Heart-y congratulations to me. Not.

This morning is good news/bad news about my health and weight-loss efforts.

My pleasant little bathroom scale at home, at 5:49 am, told me, "Congratulations, el-e-e! You are whipping your butt into shape one little baby step at a time. Down a half-pound! Good on you! Now get out there and face your day. You're doing it the right way."

I like that scale. He's friendly.

Then I came to the office, where Concentra Medical Services is conducting Health Screenings today so that we can tell the insurance people that we're aware we ... have health. Or something. The screenings have nothing to do with much of anything, but we get a pre-determined dollar amount "knocked off our premium" if we fill in these numbers: height, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

I should have made up numbers. The ones I got were not friendly.

I usually skate by in the cholesterol department with a 175-ish total score. Not today.

You know what? I am going to tell you my numbers. I am going to be brave.

My LDL.... 125 (should be under 100!)
My HDL.... 38 (should be at least 50, ideally greater than 60!)
My total cholesterol... 196 (under 200 is okay)
My triglycerides... 196 (should be 50 to 150!)
My BP... somewhat high today at 124/82

GOOD G*DAMN.

I'm sorry but that is the ONLY word that comes to mind. I *NEVER* have high blood pressure. In fact, doctors are usually amazed at how GOOD my BP is. What. Thehell. I am wondering how much of this is fluke-y and how much is real. Oh, who am I kidding, it's likely all real. Some of it might be genes -- my little 92-pound grandmother had cholesterol over 200, I think -- but a lot of it is BUTTER. And CHEDDAR. And WHITE BREAD and BACON.

So. Let me just say again... Damn.

Jillian Michaels, here I come.
New supportive shoes, here I come.
5:15 am, here I effing come.
Mister Quaker Oatmeal guy, here I come.
V-8 low-sodium (gag), here I come.
Pickles and water, here I come. (little joke with my Mom)
WeightWatchers vegetable soup, here I come.
Skinny latte (tall), here I come. Once in a blue moon as a much-needed treat.

Goodbye, 1 piece of chocolate after dinner. (Okay, 2.)
Goodbye, ice cream.
Goodbye, cheddar cheese.
Goodbye, sour cream (lite).
Goodbye, Squeeze Parkay convenience.
Goodbye, cookies.
Goodbye, regular pasta.
Goodbye, loaded potato soup.
Goodbye, white rice all the time because it's economical -- too bad!

Should be loads of fun. I can't wait to get down to business. <--- (sarcasm.)

Quelque fois (Sometimes)

Jess asked yesterday, "What goes through your head sometimes?"

And I thought, The House on Southwestern.

No one will understand that but my Mom and my Sis, but I'll explain for you.

When I was about 11, my parents were considering a big move from our small town in Texas to someplace larger. It might have been Dallas -- my grandparents lived there. It ended up being Florida, but in the meantime we casually drooled over walked through a couple of houses in University Park*, right near Grandmother and Granddaddy's. There was one, on Southwestern Boulevard, that I LOVED. I guess I'd never looked at an empty, brand-new house before, with any kind of idea that I might move into it. This one had a pretty staircase in the foyer -- something our house, a ranch-style, didn't have. It had a big "multi-purpose" room upstairs, and a cedar linen closet. It had a tiny backyard, but a bright kitchen with white cabinets. I remember how the light felt in that kitchen, that day. We might have walked through it twice. I think it had just been built and therefore wasn't locked, but I may be wrong about that. I don't remember any realtor taking us there.

Anyway, images of being in this house pop into my mind all the time lately, and have done so, as long as I can remember since then. Just the tiniest, fleeting thoughts, while I'm bathing the kids, or driving to work. I don't dwell on them; I just think, "Oh, the house on Southwestern," and continue doing whatever I'm doing. It's not like I am really sad that we didn't get to move there -- I'm not. It really wasn't even a significant possibility, I don't think -- we mostly looked at houses in Dallas for fun, I think. (I remember The House on Colgate, too.) But I wonder why being in that house made such an indelible impression on my mind? What about it has caused it to stay with me all these years?

*Mom, Sis, and anyone -- have you played with Google Maps lately? Check out Street View! You can actually WALK down the street that you search. I found my own house, Grandmother's old house right there in Dallas, DH parents' house...I tried to find the actual House on S'western, but didn't see one that looked familiar. Just search any address. Super fun. Not every address has a "street view" yet, but I'm sure they're working on it!

Quelque choses (Some things)

I haven't had a good blog-thought in ages. Thank goodness for the Tuesday recipes thing and for my little job thing or I'd have been a blank page for 2 weeks straight. ENTER: The Six Random Things Meme. Woo hoo! Everybody's doing it, most recently Mandy, who tagged you, me and everyone.

I am supposed to share 6 random things about myself that I have never shared before, which is funny because I've done variations of this meme about eleventy times already. Never mind... Here you are:


1. I do that thing where I twist my body around both ways to crack my spine at least once a day, if not more. I especially like it when they tell me to do this in yoga cool-down sessions, because it makes me feel like it won't actually cause arthritis. Like it may even be GOOD for me. I also crack my toes.

2. Every "month" I get one zit. Usually a prominent place on my forehead or face. It's just delightful. This week, for some other, unknown reason, I have three. GAWD. (You're welcome!)

3. I'm definitely a design snob, having been in the design/print industry this many years. My favorite fonts are sans-serif ones like Helvetica Condensed, Arial Narrow, Gil Sans Light, Tahoma. I really dislike serif fonts. Especially on blogs. (Except on yours... On yours they're pretty.)

4. We had tuna casserole for dinner last night. Mmmm. One of my favorites.

5. Yesterday at work, I was supposed to make a phone call to someone my coworkers and I would like to meet/work with. This person is sort-of a rock star in his field (at least I think of him as one -- entrepreneur, very smart, finger on the pulse, etc.). I emailed him first, then waited and waited before I placed the call... because I was hoping my manager would leave for the day and NOT HEAR ME make the call. We all share this office space and I don't know, I just didn't want him listening in.

6. I am the "stereotypical male" in our household; I often leave my nightshirt/underwear on the floor of the bathroom after I shower and get dressed. Isn't that HORRIBLE? I was reading a blog the other day wherein the wife wrote a letter to her husband saying "COULD YOU PLEASE just pick up your underwear? Is that so hard??" ...and I was mortified. Sorry, DH. I can't BELIEVE I've done this for so long. I'll try to do better.

Tuesday Trade: more from Pancho (or someone similarly named)

I have been loving Maryb's "Pancho's Chicken." I've made it twice now. Yum! Last night I gorged myself. All within my daily calorie limit, I think, but MAN, was I full afterwards. I guess I ate slowly enough to really feel the Full.

Here's my recipe for today, and it's for the crock pot. It's from this cook book, for which I refuse to type the title here on my (perfect) blog, because it is grammatically incorrect. (FEWER!!) Also, it's not a classic "throw everything in and turn it on" crock-pot recipe. You have to use the stove. I know! THE HORRIBLE STOVE! But it's not too hard.

Tamale Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef (sorry, Sis!)
1 c. chopped onion
1 can (14.5 oz) chunky tomatoes, drained
1 can (4 oz) diced/chopped green chiles
8 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) Cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add tomatoes and green chiles and heat through.

Tear 4 of the tortillas into bite-size pieces and place in a sprayed slow cooker. Add half of the meat mixture; then sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese. Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 2.5 hours. Makes 4 generous servings. Garnish with salsa and serve* with some sort of vegetable/salad. Seriously, you need your vegetables, people.


*I made a note in the margin: Add salt.

So, looking straight ahead

The meeting was not, as I'd feared, about my performance or about any sort of layoff. Whew. Thanks for your votes of confidence. It was about shifting my responsibilities (again) within the company, which is never really a *bad* thing, just a *different* thing. It's going to mean, in the short-term (I'm covering an additional position that Corporate won't let us fill in These Uncertain Economic Times), that I won't get to work from home anymore. Sigh. This is a bummer. Thankfully it's not a deal-breaker, since the kids are both in daycare 5 days a week already. Those 2 days at home have been a real convenience and blessing to me, allowing me to actually DO laundry or take a 15 minute vacuuming break, but they aren't critical to our family operations or bottom line. Helpful, yes. Green, yes. (Hello, company, I'll be pumping 2 more days' worth of junk into the area's smog, thanks.) Critical? I guess not. My manager says it's a temporary thing. I'm not sure I believe him on that.

I'm still ironing out a few details of how it's all going to work, and honestly, additional responsibility makes me more marketable for the next time they might call an unexpected meeting, the outcome of which might not be so good. Blah blah glass half full. We never know in this job market, and it's best to be prepared. I have mixed feelings overall, but am glad to still have a paycheck. Perhaps with this extra stuff I can more easily lobby to increase said paycheck at my next review.

Don't look down

I've been concentrating an awful lot on our floors lately, since I seem to spend a lot of time down there. It's the easiest place to go when AJ wants to play something, usually "Alien Creation Chamber," and KT wants to practice her army crawl. I pour out some soft blocks on one side of me and some alien parts on the other side, and let the kids go to work.

Safe to say I will never be like someone I know who amazes me by vacuuming every day, or at least every other day. But I would LIKE to have floors that clean, seeing as how we roll around on them so much. I just vacuumed but it won't last long.

