More of same

It'd be nice to talk about something other than my new job, but it's still the topmost thing in my mind. This is Day 8, not that I'm really counting, but it kinda feels like I've been here longer, and I think that's a good thing. (Ooh, I just remembered I have to take a new photo at my desk for Tess. And for me, too - I kinda like having pics of me in my "daily state.") I've gotten most of my crap unpacked, I know which fridge I can store my lunch in, I know the back-way to get to the restroom, and I've conquered the printer set-up.

Some things I like here:
-- Mirrored elevators. I can always check the hair (VAIN) before I see people.
-- The Ladies Room smells like a bin of Strawberry Shortcake dolls circa 1984, first thing in the morning. (No, srsly.)
-- In one corner of the office it ALWAYS smells like fresh donuts. I think I have olfactory issues, but really. They must have great mornings over there in the compliance department!
-- People ask about my kids. I try not to gush too much.
-- The boss acts like a boss, rapidly walking through, asking everyone "How are ya?" without really meaning it. He's entirely too busy for some of us. He cracks me up for some reason. I just shake my head after he goes by. (When I interviewed with him, he clearly hadn't read my resume, and was obviously too important to care about my credentials. He phoned it in with these questions: "What are your strengths? What are you weaknesses?" I sorta laughed at him about that, too. I don't know why it didn't bother me but it's just the nature of modern bosses, I think.)

Yesterday we got home from daycare, I got the kids set up with Nilla wafers, I poured myself some ice water, and I was just toodling around the kitchen feeling so happy. When DH came home and started asking how my day was, I had only good things to say. Sure, it's still WORK with all the mundane-ness of PowerPoint and "status meetings" and there might as well be TPS reports, but I'm really enjoying it, somehow. It's probably just the novelty of not doing what I was doing. It will probably wear off eventually. But at least for the moment, I am experiencing what is known as Liking Your Job.

P.S. Anyone watching Biggest Loser? I am loving this show but OH MAN, the cliffhanger last night!! Why do we even torture ourselves with the TV?

Things to Do Today

figure out how to use WordPress for one of the sites I'm supposed to manage (Booo! I'm a Blogger girl!)

attend meeting with our PR firm to figure out how to "do" PR. Heh.

write an article that's in rough -- really rough -- draft, started by someone else.

try to block out the noise from several loud people in the office. hrm. only drawback so far. at least they're NICE loud people, though.

read and study some company literature I've been meaning to read and study since Monday.

be thankful that my Orientation days of all-meetings, all-the-time, is DONE!

watch The Office tonight and know that I have the BEST manager of all time, now. (Not compared to my previous mgr, only to Michael Scott.)

try to workout again tonight. I've given up on "30 straight days." It's impossible. Am changing to the "plan to workout EVERY day" mindset -- the one where you assume you're going to workout every day, but if something comes up and you don't/can't, no biggie, you're working out tomorrow anyway. Don't know if it'll work. I've historically NEEDED the mental boost of "whew, tomorrow's my day off." We'll see. I AM down to 141.5 lbs, though, (a loss of another 1.5) and I feel good. Clothes seem to fit and/or be too loose.

Good China

This morning I'm treating myself. I'm using a wedding china cup and saucer for my coffee. I'm eating a toasted English muffin with cream cheese and tomato slices, salt and pepper. I'm going to do a quick little yoga session, gather my things, and go to work.

All of these things give my heart a little flutter.

Two days down, 28 to go

I have never done 30 consecutive days of ...anything, that I can recall. Well, except 30 days straight of EATING and SLEEPING. (Funny side note, a friend of mine once ate nothing but PIZZA for dinner, for 30 consecutive days. Can you imagine? I would never try that because I'd hate to forever ruin my relationship (BFFs) with pizza!) So me doing 30 consecutive days of working out? Is going to be a straight miracle.

I'm sore today, just like I requested. Heh. So far I'm able to do about 5 Man Push-Ups before I retreat, whimpering, back to my knees.

Speaking of my knees, they hurt. I am certain that I need new shoes. All the jumping. And the butt-kicking. Sheesh.

Wanted: Playtime

You guys, FINALLY FINALLY I can talk about something big! and important! like a job-change! because I finally announced it to my company and it's no longer a Dooce, but... I can't talk about it, I don't have time. I'm trying to finish things up here, and am seriously excited about starting there, but right now life is rushing around GO GO GO like I do. I WISH I could blog more often. Hmphf and a whimper.

For now, a list:

• Did I tell you that I am going to be working with, and for, an old friend? She and I worked together years ago when we were both single, and we palled around (pal'd? pal-ed? how in heck do you spell that word?) going to movies, spending lunch-hour out together frequently (disposable income, remember?), going to museums on weekends... I am having fun remembering that time in my life and I am so happy to get to know her better, again. We didn't exactly lose touch, but definitely haven't been friends of a "daily" sort for 10 years or so. (OLDNESS, by the way. When ten years has passed between then and now! Gah.)
• Our Disney trip. Let me just tell you! The Animal Kingdom Lodge is Super. Cool. There weren't supposed to be animals on the savannah (which the hotel room balconies overlook) -- they had told us they were doing maintenance last week. But guess what -- there WERE animals on the savannah. Waking up, the first thing we did was pull open the curtains to see if the giraffes were out yet. Giraffes! Pre-dawn! That is why they call it "magical." We did Animal Kingdom Park Thursday, Epcot on Friday, and Magic Kingdom on Saturday, and yes I do hope to post some pictures soon. I'm still half there in my mind -- getting flashbacks of times we spent at the Biergarten in Germany at the World Showcase, waiting for the Disney bus, and standing in line at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Lots more to write about the trip so stay tuned.
• KT's first birthday! I guess second-kid syndrome applies and she won't get a lovey-dovey letter from Mama like her brother did, but I assure you we have celebrated well. We had a beautiful and scrumptious cake delivered to our hotel room and made sure she had some in her hair, for posterity you know. I still can't believe a year is gone, and I wonder if we will ever stop thinking of her as The Baby. She is so precious, and my goodness, did SO WELL on an exhausting trip; such a joy. She's learned a few signs finally! "More," and "Drink," and "Night-Night." She's walking like crazy -- Daddy calls her Frankenstein. She's embraced the sippy cup (we thought she never would), and last night ate PEAS for dinner. Real Peas, and she swalloed nearly every one! A girl after my own heart. :)
• Finally, an update on the 30-Day Shred: I still haven't started the 30 consecutive days. I'm hoping this will be Night One. When I watch Biggest Loser on Tuesdays I feel guilty so I usually workout. Am anxious to feeeeel the buuuurn again so Bring It, Jillian! I apparently walked off another pound at Disneyworld. So, 143. Woo! And still MONTHS before I have to appear in a bathing suit. I'm optimistic!
  

Happiest place

A power blip at my office just erased a whole page's worth of a post. Rrr. Stupid me, composing and not-saving in TextEdit instead of Blogger. Lucky you, though, this will probably be shorter than originally intended.

I'm late for a phone conference and my mind is on my suitcase, packed up and home and ready to get on the road to Disney for the rest of the week/weekend. But I have something to share:

I'm starting a new job on the 23rd. I'm leaving my comfort zone, my friends, my career stomping ground, and taking on a new challenge. I'm excited about it -- it's in my field (writing/editing/web content), but in a very different context, so "challenge" is an appropriate word. My commute is officially 5 days away from NIL. My new office is 6 miles from home, with AJ's school on the way. And that fact was about 70% of my decision. I'm so relieved that we can concentrate our family life in one town instead of sprawling all over the metro every day. (Now if only my dentist would move to Marietta, too...)

In short, all the typical phrases apply: It's a great opportunity, it's the right direction for moving my career forward, I'm going to feel challenged but have something to offer, the location is perfect, and it feels like all the stars lined up to put this into my path right when I need it.

So we're taking the family to Disney. It's mostly to celebrate the 1-year birthday of KT! Can you believe it's been a year?? Neither can I. I hope she'll giggle and clap and kick her feet, and look at the pictures years later with a smile, even though she won't remember the trip. For me it's a fun way to end this 2 months of waiting, wondering, planning, interviewing, stressing (really stressing), talking, and finally telling. I'm happy.

It CAN be done...

This was posted today at Bodies in Motivation.

I want to go... to there.

Am going to have to up the ante, and really do this for 30 days straight. Overall I lost 4 pounds in January, yes (1 pound per week on avg, the healthy rate), but would love to lose more. I've been stuck for nearly 2 weeks now, and not motivated, either.

Taking measurements tonight. Woo-hoo for great stories like that one.

Taking a bite outta crime

You may remember some angst, a few months back, about AJ being bullied at school. There's been a small update.

When we had our parent-teacher conference a couple of weeks ago -- DH attended, I couldn't make it due to being employed on the other side of the world -- we were given glowing, spectacular reports. Naturally. ;) The one thing his teachers said they still struggle with is getting AJ to stand up for himself. Which was music to his Daddy's ears, actually, since he's been trying to convince me of that all this time.

I get it. They're right.


Well.


This past week, AJ told me a little story from the back seat of the car.

"Mommy, before you came to get me today, E. told me he was going to bite me."

"Oh, really? That's not very nice. What did you do?"

"I bit him."

"YOU bit HIM? Really? Wow... did you get in trouble?"

"No.... E. did."

"Why.... why did E. get in trouble?"

"Because. After I bit him, I told the teacher."

"You told the teacher you bit him?"

"No. I told the teacher he bit me."

"Wait... AJ? DID he bite you?"

