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December 27 First White Christmas!Well – since I did not see it actually snowing until I visited my sister in Maryland while amid my second year of college, I suppose it is not shocking that this year I experienced my first ever in life White Christmas. It was awesome! Sledding with the kids, playing in the snow, snow fights and fort making, snowmen and hot cocoa – Bing would have approved. Now it is all melting, we have a heat wave at 45 = 50 degrees and the recent scare is flooding. No worries though, they are calling for more white stuff in around the 3rd of January and my kids honestly cannot wait – admittedly I cant either. So besides the first ever White Christmas, my husband brought back the most beautiful Maori necklace from New Zealand as my “big” Christmas gift – it is the spiral of love ending in a whale tail – symbolizing our love and my deep seeded attraction to all things wet and watery – hence our many trips to tropical ports of call, my many years swimming on swim teams and teaching swimming as well as my years as a lifeguard. To say that my first love was water and my second (but equally important, like breathing) was Harry is an understatement – so it was fitting that he, my greatest love, got me a symbol of our love tied into my hearts desire – water. Lovely. Riley got a faux skin horse that she can sit on, it is not automatronic or anything, but it has fully captured her imagination, along with a new Leapster (Purple of course) and REAL Tinkerbelle Lip Gloss. Patrick got a puppet theatre and a Ben 10 Alien Watch along with a Razor Scooter – good deal all around. Harry’s BIG get was a cool alarm clock that projects the time on the ceiling and makes cool nature sounds like thunder, ocean waves, rainforests, etc. I looked at about 20 clocks before deciding on that one and since he had strep throat this week it came in very handy indeed lulling him to sleep yesterday when he needed it most. I also got him a new lap table with an LED light so when he tinkers in bed he can sit up and the LED light will not keep me awake. I am trying to save his back! You should see him lumped over his computer every night! My Mom got a new perkilator coffee maker and some hand made cups as well as various “Grandma” sweatshirts and such. Here we are – enjoy! Wishing you all a very Marry Christmas, Happy New year and all that jazz! May the year ahead fins us all happy, healthy and full of HOPE!
Now for Christmas Morning……Drum Roll Please…..
December 26 Dude - Where's The Road?So it is snowing....again....and the roads are freezing....again....I am glad we got to the store today. I am sitting while the kids play with their new Leapsters and I typw while watching the snow and freezing rain fall in our front room. I made Harry go to the Minute Clinic this morning because he was SO sick and I called it right on the nose, baby - Strep Throat. Damn it. Poor guy is in a LOT of pain. He is currently in bed and I am trying to keep the children happy though the TV holds little for them and the toys need batteries or light bulbs or something I do not have. I WOULD make them help me clean the TV room which is a PIT but I am not that cruel. Riley has thrown up several times this morning though she seems fine now - like it did not ever happen - still taking her out in the freezing ice does not seem the smartest move. I certainly hope we can go sledding tomorrow - it is such a waste to not enjoy it while we can. I drove my Mom back to her apartment today and damn near killed myself on the roads by her house they are WAY worse than here. She will have to stay put for a while I am afraid.
SO that is the word from the PAC NW - cold, snowy and wonderful but I am issing it all playing the role of Florence Nightingale. I dont mind really, I want my family healthy, but poor Patrick and I are about to bounce off the walls!
December 23 SANTA!Pictures to come no doubt but the whole Fam Damily is headed out to get OUT OF THE FREAKING HOUSE ALREADY! and see the BIG man, eat a candy cane, ride a train and get Momma some much needed artisian coffee....it is becoming a moral imperative....do not make me hunt Starbucks down....I know I know I am a bit over the top but hey it has been over a week and my Foldgers is only good in a pinch...
