So, you know when you get mad at someone or you just get sick of someone so you don't talk for a while...and then the silence goes on longer than necessary and then it just keeps going because you aren't sure how to break the ice? Well, I kind of feel like that's what happened here.
I was continually thinking about if I should come back with some sort of "big bang" or some sort of "major recap" of our life over the last 6 months. None of it seemed fitting.
Then, like a beacon from above, along came this little gem. The perfect way to settle back in. No "big bang" or "major recap" just a little of this....
Friday, November 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
HP Mania
I seriously love Harry Potter. Always have, always will. Cory and I went and saw the movie last night, and to be honest, I only shed a few tears....like 4 or 5. I loved everything about the movie, thought it was very well done, did the book justice and brought out the best in all the characters - can I get a shout out for Professor McGonagall? WOOT WOOT!
But the real hero, the character who has always held a special place in my heart...Mr. Neville Longbottom. He has always been the nerdy boy, with some serious heart. He knows where he stands, and stands up to that. Impressive stuff for the nerdy boy to be able to do.
Now, the real point of this.....
Ummm......WHAAAAAATTTT???
Who knew this was buried under that messy hair and terrible teeth.
Hello Matthew Lewis. It sure would be a pleasure to meet you.
But the real hero, the character who has always held a special place in my heart...Mr. Neville Longbottom. He has always been the nerdy boy, with some serious heart. He knows where he stands, and stands up to that. Impressive stuff for the nerdy boy to be able to do.
Now, the real point of this.....
Ummm......WHAAAAAATTTT???
Who knew this was buried under that messy hair and terrible teeth.
Hello Matthew Lewis. It sure would be a pleasure to meet you.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
5 Rules of Sleeping In
I am copying this post from one of my favorite blogs - Rants From Mommyland. Seriously, they crack me up on a consistent basis. This most recent post had me nodding my head in agreement, and trying to figure out how I can get Cory to read it and understand these rules....without being too obvious about my intent, of course.
There is nothing I crave more than a good night's sleep. Mostly because I’m tired all the time. Weekends used to be about sleeping until 11am, recharging my batteries and getting to spend some lazy time having fun. Not anymore. Sleeping late has become to me what hookers are to Charlie Sheen. It’s my porn. It is my ultimate fantasy – ahhhhh…. To sleep in whenever I want… But I have as much chance of sleeping in every weekend as I do of becoming a Vampire Slayer (my other great dream).
My husband, the delightful Cap’n Coupon, is a hard-working and oft-exhausted man. And sadly, there may only be one or two days a month where we don’t have a bunch of schmidt scheduled and can actually try to sleep in. The Cap’n and I have worked out sort of an agreement on how to equitably share those precious few mornings.
What I didn’t realize until last weekend, was that we had created a set of defacto LAWS regarding this arrangement. Laws that must never be broken. Please note that these laws apply equally to all parents, regardless of gender.
[Editor’s note: Oh single parents… Oh parents with a deployed spouse… We love and admire you so very, very much. Because you never get to sleep in. And you really, really deserve it. – Lydia & Kate]
Here are our Five Rules Laws of Sleeping In:
Law 1: The Monkeys Must Be Kept Out of The Sleep Chamber. If you are the on-duty parent, it is your job to keep the kids safe and fed and stop them from setting fires and stuff. But mostly, it is your job to keep them from disturbing the parent that is trying to sleep. If you shirk this responsibility and allow the howler monkeys to attack and bounce on the prone form of your spouse… You have failed. You lose your turn. You will be on-duty again next time. That is the law. You may, however, utilize the offspring in attack mode as an alarm clock if the sleeping parent does not respond to gentle prodding and a proffered cup of coffee.
Law 2: You Had Better Wake Up Happy. If you are lucky enough to be the one who gets to sleep in, you better emerge from that bed as a happy, easy going, incredibly grateful parent ready to jump in and help out. If you need a few minutes of awake time before you get body tackled by three chimpanzees deal with the kids, take it. In the bedroom. With the door closed. Hey, why not squeeze in a quick shower before anyone even knows you’re awake? You can even pee all by yourself. See? You should be happy. There’s no reason to show up in the kitchen with your B on.
Law 3: Be Grateful. While you were sleeping, your spouse woke up at the ass crack of dawn, gave the kids something to eat, probably wiped a couple of butts, broke up a fight or two, let the dog in and out about 50 times, found something for the offspring to do that didn’t include just watching three hours of TV, and (if your house is like mine) unloaded the dishwasher, ran it and then unloaded it again. The very first thing that you need to do when you emerge from your warm, tousled, quiet, sleepy, happy place is to SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR SPOUSE. You should thank them with the heartfelt earnestness you would thank an organ donor who had just given you a spleen. A kiss is nice, too, provided you have already brushed.
Funny, eh?
(Canada post coming soon!)