*****WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST to announce... my manager just asked me to meet with him tomorrow morning 30 minutes before our regular weekly staff meeting. He "has something he wants to discuss with me." Panic panic panic WHAT COULD IT BE?? Am I in trouble? Will I be extremely nervous and worry about this all day? Will I lose my job less than 24 hours from now? Will I be privy to some top-secret work-related information? What could take 30 minutes to discuss? Will I be given a very substantial and unexpected raise and promotion?? Tune in tomorrow... cue the foreboding and dread*****

Giving the economy a caboost

Nobody's sick at my house, whew. My DH jokingly accused me of wishing sickness upon us in that last post. Not so... I'm just feeling nervous/stressy about a lot of things and Baby catching a dread disease was one of them, yesterday.

Retail therapy helps. I found some BARGAINS at The Children's Place today, and went ahead and did my civic duty, injecting forty-one whole dollars into our economy. You're welcome. Got this cute dress:
... and this one,
both for less than $7.00 which feels extremely good to me. Also found some other small things like long-sleeve t-shirts and one shirt for AJ. (He's plenty clothed, as you know, with hand-me-downs from cousin Grant, who has impeccable taste and an eye for fashion.)

Also did $75-worth of destressing at Snapfish's gift shop. Boosted the economy AND got some Christmas gifts taken care of... double win!

The library was equally fun. I think I made a good suggestion for Book Club -- something different from our normal fare -- and I'm jazzed about libraries in general again. I've got to get AJ over there with me at some point. Maybe when we take these back -- I got him a few new picture books, too, of course. I think his class goes on a field trip there sometime during the school year, but I want him to go there with Mama and hold my hand while he discovers the treasures of so many (free) books. We have really enjoyed some new books my Mom sent this week, especially a Halloween I Spy picture book. It's given us 2 half-hour sessions of focused, fun family time, and we're only 2/3 finished with it! LOVE.

I don't have anything profound to share. I feel like I should. I also feel like I should be watching the news all the time, when I'm not wringing my hands about the news. That's why it was nice to watch Project Runway last night, and why I'd like to watch Pirates of the Caribbean this weekend (can you believe I still haven't seen all of #2, or any of #3?). Something completely unrelated to the election or the economy, and completely frivolous.

Refreshingly...

...politics free today. (Like Swistle!)

I will say this, as my only report on last night's debate: I fell asleep.

-----------

Tomorrow I'm planning to go to the library to pick up Madeleine L'Engle's The Small Rain for Book Club. I'm not buying it. Books have come off the "essential purchase" list, and even the "it's okay, books are small" justification list. Fourteen dollars is more money than it used to be, at least when it's still inside my wallet.

I am excited - I haven't been to a library in a long time.

-----------

The pediatrician's office is falling in love with us because we give them 25 dollars two, maybe three times a week these days. Just for fun! Last week it was for the privilege of sitting in their exam room for 45 minutes so the doctor could come in right before 5:00 to declare KT baby ear-infection-free. He breezed in and out of there so fast I barely saw his face. At that point she WAS still coughing and had a very runny nose -- I wanted to ask him a few questions -- but he disappeared before I could. I took him at his word and left with my fingers crossed. (I think she's getting better. I think.)

Who knew I'd be back there 4 days later for darling AJ's adventure of the week: sticking something in his ear "just to see what would happen." He saw what happened, alright. A nice metal forceps AND a warm earwash later, and I don't think he'll be sticking paper OR crumbs anywhere but his pockets from now on (he'd better not)! Poor kid screamed his little head off during the ear wash. I couldn't blame him -- when I go swimming and my ear fills with water accidentally, I jump around and shake my head and jiggle my BRAIN until that water drips back out. I HATE having water in my ears.

But he deserved it.

Today there's a sign on the Infant 2 door saying "A case of hand-foot-mouth disease has been reported in this classroom," so I'm expecting to see my darling pediatrician again real soon despite wiping KT baby down every time I get a chance. I know they'll swoon when I walk in the door. Easy money, baby.

Not saying anything one way or the other

I keep searching online, wanting to know what people thought about the VP debate. I've read a few articles, blog posts. Probably what I really want to determine, though, is what *I* thought about the debate. It was historic for me, but only because I managed to watch the entire thing and not fall asleep (for longer than 5 minutes during the Sudan/Afghanistan part). Ha. Mostly I thought it was the same old typical political schlock, with a bit of "I'll charm 'em" talk thrown in from Palin, which is her deal. I didn't think either one of them said anything we hadn't heard before, and both of them likely spoke some untruths.

I found it funny the couple of times they "agreed" on something -- the gay marriage issue, when Ifill said "Good, you agree." and the sworn-to-silence audience couldn't help laughing. And then that they "both love Israel." Heh. And I liked when Biden said "I love him," referring to McCain. I, myself, loved Palin's suit and the highlights in her hair. And I hope no one will take that as me bashing her OR being a dumb-ass who is voting for or against gender alone. Because I'm not, I'm just observing.

(Here's stating the obvious:) If we could have Tivo'd it, watched about 10 minutes, and then rewound to start over, we would have made it a drinking game. Anytime Palin said the word, "Maverick..." or mispronounced "Nu-cue-lar..."

DRINK!

(What is it with that word, by the way?!? NUCLEAR. New-Clear. How hard is it? Aaaghggh.)

Anytime Biden started his answer with the word "Look," or added a superfluous "fundamental..."

DRINK!

It could go on and on and we'd all have been completely wasted by the end.

I thought the NBC commentator got it just right, though, that both of them exceeded expectations. Palin spoke to the people, as one of the (lowly) people, and that was what she needed to do, not let herself get ruffled as she has by the bright lights and fast-talking, hard-pressing media. And I actually think Biden did well on that front, too, aligning himself with regular people who've had hardship in their lives. I thought he was well spoken and I think others have said this, HE might appeal to more people as the Presidential nominee than smooth-talker Barack. (And I'm sorry, yes, he's a GOOD speaker, but he's also Reeeeel Smmoooth. Trained in speaking is what I mean.)

Anyway, I'm pretty much your classic swing-voter according to this, and although my mom and dad will cringe to hear it, I'm still not absolutely sure whom to vote for. I'm pretty sure, but not absolutely. I'm not convinced my vote will even matter in Georgia, although this year we might have a more interesting electorate than we usually do.

I don't know. I never know about politics. Moving on.

Since it's October, we finally opened the Halloween CD my Mom brought a couple of weeks ago, and AJ's taken it to school 2 days in a row (they listen to music while eating breakfast and at the end of the day). He LOVES the songs "Ghostbusters," and "I Want Candy," which are, of course, fun for us grownups too. And he LIKES, but gets SCARED, listening to the "Spooky Sounds" portion of the CD. It has tracks like "Evening in the Dark Forest," "Midnight at a Cemetery," and "Dr. Frankenstein's Laboratory," complete with creaky door effects, hooting owls, and faraway bell-tolling. Spooooooky. He wants me to play those tracks, but then 30 seconds into them, he says, "Turn it off, Mommy! I'm scared!" Hee hee hee. I think he really LIKES getting scared like that, you know, the thrill we all have about non-threatening scary things. :)


(Someone's going to see that last sentence as a subtle reference, since everyone's referring to either Palin or Obama as "scary" in the political rhetoric going around. But it was just coincidence that I wrote about both those things today... really.)

Scent of a woman

I pulled out the remainder of my Bath and Body Works "Sensual Amber" lotion a few weeks ago, because it's a "fall" scent in my mind. And I slathered it on this morning, because boy, have my arms and elbows been dry.

So I smell nice today. Of course, KT zinged me right before we left the house, so every once in a while, I get a little whiff of eau de baby spit-up from my right shoulder.

Excellent mix.

Trader Tuesdays: Healthy Chocolate Candy Bites

My Mom and Dad showed up 2 weekends ago with a little Ziploc baggie of these awesome chocolate bites. My TOTAL DIET WEAKNESS is wanting just a bite (or 4) of something sweet after a meal. These make me feel better because they have cholesterol-lowering Cheerios, anti-oxidants-rich dark chocolate, and protein-filled walnuts! And fruit! They're like, the perfect food!


Healthy Chocolate Candy Bites

15 oz dark chocolate for baking/candy-making (NOT semi-sweet choc chips, I tried them and they're not as good. Go for Ghiardelli or something similar)

1.5 C. Cheerios

1/2 C. chopped walnuts

1 C. dried cherries


Melt chocolate over low heat, or in a double-boiler. Add other ingredients and stir to coat. Drop by small spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool. Store in airtight container -- in the fridge works best. Can also freeze them to save for later.

Thanks, Mom! Hope you don't mind I shared!

Walk in the forest

Sundays are good days for walking, and so yesterday afternoon, we did. We gathered up nothing but ourselves -- the baby had just been fed and changed, and AJ was raring to go so I didn't even think to get sunscreen, water bottles, or any other superfluous thing that we millenial moms always pack up when we leave the house. I just grabbed my phone in case we got lost or hurt, my camera, and the stroller. We took DH's car because (AJ wanted to, for some reason, and) it's the most fuel-efficient. Since DH had spent both Saturday and Sunday mornings in line for gas before dawn, this was important. Freaking gas shortage. Crazy.

Anyway, all free-wheedlin' and sans accoutrements, we drove the 3 miles to the trail, and then we walked! Once again I was reminded: We live less than 3 miles from a National Park! How cool is that? I was thinking we'd only be out 20 minutes or so, but we ended up doing nearly the whole loop, I think - closer to an hour. Sometimes AJ ran ahead, sometimes he fell behind and shouted, "Hey guys, wait up!" He fell once and lamented that he probably wouldn't be able to play his Hulk Smash board game now, with this owwie (a tiny scrape in the middle of his palm). KT endured the roots and rocks and sand without so much as a whimper -- such a bumpy path would have made me grouchy, I think, if I'd been riding. But she's more agreeable than I. We even took a picture or two.





