Spending and Listening and Counting down, oh my!

I've been spending money. Birthday money, specifically, at TJ Maxx and Marshall's. I still have about $200 left (my parents and in-laws are so generous!) but so far I've bought 4 tops I can wear to work, 1 pair of capris, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 swimsuit, 1 pair of striped flip-flops, and some new underthings. I have held out on spending money for a long time, it seems, so this is fun, not to mention I'm doing it with our BEACH TRIP in mind, so that makes me very happy. (10 days until! I've been trying to withhold the annual COUNTDOWN for your reading benefit, but heck -- half the people who read will be there with me or were just there last month, so wheee! Vacation!)

By the way, the drink of choice this year wants to be a Mojito. I've found recipes that use raw sugar, and others that suggest powdered. I'm leaning towards powdered because it's handy.

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I am trying so hard to NOT say anything at work, or even to my husband, about Yatt. Because if you can't say anything nice... you know. BUT ZZZOMMMMMGGGGGG!!! Using Constance the First's logic, I may say how she is making me crazy right here on my blog. So let us begin. Yesterday:

--She spent, ohidontknow, about 3 hours cumulative, during the day, telling her team about her recent skin biopsy results. They're pre-cancerous. Now, I am not going to be completely rude about a cancer diagnosis -- I'll allow her that is a scary thing to hear, and I don't wish it on anyone nor begrudge her telling her story about it (loudly), but

-- She then had to SHOW her team (also loudly) all of her previous terrible biopsy scars. ......um..... Seriously? I peeked over and she was leaning down into a cubemate's desk area, pulling her shirt sleeves down off her shoulder, to show them some of the scar tissue where she'd had stitches. Number one, NO. We don't pull our clothes down in any way during work hours, and Number two, COME ON. Little scars from little biopsies? Not that INTERESTING to people, Yatt, hate to tell ya. All the while she's yak yak yakking. It's just too much, you know? I mean, sure, tell your friends about an ailment. Okay. But she never just TELLS -- she INSTRUCTS everyone about it. And somehow she never quite ENDS the sentences. She finishes a thought, then, "Ummms..." until the next thought begins. And keeps adding more and more information. Did I mention? ...Loud. Ly.
-- Right now she's saying to a co-worker, "Now, you have a right-hand desk, which means all your workspace is to your left. You see what I mean? But I am left-handed..." AS IF THIS LADY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND the concept.

I do wonder how her cube-mates deal with her. But none of them is terribly quiet (like I would be -- I would just have to shut my mouth completely if I sat over there and she was talking in and around me); and none of them snips back at her with the things I would WANT to say, like, "Okay, Yatt, do we really have to talk about your personal body again today? I'm kind-of trying to concentrate."

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It really is perfectly fine to complain, on my blog, with like-minded friends who understand.

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I am looking to spend the rest of my birthday money on either a stylish laptop bag/briefcase, or a new, larger, structured purse. The line is blurred -- both of those things might actually be the same, which makes is REALLY hard for a non-decision-maker like me. I could get by with my current purse selection (I have a smaller spring bag that I adore) if I had a bigger, more professional-looking bag to put it in. Because I could keep all the myriad PAPERS I carry around in the big bag, freeing up the purse for essentials: wallet, phone, pen, lipstick, gum, and unused coupons. I ALSO want a pretty but small "portfolio" thing that I can use for a wallet. One that kinda opens up like a book, you know? Holds business cards and all? My manager uses one and it looks so grown-up. Haven't found the right thing yet.

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Wow, this whole post is completely shallow, isn't it?! Well, Book Club is tonight -- maybe I'll have some intellectual thoughts one of these days soon. But... don't hold your breath.

Friday Quick Takes

1. I am feeling "meh" about work. On the one hand, I am finally – finally! – feeling like I've got my feet under me, like I know the basic tenets of my responsibilities and when they show up on the calendar, and how to accomplish them. This is a GOOD feeling – these last three months have been, to say the least, a bit wobbly as far as me knowing what the heck I'm doing. And now, to know that on Mondays I need to update the location database for website #1, and that when I need a Flash element, I email Such-and-Such in our Raubling office, and to make edits I need to use the "X" Spreadsheet and include screen shots – all of these bits of knowledge are very comforting and make me much less wobbly than I was before. I also have been doing some writing for work and getting good reviews on that, so, SCORE! Press releases, woo! HOWEVER. There are still many things that I don't feel authorized to do, and it makes me feel small and kind-of stupid for always having to ask permission, and my boss… well, my boss. I like her, and I think she's ambitious and young and single so good for her, but it makes it hard for me, who just wants to DO a job and then GO HOME.

And it's weird to me that every morning in the shower, I think about work. And I think about it at other times, too. Work is ALWAYS in my mind.

That's the job update.

2. I wrote a great press release!

3. I had a peach margarita with my birthday dinner. Actually it was mostly a glass of peach margarita mix. Which was kind-of disappointing. Especially because AJ whined the ENTIRE TIME we were at dinner.

4. He made up for it. This morning we were having our morning snuggle-time before his breakfast, and he said, "Mommy? I was kinda sad because I didn't get you a present for your birthday." Isn't that the saddest/sweetest thing you've ever heard??

5. This weekend is almost totally free and clear of commitments, and I'm so glad. We have some things to do, but I'm hoping that one thing can be a mani/pedi for me.

6. A dear friend of mine is moving into a brand-new beautiful house, and now I REALLY WANT one, too. One with a nice fenced, flat backyard so I can let the kids loose and sit on the deck with my iced tea and a book while they play. I feel like we may NEVER have another house besides this one, and I know that's another first-world whine, but DH and I tend to take the "do we NEED it?" approach to small purchases – like new bath towels and mats – and therefore we are using VERY OLD TOWELS. And that worries me, as far as bigger purchases like ever having a new house are concerned.

7. People are whispering in the office behind me. I'd better go so I can more effectively eavesdrop.

More quick takes here!

No NO, Mama.

I had to take down my previous post. (For anyone who read it before its mysterious disappearance, my friend DID feel really bad - so bad she almost shed tears once she realized - and it made ME feel bad. So. Lesson learned. No-NO.)

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KT is learning words at amazing pace. I love the stage when Mama and Dada can bascially have a real conversation with a baby, but anyone looking in from the outside can't understand a word.

KT: Where's my paci, mama? (Ba-pah?)

el-e-e: It's right there, Baby, can you get it? GOOD!

