A Box of Rocks

My apologies I have been on a blog hiatus!!! Work calls.....at all hours of the day and night. I recently turned 30. Ah!!! The big 3-0...some of my friends from back East flew in for the occasion, which was very nice and sweet of them. We had a great time too. And they got to see me in my element (OCD and all) with my home, the children and the husband, oh and the 2 cats and dog we all have in our abode. LOL. My other girlfriend threw me a lovely party. The food was delicious and the company was fantastic and the presents were so wonderful.

After they left I really missed everyone. But was so happy we had come together for this event and spend some quality time with each other. I cooked homemade meals for everyone and we played on the floor with the kids. I could not have asked for a better birthday celebration.

My husband also took it upon himself to procure a gorgeous 2+ carat diamond anniversary band too! It is too die for. It was in with a $.97 bag of white plastic cooking utensils inside of a diaper box with rocks and a shredded edition of the New York Times. I didn't see the black velvet box at first and my disappointment (I must admit) was astounding. But then I saw the box and was red in the face. LOL.

Is Santa a Stranger?

Last year our son was 3.5 years old. He was extremely uncomfortable with the thought of a stranger coming into our home and sneaking around eating our homemade cookies and leaving presents under the tree. Last year we tucked him in and minutes later he snuck out to double check that the doors were in fact bolted shut. He also slept with his door slightly ajar, something he never does. This year we were hoping that sentiment would be forgotten. That he would be so excited for Christmas and Santa that "locking him out" wouldn't be an option this year. WRONG. Once again he asked me to put the cookies and milk outside for this alleged "jolly old man". He told me Santa could just leave the presents outside and I could get up early and put them under the tree. Lucky Me!!!!!

We are hoping he does not turn into the older sibling who ruins Christmas for his younger sister by telling her it's all bogus. We are prepared.

Last year we also hid some wrapped presents in the oversized luggage we keep in our clothing closet. This year he asked my husband if there any presents in the luggage, "because last year Daddy there was". What? Is he serious? He remembers that? Why don't I remember anything from my childhood? And I have a toddler who remembers everything? Ugh.

So in a few more days Christmas will be upon us and our son will be running around checking the locks on the doors. I hope your holiday is filled with as much humor and very sweet moments like this!!!!

Does Being Selfish Ever End? Or is it a Lifelong Partnership?

For some people being selfish is a drug addiction. It happens again and again without them even knowing how selfish they are. Why do these people never self reflect? Why do they always find it to be other people's fault? These types of people are usually single, lonely, depressed, eccentric, psychotic etc...
I find extremely selfish people go two ways. Depressed or In your face all of the time. I know both kinds. And I find them to be equally annoying. The depressed ones have nothing nice to say. Their face is always scrunched up and they look disgusted all of the time. The hyper in your face kind is always one upping you. Their life is always so much better and exciting than yours. And heaven forbid these people every stop to smell the roses. Their social calendars are jam packed and you have to be penciled in months before to even see these people. Then worse once you do all they do is talk about their life and their travel and their money and blah blah blah.
And then every once in a while two of these people meet, fall in love and have children. NO GOOD. NIGHTMARE.
Those people are a detriment to society. They annoy normal people who get married and have kids for the right reasons.
So I guess it is a lifelong addiction where nothing gets in its way.

40, Married, Childless

So you say you love children and you want them and you're trying. But every time a mini adult gets within 2 feet of you, you turn your head and snub them as if they are a cold cup of coffee. What is that all about? You're 40 and recently married for a reason. You're a WEIRDO. There is no shame in saying you don't want kids at all, especially to couples with kids. We understand. We have moments where we wish we were in your shoes. But don't come around and pretend like you're all into kids when it's clear as day, you're not.

People without kids are awkward around children, even when they insist they are great around kids. There is still a way about them that is bizarre and in the least, uncomfortable. Often times these faux child friendly adults make the parents uncomfortable. A parent is the first one to notice when another childless adult is about to be completely put off. Friend of many years or not, we can see your discomfort and would rather you eat your sandwich in the other room away from the children.

Etiquette or Lack Thereof and Others Issues

With all of these weddings in place for 2010, I am finding myself more and more frustrated as time goes by. Where did everyone's etiquette disappear to? And why has it reappeared as half-assed etiquette that people are willing to tolerate? We should put our teacups down and excuse ourselves from these rude encounters and engagements. Why not? People feel free to reject so many other issues, why not reject poor etiquette?

How about grammar? How about it? Or punctuation for that matter. Why would an educated person send an email with the phrase, "your welcome" in it? Because secretly they are a moron? Or because they are fools? Or worse, because our education system is in the dumper, and no one pays attention to punctuation anymore? I am sorry. You went to school, you have your Juris Doctor or worse are a Medical Doctor and you can't tell the difference between your and you're? Come on people, slap these offenders, kick them, push them down in the street and scream.

