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. :)

------

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.