Tree Time: Norwegian Butter Cookies

Because we were so busy last weekend, we saved the tree decorating for this weekend.  Especially with predictions of rain on the horizon.  So while the weather outside was frightful, we were inside, warm and cozy, sipping egg nog, decorating our tree, and watching Polar Express.

Thatbaby loved helping to decorate the tree.  Every ornament we unwrapped was met with a gasp and a "YOOK DADA!"  As he placed the ornaments on the tree (most of them on the same branch) he announced with pride "I do it self!"

We braved the elements that evening to head over to the Pirates' holiday party. Thatbaby helped me make a little holiday treat to bring over.  During this time of year, you may notice the blue tin of Danish butter cookies tends to make its appearance in supermarkets.  I don't tie these cookies in to the holidays, to me they remind me of visiting my grandfather in the hospital, they were his favorite.  But apparently they're associated with Christmas.  I've been dying to try the Norwegian Butter Cookies in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook to see how they stack up, and this seemed like a good time to try them.

These are another one of my highly recommended "make with toddlers" recipes because it doesn't contain any raw egg.  Because if your toddler is anything like mine, they spend a lot of time "helping" by tasting the batter.

These ended up just as I had imagined!  Sweet little buttery bites.  They're a fantastic holiday treat, and you make them as big or small as you like.  I like mine bite sized, because I don't feel as guilty popping one in my mouth...every time I pass them.

Norwegian Butter Cookies (The Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

1/4 lb butter

2 hardboiled egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375.  Cream the butter in an electric mixture.
2. Add the egg yolks and beat well.
3. Beat in the sugar.
4. Add the flour and vanilla extract and combine thoroughly.
5. Arrange by teaspoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.

Chanukah Wrap(Up): Chicken in White Wine Sauce

I was telling Thatboy over the weekend that I'm kind of enjoying one holiday rolling right into the other, even if it is a little stressful.  But with Chanukah being over so early, and me diving right into the Christmas season, I realize I kind of glossed over holiday.

We definitely celebrated!  Thatbaby has gotten into the habit of asking for presents every night.  

We lit the candles each night and sang the blessing.  Thatbaby, who loves to sing, caught on to the blessing fairly quickly, but only chimed in on the very last syllable - KAH!

He also had his Chanukah concert at school last week.  Thatmom came down, and he was so excited.  His teachers talked about how into it he was during rehearsal, how he had every move down.  He spoke all week about how he was going to "sing so loud [for] grandma."

But when his time to shine arose, all he wanted was mama.  Tears aplenty, he spent all of the first song quitely sobbing on stage once I finally agreed to go up with him.  He pulled it together for the second song, and was all smiles by the time he got to join Thatboy and Thatmom.

In the spirit of continuing the Jewish celebration, I had signed us up to bring home the "Shabbat bag" from his classroom that week.  It's a bag that consists of a wine glass, candles and candlesticks, a prayerbook, and some books.

When we got home, we set it up, along with another challah I made and did a little family Shabbat.  Followed by Shabbat dinner.  I'm not sure where I picked it up, but for me, the idea of Shabbat dinner always involves chicken.  This chicken is a little labor intensive, but for some reason that makes it seem good for a special night dinner.

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

2 Tbsp butter

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

2 oz pancetta

3/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup chicken stock

3 Tbsp heavy cream

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown the chicken for about 10 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta to the chicken fat in the skillet and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add the wine, chicken stock, and chicken to the pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for another 20 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce.
5. Remove from heat and add the cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  
6. Plate the chicken and spoon the sauce over.