"Yes, after I bit him. I bit him on the tummy [Ed. note: how, exactly?] and he bit me on the shoulder REALLY hard and it HURT."

"And then you told Ms. J.?"

"Yes."

"...Okay then... it sounds like you handled it..."

So, hee hee. I wanted to encourage him for listening to what we've told him, that he needs to stand up for himself, but... well, he didn't exactly start the fight, but he sort-of jumped the gun on defense. :)

Ah, heck. I'm proud of him. This E. character has been a troublemaker from Day One. I'm kinda glad he got taken to task. I was slightly avoiding E.'s father's glance the next morning at drop-off, however.

New Layout, Trader Tyooos-blogivers-day

You like this one? I like this one. The blue flowers might be a TAD distracting, but it's better. It's quite "me," I think. You people who know me IRL, feel free to agree or dispute. :)

------

Here's what I threw together last night for dinner. We had a roast chicken the other night and I'd saved a LOT of meat.

Cobbled-Together Tetrazzini

half-box of angel hair pasta, cooked
1 TBSP butter
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can water
1 chicken bouillon cube
few dashes garlic salt
1 cubic inch or so Velveeta (optional)
1 cup-ish diced chicken
shredded Cheddar

While the noodles cook, saute the onions in butter for 5-8 minutes. Then add soup, water, bouillon cube, salt, and Velveeta, and cook over medium heat 'til cheese melts and everything blends well. Drain noodles, and mix them with the soup mixture. Add chicken and stir, then pour into an 8x8 dish. Sprinkle Cheddar over the top, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

This recipe is Not Diet Friendly, obvs, but very Comfort Friendly. Picky AJ ate it reluctantly, which in my book equals success. (He didn't gag? I win.) KT played with a spaghetti noodle.

I served it with a cucumber salad (for me), watermelon (for the kids), and garlic toast (for hubby and kids). Mmm-mmm, good.

------

I think that blogging has almost ruined me for writing. When something like this post counts... yikes. I actually started hello, self when I first become a web content manager, as a way to practice my writing skills. Unfortunately, now when I'm faced with a 'real' writing task like submitting something for our company newsletter, I fret and fret over it. I can still do it, but it's laborious. It FEELS harder because this is so easy, and so regular, that it has become the norm. I'm slightly concerned about that; I don't want to lose the "real" skill.

Other skills I've lost in the last 4 years: The Ability and Time to Scrapbook. Good Breath Control when singing. The Ability to have more than 2 Adult Beverages at once.

Skills I've gained: Meme-ability. (Man, can I ever produce a MEME.) Confidence to type to strangers. (I used to be very scared to leave comments. Now I've de-lurked all over the place, and with a photo, too!) Confidence in my parenting skills, sometimes. Or at least the knowledge that other people do stupid things as much as I do. The ability to carry many pounds of baby and accoutrements. (That one's unrelated to blogging, but critical to life.)

I didn't start this post intending to wish myself a happy blogiversary, but guess what? It's mah birthday! *whooooosh!* I just made a wish that we'll celebrate it again next year. :) Thanks for being so awesome, lovely readers and friends.

7 quick takes Friday

---1---
I spent a couple hours (eep) last night watching Millionaire Matchmaker. Oddly, shamefully fascinating.

---2---
The other day KT baby (SO not a baby anymore!) was on the floor with me, and when I turned my head away from her, the back of my hair swept and tickled her face. She put her hands in it and giggled. I was whisked back to my Kindergarten days, when my best friend sat behind me in circle time, braiding what little hair I had. I LOVED that. I would always return the favor, and that’s how I learned to make braids both French and fishtail. (Here’s where Maryb needs to look away.) I imagine KT and I will play “hair salon” in the future, and I can’t wait! I just adore it when someone plays with my hair. Wait, you know what, Maryb? We are going to make a POINT of playing hair salon during Beach Weeks, WITH you. That’s a promise.

---3---
I will likely be rooting for the Cardinals this weekend – I always hope for the underdog – while my husband roots for the Steelers, whom he liked when he was a child. I believe there is even a photo of him in Steelers jammies, somewhere. I imagine I will enjoy the SuperBowl more this year than last, although I will admit last year WAS kind-of exciting. I’m taking white-chocolate-macadamia cookies and an as-yet-undecided appetizer to our annual gathering. What’s your favorite appetizer?

---4---
I don’t love this background. The lines down below that appear under the text are really distracting. I do like FREE backgrounds, however, and I'm feeling change-y, so I will likely be experimenting with design around here for a while. Sorry if that gets annoying to you people who still read ON the actual blog page and not in a Reader.

---5---
Today’s lunch: chicken and black bean burrito with corn, salsa, cheese. Baked Lays. Mixed greens salad with croutons, leftover from last night -- the croutons will be soggy. Honeycrisp Apple for 3pm snack. What’s killing me is the 5-6 o’clock hour, before dinner. I’m trying to chew gum on the way home, and pour myself a drink the minute I get there (Diet Coke, not a FUN drink unfortch), but still I usually have to snarf a handful of Goldfish to SURVIVE. Sigh. I love Goldfishies.

---6---
I guess I’m going to be a person who gets migraines. <-- Unofficial diagnosis. I had one a couple months ago that caused me to have to leave work and go home/lie down, and then this past Saturday I got one again. It wasn’t quite as bad as last time, and thanks be to heaven, KT was down for a nap at the time it really hit hard, but... poopers. I don’t want to have migraines. Very uncool. Although maybe I need to buy a flowery dressing gown and a black-out mask, and really play it up: “I’m evah so sorry, DAHLING, I can’t possibly take the Children today. I feel a Migraine coming on… I must retire to the Bedruhm.”

---7---
I’ve decided that I like a certain guilty-pleasure website (so cruel, so inappropriate, but aren’t we all a little obsessed with celebrity-bashing? C’mon, it can’t be just me) best when I “save it up” and read several new posts at a time. The trashiness! I find myself unable to stop laughing, and sad when I’ve read them all. And THAT’s why I also read sites like Jen’s (with amazing, wonderful links like this), to counter-balance all that naughtiness.

More quick takes over there! Happy Friday!

No, Cake.

I think I am getting better at dieting. Slowly but surely.

There is a lovely, 2-layer birthday cake in the office fridge, which I myself brought from home last week, after celebrating DH's birthday. I am very hungry at the moment, and the cake is calling my name!

But I just sat myself down and, inside my head, asked, "What would be more satisfying dude, the cake? Or the knowledge, later on tonight, that you didn't give in? That you are stronger than dumb, leftover cake? And anyway, you already KNOW what that cake tastes like, and the sugary film it leaves in your mouth when you're done, and how surprisingly FAST the cake episode, if you grabbed a piece, would be over. It's hardly worth it."

I really did have that conversation in my head. I think I'm growing! However, I'm also shrinking ever-so-slightly: down half a pound. Woo!

Middle School Band AND Drama Club

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and good thoughts. I think we're officially off the disabled list. KT's fever finally left us when she got a good antibiotic, and AJ's cough hasn't worsened except when he runs around too enthusiastically. Which is always.

We had a busy weekend, including a visit to our parish school for Open House, a time of great anticipation and excitement. And it turns out, also a time of great worry and woe. You see, there are very few slots for new students, even Kindergarten students, when a school is as small as this school. 54 Kindergarten seats, and it's likely that half of them are filled with siblings of older kids who obviously take priority. I was told that there are no less than four sets of twins coming in to Kindergarten. Thanks for THAT discouraging tidbit, PTA President! And why must schools call PTA something other than PTA?? Is this just me? "Home and School Association" is too fussy. Call it PTA like people have done for thousands of years. Grr.

I'm acting annoyed, but we actually DO want to get into this school. I'm hoping our status as semi-active parishoners who contribute (a tiny amount) to the weekly church offering and volunteer a (tiny) bit will help us, but one never knows.

The Open House presentation was... hilarious. First, while people were gathering, the middle school pep band played "background music." And by that I mean "LOUD, DRUM-HEAVY, CAN'T-THINK music." It was a non-descript collection of instruments, too: I don't know when I've seen a band that included electric keyboard, french horns, lots of flutes, natch, AND one lonely violin. The conductor played her own flute, too, which I thought was... weird. As my Dad would say, they were perfectly terrible! Heh. And loud. Did I say loud? After we all sat down, began with a prayer, and were introduced to the principal, she... Introduced the Band! Again! So they could play us a few numbers! Eight, to be exact. It went on and on, and all in the key of G.

So we're definitely going to have a musical component to AJ's education if he gets in, no worries there (well, maybe a few worries). But wait, did I say "musical?" We also saw 2 numbers from the middle school Drama Club!

Between those stirring performances, we heard from the Home and School Association co-prezes, and a couple of darling 8th-graders, how wonderful the school is. We believe them. After all, in the primary grades they teach the basics, and in middle school, the students begin to USE those basics for "more advanced problem solving." REALLY? That's how school works? Tell me something I don't know. Sigh. I don't mean to be catty. Like I said, I really do hope we get in. I have to assume no one there reads this blog. GAH! I gotta go.

Coming up for air

Hey, I have got a workout tip for you. It's for your upper arms and back. Carry around a 20-lb. bag of potatoes (or a small child if you have one) for a day or two, while you're making your coffee, talking on the phone, sleeping, working at the laptop, and going to the bathroom. Don't try to put it/him/her down -- ohhhh, no. That would seriously lessen the effects. GOOD SORE!

(Privilege. Privilege, I keep reminding myself.)

