AROUND HERE LATELY

And now for a little peek into what we've been up to lately.

1. Everything is dark by five, leading to a resurgence of the freak 7PM nap. I always get a kick out of the freak 7PM nap, where you're just sitting down to watch some TV or a Christmas movie and then suddenly you're waking up and it's 9:00 out and you're thinking, "Who am I? And who's ready to party with me!?" 

2. Finishing the last of the Christmas shopping. How are you guys hanging in over there? This year I abolished the "one for you/one for me" method of gift shopping, which is both sad and triumphant for me, all at once. 

3. Emails and emails! And emails! Is December National Email month or something? I've suddenly reached DEFCON level thirty billion on my email situation, and at any given moment if I happen to glance at my computer I swear I see it scowling at me.   

(PS AND RELATED TO #2 UP THERE IS THIS --> Octavia Bloom, maker of the beautiful necklace up there, is offering 25% off all jewelry for Hey Natalie Jean readers, which is a bonkers good deal. Use the code HOLIDAY25, and your mother-in-law is all set. :)

4. Paint me like one of your French girls, Sam! I got to stand in as practice subject for my friend Samantha, who is holding a 60-second portrait event in January and wanted to get a few in under her belt before show-time. It was very awkward and very fun, not to mention disappointing that she never asked me to take my top off. 

5. It keeps on being Christmas, thank heavens! In one of my better impulse buys, this polar bear pajama onesie, which I found on 5th Avenue while I was out looking for organic coconut oil. When I wear it I become a cuddle magnet for both my boys, and my body temperature heats up to about two hundred degrees fahrenheit above healthy. It's kind of nice. 

6. The Christmas tree at the Le Parker Meridien!

. . . And this burger hiding just behind those red curtains, eaten with a dear friend in from London.

7. Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn . . . is not as fancy as 5th Avenue in Manhattan. But every bit as cheery.

8. Over the weekend the Holbrooks performed an accidental Brooklyn Tour of Brunches, wherein we discovered that our Huck the Great is not a fan of brunch. I've never seen a child react so strongly to a fried egg on a spaghetti carbonara, what is this world coming to!? Luckily, he is a fan of selfies. As are we all. My favorite thing about these two boys is that when you put their heads together, their hair becomes so completely undistinguishable from each others', it's like some kind of magic. With our ginger powers combined . . .  !!! 

9. Brooklyn is killing it with the holiday bazaars. We wandered around Carroll Gardens over the weekend and stumbled into one, with crafts tables set up for the little tykes and fancy pickles all in the back. I sat with Huck for a few minutes while he happily crafted up a storm, and I had one of those moments, you know, where the room smelled just right and the kids buzzed busily and the Christmas song mix was on point and my sweater was just the right amount of fuzzy . . .  winter hat hair as far as the eye can see, and nubbly woolen scarves and fingers warmed around a hot cup of cider. It was just beautiful. Gosh, we're pretty lucky sometimes.  

10. BUT THIS IS A REALLY COOL CAR.

11. I found myself in "a mood" on Saturday evening, and managed to inhale Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, North & South, Wuthering Heights, Emma, and the first episode of Cranford (you guys) all without breaking for water. One of these days I'll get my insomnia under control. Until then, donuts for breakfast make a pretty decent substitute. 

12. I got to attend "An Evening with the Director and Cast of Big Eyes" at the 92Y with one of my favorite friends and YOU GUYS. Tim Burton is astonishingly normal. Christoph Waltz is easily the most awkward interview ever. Full body cringing. Afterward, we had crinkle cuts + cheese sauce at the UES Shake Shack, got three free Shake Shack Christmas ornaments for having worn "Christmas sweaters" (it was an accident) . . . it was easily one of my favorite evenings in recent history.

13. Finally, reassuring posters in the subway.

Hey, I've got a kiss in my pocket for every single one of you. Happy Tuesday!