Things are getting holiday real around here. The kids' last day of the school year is today and their summer holiday break officially starts tomorrow. We are packing up this weekend to head north (wayyy north) for a colder, whiter Christmas with family. You can probably imagine the giddiness at our house right now!

But first I want to share some of the internet's finest offerings this week. I kind of went overboard but isn't a little bit of excess expected (or at least excused) this time of year?

I loved this New Yorker tribute to Nelson Mandela. So many good Mandela quotes have been cited in the last day or two but I especially love this one: "It always seems impossible until it's done." Rest in peace and godspeed, Mr. Mandela. 

This crispy hash browns cake from the gals at A Beautiful Mess looks like the perfect breakfast/brunch for tomorrow morning (at our house that breakfast/brunch timing tends to depend on whether you're a parent or teenager):

I can totally relate to this BrainChild post about a family's three generations of women and their membership in the unofficial Society of Late Night Readers.  I'm a proud member of that club. When I can stay awake for it, that is. 

Art makes you smart. Amen.

I have a confession to make: we haven't actually had our holiday card photos taken yet, let alone ordered the cards. (I KNOW. I'm such a card hypocrite, after I was all cardy way back in October.) I was really inspired by this fun photo, though, and if I get my act together we might just make our Christmas deadline. (Or Valentines Day might be good, too.)

Anne Lamott said her original title for this article on self acceptance was actually "My Four Worst Secrets That I Bet Are Yours, Too."  Either way, I love her wisdom and realness and vulnerability. Preach it, Anne!

The internet is a both magical and stinky place. I'm sure you've noticed. And you may also have already seen this but I must include Emily Graslie's response to icky comments on her video blog "The Brain Scoop."  She nailed it. (And hooray for fantastic sciencey role models like Emily!)

I was recently reminded of this lovely, moving essay on the unique gift and challenge of parenting a terminally ill child, "Notes from a Dragon Mom."  She writes "We are dragon parents: fierce and loyal and loving as hell. Our experiences have taught us how to parent for the here and now, for the sake of parenting, for the humanity implicit in the act itself, though this runs counter to traditional wisdom and advice." 

This cool (admittedly outdated) infographic depicting 4000 years of human history makes me want to print it out, put it on my wall, and take a good long look at it with my kids.

It's eery and moving to listen to this 50-year-old recording of the moment the audience at a Boston Symphony Orchestra afternoon concert hears of the assassination of President Kennedy. The impromptu change to the program is stirring, too.

Finally, can someone really make a keyboard doorbell, pretty please? I'd be first in line (via Apartment Therapy, idea by Li Jianye).

Have a fantastic weekend! Go show it who's boss!

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