stepping away from the sarcasm
After being married 10 + years birthday/Christmas/Anniversary gifts no longer hold the same appeal. When Ali asks me what I want I’ll usually come up with a smart ass answer like “I want you to stop shoving your socks at the foot of the bed” or “an hour of peace and quiet would hit the spot.”
No, I don’t know why he puts up with me either.
Every year Ali ignores my sarcastic comments and he and Maya make a valiant effort to buy me something. And every year I line up on December 26th to return the gift. Why?
Well, at this point in my life I’m lucky enough to not need anything and receiving gifts just makes me feel…guilty. Plus most of the time Ali buys me a size 0 because he thinks I weigh the same as I used to when we first met. Talk about a Christmas wish…
Anyway, I realize that I wax on and on about Ali’s computer-separation anxiety, about Maya’s penchant for interrupting, and about Cadillac Dad and the fact he will not stop idling away (I must admire his persistence), and I rarely take the time to write how thankful I am for all that I have.
I'll let you guess who wrapped what...
So here I am, putting my sarcasm aside for a split second to acknowledge and appreciate that I am a very lucky girl. Thank you all again for coming here twice a week to read the random things that I write. It means a lot. And I am grateful.
Happy Holidays to all.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
Happy Holidays Ameena!
I love Maya’s wrapping 🙂
Maya wraps way better than I do. My proudest wrapping involves tissue paper wrapped gifts stuffed in big Ziplocs…
😀 good job. A very few people in the world actually accept what you just did. Happy holidays to you too.
I must admit…there are times I read your blog and a twinge of longing overwhelms me. You obviously have done MUCH work making your marriage survive and your heart THRIVE. Bless you!
Happy Holidays to you & the family!
Happy Holidays to you too! I always see through the hilarious sarcasm in your posts to the grateful, loving person you are. Your family means so much to you, I can tell. Cheesy as it is, loved ones are greater than any gift we will receive this time of year.
Happy Holidays!
You are lovely and have such a wonderful family. I hope you have a great (and relaxing!) time with them over the holiday weekend.
Aw, this was a sweet post. Where’s the sarcastic Ameena we all know and love? 😉 Just kidding! It’s because you feel so comfortable with your family and loved that you’re able to joke, I think.
This post made me smile! I love all of your sarcasm and it makes for great reading, but this post was special too. Enjoy those blessings this weekend. 🙂
happy holidays to you and your family too! great post and i hope that 2011 lets us meet up (i’m trying to schedule a trip to cali to visit a friend. yes i know cali is a huge state. bear with me 😉 )
What BEAUTIFUL wrapping! So nice to hear someone be appreciative of what they DO have. Even those with very little, or not much, still need to be grateful for what they have…while striving for more…;)
happy holidays! i hope you have a great one 🙂
Love this post! Because I am the same way – as much as I put sarcasm into my posts, I am so grateful for my family!
Bravo for this post. Yes, you are lucky and they’re lucky too. I’m so glad to have found you, for the smiles you bring to my face when I read the humorous tidbits about your life, the similarities between our daughters’ behavior and so much more. Thank you for being willing to open up so much and share. Love is obvious. Merry Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
This is the first year that Adam and I actually went and bought presents and wrapped them. Don’t get me wrong, we still opened them early. Usually we just pick a day (one year it was BEFORE Thanksgiving…) and go buy what we want, together. This year we didn’t, but I knew he wanted a kindle, and he’s crazy if he thinks he got me anything other than a food processor.
Hahahaha – awesome post, as always.
Happy Holdays, Ameena!
Wish you a very very happy Christmas day 🙂
Great post – I too am a lucky girl – and sometimes it takes this time of year to stop and be grateful for everything I do have (and stop wishing for a six burner gas stove with a griddle pan in the middle!).
Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
My favorite Christmas movie is LOVE ACTUALLY. Of course, I adore IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE and WHITE CHRISTMAS/ HOLIDAY INN, but LOVE ACTUALLY, with it’s distinctly just barely post 9/11 sensibility always gets me. As Hugh Grant, rom com commander says, “Love actually is all around.” Your life seems surrounded by love, Ameena. And like the film, it comes to you, to all of us, in many guises.
In the immortal words of Pat Benatar, “love, baby, love.” In internet speak, I think we write this “<3 bb <3" but I may be wrong. I forget the interviewer's actual question to Pat, but she gave a darn good answer that you can use to many questions, especially at this time of year.
Mille baci – thousand kisses, sweetie. Happy Holidays!
<3<3<3
Awww Happy Holidays to you to! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas =)
xoXOxo
Jenn
ps: ahhhh socks at the end of the bed ahh!!!!!!!!! i could kill my husband. but i heart him. so socks all the eff over the place it is!