SO more snow is slated for tonight (whoo hoo) and I am almost done basically wrapping the pressies (no bows or ribbons, but you know what I kinda like the "less is more" look - we just throw that stuf away anyway, and I taped this so we could use the paper again next year - trying to be more green and all). I am fervently hoping that my Amazon crap got where it was supposed to be as last year one present never made it TILL EASTER and I said I would never shop there again, but found myself there anyway because it seemed to be the best option. Keep your fingers crossed. Even though I hold stock there I am not thrilled with that aspect of their service.
Wishing you and yours some yummy treats, good eats and a hug or two - December 22 That Might Be Enough NowOK so - the snow is here, it is white, it is pretty, the kids LOVE it but I have had just about enough of being stuck at home. I am VERY thankful that Harry was off this week so we did not even have to chance it and I KNOW more snow is en route for tomorrow, but enough already! I am thrilled I may have my first ever white Christmas but I wish that where I lived was more equiped to deal with the pretty white stuff and less prone to come to a screeching halt over what in most places is a thick dusting. I am remembering zipping around Milwaukee with Andrea in her non 4WD everywhere in WAY more snow and certainly more cold and it just was not an issue - but here it is reason to stop everyone from functioning - it is a tad frustrating.
Tomorrow if the roads are clear I am hopeful to take the kids to go see Santa. I know I know but we do it every year and I would hate to have a gap in the pictures. Tonight I am wraping presents like a maniac because I have not wrapped a thing! In fact one of Riley's present is seriously under the tree IN THE BAG I bought it in - it was stapled shut so she could not look inside - how trailer trash is that?!?!?! I will get it wrapped tonight - we have this GORGEOUS tree and the bags of presents just do not work the look for me if you catch my drift.
On another note we are actively working on bills - our goal with Harry home was to get a budget under control, organize the house and start getting rid of some of the crap in the place. I am seriously thinking of selling some stuff on Craigs List or EBAY because we have literally boxes of stuff either never opened of used maybe once - if I can give it away I am tempted but some of it might be worth a little - it would get me a dinner out with my hubby which would be priceless if you ask me....when I look back I wont remember all this crap but I will remember the times I spent with my honey and our kidlets, so lets get to clearin' and savin' people - the excess train is so OVAH December 20 It’s Snow ChristmasHey there! Storm Watch 2008 – LOTS of snow – lots of wind, the chance of many power outages and I certainly hope you got all your shopping done ‘cause you are stayin’ in! Ha ha ha – the kids are having a blast though. I went sledding with them yesterday and I was airborne off a ramp! Loosing the weight has certainly helped me keep up – now to get off this damn plateau – I will take a plateau at Christmas to be sure – but afterwards I BETTER figure out how to get back on the express…. Here are some shots of our snow day yesterday – more is falling now so I expect more sledding in the process…
Speaking of weightloss – this may be a tad inappropriate but I am excited. My snow suit was SO tight last year that I had to lay down to zip it AND I had to do that drunken cowboy that might just pee in his pants kind of walk…not pretty….now that same snow suit is FALLING off of me. I still have plenty of va va voom for Harry though…
Oh and have you seen my movie star handsome husband??? Let me show you one of my all time favorite pictures of him EVER
SO stay warm, kick back with some cocoa and wrapping that I am SO far behind on. If I dont blog again, you know that the power went out, but I am sending you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year just the same! Be well, be blessed and GO PLAY! December 19 Bristol Palin's Baby Daddy's Mom Arrested!Dude - for more on WTF - check this story out from the Anchorage News:
Um, hello - the investigation has been going on "for some time" does that mean it was "going on" while Palin was running? Now I know what Mrs. Johnson does is not something Sarah can control - but hello had Obama's camp had ANY ties with a possible felon that would have been written EVERYWHERE as they tried to defame him....
Let's go back to basic's people - your trailer trash is not welcome in the highest office in the land - December 18 Seriously?!?!?Did you see this:
When will these guys be finished being criminals and start answering for their poor leadership? December 17 Peanut GalleryWe started watching an old doll version (you know where they use dolls and stop photography) of T'was The Night Before Christmas with lunch and Patrick said,
"Mommy, the animation in this is not so great"
"Oh, this is from when I was a child. Yeah, it is pretty bad, huh? But the story is good." Says I
"Well, how old is it? Like a thousand years???"