What about always being late for social engagements? Not once in a while, but without fail, every single time. And not by 5-10 minutes but by 30-45 minutes. I ask you not to bother to come to the engagement then. Stay home. You're probably the same person that misuses punctuation or lacks social grace. If you can't bother to take the time to be on time, don't come at all. It's RUDE!!!!!!!

The Timing of it All

Evening. Goodness it's been more than one month since I have blogged. I have been busy. And tired. And joined a gym. Hmmm.....time-suck!!!!! So I decided to go to the gym at 5am instead of placing the children into (more) daycare after work. Would I want to be in some 12 hour daycare? No. No, thank you-I would not. I have lost several inches and feel great. I also make it easier for my husband to prepare the children in the morning. Apparently when I am present there is more room for dawdling. When Daddy is in charge it's like a dictatorship. Ha!!!! I have a very busy year coming up (2010). Weddings and social engagements and big year birthdays already have my calendar full. I am excited yet slightly stressed at the thought of the travel that accompanies such exciting events. I have a spouse who does not travel well (airports/airplanes) so that adds extra nervousness to my already heightened travel jitters. But let's not focus on that quite yet.

One of my girlfriends had their first child. He is an absolute doll. A miniature version of the husband. So darling. One of my other girlfriends got engaged and will be making it official at the Grand Canyon (lovely). Another girlfriend got engaged and mentioned a destination wedding! I should bring a Nanny with us so we can have some late nights on the beach!!!!

Christmas is upon us. A time to cherish family and be relaxed. I bought a book the other day (The Informant). It's been a long time since I have done that! It's a great story too. My boss worked on the case in Chicago years ago. Crazy!!!!

Our tree and lights have been up for about a month now (I know, I know) and I love every second of it all!!!! Our children are ecstatic at the thought of Santa and presents. Better than last year.

Last year our son was so freaked out at the thought of a stranger entering our home to bring in presents that he double and triple checked all the locks on the door, to ensure this 'stranger' did not break into our home. Hilarious!!!! We left cookies/milk and carrots outside so Santa wouldn't come into our home.... he was so freaked!!!!

I am mostly done shopping. I plan on scrap booking Friday night and putting together a Christmas scrapbook of my children for my parents. I hope they like it. They turn out to be quite delightful, genuine, sweet works of art.

With holiday parties upon us and company I hope everyone has a very Merry Holiday. I hope the New Year brings joy and dreams and wishes come true. I hope there is love in the air (and a lil bit of snow too). We will be in Flagstaff for New Year's to enjoy the snow ourselves. I promise not to let this go for so long.....I promise.....

Oh How Time Flies

It's been 2 months since my last post - boo! Work had me going crazy! It has finally settled down. And here come the holidays - the big ones. I have my Thanksgiving menu planned out and a cleaning lady scheduled to come (really only to add to my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and company joining us for the festive day of (over) eating.

I went scrapbooking for the first time in months last night. I stayed up till 12:30am and paid for it today. Ha!!! But it was a productive evening and I miss it.

So I have to tell you readers.....the funniest thing....our daughter is about 16 months old. She says a few words but not many at all. Much to our dismay she is not an uber talker yet, although her brother makes up for it tenfold. We discovered that she may be learning Spanish before English. Her nanny is Brazilian and her first language is Spanish. Oops. Yeah!!! I mean 'yeah' for us because how awesome would it be if she ended up being fluent in Spanish. Boo for us and our pediatrician visits. We are almost certain she is saying things we just don't understand. But when she is with the lady they communicate all day long. She says it first in English, then in Spanish. Ha!!!! It's crazy, but maybe now her mumbling will have a larger significance than we think.

It is early November and we decided to put up the Christmas tree and holiday lights. Crazy and reckless I know, but absolutely wonderful. We have spent most of the day basking in the holiday glory of it all. Obscene, I know but just wonderful.

If something is perhaps your most favorite thing ever...shouldn't it be enjoyed or as long as humanly possible? I think so friends, I think so.

Work Hard - Play Hard - Sleep Less

I don't think it's a secret that after having children one sleeps less. And one sleeps a bit lighter. The most subtle noise jolts me out of my sleep. My dreams have become more vivid and my coffee intake has increased. I found myself atmy coffee shoppe this morning discovering I had 'earned' a free cup of coffee. I normally get the delicious Illy drip coffee but since it was 'free' I decided on the gigundo mocha latte. Needless to say, I ended up drinking half of it cold on my way home from work today. The thought of it was divine, but I actually like the drip coffee with honey and half n half, instead of the mocha choco latte non fat milk half foam.....blah blah blah...coffee.

