A Look On The Random Side

Undecided

2011-12-19T13:07:00.010-06:00

I have been caught up in a whirlwind of events and emotions over the last few months. So much so that I planned to not write about it at all. However, if I don't, I may mention these events and you'd be all "wait...huh?" So here it is.

The ShankRabbit and Isabella (and Peanut) household will be expecting a new addition in April. A boy. We had a rough first few months with morning sickness and some medical issues, but all is well now. He is doing what he's supposed to be doing and even measuring a little on the big side - lawd help me! Peanut was adamant that this baby was a girl for so long, but now she is pretty excited to have a little brother. We are still working on names. Her suggestions so far are Baby Johnson (that was originally the girl's name choice for her), Echo, and Uncle. As you can see, not much to go on so far.

My biological mother passed away unexpectedly on November 16th. There are a lot of details and stories to tell about how I got the news, coordinating a trip to North Carolina to take care of her arrangements and such, but I think I'll save all that for another time.
Is it common to cycle through the stages of grief over and over again? I think I've been through them at least twice so far. Right now I am back at the shock/disbelief stage. This happened so suddenly (cause still undetermined as it happened in her sleep) and I didn't get to see her before she was cremated. At the time I thought it would be a terrible idea as I wasn't sure what state her body was in and I thought it kind of morbid to ask the hospital "so...can I see her?" Do I really want my last memory of my mom to be in that state?
My mom's boyfriend and her brother were there the morning she was taken to the hospital, so there is no question as to identification, but still there is just a part of me that thinks, "maybe this is just some elaborate hoax to get me to pay for someone else's funeral arrangements and my mom is fine and well somewhere else." I feel like there is no resolution. Her ashes are sitting on a bookshelf in my house. Shouldn't that be enough? Will I ever feel like she is truly gone?

My mom and I weren't terribly close. I was placed in state care/foster care at the age of 11, so I didn't get the chance to really spend most of my childhood with her. However, she was my mom. I loved her. And I know she loved me too, but never could show it as much as any other person. Still, I felt it.

She was never good at calling (heck, neither was I to be honest), so communication over the years was limited. When her husband had a heart attack in 2006, I made the trip down there to be with her. He passed a couple days after I arrived and I assisted her with arrangements. Although they were unfortunate circumstances, my mom and I got a new opportunity at our relationship. We still didn't talk as often as most mothers and daughters do I'm sure, but this is what worked for her. And that worked for me.

We kept in contact mostly through email and I sent her many pictures of her granddaughter (one she had never met). I told her about our soon-to-be new addition. She seemed to be doing well, aside from "not feeling well for a while, but doing better." In mom-speak that could mean anything from a cold to something more serious. Knowing this, I asked for her phone number so I could get the straight answer from her. I never got the chance to call her.

* * *

So, here I sit. Wondering what is next in this process. My husband and I have lost 5 family members this year alone. Am I emotionally jaded because of that? Am I holding out on properly grieving until a later date? I have no clue. All I know is that I'm trying to live in the joy of my family and there are these feelings still tugging at my heart. But they aren't coming out.

Playing catch-up...ketchup...catsup?

2011-08-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

There are many things to talk about since my last blog entry (*cough* 4 months ago *cough* *cough*).

1. Ran my first 5k on April 16th. It was drizzling, in the upper 30s and miserable outside, but I did it. Then my kid did the fun run. As you can see, she was pretty excited about her ribbon.

2. My daughter turned 3 on April 19th. I have a preschool aged kid. hold me.

The cake I made. I think I'll stick to frosting next time.

3. ShankRabbit and I went to Las Vegas in May for our first real vacation since 2006. It was relaxing, fun, and holyhell HOT (not that I'm complaining. Spend October - April in Wisconsin and you too would be willing to sit on the surface of the sun if it meant warmth).

4. June was a blur and I can't remember what happened during that month. I know I was training for my first triathlon and really starting to freak out about it.

5. July went by even faster than June, but at least I can recall this one:

5a. We had a 4th of July gathering at our house. Our city's fireworks can be seen from our backyard, so we didn't have to go far for the show. Thanks to a wonderful brother-in-law with noise cancelling headphones, my kid enjoyed the fireworks without having to shove fingers in her ears. *Note to self: purchase a pair of those headphones for the kid before she stabs her brain with her fingernails*

5b. My first ever triathlon was on the 10th. It was tough (fought through hip pain throughout the entire run portion) but I had an absolute blast! I accomplished all three of my goals - 1) don't die, 2) finish in under 3 hours and 3) don't be DFL (dead f-in last).

