to follow a whole new set of guidelines.

YAHOO!

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"And you've done everything you can to give him a happy and normal life. Don't you see how much I admire that? How much I respect it?"
Flustered, he stared at her. He'd never thought of parenting as admirable. "It's what I'm supposed to do.
Thinking of him first, that's how it has to be. It's not just you and me, Kate. If it were… but it's not. A change like this—a life-altering one—he has to be in on it."
"And who's saying differently?" she demanded.
"Well, damn it. I can't just go tell him I'm getting married, just like that. I need to talk to him about it, prepare him. So do you. That's the kind of thing you'd be taking on. He needs to be as sure of you as he is of me."
"For heaven's sake, O'Connell, don't you think I've taken all of that into account? You've known me for months now. You ought to be able to give me more credit."
"It's not a matter of—"
"It was Jack who asked me to marry you in the first place."
Brody stared into her flushed and furious face, then held up his hands. "I have to sit down." He backed up, dropped down on a flattened stump. Because the dog was shoving the rope into his lap, Brody tossed it. "What did you just say?"
"Am I speaking English?" she demanded. "Jack proposed to me yesterday. Apparently he doesn't have as much trouble making up his mind as his father. He asked me to marry you, both of you. And I've never had a lovelier offer."

 

Considering Kate

Happy Thanksgiving

"So what's to eat?" 

Too much, Spence decided as the family gathered around the table late that afternoon.

The huge turkey in the center of the hand-crocheted tablecloth was only the beginning. Faithful to her adopted country's holiday, Nadia had prepared a meal that was an American tradition from the chestnut dressing to the pumpkin pies. 

Wide-eyed, Freddie gawked, staring at platter after platter. The room was full of noise as everyone talked over and around everyone else. The china was mismatched. Old Sasha lay sprawled under the table near her feet, hoping for a few unobtrusive handouts.

She was sitting on a wobbly chair and the New York Yellow Pages.

As far as she was concerned, it was the best day of her life.

Nadia, her cheeks rosy with the pleasure of having her family together, slipped a hand into Yuri's as he lifted his glass. 

"Enough," he said, and effectively silenced the table.

"You can argue later about who let white mice loose in science lab. Now we toast. We are thankful for this food that Nadia and my girls have fixed for us. And more thankful for the friends and family who are here together to enjoy it. We give thanks, as we did on our first Thanksgiving in our country, that we are free."

"To freedom," Mikhail said as he lifted his glass.

"To freedom," Yuri agreed. His eyes misted and he looked around the table. 

"And to family."

Taming Natasha