Raindrops on Roses: Pepperoni Spinach Wraps

I've done a bunch of posts about things that Thatbaby loves, but with this being a gift giving time of year, I thought maybe I'd post some things I'm loving right now in case you're stumped for ideas in your own wishlist.  I will readily admit that some of these were on my wishlist, and I received them for Chanukah.  If you're interested in the other things on my wishlist, or things Thatboy got for Chanukah because you're stumped on guy gift ideas let me know and I can share those too.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Passion Fruit

I love lipgloss.  But I don't love having lipgloss in my hair.  Or having to reapply it all the time.  So I'm very picky about lipglosses in general.  I don't wear it on a daily basis, but I like the gloss it gives for special events.  This is my favorite for the holiday season.  This pinky coral isn't too baby-doll pink, but it also isn't too summery.  I like the shimmer, which to me is perfect for holiday parties.  And importantly, it isn't sticky and goopy.  

Yves Saint Laurent Rebel Nudes Lip Stain in Beige Anarchiste

On the other end of the spectrum, are lip stains.  Which last forever, but are also ridiculously matte and dry.  Except this one is like a gloss stain hybrid.  The applicator is more gloss-like than your typical stain, and the formula itself is liquidy.  Typically I love wine stains, especially in the winter, but this pinky beige is one of those "can't go wrong" shades.  I tend to go mauve when it comes to both nails and nudes.  And while I save glosses for parties and dress up events, this stain is perfect for every day use.  It's like a French manicure for the lips.  Just  little better than natural.

St. Ives Pear Bodywash

I have a thing for pear.  It all started with Bath and Body Work's Juicy Pear.  Do you remember Juicy Pear?  Of course you do.  It was THE flavor to have on everything - bodywash, body spray, body lotion.  Aaaaaand then it was discontinued.  I was heartbroken.  Then came The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Caramelized Pear Tea Lattes.  I don't even want to admit how many times a week I would pick one up.  Aaaaaand then it was discontinued.  Are you noticing a trend here?  When I saw this Pear Body Wash by St. Ives I grabbed it.  We really like St. Ives body wash anyway - it cleans well and doesn't leave your skin feeling slimey after.  This scent is my new favorite flavor.  It's taken permanent residence in our shower.  Fingers crossed it sticks around for a while.

Running Bib Display

This was a Chanukah present I am in love with.  I've been racing on a regular basis for a while now, and I've saved every bib from every race I've ever done.  I've been storing them, along with my medals, in a plastic bag under the bathroom sink.  It's not the best place for them.  I saw these bib/medal holders on Etsy a while back and this year decided it would make a fantastic gift for me and passed the idea along to Thatboy.  He obviously agreed, because...check it out!  I love it!  I have more medals than hooks, but I don't mind doubling them up for now.  

Bellman & Black

I was totally taken in by Diane Setterfield's first novel, The Thirteenth Tale.   It reminded me of classic English literature like Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre - you know, the ones that take place in a big old house with a dark secret?  I couldn't wait to read her latest work, buying it the day it became available.  I'm almost half-way through and I'm not disappointed.  It's very different from her first novel, but still reminds me of something from long ago, this time it calls to mind novels like Tess of the D'Urbervilles, mostly because it is much more agrarian.  It tells the story of a young man, his work at the family mill, and the stranger in black who appears at his darkest moments.

Flannel Shirts

I may have been a child of the 80s, but I was a teen of the 90s.  In general I'm not a fan of all the old fashion swinging its way back around (probably in much the same way my parents cringed when I started wearing bellbottoms and empire waist tops in high school).  But when I saw the resurgence of flannel this winter I couldn't help myself.  I remember grabbing my dad's shirts from his closet and wearing them over shorts.  I've been stocking up and wearing them all the time.

Sperrys

I'm so late to the party on this one, but I saw a pair at Marshalls and they were so cute I scooped them up.  Not only are they cute, but they are ridiculously comfortable.  They are the most comfortable shoes I own.  I try to wear them every day.  In fact, the pair shown above were my "gateway shoe" as I now have a Sperry collection.

Jagermeister Spice

I really don't like Jagermeister.  I never have.  When I was in college it was most of my peers' drink of choice.  It was probably the one drink I just would not indulge in.  Around Halloween, I was introduced to a drink based on one of my favorite movies - Nightmare Before Christmas.  The drink, called the Oogie Boogie, featured a new adult beverage, Jagermeister Spice!  As much as I don't like Jager, the idea of a spiced drink with cinnamon and vanilla sounded appealing.  And using it in a Nightmare Before Christmas drink really won me over.  