I'm in the office today and DH is at home with KT baby, who was still sporting a 101.5 fever all of yesterday and most of last night, and therefore is going back to the pediatrician for a third time this week, today. When I left the house, her fever was down THANK GOD, but in general it has not responded to Infant Tylenol every four hours religiously. Which is obvs why she's so tired and won't be put down. She's drugged! And also pneumonia-y! You know how your chest and sides start to hurt after you've had bronchitis or something? I bet hers is hurting like that.

Aaaanyway, that's been our week. We're severely draining our Paid Leave days, even though I was attempting to work from home (ha, ha). And if you've seen me on Facebook you already know that today AJ is coughing. I betcha 10 dollars they call me to come pick him up for fever today. Truly. I've got my money right here.

It's good (I guess?) to be at the office, and not staring at a sleeping child whose breathing is fast and labored, and whose little heart is racing. Because when I'm there, my mind wanders to places it shouldn't, like what if this is it? Even though I know that pneumonia is common and of course she'll get over it.

It's just crazy time I guess! Lots going on in and around me, and lots going on this weekend, including Open House for New Kindergarten and 2 birthday celebrations and an entire day of babysitter for the kids. AND we need to start planning the February trip to Disney. Most of the planning's done, thanks to my parents, actually. But we have to start preparing MENTALLY for the 8-hour driveOMG, then 4 days with Mickey AND all the grandparents. Hello, overstimulated kids!

I am so good at being stressy. It's a gift, really. But I'm grateful:

-- That my kids are in general, healthy, and that I don't have to sit and stare at pitiful little bodies very often.
-- For chick flicks that kept my mind somewhat occupied during my sick days at home (The Holiday and Erin Brokovich).
-- For my husband, whose one and only 40th birthday was preempted, for the most part.
-- For AJ behaving SO WELL this week and really understanding that his sister is sick and needs him to be calm and quiet.
-- For understanding bosses and kind co-workers. One of mine even brought me a bottle of juice today, because it was Publix's 1-cent sale item yesterday and she thought the kids would like it.

Me, today

Oh, you funny Nicole. Tagging me for a meme that I don't know if my readers will appreciate, but I'm sure *I* will appreciate in 12 or so years when these are only "a few" wrinkles in comparison. The meme says:

1) Take a picture of yourself right NOW!

2) DON'T change your clothes; DON'T fix your hair... Just take a picture.

3) Post that picture with NO editing.

4) Post these instructions with your picture.

5) Tag 10 people to do this.


The awesome thing is that I'm at work and actually DID fix my hair this morning. AND that I get to use PhotoBooth. Whee! However:


What is UP with the crow's feet and under-eye wrinkles? Good gravy.

It could be -- just a guess, here -- that we're not sleeping all that well. Sigh. KT has maintained 3 or 4 weeks now of difficult sleeping. It's a popular topic, so I won't bore you with the details, but Man. "It's just a phase, it's just a phase," doesn't really help you FEEL better physically, you know? And then 2 days ago it turned into a full-fledged cold, so today she's going to the doctor.

Dudes, I have let myself down on the dieting front. I blame KT and the above information for preventing my workouts the last 4 days. Wait... 5. And I blame umm... President Bush for my poor eating. It's fashionable to blame him for everything, right? No, actually when I had that dinner party last Friday, I consumed wayyyy more than I should have, and when I pulled the package of meatballs out of the freezer, they weren't turkey, as I'd intended to buy, they were Regular. Regular fatty-fat stupid beef. Bother.

I guess I'm down 3 pounds since 1/5/09, and I have 2.5 pounds to lose before 1/31 to reach my first goal. At which time I will buy myself some new workout clothes, which I really want. Mo.Ti.Va.Tion.

Peace to you, and Peas for lunch. :)

(I'm not going to tag anyone for the picture party, but please shoot yourself if you feel like sharing. I mean, point and shoot, the camera. Heh.)

Milestones

As long as you're sitting on the floor on a Saturday morning, you might has well have an 11-month-old take her first unassisted steps toward you. It makes it much more enjoyable. :) We've been trying to capture it on video but the camera needed charging, and the star of the show also seems to have a bit of a cold, so she's not wholly cooperative. Still.

I didn't log this a week or two ago, but she has mastered the inflection for Thank-You, so I am counting it as her first word, after mama and dada. "Da-thoooo!" Right? Always hard to know what is REALLY the first word, but I love hearing her try.

Scattergories!

Clever Nicole named this the Scattergories meme. She gave me a letter and I have to list 10 things I like that start with that letter.

My letter was "J":

1. Jill!

2. Jam (strawberry, on toast with butter... oh, no, excuse me: Smart Balance spread)

3. Jumping Jacks (with Jillian! Roar!)

4. January (I like the cold; I like the fresh, new year)

5. June (my birthday month)

6. Jewelry (self-explanatory)

7. Juice (cranberry and grapefruit are my faves)

8. Jalepenos (gotcha, didn't I? You tried to say it with a "J" sound! HA!)

10. Jiminy Cricket (I say "Jiminy!" all the time. Did you know it started as a polite euphemism? Neither did I.)


If you want to play, say so in the comments and I'll give you a letter.

Brain dump

I'm having a wee dinner party Friday. Just one other family and us, and I'm only serving spaghetti with pre-made frozen turkey meatballs -- very fancy -- but it makes me happy. They're new friends, church friends, of which we don't have many. The anticipation and hope that we'll all get along puts a little flip in my heart. Maybe (if I serve enough the right wine) we'll plan future get-togethers. This family has a daughter the same age as AJ and they're applying to St. J's School like we are, so in theory, they could be our first School-Parent-Friends. My mom says when your kids start school, you really start forming lasting friendships for this time of your life, so I've been looking forward to it (panting, really, with my tongue hanging out).

Putting dinner on the calendar gave us the oomph we needed to get the house cleaned this week, and that's always good. Last night I vacuumed in place of working out: a welcome relief.

I am learning to like working out again, but I'll tell you what's kind-of a pain: having to change clothes at 9:00 pm, all the way down to a different bra and socks, just to hop around for 20 minutes. Sigh - my life is so hard, I know. But... y'know?

-----

My co-worker is telling us all about his lymphoma. It's not sounding very good and I'm still not ready to contemplate what it all means for him. He sounds like *he's* processing through it okay, and he's got a good support system (unattached, single 52-yr-old with great friends who are taking care of him), but I do worry for his emotional health, not to mention his physical status. I just... just don't know. This morning while he was talking, that Michael Keaton movie flashed in my mind. What was it called? The really sad one where he makes the videotape for his son? The situation here doesn't seem as sad as that for some reason, but it could very well be. This friend of mine is so smart, and going about it very scientifically -- at least when he tells us about it -- which makes me think about it scientifically instead of emotionally. I want to get emotional about it. Why haven't I? This is someone who sits across from me five days a week. I share little in common with him, but everything about daily details with him. He's the person I get to say, "Man, did you SEE Project Runway last night?!" to; the first one I greet when I walk in the door, Monday through Friday. We used to lunch together 3 days out of 5, before lunch out became passe at our office. I think he's going to be fine, I do. He jokes, "we'll manage this ten years and then I die." I don't know, maybe the C-word isn't as scary as it used to be. Or maybe it is.

I'm babbling. I don't know what I want to say about it.

Trader Tuesday - Green Peas

So far my favorite health kick food this time has been Green Peas.

You: Wha...huh?

Green peas, you know? The ones you buy frozen for when you get a boo-boo and don't have an ice pack? Those ones. I recently rediscovered them and have been easily adding a veg serving to my lunch with a quick half-cup of those babies, microwaved for about 45 seconds. They are awesome. You could dash 'em with a little salt and pepper, but why? They're perfect AS IS. ...Anyone? Am I crazy?

I also adore canned early peas -- my mother says I even liked them as baby food, pureed. But cans are less convenient at the office, so I've bought a 2-lb bag of the frozens to keep in the office fridge (freezer). Held together with a binder clip, no less.

I have a recipe for pea salad, though it's not an exact recipe. Just throw stuff together in a bowl and mix.

cup or so of green peas (either variety, canned or froz)
cup or so of yellow corn (again, choose your delivery vehicle)
handful of shredded cheddar (or more if you're feeling naughty)
chopped or diced ham for protein, if desired
1/4 cup (?) or so of light mayo (eliminate if you're dieting like me)
couple of tablespoons of sweet relish (yes, really!)

Serve chilled. ZOMG, I could eat barrels of this stuff. Mom used to make it. Hope she'll chime in with a comment, if I forgot any important details.

Mom, Pop, and the neighborhood

Teh weekend. Gone again. It seemed busy, but we still managed to laze around in our jammies quite a bit somehow. (AJ's making a habit of it, actually, which I think can't be good. I need to figure out how to motivate him to get dressed. By himself would be a bonus; just dressed would be a good first goal.)

One thing we did was take our car up to a mom-and-pop place that was recommended to us, to get the brakes looked at. The dealer had told me at my last oil change that all the brakes were DANGEROUSLY close to being metal on metal and we'd "better get them replaced ASAP or risk an even higher charge than $400-some-odd dollars" OMG. So Mom-and-Pop, located in a darling little historic Town right next to the train tracks, quoted us "$120 and the back brakes are fine," and we are right pleased with that edit. We're taking it back next week after they get the parts. The customer waiting area was, you know, green linoleum and dark wood-paneled, and smelled of new tires, decades-old cigarette smoke and something else - PineSol, maybe? You know that smell? Even AJ knew it "smelled old." Established 1966, to be exact. I loved being there. Reminded me of somewhere from my childhood, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly where. Just being in those kinds of places with my Dad, I guess, on Saturday mornings. Made me really, REALLY happy to give them my business instead of Giant Shiny Toyota Dealer. (Much as I like our dealership.)