Smiling through the pain.

5c. We had our first family vacation in Eagle River, WI (ShankRabbit's parents, brothers, and respective families). If it wasn't for the mid to low 60 degree temperatures, I think it would have been perfect.

You can't tell, but the kid is sound asleep. For real.

5d. Fresh from our northwoods trip, we spent the next weekend camping. Not much to report other than it was crazy hot and ShankRabbit got heat exhaustion. Fun times.

Went to the county fair after camping all weekend. Believe it or not, the kid is having fun on her first Ferris Wheel ride.

I think that gets us caught up to the present. My 29th birthday was this past Friday. I got exactly what I wanted - spending time with the ones I love. Oh, and a pinata*.

I have been at parties where there has been one, but never one of my own. Now I can cross that off the list. Next up...aerial fabric acrobatics! Just kidding...maybe.

There are exciting things to come - another race (an adventure 3-miler with ShankRabbit), more birthdays, and possibly a giveaway or two on this here blog. I'll keep you posted.

_____________
* - Please picture a tilde over the n. I don't know how to do it in Blogger and my failed attempt led me to automatically post an unfinished blog post. Just in case my high school Spanish teacher is reading this...yes Sra. S, I know how to properly spell that word. Carry on.

Why you mock me blank page?!

2011-04-15T16:00:00.002-05:00

I walk around almost every day with a blog topic in my head. It gets written and edited in my head before it hits the page. The moment I sit down in front of a blank screen, it disappears. All I am left with is a vague idea of what it might have been about. Family? Shoes? A family of shoes? So I will give you "Things Currently Occupying my Noodle." And maybe, just maybe, I will get my brain back to blogging:

1. Garden, version 2 - Due to crappy soil in our garden area, I decided on raised beds this year. Our garden wasn't terrible, but it took a lot more work than I was willing (and able, especially after surgery) to put in. This year, we will also have smaller sections and more vertical structures (but more produce).

2. Crafts - I swear I am in the middle of a craft crapstorm. I have 5,476,392 things I would like to do...and I have started about half of them already. I thought about detailing them, but then I realized it would exhaust me just to write them out. I have learned that any project without a set finish date will likely not get completed.

3. Vacation - we haven't been on vacation since 2006 (excludes anything in the midwest). I have been wanting to go somewhere - anywhere - other than our neighboring states. Preferably some place warm. With or without the kid.
Finally, I got ShankRabbit on board with the idea. We will have a small getaway (without the child) sometime soon and another one toward the end of the year with the kid (at a place with a kingdom of magic...).

I am about as shocked as I can physically be. Yay for vacation!

* * *

My brain has officially checked out, so here are some random pictures for you to enjoy (sorry to anyone on Twitter who has already seen these):

Gluten free thin mints. Yes, they can be done (om nom nom nom...)

Jacques, our new dishwasher. I love him so much.

A non-deviled egg. Part of an elaborate "welcome" gag played on a friend's boyfriend. He hates deviled eggs. So I made some out of meringue, yellow cupcake frosting, and red sugar. Heh heh...

My kid. My almost 3 year old.

My cup runneth over.

2011 - it's only just begun

2011-01-26T12:30:00.000-06:00

Nintendogs has entered this almost-3 year old's life. She's completely self-sufficient with this game. I fear I'll never get my DS back.

What has happened in the last month or so?

1. We all eventually recovered from the stomach plague. It took a lot longer than I thought it would. We didn't regain normal activity and eating until 2 weeks after it struck.

2. Now that I've paid for my registration, I shall announce it to the intarwebz: I am training for a sprint triathlon in July. There's more to the story of why I'm doing it and I will share that as the training progresses.

3. Because of #2 (heh...), I have been working out almost every day. And I enjoy it.

...

No really, I do! I think it's because I love our gym - great facility, great atmosphere, great people.

4. A gluten-free store and cafe opened up over the summer. I didn't realize their true significance to my life until I found they do carry out and take-and-bake pizzas. Tried our first ones on New Year's Eve. Heaven help me.