It was warmer than I'd hoped, but I am so, so glad we did that. There's nothing quite like the companionable "silence" of tall trees, grassy fields, and a chatty preschooler to make you feel contented.

Stream of Consciousness

KT baby may not have this year's most up-do-date baby clothes, I guess, but between hand-me-downs and gifts, she's got a lot of nice things to wear. Will soon need more shoes as it gets cool, and hadn't realized that little girls need more than 2 pairs, unlike little boys. Good news: Saw a bunch at Marshall's for cheap. Also Need: long-sleeve dresses. All I have is summer dresses. People didn't count out the months when they gave us these 9-month sizes.

Marshall's. Shopped last Tuesday in desperate attempt to put something in *my* closet that I like. Paid with cash to alleviate my poor, overused debit card. Came away with three nice tops, and have a little more I can spend. Not sure where.

I owe my neighbor some banana bread. Borrowed 1 egg from them last week, in order to make Loaf #1. Promised to bring them some, but then.... we ate it all. Heh. Went to store, got own eggs, made Loaf #2. Now should really share that. I am not really good at being "neighborly." They're always bringing us some of what they bake. I have to say, their kids are being taught very well how to share with friends. They always say, "Kelsey wanted AJ to have some brownies." So nice.

DH did a great job grocery shopping for me last week. Only bad thing is I forgot to tell him to get milk, and cheese (cheddar, mozz). How can I stretch groceries for 2 weeks without milk and cheese? Esp cheese: no lasagna, no pizza, no enchiladas, quesadillas -- all my go-to meals. Funny; I didn't realize that. Maybe I need some new go-to meals. ("Yes," says my diet.) Maybe black bean chili. Oh, fajitas don't require cheese. We've already baked and grilled chicken breasts twice this week, that always works... will continue to ponder. AJ not eating dinner again. So frustrating. Need to remember to ask his teacher if he really eats his lunch, drinks his milk, at school.

We took kids to Waffle House Monday morning for breakfast, before my parents left to go back home. I loved it. Breakfast out is such a treat. We rarely do it, but SHOULD. (We do donuts, but it's not the same as 2 eggs, grits, bacon and coffee for $4.99!) There used to be a little girl in AJ's class who had b'fast with her daddy every Wednesday, at Waffle House. I think that's really cool. Think it would be a good way to give each kid some individual time with Mommy or Daddy, maybe once a month. Too bad there's not a bagel place up here in the 'burbs, though. Too much W.H. not good for the waistline!

I am blessed with shelter, food, clothing, a little savings (not much, but a little), beautiful kids, kind, funny and handsome husband, family in all corners of the world who love us, a job... so many things. I've been reminding myself of all these, all week.

Thinking a lot about economy, though. Wonder if our kids will have the habits that older generations sometimes have, like saving/reusing things, because our grandparents grew up in Depression era, you know? Will our kids say, "We didn't have much, growing up, but we had everything we needed." Not a bad thing to have to say, really, but I wonder if they'll be aware of it -- if they'll gain "character" because of it (ha). I wonder how long it will all last?

Work's been a combo of some mindless things, and some hard things this week. I guess that's good. Am trying to be proactive and good, and not put things off. Difficult when everyone I need to talk with is out of town at annual conference.

Holy cow, are you still reading this? I don't think I could BE more boring.

We have to enjoy the gorgeous weather this weekend (sorry, MB). No sitting around inside the house all day! We should find a new park/playground. I'm kinda done with the regular one and it's always so crowded. Maybe dinner al fresco (even at our own house would be fun).

For Jess and Torsten

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking
together in the same direction.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I wish you a magnificent wedding, plenty of laughter, the faith to keep going even when it's tiring, and above all, lots and lots of happiness. To Jess Loolu and her groom-to-be!

Limitations and the pity thereof

I'm chatting with my sister in Facebook right now, as I type this. Isn't chat so fun? I LURVH it. I chat on AIM/iChat, Facebook, and gChat. I remember telnet-ing back in the olden days of 1995, though, on a blue screen and all. I used it to talk with Maryb, and she talked to her future husband, so far away was he, at the Citadel. I even think the three of us chatted together sometimes. Hee hee!! MEMMMM-REES.

So my week has been an EPIC FAIL in the area of healthy eating. EPIC. I can't say that enough. EP.IC. FAIL. I ate Fairy Tale Brownies, MB's Apple Cake via my neighbors who visited an apple farm, banana bread (I had to make it so as not to waste the bananas, dontchaknow), and what else? Chips and salsa. And, oh right, we went out for Mexican last Sunday and I practically licked the cheese enchilada platter clean. I hate myself for doing that kind of crap, and sabotaging any efforts at weight loss thus far (I've gained back 2.5 pounds of the six I had lost since having KT baby), but I swear. I feel like especially in lean economic times it's so MEAN to ourselves to limit everything damn thing. Limit spending. Limit fat. Limit sugar. Limit white bread products. Limit REAL COCA-COLA. I hate it! I would like to just live normally, please. (What's that? Broccoli is normal? NOT IN MY BOOK.) It's so hard to resist the easy, yummiest foods.

And yet I have done Jillian Michaels' workout #1 twice this week, which kicks my bootie in a good way and makes me kinda want to do it again, and more. (Totally jumped on the bandwagon there, as everyone -- well, Sundry -- was talking about J.M. I'm a follower ... of good suggestions.) I guess I'm breaking even health-wise, although it doesn't feel that way. It feels like I'm not doing it well at all.

Working out makes my knees really hurt. I don't know if I'm just old and need to continue working to build up my thigh muscles to protect the knees, or if I need to buy some shoe inserts, or if I really should go see a doctor. My knees hurt when I try to run in place, for example. Jumping jacks? Fine. Running? OW.

And my FEET hurt. Holy cowsicles, when I wake up in the morning it's as if I've had them bound all night. They work themselves out after a time, but I walk like concrete at 5:45 am. I realized the other day that I'm very bad to stand on the sides of my feet, especially the right foot, instead of distributing weight evenly in the middle. That's a habit that I think started during childhood. So I've been trying to be aware of that and fix it. I've also been avoiding high heels for 2 weeks to see if that helps, but come on. LIMIT PRETTY SHOES, TOO?

A meditative (?) $115

Thoughts during a haircut & color, Sept. 16, 2008:

Ahh, the Aveda store. Love this place. Love that they do my color in a more quiet area of the salon, so I can read. READING MY BOOK NOW! WOO! When do I ever get to read my book? Never, that's when! I am going to read it the entire time they slop bleachy-smelling stuff on my head.

Wow, that really smells bleachy. Ick. I do feel sort-of like a turkey being basted. Boy, it's hard to concentrate on this book. But isn't this a nice way to spend an hour? Hope Hubby's doing okay with the 2 kids. Hope AJ's eating his dinner. Surely he is. Pizza. Surely he'll eat pizza. Hope KT baby isn't really sick. It has to be teething, right? Her scratchy little voice has been so sad! Okay, okay... back to my book.

Glad I found a color I like. Too bad I don't love the stylist, but she's alright... I do wish they'd be quiet, though -- I've read this paragraph about 4 times... "I was so horrified by the whale's deliberate charge that I could not move. Then my own name flew up from below like a spear: "Una!" Giles' voice broke my trance, and I scrambled down the rigging. No sooner did my foot touch the deck than there was such a lurch that I fell to my face. I heard and felt the boards break below the waterline, the copper sheathing nothing but decorative foil..." wait. What? "I heard and felt the boards break below the waterline, the copper sheathing nothing but decorative foil..." I wish THAT one with the dark hair was my stylist. She seems sweeter than K. And she isn't so full of herself.... Mmmm, they're talking about Cold Stone Creamery. Should I add something, participate in the conversation? Does it make me seem weird that I'd rather read? "I heard and felt the boards break below the waterline, the copper sheathing nothing but decorative foil..." Oh, that stylist's getting married in December. Then taking 2 weeks off. Lucky duck! Wish I had 2 weeks off. "...nothing but decorative foil..." This part is boring. When will she get off this boat and go back to her family??... Ooh, a Vertical Horizon song! Been ages since I heard this one...

oh, okay, here they come to rinse me. Yay, I love the rinse process. Yes, cover me up with that lovely, heavy velvet blanket, thank you! Divine. Water temp... perfect. Aveda shampoo? Smells good. Okay self, ennnjooyyy this moment alone... close your eyes, feeeeeel the soft blanke... Whoa! OW! Apprentice dude, not so ROUGH. Damn! ...You have a little more to learn, I guess! And quit talking, I'm trying to relax.... okay. Relax. I don't do this very often, and I deserrrrrrve this. Oh, yeah, massage time. I have a crick in my... OW! Dammit! That's entirely too hard. But of course I'm not going to say anything. Meek little el-e-e. I should tell him to ease up. He needs to learn. But no. I'll take it and keep quiet. Just hurry up to the warm towel wrap.... *eyebrows raised* Make that a HOT towel. Gees, ow! Okay, now go away for a minute.

Isn't it wonderful to enjoy this little tiny bit of pampering? ....We totally can't afford this pampering... shut up, self, enjoy it already; you work, you can pay for this... shouldn't be paying for this, isn't that what Clairol is for?... I definitely won't put it on the debit card. Credit. So glad we've paid some of our cards all the way off. I should cut them up. Wonder if credit will cease to exist due to this economic crisis we're in? Hmm. That could be bad.... don't want to think about that....