Happy Holidays to you Ameena. Your posts have been something I look forward to reading since I discovered your blog. So Thank You! Have a great time this holiday season.
Oh daaaaahling, you know, I’ve tried to put a lid on my whining in the past… it doesn’t last. It’s just part of me. It’s what makes me special. Secretly, Mr P likes it that I’m high maintenance and I bet your hubbs does to 😀
*kisses* HH
p.s. size zero???? scary. That is way to thin daaahling.
ahhhhh, we ALL know you adore you family and they adore you!
we’re not into gifts either( mostly because we are cheap and lazy I think) and we just get things we see we like throughout the year.
good for you and I was a size 0 for a split second on my way from toddler clothes to junior/misses.
hehehe
Merry Christmas!
I have come to the realization that sarcasms (you) and complaining (me) in marriage can only happen if you have a strong foundation. I loved your post and it really made me smile.
Happy Holidays Ameena!
Happy Holidays Ameena! I love Maya’s wrap job.
Ameena, in the subtext of your sarcasm, there is so much love and gratitude, but I am very glad that you have everything you want/need. Anyone who is even in a position to read this post has a lot to be grateful for 🙂 I’m getting off the soapbox now.
Merry Christmas! I enjoy visiting to read the sarcasm. Somehow I’m able to ferret out that 99% of it is meant for entertainment and humor.
We know that you are grateful, and Ali knows that. And he stays with you because you are simply fabulous in every way.
And we are grateful to have your wonderful blog to read. And I’m grateful that I know you in real life. I want you to know that I am here. Just pick up the phone.
Here’s to a 2011 that is filled with love and health.
Merry Christmas Ameena!!
I think its pretty clear even through your sarcasm that you love your family and appreciate what you have.
Awee. Everyone knows underneath all the sarcasm and biting-wit, you are just a softie! Happy holidays, love! 🙂
Happy Holidays to you guys!
I gotta say, Maya’s wrapping looks ten times better than mine. I suck at wrapping presents.
Besides, if you didn’t care about your family enough, we wouldn’t have the slightest idea of who they were. You write about them constantly, whether is slathered in sarcastic remarks or statements of distress.
Happy Holidays to you and your family! How nice and sweet of Maya wrapping her gift for you 🙂
I’m glad to have come across your blog when I did. The honesty and humor that go into your posts make it a great read. I feel grateful for having the opportunity to talk with you through our blogs and reading about life in another part of the country. I hope you have a great holiday week.
P.S. My brother and I spent nearly two hours yesterday cleaning off the driveway and sidewalks of my parents house last night. I hope you’re ready for such snow come the end of January. 🙂
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
after reading this i reminded myself how thankful i should be for all that i have.
thanks for the inspiration through your writing and encouragement through your words, you are a wonderful person.
maya did a great job especially for a five year old.
Happy Holidays! to three of you.
P.S i love your sarcasm with honesty and humor don’t step away from that for a long time.
Happy Holidays, friend! You know I love your writing! I can’t wait to see you soon! 🙂
Gifts make me feel guilty too! Andy and I are trying to start a new tradition of going on a trip for Christmas instead of exchanging gifts. We’ll see how it goes.
Happy holidays to you guys!
Oh Ameena, no matter how sarcastic you get, yours and Maya’s smiles in your beautiful mother-daughter pictures will always deceive your sarcasm. Believe me when I say I totally understand. I make fun of my family a lot too (mostly on FB).
I also have to give props to Ali too. Your sarcasm ironically truly shows what a supportive, understanding and loving husband he really is. Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas to you, Ali, and Maya! You guys make a beautiful, fun loving family! Big hugs, Ammena!
so true, I like your perspective. But can I still return gifts? hehe.
Returning gifts is such a pain in the ass that I’m just going to keep them. Or better yet, buy myself what I want before Christmas so I am not disappointed. (Actually, I already did that last part.)
I don’t think I’ve ever returned a gift. If I don’t like it, I usually shove it into my sister’s room, my parent’s room, or some dark nook where I don’t have to look at it.
Happy Holidays, Ameena! I hope you, Ali and Maya have a wonderful Christmas. 🙂
Happy Holidays to you too! It’s so important to remember how blessed we are and appreciate the little things (like a killer wrapping job!) 🙂
Maya’s wrapping job is adorable!!
Happy Holidays!!
Happy Holidays to you, Maya, and Ali!
It’s great to step back and be grateful for all that we have and realize we have may more than we actually need. I feel guilty too because I nag my husband all the time. But it’s all in good fun. We’re all pretty lucky for being surrounded by amazing ppl. 🙂
Have a wonderful Christmas! It’ll be even more wonderful without sarcasm. 😉
Aw, Happy Holidays! This was such a sweet post. I always love visiting. And, may I also say, wow! Good for you for such a long marriage already! You must have married very young.