Yes, it's a good thing I enjoy my gym so much.

5. Our family Christmas present this year is a dishwasher. We are finally getting around to picking one out. I now know way more about dishwashers than I ever thought possible.

6. Speaking of Christmas, it was fantastic. There was a moment - a few days beforehand - that we thought my in-laws would be trapped in Nairobi for the holidays (due to terrible weather in Amsterdam that they needed to connect in), but they made it back safe and sound. Slight panic ensued when we heard there was a bombing at a bus station while they were supposedly still there. They left the day before.

7. At some point this month, I got so frustrated looking at our terribly inefficient, standard reach-in closet that I tore it apart to make a new one. I had every intention of making this a "me" project - showing that anyone can build their own custom closet (Califor.nia Closets be damned!), but ShankRabbit (and Peanut for a while) was intrigued and offered help. Projects are so much quicker when you have help.

I will have a post up when all is completed. Here's a sneak peek:

Before (ugh)

Current state (still in progress). Can you see the double closet rods on each side?

8. Got the chance to attend both Bears playoff games. At one point during the second one, we noticed a couple of F-16 fighter pilots* sitting at a table near us in the United Club. I told ShankRabbit, "hey, we should go over and say hi. I'd like to meet them." So, he tells me to follow him, taps their shoulders and says, "Hi. My wife has a thing for guys in uniform...can she take a picture with you?"

(Enter completely mortified expression and bright red face)

One of the guys responds with, "well, how can we say no to that?"

So, this picture was taken:

Pretty eventful December/January. A little scared and excited to see what February brings.

_____________
* - Despite what my husband said, I really wanted to meet them because what they do is so friggin' cool! Thanks to the power of the internet, here is the information on the fighter pilots that did the flyover after the National Anthem. I believe I met the two that coordinated the timing from the ground.

Of sickness and the power of Christmas

2010-12-16T10:45:00.001-06:00

The one time I pledge to do a daily posting commitment like #reverb10 and our household comes down with the stomach plague*. I will be back to my regularly scheduled reverb-ness, once I get this past weekend/week out of my system.

Don't worry, none of the gory TMI details about the plague will be shared. I'm just going to tell you how pathetic we were all weekend.

Peanut kicked off the happy fun sickness party! for us on Friday night (on our way to visit a family I haven't seen in 3+ yrs...uh, yeah, trip was instantly cancelled), ShankRabbit was stricken by Saturday night (the night of the big snowstorm. Needless to say no snow got cleared), and by Sunday night I thought I should join in! Oh joy! By Monday we were all dehydrated, delusional, and downright diseased.

Around 4am on Monday morning, I was trying to grab a few moments of rest with Peanut on the couch. She was proped up on a couple pillows, looking just as tired as I sure felt (and probably looked, too). She insisted I turn on the Christmas tree and sing her Christmas songs** while she tried to sleep.

I wanted to cry for two different reasons:
1) This was the first night of the plague for me (and by far the worst) and I was running on no sleep 2) Peanut wanted me to comfort her by singing. She usually says "mama...no!" when I sing to her. Ok, so maybe I get all vaudeville with it most of the time, but it is common knowledge that she'd rather have her dada sing. And with his voice, I don't blame her.

As I quietly sang every Christmas song I could think of and petted her hair, my daughter - looking angelic in the glow of the tree - drifted off to sleep. *sob*

- -

We were worried we'd have to take her to urgent care that day because she was becoming seriously dehydrated...but after a regimen of 2 sips of watered down juice every 10 minutes, she kept it all down and started to perk up.

* * * * *

Last night was the first real meal we all had. We had been eating small bits of plain rice, toast, and the like when we could handle it, but we ate CHICKEN SOUP last night. Such a colorful and flavorful meal after so many days of blahness. Ah, food heaven.

So, now that we are almost healthy, I will get back to that #reverb10 thing I was working on. And maybe get some humor back into my life, too. That'd be nice.

___________________
* Every time we get a major sickness in our house, I hear "yeah, it's just that nasty bug going around." Is this just a canned answer or are people seriously all sick at the same time? Do these bugs travel like frickin' Santa Claus? I swear someone on the East Coast can have the exact same symptoms as we do in the Midwest. How is that possible?!