Time for my haircut. I guess I have to put down my book and talk to the stylist... Or, listen to HER talk.... "Mmm-hmmm." "Yeah, I totally agree..." "Oh, noooo, that's terrible..." (I care less and less about this conversation...) Okay shut up about your divorce, I GET IT. You can't afford your house now because you bought it on 2 incomes. I UNDERSTAND.... be kind, self, be a good listener... Sigh... somehow I think she's trying to get me to tip her real big because she KEEPS talking about how little money she makes. Way to be subtle, lady.... of course I never know what's the appropriate tip amount anyway... awkward! Does she remember what I tipped last time? Was it a lot, I don't remember. If so, did that set a precedent and now I have to tip her a lot every time? Hate this issue. Makes me uncomfortable.

And now this lady in front of me won't hurry up at the cash register. I'll just go over here and scope out the products some more... Did she just add a $30 tip?? She did. Well, great. I was going to tip $20. Is that too little? Does it depend on my total? I will NOT tip $30. That's too much. I appreciate your service, but it's your job. I refuse. ...No way, did I hear that right? ...$115 total? YIPES. I was only expecting about $80. Sigh. Forking over the card. "Would you like to add anything to this, ma'am?" ...."$25.00" Super.

Trader Tuesdays: Pasta with Lemon Juice

1 box pasta - bowtie or rotini work well
juice of 4 fresh lemons
about 12 oz fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
3-4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
5-6 (or to taste) leaves fresh basil, torn or julienned

Grilled chicken (optional)
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
garlic salt
lemon pepper

******

Cook pasta as directed on box. While pasta cooks, make sauce in the bottom of a large serving bowl: juice lemons, add 8 oz. cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper, and stir with a whisk. (Save some cheese for garnish.) If using chicken, grill it while pasta cooks (we use the George Foreman grill).

Drain pasta and fold into the sauce. (Add chicken, sliced up pretty.) Garnish with extra cheese and basil leaves.

Supper is served!


This is one of my go-to recipes, and it's satisfying with or without the chicken. I've substituted the heck out of it over the years, too -- don't have shredded cheese? Grated (from the can) is fine. Don't have fresh lemons? You can get by with Real Lemon. Out of fresh basil? Dried will work (but not as yummy).

Bribery, Hairdressery

Sunday School was great, if a little messy. And by that I don't necessarily mean the sandbox of buried Treasures of the Earth; I mean the poor little girl who couldn't stop crying, whose Daddy had to stay with her the whole time. They sat in the back and tried not to be distracting for the rest of the class. By the veeeeery end, she came up front with everyone and was smiling and talking about what stuffed animal she'd bring next week, for the "God Gives us Plants and Animals" chapter. Poor thing. I really sympathized with that Dad.

I'm enjoying the "teacher" aspect of this project. It reminds me of being a kid, playing school. No kidding! I have some techniques I need to improve, like saying, "Guys! Guys!" instead of a more polite, "Boys and Girls." I have to watch myself from looking at the other teacher when one kid -- 5-year-olds, you understand -- stands up to ramble about something completely off-topic and/or weird; my gut reaction is a knowing smile and raised eyebrows, as if to say, "Are you believing this?!" That's probably not protocol. But it's pretty fun to stand up in front like I know something. To call on the kids when it's their turn. It's easy to get 5yos to like you, but... I think they like us/me. And that feels good.

AJ did well in his class, too. I peeked in on him toward the end of the hour, and his teacher was showing them the Sign of the Cross. Their lesson was "Our Hands." So cute. Our hand are for eating. Playing. Clapping. Praying. (Hmmmm. Perhaps we need to be doing a little more praying with OUR students, heh, whoops.) Anyway, he said he'll totally go again, especially if I buy him another prize of a Ben 10 alien action figure. Yes, "another." I bribed him.

Here's one other thing I did this weekend, and I'm sorry in advance for the puddle of "awwww" you're about to become, and also for bragging about how cute my kid is, but believe me. Introducing.... barrettes:


After one time, I couldn't stop. I put one in her hair for Saturday Mass. For sitting around our house Sunday afternoon. For dinner last night. I chose yellow this morning and I'm nearly certain it will be missing after a day in the Infant 2 room, but truly: HOW COULD I NOT??

And then I'll draw on the chalkboard for 47 minutes

This Sunday, we'll be learning about Land, Water, Earth and Sky in the St. Joseph's Kindergarten classroom. I'm excited because I think it's going to be a fun-filled hour. Now that we're getting to know the kidlets, and they us, there's less fumbling around and we can do more actual learning. Thankfully, we also have great BOOKS to spoon-feed us ideas, since we are volunteers, after all, and not trained in education. However, I think I have some decent ideas for my portion of the lesson:

- Our weekly read-aloud story (which I read ahead of time!) has the word "rain" about seventeen times, so I'm going to have the kids make a "rain" sign/motion every time they hear it. I wanted to bring a rain stick, too, but alas, I don't have one. Also, I hate rain sticks.

- OBVS we're going to be singing You Are My Sunshine and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Anyone know a good "Moon" song? .... me, either. I'm also predicting that songs are going to be my default activity. Get used to it, kids. ;)

- We're doing a "buried treasure" thing for the land/earth portion. A plastic bin, a bag of sand, and "treasures" of rocks, sticks, and shells. Heh Heh. "Here, kids! Have some yard detritus!" I think they're going to go bananas over it. I'll be toting my dustbuster.

Oh, and P.S., I'll also be toting my kid. He promised me that he'd try Sunday School one more time, after flat refusing to attend last weekend. It's going to somewhat tick me off if he decides he doesn't like it. But since the diocese doesn't require it for his age, I'm not requiring it, either. If he doesn't like it after this week, I'll let it go. Too bad I signed up to do this for together-time, church-focused, WITH HIM. Sigh. Oh well. I am sure I'm benefiting, anyway.

At Least this Fresca is Yummy (Black Cherry)

I am in a bit of a work-induced MOOD today, so how about a bulleted list of items of intrigue? HOW 'BOUT.

1. Does anyone actually BUY the pizza-flavored Goldfish? I ask rhetorically but also, seriously... do you buy them? ...would I like them? I'm kind-of embarrassed to admit that I'm curious. Of course I've already tried the pretzel ones, and they are beyond dry. They're so dry, "I'd have to pry myself to SPIT." (hattip: Texas, the musical).

2. JUST when I feel like I'm all synced up, work is clicking, I have just the right number of extra-curricular activities that I feel fulfilled but not busy, and calm enough that I start contemplating Having People Over for Dinner -- not planning, just thinking, "Hey, we're in a good rhythm, I bet we could manage it one weekend soon..." BLAM. That freelance project I thought was dead in the water resurfaces, the Archdiocesan Choir sends out next season's rehearsal schedule (do I want to participate or don't I?), and I see Halloween candy in the front of Publix. HALLOWEEN, Y'ALL. We have to start preparing for THAT again.

3. Project Runway is definitely a good show. Even when it's pretty pathetic, LIKE THIS SEASON, it's still good. But last night was just pure schlock. Bringing back the Auf'd contestants? LAME. The badly lit planetarium where we, the viewers, couldn't even SEE the garments? LAME-O. Terry's and Keith's cat-fighting? SO LAME. I'll tell you, she has had some great confessional one-liners, but last night I couldn't believe her attitude. Grow up, girl. Ditto Kenely.

Well, this has quickly devolved into a bitch-fest of my own. I thought doing yoga a little while ago had cleared my whine, but apparently not.

Trader Tuesdays: Peanut Butter Pie

I'm not at home and don't have my very own recipe book with me, from which I could choose something delectable and special to share. But the recipe posts are going up here, there, and everywhere, and I just can't be left out of all the fun.

So without further adieu, I give you my official excuse for a trade (I make a version of this):

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Pie-XII/Detail.aspx

Mmmmm. Pie.

Confession

Darn those Gosselins, anyway. Good for laundry-folding, of which I had plenty last night, and lo! A J&K+8 marathon! I've now seen Kate smile at least twice. And I will admit, I do find it funny when she's railing on Jon, and he just sits there, unflinching, giving the camera a look like, "She's railing on me again, viewer, but I COULD CARE. *eyeroll*"

I'm confessing. It's only right that you know.

Vanity

I liked that picture enough to make it my profile pic. Have been nursing a love-hate relationship with photos of myself lately, changing my Facebook profile picture again and again, but also wanting more pictures of me with the kids (seems I'm always behind the camera instead of in front). Not to mention pics of me with the Hubs -- oh, when you're first together and don't have kids, you snap, snap, snap love-dove pictures of yourselves. "Cute couple," people say. Yeah. Well, THAT goes out the window once you have the cuddly little people around! I would really like someone to take pictures of me and DH together, smiling. To remind me that we DO SMILE TOGETHER once in a while. Perhaps with some half-empty beer bottles in the foreground? :)

The end of this week has kind-of kicked my butt in the parenting department; nothing huge, just the typical boundary struggles with a four-year-old. He doens't WANT to wear socks. He doens't WANT to turn off the TV. He doens't WANT a story. No WAIT, REEEEEEAD STOOOOORIES, WAAAAAH. (I'm spelling "doesn't" wrong because that is exactly how he pronounces it. Dun-sent.) The whole thing makes me mentally tired; I'd like to run away to a quiet corner of the bookstore. I would even take DH with me; he's quiet. We could sit criss-cross-applesauce on the floor and flip through books and magazines until closing time. Doesn't that sound divine? Hm, where's the babysitter's number?

