Monday, June 30, 2008

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

Vacation, how do I get away...

We are at the beach, people. And we are having fun I don't care what you say.

So fun is a little relative. But great family, great food, great beach... add in 3 kids under the age of 4, 2 of which are going through Potty Training Boot Camp and it is a little chaotic.

But fun. With not a lot of sleep. But still fun. And entertaining.

So see ya on the flip side, ya'll.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Ebb and Flow

It occurs to me that the roles that Doug and I have currently taken on in parenting will most likely reverse in less than 9 years.

In our daily lives, my husband is often encouraging me to let the girls be a little more adventurous, physically. I tend to hover and not want them to say, jump off the roof or you know, sky dive. Maybe I am exaggerating, but that is what it feels like when my little girls want to skateboard without holding my hand or jump into the pool without a parent anywhere near or jump as high as they can on the trampoline.

I think it is a good thing that Doug pushes me to look the other way, leave the room, or deal with it. The girls need to explore and they need to fall once in a while.

But in 9 years, when Aubrey wants to go to a party with boys, or to the movies with a group of friends, or is texting a boy, I predict over protective Daddy will enter the picture and the roles will reverse. I will encourage her to go have fun (and to give me a detailed itinerary and all relevant phone numbers) and her daddy will sit at home cleaning his imaginary gun.

What do you see in your life that has you changing roles as life goes by?

I have lots of posts started that I hope to get to this week:
Mean Girls
Crunchy Green Beans
Fireflies

Friday, June 20, 2008

News Stories

Did you see this? A pregnancy pact in a high school? Seriously?

What about this? Delivering 23 lbs of twins? Dude, that is crazy.

I am just crazy off the wall blown away.

Today, on the street corner of our building is a triple amputee collecting money from cars. Folks are talking about it in the office and amazed by how this guy is moving along, apparently very congenial - and how did this happen and how can you not hand this guy money. Pretty intersting discussion.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Snow White and the 7 Other Disney Princesses

Doug ripped Snow White to the media center last night. Tonight, we showed Aubrey and Molly we had it and watched the first 20 minutes. As the girls were watching the following occurred:

Doug: So hon, I think we have all the Disney Princes Movies. Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel...
Me: I think you are right, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocohantas,
Doug: I guess Lion King doesn't count.
Me: Correct, but we are missing one.

Thinking, thinking, thinking...

Doug: BELLE!

Hysterical laughter from both of us insues. Then...
Doug: Yes, you can blog that.

More laughter.

I love that my husband knows how important princesses are to this household and jumps right in to be the expert we need him to be in all areas.

And did I mention that Doug took the media center and hooked it up inside of Marshmellow and we now can play every single movie we own in our car? Cause that? That is cool.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

School's Out

School is no longer in session which means that the TRAFFIC IS GONE! My ride (30 miles) was 28 minutes this morning (most days it is usually about an hour). Unbelievable. It begins a long day of work but a lovely day outside, 80, low humidity, cloudless blue sky. Add to that some good songs on the radio, an ice cold diet coke in the office with a view of the city and it is looking to be a nice day.

Yesterday I was able to work from home and get some small jobs done around the house while being uber productive writing for work. Again, add that to everything else and I just feel good.

Oh, and did I mention we go to the beach for a week in less than 2 weeks.

Yup, feeling pretty good :)

Monday, June 16, 2008

Cable and 5 Minutes

So, that is kind of a cute shot of the puppy.
A rare moment of quiet with Molly.
My birds have literally flown the coop, the 2 babies have flown away and now the nest is empty, save these 2 sad eggs that never hatched.
So, anyone know if they come back or what I should do with the nest?

Molly must be teething, she always has something in her mouth, and when nothing is available, she chews on her toe. She did this for 10 minutes on the way to my parents yesterday.
Fun at Nanny's!


... small miracles make everyday a little bit brighter.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Remember That One Time, With the Firetruck?

Good times, people, good times.

So, on Tuesday night we had some awesome storms come through. The girls and I sat by the screen door to the back deck, and we watched the tress dance and the raindrops tickled us and the cold wind had us share a blanket. We had a fun time! Then some major thunder and lightening started and we talked about how the cold air and the hot air were argueing about who should be able to come to our house. Then bed time.

Right after I put both girls down, I came downstairs and saw this huge white flash and a loud boom. The power pole about 50 feet from our house got hit and had some branches on it that had small flames and were sparking and smoking and you could smell the burning. We called BGE, they told us to call the fire department. About 15 minutes later the fire truck goes past our house, stops, turns around and goes past again and stops. At this point I turn to hubby and say, "If a fire truck can't get up our driveway we are putting our house on the market tomorrow".

Turns out we think they thought the fire was on a stree pole. We called them back and at this point it was raining and the rain was putting the sparks, small flames out. The fire department tells us to call BGE back and say there is no flames, just trees on the line and that way BGE will come handle it.

Well, BGE did come and remove some of the branches, but couldn't reach them all... so we have flickering power.