KT: Guh!! Ba-pah!

KT: I'm hungry. Can I eat something? Like a big cup of milk? (Eeee? Bah-bah?)

el-e-e: Want your bottle? Okay.

KT: Awesome! I love that bottle, Mom! (Bah-bah! Bah-bah!)

you: How are you getting any of this?!

I'm loving the sign language, too. The other day she surprised me with "Please." They're learning these things in school, as well as us teaching her the basic ones at home. It's adorable. She puts her whole heart and soul into "More." She'll put down her sippy cup, carefully point her fingertips toward each other, and say, "I love these cookies! May I have another mouthful?" ("Moe?")

The other one she's learned well at school is "No." Or specifically, "No NO." Emphasis on the 2nd "no." She tells the dog "no" all the time, words and sign together. Yesterday I saw her looking at him disdainfully, wagging her arm up and down.

It is so cute. That's about all I've got for today!

In the cool of night

I have been going to the grocery store at night, after the kids' bedtime, for about a year now; it's become mostly the norm around here, the only good time to do it efficiently, without "helpers" and with time to think it through. Sometimes DH does it, which I also appreciate very much.

But for me, the best part is that on nights like tonight, when the sun goes down and allows cool night air to breeze into Georgia, I get a few quiet minutes in the car, with the windows down. I drive slowly. It's less than a mile to, and from, the store.

Cool night air, a little drive, alone. I am thankful for those minutes.

First thing in the morning

I come in to my desk, Starbucks in hand, ready to greet the rainy day with a SIGH and a pep talk to myself -- "Okay now, this can be a productive, nice day..." -- trying to gear up, you know, instead of being grumbly... and Yatt is next door telling her cubemate all about the history of her bladder infections. First thing in the morning. She got up to pee, and then, not one minute later, she had to pee again, and she thought, "This is a bladder infection." I'm sorry, but GROSS. I don't want to hear about that. Seriously. I'm sorry boutcha, but gah. Of course she uses some herbal remedy that is wwwwwwuuuuunnderful, because she is so smart.

I have a pair of yellow earplugs at my desk that I employ frequently.

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I woke up this morning at 5:30 thinking of work. Remember a filing system that we used to use at my old job, and that I had intended to put it in place here. That stupid work-thought wouldn't let me even wait the 6 minutes until my alarm went off.

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I have decided that DH and I deserve, and need, a cleaning service. Not this week, maybe not for a few months until we take care of some other financial things (BTW, we just paid off our 2004 Highlander. Woo! Now if the old one can only last another year, we can really make some headway in our checkbook balance). But sometime this year, I think we should explore hiring someone to do the vacuuming, dusting, bathrooms and kitchen once a week, or maybe every other week. I am documenting that thought here. DH is even on board with it. I believe it would not only help our cleanliness, but also our relationship. I think we both stress about the house not being clean, and it really wears on us. Isn't that weird? That a little dust and dog hair can take its toll on a marraige? But I really think it can, and does for a lot of couples in different ways. I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure out a possible solution for us. I'm anxious to start price shopping. Where do I do that? Craigslist? Does anyone use a house cleaning service regularly? Please advise. :)

Pre-holiday weekend, Pre-K graduation

This morning Yatt is talking about POLITICS. She seems to be slightly opinionated. She presumes, I think, that all her cube-mates share her views. And maybe they do... but maybe I don't. Guess no one ever told her that talking politics is not what we do in POLITE COMPANY or PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS. Also -- Harry Potter! Oh Noes!! It turns out that one of the things that bugs me the MOST about Yatt is that she and I share an interest in certain topics. iMacs, Steve Wozniak, for example, and now HP, too?? Is it because she's the polar opposite but EXACT SAME as me that I dislike her so much?? Am I pointing a mirror at MYSELF? ohhh, too much psychobabble for a Friday morning and holiday weekend.

Hello, how are you? I've been swamped this week, I guess, or more than that, uninterested in sharing what I have in my brain. But last night we went to Pre-K graduation and it warmed my little heart. I mean, just look at this:



Kills you dead, right? DEAD. CUTE. And he got the certificate for Best Reader. :) I knew that's what he'd get. He IS the best reader EVAR. *mom pride* *preening*

What upsets me is the anticipation of having to go through this whole "graduation" thing again 3 more times before we're out of high school. I know they'll have Kindergarten graduation, further proving (like we don't already know) that the bay-bees are growing UP!!! ...and then 8th grade graduation, THEN a real graduation from high school! Crazy. I only feel worse for MY parents, who had to do 6th grade and THEN 8th grade, because we moved to a new town in between the two. (Although they didn't have to endure the little kid versions. I think those MUST be the hardest. Well, no, I take it back -- high school graduation will probably be AWFULLY HARD as they'll (hopefully) be leaving the NEST, zOMG... we can't even think about that yet.)

New Topic!! We're going to (great) grandma's house! Leaving tonight or tomorrow, I can't decide and it's been left up to me. It depends on whether I can get all my laundry done, and then packed, before 5 pm today. I'll leave work early today, attend Kindergarten Orientation (how neatly that lined up!), then take the kids home and attempt to wash, fold, and pack everything up while they destroy the place. Then we'll sic them on Nanny's house and they'll likely destroy IT, too! I tell you what, we leave a TRAIL wherever we go these days. There are always THINGS -- toys, shoes, fridge magnets -- decorating the floor at our house. ALWAYS. Here's an example -- don't mind the adorable moment in the foreground, I'm uploading this to show you the MAYHEM behind them:



And that's nothing -- you should see the kitchen. Happy Memorial Day, everyone.

Trader Tuesday - Kung Fu Panda Noodle Bowl

Tried a new recipe last night that I had seen in Southern Living. Of course, I didn't have all the right ingredients so I substituted and modified, actions my husband usually fears. Last night it turned out pretty good, though. We told AJ we were eating "Noodle Bowls, just like on Kung Fu Panda." So that's what I'm naming the recipe. It was SUPER-EASY since I had cooked the chicken a couple days ahead of time.

KUNG-FU PANDA NOODLE BOWLS
(serves 2)

Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1/4 cup-ish Teriyaki marinade
several shakes of the bottle of light soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil

Marinate chicken breasts in a ziploc bag with Teriyaki and soy, for 30 minutes or several hours in the fridge. When you're ready to cook them, sautee chicken and marinade in olive oil on medium-high heat. The sugar in the sauces puts a lovely brown coating on the chicken. (Somehow I managed to cook it long enough without going too long.) Slice. There will be PLENTY of chicken for your noodle bowls, and probably enough for a salad the next day, too.