We also got haircuts at a brand-new salon opened by three of our friends who have just left GreatClips to go into business for themselves. I say "friends" but we only know them through GreatClips -- however, they've cut AJ's hair since he was a tiny wailing 1-year-old, so they're like family you know? Anyway, I am super hopeful for them and want to help in some way, to tell everyone I know to head (HAR) over there for a cut and color. For some reason I just want that little business to thrive. I thought about purchasing an ad for them in my church's bulletin, since the church is located nearby. Surely they could gain a customer or two from that, right?

I likely won't do it, but I guess it's the economy making me feel like I want to buy local, support the community, and all of that. One of the stylists even offered for her oldest daughter to babysit my kids if I ever need it. I wouldn't have thought the suburbs would actually FEEL like a community, but we've been there nearly 7 years now, and lo and behold, it does. I'm liking that.

Friday gratitude list

1. Dirty rice supper

2. Sunrise

3. Slow days for surfing

4. Sore muscles

5. Darling Husband

Another boring diet post

I felt slightly silly, taking a walk at 9:30 pm on "First Monday;" felt like anyone who drove by me would eyeroll and say to their passengers, "Oh, look, a New Year's Resolution-er! She'll be over it by next Tuesday. Hahahaha loser." Luckily, it was raining and no one really passed by.

...did ya catch that? It was RAINING. I was WALKING.

Am serious this time, apparently.

Unfortunately, I'm not drinking SlimFast so I can't entertain you with stories of my gag reflex. I just go for Cals In vs. Cals Out. Booor-ing! I use Fitday.com, which lets me set weight goals, log food and exercise, and even has a little journal feature so I can bitch about it there instead of here.

When dieting, I typically eat sparsely during the day -- little snacks and meals for b'fast and lunch -- and then let myself have a regular (albeit portion-controlled) dinner. Because it's too hard to change our family meal routine from Mac and Cheese. And I recently read a new article about that method, so it must be legit. Example:

B'fast:
-granola bar, lite peaches (canned), and coffee w/skim

Snack:
-trail mix with nuts and berries in my desk drawer

Lunch:
-Lunch from home is a pea salad with ham and sweet relish (no mayo)

Another Snack:
-Diet Cherry Coke

During the drive home:
-Gum

Dinner:
-"fried chicken salad" with lettuce, cukes, gr peppers, maybe cheese, bacon bits, and balsamic. Using Dinosaur nuggets for the chicken, of course. ;)

Also: Drink More Water. Trying to drink one glass before every caffeinated bev.

All calories (this menu adds up to around 1450 and is actually a little too low) planned and accounted for.

I'm doing the same as all my other (mostly unsuccessful) attempts to lose these 15! Except I think I'm (so far) working out harder. When I started losing this baby weight the goal was Beach Week, end of June. Down to goal weight and feel good in a bathing suit. (last year was... uncomfortable... when I was 3 months postpartum. No one wanted to see that, least of all me.)

Last night I worked out in our unfinished basement, using my laptop as DVD player. I workout where no one can see me, do you? I can't stand when I'm hopping about doing AEROBICS and another PERSON walks through. See also: doesn't go to gyms. It's all I can do to walk in public, on a road. I'm a TAD self-conscious, don't want to look like a bubblehead. (Also, don't want anyone to hear me saying "Nooooo!" when Jillian suggests Circuit Three of cardio. GAAAAH.) But last night I told DH he should come do the workouts with me. He's been saying that when he turns FORTY (in 13 days) that he'll get in shape. A challenge issued, perhaps??? Heh heh. I know he would never want all of you to know if he WERE doing an aerobics video. So I can't promise I'll follow up with this thread. Anyway. Hi, honey! And you're welcome, Tess.

Siblings

One of the best things about having a 2nd child is, naturally, watching the relationship with the first child develop. AJ has been head-over-heels about KT baby since day one (I'll never forget his high-pitched cooing at her in the hospital, and he STILL, to this day, mimics me; whatever I say to her, he repeats to her with the same pitch and inflection).

Yesterday at lunch, she was being a monkey and putting her half-chewed biter biscuit in her hair. GROSS. I sat next to her, exclaiming, with my hands up, "NOooooo! Don't put it in your hair!" Being serious, but saying it in a funny way with a smile. Well, AJ thought that was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, and he laughed at me across the table. At that, KT whipped her head around to see where the laugh was coming from, and light dawned. She did it again, I exclaimed again, and they BOTH laughed.

From then on, it was a conspiracy to get Mama mad. She started putting cookie in her hair on purpose, repeatedly, and AJ totally egged her on, to get the laugh.

The first of what I expect will be many times they'll plot against me.

Okay okay, resolutions.

I wasn't going to do this, but just commented on Skiplovey's January post, and stated these three resolutions:

1) Listen to more music

This morning I cracked open the cellophane on my new Keane cd -- gift from Hubby for Christmas -- and it energized me, made me smile, and calmed my commute... A commute when I could have been worrying over plenty of little (big) bits of bad news (can't share). I was saved from starting my week very negatively. So, More Music. (Also: I heart Keane! British bands rule.)

2) Stick to a regular exercise schedule (YES)

I haven't put this on the calendar yet. Yesterday was my "cheat day" diet-wise. I made Ro*Tel dip. (I only ate one serving and put the rest away.) If I can get to bed on time tonight, I plan to rock the 30DS tomorrow morning at 5:15. OR, take a walk tonight after the kids go to bed. One or the other is my promise to you. But really, I would like to put at least 4 days' worth on my calendar, every week.

3) Be more present in my marriage (shifting some of my focus from the children back to the two of US).

Don't need to expand on this -- you guys know how it is. You forget, sometimes, that it all started with two lovebirds. ;) So this year I'm hoping to target that in my mind, instead of sweeping by it every few days while crossing household items off the to-do list.

Last day of work in 2008, huzzah!

I am carefully avoiding my work Inbox this morning, because I'm hoping to pawn off a client conversation that I'd rather not have: "No, your job did not print on the day after Christmas because you never called to say it was okay, ya moron. And now it isn't going to ship in time. TOO BAD."

Not that I'm grumpy about being here all day on the 26th WAITING for that phone call, with no success. Nah.

So here's a great way to pass the time instead: Linda's End of Year questionnaire. She does this one every year, and I've done it once or twice before but can't seem to find the posts to link to -- perils of having a blog for nearly FOUR YEARS.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Gave birth to a precious little girl.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My only new year's resolution in '08 was to try to make each day better than the last. I even printed it on my personalized Starbucks gift card last year! I didn't keep it EXACTLY, but a resolution like that one stuck in my mind much more easily than a laundry list of items; I thought of it often through the year. If I ate four cookies one day, I would try to only eat ONE the next. Or if I spoke harshly, the next day I really tried to be more gentle. Obviously it's a good resolution to carry with me EVERY year, so I will resolve it again on the 1st of January. Other than that, of course I'm resolving to eat more healthfully than I have in the last month, and exercise again. No, really. REALLY. I mean it this time... I do.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Me.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Why this question? No, thankfully, no one close to me died this year.

5. What countries did you visit? Exactly none.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Muscle tone in my abs, and lower cholesterol. A pain-free back. My side of the bed to myself. (I'd better stop here...)

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Clearly, Feb 15, 2008 will remain in my heart forever, the day of KT's birth. Other than that I don't know that I'll remember any dates particularly, except maybe 12/26/08, as it was the first 12/26 that I have ever WORKED, in my entire life, I think. Seriously -- never been in school on the 26th, and I've always managed to take that day off, even when I was a brand-new low-level employee. It was WEIRD.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? In the last few months I have actually "come around," to quote my husband, to his way of thinking re: cleanliness and order. He is a neatnik, I'm not afraid to tell you. And I....? Am Messy Marvin, in comparison. But lately I've really been doing better keeping things straightened up, put away, etc. I am trying to help more in this area. He is very proud of me when I say something like, "Let's get a plastic bin for those action figures." Heh.

9. What was your biggest failure? This isn't a failure, exactly, but it something that I lack, and I miss -- I gave up choral singing. I had kept singing in one performance chorus until this year, and in August when the renewal letter came around, I just couldn't bring myself to commit to it. Truly, it's a success in the "Saying No/Knowing Your Limits" category, but I still feel the loss. However, it's a huge win on Saturday mornings when I don't have to haul myself to a 4-hour rehearsal.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Plenty of illness, none of it serious. No injuries except the carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy. Oof.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Groceries. Seriously.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? DH's did! When he sent AJ away from the Thanksgiving table because the conversation of the grandpas and great-uncles turned impolite (not to each other, but re: politics).

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The Real Housewives of Atlanta. EPIC FAIL. Way to make Atlanta look bad.

14. Where did most of your money go? Say it with me: DAY. CARE.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting to stretch my maternity leave as long as I did. That worked SUPER WELL and it was such a great gift to myself. (Remember, I was off 8 weeks, worked from home 2 weeks and then took Fridays off for 3 more months? That was awesome.)

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Love You, by the Free Design. I downloaded it shortly after KT was born and I loved singing along with it while she and I were on leave.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? hm. I'd have to say neutral. No change. Is that bad? Are you supposed to say 'happier?'
b) thinner or fatter? woo hoo! thinner! (because I was PREGNANT, so it hardly counts)
c) richer or poorer? poorer. aren't we all?