But we have on internet. So we called Comcast. Apparently there is a known internet outage in our area. Hubby asked how large the outage was... 5 people. Dude, we live in the boonies so we can expect this NOT to get fixed anytime soon... blah.

And this is how smart I am... I put together a lovely crock pot meal this morning, after sleeping in because the alarm didn't go off (did I mention flickering power?). Chicken, lots of summer veggies, balsmic vinegar... and then Hubby is like "don't get too excited for that meal"... cause freaking DUH, we have flickering power. So basically at my house I am making salmanella soup. Yay me.

**Updated to respond to Jess** Um, I walk 7 blocks from my parking garage to my building right now... temporary until October. So I am not lugging the crock pot :) Bad enough lugging my laptop bag.

Monday, June 9, 2008

P.S. It's Hot

Doug and I watched PS I Love You last night, it was REALLY good. I cried for most of the movie, but it was wonderful.

It was 91 degrees at 8:30 this morning. Ugh. But I hit the gym on my way to work and have been motivated to get back "in shape". Probably because we have been going to the "club" to swim and all the skinny, perfectly groomed moms are around.

Aubrey lived in the big pool on Sunday and was jumping off the side to... NOBODY! She is an underwater fiend.

We had one of our favorite summer meals last night. Shish Kabobs - chicken marinated in Itlian dressing, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatos, peppers, onions - served with rice. Healthy, light, and yummy!

Bring on the summer... but dude, I can live without the 101 temps.

PS I love you.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Picture and Updates

What a week, what a week! I have been fighting with our computer to get some pictures uploaded so here are some updates from the last week!



The Birdies. They are growing so fast and will soon leave the nest and break my heart. A metaphor? No, the birds, in the basket, out front.


June 1





June 2
June 5



I used the word "cognizant" with my daughter at the pool Friday night and I think people think I am crazy. I am also trying to get Aubrey to start saying "That's how we roll". So I say it a lot. This is just one of the reasons I am so lovable and cute, just ask my husband. The juxtaposition of those 2 words/sayings cracks me UP.

Molly In Movement

That little girl is just blossoming! It is wonderful. And frustrating. But wonderful.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Car Picture

Me, Hubby, and Marshmellow (marsha for short)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

My Heart

Ali was talking about body hugs and kisses and it reminded me to write this down...

In the morning, for the first hug of the day Aubrey wraps her whole body around me and instead of wrapping her arms around me, she tucks them under my arms so she is completely dependent on me holding her - a moment of pure love and pure trust.

And tonight...
Me: Aubrey, what was your favorite thing you did today with Ms. Lori?
Aubrey: Washing the car (which she did today)
Me: And your favorite thing you did with daddy?
Aubrey: washing the car (Which she did last weekend)
Me: And your favorite thing you did with me today?
SWEAR SHE SAID THIS:
Aubrey: Loving you

Convs In the Kitchen with Hubby

in talking about the rash around Molly's face:
Me: I am worried about that rash that keeps popping up, maybe she is allergic to milk and not just lactose intolerant.
Him: What would that mean?
Me: We would need to be more diligent about milk around here, we do the soy milk, but no more cheese, mac and cheese, ice cream, etc. Like the Annie's Shells and Cheese, she wouldn't be able to have that.
Him: That probably doesn't have milk.
Me: I used milk to make it.
Him: I don't think so.
Me: And it has cheese, it is mac and cheese.
Him: Probably not.
Me: No really, I used milk and it says REAL CHEESE on the package.
Him: Probably not, it is fake.

I grab the package and attempt to find where it says real cheese, and finally just see it on the ingredients... and Doug grabs it and points to the big red letters on the front that say 100% real cheese. The 2 of us DIE laughing in the kitchen.

** this really was funny at the time, but writing it down doesn't do it justice!

And proof that life is not fair. Doug lost 8 lbs in 24 hours and I only lost 2... blah to boys!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Monday, June 2, 2008

More Sickies

Doug was up all night sick. Lori-Anne called at 6am, up all night sick. Molly might be sick...

Wish me luck today.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Details

We have been talking about getting a minivan for more than a year. Then I got a new job and we were going to do it, then we decided to wait, then I had my 90 day review AND my sister called to tell me that Toyota had 0% financing for 48 mos. Free Money... so we went and we did it.

And her name is Marshmellow and she is beautiful. And magic.

Seriously, I pulled up and told Aubrey that the car was magic. We put our arms up and blinked and the door magically opened, then the other door opened and then the back opened. Amazing. Then we blinked again and they magically closed one by one. Magic, I tell ya. The girls LOVE the new car! Well, of course they do, when they got in Scooby Doo was playing in the DVD player.

Aubrey named her Marshmellow because she is "Artic Frost Pearl" - sparkly white really. They had this car on the lot, Sienna XLE, with Option Package 3 and Rear Sonar for backing up. And it had 800 miles on it as it was being used by one of the guys that just had twins. We got a good deal. Or we think we did and isn't that all that matters?

Pictures to come!