** Funny moment - after a particular awful "spilling" (a.k.a. vomiting, to Peanut) episode, she looks at me and starts singing "simply having a wonderful Christmas time!" If it wasn't so sad, I probably would been on the floor laughing.

It's funny what happens when you finally let go.

2010-12-03T21:33:00.008-06:00

Day 3 of Reverb 10

Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year.

During my September/October can't-get-out-of-my-head period, I came to a lot of conclusions about my life and the relationships around me. Once I accepted where some of those relationships would stay, no matter how hard I tried to change that, I felt at peace.

I realized how lucky I am. I have an outstanding support system.
At the very core of it, an amazing husband and a beautiful daughter.

d'awwww....

I needed to accept and embrace the love I have around me every single second of every single day...not try and hold together what was ultimately never there.

Writing - no, scratch that - Creativity

2010-12-02T10:13:00.003-06:00

Day 2 of Reverb 10

Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

I am going to modify this prompt a little bit as it doesn't pertain to me (I'm not a writer. Plain and simple). Here's my edited version:

What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your creativity - and can you eliminate it?

Honestly, there is a lot of creativity in each day. Having a toddler almost demands it. While there are times I wish I could spend more time in front of my sewing machine or holding a paintbrush, I cherish being able to break out some Playdoh and making funky creations with my kid. Or playing a modified game of hopscotch through the mall while window shopping. Even making dinner can tap into my creative side (especially when I'm too lazy to go out to the store and we have limited supplies in the house).

There is nothing to eliminate...well, aside from the need for sleep. If I can just get rid of that then I'd be able to get so much more done (like my business that I still need product for. UGH!).

Unicorns!

2010-12-01T11:08:00.003-06:00

I am participating in #reverb10 this year (thanks for the idea, CallMeCate!)

One word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

My word for 2011 is unicorns! I have a disturbing lack of unicorns in my life and I feel 2011 needs them.

Contentment and love can wait until 2012. I need some unicorns. Stat.

_______________

See what happens when I try to be all serious and introspective? :)

Thanksgiving Recap

2010-11-29T15:00:00.001-06:00

Overall, our first hosted Thanksgiving went well.

Positives
1. We didn't have to travel

2. ShankRabbit had the day before Thanksgiving off, so he could help me clean the house and prep the food.

3. Each dish we made turned out fantastic (recipes below).

4. We ordered an all natural turkey from our local health food store. Fantastic flavor, wasn't frozen, and only cost us about $2.69/lb.

5. I deligated the desserts to my mother-in-law, who showed up with 8 (!) pies and a tray of pumpkin bars. We only had 9 adults and one child.

6. We're still eating pie.

7. A wet kitchen sponge was thrown at my head. That's how you know your kitchen is the fun place to be.

8. On Friday, we packed up our Thanksgiving leftovers and went to my brother-in-law's house. Another fantastic meal followed by some Kinect playing, where my sister-in-law tried to pull one over on my husband. Little did she know that he is super-competitive and knows how to drop it like it's hot.

The not-so-positives
1. The turkey took over 4.5 hours to cook, as opposed to the 2.5 our recipe claimed. My entire food timetable was thrown off. Boo! But hey, it was a darn tasty turkey.

2. We ran out of clean - and dry - dish towels, so by the end of the night we had to just leave the dirty dishes on the counter. We don't have a dishwasher (or a dryer), so we resorted to doing a drying-rack full of dishes and waiting for them to air dry.

And here is who made our Thanksgiving possible...the recipes (all gluten-free):

Roast Turkey
We mostly used Alton's brine, with some added tweaks from Gluten Free Girl's brine recipe. Also, we used butter to coat the bird instead of canola oil. BIG MISTAKE. The butter sizzled and smoked through the whole 500 degree portion of cooking (we had to make some temp and time adjustments...which may have been the reason why our turkey took so long to cook).

Udi's Gluten Free Stuffing
We stayed true to the recipe and it came out beautifully. Because our turkey was taking so long in the oven, our stuffing did dry out a bit waiting for a final warm up in the oven. I think next year we'll add a bit more moisture.

Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
I can't begin to describe the amazing flavor these rolls have. Yes, they are a little dense in the middle, but not at all like the hockey pucks most GF folks are used to. These were a big hit with everyone!

Biggy's Sweet Potato Casserole
The only change we made was to cook it in the CrockPot. About 20 minutes in, we added the mini marshmallows so they could melt. Yum.