I have to talk (vainly) about my hair. For one thing, I have finally decided I like the cut. It's a bit longer than I usually wear it. I've gotten some compliments lately and that always helps, but for ONCE in the last few years, it seems to be cut really well, where it falls correctly. Yes, I have to blow it dry, which seems to take too long for a busy working mom. But when I do, it lays perfectly straight and even 'swings' a little bit, making me feel somewhat sassy. I like feeling sassy. The one complaint I have about my hair is that it feels coarser to me. Is that a factor of getting old, or just from frying it with all-over-color?

I plan to haul a bunch of junk to the Goodwill drop-off location this weekend (including maternity clothes and AJ's crib bedding). Or wait: should I save it for my sister-in-law, who keeps saying she wants to be pregnant within a year? Well, crap, there goes that. So now what should I do this weekend? What're you doing?

Slingy sling sling!

Maaaaaajor shout out to Nicole, who reminded me recently in a comment or a Tweet or something, that the sling is my friend. The hip-carry has become my very best friend for that magical hour from 5:30 pm 'til dinner is on the table. I love that KT baby likes riding around the kitchen with me. I wish I'd had one of these when AJ was little.
Shut up, yes I was wearing a competing floral print with my paisley pink sling! Eek! I am a fashion don't!

Nothing to report, really

Today I don't really have anything earth-shattering to tell (do I ever?), but I think some of my better posts are the ones where I just type for a while and see what materializes. Free-form blogging, as it were. You've been warned.

My mind has been trying to wrap itself around the elections the last week or so, like most people. I don't like watching either convention, because it's all just a lot of scripted cheerleading and Other-Party-Bashing, and I don't like that. There's little of substance. But I have peeked in on each convention and you know what I've noticed the most? The sets. Like, behind the DNC podium one day last week they had a couple of huge window panels, right? Those were pretty, with the beige carpet-y looking surroundings. I don't know if that was the stage all the way through. Like I said, I try not to watch. Last night I wasn't as fond of the large black and white images behind the RNC podium, because I thought it took away from being able to see the person who was speaking. I did think Laura Bush looked lovely in red, and behind her they had a giant, soft image of an American flag -- that was nice.

You see how much I pay attention to the content, though. Not much. The debates? I will watch. The tickets this year make the race really fascinating (I = Master of Obvious) and I want to hear what everyone has to say about how they will lead this country. Even the debates, though, can't be trusted. Politicians will SAY whatever they have to say; whether or not they follow through on "promises" is certainly a toss-up. I do hate all the meanness that comes with politics, though, and I wonder if we'll EVER move away from the either-or mentality of a two-party system.

BUT! I don't want to talk politics with my friends. It's impolite.

Speaking of impolite -- one of AJ's favorite stories lately is "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby." We have it in an illustrated children's literature anthology, as well as a Little Golden Book handed down from DH's childhood collection. Do you read this story to your kids? It was a favorite of mine, too, when I was small. Of course there's the dialect. Brer Rabbit says to the Tar Baby: "Ain't you goin' to say 'Howdy?' Ain't you goin' to be PER-LITE?" And I read it in dialect because that's the way it's meant to be read -- it's part of our country's literary tradition. But it makes me feel a little funny. I worry that, in one edition, they repeat the phrase, "And the Tar Baby, he say nothin'," over and over again. AJ quoted it back to me yesterday. "Mommy, I like the part where the Tar Baby he say nothin'." Eeek. "He doesn't say anything, son. Anything." Just what I need is to raise a boy who thinks "ain't" really is a word. Maybe I'll suggest "Make Way For Ducklings" tonight instead.

And speaking of dialect! (Wow, the segues are just perfect this morning!) I heard a radio interview with someone from Montague, LA, where the reporter kept saying "Hurricane GOOSE-tahv," like we've all been saying. The Montague resident, however, said, "Gus-TAHV," with his French-Cajun accent. How I love that sound. It made me smile.

Brief but lovely meeting

It has been all I could do today not to come giggling over to you, to tell you this super-cool news. For the last 5 hours I've had to, like, care for the kids and feed them and talk to them and stuff... So annoying! Because guess what? Today I got to meet someone I really like and admire from The Internet. And she is just as sweet and fantastic in person as she is on-screen, and I just had to share.

Hi, Mir, you're pretty! Sorry I was such a schoolgirl. (I really was, y'all. Starstruck happens. I couldn't even logically tell her my name. God, I am so embarrassed. If I ever get to go to BlogHer I will clearly need drinks. Which is good, I've heard they have them there.)

Blogging is funny. One minute you're feeling all comfortable, all "part of this great community," and the next minute you're you again, the shy girl. Hee. But I love it. I was proud to be there, happy to understand this medium (somewhat) and how it works, nodding in agreement when they (Mir and also-famous Kristen) explained why they do it. When my husband asked me on the way home, why *I* do it, I had several answers for him. It started as a substitute for the paper journals I'd been writing my whole life. I have since found it's a great place to park the memories we're making, so that when these kiddos grow up, I won't forget. And, it's allowed me to meet fascinating people and expand my circle a bit. He knew I was excited because I went on and on. I mean, it must have been fun if I'm blogging about it on a weekend! When I got home, I really wanted to hop online just to BE with you guys. If that isn't silly.

Anyway, go and buy their book. I already read about 1/3 of it since we got home today (while I was "caring" for the kids, ahem). It's like a handy bookmark of the best posts from the best momblogs. Blogs-to-books: will that continue? Will the "craze" fizzle eventually? Will all of the rockstar bloggers get published? Who knows. It will be fun to see where this whole things takes us in the next several years.

Identity freaking crisis

*SIGH* This day and age, I swear. I now have so many multiple personalities (not to mention logins and passwords) that I can barely keep up with myself, and I'm supposed to be keeping up with two kids and a husband, too? WTH, Web 2.0?

1. In February 2005, I didn't want to publish my kids' names or my last name on this blog because I didn't want all the wackos of the world to be able to find our house/school/whatever wackos want to find. I was also aware of the employer/potential employer's ability to Google. So it's anonymous.
2. Except when I go and link to Vimeo where I've signed up using my real name, DUH.
3. And never mind that half my regular readership is related to me. (Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Hi husband, sister, cousins!)
4. The other half of you have likely emailed me at some point, and I wasn't smart enough to create an anonymous email to accompany the blog; just used my regular ol' junky yahoo address. So now you guys know my real name, too. Which is fine, I don't care about that because I like you, I really like you. But it seems dumb, now, to have an anon blog and a revealed email.
5. I love Facebook and have become friends with a few of you guys and a LOT of old high school and college buddies. I definitely don't think I want all of them to be reading my blog so I don't publish its URL over there.
   
6. I finally succumbed to the everloving Twitter tease, and set up my account... possibly without thinking, using my real and actual name. So I can't very well publish my Twitter feed here, can I? Haha, oh, isn't this fun?
   
7. AND NOW my office has created Facebook and Twitter accounts. I want to become a fan of and follow them; however, my manager has said explicitly that we should have TWO identities for these things, one personal and one professional. Because he doesn't want our clients, who may also follow us, seeing "our naked toga party pics." (It's funny because we work in higher ed.) And I get it, and I don't want my clients on my real Facebook page, either, necessarily -- perhaps they don't need to know how often I'm playing TextTwirl?-- but ArrRRGHEHEH. Two Facebook accounts? Two Twitter accounts? Annoying.
   
8. Oh, damn, I just remembered Flickr, too. Which I think I don't want to use, personally, anymore (don't like the way it functions) but the office may start using it for clients' photo archives, so again, I'll need to sign up with my Professional identity. Which is.. who, again?

Darling Husband, I just want you to know that if and when we get our Wii, I may not be up to creating YET ANOTHER Mii (me).

(....Who?)

Badly lit, but still pretty darn cute

Happy Baby Jumperoo! from Lee on Vimeo.


Also: this is one of the most beautifully written things I've read on the Internet lately, from Sundry:

...all I wish for is that time would slow down, that I could enjoy your babyhood for as long as I want, instead of the cruel truth of days slipping by faster and faster, every moment taking you just a bit away from me. The entire act of parenthood is a path of loss, Dylan, where the whole point is for you to grow up and away, and we will know we did at least a few things right when you carve out your own life completely separate from ours. I know how this time is such a sweet shutter-flash, and my heart, my little one, it will be over so soon. I am trying to hold on to it all, even as it constantly changes.

Red Beans and Rice

We eat Red Beans and Rice (RBR, as it appears on my weekly Post-It Note menu) quite often. Usually it comes from this box, which I will say unashamedly is delicious. I can claim to know, since my Mom is pure, 100% Louisianan. Sunday, I decided to make real Red Beans. I don't know... I guess I had extra time on my hands. ;)

This recipe is mostly my Mom's, with 1 or 2 ingredients from the back of the bag of Red Beans. My husband said it was delicious.

1 pound bag dry red beans (pick out the bad ones while they're dry)
6-8 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
3/4 TBSP salt
1 TBSP Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
1 pound smoked sausage*, sliced, or a ham bone, or just ham

*you could use spicy sausage or andouille, but I'd omit the Cayenne pepper in that case.

If you don't remember to soak the beans overnight, then place them in a big pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let them boil 2-3 minutes, turn the heat off and remove them from the burner. Let them sit, covered, for an hour or so. Drain.