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? The 30-Day Shred. I got started and LOVED IT, and then had to come back to work 5 days a week and gave it up.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Telling AJ to eat his dinner. (GRAND SIGH.)

20. How did you spend Christmas? At home with my family; my in-laws came to visit. Honestly, I spent a lot of it on the floor playing with the kids in our jammies. Bliss!

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Oh, yes. :)

22. What was your favorite TV program? This important item, right after "did you fall in love." HA! I think I've said before: 30 Rock, 30 Rock, 30 Rock.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? There is a woman at work that I didn't even know last year, and she's difficult to deal with. I don't hate her. She's nice enough. But I experience stabby feelings toward her sometimes, yes.

24. What was the best book you read? Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund. I have never read Moby Dick, but this story of Captain Ahab's wife, Una, really gripped my mind. I loved it.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Didn't have one. I am so sad that DH and I have really left "new musical discoveries" behind. He used to be great about listening to the college radio station and ALWAYS developing his musical tastes. Now we just don't. We don't buy CDs, we don't download new iTunes very much... I don't know why. We NEED more music in our life, I think.

26. What did you want and get? A baby! AND, a niece or nephew!! My sis- and bro-in-law announced that they're having a baby! Eeeee! Oh, and also a programmable crock-pot. ;)

27. What did you want and not get? A raise. :(

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I like how they say "film," as if I've been seeing lots of good art films and not repeats of Ben 10: Race Against Time [ad nauseum]. My favorite film of this year was The Duchess; the one girly flick I got out to see.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Thirty-four, and not much.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Can't really say out loud. (wait... no, not THAT!)

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Laughable, as usual. I keep buying things that are either: Cheap from Target or Old Navy, and therefore, don't last (get holes!), or Cheap/Convenient from Marshall's across the street from my office, but end up being hand-wash only. Ugh. I seriously need a fashion assistant.

32. What kept you sane? Meal-planning and having family dinner together almost every night in 2008, despite some of the meals being from a box. I will say we are very successful at this, and I think it does keep us grounded, no matter how difficult the mealtimes sometimes are. (Sit straight. Eat your food. No dessert. Don't kick the table. Etc.)

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Sadly, Heath Ledger. I finally saw Brokeback Mountain this year and developed quite a fascination with him after that.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? GAWD. Let's not talk about it. No, I mean, I was stirred, for sure, by the election. I think I got most 'het up' when all the liberals/feminists were trying to say Sarah Palin wasn't "thinking of her faaaamily" in running for VP. Grrrr. Hypocritical.

35. Who did you miss? I wish my grandmothers could meet KT baby. I miss them both very much when I think about them. I miss my family in Florida. And in Copenhagen.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Ooh, my co-teacher in Sunday School. She is great. I'm worried about her because her husband lost his job right before Christmas.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Enough to eat is exactly that: Enough to eat.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. U2 always has good lyrics for questions like this. I think "Some Days Are Better Than Others" is pretty universal:

Some days are dry, some days are leaky
Some days come clean, other days are sneaky
Some days take less, most days take more
Some slip through your fingers and onto the floor

Some days you're quick but most days you're speedy
Some days you use more force than is necessary
Some days just drop in on us
Some days are better than others

Some days it all adds up
And what you got is enough
Some days are better than others.

We really did have a great year. Happy and healthy, and that's the goal, right? Play along if you like! Let me know - I love reading these things.

Trader Tuesday - Recipes... for disaster

I've had real trouble with my holiday goodies this week. I tried, first, to make my Grandmother's Cherry Bourbon Balls. I don't particularly love bourbon balls, but these are made with cherry licqueur and are better than most. Besides that, I had all the ingredients on-hand and knew I'd need to fill up some Christmas tins as gifts for our neighbors, and these are good for filling. But my walnuts were much too old. The finished product tasted stale slash awful, and ended up in my garbage disposal. Dismay.

I also made the most delicious of recipes, Swistle's mint-chocolate wonder. I do that in cookie form, and they turned out wonderfully! However, I didn't eat them all as quickly as I would have liked, and even though I've stored them in an airtight container, they're dry and crumbly now. Sigh.

Then I tried making what I call "Melanie's Extra Rich Chocolate Graham Bites," but surely they have a real name. I don't know. Those tasted good, but they were a bitch to get out of the pan. I used Pam, even, but they were so sticky and gooey and did not deliver on their promise that I could "cool completely, then turn out and cut!" Like it's so easy! "Ha, ha," they said.

Since they turned out the best, albeit the most sinister (and since they are the one recipe I can remember because it only has 3 ingredients), they are what I'll share today. Enjoy!

1 1/3 c. (I think... just use a whole sleeve) graham crackers, finely crushed
1 6-oz bag semi-sweet morsels (I sometimes use a few white choc chips to make my 6 oz, if I don't have a whole bag of regular)
1 can condensed milk

Mix up the ingredients. Pour into a 9x9" greased pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool completely and turn out, then cut into 1 inch bites.

Wrapping it up

This year has come and gone incredibly fast. Some highlights (courtesy of Wordle):

7 Quick Takes For a Friday

---1---

Is it REALLY Friday? Finally?? This week has seemed so long! So much to do! Wednesday and Thursday I just took the night off, though, from decorating or laundering or present-wrapping or baking. Last night I watched two episodes of 30 Rock, played on Facebook, and did little else. Tonight, though, I have to get productive. I'm planning to 1) bake something and 2) really give the kitchen a thorough cleaning before ALL the cooking of next week must begin.

---2---

Any Ally McBeal fans still out there? I find myself amused lately in the Unisex. (We actually DO have a Unisex! True story! It's a one-holer so you won't find someone of the opposite sex IN THERE, but it functions for both.) Seems I get to the office first nowadays, and this predicates something that makes me unreasonably happy.... I get a Fresh Bowl. Just like The Biscuit! Hee hee. I chuckle to myself every time. (And reading all his other eccentricities on that linked page makes me miss that show so much!) Strangely, I have never once listened to the show's CD which someone gave me as a Christmas gift several years ago. Might have to remedy that.

---3---

I'm having a hard time deciding WHAT to bake. I want to do some things that AJ will like, such as the easy cookies shaped like reindeer, that you make by slicing pre-fab cookie dough, pinching it in the middle, and putting on a red hot candy for the nose and mini-pretzels for antlers. BUT! Those aren't necessarily portable and I'm also baking for neighbors and coworker gifts. There are several old family recipes (Cathedral Candies, Sand Tarts, Bourbon Balls) but I'm feeling like they're a lot of trouble. Then there's Holiday Snow which is delicious, but not a cookie. What to do.

---4---

I'm getting tired of sharing our bed with AJ. God bless him, he comes in every night, and begins by sleeping on the floor right next to our bed (I toss one of our extra pillows down there to get it out of my way, and it has become HIS pillow). Later, though, once I'm GOOD AND ZONKED, he taps me on the arm and climbs into bed behind me. Sneaky kid -- I think he KNOWS I'm so far gone he can get away with it. I barely remember him doing this each night but I know I sit up so he can scoot into the middle. And then, 2 hours later I'm getting kicked in the back or poked up the nose. Last night I came to and dragged him back to his bed. He returned AGAIN. Usually, though, I don't even come to the first time.

What was I posting about it being a privilege yesterday? Hrmph.

---5---

Don't know what to do about Christmas Mass, as usual. It's so NOT a good time for Mass, y'know? (Isn't THAT the most despicable thing for a Catholic to say?) For one, it's a Wednesday/Thursday. For another, the 4:00 p.m. vigil Masses are packed with kids whose parents don't want to have to dress them up and haul them out the next morning. I hate the crowds even though I know, it's lovely that everyone wants to be there. But the next morning.... who wants to dress the kids up and haul them out?! There are presents! And coffee! And secular Christmas to celebrate! Plus, my in-laws aren't Catholic and none of THEM wants to get dressed up... You can suggest Midnight Mass and that I should just go alone, but ... whine. I don't want to be ALONE, and I need to get some CHURCH instilled in my kids, after all. I struggle with this every year.

---6---

Billing and reporting and invoicing and end-of-year, oh my! At work. These are a few of my non-favorite things.

---7---

I have five dollars in my wallet and I'm looking forward to Taco Bell for lunch today. Hee. I've eaten Office Holiday Potluck leftovers 2 days in a row (plus the actual Potluck making 3), and some good ol' fast food is going to be a welcome change. One of my Facebook buddies from West Texas was saying yesterday she ate an Allsup's (convenience store) burrito for lunch and felt no guilt. I've never had one of those, but I bet I would LOVE IT. I can chow down on low-budg burritos, LET ME TELL YOU. I like the kind you can buy frozen individually at the grocery store, and I used to LURVH the ones my elementary schools carried (both schools! different burritos!). My parents used to even get a bag of frozen ones from Sam's and MAN did I ever eat my share. Beans and whatnot wrapped in a tortilla? HAND IT OVER. :)


Go see Jen for other Quick Takes!

Privilege

Sometimes motherhood is Such Hard Work, y'all.

(Understate, much?)

We all find our little ways to get through the tough parts, especially at 1:00 a.m. MightyMaggie recently caught herself saying Hail Marys, and rediscovered the phrase full of grace. Her post struck a chord with me, because oh, MAN, I've prayed that prayer too sometimes when I'm desperately tired, but STILL AWAKE with a baby. Oh, Man. Dear Mary, YOU understand. YOU DID THIS, TOO. Please pray for me, and let me have just a teensy bit of your grace in motherhood. (NOT that I'm devout enough to pray as a usual response to midnight wakings. Usually I'm more grumbly than prayer-y, or still trying to figure out whatever wacko dream I've been shaken from ...while trying to find KT's (always missing!) pacifier.)