Noodle Bowl:
2 pkgs Oriental-flavored Ramen noodles
2-4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2-4 Tbsp chopped green onion (or substitute white onion like I did)
1 cup sugar snap peas (or sub fresh broccoli like I did)
chopped peanuts

In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 2 flavor packets from the Ramen noodles, cilantro, and onions, and bring to a boil. Add noodles, and snap peas if using. Boil another 3 minutes. (If using broccoli, sautee/steam it in a bit of water, soy sauce and teriyaki).

Assemble noodle bowls with noodles, broth, broccoli then chicken. Garnish with chopped peanuts (we even subbed honey-roasted, because that's what we had).

This was yummy and felt virtuous. The cilantro came through sometimes but didn't overwhelm. It's definitely going in my rotation. Thank you, Southern Living!

7 Quick Takes Friday

1-- I think I'm fully conditioned to the demands of my job, finally. Know how I know? I'm back to my normal amount of (too much) time reading blogs. Ha! And, hooray!! It was awful when I felt so overwhelmed that even 10 minutes in the morning was too indulgent/guilt-inducing!

2-- I know you're disappointed, but my friend Yatt has been mostly out of the office this week. I think she was sick. Unfortunate. Your entertainment will just have to wait.

3-- I read a whole book last weekend. It was "Happens Every Day" by Isabel Gillies, which I thought was going to be a good book to review for my job (we recommend books to our audience of women). It's not a good recommendation, though. We try to showcase uplifting or informative books. This book was interesting -- I definitely dove into it and ignored my children to flip its pages last Saturday -- but uplifting? No. It's about a divorce-in-progress. I was mad at the main character because she never lambasted her jerk husband the way she should have. ANYWAY, I'm back into reading books, too, I think. This weekend I'll be reading three if I can manage! I just started "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch; Book Club's next selection is "Edgar Sawtelle," which I'm anxious to buy, maybe today; and I need to read "Nordie's at Noon" for work. I think all three are going to be awesome. ALSO on my list for the next month or so: some of the great books I got for Christmas, and one that SDW lent me AGES ago! I have big dreams of 28-hour days, apparently. Buth hooray for reading!

4-- My very LEAST favorite part of being a grown-up is managing health insurance plans. First-world whine, I know, and even in the U.S., so many people don't even have insurance, or have red-tape Medicare/caid... I really shouldn't complain. But because we both work, we're always having to compare plans (see, one-working-parent-families? Betcha didn't think of that bonus - no analytic work for insurance, just fill out the forms of your one option!). Currently we're all on DH's insurance. But I'm now eligible for my company's plan. Naturally, Open Enrollment is not conveniently scheduled at the same time of year for both companies, so the problem becomes: Do we switch in the middle of the year? I feel like we're always on new insurance anyway lately, with the way businesses are having to renegotiate rates every year because health care's so expensive. But all the COMPARING of PLANS. GAH. HAAAAAAATE. I'm apt do the easy/lazy thing and just stick with what we have, and not even investigate which plan is the most cost-efficient for us. (That loud THUD you just heard is my Dad falling out of his chair in dismay... sorry, Dad.)

5-- This is a Trader Tuesday item but I can't wait 'til then. I have a low-fat trick for great-tasting green beans (canned of course). Simmer them with 1 cube of bouillon. To me, they taste every bit as rich as when you cook them with butter and S&P. But -- no fat! Does everyone know that or is it just my genius mother?

6-- 138 today and I have been hungry a lot this week. But I'll take the loss!

7-- Does anyone else like Chadwick's? I do, but their prices seem higher than they used to be. I mean, $29.99 for a blouse (sleeveless, no less)? That feels to me like a Talbot's price, not a Chadwick's price. Disappointing.


More Quick Takes here. Happy weekend!

Prophecy

I posted yesterday about Julia simply because I hadn't read her in a while, and when I took the 10 minutes to do so, I was happily reminded how awesome she is. That sentence in particular made me laugh out loud.

AND THEN KT WAS AWAKE FROM 11:51 LAST NIGHT UNTIL 2:00 AM AND I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE SHE HAS MORE TEETH COMING IN.

So now evolution and intelligent design also owe ME an apology, because my alarm goes off at 5:40.

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

A snippet from Julia

I state now for the record: the process whereby baby humans acquire teeth is seriously flawed and as far as I am concerned both evolution and intelligent design owe me a written apology. --Julia L.

She's bar none the best sentence-put-togetherer on the planet, as far as I'm concerned.

In lieu of a good mood

I've been grumpy (stupid pms) the last 2 days. For no good reason. SO instead of wallowing in wordy, whiny words here, which is what I was dying to do a while ago, let's post something cheery.

Like a SWIMSUIT GIVEAWAY! Go and enter and you can win a Lands' End swuimsuit. For FREE. Then wear it at the beach or the pool with sunscreen and a cute floppy hat!

Now, THAT's a good mood.

Thanks to Nicole for letting me know about it!

More about Biggest Loser

I can't say enough about how this show inspires people. Most of this season's contestants were previously inspired by watching the show, and that's fantastic. I think it's a service NBC is providing to Americans, for sure. (I know that on Wednesdays, I'm guilted into working out after spending two hours watching every Tuesday! Sometimes I even lift hand weights while watching, I'm so guilted!) And I'm always glad that they show the doctors and ensure that everything they're doing is safe and medically sound. Basically the contestants are taken from couch potatoes to professional athletes in just a few months, for those of you who don't watch.

So, I know it's about the drama, and that the contestants are obese, not just a little overweight, and it's the visual impact of the stunning before and after photos that makes the show so compelling. But I wish they'd spend some time emphasizing that not everyone has to have such dramatic results like these. They need to remind the average couch potato that just taking a walk every day will HELP THEM, will improve their health and lengthen their lives. It's not just about being skinny. And that most of us won't have 6 hours a day dedicated to working out -- and SHOULDN'T, unless we're medically supervised.

I haven't done a lot of looking around on the BL website, but I hope they have sensible advice for regular people. I'm sure they do. I just wish they'd say those things on the show a little more.