"Nope, just 999...watch it kid" Says I again.....oy! Having him home today sure has been a gift though, really. We danced to old Christmas songs while we cleaned up, made crushed candy canes so we could make fudge this afternoon and played with tinker toys. I think the "Snow Day without snow" is pretty lame, but the stolen day with my sassy son? Priceless A TwistIn the midst of the lamest snow day ever - it is a snow day at the school for "FEAR" that there will be a storm - no actual sign of anything other than it is cold at the moment, but you know, whatever. ANYWAY we are staying home because, well, it is cold and frankly my house is a pit that demands my attention (so here I sit on the computer, but I digress)....
As I was starting on the kitchen Patrick came in and said, "Mommy, I would like to start a new rule..."
"Patrick, honey, you dont get to make the rules here you know." Says I, you know the mother.
"Oh I know THAT Mom, but at school we have this rule where if the person appologizes you dont tell on them. So is that ok to do that rule here?"
You can see where I leapt. I am not a rocket scientist so it seems a fair assessment, "Patrick, what is Rileyanne going to tell me that you have already apologized for so you dont want her to tell me?"
"Please, Mom. Nothing, I did not do anything. I just want to live by that rule. OK?"
Uh huh. Cut to me walking to the playroom where they have engaged in some tactical maneuvers that would rival a World War.
"Riley, sweetie, what is going on?"
"Nothing...um...well no nothing" Say my cherub.
I wait and look and she starts, hands behind her back, twisting from side to side like a Q-pie doll, "Well, um see...I um...I dunno. Mommy, I said my sorry already, Patrick said that was good enough."
Well that was a twist I had not seen coming, here I thought I was clairvoyant!
So Patrick starts in, "See I told you, she would not let me out of the play room and I said the school rule so I camt to get you to collaborate - back me up Mommy, please, geez."
Collaborate, rule, back up - my 5 year old is well on his way to work in some sort of foreign affairs diplomacy department - and I loose my Mommy badge for my conclusions...I obviously need more coffee before I start the kitchen. Disco DuckSo this wont work much past Christmas, but check out my family disco ducking it through the holidays! It cracks me up:
Or if you prefer Country music - well howdy and yeehaw, merry Christmas! Here you go: http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/NqGn0vw0gXhCmfrtNm0L Shout outShout out to my fellow 1988 grads - a little of today's soul and a little of back in the day hip hop - I LOVE it, what do you think??? December 16 DownsizeHow oh how did I accumulate all this CRAP? My house is just packed with shit I dont use, dont even know I have and cant see myself needing/wanting. I MUST find a way to get it to people who will use it, need it, want it or otherwise treasure it but how? Seriously, if it were up to me, when Harry took his two weeks off this Holiday time, we would rent a giant trash bin and chuck most of it. I mean GONE baby. I am in the mood to purge - I want to live IKEA clean - you know Scandinavian houses where everything has its place and everything is clean? I am not sure I can pull it off, but I am gonna try. I have already started looking at most of my crap and thinking with a wandering eye "If we were moving, would I move that?" and replying, but it is still in its box! It was never opened! to which I think LOUDLY to myself, "Well who was the dumb ass that bought it? Oh yeah, YOU are - ok ok ok, sell it, give it away or toss it because it has got to MOVE!" I need the team from one of thise shows to come to my house and get draconian on my house frau ass..... December 15 Burning the FireSeriously I have had a fire going ALL DAY! First I love fires in the winter time - they come in second to hot tubs, drinking Scotch with a friend in a BIG leather seat at Christmastime and pupies - well maybe not in that order and No, Virginia, I did not mean with the puppy IN the fire....ha ha ha....but seriously I am a fan. But today every part of me is cold. Maybe it is the weight loss - but I cant get warm! The only room in the house that is tolerable right now is where the fire is and my poor husband JUST brought all that wood in last night and we are runnin' low in the house now. I will make it up to him somehow.....even the garbage people called and said that they were stopping their runs due to cold weather. See, even