I love this drink.  I'm pretty much using it in everything this holiday season.  We're drinking Oogie Boogies, I'm adding it to Cherry Cokes, and it's great with egg nog. 

Pita Crisps with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds

I can't keep these in the house.  They are too dangerous.  I'm not a person that eats an entire package of something in a sitting, but I could easily devour an entire bag of these pita crisps.  I bought them because they had the magic word "pumpkin" on them and I tend to like pita chips.  These are not your everyday pita chips!  They're probably more sweet than savory, but not overwhelmingly so.  They are by far my favorite snack right now.

Spinach

I think this probably happens every winter, when the zucchini is no longer in season and the tomatoes have lost their lustre.  I'm using spinach a lot.  I start the day with it in an egg white omelet.  I've been tucking it (with kale) into our lunch time sandwiches.  I'm using it in our dinners.  Over the weekend I even put it in a pepperoni wrap, which was a new for us treat.

Pepperoni Spinach Wraps

3 flour tortillas

18 slices of pepperoni

marinara sauce

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bunch spinach, torn

1. Place 6 slices of pepperoni on each tortilla.  
2. Spread marinara over the pepperoni.
3. Top pepperoni and marinara with spinach and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella.
4. Roll the tortilla and refrigerate for an hour before slicing and serving.

Mommy Mondays: Favorites 18-24 Months

Although Chanukah is over, Christmas is right around the corner, so some of you might still be trying to come up with gift ideas for your little ones.  I covered Thatbaby's early favorites in these posts:

0-6 months favorite toys

6-12 months favorite toys

12-18 months favorite toys

 

Basketball Hoop

Thatbaby is very much a sports fanatic.  At daycare he had been loving playing with the basketball hoop, so Thatmom got him one to play with at her home.  It was an instant hit.  He loves for us to make it higher and cheers for himself when it gets in.  It is equally cute when he tells us "Ohhhh missed it" when he doesn't make the basket.

Trucks

Technically this is still part of the cars phase I think, but over the past year he has got really into trucks and tractors.    He still like cars as well, especially those of the matchbox variety, but I think he likes being able to put things in the beds of the trucks, all of which are either "dump trucks" or "garbage trucks."

Trains

I know.  You're terribly surprised.  Train books are equally as popular.

Hug Links

We got these for Thatbaby for Easter, but they would have been great for even younger.  He had them at daycare when he was in the infant room and loved them then.  There's a little bead that slides back and forth which works as a rattle.  They're nice and colorful, and they're thick which makes them easy for little hands to grab.  At 18 months, Thatbaby loved to dump them out and put them back in the container one at a time.  As he got older, he's gotten really into linking them together and making necklaces.  

Nesting Dolls

These are a step up from the stacking cups I think.  Around 18 months, Thatbaby became very very interested in my Russian Doll measuring cups.  Which are ceramic.  In order to keep him from destroying them, I picked him up his own plastic nesting dolls.  He loves putting the little ones inside the big ones and it's especially fun for him because he can do it all on his own.

Puzzles

We especially like the Melissa and Doug Wooden Puzzles or Magnetic Puzzles.  The puzzles aren't very complicated, usually just a few pieces, so Thatbaby doesn't get too frustrated.   The pieces are chunky, or have large knobs, so they're easy to hold.  And as a bonus, they're developmental.  It's fun to watch your child figure them out with less help as they get older.

Magna Doodle

Thatbaby is a big fan of art.  Painting, drawing, coloring.  I like the magnadoodle because it's mess free.  Thatbaby likes it because he can swipe the slider across and clear his own drawing.  I recommend the travel size one of these.  We only have the full size, but I feel like the travel size is more versatile.  When we travel with this, it takes up a lot of room.