Place soaked beans in crock pot and add 4-6 cups (new) water. Add other ingredients and stir. Cook on low 10-12 hours or on high at least 6 hours. (Or, bring to boil and simmer on the stove for 2 - 2.5 hours.) Add sausage or other meat whenever you like. An hour or so before cooking time is finished, take about 1 cup of beans out, and puree in the food processor. Add them back in. This is to make the mixture creamier.

(I added my sausage before the last 2 hours but here's a note: bring it to room temperature first. Otherwise you will be worried that you've just cooled the temperature of the beans so much that they will never fully cook. Ack! As it turns out they were the perfect consistency, right on time!)

Serve over white rice, obvs.

Sure hope my friends will post their easy weeknight recipes today, too! Happy Tuesday!

Puttering around the house

We had lingering effects of Tropical Storm Fay over the weekend, meaning gusty wind and overcast skies, and a little pittance of rain in the north suburbs. Still, it felt kind-of like fall, and made me wish it really WAS fall, with cool temperatures and a reason to crock-pot (v.)! I did, even without reason. I made red beans and rice and tomorrow I might even share the recipe I used, in the spirit of Trader Tuesday.

I just went outside this morning, and something about the way the trees, grasses, and my garage smelled made me want Loaded Potato Soup. Yum.

Our first Sunday School experience went... okay. AJ shed some nervous tears when I left him in his classroom, which ticked me off because I wanted to teach HIS CLASS and they didn't put me there. The whole reason I was doing this! But in the end, he said he had fun, and the class of Kindergarteners I'm teaching seems really sweet, too. I think it's probably going to be a good experience for both of us. (No update on my "New Best Friend," but she did a great job with the lesson plan so I like her that much more. Hee. Looking forward to working with her.)

Our weekend, looking back now, was packed! We attended YET ANOTHER friend's birthday party. I got an inferiority complex inside their enormous brand-new house. DH went to his annual Fantasy Football Draft. I went to dinner and a movie with Colleen. Together, we watched some of the last remaining Olympics (Group Rhythmic Gymnastics? Interesting! And Weird!), played as much Ben 10 (pretend) as we parents could stand, and watched KT baby jump in the Jumperoo. I swear I'm taking pictures tonight. Pinky swear. Somehow all of this seemed relaxing.

In the category of Homecaring, DH dusted and re-org'd AJ room, I did a load of towels, and we managed not to break the bank JUST yet (although my grocery trip tonight could get us close) -- this damn 2 kids in daycare gig is a lot pricier than I'd imagined. In fact, I didn't really imagine it at all -- just didn't THINK that adding another kid, without adding more salary, was going to feel quite so pinchy. Oh well. I've decided I'm asking for new bath towels for Christmas. :) Let someone else take care of my household expenses.

Hope your weekend was equally boring and nice.

Six Month Love Letter

Dear KT,

Half a year goes by in a flash and I find myself a few days... okay, a whole week... late with getting this written out. It seems that "late" is a continual state of being with two kids. Not "Very Late," because that would make me feel bad about myself, but just a few minutes past on-time. It's okay. It's expected, really. You manage to find some very sweet ways to fill up the minutes in our days.

I don't know, yet, how tall you are or your official weight, but you're growing. :) You have discovered your feet and like to kick them up over your head when you're lying down. But! You don't have to lie down all the time anymore -- you can sit up, big girl! It makes bathtime and getting dressed a WHOLE lot easier, and you love being upright on a blanket, surrounded by toys. Mostly you go for the cloth things to chew on -- cloth books, your burp cloth, or your dress; I'd have to say your favorite toy is your green pacifier, because your turn it over and over in your hands and chew on it actively. But you just haven't been exposed yet to all the toys that are coming to you -- just wait until you meet the ball popper and the "gumball" machine! We scored a JumpeRoo from some kind friends, and you seem to really like that, too, although you're only just getting acquainted with it.

Rolling is your current method of transportation, when given some time and space, but we can see you trying to pull those little legs up behind you. The days when we can set you down and come back to the same spot 3 minutes later are definitely numbered.

You love the bath! This is really fun for Daddy and me, because *whisper* your brother AJ has never liked getting wet! Never, not since he was tiny like you! So we laugh and laugh to see you, watching yourself in the mirror, getting water ALL OVER THE MIRROR, and making a big ol' mess. It's awesome. In fact, I can't wait to take you to a birthday party this weekend at a friend's pool! I think you're going to enjoy it.

One other thing we laugh at you about: Spitting. You will make bubbles at us all day -- it's like your own little language. Baaaab-bbbbaabbb-bhhhhhtth-th-thtth-thh. We call you Spitty-Spitty when you do that. Somehow I don't remember AJ doing the same, but then again I don't remember a lot about his babyhood anymore. (That is why Mama keeps the blog!)

You still adore Big Brother, and the last few days, when you are downstairs, and you see him at the top of the stairs, you scream with delight, "Aaaahh!" and giggle excitedly! Like he is the funniest thing you've ever seen! I know it makes him feel good to be considered such a comedian, and it makes Mama smile to think that deep down, instinctively, you love him so much. That HE is the friend who makes you happiest.

We certainly love you, Baby. You add infinite sunshine to our days (and you're adding back a little more sleep to my nights, now that you're sleeping 7:30 pm to 6:00 am! Keep that up. Just had to document that one last detail.) I'm going to tickle you right on your delicious squishy thigh when I see you next.

XOXO,
Mommy

Sunday School

Last night was the opening meeting for catechists for the 2008-09 schoolyear, and I got to attend! Because I am a catechist! Or, a catechist's assistant anyway. I am (pretending/volunteering to be) a teacher of Kindergarteners, can you believe it? I'm a tad bit excited about this and only wish I had more hours in the week to devote to planning each Sunday lesson, because man, there are some fun things we could do. Anyway, some things last night that made me smile:

• They referred to our being there as a calling. And I think it is. Obviously, this is a more difficult volunteer job than, say, stuffing envelopes for the front office, so to do it requires a hearty level of commitment (although I don't mean to belittle those who volunteer to do the other stuff). The idea came to me out of the blue. A whisper, almost, after I heard from a friend that I should get AJ registered. "You should sign up to be a teacher," I thought. I have never in a million years considered doing this before. But I felt very sure about doing it, from the minute the thought surfaced. I'm excited by that, as I don't feel I've been particularly "called" to anything -- certainly not a ministry -- in a long, long while. Well, except married life and parenting, of course.
• This is going to force me to be more aware of others, and of my faith, and I think I desperately need that. I am really hopeful that this will give my soul a boost. Give and ye shall receive, ya know?
  
• One of the first Kindergarten lessons is "God made the plants and animals," and of course I thought of "If I Were a Butterfly." I think I even remember all the lyrics.
• The other song I thought of was "Zaccheus was a Wee Little Man," and lo and behold, there is a chapter on Zaccheus, too. SCORE. (Sunday School is the same now as it has ever been, I guess.)
• The woman I'm teaching with seems very nice, has 3 little kids, one in AJ's 4-yr-old class, and we are going to be new best friends I am just sure ofitawesomeawesomelet'sgetlattes! Okay, not really, I mean, I don't KNOW if we'll hit it off, but I am kinda hoping for a new girlfriend out of the deal (and get a leeettle carried away about it). I'll try not to be too lovey toward her, right here at first. Hee. She seems very sweet.
• There was a funny lady at my table who's taught Kindergarten CCD for 5 years. She's originally from Long Island and says she begins every Sunday by making all the kids come "Give me mah Sugah." Apparently the kids ADORE it. ;) She was one of those people, though, whose appearance -- big earrings, bright clothes, etc -- would lead you to believe she's outwardly focused, but in reality, she is very much on a spiritual journey. She lost her 23-year-old daughter to a car accident 10 years ago, and shared a lot about her walk with God since then. Inspiring. I LOVE when people surprise me like that.
• I thought of my Mom, who taught Kindergarten at one time, and my Aunt L who taught school for 20-something years, and Maryb and my cousin Dominique, who've taught CCD/PSR/Sunday School, too... now it's my turn.
• Okay, don't tell anyone, but I'm ALSO secretly hoping that I'll be so good at this (heh) that a teaching position will open up at the school, and they'll totally ask me to apply. School hours, dude. School. Vacations.
• It's very cool to be doing this in the Internet age, because: Resources! Tips! Communities! Very helpful for this first-timer.
  

Pray for me!

Another rant-like entry

I am tired of playing "Ben 10" with AJ. I love the show, it's very creative, but... I am ashamed to say this: I DREAD when he says, "Let's play 'Ben 10!'" with all that enthusiasm. I don't have any IDEAS for Ben and Gwen and the DNAliens, I'm sorry.

I used to think of myself as imaginative. Or at least able to pretend! I was an ACTOR for a few years in high school, even. I played "improv games!" But having a child has proven that I am NOT, in fact, an idea warehouse. All of AJ's and my pretending scenes start like this: "So, [Michaelangelo or Ben or Hulk or whomever], what are we going to DO today?"

GAH. I feel like I need to work on this (maybe revisit some of the improv games?) but I just don't wanna. Whine. I love that HE has the desire to pretend, and want to foster that. And I know I'll regret it someday when he grunts at me and shuts the door to his room, turns the music up louder. I will. I'll miss it.

But I'm also tired of Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles in the tub! I have no imagination for these, either, except "Let's practice our ninja moves." *insert 4-yr-old king-fu sound effects here* Last night I finally thought of one thing: DIVE BOMBING. Meaning Mommy throws the Power Rangers into the water, splashing AJ. Good fun. Satisfying for me, too, tossing those guys into the water with a flourish.