One night when I was baby-pacing and cold because KT's room is so stupid and badly insulated, and she was fitful on my shoulder and just wouldn't settle down, the thought crossed my mind -- it has to be God speaking when this happens, right? -- "What a privilege, to hold this child." I'm telling you this NOT because I am so wise and calm to KNOW THAT, but because I want to remember it, myself. That one thought has really kept me in check through KT's infanthood, and carries over into daytime life, too. When 29-pound AJ wants me to carry him down the stairs EVERY MORNING and I think, "But my knees hurt and I'm tired and he's HEAVY," I'm reminded that it's simply a privilege to carry him. Not only because of all the women in the world who'd do anything to have a 4-year-old to carry downstairs... but a little because of that. A little because he'll be 15 one day and won't let me near him. And a little because it just IS. A privilege and a gift to be a mother. To have need to beg for grace.

Maybe "privilege" is just another word, another way to say I'm counting my blessings. But it gets to the heart of each of my moments, lately, most especially the tender little ones with my family. I might have to call it a resolution for 2009: To recognize this life, all of it, as a privilege.

She's almost 10 months now, but whatevs

Rrr! I was going try to type a single entry, for once in my life, without being pissy, but two of my coworkers were just in here for 20 minutes CONVERSING IN ALL CAPS and would not SHUTTUP. Rrrr! So loud! So annoying! SO PISSY.

You know, I never did do a "3rd quarter update" on KT baby. She is getting so big! Man, it's hard to believe how fast the rush-wind of this year has flown. Blink! Here we are. I have to record the things I will want to remember of her right now:

• that she talks and talks while we eat dinner, "ba-ba-ba-baH-BAH!" getting louder and louder 'til the exclamation point at the end!
• that she is driving me CRAY-ZEE with the rolling over and standing up on the changing table! Sit Down, Young Lady, and get your pants changed like a good little incontinent!
• that she likes Napoleon's Squeaker almost better than toys -- it must taste the best judging by how she crams it into her mouth, eww
• that she also loves Little People, which AJ just didn't get interested in, probably because I introduced them too late; we've enjoyed the Mayflower and Thanksgiving sets, and now our Christmas Little People
• that she WAVES! Not "bye bye," but "hello. hi. da-da." With her whole arm, shoulder and everything
• that she really does say "Da-Da" to indicate Daddy! And once in a while, "Ma-Ma" means me
• that she still LOVES bathtime, and playing in the water, and getting splashed
• that she also still kicks her own feet when she sees something she wants, like her bottle, which is about the only thing left that still feels like a baby.

Hey, we re-sitemapped (work jargon, woo!) our living room for Christmas this year. With two kids now, and Grandparents, an Aunt-&-Uncle set, and possibly an extra dog (don't get me started) all coming to our house for the holiday weekend, we needed to get the tree out of the middle of the room. To say the least. Sofa - to the other side of the room with you! Coffee-table-bench, off to the side so that you're almost useless, but still might hold a Pepsi my Ginger and Seven while I'm admiring the beauty of twinkling lights. I'm really excited because we think we might leave our furniture thus arranged, minus the tree, after Christmas. I've always admired my friends who can rearrange their furniture every few months. It's such a great way to satisfy your decorating urge without really doing (buying) anything.

... I started this post at approximately 9:24 and it's now 11:50. In the meantime I've dealt with several headaches at work and so my train of thought is lost on the Track to Nowhere at this point. I'm going to eat my lunch now. And go to Party City for paper plates and napkins for AJ's class party. See ya.

The dreaded Monday

I get so DOWN, during the Monday morning routine/commute. When I'm walking back out of the daycare after dropping off the kids, I sigh and feel a little sad. Driving to work I fret about facing a big, stupid to-do list of things I dislike. I typically feel okay about the work week by Tuesday, because it's just something I do, but on Mondays, ugh.

I know it's because we have the nicest weekends. This one was especially pleasant: both tantrum- and ear infection-free. I think part of that was the absence of my laptop. I left it in the car all weekend. Out of sight, out of AJ's mind, so there was no inquiry about "can I do my work?" nor subsequent whining when the Mean Old Parents responded, "Not right now." Surprisingly, there were also no naps -- but still no tantrums. He must be on his best behavior because he knows Santa is watching. MAN, I LOVE THAT GAG.

We decorated the house this weekend. Yesterday while I was winding garland around the stair rails on the front porch, I thought, "Who am I doing this for? The pizza guy and the UPS man." I would love to host parties... wait, no... one party would probably be enough... but our relatives are coming for the ACTUAL holiday, and that's probably all we can handle. It'd be nice to do impromptu entertaining. DH and I lament that our neighbor-relationships aren't like some, where you can pop in and enjoy each other's casual friendship. Maybe I could think of SOMEONE to have over for just a little dessert and hot cocoa. Because unless we spend atypical time with friends and family, why IS IT the "most wonderful time of the year?" It's NOT, in a word. It's the most stressful! You have to counterbalance that with something of hospitality and fun, I think. We should do it on a weeknight. Easy breezy. Cookies and candy canes.

And there, in three paragraphs, I have altered my mood somewhat, from frowny to hopeful. Time for warm oatmeal.

Good News Choir

By posting this I'm entering myself into a lovely giveaway at WorkIt Mom! You can, too. Click the link. But first, enjoy my good news!

Mantra

I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. I WILL NOT GET STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS.

NaHoBloPoMo FAIL

Tee hee. FAIL. I did not post every day in the end of November. Lucky for me no one but me was policing Nahoblopomo, so I still win. I've been just enjoying the time with my family, my kiddos, my cousins, and my parents' couch. Blogging takes a back seat to all of that, every time.

We watched "Sweeney Todd" last night from 10 to midnight; it seems staying up really late to watch a gory movie is becoming my weird Thanksgiving tradition. Johnny Depp definitely rocked it, as he is wont to do, but I'm sorry that my husband didn't enjoy our musical evening as much as I did. He doesn't do musicals.

Tomorrow morning we'll leave sunny (rainy) Florida, with our fingers crossed that traffic is kind to us. We'll re-enter Georgia with plans to decorate for Christmas, shopping to do, and new Thanksgiving memories to hang onto, until next year.

The Parade

I'm writing this on Wednesday, but when you read it, you may have already watched the parade! Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I'm thankful for you!


I have so many different memories of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's definitely one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. In fact, when I wake up before nine, I'm usually IMPATIENT for it to start. I hope I'll be able to convince AJ to turn off his DVD player, or whatever cartoons he's watching, and switch it to parade coverage. I heard this year they're going to have a Smurf balloon for the first time! They didn't ever have one in the '80s, how crazy is that? And they're having Buzz Lightyear, which I think is odd since he's so ten years ago. I didn't hear them say Barry Manilow is going to be there and that is just a shame.

A few of my memories:
-- watching with my Granny when she'd come to visit in Pensacola for Thanksgiving;
-- being in the musical "Here's Love," which is the musical version of Miracle on 34th Street, and singing about "the big calown (clown) balloons, just a-sauntering, 49 feet from the ground..."
-- watching in Thibodeaux while we all got dressed in our hotel rooms before Thanksgiving dinner at our cousins' house -- we'd go from our room to Aunt L's room to Nan L's room, and in every room, the parade was on. :)

Crazy Eights

Thank you, Mandy!

8 Things I'm looking forward to

1. Eating fried turkey and sausage dressing and cranberry sauce. Forkfuls (forks ful?) with a bit of each of those things = heaven!
2. Watching everyone marvel over how big KT has gotten.
3. Hugs and smiles from my parents, cousins, aunts and uncles.
4. Finishing up all my files and reports and crap.
5. AJ getting past this latest whiny drama-fest stage and finding his happy face.
6. The next time I see my sister. I don't know when that will be, but I'm looking forward to it!
7. NOT driving to work on Thursday and Friday.
8. Disney's Animal Kingdom in February '09.

8 Things on my Wish List

1. Bath and Body Works Lotions (does that make me white-trashy? They're still my fave.)
2. iTunes giftcard.
3. Short or mid-length rain jacket.
4. New shoes.
5. Books by Philippa Gregory.
6. Someday, new kitchen cabinets, paint, and counter tops. And dishwasher and fridge, as long as I'm wishing.
7. Delicious chocolates.
8. A programmable crock pot.

8 TV Shows I Like To Watch

1. 30 Rock
2. Real Housewives
3. Project Runway
4. Amazing Race
5. Ace of Cakes
6. Dirty Jobs
7. Lost (come back!!)
8. Ghost Hunters (I hate having to admit this but these guys are so incredibly cheesy slash paranoid that I CAN'T. STOP. MYSELF.)

8 Things that Happened Yesterday

1. KT woke up at 5:40 am and wanted a bottle.
2. AJ ate all his breakfast, and even threw away his own trash afterwards!
3. I did some online window-shopping.
4. I ate Taco Hell for lunch and it was gross. (Avoid the "Spicy Chicken" burrito.)
5. Our doggie went to "camp" for the Thanksgiving holiday and I think it made my husband sad. :(
6. My neighbor asked to borrow a casserole dish and a shot of bourbon, for a recipe.
7. I briefly considered a shot of bourbon, myself.
8. We almost couldn't find the Elf on the Shelf, who is supposed to magically appear right after Thanksgiving. But we found him. Whew!