Sticker Books

I think this probably goes along with the art supply thing, but Thatbbay also loves his stickers.  L&O turned me onto the Melissa and Doug Reuseable Sticker Book.  It's good because Thatbaby doesn't always understand the concept behind only using a sticker once.

Bubbles

These are probably great ideas for stocking stuffers.  By 18 months, Thatbaby could swing the bubble wands pretty well, so the kinds that come in a tube and the ones like the one pictured above meant he could be a lot more self sufficient.  Not totally independent if I don't want bubble solution everywhere, but at least I don't have to do all the work!

Spa-some: Taco Cups

We are quickly coming up on the last baby of 2012!  Jurisslave is due next weekend, so we were getting a little into crunch time with regards to planning her celebration.  Due to the success that was Superwoman's spa night, we planned a repeat for Jurisslave.

It was not as much of a success.  The traffic kept everyone from arriving on time.  The spa was much less accomodating than they were last time, and our star of honor didn't even get a treatment!  The only positive thing that came out of the evening was that we took over the lounge and enjoyed each other's company while drinking their free drinks.  Needless to say, we're on the hunt for a new spa for our girls' night outs.


A night out with the girls means the boys are on their own for food.  Well, I should rephrase that. It means the boys eats without me.  Leaving chicken in the crockpot makes Thatboy's life very easy.  Leaving him tortillas cups ready to fill and toss in the oven makes it even easier.

Taco Cups

2 chicken breasts

1 can diced tomatoes with chiles

1 pkg taco seasoning

1/3 cup water

1 Tbsp canola oil

12 tortillas

1 can black beans

12 taco-sized flour tortillas

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1. Combine tomatoes, taco seasoning, water, and oil in a crockpot.  
2. Add the chicken breasts and cook on low for 5 hours.
3. Shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce with the black beans.
4. Preheat the oven to 400.  Spay a muffin tin with baking spray.  Fold the tortillas so they make little cups that fit in the muffin tins.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the cups are crisp.
5. Fill each tortilla cup with the chicken and beans.
6. Top each tortilla cup with cheese.  Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Red and Green: Sausage and Pepper Penne

Thatboy's family does steak for Christmas Eve dinner.  So for the past 13 years, that's what I've eaten.  But before that, my Christmas memories were much more...Italian.  

Growing up in a town without Jews, I spent Christmas Eve with my Catholic friends.  And one friend in particular whose family celebrated according to her father's family's tradition - the Italian Christmas.  So for me, Christmas meant setting with her mom and watching the long strands of spaghetti roll from the pasta machine, smelling the sweet smell of pizzelles, and keeping a lookout for La Befana. 

There is something so magical about sharing traditions.  Getting a glimpse into how different people celebrate and feeling a part of their family.  And the holidays are a wonderful time for this, because during the holidays you can never have too much family.  

This dish isn't anything that my Italian friend would have shared at Christmas dinner, but it calls back memories of those meals just the same.  The red and green peppers seem very "in the spirit" and although not homemade, the pasta brings Christmas to mind.  In the spirit of true Italian pasta, this has a very simple sauce without much adornment.  Just tomato sauce with a little sugar and pepper.

Sausage and Pepper Penne

8oz penne

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1/2 red pepper sliced

1/2 lb ground sausage

1 can of tomato sauce

1 tsp sugar

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in skillet.  Add onions and peppers and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the sausage and cook until browned.
4. Add the tomato sauce and sugar and stir.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Toss the sauce with the pasta and serve.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...:Orzo Salad

I have very specific rules regarding Christmas.  It doesn't exist until Santa makes his appearance in the Macy's Day Parade.  I don't care that stores have been playing Christmas music since the first week of October.  There is no Christmas music played in Thathouse until after Thanksgiving Day.