I was also amazed to see in the cooler a "frosting shot" with a small neon plastic spoon. Is this what the world has come to.....whipped crack in a small portion with a neon spoon? I wondered who ordered such nonsense. Not me. I figured if I ate that alleged "treat" that early in the am I was bound to crash by about 11am. Not attractive.

I was also on this horrible sleep kick of sleeping from midnight to about 5am. It finally caught up to me over the weekend and I spent most of my Sunday napping as if I was still intoxicated from the night before. I was not drunk. I was not hungover. I was exhausted. From what you ask? From being a full time working mother, who has an obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to cleaning, cooking homemade meals every night and sometimes for breakfast too and from making sure two little people and a very needy husband are given enough attention that they don't automatically start whining when they see me.....WHEW!!!

Good grief Charlie Brown. I remember when the title of tonight's blog was the complete opposite. Work lightly, Play Hard and Sleep till 3pm.

Turning 30 - Diamonds or Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

Good evening fellow readers!!

I had a moment recently of wanting to acquire a diamond ring that isn't really in our budget. Let's call it a 'brat' moment shall we. Sigh. I have decided against the silly purchase and have found that I have made a much wiser choice. The Cuisinart Multi Clad Pro Stainless Steel 12 piece cookware set. It is a cook's dream. Preferably for someone who wishes they were a professional but merely has the marvelous tools to be a professional, not the education or skill. I have a love of cooking, sometimes it's so fierce, it's all I think about. Sometimes I am consumed with planning elaborate meals. Maybe that's why our children are such good eaters. What little kid eats brie on a sesame breadstick? Mine do.

I have already thought of the delicious treats I will make in my new cookware. Osso bucco and seared flank with caramelized red onions and apples. Omelets for the morning time and apple pancakes for the heck of it!!!

It's moments like these when you realize a diamond doesn't define who you are, now matter how caught up in one you get, it's just a ring for you to enjoy. But cookware has longevity and memories for our little family. And hopefully one day our children will remember these meals and so will I.

A Subscription Down Memory Lane

I subscribed to Martha Stewart Living a long time ago. had her mags neatly stacked in chronological order, for about 5 years straight. Every fabulous cocktail party or holiday dinner I served was somehow tied into one of her fabulous issues.

After I had children I stopped a lot of my magazine subscriptions. I recently started picking them back up again. After I had Logan I subscribed to Cookie Mag (Fabulous mag for mamas and their families). It's a great read too. It never forgets the Mothers and always focuses on the right ideas for your family.

I often obsess about the style section. I "accidentally" purchased a few dresses featured in this section. It reminds you to not forget how fabulous you can be...even with minis in the picture.

Back to Martha. I received my first issue of Martha tonight. After the children went to bed I sat down and read it. And found myself in love...again....years/issues later....jail time and all....she was still one of the most fabulous/creative women ever.

I adore Martha, so much that it's bizarre. I think she is an amazing woman, with great, fresh ideas for everything. I read it from front to back and then back again. My mind was racing of the million different ideas I could create from that one 1/2 inch thick issue.

I recall my years of Martha and surprsingly how often I took the issues out and constantly did projects in them. Page after page of clever idea. And I took the time to meticulously recreate her ideas. I still have some and love them.

I am elated I rejoined the MS club, she is a club worth belonging too no matter what kind of Mother you are!!!!

Wedding Bells are Ringing

Tis the season for engaged couples. Recently some couples I know have gotten engaged. How fantastic!!! Dresses at Kleinfeld's, ivory feathered shoes from Manolo Blahnik, Crystal hair pinnings from antique shops, La Perla and more....

With the thought of marriage soon comes the thought of children. Some have addressed it immediately while others have kept it in the back of their minds.

One asked, "does this event change anything?"

Having children changes EVERYTHING.

My husband puts it in a very loving manner (something he does not do often) when you love someone so much you want to have children with that person, because those children become an extension of your heartfelt love and affection towards each other. Awww.... (ick factor - but sincerely true and sweet).

I recently posted on a buy/sell ad at my workplace a listing for some Burberry clothing that our daughter wore. One of the male employees e-mailed me the following: "Burberry for a 6 month old? Expensve lil suckers huh?"

Chuckle, chuckle. (single man friend with girlfriend) when one decides to deck out their child, Burberry happens to have an outrageous children's clothing line...one any Burberry loving adult would be envious of....myself included....but when they are that small and adorable it's worth every penny.....

So I say to you engaged (childless) friends, enjoy your precious time together as 2 carefree adults. Because once the minis arrive, nothing will ever be the same....

