Monday, November 18, 2013

Talking Turkey

My mind flew all over the place. I might have talked up this craft thing a bit much. I possess no gift for glitter and glue. In fact, it makes me a tad nervous.

But my friend Lisa had just taught a Thanksgiving song to our four enthusiastic preschoolers and toddler, and I couldn't resist the great segue.

And a mother is obliged to help her little turkeys spread their wings.

And I had a lot of toilet paper rolls ready for recycling.

The kids were all giggles and excitement. The baby loaded wiggly eyes in her mouth. The preschoolers grappled for the too-few scissors.

I panicked.

Clasping my hands, I tried to look more delighted than desperate. "Next, we're going to trace each others hands!" My knuckles were white. Might they jab each other with the giant pencils?

Nope.

The big brothers traced their sisters' dimpled little hands. The little sisters traced their brothers'. They cut some paper and smeared some glue before skedaddling off to dump boxes and rummage through book shelves and wrestle.

I wanted to quit more than once, but Lisa powered through. So I did, too.

Let me introduce you to our turkey:





Yes, that's a turkey.

I got the idea on Pinterest. It was supposed to look different.

Of course.

Pinterest: the place where moms everywhere "pin" their delusions of grandeur.

According to the many photos on Pinterest, our art should look more like a bird and less like some modern statement of the cock-eyed insanity that is the holiday season.

But that's why I love it.

The messy parts make life memorable and unique. Striving for perfect Pinterest holidays or prime-time tv ideal ultimately leads to disappointment. Reality can not live up to the fantasy.

During holiday season 2013, I plan to embrace the cock-eyed individuality of the moment. This year, I hope to find beauty and happiness and thankfulness in the authentic.

How about you?  Have you ever had a fantasy holiday/event/moment turned upside down...and been happier for it? Tell me about it.

If you'd like to focus on stress-busting this holiday season, check out Dr. Lisa Marotta's series on her blog here.


8 comments:

  1. You are too funny. I didn't get a picture of ours before giving it to my dad. Up for round two?

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    1. I have a picture of yours. I almost posted it, but it actually looks like the ones on Pinterest.

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    2. I wanted to make a Pin of your post, but I'm not finding the link to share on Pinterest, am I missing it somehow?

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  2. Things we make with our own hands or in a group with others, I think, take on a spiritual quality that is very powerful. It's these things that can lead us into feeling and being part of the tribe. I have several icons of paper, even notes and poems I wrote to my mother that mean so much today. And those little handprints are priceless. I have a silhouette made of my nieces profile when she was in kindergarten. It's priceless.

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  3. niece's (OWPA : Obsessed With Punctuation Anonymous)

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  4. I love your representation of the "cockeyed insanity that is the holiday season." At first I thought the turkey looked funny - then I read that line and realized it's the most realistic portrait I've ever seen!

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  5. Reminds me of the Island of Misfit Toys, which to me always seemed like a much cooler place than some kid's toybox. :D

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  6. LOVE the turkey! And I knew what it was the minute I saw it.

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