We jumped right into the holiday spirit this weekend.  On Saturday, we brought Thatbaby to see Santa!  We hyped him heavily before we went, telling him that Santa brings presents and pointing him out with excitement during the parade.  He was very excited to go see Santa.  He told me over and over again he was going to "See Santa.  Sit on lap."  Until of course we actually got there.  Then he was very much not interested in sitting on Santa's lap, standing anywhere near Santa, talking to Santa, or anything that involved Santa.  Luckily the phenomenal folks at Rogers Gardens took this in their stride.

And of course, now that we're not in front of him, Thatbaby asks to see Santa every day.  The other highlight of our Santa visit was seeing the trains.  Naturally.

On Sunday we headed back home.  Once we got there, we went right over to the Christmas Tree Farm to pick out our tree.  Last year, Thatbaby got sick on our way to pick up a Christmas Tree.  It was the one and only time in his life he threw up.  This year he was much healthier and happier and involved in picking out our tree, our wreath, and our poinsettas.  

He also got a special present from the man who trimmed our tree, his very own ornament.

Thatboy set up the tree, but we haven't decorated yet - something more to look forward to!  After such a busy weekend I wanted to throw together something easy for dinner. Especially since we still had to unpack and prepare for the week. This is a recipe I make a lot.  Especially when I have some tomatoes that may not last much longer.  The funny thing is, I've never blogged about it before.  I was actually a little surprised when I realized that and thought there was no time like the present.

Orzo Salad

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsp honey

1 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups orzo

1 can garbanzo beans

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup basil, chiffonaded

1. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a blender.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. With the machine running, slowly add in the oil.  
4. Prepare orzo according to package directions. Let cool.
5. Toss cooled orzo with the vinaigrette mixture, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, onion and basil.

Thanksgiving Recap: Individual Shepherd Pies

Better late than never, right?  We spent Thanksgiving with Thatmom, driving up Wednesday night after dinner, so Thatbaby would sleep in the car.  He did.  After singing a round of every song he knew.

He woke at his usual bright and shiny time of 5:50am, which gave us plenty of time to have breakfast and play with some new Chanukah presents until the Macy's Day Parade started.  I got to introduce him to one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions - sipping on Hot Cocoa while watching the parade.

This was Thatbaby's first hot cocoa.  To say he was a fan would be an understatement.  Whenever we give him some sort of treat, he takes his time, lingering over it.  The cocoa was no different.  He sipped on it for at least half the parade.  And then asked for more.  

After the parade, was lunch and nap (for Thatboy and Thatbaby) and time for me to get ready.  The boys were still in the process of getting dressed following that nap when the guests started to arrive.

And arrive.

And arrive.

We sure had a bunch of friendly faces this year!

Our Thanksgivings are always potluck.  Thatmom makes the turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and candied yams, and the rest of us provide all the trimmings.

So what do you serve for a Thanskgiving dinner that is also a Channukah celebration?  Well, turkey of course.

Along with latkes and kugel.

And how did everything taste?  I'll let Thatbaby fill you in:

After dinner we gathered to light the menorah.  I know it's silly, but I kind of love that my brother took the lead on this one.  He's the youngest in my immediate family, so he's not often in the role of "leader" but I do like him as the "man of the house."

And then there was the crazy gift exchange.  I didn't get any pictures of this because I was running around distributing gifts, but it was fun to watch everyone dig into their piles.  Especially Thatbaby who got a very special Chanukah gift which he is currently obsessed with.

Thatboy has wanted to get Thatbaby a skateboard for over a year now.  I told him I wanted to wait until  Thatboy was over 2....so this is the holiday where Thatbaby got his first skateboard.  Which he wants to ride every waking moment.  And carry around.  And sit on.

We let Thatbaby stay up a little late to spend time with his cousins, but pajamas were a must.  And as the guests started filing out, we put his little self to sleep.  That's a lot of tradition for one day.