An update on my own "weight removal journey" -- I saw that recently and thought it was great. If it's a "weight loss," there's the possibility of finding it again! "weight removal" seems more permanent -- Anyway, I am 7 pounds away from my weight goal. And I can TOTALLY remove another 7 pounds. I haven't been logging calories in a long time. And I haven't been doing cardio as regularly as I should. BUT if I start this week and really try to lose 1 pound per week, I can do it by Beach Week. Wouldn't that be awesome?! Isn't this the looooonnnnngest stupid 15-pound weight-loss-journey that ever WAS??

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Yatt's BAYBEE is in da house!! (I will reluctantly admit that she's a pretty cute baby, AND I'm slightly jealous because she is named "M e gan," which is a name I love but DH wouldn't let me use. On the other hand, now I have a reason to like the name slightly less.)

Note 1 and Note 2

I go to bed every night completely and utterly exhausted. So much that I usually miss getting to kiss my hubby goodnight, even. I sort-of hate that. And I can't decide if it's because I'm Living! Life! To the Fullest! or if I'm just not Getting! Enough! Exercise!

Speaking of exercise, Biggest Loser! I'm a total sucker for the before and after pictures, I guess, but MAN, do I love that show. Amazing people. I'm voting for Mike if I can get on the site today. I was excited to see him wearing a Something Catholic High School sweatshirt on last night's episode. They're that awesome and Catholic, too? Nice. I have more comentary on the show but will save it 'til tomorrow. Note 1 has gotten awfully long.

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Yatt's topic of the day: Istanbul (used to be Constantinople) -- because no one but Yatt has ever heard the song by TMBG.

Just saying

Nothing to SAYYYY, nothing to SAYYYY, I have exactly NOTHING TO SAAAAAAAY! (So I'm singing.)

Of course that isn't true; I guess I have plenty to say, or that is what a friend of the family indicated this weekend when he said he had NOTHING to say in a BLOG, and he doesn't know why anyone would want to maintain one of those BLOGS for heaven's sake, ugh. Or to that effect. Well, pish posh, family friend, no soup for YOU! Hee hee. I am only kidding, it is funny to hear the older generation (for that is what he is) trying to understand our LANGUAGE. Our MEDIA. I'm sure his parents and their friends pooh-pooh'd sitting and watching those crazy television sets with comments like "I don't know why ANYONE would want to do that." Heh, heh. How do you like me NOW?? Oh well. I didn't think I cared one whit about that comment but evidently I did. LOL.

I have to tell you guys something that will NOT fall under the "Kindblog" badge, and I'm very sorry about that. But I have to get this OUT! It's killing me. I have a cube-neighbor -- actually she's at least 3 cubes over but she is SO LOUD that she feels like she's right next door -- and she is An Expert On Everything. Have you ever known someone like that? OH HOLY HELL. It is so obnoxious. Since I came here in February, she has pontificated on no less than all of these topics, usually more than once a day:

• Twitter


• iPods


• iPhones


• DSL versus the Dish


• House Cleaning (I think she owns a business)


• MOTHERHOOD - lord help me, she has a 7-month old and guess what else? She's the only person ever on EARTH to have had a BAY-BEE. Did you know bay-bees babble? And coo? They sure do. Hers more than most.


• Steve Wozniak


• Mac computers


• Elmo


• The Honda Fit (recently bought one)


• Menses (there's an app for that)


• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

I am so not even kidding you. It's like she actively chooses the topic for the day and then tells everyone in her line of vision how much she Knows. I have to start giving you a daily update. Yatt's topic of the day (not her real name). The Reese's discussion was yesterday: someone brought in the white chocolate version of mini-Reese's to share. You or I would say, 'Oooh, chocolate! Thanks!" The end. This woman went into a 10-minute discussion of why she likes the PEANUT BUTTER part of the Reese's, and the chocolate part is immaterial slash ineffective in overpowering the peanut butter part. That's why SHE eats them, the peanut butter. And she feels the white chocolate DOES overpower the p.b. so that's why she doesn't like them.

AS I TYPE she is telling her teammates that she records the first day of her period using an app on her iPhone. I SWEAR TO GOSH she is.

Oh! Oh! She also walks around her area BAREFOOT.

You guys are going to love her.

7 Quick Takes Friday

1. And the winner is...


bessieviola!

Whom I adore, and not JUST because she told me I'm great. ;) bessie vee, email me thrash428 at yahoo dot com with your address and I will hook you up with some swag! :) I didn't state any rules of the Pay It Forward, like the winner has to host one of their own. Not required, fyi. This is just something fun for me.

2. I stopped yesterday morning at Dunkin' Donuts and bought myself an everything bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. YUM. I haven't had a bagel in ages -- I stopped allowing myself to eat them. There was a time, years ago, when I put on about 15 pounds, and I think bagels were to blame. I stopped at Einsteins at least twice a week back then. This is what happens when you're single and have income to burn. Anyway, yesterday's bagel, I thought, did not sit well with me. I felt queasy and weak all day. Didn't eat lunch, didn't eat much dinner. Blegh. Turns out AJ was experiencing the same at school (minus the bagel). Apparently he layed around most of the day at school, didn't want to participate, didn't want to eat "special snack" which was ice cream and strawberries. Definitely not normal. So now I'm wondering what bug we have. He felt well enough to go to school today (didn't want to miss show n tell or Friday movies) but we'll see. I'm drinking Rasberry Zinger tea. You KNOW I must not feel good. Tea?! WTH. I am a coffee person. But it just didn't sound that great today.

3. I miss you. I miss blogging. I would like to put a lot more into this blog. Have I said that before?

4. This Saturday, DH and I have a Date Night planned. WOO! Celebrating our anniversary next Tuesday. Eight years of wedded bliss! We're going out to dinner here, perhaps, or here, and after that we're not sure what we'll do. Maybe a movie? What do people do on dates anymore? ;) I kinda want to see that Disney movie "earth." Or The Soloist. Or State of Play.

5. One week from today I'll be packing up and headed to Pensacola for a whirlwind weekend! There's a family wedding. It's going to be fun. Tiring, I bet, but great to see everyone. It will really get me pumped for our beach week family reunion in June! OH MAN, I CAN'T WAIT. BABYSITTERS and a BEACH.

6. Mandy asked a while back about what it is I do at my (still feels) new job. Yesterday was my 2-month-iversary here! I do a lot. Everyone here does, in fact. I think that the marketing team -- 5 people -- does the work of about 10 people. Economy, you know. But here's the scoop. I am the E-business and PR Coordinator for this [link removed - anonymity baby!] company. I manage content for that website, as well as 2 other sites. Yesterday I talked to a consultant about adding a blogging platform, which I think is sorely needed. I'd be psyched if that were to become one of my main duties. :) I am also editor of our magazine which comes out twice a year. My first issue is due out in June. I do some writing, some editing, and some ad sales. I also manage our e-newsletters. (See what I mean about too many jobs?) I'm also supposed to manage our press releases and media opportunities. I don't particularly enjoy that part of it.