More drama and trauma

We haven't heard of any additional hitting/kicking/pushing at school. DH did talk with the teachers and they were less than 100% encouraging, but said they, too, had and would try to help AJ stand up for himself, and that they were obviously separating him from those who give him trouble. They did report that he's one of the most popular kids in the class, which is why the (bigger) girls want to hang on and hug him, and the boys all vie for his attention which leads to roughhousing. So I guess that's good?

Luckily a lot of kids are out this week so I think it's been a lot more quiet in the classroom.

Mandy asked a good question, about whether or not we've considered holding him back a year. ...It's been brought up. A friend of ours did that with his son and I think it piqued my husband's interest. ...I guess I'm proud, and think that he's too smart to be held back -- because he really is. His verbal skills have always been impressive and he's doing great with numbers and reading and all those academic things. But also? I can't afford to pay for another year of daycare. It is sucking us bone-dry. Yes, we plan to put him in Catholic school which isn't free, but a quick calculation says I'll save $4,000 by graduating him from dear old Kids R Kids. THANK GOD.

So. The bullying drama aside, we have time to talk about the tantrum drama.

I feel like we have tried every Correct Way To Punish and Disapprove of Unacceptable Behavior while still being Gentle and Calm, and those ways...? ...are bunk as far as I'm concerned. Sometimes kids are little shitheads. So last night AJ and I had a really big stupid fight about bedtime wherein I got hit with a flashlight. (Yeah. Ow.) So he got that flashlight taken away, and got put to bed, but then kicked and screamed like a banshee and thrashed around upstairs for a good long while, while I attempted to NOT ENGAGE THAT BEHAVIOR (See? Trying to do the right thing)... but then DH had to come in and referee because we kept ON not engaging each other for about 10 minutes, and also fighting and not staying in the bed or the room, and I don't LIKE that DH had to join in at ALL, much less punish his son's rear end four times, but that is the way it had to be, and everything ended swiftly after that. I'm counting on John Rosemond to back us up. It needed to be done.

We made up, all of us, but I hated every minute of it.

Flashback!

Here is a statement I recently made to my Mom about KT baby:

Ooh, she has another new trick! When I say, "Wanna play pat-a-cake?" she puts her two hands together in front of her! Soooo cute.

Flashback to 2004...*doodley music*... doodooloodoodooloodoodooloo:

I love that when I say, "AJ, wanna play patty cake?" he lights up. He knows words!! Other than Mama and Dada! (He's a genius.) And, unless I'm making this up, he gets his hands ready when I say that, too. So cute.

At least I learned to spell pat-a-cake in the 4 years since then.

Goals

...132 pounds, I'll go right ahead and tell you.

...Christmas shopping EEEEEEEEKs. Without breaking the stupid (government-pwned?) bank.

...Clean house on a regular basis?

...This time next year, be happy with my professional life. No, really. I'd like a calling to my next career. Could I just order one up? I want to be meant to do something.

...Raise respectful, hardworking kids.

...Laugh more often. Laugh every single day. Here, I'll start that off:


Knock, knock.


Who's there?


Mayonnaise.


....Mayonnaise who?




Man, 'eys a lotta work to be done!

(We love this one at our house.)

Saturday post!

(Yes, I totally set this to auto-post because AS IF Mommy gets a chance to compute on a Saturday. Ha. The MacBook is dedicated to Ben10 Alien Force as a general rule, on this day of the week. Or turned off. We are too busy playing!)

Do you know our county has the whole week off school next week? I think that's crazy. I guess maybe they've combined fall break with Thanksgiving or something? Which... hello, we didn't get Fall Break until I was in college. That was a fabricated vacation, in my day! Fall Break? Oh, that isn't real, there's only Spring Break. Anyway, so a lot of moms in my area are probably sighing into their coffee right now, thinking, "This is the -- you kids turn that &*!@^ing SpongeBob DOWN!! -- (sob!) first of NINE LONG DAYS."

Those poor, poor souls.

Very current topic! Get it while it's hot!

I need your help with something, Internets, and rather than wait until next week (would you believe I have posts LINED UP in draft for Saturday through MONDAY? I am rocking NaHoBloPoMo!) I have to toss something up right now and then go combing through Ask Moxie shortly thereafter. (And do my boatload of work. Sigh.)

So. Ever since AJ was a tiny baby, Husband and I have differed on him, hitting. Not about our son starting a fight -- we've always told him NOT to hit other people/pets/etc. But if he gets hit first by another kid. My instruction has been to tell the other kid to Stop, and Get Away from him/her. Hubby is more along the lines of "he needs to stand up for himself -- hit 'em back."

I know that it's different for little boys (isn't it?), and Daddies want their boys to grow up tough, and I'm okay with that. *I* was never taught by my parents that hitting back is okay. Even when my cousin (a girl) would hit my sister regularly, HARD, we were not instructed that it was okay to hurt her just as much in return.

But I also don't want my kid getting beaten up, which he has been, apparently, in school lately. Some of the bigger, wilder kids do push him, and even kick him. He doesn't know what to do in reaction, and as a result he's acting out at other times of the day, throwing toys, knocking down their blocks, etc. He's clearly frustrated by the situation. He's told me he doesn't know what to do.

DH thinks we've taught him to be a pushover. Here's my response to that, sent in an email ten minutes ago:

...we have told him to be nice, and I STILL SAY that's the right thing to teach a kid. You don't teach your kid to NOT be nice. You have to lay the foundation for moral goodness and in simple terms, that equals "be nice to your friends." At the same time, you're right, I have probably hindered our being able to teach him to stand up for himself because I didn't want him to be the bully. And I completely agree with you that now he needs to know how to do that. (I don't think that before his age, you can teach kids the concept "stand up for yourself." It's too gray when they're toddlers what's real hitting/being mean, and what's just another kid losing control of his arms/legs/balance.) At age four, obviously, there are some kids who are trying to take advantage of their size [big] and of his [small]. And I don't want that to happen. I think the 1, 2, 3 approach is a good one -- Tell the person to Stop, Tell a teacher, and then "do what you gotta do."

You better believe I will be posting/asking/searching about this on the blogs....

I just want to know what you think should be done. Not a "who's right and who's wrong" commentary, but how do we navigate the tricky balance? We're having talks with the teacher today, and of course with each other, trying to come to agreement about this -- and I think we mostly are in agreement -- mostly -- I just feel like I want your experience/opinion on the matter.

7 Quick Takes, à la Jen

Head over to Conversion Diary to meet Jen. She's fab. :)

---1---

You should SEE the number of leaves in our yard. We have giant poplar and sycamore trees all over our property and DANG but they produce a mess in the fall. My dear husband plans to tackle that tomorrow (with the mulch setting on the mower), bless his soul. I'm sorry, honey. I'll keep the Gatorade coming.

---2---

I finally figured out who Kristen Stewart is. You know, the one who looks all nonplussed but is supposedly burning-hot-in-love with the vampire guy? ...The movie? The current hype-machine? Oh, if you don't know, Google it... I've been seeing the commercials and thinking she was vaguely familiar... but she's the sister from Zathura! Lisa! Somehow AJ watched that movie on TV a year or so ago, and because it had one scene with a maniacal, giant robot, he declared it "his robot movie" And then somehow it ended up in our DVD collection. Hmm. Anyway, she is LISA to me. My husband has heard me talk about how everyone's reading the Twilight series, and he doesn't understand why I'm not interested. ...I just don't get the vampire genre. (He should know that by seeing also: BLADE.) I tried to read an Anne Rice novel once and never could get into it. I saw the Tom Cruise movie... total snore.

---3---

Today I'm missing AJ's Thanksgiving Day Pre-K luncheon, and that is sucky. DH gets to go, since he works close by. In the olden days when I could work from home.... oh, sorry. I'm not going to get all negative right here on Pre-K Thanksgiving. I made my Granny's "Waldorf Salad" for AJ's contribution. It's a time-honored tradition on my Dad's side of the family... and also a bit of a family joke. I think everyone must have one of these recipes: Great-Aunt Someone's Jello Mold, Mrs. X's soupy Squash Cassrole... right? Ours is Waldorf Salad, made with apples, celery, nuts, a mayonnaise dressing, and mini-marshmallows. Yeah. My dear Uncle proudly carries on his mother's tradition and makes a big bowl of it every year, and it usually goes home with him, largely untouched. So sad. (I plan to eat a big serving this year, if just to make him feel good.) Anyway, I made it for AJ with the tiniest amount of mayo, extra marshmallows, and no celery or nuts. He did some quality assurance with me this morning and declared it GREAT. :)

---4---

30Rock30Rock30Rock30Rock30Rock. It's the only fun thing on television anymore. Even The Office is getting less funny to me, in comparison. (I HATE when Michael's mean to Toby. I like poor Toby.) But 30 Rock. I have the biggest TV-show-crush on that show. I want to kiss is and MARRY it.

---5---

Here's a funny little anecdote. KT is crawling, right? And she's gotten really good at it. When her Daddy gets home, she gets that motor running, to get to him as fast as she can! So cute! Well, located in that same area where DH enters the house every afternoon are Napoleon's food and water. Today I set KT up on the living room floor, turned my back for 30 seconds to start putting my lunch in a bag, and next thing you know I heard crunching. "KT!" I called, "Where are you, baby?" ...Of course. She was eating dog food. Had a piece in her mouth and didn't even look like she was going to spit it out, like she does Cheerios. Ha hahahahahahaaha no. Ew.

---6---

Anybody know if Starbucks is losing money yet? Everywhere, I read of people giving up their daily Sbux. Tightening of the belts, and all. I have, too. (Mine wasn't daily, but still.) I'm so curious if they're noticing, behind the cappucino machine.