Five Rules for Sleeping In
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| I would do literally anything for 8 hours of continuous sleep. |
Publish Post
My husband, the delightful Cap’n Coupon, is a hard-working and oft-exhausted man. And sadly, there may only be one or two days a month where we don’t have a bunch of schmidt scheduled and can actually try to sleep in. The Cap’n and I have worked out sort of an agreement on how to equitably share those precious few mornings.
What I didn’t realize until last weekend, was that we had created a set of defacto LAWS regarding this arrangement. Laws that must never be broken. Please note that these laws apply equally to all parents, regardless of gender.
[Editor’s note: Oh single parents… Oh parents with a deployed spouse… We love and admire you so very, very much. Because you never get to sleep in. And you really, really deserve it. – Lydia & Kate]
Here are our Five Rules Laws of Sleeping In:
Law 1: The Monkeys Must Be Kept Out of The Sleep Chamber. If you are the on-duty parent, it is your job to keep the kids safe and fed and stop them from setting fires and stuff. But mostly, it is your job to keep them from disturbing the parent that is trying to sleep. If you shirk this responsibility and allow the howler monkeys to attack and bounce on the prone form of your spouse… You have failed. You lose your turn. You will be on-duty again next time. That is the law. You may, however, utilize the offspring in attack mode as an alarm clock if the sleeping parent does not respond to gentle prodding and a proffered cup of coffee.
Law 2: You Had Better Wake Up Happy. If you are lucky enough to be the one who gets to sleep in, you better emerge from that bed as a happy, easy going, incredibly grateful parent ready to jump in and help out. If you need a few minutes of awake time before you Law 3: Be Grateful. While you were sleeping, your spouse woke up at the ass crack of dawn, gave the kids something to eat, probably wiped a couple of butts, broke up a fight or two, let the dog in and out about 50 times, found something for the offspring to do that didn’t include just watching three hours of TV, and (if your house is like mine) unloaded the dishwasher, ran it and then unloaded it again. The very first thing that you need to do when you emerge from your warm, tousled, quiet, sleepy, happy place is to SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR SPOUSE. You should thank them with the heartfelt earnestness you would thank an organ donor who had just given you a spleen. A kiss is nice, too, provided you have already brushed.
Law 4: Now That You’re Up, YOU’RE ON. After you have thanked your spouse and had a nice caffeinated beverage (which according to the laws of our house should have been prepared for you), you should offer to give your partner a few minutes to gather their wits. Suggest that they go take a shower, or read a book for 20 minutes, or run to Starbucks by themselves. If, after you sleep in, you wake up all crusty and grouchy, stumble into the kitchen, grab your Blackberry or iPhone and grumble something like “Can’t you keep those kids quiet?!” – you will get a reaction. This reaction ranges from getting the Maude face to a watching your spouse morph into a dragon who then bites your head off and spits it into the recycling bin.
Law 5: You Bet Your Ass We’re Keeping Score. Don’t even pretend that you don’t know who’s turn it is sleep in. You know damn well that three Saturdays ago I let you sleep until 10:30 and I made blueberry pancakes and Mini Me emptied a box of Honey Nut Cheerios into the toilet. That’s right. It’s my turn now. Keeping score also helps you the night before. If you know that you get to sleep in on Saturday, for example, you may allow yourself to stay up past midnight watching tivo’ed episodes of 30 Rock with an extra glass of wine. That time is precious. Don’t mess with it. Besides, it's good for several reasons when we stay up past midnight and have an extra glass wine.
Funny, eh?
(Canada post coming soon!)
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Voice
So I'm addicted to the new show The Voice. I love it more than American Idol in the early days...and that's saying a lot because I LOVED the first like 5 seasons of AI.
Here are a few videos of my favs. Cute little Xenia (sen-ya) is only 16 and has a voice I could listen to all day every day.
Dia Frampton is from St. Jeezy - shout out for St. Jeezy! - and has the same kind of thing - music I could listen to all day.
And last but definitely not least, Miss Vicci Martinez. Such a good cover of this song.
Here are a few videos of my favs. Cute little Xenia (sen-ya) is only 16 and has a voice I could listen to all day every day.
Dia Frampton is from St. Jeezy - shout out for St. Jeezy! - and has the same kind of thing - music I could listen to all day.
And last but definitely not least, Miss Vicci Martinez. Such a good cover of this song.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Bathrooms
I have thought this same phrase so many times since Luke has been potty trained. He chooses some of the most inopportune moments to have to poop. Target, grocery stores, restaurants, parks, you name it - he's pooped there. There are few things worse than leaving a spectacular little lunch gathering or shopping excursion or anything else really, and standing in a 2x3 bathroom stall while your child takes a crap.
Seriously.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Brothers
I was "blessed" to grow up with 4 brothers. During the growing-up years I did not appreciate the people that they were, or acknowledge the people they were preparing themselves to become.
I appreciate them much more now.