7. AJ was accepted to our parish school, did I tell you? I'm excited about August. Uniforms! New back pack! Lunch box! It is going to be so fun. Also, next month is the first of many graduation ceremonies he'll experience -- PreK Graduation. It's cute to hear him pronounce "graduation." He's so careful about it. A word he doesn't really understand, that makes his mommy's heart burst in so many ways.

Visit Jen for more Quick Takes! Happy weekend, friends!

How to play Powerful Dinosaurs

by AJ

"Okay. Our team is Leader, Steggo, Skeleton Dinosaur, and Protocera...tosaurus. Those are our team. If we ever want to change our team, one of our dinosaurs has to get dead. And then we pick a new one. Or, I can review a dinosaur to make him not dead anymore and he can come back." (ed. note: where 'review' must equal 'revive,' hee.)

"Now, who are we going to destroy? There's Mannoth (Mammoth) over there. His power is to STOMP the other dinosaurs and he can freeze them with his ice mouth. But Leader has an ice mouth AND laser-fire-shooting eyes, so he can defeat Mannoth by burning Mannoth's ice. So first, Mommy, you take Steggo and Skeleton. Steggo will puuullll Mannoth out of the green box with his swish-shwang tail, and then Leader will PEERRRRSSHSSHH! him with his laser eyes. And then freeze him with the ice mouth. And you shoot Steggo's laser spikes too. Then Skeleton will scare him away and he'll run, "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" back to his home, and then Protoceratosaurus will tie him up with his rope tail like this."

"Also, if we need to datavate our team I will datavate them."

(no idea but that word has been in my head for three days)

Mannoth (AJ): RAWWRR! I am Mannoth and you don't want none of ME!!!

Leader (also AJ): WHO IS THAT GUY RIDING ON YOUR BACK?

Guy on back (AJ): I AM BR...ANNISH. I AM A HUMAN AND I HAVE SUPERPOWERSPEERSHEWWWW! KPLEWWWWSHHH! KPOWWWGSSH!

Skeleton (Mommy): ROAR! We're going to DEFEAT YOU, BRANNISH!"

(AJ): No, Mommy, you have to use a DINOSAUR voice, not your regular voice. *eyeroll* Like this: RAAAAOOORRRRRRRRGgGGGRRRRrR!!

(Mommy): *sigh* WE ARE THE POWERFUL DINOSAURS RAAAAOOORRRRRRRRGgGGGRRRRrR!

Underwhelmed!

Four people want to win a prize? I'm OBVS not doing Web 2.0 correctly, not linking my Twitter and my blog and my Facebook page and blagh de blah to increase traffic. Pesky, long-ago-ended anonymity. (I still don't need all my high school acquaintances and work colleagues reading the blog, though.)

Aside: I have a work phone call with a consultant later this week, who wants to sell my company his blogging service/SEO strategy. He's going to try to convince me that blogs improve search engine placement and increase website traffic. REALLY??? WOW, that's FASCINATING. I can't wait to tell him I've been blogging for FIVE YEARS and I already know everything there is to know about it. Heh.

Anyway, because I am nice, I'm going to extend the contest until Wednesday. Tell your friends! Leave another comment and increase your chances (which are already PRETTY DAMN GOOD)!

Pay It Forward time! Summer Camp edition

I promised you guys a giveaway and I'm just dying to go stand in line at the Post Office, so let's go!

If you want to win
-- some pampery items from Avon (KT's teacher just started selling it and I love her, and want to help her out)
-- some goodies from our favorite, Target
-- some cookies from the Byrd Cookie Company in Savannah
-- and whatever else strikes my fancy

leave a comment on this post by Sunday, April 19, at 10:00 pm. Tell me what your summer child care slash "summer camp" plans are. If you don't have kids, tell me about YOUR childhood summers.

I'm interested because this year, we'll enroll AJ in our daycare's "camp" for the first time -- he'll be going on field trips nearly every day. We also have a week between that and the first day of Kindergarten... I think I'll be asking a set of grandparents to visit! (hint, hint, Mom.) DH used to spend summers with his grandparents. Any of you do that, or send your kids to do that? I think it's such an idyllic-sounding thing to have in your childhood memory bank. You'd think so too, if you'd been to his grandparents' house in the mountains in Virginia. Anyway, I'm thinking about the topic.

I'll do the random number generator thing and send someone a PRIZE!

Just for the heck of it!

And then... ham saves the day

Of course after posting that WEE bit of PMS stress yesterday (well, PMS and being a normal mom of a 4-year-old), last night I served a kid-friendly dinner (ham, pineapple chunks from a can, and the hallowed Kraft Mac-n-Cheese), he ate it right up, pottied all by himself, and basically made me feel like crap for all the stuff I said.

Of course.

I should note that EVERY night, I serve AJ a kid-friendly dinner. We never eat tofu or quinoa at my house, is what I'm saying. "Fancy" is Uncle Ben's MUSHROOM flavor instead of regular. LOL.

But DH hates ham, naturally. And he can't eat pineapple (too acidic) and he grew up on homemade Mac-n-cheese, not boxed. Sorry, honey.

Still with the mealtime angst

Can I just say this, one time, (loudly), without offending everyone...?

JEEZUS.

April 15, 2009: I am so frakking tired of dinnertime. All of it, frankly. Thinking of what to make, scouring the pantry so I won't have to go grocery shopping for a thrid time this week,* wishing I could just play with KT who won't be put down/ignored at that fateful hour of the day, trying to get it all timed just right to be on the table together (The Drinks! I forgot the Drinksaggggh!), hearing "What are we having?" and the subsequent, "This smells... gross" from the Four-Year-Old Who Never Eats... and the Four-Year-Old, himself. I am TIRED from him.

We try SO hard not to fuss over him (i.e., give him what he wants, i.e. attention) during the meal. He gets up to go to the bathroom, we let him.** He talks and doesn't eat, fine. He doesn't want peaches? No biggie, leave them on your plate.