---7---

Just about everyone at work has decided to take off the rest of this month. Our company has an assinine "use 'em or lose 'em" vacation days policy. (I, of course, used all of mine for maternity leave earlier this year.) Yesterday was skeletal crew, today looks to also be skeletal crew, and next week, I may well be the only one here at all. At least that's what it feels like. Guess I'll get to choose what music is blasting from my computer. Maybe choral. Maybe I'll sing along. It might be awesome.

L is for Love Thursday

Is there anything cuter than an alphabet lesson in jammies? (Okay, maybe it'd be cuter without the garbage can in the background...)

Happy Love Thursday, people!

A diversion

Are You There, God? It's Me, Lee. Could you possibly DIAL DOWN the sick just a little bit? It's been, let me think... I guess about 6 weeks of an unwell KT now. There was ear infection #1, then ear infection #2, probably a little teething in between, and now The Great Tummy and Cold Virus of Late '08 (never mind my own cold, it barely counts), complete with mucus drainage and the terrible horking of large volumes of warm formula ON MOMMY'S PRETTY NEW SWEATER LAST NIGHT OMG.. Oh. My... was I shouting just there? Sorry about that, God. Just... consider my request. Mkay? Thanks. Later.

************

I have been thinking that all my (4) lovely readers are probably staying occupied during this drought in my own posting by the wonderful people who've signed up for NaBloPoMo. Right? (Is anyone we know doing NaBloPoMo?) And then I was thinking, it's obviously too late for me to sign up for that gig, but I have half a month I could use to kick-start myself back into blogging gear. And I think that'd be good. I do miss having something to say. So I think I'm going to institute Na-HO-BloPoMo (Nat'l HALF-OF Blog Post Month) here on my own site and try to post once a day 'til December first. Surprise! I once declared I'd never ever sign up for something like this, and that was probably wise since this time of year is STRESS-TASTIC for me, but... never mind that. I'm going to do it, and it's going to be fun, and WHEEE! Here we go!

I'm excited about Thanksgiving, are you? Mostly because.... drumroll, please... I have made it to my goal pre-pregnancy weight! Nine months on, nine months off, just like They said! Wooo hooo! Yee-haw! I haven't been exercising the last 2 weeks (SHAME), but I also haven't been eating a lot (see above: SICK), but whatever. My scale says 1-mrfljsomething-2, and that's what I've wanted it to say since February. Now for these last ten pounds... Right after turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce and PIE. I plan to enjoy Thanksgiving in a reasonable way (sort of reasonable), and then right back on track through December.

Maryb and I were chatting about PIE last night. I love neither pumpkin nor pecan. My Aunt, however, is making both for our Thanksgiving dessert table. My Mom makes a pumpkin creme pie, which I like better, but what about the glories of cherry pie? Chocolate pie?! And also, hail our American Excess! We hardly need three pies for the group of 9 of us, two of which -- my two kids -- don't even EAT pie. The greatness of our nation, right there.

Meh. (No really, it's about "Meh.")

Did you hear that "Meh" made the dictionary?

Heh. (They considered 'Heh,' too.)

Others

So I see everyone's getting in on the gratitude deal! (Not that I invented it or anything. I haven't even done it in forever.) It's a good economy for counting your blessings. I've been feeling better about things the last couple of days, and trying to be more grateful, too.

I have also been considering, in a very self-help-book kind of way, that to focus on OTHERS rather than oneself is probably a good way to get out of the self-centered funk. Another reason I've felt like blogging is too much for me at the moment -- it's keeping me too focused on ME (hello, self!). Been trying to think more of the kids, my family, and each person I see. Fellow journey-ers, all in this together, that kind of schlock thing.

So I'm glad my office is going to spearhead some social activism after all these years. I'm eager to get involved but I'm one of those terrible people who needs someone else to organize it for me. Tell me when and where, and I'll (try to) show up. Ask me to initiate the service project? You might have to wait a long time. So anyway, we're doing a food drive which is awesome. :) I'm glad to go shopping and buy some "most needed" Mac and cheese dinners. And I hope we can help with a Habitat House or something hands-on, too. They were even talking about taking a half-day to do such things sometimes, as a group. It'll be interesting (read: surprising) to see if the corporate higher-ups approve that.

We're also doing Operation Christmas Child for PSR/Sunday School. One year I was lucky enough to join a friend (an Organizer) at one of the warehouses/drop-off locations. It's an enormous charity effort, and we volunteered for a shift of sorting the boxes, stacking, I don't remember now what-all. But I was glad I did it (glad my friend planned it!). Such fun to see the inner workings of an animal that large! I enjoy putting together the shoebox gifts, and AJ seems excited about it, too, which is good -- it balances out the fact that we had him make out his own Christmas wish list tonight. Y'know, to "practice" for writing a letter to Santa. Hee. What can I say, we're victims of early holiday marketing. Victims!

A few items of note

1. Lag Liv passed the Bar! Woooo! It made me say YAY! out loud to my computer screen.
2. Paying for daycare sucks. Especially when the admins can't get their sh*t together and give us a consistent charge. How are we supposed to budget? I never quite know what I'm paying for with them, I just keep handing over lots of dollars. Today they tell me AJ's been eating breakfast since August. TODAY. ...I haven't been paying for breakfast. I've also been feeding AJ breakfast before we leave every morning. It was hard to tell him, "Honey, you can't have breakfast at school, okay? You eat your breakfast at home." Most of the other kids are eating at that time. It's just $1.05 a day, but still. The cereal and Gogurt in my pantry are not cheap, either.
   
3. Fridays are not good days for a client visiting the office AND a big sales demo/conference call. On Fridays I want to do mindless things slash NOTHING.
4. I'm becoming sensitive to the aftertaste (and duringtaste) of Splenda. It's too bad, I love using it in place of sugar and feeling virtuous and saving calories. But I made these little no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies? And they taste aspertamey. I'm trying to decide if I'll keep them or throw them out. Probably throw out.
5. My dieting efforts faltered during Halloween/PMS Week but I'm going back on the wagon today. I had been doing well and feeling good about it before all that candy entered the picture. Oh, and the oatmeal things mentioned above were supposed to be for my healthful chocolate fix - only 70 cals each.
   
6. I very much dislike what I'm being asked to do at work right now. I feel guilty about it. My feelings about it are why I'm posting little of substance right now. My emotions are swirly but it's not stuff I can talk about online.
7. Thanks be, we've been having fun PLAYING lately! Partly because AJ will play once he gets started, without more prompting from us. He's making up stories and scenes, setting up "classrooms" for his dinosaurs, mixing Transformers with Ben 10 characters, and having the bad guys eat/blow up/crash into the good guys, all on his own. Meanwhile KT baby steals his Hot Wheels cars and tries to pull up on the furniture. It's been fun. I'm excited about what to get her for Christmas (girly things like "My First Purse") but also because as a little girl myself, I always LOVED playing with my cousin's Hot Wheels.
8. I'm proud of us because so far, KT has not watched a single Baby Einstein video. She's nearly 9 months old! Of course, she watches her share of Ninja Turtles and Ben 10, but still.
   
9. We've been trying to use Baby Signs with her but she hasn't started signing back to us yet. I forget when that starts to happen.
10. She now has FIVE teeth! Two on the bottom, and three up top! It shows what little time I get to spend... exploring her mouth... because I just discovered this last night. But exploring your kid's mouth isn't necessarily quality time, I suppose. She GRINDS her teeth constantly and it drives me batty. I hate to rely on the pacifier and I dread when it's time to wean her from it, but I RELY on the pacifier.
    

Knob

The knob on my crockpot has broken off! We resorted to using needle-nose pliers this morning, because I am making this for dinner.

Pliers just Will Not Do, now that I have discovered that site, and now that I'm working outside the home 5 days/week. I need a new crockpot! Who's excited for Christmas?!

Tuesday, Tuesday!

Trader Recipe is below! (sort-of lame) Broccoli-Rice Casserole.


We did all those things on my list from last weekend, and they were all great. Trick or treating was fun! AJ stayed out 2 hours or more with his Daddy, and was excited to run up to each and every house and ring the bell (if it was his turn). It was nice for us parents to have a different neighborhood to walk around in. I was bored with our neighborhood, so we went to our friends' house. They had a great party, actually -- witches' brew punch for us, plenty of cookies and candy, and a big bowl of chili for dinner. Awe.Some.

Lunch with my friend was nice! She was super sweet and I felt bad for saying something mean about her. Our haircuts: great! Except our stylist knows us too well and Talked My Ear Off. Sometimes I don't like a stylist to Talk so much. But whatever, it was fine and at least she didn't scalp me. :)

Of course I have a new to-do list now, but things are okay this week. So far. I voted, and only had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes. I'm determined to get the house clean this week, with Hubby's help. The kids are healthy and sweet.

Last night we had the most boring dinner ever!

Ham steaks (which DH really dislikes, but eats anyway)
Green beans (from a can!)
Rice with butter, and S&P

Isn't that LAME?! But it's easy, and that's what I was going for. C'mon, it was MONDAY. I tried to think of ways to jazz up the rice, but other than Ro-Tel, which is too spicy for AJ, I couldn't come up with anything. What do you do with rice?

Here's a rice recipe I want to try (because it looks easy). From All Recipes.

INGREDIENTS
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
* 1 cup cooked long-grain rice
* 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
* 1 1/2 cups cubed process American cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain. Stir in rice and celery salt. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve immediately.