Honey Glazed Carrots
We used regular carrots and cut them up into circles. A simple, yet flavorful dish.

Green Beans Almondine
Perfect as is.

Mashed potatoes were made by my sister-in-law. I don't know what she did or how she did it, but they rocked!

Random Thoughts: November Edition

2010-11-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

1. When I was a kid, I remember learning proper letter writing in school. I was taught when it was OK to have a more casual correspondence and when a more formal letter was required.
Now that email is part of our daily lives, do they teach proper email etiquette? Are future employers going to receive an email like this from their employee:

Yo,
so i was all lolz cuz i thought OMG i forgot the deadline! but DOOD...totes dun!
:D

I think the intricacies of forwarding and cc/bcc should be covered as well.

2. I saw some brand new (in the bag) halloween costumes at Goodwill today for 75% off. I wanted to grab all the cute baby ones - ladybug, bumblebee, football - but my 2.5 year old is no longer a baby. And she's a 4T. Maybe I can put the bumblebee one on her leg and dress her up as a beekeeper next year? Though a giant bee attacking the leg of a beekeeper might be more of a beekeeper FAIL.

It's a good thing Peanut tells me exactly what she wants to be for Halloween.

3. ShankRabbit brought up the baby topic last week. I think we're rounding the corner from "ohgawdnowaynobabiesanytimesoon!" to "well...it wouldn't hurt to revisit the topic...in 6 months..." It's all about progress, right?

4. My grandmother had a funny quirk. Whenever we'd sit down for a family meal, our forks would mysteriously disappear. Turns out she would grab the nearest fork to serve dishes, cut meat, etc. and not notice which one she grabbed. We'd all laugh when she'd say, "goodness, how did I get 3 forks?"

Why do I bring this up? Because I have developed a similar flatware-related quirk. I use so many knives during the day that I can easily use every single one we own in a day. Putting butter on toast, making sandwiches, cooking...by the time we sit down for dinner they are all gone.

I've secretly started using disposable plastic knives on occasion. Shh...don't tell ShankRabbit. He thinks I've gotten better with my knife usage.

5. I had a very introspective September/October. Mostly, I was thinking about family (probably a post for another day). Blah blah blah...I decided somewhere in there that we should host our own Thanksgiving.

...

Did you catch that? I am hosting one of my all-time favorite holidays. I will be cooking. For other people than the husband and the daughter.

If you've never cooked a full turkey before, do you make a practice one a couple weeks before or do you just hope for the best the day of Thanksgiving? I did find helpful tips from a couple of "never let me down" sources - Alton Brown and The Gluten-Free Girl.

6. I'm so happy November 2nd is over. I don't mind the political ads (yes, annoying...but whatever). You know what bothered me? The "AAAARGH! GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!"
"I VOTED AND THERE WAS NO ONE WAITING IN LINE! SO SAD!"
"IF YOU DON'T VOTE YOU'RE THE WORST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE!"

Did I vote? Yes. But I didn't make a big deal out of it.

7. Medical update: still broken. The doctors have no idea what's wrong...still. I think I'm done trying to figure this out. I've been on a gluten-free diet since August and this seems to help with most of the problems I'm dealing with, but no concrete answers.

8. 2010 seemed to be the year of "frustration." Can 2011 be "contentment," "love," or even "unicorns?" Let's make it happen.

A rant. And a lesson about Laundromat etiquette.

2010-09-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

Instead of trying to stretch a couple more days out of our dwindling clean clothes selection, I decided to do laundry today instead of Friday (my usual day of laundered fun).

This particular laundromat has several washers and dryers (single and multiple load capacity) and 4 tables for folding. 1 is at the back, 1 in the middle, and 2 right by each other in the front. All of the tables were being used except for the 2 in the front (right by where I was sitting).

My clothes had about 15 minutes left in the dryer when a couple of ladies walked in. Upon getting all of their clothes in the washer, they sat at a round table nearest the 2 empty folding tables and placed a purse on each of the folding tables. Considering there was absolutely nothing in front of them at the round table they were occupying, I could only assume they were "reserving" them for when they were ready to fold their clothes.

Say what?!

Hold on, these ladies want people to wait for a) another folding table to clear (by the looks of it, the other people were doing laundry for half the county) or b) wait until their clothes are washed and dryed?!