But it's always something. Last night it was "I can't pull my chair close to the table by myself!! Waaaa!! I want to be a BIG BOY." Wouldn't accept help, don'tchaknow. And thus he spiraled into a whole night of stupidity/tantrums. I never post about him when he has a great week, and I'm sorry for that; he DOES have great weeks. Had one recently, in fact. And so we rewarded him with a trip to the Toy Aisle (he 'needed' more action figures, hee). And then he responded to that with one of the worst Saturdays ever (seems every time he gets a 'reward' it backfires on us), complete with Time Outs and me screaming. I really DON'T like to scream, I prefer the calm, "I'm disappointed" tone, but sometimes it just doesn't get the job done...

OH, forget it. It's working me up just rehashing it. Lather, rinse, repeat... It's just that yesterday he told me he didn't eat lunch at school, and then of course he didn't eat dinner due to his chair, and during the ensuing tantrum he was screaming, "MOMMY!!! I'M STARRRRVING!!! FEEEEEED ME!!" which of course tears right into your biological need to feed your child, even when you KNOW you're being MANIPULATED, GOODLORD... so I absolutely refused and sent him to bed huuuuuungry. I know he needed to be sent to bed hungry. I even TOLD him probably every kid in the world has been sent to bed hungry and learned the hard way to eat their dinner (and their mommies and daddies still love them) but I did NOT appreciate his behavior, and blaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and then I died the end.



*We pretty much grocery shop twice a week SOLELY to keep up with KT's milk habit! Girl is a JUNKIE! She goes through a gallon in, like, 2 days! (And yet, she still poops just fine, it's pretty amazing. She does love her veggies, too, which helps.)

**Speaking of poop, we fight about that at dinnertime, too -- about me wiping him. He's FOUR and a HALF!! He SO needs to be handling that himself. And he CAN (we've witnessed it), he just doesn't want to. He's MANIPULATING ME and it's pissing (ha) me off.

Confidence

I have three associates -- two are very new acquaintances -- who share a similar personality that I covet. I mean, I LIKE my personality -- I answer "yes" on quizzes with the question "If you weren't you, would you be friends with yourself?" But there are certain traits I really wish I had.

Whatever it is that makes a person great for sales jobs is what I'm talking about. It's a specific kind of confidence and poise. The ability to sound like you know what you're talking about, even if you've only skimmed the reading material. The charm to offer that firm handshake and make a friend, no matter who the other hand belongs to. The hip-factor to quote movies, or make little pop-culturey gestures or references that are RIGHT NOW, current (as opposed to the late '90s references that I can recall from college). Heh.

I think I have some measure of poise, but it's not accompanied by confidence. I can't figure why. I did well in school my whole life, did some ACTing(!) in high school, went through the sorority process both in college and after, was somewhat of a "leader" of groups and clubs, am a successful working mom juggling "it all"... but still don't feel what I want to feel.

It's not a self-esteem thing. I don't feel "inadequate." On the contrary. I feel like I AM adequate, I SHOULD be able to play that smart, sassy, confident role. But I don't, especially not when I first meet you. I play reserved and cautious. "Don't try too hard and come off sounding like an idiot. Don't say too much." I worry about every comment I make; wonder what should I have said instead.

Is that what they teach you at Toastmasters? The confidence I'm talking about?

My former boss had asked me several times if I'd be interested in a sales position, and I always knew somehow that I wasn't suited for it. The past few weeks, meeting more of this type of woman -- great women, I mean to say -- I've figured out why.

Just an observation, not something I'm worried over.

Master of the obvious

Maybe I've said this before. MAN, sometimes this parenting thing is just work. I mean, physical labor. Ya know? We took them to Chili's tonight for dinner because we haven't been out to eat in what feels like forever (although I'm sure it's not been much more than a week or so), and it was just ex. haus. ting. I was on the side of the table with KT -- trying to keep up with her crumb-tossing, which was an impossible task. I realized that if we didn't have the Dog, we'd have shit all over our floor EVERY NIGHT and after EVERY MEAL and HOW in the world do non-dog-families do it?? I mean, it's just ridiculous! I was bending over every 3 minutes to pick up either her spoon or her sippy cup, things I couldn't just leave there like I left the chunks of Saltine cracker and cereal bar. So, bending over all the time, while trying to pitchfork my own salad into my maw, not to mention entertaining her by blowing zerberts, "chair dancing," peekabooing... tiring work.

And DH, on the other side with the 4-year-old, who you'd THINK was not SO much of a physical labor... he was up TWICE to the potty, which is our Standard O.P. during dinner. Twice. Plus forty fabillion "Sit down"s and "Eat"s -- I mean, the brain and the mouth get TIRED after saying something forty fabillion times.

AJ's a workout when we play, too. (And how is that I still say "we play?" And not just "he plays?" I don't know.) He's all boy, I suppose, and when I'm on the floor he figures he SHOULD come up behind me and climb over my back, onto my head, or "KA-PEWWWW" me with whatever's substituting as a gun. And I'm forever telling him to SHHHH, not so loud, we're RIGHT HERE. I think I get tired because my blood pressure stays high. On alert. Always about to be tackled or climbed.

And then of course, KT gets tired and putting her to sleep is a completely physical workout, too. She HATES being on her back so diaper changes are a wrestling match... tonight she had some cookie or cupcake in her hair (from school - Easter party), so I wanted to just quickly wash it... stupid me, I laid her on her back on the vanity with her head over the sink -- she freaked out. Then the rocking, the walking and bouncing (still, at 13 months), her switching her pacifiers for 5 minutes before she finds just the right one (and thus shifting her weight), 'til she finally gets HEAVY, all 21 pounds of her...

It's just no wonder I can't stay awake past 9:00 pm, ever.

Tuesday Trail Mix

Anybody trading recipes on Tuesdays anymore? Hello? (echo - o -o ?) Here's what I've been throwing together lately to snack on. Not enormously healthy, but I learned recently that the honey-roasted (sugary!) peanuts have fewer cals than regular salted. And that is awesome.

Trail Mix
Mix a handful or two of:

Honey Nut Cheerios
Honey-roasted peanuts
Corn Chex (leftover from making Chex Mix at Christmas!)
Goldfish, if we have some (I need to start buying the 10-gallon box at Costco)
Semi-sweet morsels (most important ingred., OBVS)
Raisins (I put a lot of those suckers in)

I put this in the snack-size ziplocs and take 'em to work. One baggie will be my "snacking" for the day. IF I pace myself, which is difficult.