though we GET weather in Seattle and its greater areas, we do not know what to DO with it when it turns south because other than rain it is rare to get snow or ice or anything for long. But I must admit, when they called, I felt vindicated like, "See it is not just me that is cold - so I am considering DRIVING less than a mile to get my kid from school - I am calling in cold - I am not the wimp I am protecting them from the elements!" I feel for people without heat, homes or fires today....may they find a way to stay warm too.... December 14 Hey, That’s ME!So only a few short months ago I was 67 pounds heavier. I was unhappy, I was sick and I was hurting ALL the time. I did not smile as often as I do now and I think I was depressed. OK I KNOW I was. Now I am enjoying a healthier size L in the Jr dept., size 14/16 pants (down from size 24/26) and the fact that I can get clothes ANYWHERE I want from Target to Costco without going to the “try to hide while you shop here” departments. I can find hosery anywhere including the grocery store, I can cross my legs and when I take a picture, the first thing I notice is not my inclination to channel Jabba The Hut….SO here are a few new pictures of me and mine lately – more to come as the holidays draw near – now if I can only find my camera and cell phone! Oy! Still – Riley recently had her dance recital, Patrick recently tested for and obtained his Yellow Belt AND I had coffee with a dear friend without interruption – a lot of cool stuff!
Wishing On A StarMy daughter is in a recital today. Plus we have Church (Jesus' Birthday Party - I am in charge of CAKE!!!) AND there is a celebration afterwards at Dairy Queen. Dear Lord I am tired and we have not even started yet - they are actually headed upstairs for bath time now so that hair is all nice for the Big Show. Riley will be dancing to "Would You Like To Wish On A Star?" and it is SO cute! plus she is the smallest in her class of 4 year olds (she is only 3 but keeps up just fine - even when she comes to teach at Patrick's school with me, she fits right in, the only thing holding her back is me - literally - demanding that she get to be 3 and not jump ahead) BUT she is the lead today and will lead the dance and the dancers around the stage. I have the silly little dance memorized and am nervous for her - all she is doing is flitting about excited that she gets to be "ON STAGE!" or as she says, "Mama, I am gonna be a star today! Dont worry, I will be great!" And you know what? I bet she will.
Yesterday was a whirlwind as well tough. Cookie party, birthday party, tree, the house is a pit. I cant keep up! I am hopeful witrh Harry takingsome time before and after XMas (pretty much the kids whole break he plans to be hom!) I am hopeful we can work together.
SO here I go, getting clothes and costumes ready, picking up a BDay cake (no way I could bake on top of this schedule) and driving in the light powder of snow - it was only a dusting not at all like the several inches in Milwaukee last weekend. WOW that trip seems AGES ago.....life MUST slow down! December 12 General Update On Band JourneyHey there....I am at a plateau. It is official. I am stuck at 210. That is where some people start, but I have to say I look and feel amazing compared to where I started at 267 in June. Now I am stuck though. I enjoy the transformation my body is going through, the size jeans I am in (from a 24 to a 16 is not at all too shabby) but I miss the euphoria of stepping on the scale and watching it go down. That is like a drug I can assure you and a lot of emotion is tied into that morning ritual - if it is down you feel high since it has not been I am sorta mopey. I am eating right, though I struggle, and now I am starting to look at my new vices. Specifically the Vitamin water of which I drink two a day. That is 200 calories and a lot of sugar. I love my vitamin water - it was my life line since I cant have soda. But I think it is time to associate it with a treat instead of a need. My pocketbook will like that too. I am always wheeling and dealing though, because I started noticing other equivalent drinks (like the vitamin water from SOBE or Trader Joes that have way less sugar - like half - they are not bad. It is sorta like using a sugar substitute in your coffee - as long as you dont taste a coffee with the real deal in it for a while it can pass. Still I think they need to be treats....which means just water. I dont know why I dont like just water - no flavor I suppose...whine whine, huh?