Oh, I don't think so!

Just ask my husband, when I'm on a mission to get something done there better not be a soul in my way.

I swear these ladies were out to annoy the holy jebus out of me. In addition to the purses, the one lady was standing in front of an open dryer waiting for the other to fill it with clothes. Normally, not a big deal...in this case, the open door just happened to be blocking access of the dryer my finished clothes were in AND their washer was not done...completely oblivious to my presence at the dryer. I didn't want to wait around, so I finally said "excuse me," pointed at my dryer, and moved their door just enough to get my clothes out.

Once all 3 loads of laundry completed their tumble in the dryer (pretty much done at the same time! hooray for laundromats!), I wheeled them over to one of the "reserved" folding tables, ignored the presence of the offending purse, and folded my laundry. These ladies were sitting a mere foot away from me. In my head, I dared them to say anything to me or each other about where I was folding.

Maybe it's PMS. Maybe I'm just easily aggitated when people aren't mindful of others around them. But c'mon...laundromats will forever and always be first come, first served*.

__________
* - the only exception to the rule are wheeling carts. If you're injured, pregnant, or otherwise physically limited, go ahead and lay claim to one of those bad boys.

Recipe time!

2010-08-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

I have had luck with a couple of recipes recently that I wanted to share.

Pulled Pork
Let me give you background on this one. I had a recipe for pulled pork sandwiches that I wasn't all that crazy about (too much brown sugar and ketchup made it really sweet). I wanted to try it again, but I couldn't find a recipe that I liked. So, I turned to the BBQ extraordinaire, NukeDad, and asked what he had in his arsenal. He didn't have one of his own, but he sent me to this pulled pork recipe. Go ahead and take a gander at those lovely pictures. *drool*
My only changes were brining for 12+ hours and using my CrockPot instead of the oven (on high for 6 hours).
This recipe will be etched in stone and saved for all eternity in this household. It's that good.

Egg Salad
This one I can actually take credit for (which, as someone who is just getting into this cooking thing, makes me really happy).
Background: There is (was?) a little coffee shop/deli near my fosterdad's work that would serve the most YUMMY egg salad sandwiches ever. I interned at his office for a while and used to get that for lunch most days. The trick was to either get there just as lunch was being served or call ahead to have it waiting for you. They would only make so much egg salad and once it was gone for the day - it was gone.
I have no idea why, but I had a craving for it the other day. So I turned on my laptop to see how difficult it was to make. Most recipes I found had the basic ingredients of eggs, mayo, mustard, salt & pepper. Sounded simple enough to tweak.

Because I was so in love with what I made, I wanted to share it with you all.

(Pickle on the side. Toasted Udi's bread. Heaven)

Recipe:
6 jumbo eggs, hard boiled and peeled
4 tablespoons mayonnaise (the real stuff...not that low fat tasteless excuse for mayo)
1 teaspoon horseradish mustard
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
4-5 drops of Frank's Red Hot (or more if you're feeling saucy...)
Dash of celery salt
Dash of freshly cracked pepper

Directions:
Are you clueless on how to hard boil eggs? Go to the American Egg Board and look up their recipe. These people know what they are talking about (much more than I do).

Now, chop up the cooked eggs (to your preferred texture) and put in a bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of the mayo, horseradish mustard, yellow mustard, and the Frank's Red Hot. Add the celery salt and pepper. Add the rest of the mayo if you feel it needs it (I certainly did).

I probably would have added a little celery for a bit of crunch, but we were out. Oh well...it was still yummy.

WAT?!

2010-08-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Let's say you are listening to music in your house and your favorite song comes on. Are you one to turn the song WAY up and sing/dance/become-a-rockstar-in-your-head? I'm so with you...minus the music blasting.

Just like every little quirk in my life, this one stems from childhood. I'll spare you from the emotionally scarring back story and just say really loud music irritates me. It makes me slightly edgy and uncomfortable. If there are other noises in addition to the loud music, I go into a panic. Something must be quieted A.S.A.P!
My ears are pretty sensitive as it is...loud music makes it 1,000 times worse.

Side note: Live concerts don't count. Except for that one ~~small bar~~ venue in Chicago where I saw Murder by Death with some friends. My ears were stuffy and ringing for days after that...worst feeling ever!