We need a neighbor kid who likes these same characters to move in, stat. I will bake cookies. Come over to play.

Until then, CAN WE PLEASE PLAY A BOARD GAME OR DO A PUZZLE??

Jewelery giveaway

Before Mother's Day this year I was poking around greedily online at lots of "mommy" jewelery -- the kind where you have your kids' names engraved on it, yaknow? I couldn't quite find the perfect thing.

But today, I did find the perfect thing! Because it's Free! Musings of a Housewife is hosting a giveaway with the gorgeous and talented folks at Suede at Heart. All I can say is WOW.

I WANT!

You would look totally hot in that necklace. Go! Enter! (Thanks for the tip, Nicole!)

Today: Levity and frivolity

I think it was at Mandy's that the question "Who's in your top five?" was asked several months ago. (I can't find it in her archives, but trust me, there was a conversation.) I had a hard time with it because I'm so (OLD and therefore) behind in the mainest of mainstream pop culture, I guess... everyone was saying "David Cook" was on their top five. Y'all, he's so CURRENT! So NOW! So YOUNG! I'm pretty sure he doesn't fit my definition of hawt, but you go ahead, enjoy.

Anyway, I have been stewing about this question since then, feeling that I NEED to have an updated list! This is patently ridiculous, but who can explain the wanderings of the mind or the cultural impact of a TV show like Friends? Seems like I remember in college, my list included Hugh Grant and Tom Cruise, so.... you can see why I need to re-configure.

I know who's on my husband's List, of course: Angelina Jolie, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Alba, and Liz Phair -- all very worthy participants and he has my heartfelt blessing. It's only fair that my own top five are a Known Entity as well. So without further adieu: Hottiehottiehotties.

(Oh wait, more adieu, actually: When I told my dear, innocent friend Katherine about this mental conundrum, she said, "Oh, hee (gasp), I wouldn't really want to DO THAT with them, you know... just maybe have dinner." HA! SHE TOOK IT LITERALLY! Isn't that cute? So anyway, just for grins, let me say that I really don't want a pass to "DO THAT" with these people. A nice (steamy) kiss would be enough for me, really. And maybe dinner, just to make it honest.)

Number One: KEVIN BACON

Okay, so he isn't really current or now. He should have been on my list in college, actually, but I don't know... he's kinda a sidelines player in the Hot industry... I was embarrassed to admit I like-liked him. However, I'm all grown up now and couldn't care less -- he is IT. You had me at "Footloose." (this whole exercise is really embarrassing me now, 5 paragrahps in! forgive me)

Number Two: HARRY CONNICK JR

He's made some poor hair choices in the past, but he can sing to me anytime. It was good for me that they were showing his Lincoln MKZ commercial on TV a few months ago. Who ordered the crawfish?

Number Three: MATTHEW FOX

Mostly when he's broody, not so much with the goofy smile. Aaaaand now I'll have to endure endless teasing when watching the next season of "Lost" with DH. (I actually think he resembles DH a little bit. Def my type: brown hair, tall, slender face...)


Number Four: MIKE ROWE

Alright, stop laughing. It's his WIT and CHARM, people. Well, AND he's not too bad looking, even covered in sh*t! He was a classical musician, so he gets bonus points for that, and I just love when he gives that little sideways glance at the camera when he's talking to one of his Dirty Jobs subjects. That look says, "Can you believe this yahoo just said that out loud?" And yet, he manages to be kind to the yahoo and make him/her feel important? LOVE.

Number Five: ...

My husband should be gratified to know that after MONTHS of wondering about this, searching celebrity photos online, writing down names on a blog-ideas post-it, like this: Aidan Quinn? Johnny Depp? ....I SIMPLY CANNOT think of a 5th for my Top Five. So there's less chance I'll be unfaithful than for many husbands in America, I guess. Lucky DH! Hee hee. I never could tell my girlfriends in elementary school who I "liked" without getting giggly and embarrassed. That's what this feels like.

Error

Yesterday afternoon I made an error at work, and it really got me going in circles in my brain, about the various levels of mediocrity in all aspects of my life. I was fretting over everything, giving myself, if not "FAIL" in all categories, then at least C MINUS:

• Work is completed to the best of my ability but not with a full-on, study and achieve, become a leader, professional success, real go-getter mentality. C-
• Stupid additional freelance business I keep talking about isn't happening. Even the gig I interviewed for hasn't come through. they probably didn't like me. I had no business cards, no good set rates, no answers to their (stupid) questions - FAIL
• Kids - I feel like I'm in a fog with them half the time; I do okay but there's lots of TV, not enough educational fun, my 4-year-old's been to the library with me exactly once, when he was 2 - C-
• I often go to bed without washing my face and I'm 34 now and it's starting to show with uneven complexion and crap - FAIL
• I make great dinners... out of a box or a bag. My best friends are Lipton/Knorr and Kraft - C-
• Can't keep the house clean to save my life.
• Don't have the right clothes, right professional briefcase, right shoes
• Church, ohhhhh church. The tending of my childrens' souls... FAIL...

It went on like this in my head for a full hour. I turned off the radio on my commute so I could fully hear these mean voices in my head, telling me how craptastic my effort -- not my life, mind you, I know I have a good life -- but my level of effort has become. It was harsh.

When I got home I let it all out and shed 3 or 4 tears into DH's collar. He is so good to have around -- he's not your typical man that shuns emotions like sadness. He understands. I'm lucky, there. I felt better after getting it out, talking it through, and I feel better this morning.

Updatery

Weekend
Well, the weekend weather was beautiful here -- in the mid '80s or less, with a breeze! How did we get so lucky, in August? That's kind-of unheard of in Georgia. But there it was, so we took advantage of it. Saturday, we ate lunch outside, not at a posh sidewalk cafe... not even on a picnic blanket on the grass... we went to SONIC, baby. :) Nothing better than Coney Dogs (why do they call them Coney dogs?) and Cherry Limeade on red metal tables.

Sunday we upped the bar and went to the park for our fresh air. AJ climbed enthusiastically on the playground equipment (even went down the BIG CURVY slide), and then we all got schooled by the greedy, mean ducks. We only had 3 bread ends to give them so they charged at us intimidatingly to show how hungry they were. Yikes. ...What else? Oh, we played outside in our very own yard, too! Hide-n-seek, basketball, football with daddy, and KT baby is big enough for our swing! I will have to get some photos because I LOVE a baby in a swing, don't you?

Memories
Today I'm working in my dining room instead of the usual kitchen. I'm enjoying the scent of, again, nothing chic like a candle by Illuminations or a bowl of exotic potpourri, but a Febreeze plug-in "Noticeable." ha! It is the same scent that I bought just after KT was born, though. Her pack-n-play was positioned right in front of the outlet where it was plugged, so the scent is strongly associated with her newborn infanthood. Which I can't believe is A MEMORY already. She'll be 6 months old Friday. She has tried squash, sweet potatoes, pears, carrots, peas, and green beans. I'm saving bananas for the last, amazing dish. I can't wait to see her reaction to them. (AJ about went out of his mind whenever I'd serve him bananas.) She is almost able to sit up on her own.

Diet update
I'm down 7 pounds, somehow! Woo hoo! My joints have been aching lately, though, so it's yoga and stretching today, as much as I can manage. And I made some taco dip (forgot the guacamole layer, duh) but I guess I'll only eat a tablespoon or two. That is so hard.

Entertainment
Did everyone watch the Olympics all weekend? I got teary, no surprise, during the opening ceremonies. AJ did not get it. He wanted to "go see" the fireworks in person, and remained otherwise uninterested. Of course, gymnastics last night: That one Chinese girl looked about five years old!! Crazy. Poor American team took a beating on the uneven bars, didn't they? I was uncomfortable when the camera guy hovered over their little team cheer-up session after the competition was over for the night. I admired them for not smacking him and telling him to STEP BACK. It was a private team moment, sheesh! BUT NO, all of AMERICA needs to hear your pep-talk, little girls. So we can sit in our armchairs back at home and go, "DAMN!" when you miss a tiny step. (Husband and I chastised ourselves for that.)

Just for Sis: A couple of lists

Reasons why I'm bummed that Jilly Beans is moving to Denmark on Thursday:

1. No more spur-of-the-moment counting backwards three hours to figure out what time it is at her house. Now I will have to count forward 6.
2. We liked Seattle! Now we will have no claim to it whatsoever. We can't drop it casually into conversation to make ourselves sound all West Coast hip and in the know. Poor us.
3. On a serious note, she and HB may not get to come home for holidays and vacations as much.
4. On a silly note, I won't get to keep any more random pairs of her socks that get left in my laundry basket.
5. I don't speak Danish (I just eat them. Ba-dum-chhhhh).
6. 
   

Reasons why it's GREAT that Jilly Beans is moving to Denmark on Thursday:

1. Living abroad is exciting! And I'm thrilled she'll get to experience that.
2. We might like Denmark! Birthplace of The Little Mermaid and home to the world's happiest people -- what's not to like?
   
3. Perhaps they have cool kids' clothing boutiques over there so that Jilly's niece and nephew can aspire to be European hip and in the know. Hee.
   
4. Care packages direct from me to her. Nestle chocolate chips? Jif Peanut Butter? CHECK.
   
5. Five Weeks Mandatory Vacation. So maybe we WILL see her and HB once in a while, after all.
   

Held og lykke, Jilly! I am so proud and happy for you! Have an adventure. Post lots of pictures and I'll see you on Skype!