Hey, how are ya? I'm good, good. I am a supermodel today! No seriously, we're doing a photoshoot... of me! For the "magazine editor" part of my job. I feel altogether SILLY about doing this -- I mean, couldn't we just print my "From the Editor" column without a photo? But apparently, no. This morning I spent 10 minutes on my hair, rather than five, and last night I used the IRON. It's this smart little device that you heat up and then press down on your clothes? And then they aren't wrinkled anymore! Ingenious!

Better post soon, I promise. Maybe even a Pay-It-Forward giveaway. I'm jonesing for something fun around here.

Speaking of fun, this post from Tiffany The Hilarious had me snorting a beverage through my nose last night. Go, have a laugh.

Kitchen quote

As I was doing some research for a story today, I ran across this gem:

"I want to get a job as someone who names kitchen appliances. Toaster, refrigerator, blender.... all you do is say what the shit does, and add "er". I wanna work for the Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. Hey, what does that do? It keeps shit fresh. Well, that's a fresher....I'm going on break."
---Mitch Hedburg

HA! I surfed on to realize that March 29 will be the 4th anniversary of his much-too-soon death. Laugh on, Mitch. Miss ya.

Milestone

Yesterday was a bit of a weight-loss milestone and I forgot to even celebrate it. I also don't quite know how it happened (see: Not Tracking Food, Not Working Out). I have hit the 130s. Woo! Haven't seen those suckers in a WHILE. Maybe years.

It's good because I needed a new motivator. Yesterday's conference room walk with The Girls at the office was fun. Some of them have done it so many times that they quote the chirpy leader all the way through the DVD. I "walked" and step-touched 2 miles and felt GREAT afterwards. Low impact was a nice change. I've NEVER NO NEVER liked going to the gym and working out WITH other people... but this wasn't so bad.

Today I grabbed a T-shirt and clean socks before leaving the house... and promptly forgot my shoes.

A Day in the Life - revised 2009

5:00 am: KT has been waking up consistently at 5:00 am since about... oh, since the day she was born. And still now. Except the last 3-4 nights. Maybe we've crossed over that threshold, and I hope so, because...

5:40 am: This is still, unfortunately, wake-up time. I hit snooze once and get out of bed at 5:48. Make my way to the shower.

6:00 am: Wake up the boys -- both in my bed. AJ had gotten over his need to be in our room, around late October/November. I think we bribed him with Santa Claus. But as of 3 weeks ago, he's doing it again. Coming into our room every night. He's good about starting out on the floor by my side (I leave a pillow there for him), but usually sneaks in between us at some point. Sigh. I'm trying not to fight it too much; I know it's a phase.

6:40 am: KT's had a bottle and some dry cereal (Reduced Sugar Fruit Loops or plain Cheerios, typically) and is usually removing the contents of my makeup drawer, which is poorly-architected to be right at toddler level. She especially likes the Mary Kay lip gloss and eye enhancer tubes.

7:00 am: Everyone's dressed and downstairs in the kitchen. DH and I are rushing around and behind each other, getting our lunches or coffees; AJ's sing-songing "Where are my VIT-A-MINNNNNS?" and KT's likely splashing in the dog's water bowl, unless we've forgotten to feed him. "No-NO, KT!" is a common refrain. She just giggles.

7:17 am: We're out the door. If it's my day to drop-off, I'm taking one swig of coffee before we get to the parking lot. If it's not, I'm listening to my one or two stories on NPR before arriving at the office. I love being close to both destinations. Love.

7:32 am: Usually walking into the building. Musing to myself how weird it is to work in a corporatey, elegant office park like this, and not my old company, which was always located in a side or back area of a printing plant.

9:30 am: I look up and notice a few hours have gone by. Seriously, the time FLIES at this job. I get a lot of email, and have a lot of tasks. I also do most of my communicating with our German office in the morning, of course, since they're 5 hours ahead. (Speaking to me from The Future! *hat tip: DH) But generally the morning is nice at New Job; people drift in and a lot of us seem to eat instant oatmeal for breakfast, which makes it smell nice. :)

12:00 noon: Today, I was invited to lunch by someone other than my one established friend. I figure I'm at the stage where I don't turn down (too many) lunch invites. The Making Friends stage. It's fun but kinda nerve-wracking for an introvert like me. Today we had Mexican -- I was good, and ate shrimp tacos with pico, and black beans -- and it was a nice group. The co-worker who asked me out is Mom to a 5-year-old boy, so she totally gets my Batman sunglasses. (Just kidding. I have AJ's Batman sunglasses in my purse for some reason this week.)

2:00 pm: Status Meeting in my manager's office. Today we layed out the magazine. Super fun. I'm pleased that the work I'm doing for this issue -- which wasn't planned by me -- is going to fit in, and be appropriate. If only I can get it done by the deadline of April 6! Go back to my desk with lots of To-Dos to add to the Outlook calendar. (WOOOOO, HOW MUCH DO I LOVE OUTLOOK!? You may remember I was using Lotus Stupid Notes before?)

2:30 pm: I check Facebook and Twitter, and lament (l a m e n t !!) that I haven't checked Google Reader, or posted here, in so long. I miss here!

4:25 pm: Still working. I think I get up to go to the bathroom 10 times a day and it feels conspicuous. Other than that, I've been busy. Research, writing, website stuff, email stuff... fun job stuff. My manager asked me today, "Are you having fun?" And I was really pleased to be able to answer in the affirm.

4:35 pm: Okay, pack up, time to go. I call Mom on the way home but it's only a few minutes into our talk that I say, "Well, I'm at school - gotta go get the kiddos!" We promise to talk later.

5:12 pm: Arrive home. Hope the neighbor kids don't run in to our garage as we're pulling in. (They've been doing that lately.) Laugh to myself when I see their 3 year-old boy is wearing a hot pink tutu. Tee hee. AJ sees him, too, and says, "MOMMY, Look at E!" I am secretly relieved that AJ's past the age where we might be ignoring the fact that he wants to wear skirts, like my neighbor is doing.

5:40 pm: Hubby is home. I've asked him to start the grill in a few minutes. We're giving each other the run-down, going through the mail; KT's clamoring for our attention and eating crackers. AJ's watching something on TV and eating Baked Cheetos.

6:30 pm: Dinner. It's steak tonight -- we haven't had 'em in so long! -- with baked potato, and green beans. AJ actually eats. KT fusses through the whole dinner but she's likely tired; hasn't slept since waking at 2:45 pm, according to her daily report.