My husband loves his music loud - in the car, in the house (in a box, with a fox...). He enjoys rocking out, but knows that if I'm in the vicinity, I will more than likely turn it down to conversation-level. This frustrates him a bit, but he's gotten used to it (I think).
The only other person I have to work on is Peanut. If we're in the car and she hears a song she loves, she says, "Mama...button!" Which in her language means, "turn up the volume, lady...it's time to ROCK!"
Most of the time I'll do it, because I can control just how loud it gets. At home is a different story since she knows how to do it herself.

In this situation I have two choices:
1) Let her turn it up to her volume and just grin and bear it (or hide in another room of the house until she's done enjoying the song)
2) Fight with her over the volume and be subjected to the ear-piercing screeches she can produce.

((sigh))

She's only 2. I am fearing her teenage years.

Accountability: an update

2010-07-13T14:01:00.004-05:00

Remember the post from June 2nd (you know, the last time I posted) where I was all "I need to do all this now. No excuses?" Well, here's an update -

1. I will get up earlier in the day...before the hubby and child are awake. I will work on all of my business obligations at that time. This will also be my time for running...bad shoes or not. If I do 3 weeks of consistent running, I will reward myself with new shoes.

This earlier time of day has given me great uninterrupted work time. Work = money...so yay me!
I did really well with about 3 weeks of running. However, I had a laparoscopic procedure on July 1st* and can't do any strenuous physical activity for 6 weeks. So, let's just say this has been deferred for the time being.

2. My business will be up and running by my birthday (August 5th).

My logo is done. Website design ideas are down on paper (virtually) and discussions with my web developer (a.k.a. that sweet piece of keister I call my hubby) will happen in the near future. Also, as far as product goes, I started over with a new larger pattern and have had better results.

3. Once the business is established (and hopefully making money? :) ), I will join a fitness class (not sure where/when/what just yet).

I have found a class I want to take in the fall. I'll let you know what happens come August/September.

________________

* - there will be a post about the surgery at some point. I promise.

Accountability

2010-06-02T12:01:00.004-05:00

It's hard to admit...but I let excuses get the best of me.

"I can't start the Couch to 5K program because I have a terrible pair of running shoes."

"I really want to get up earlier in the day to get stuff done, but I'm afraid my alarm will wake the slumbering child. And once she's awake...no alone time for me."

"If I only had a few more hours in my day, I could really get going on my sewing goals"

"I prefer work out classes to working out by myself. But those cost money..."

Honestly, just typing this all out makes me want to slap myself. I sound like a whiney beeotch and I hate that. Not to mention all these excuses put me in a funk that I'd rather not be in.

So, I am declaring this to the intarwebz because that makes it all kinds of official (...right?)

Here is what is going to happen. right here. right now.

1. I will get up earlier in the day...before the hubby and child are awake. I will work on all of my business obligations at that time. This will also be my time for running...bad shoes or not. If I do 3 weeks of consistent running, I will reward myself with new shoes.

2. My business will be up and running by my birthday (August 5th).

3. Once the business is established (and hopefully making money? :) ), I will join a fitness class (not sure where/when/what just yet).

I thrive on schedules, routine, and established goals, so I'm hoping this will get my bum in gear.

More random

2010-05-19T12:08:00.003-05:00

1. Our van succumbed to a faulty ignition coil...again (there are 6 on this vehicle. This was #3 to replace). For the first time it broke down in the state of Wisconsin, so we were able to send it to our favorite mechanic. He fixed it all up nice and purty and it's back in our hands.
(I'll skip over the part where ShankRabbit had to walk 2.5 miles to the nearest car rental place in dress shoes. Yeah...that's more his story to tell)

2. My brother-in-law and his wife are on a lovely vacation in Mexico right now. Aside from being super jealous, we get to watch their two bundles of snuggly doggy love while they are gone.
2b. I still can't believe dogs crap this much
2c. I do not care for 5:30am wake up calls
2d. No soft paper product is safe in this house
2e. But they are soft and cuddly...so it's ok

3. My kid has phased through several favorite movies. We were on a constant "Tinkerbell" kick for a while. Now we've moved on to "Toy Story." Every time I watch it I think back to the days when my cousin (who is a day away from coming home) was obsessed with it. His mom and I even made a birthday cake with Buzz Lightyear on it...complete with army men accents.