About 6 months ago, an addition was made to our family that created room for a 5th brother. Nick. He doesn't look like us (except he kind of looks like Amb), but he fits in wonderfully and gets along with everyone. To read more about his story and how ended up as our new brother, read this article. He's kind of an amazing person.
So, brothers, on the eve of your High School Graduation, I give you this:
Jared, I so look forward to having you as a house-mate. (roommate seems like a weird word to use since I am married and not living in a dorm) I am so proud of the person you are becoming and the fearlessness in which you are beginning the next chapter of your life. I am excited to see where you will go and who you will turn out to be. I think probably a Dr. or airplane pilot or something - considering we are all living vicariously through you in some form or another. You've seen a lot of change in your life, and a lot of trials as well. You have come out the other side with the knowledge you need to be successful. Please do not abuse that knowledge. Use it to benefit your life. Oh, and convince Rachelle to marry you.
Nick, Where do I even start with you? I am so happy you are a part of our family now. I am so happy that you welcomed us all into your life the way that you did. I am so impressed by how you have handled the situations that have come your way, and the dignity in which you grew to be an adult. (maybe not a man yet, you are only 18...). You have stepped up when life needed you to, and I will always be impressed by that. Please know that you have a special place in our family forever now. There is no escaping it. I hope that you know you always have a friend in me, and an older sister if you need that too. Please be around for holidays, weddings, parties and anything else that life brings. I know you will be so successful in your life - you've already shown such determination. Thank you for being a great friend to all of us, for making me laugh and for giving Jake a serious fight for the title of Luke's Favorite Uncle. You may be the current front runner.
Jake, I'm proud of you too!
Love, your oldest sis.
I appreciate them much more now.
About 6 months ago, an addition was made to our family that created room for a 5th brother. Nick. He doesn't look like us (except he kind of looks like Amb), but he fits in wonderfully and gets along with everyone. To read more about his story and how ended up as our new brother, read this article. He's kind of an amazing person.
So, brothers, on the eve of your High School Graduation, I give you this:
Jared, I so look forward to having you as a house-mate. (roommate seems like a weird word to use since I am married and not living in a dorm) I am so proud of the person you are becoming and the fearlessness in which you are beginning the next chapter of your life. I am excited to see where you will go and who you will turn out to be. I think probably a Dr. or airplane pilot or something - considering we are all living vicariously through you in some form or another. You've seen a lot of change in your life, and a lot of trials as well. You have come out the other side with the knowledge you need to be successful. Please do not abuse that knowledge. Use it to benefit your life. Oh, and convince Rachelle to marry you.
Nick, Where do I even start with you? I am so happy you are a part of our family now. I am so happy that you welcomed us all into your life the way that you did. I am so impressed by how you have handled the situations that have come your way, and the dignity in which you grew to be an adult. (maybe not a man yet, you are only 18...). You have stepped up when life needed you to, and I will always be impressed by that. Please know that you have a special place in our family forever now. There is no escaping it. I hope that you know you always have a friend in me, and an older sister if you need that too. Please be around for holidays, weddings, parties and anything else that life brings. I know you will be so successful in your life - you've already shown such determination. Thank you for being a great friend to all of us, for making me laugh and for giving Jake a serious fight for the title of Luke's Favorite Uncle. You may be the current front runner.
Jake, I'm proud of you too!
Love, your oldest sis.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wisconsin!
So about a week ago Luke, Amber and I ventured out to the great white north to escape the terrible weather of the desert we supposedly reside in.
Oh, and to visit the family and meet our new brother Nick. But more on that later.
We had a most splendid time enjoying family time and letting Luke run free in the back yard with his cousins.
It was a much needed vacation and here are some pictures to prove it!
Time spent at uncle/brother Jake's baseball game - where he hit a double and two pop-flies into the outfield. I was so impressed.
Party time with cute Uncle Jake.
Party time with the cousins!
Amber being, well, typical.
Who needs a stroller when you are part koala?!
We had such a great time and enjoyed every minute of it! (except that awkward moment at lunch with my parents when they inquired about Amber's current bf. But we don't need to go there.)
Of course we missed Cory, but I'm still not convinced he missed us!
Those trips are never long enough and we never get enough done, and yet love it every time!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Oh, and to visit the family and meet our new brother Nick. But more on that later.
We had a most splendid time enjoying family time and letting Luke run free in the back yard with his cousins.
It was a much needed vacation and here are some pictures to prove it!
Time spent at uncle/brother Jake's baseball game - where he hit a double and two pop-flies into the outfield. I was so impressed.
Party time with cute Uncle Jake.
Party time with the cousins!
Amber being, well, typical.
Who needs a stroller when you are part koala?!
We had such a great time and enjoyed every minute of it! (except that awkward moment at lunch with my parents when they inquired about Amber's current bf. But we don't need to go there.)
Of course we missed Cory, but I'm still not convinced he missed us!
Those trips are never long enough and we never get enough done, and yet love it every time!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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