I also have been having migraines again. Every day since during my vacation - I assumed it was my allergy to my friend's new kittens while I was in Milkwaukee - they were SO cute but they loved me too much and my allergies were brutal. I was on Benedryl and Zyrtec and almost to the Dr if I had to stay any longer. It could still be residual I suppose but I doubt it. I forgot to cut my excedrine pills in half this morning and they got stuck in my band - I was on auto pilot and I can assure you that woke me up. Life with the band is a struggle sometimes - it is also not easy with cookie exchanges coming up and the holidays in general. I am involved with a cookie exchange this weekend, mostly because I truly miss these friends, but I have already purchased a basket to re-gifting the cookies to get them outta here....the holidays this year will be interesting. December 11 Love Story - Taylor SwiftI am a silly girl but I am REALLY into this song - channelling my inner 14 year old self - still I like it..... Quote Talking about YouTube - Love Story - Taylor Swift Merry RecessionSo - Sara Lee is cutting its workforce. So is Bank of America. Well heck, so is everyone it seems. Scary times are ahead - then I saw this picture today and to be honest I am not sure how I feel about it. The car industry helped our country in so many ways, they are still employing people and it is a big part of our history, but you know - I am still smarting pretty badly about the private jet to Washington to ask for money thing -
December 10 Let It SnowHere is the forecast for the next 10 days:
December 09 Feelin' BluBack from Milwaukee, where it was 7 degrees one day, got up to 19 on another - brrrrrrr....but we had a blast! We went here: http://www.pfisterhotel.com/dining_cocktails/blu.asp one night for some seriously good wine and cheese. We went from there to the Irish Pub named "Paddy's" and listened to carols while drinking Scotch and watching twinkling lights. We left that bar to hit a dive in the University district and dance with Whisky Sours while the Marquette boys watched their game. We got the party started like the "old" sororoity gals we were and soon the dance floor was buzzin'. It was one of those nights of channelling our youth (and que the "Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson" music now....) where we laughed, drank and danced our way through town. I am happily married but was actually hit on by no less than two guys (and a few gals - completely reminiscent of my youth!) and actually had to tell one good little Catholic Marquette boy, "Sweetie, I am just WAY too old for you" but looking back it was a fun night. That said, I was toast the next day. I cant keep up that way any more! I need my coffee and my bed! :)
On the way home, I toroughly enjoyed my first class seat that was my birthday present - finished my book, drank some more SCotch (apparently that is my drink - I never realized it before, but apparently I like my alcohol dark - RED wine, scotch, Brandy or Whisky is prefered, and in the best for last option Port is always welcome - how stuffy am I???) and just looked forward with real zeal seeing my darling husband and children. I had missed them in the 4 days I was hangin' with my pal - going to museums, hitting movies, drinking artisan coffees and seeing the night life of Milwaukee. It was a fun 4 days, but it is great to be home!
I did manage to say something I NEVER EVER thought I would EVER say over the weekend.... "Hey, I hope it warms up a little so it can snow!" WTF? Next time it is Hawaii, honey....ha ha ha....but seriously Milwaukee is a neat city, great architecture, fun atmosphere, friendly people, great coffee (coming from Seattle that is saying something - Alterra Honey Latte's do NOT disappoint) and fabulous Red Wines with a view. I miss my friends and their awesome kids (teenagers but I wont hold that against 'em) and truly hope they take me up on my offer to do Seattle for Easter....
Welcome Home! Seattle is home....how odd. I remember thinking I would never feel that way here, and now I absolutely do feel that way here....wild how things change when you are not looking, huh? |
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