I never ask for anything either. There are things I could certainly use because there are certain things that I want but aren’t in my budget at the moment but I don’t like to ask. Have a wonderful Christmas with your adorable little family!!
Happy Holidays Ameena — enjoy this time with your gorgeous family!
And don’t keep the sarcasm away too long!
so true, I like your perspective. But can I still return gifts? hehe.
Nicely put! And Happy Holidays to you as well!
oh the joys of gift giving … right (time to re-insert some more sarcasm) actually side note: ive told one of my friends that ive noticed that theres a heck of a lot more sarcasm said during the holidays..i mean no surprise really. hmm ive always wished my family chose to play ‘gag gifting’ and just get each other some ridiculously dumb gifts we can all laugh at.. that way it will at least be ON PURPOSE versus trying to smile while you think “seriously, did they actually think id be able to use a set of bargain bin hair rollers?) LOL
Aaahhh, you didn’t fool me Lovely 😉 I knew underneath you were a softie, that’s why we all love you so much. Its been my absolute pleasure to pop on by twice a week & visit your world, I love Ali’s & Maya’s antics & your wit & aahhhh, sarcasm absolutely makes my day sometimes. Your a woman after my own heart. Have a lovely holiday season, eat lots, laugh heaps & enjoy! Merry Christmas 🙂
Beautiful post!
Merry Christmas 🙂
Jen
So prescious, Ameena. And I love Maya’s wrapping — it’s almost shaped like candy wrappers!
Happy Holidays to you, Ali, and Maya!
Hey Ameena! I’m sarcastic too sometimes. My Cauldron Boy quickly rebukes it with a ‘you know sarcasm is a form of anger, don’t you?’ This really gets me since I’m all about being eudaemonic and loving, so I’ve been trying hard to put it aside too (smile)…
Good luck with that, Mama! Oh, and I hope you guys have a happy & relaxing holiday weekend.
XOXO,
Stella
What a beautiful post! I am sure Ali knew all about the sarcasm when he married you, LOL! Have a great holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
And I am looking forward to the return of the sarcasm. lol
Happy Holidays, Ameena! And you’re right- we are so very lucky, aren’t we?! (Love those gift tags- super cute! :))
Happy Holidays Ameena. My mom always whines that her three daughters (who inherited way to much sarcasm from our father and not her) tease who too much, and I say, “we only tease those we love”. 😉 True!
ummmm…tease HER too much and “too much” sarcasm. I have a brain, I just can’t type.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Merry Christmas, hopefully it is very very Merry with sarcastic overtones thrown only by you 😉
Ameena, I hope that you have just the loveliest time with your family and those that mean the most to you. I felt the same way this morning – it took our immediate family an entire Christmas CD to open gifts and I just looked around and thought about how blessed we all are!
That’s the most sap you’re getting out of me for the next year. My wedding day will be a mulligan.
Hi Ameena!
Just wanted to pop in and wish you and your family a very wonderful Christmas and Holiday!!!
Thanks for your sweet friendship
much love
Cindy
We are lucky to have you! And I know that your family is blessed to have such a pretty, witty and talented woman. I hope you and your sweet family had a bright and joyful Christmas. I’m thankful that I found you…your photographs, funny words and sweet comments bring me so much joy. Many blessings!
That’s so sweet! Happy holidays pretty lady! 🙂
happy holidays!!
Aww! Happy holidays! And thanks so much for getting me even more excited about London! What’s Mark and Spencer’s like? Any American equivalents?
Marks and Spencers has the most wonderful prepared food section – it’s almost like TJ’s in that there is a lot of pre-packaged entrees, etc. but M&S has WAY more. The place is enormous. And delicious. I especially recommend their Indian food and their cereals are really good. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas Mimi! When are you taking off?
although you waited 2 lines for that photo, I think it came out well…meaning you looked hott in the tights and high boots. Hope you enjoyed the holidays with your family…can’t’ wait to see what your mother in law got you!
*2 hours
What a sweet post!
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!
I feel guilty getting gifts as well. In fact I’ve made a rule in my new relationship that we will never exchange gifts. People think I’m weird but I just don’t like the stress of it.
You are amazingly lovely and it has never occurred to me for a second that you are not aware of hoe beautiful your family is… I hope you all has a wondrous Christmas!
What a sweet post! Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!
Loved this post! I am grateful for you! You are an incredible woman!
XOXO
Barbara
Heyy x Hw oldiis Maya i u dnt miind me askin? xxxx
Hi – she’s 6 going on 26!