The only problem with spending Thanksgiving at someone else's house, is no leftovers to play with for the rest of the week.  So instead of a repurposing of your turkey or cranberry relish, this is the kind of thing we're eating right now.  Technically shepherd's pie is made with lamb, but this version with ground beef may be a little more accessible (and cheaper!).  Wrapped in puff pastry, the crust to filling ratio can't be beat.  And they're easy to freeze and reheat, or pack in a lunch, which makes them great for those of you inundated with holiday craziness already.

Individual Shepherd Pies

1 lb ground beef

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp crushed ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp garam masala

1 potato, boiled

2 tbsp ketchup

4 sheets of puff pastry, cut into quarters

1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Heat oil over medium heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
3. Mash the potato and add it to the beef along with the onions, coriander, garam masala, and ketchup.  Cover the pan for 15 minutes so the steam from the beef softens the onions.  Cool.
4. Place a tablespoon of filling on the right side of a quartered puff pastry.  Fold one side of the pastry over the filling, then roll the pastry to seal.
5. Score the top of the puff pastry and brush with the egg white.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Mommy Mondays: Fibroid Friends

I'm touching on this here, because I think this is one of those pregnancy subjects that fall into the "things no one tells you" category.

When I was 20ish weeks pregnant, I went in for my anatomy scan.  This is the one where they check to make sure everything is growing okay and there are the right number of everything.

During my ultrasound, they found that everything was growing okay, and Thatbaby had the right number of everything, but I had a little something extra. The scan revealed that I have two fibroids on the lower right of my uterus.  This wasn't incredibly surprising or distressing to me.  My mom had issues with fibroids when I was younger, so it made sense that they may be an issue for me also.

Depending on what source you look at, between 25% and 75% of all women of child bearing age have fibroids.  Most go undetected because they're symptomless (like mine).  In fact, if I never had an ultrasound, I may have gone my entire life without even knowing.  And there's absolutely no telling how long they've been there.

So what's a fibroid and what does it mean? If you start doing research you'll note that a lot of descriptions of a fibroid is a "benign tumor" which sounds scarier than it really it. A tumor is just when tissue grows in a place it doesn't usually grow.  A fibroid is basically when muscle cells grow where they shouldn't.  Uterine fibroids are when those muscle cells are in/attached to the uterus.

The location of the fibroids plays a large role in both symptoms and potential pregnancy complications.  There are three main types of fibroids, illustrated below:

 The Intramural Fibroids are the most common, forming within the uterine wall.  Depending on their size, they can cause heavy menstrual bleeding and/or pelvic pain.

The Submucosal Fibroids seem to be the most complicating from what I can gather - because they form on the inside of the uterus, they can interfere with implantation and potentially, based on size and location, may lead to an increased risk of preterm labor or miscarriage. Like the Intramural, heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain are also associated with this variety of fibroid.

I've got the Subserosal variety.  This one forms on the outside of the uterus wall.  Because it's on the outside, the main issue here is pelvic pain.  However, if the fibroid is too close to the cervix, it can make vaginal delivery impossible.  Both of mine were high enough where my doctor isn't concerned this will be a problem.

In general, most doctors do not do anything to treat/remove fibroids during pregnancy - more trouble than it's worth.  Although one of mine is on the larger side, it's still too small to "worry about" even if I wasn't pregnant.  According to the Mayo Clinic, most fibroids remain stable in size throughout pregnancy.   My instructions were just to contact my doctor if I started developing pain on my lower right side, where the fibroids are.  And if so, we'd have done another ultrasound to do a checksee on what's going on in there.

In my case, nothing happened.  My fibroids never grew or caused any pain.  They never interfered with Thatbaby's vaginal delivery.  I'm not trying to downplay fibroids in general - in my mom's case, they were very painful and reoccurring, requiring surgery.   And the submucosal fibroids can impact getting pregnant, staying pregnant, and even delivery.  However, I also know the sound of a foreign growth in your body can be a VERY scary concept, and sometimes it's easy to let your imagination run away with you.  Sometimes when you're pregnant, everyone and their mother feels the need to tell you every horror story they can think of, so sometimes it's nice to hear a story that doesn't make you live in terror!