Happy new year

I did have fun shopping for Amber's Pay It Forward prize. I hope she will like it. I never did see that movie, but when I was shipping the package I was thinking all sorts of good karma over it, sending my best friendship and kindness and peace vibes through the wonder of the postal service (well, FedEx actually). I liked the idea of that.

That was Friday. Our weekend was quiet and good. Until today, I've felt like we're still in recovery from June and July. But now we're all cleaned up (the house, I mean), all the birthday presents have found homes, and we're about to cross the threshold into full-on August, which means Pre-K! Same school, but it still promises to be a new experience for AJ. I hope he'll like it. We have an open house at the school next week, to meet and greet. Supplies lists are posted at the stores. I'm excited to now start counting years from August to August. It's like revisiting my own childhood, in a way. I hope the weather hurries up and complies. It is too hot. Il fait trop chaud.

Heritage

Trotty-trot, trot,
To Boston-town,
You go up, and
I go down.

If you get there
Before I do,
Tell them I
Am Coming, Tooooooooooo!



*My granny used this rhyme to entertain me and my cousins all the time.

I may have lost my head

You know how I'm always complaining about having all kinds of stuff to do and not enough time to do it? Well, I maybe haven't complained here real recently about my to-do list, because I am STILL trying not to make those kinds of lists, but if I WERE to make one, it would look like this, today:

- load of laundry
- iron 2 new blouses I got because I left them in the bag too long and the dryer won't get the wrinkles out, for some reason, GAH
- get professional photos sent to DH's Nanny and Aunt, STAT
- get Pay It Forward prize in the mail, STAT (I think tomorrow, Amber, in case you're reading!)
- buy yet ANOTHER birthday present for another friend of AJ's
- order prints from Snapfish from June and July
- finish labeling photo albums (you can see what slips... photography tasks!)
- help DEAR HUSBAND clean a little bit by dusting, doing bathrooms, and kitchen counters
- sing at Saturday vigil Mass this weekend
- start planning next Disney trip
- oh yeah, My Job...

Something like that! So it doesn't seem that I should be taking on something new, does it? NO, IT DOESN'T if you're a rational and somewhat lazy person like I actually am.

However. Today I have a meeting with the Parish School of Religion (PSR) coordinator because I think I'm volunteering to be a P3 and P4 assistant on Sunday mornings. If they'll take me.

Heh.

I feel like this is a good thing to do for several reasons. First of all, apparently it's time to enroll AJ in PSR! Who knew?! And if I hope to get him there every weekend (SIGH), it would probably be good for me to ALSO be committed to it. Second: My kid likes me, I have to say. And I like being with him, too. Yeah, it'd be good for him to be in a classroom with other adults that aren't me, but he does that already, 5 days a week. I hate to take away our time together on the weekends and replace it with yet more school for him. Third: I would like to know what's going on in the Sunday School class, and just how they teach kids catechism nowadays. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two. Maybe even be spiritually inspired by the little cherubs. (Don't laugh.) And finally, I DO want to get to know some other parents at church/school. It seems like a good idea and provides a non-threatening environment with planned activities, rather than me having to sign us up for a Small Church Community, which is modern Catholic code for "dinner and Bible Study (ack!) with complete strangers."

I've said this before

Quick, a blog post! At work I have one of the brand-new shiny iMacs with a 20- or 24-inch screen, and directly behind me sits my manager, facing my back. At any given time I feel like he's totally watching my SUPER REFLECTIVE screen since it is larger than my head by about triple. Anyway, he stepped out for a meeting so I can goof off for a minute. How dumb, right? I am a salaried employee with very little to do today AND I work in the Web 2.0 field for crying out loud. I don't need an excuse to visit Blogger. And yet, I feel like I do. Me and guilt, I swear.

So I think I've come to a point where I put KT baby in daycare five days a week instead of three. I was weepy about it yesterday but I know it's got to happen. I have come to dread Mondays and Thursdays, knowing that they're going to be filled, every second, with either Mom duties or job duties, and never being able to attend fully to either one. It's easier when they're tiny, but even now, with her at 6 months, I feel like she needs me to entertain her more than I really can. (And then I think, Wait. Did our mothers and grandmothers, in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, entertain us all the time? No. They used their playpens, too, in order that they get their other work done... so I needn't feel bad for plopping her on a blanket for 20 minutes with some toys... and yet I do feel bad. Like I said... guilt and me, we're likethis.) ANYWAY it's dumb to have to convince myself again that it's OKAY to put kids in daycare, since I thought I waged that battle with my heart three and a half years ago, and since I love our school... but there ya go. I love her, and I simply don't want to leave her. It's certainly easier this time around, but I thought it'd be MORE easier. Heh. I do know that I feel better on days when she goes and I can concentrate fully on one thing. So I guess we'll start that next week.

[Right when she's starting to feel some separation anxiety in the mornings, too. BUMMER.]

However, if you think I'm giving up my work-from-home days in this economy with gas prices as they are, you're crazy. That means working at my home with neither of my not-yet-school-age kids there with me, and naturally THAT fills me with more guilt, but on the other hand, it HELPS me be a better wife and mother to have that time to get laundry done while waiting for files to download, or time to do a workout video during lunch sometimes.

< / same story, different day >

Guess what? KT ate pureed squash last night with her rice cereal. FUN, baby food! She's getting pretty good at swallowing the stuff and I'm excited about introducing Flavor to her. I'm going to do it right this time, vegetables first, then fruits, so maybe she won't disdain the veggies like her stubborn brother did/does.

But oh, how CUTE that stubborn brother is. Yesterday after school/work we were sitting on the couch, me, KT, and him, and he leaned into us girls and looked at KT and said, "Oh, Mommy, I love her." I think he surprised himself by letting that out, but it was about the sweetest thing I'd ever heard and my heart pretty much burst with goodness.

My age in random memories

This idea occurred to me several months ago - to write one or two random scenes from every year I've been alive. Might get long; I am OLD! I'll start with age five, because memories are unreliable before then.


When I was 5… I went to Kindergarten with Sister Wendelina as my teacher, and I had a crush (seriously? Age 5!) on Derek Z.

When I was 6… my hair was the longest it would ever be, just below my shoulders, and so I put it up in a half-ponytail for our Mexican dance “performance.” We wore long red, white, and green skirts that were pretty and flow-y and I loved mine.

When I was 7… I received a green pen from a teacher (Sister Anne Mary) that, for some reason, I treasured. It was just a pen.

When I was 8… I went to my first baby shower. My teacher was pregnant (this is all about my teachers so far!) and my Mom was the co-teacher in the class, so they invited me, too. I felt so grown up. I also got my ears pierced at 8.

When I was 9… I went skiing with my friend and her family in Pueblo, Colorado. It was the first and last time I’ve been skiing.

When I was 10… I went to my first boy-girl dances – one was a summer “luau” by the pool, at the country club. I don’t think I got to dance with the one boy I had my eye on.

When I was 11… My friends and I went TP-ing other friends’ houses, and nearly got caught one night. We hid under a window that turned out to be open. Our friend peeked his (yes, a boy! we were wild and brave!) head out and said, “Hi, guys.”

When I was 12… My friends had an unexpected going-away party for me at Teresa’s house since we unexpectedly moved from Texas to Florida. I was surprised and touched by the gesture. (Shortly thereafter, I was the new girl.)

When I was 13… I was the only one to wear her hair short. I thought there were no interesting boys in my class. I took pre-Algebra, and passed notes back and forth with my friend, Tracy L. in a tiny journal. We were catty in most of the notes.

When I was 14… I had a locker next to a boy named Alfie (crush!) and met my best friend who would become my cousin-in-law!

When I was 15… I was kissed by a boy.

When I was 16… Someone threw me a surprise birthday party and it meant the world to me.

When I was 17… I was in a pageant ("scholarship competition") and I went to a lot of baseball games.

When I was 18… I wrote letters to my Mom, and treasured the ones she wrote back to me on pretty printer-paper. (Days before email and cell phones!)

When I was 19… I auditioned for the University Concert Choir, which changed my life in many ways.

When I was 20… I spent 7 weeks in France, rooming with an odd girl from my hometown, flirting with another boy in our group, and writing letters to my serious boyfriend back home.

When I was 21… Ooh, I had a terribly dumb internship at a newspaper. Ugh. Newspaper work did NOT suit me.

When I was 22… I began working full-time at the SAME PLACE I WORK NOW.

When I was 23… I wanted to "see other people" while the boyfriend and I were long-distance-relationshipping, but instead he just flat broke up with me. I was SO relieved. It only took a couple days to get over him, although we had dated 4 years.

When I was 24… These 2 years are kind-of fuzzy. I think I went out quite a bit. I also became really involved at a church I loved.

When I was 25… I considered moving home to Pensacola.

When I was 26… I attended a company picnic, where I met the future Mr. el-e-e. :) I was in love by the third date, I think.

When I was 27… We married. Still the happiest day of my life.

When I was 28… I revisited my youth and participated in a musical: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was not as much fun as when I was a teen.

When I was 29… I ate right and exercised, and lost 10 pounds. I also discovered "Web 2.0" and message boards and Internet communities.

When I was 30… I became a mother.

When I was 31… I took a one-year-old cross-country on an airplane.

When I was 32… I lived much the same life as I do now, going to work, getting less done at home, and treasuring the lazy weekends that occur once in a while!

When I was 33… I began a pretty uncomfortable pregnancy, and played a lot of Sorry and CandyLand.

When I was 34… I remembered what it's like to want pretty, frilly pink things in my closets.


I'm older than I've ever been! ...and now I'm even older!