The Not So Fabulous Tantrum

My apologies readers for some of the more Not so Fabulous moments. Our son has been rather difficult lately. We seem to be in the "OMG did you see that? OMG did you hear that?" phase of his life.

I have determined that our son is not a morning person. Or not a pleasant person in the morning, immediately after waking up from a nap or being put down to bed too early in the evening. Doesn't this sound like an all day affair of unpleasantness? LOL!!

Lately he has been throwing himself on the floor and moving around like a snake in a jungle. Often times, between movements he "hisses" and snarls. He also breathes heavily through his nose and whines. It is extremely unattractive. Sometimes I watch him in awe. I am amazed that his body moves into the positions that it does, and best of all that he is totally cognizant of the furniture he is surrounded by. He never inflicts any pain upon himself only to the unsuspecting passerby and observer who is no doubt horrified by what they are witnessing.

What might be more humorous or horrifying is when his younger sister catches him during one of his tantrums. The way she stares at him is enthralling. As if she were in a trance, she often moves closer to the boy throwing the tantrum as if to get an up close and personal view of this circus. One time I think it bothered her so much(mostly the noises and screaming) that she walked right up to him and bonked him on the head with one of his own toys. He was mortified. Then we had to scold her for hitting him and they were both crying. Ugh. He stopped crying and asked "What's wrong with sister? Why is she crying? She's so loud. She's bothering me" I am sure if 'sister' (as he likes to call her) could talk she would yell at him "Me? You have the audacity to be annoyed with me? Look who's screaming like a banshee, jumping around like a Mexican Jumping Bean like a raving lunatic."

Maybe that would teach him. Maybe then he would stop. Hmmm...

Phat Ride Mama

So some mock me because I may drive a very yuppy vehicle. I drive a Volkswagen Jetta Station Wagon. The ultimate family sedan. Previously I drove a VW Rabbit. Quite small yet roomy on the interior and fit the two children just fine. But the two doors drive me bonkers. My fabulous Jetta station wagon came with not so fabulous hubcaps - bleh!!!

After one of the hubcaps fell off after changing the brake pads, my husband decided it was high time for rims. Because heavin forbid we spent $59 on a new hubcap, let's spend more on rims, locking lugs and center VW caps. LOL....

After collecting 90% of the pieces (center caps are still being collected) my ride is now uber fabulous. The "spider rims" that now adorm my wheels make the car look like a completely different ride.

We went out this past weekend to the store and as I got the children out of the car, my daughter bolted towards the front door with my husband and Logan was taking his time (as usual). He turned and looked at the car and sort of cocked his head and said "Phat ride, phat rims, do you love them mommy?"

The Not So Fabulous Mini Me

It's true that a part of you, maybe the worst or the best, finds its way into your children. My husband is Italian and often times wakes up "yelling" (his version of talking in the very early morning). His mini me (aka our daughter) also wakes up out of a dead sleep immediately shouting from her crib. She's so loud you could swear she's right in the bed with you. No, her door is closed and she is small for her age, and the magnitude of her vocal chords is tremendous.

I put her in her highchair after being woken from a dead sleep by her shouting and strange bird calls and she began to get crabby. Very crabby. She was squawking in her chair, pointing her index finger at me and yelling. I swear it made complete sense to her and I was baffled. I stood there wondering if this was directed at me. I made the mistake of making eye contact. She yelled louder and started to jerk her small frame around and then thrash around in her plastic chair. I hurried for her milk and cheerios, apparently not moving fast enough because her finger pointing began to have a rapid movement and now both fingers were being pointed at me.

My husband walked in confused too. Then it hit him. The female infant version of him had woken him up and had caused his morning to start out the wrong way. He was now crabby. There they were two grumps staring each other down in the kitchen.

Had she outdone his own wretched morning behavior? Was he defeated by the one year old little girl?

Say "Cheese"

Before we moved to hot hot Arizona we lived in Buffalo, NY. Yes, where it snowed some six feet or more in very short period of time.

But I loved the cold. And I was much better at taking pictures back then than I am now. There is a picture of our old dog, Charlie, a yellow/white lab my husband had for some 11 years. Occasionally our son picks the picture up and kisses and says "I love Charlie".

I was talking on the phone with my husband today and he told me Logan found a picture of my husband, Logan and Stella and was carrying it around
saying that was them in the picture and that was daddy. And he kept hugging my husband.

I took up scrapbooking to memorialize these precious moments and finally put some order into the pics I had so lamely thrown into an unmarked box.

I found pictures of myself in the box. Pre-children pictures. Naturally I was at a bar, with a drink in hand and with my hot girlfriends. Although I don't always feel 'hot' now I know there nothing more fabulous than a real life picture of a very happy family!!!!