7:30 pm: After playing a bit in the living room, we're doing baths. AJ's getting onto me for not playing with him, but I try to tell him Mama's got work to do during bath! Two kids to bathe! DH is doing dinner dishes and then dusting the upstairs bedrooms while I do baths -- thank GOD for him. Dusting!

8:30 pm: Both kids are in bed. KT didn't even fight it. I ratted her out to the pediatrician last week and so she's in Cry-It-Out School. I hope she doesn't wake up tonight, although letting her cry is surprisingly easy, and she never goes longer than 20 minutes or so.

8:40 pm: I go downstairs to cook up some sausage that will go into a crock-pot soup tomorrow morning, for dinner tomorrow night. I planned meals this week for once -- haven't really done that in forever and I'm sick, myself, of my half-assed dinners. Toscano Soup in the crock-pot, I hope, will be yummy.

8:45 pm: Call my Mom back. I'm conspicuously NOT working out. Haven't, in more than a week. I feel really bad about it because I had been doing so well, but I also feel wholly unmotivated. I'm bored with it. Probably need a new DVD. Also contemplating joining the office's lunchtime walking group (they do a walking DVD in the big conference room every day!). You can tell I work with an office full of women!

9:00 pm: Still talking on the phone, and getting ready to sit down and write this. I have been to the basement and back to get some paperwork that I need to take to the tax accountant's office tomorrow. Also on my list for the week: Easter shopping. Car seat shopping. Oh yeah, those lunchtime workouts... I'll make it upstairs and to bed by about 10:30 or :45, I hope.

M. O. T. Y.

Pass me the Mother of the Year trophy. KT fell down the stairs tonight, when I turned my back to dig something out of the hamper.

I'm okay about it but MAN, does it make the heart go wild. She barely even cried. Had a little bump on her head but when mixed with all the other "I'm just learning to walk" bumps and bruises, no biggie.

And now let us never speak of it again.



I'm loving all your cookie comments!

This discussion not approved by Jillian

I hope you know that it's Girl Scout cookie delivery season. (The most wonderful time of the year!) I hope you know that beyond the shadow of a doubt. :) We do. We even purchased ours from a sweet young lady who politely knocked at our door (with her mother waiting, a very non-intrusive distance away, behind her). She didn't even make us pay 'til she delivered them! I was pleasantly surprised by the process.

I was NOT surprised that the cookies are still as delicious and sinful as evar.

I was disappointed that AJ announced he does, in fact, like mint + chocolate together, and now I have to share my preshus green box for the first time in YEARS. YEARS!, I tell you!! Sigh.

It prompted me to want to rank my Top Five cookies, like we rank our Top Five Hottie Celebs. It wasn't very hard for me: I counted them off:
1. Thin Mints.
2. Deluxe Grahams.
3. Chips Ahoy original.
4. Nutter Butters.
5. Oreos (Double Stuff). and/or/esp., the peanut butter ones.

AJ decided that his favorites are:
1. Thin Mints.
2. Fudge Stripes.
3. Oreos.
4. Chocolate chip.
5. Sugar cookies. (With the hole in the middle. He specified.)

I was all, "What? It's your first TIME with the Thin Mints! You can't know that they're your FAVORITE yet. and by the way they're MINEALLMINE!" Heh.

No, seriously. They ARE mine. I paid for them.

No, seriously.

So then I asked husband and he was all, "I don't have favorite cookies." Which wouldn't be THAT surprising because he isn't much of a dessert guy, but COME ON. I said, "You mean to tell me if fourteen kinds of cookie were lined up in front of you, there isn't one that you'd pick up FIRST?" (COME ON.)

So he said:
1. Fudge Stripes.
2. Chips Ahoy.
3. Soft Batch chocolate chip. (mmm! I'd forgotten those! Flashback to Grandmother's kitchen table!)
4. Butter Cookies (the Danish ones in the blue tin)
5. Scotch Oatmeal from Byrd Cookie Co.

Thank goodness he could answer that question; I was going to be worried about our future together if he didn't.

What does it say that we all only love processed cookies? After that somewhat pathetic thought occurred to me, I almost put homemade peanut butter cookies in slot #4... but you know what? I think homemade cookies should be a separate poll altogether.

Spring today

It's 75 and sunny here today, and probably similar in lots of places, especially around the southeast. We're going to a little party tonight and the combination of those two facts inspired me to have a DIY pedicure this afternoon. I can't tell you how long it's been since I painted my toenails. What a difference a little polish makes, I swear. I had forgotten how much I like my own pretty feet. :)

It's silly, really, but it made me realize that the past year I've been going around claiming to be unable to do all these things -- like painting my toenails, redecorating the den, buying new throw pillows -- because of not having enough time or money. And it's true, I haven't had enough time or money, but I think it's time to come back to life, in a sense. KT's one now, you know? I mean, no one can fault a working person with a baby and a 4-year-old for sitting unproductively on Saturdays and Sundays while her kids play around her, I don't think. But the little bit of effort it has taken this afternoon to get a little bit dolled up... if it made me feel this good, maybe a little dolling up of other areas wouldn't hurt, either. And I don't just mean decorating, I just mean DOING things. There's no reason we can't: Go out to brunch sometimes. Get dressed up sometimes and go on a date. Touch up the baseboards with a little fresh paint. Start a project (ahem, photo albums). Buy a new handbag just because. Clean out the filing cabinets. Visit the floral department of Publix and for heaven's sake, buy a $10 bouquet of carnations. Some of those things aren't necessarily FUN projects, but I guess I've just assumed I couldn't complete things, so I didn't start them -- all year. But maybe it's time.

A drink

Tell me something: It's okay to sit down on a Friday night, after the kids have gone to bed, and your husband scored 2 tickets to the hockey game last-minute and went with the neighbor-husband... it's okay at that point to sit down with your friend Google Reader, and your glass of wine, right? Even if it's a BIG glass of wine? Even if nothing's bothering you and you have no trouble going to sleep anyway, you just like the taste of wine? (You, like, have been WANTING this glass of quiet wine and teh blawgs - especially teh blawgs - for a couple of weeks now?)

That's okay, right? That's not a sign of impending doom slash alcoholism?
I mean, I seriously KNOW that it isn't, but... it isn't, right?

Every time I think of doing it (and tonight, actually doing it), I start to wonder. Drinking all by myself.... hmm. Kinda stupid to wonder, but I do.

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. :)

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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.

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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