4. I'm hoping to report back soon on the status of our garden. We've spent the last several weeks trying to make seeds grow in our house for transplanting, but they are in a sorry state. I'm hoping we have more luck with seeds planted outside...which will happen by the weekend I'm guessing.

Several bits of crazy...er, random.

2010-04-21T13:45:00.001-05:00

1. I am working on Craft Hope Project 7 (educational bean bags for schools in Liberia). I am having serious issues with odd numbers of bean bags. I can't make 9 or 11 bean bags...it has to be EVEN! So off I go to find suitable additions for the shape collection.

2. Today is my kid's 2nd day of dance class. I had to go out and buy a larger size leotard because the size 2-3 was way too small (what can I say? I gots a big kid). More fun stories to come about this class.

3. The day of my great uncle's funeral, I was talking with some of my relatives about being pulled over. They were telling me how they got out of tickets in the past (interesting what some people will do).

A few days later, I was pulled over and told the honest-to-jebus truth about why our plates our expired. I got a warning (and a firm reminder to get our car fixed and plates renewed). See?...telling the truth pays off too.

4. Remember about a year ago I shared with you the results of my medical mystery? Well, after a follow-up ultrasound it looks as though nothing has reduced in size (it's "persistent," as the nurse said). Now I'm scheduled to speak to my doctor next Wednesday about possible surgery. Ugh.

5. Ah ha! CRESCENT! And a 12th shape has been found. Happy dance!

6. My kid, my baby, my Peanut turned 2 on Monday. *tear*

7. I really really want to put our various vegetable seeds in the ground, but we still have some time to wait. Stupid frost times.

8. What purpose do slugs serve? I have found a couple in the soil of our future vegetable garden. Ew. I can handle earth worms...just not slugs.

So, I have this sister...

2010-04-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

It all started Sunday.

My brother-in-law and his wife stopped over (and their two little lumps of doggy love). We made a great dinner and relaxed around our new fire pit. At one point ShankRabbit went to check on the kid (she was whiny) and it was just the three of us outside. My phone made a noise, notifying me of a new message on Facebook. Normally I wouldn't have looked at my phone while people were over, but my great uncle passed away on Friday and I figured it was one of my family members giving me details about the funeral*.

I received a friend request. At first glance, her name was not familiar, but had my maiden name as her last name**. She wrote a note with the request:

"Hi, I am your older half sister. I would love to get know you and your brother. I am older than you both. I have prayed for years to be united with you all and that is the primary reason I started my Facebook page. We can build a relationship independent of our father...".

Whoa.

My parents told me of possibly having a sister (my father's child with a different woman...before my mom came along), but at the time their words could not be trusted (substance abuse played a role in this distrust, among other things). Upon questioning other relatives, I was told that this was untrue. Many years passed...and so did the memory of this conversation.

Now I know that I really do have a half sister. Someone who I regret not knowing about sooner, but so happy she wasn't a part of my dark childhood.

"a relationship independent of our father..."

I know she knows.

After a few days and a stream of emails, I've gotten to know my sister.

Gosh, even saying "my sister" and not referring to an in-law or a friend is weird.

She has a 12 year old daughter (I'm an aunt?!) and a great career. She lives on the west coast.

Yeah.

I'm still processing this whole thing.

_____________

* - I'll save the story of my great uncle's funeral for another day. But I will tell you that this person is indeed my sister, as confirmed by my father who was in attendance.
** - She only put that (somewhat unique) last name so we'd recognize it as a possible family member.

Garden 2.0: A New Year, A New Attitude

2010-04-06T12:12:00.005-05:00

The previous owners of our home built a 7' x 24' raised bed in the backyard. In the back quarter of the garden (in this picture that would be to the right) are everbearing raspberry bushes.

I was going to leave it be and figure out what to do with it next year, but I started to feel guilty. All this space is just begging for seeds. care. life in vegetable form.

I failed miserably at our herbs and tomatoes last year, but after quite a bit of research on vegetable gardening, I know my mistakes. I know what I must do to give my plants a fighting chance this time.

I did hours of research. I tested the pH level of our soil. I plotted the garden (using a loose interpretation of square foot and companion gardening). Now all that's left to do is buy some supplies and get some of the seeds started.

I will take you all on this journey with me - the ups, the downs, the dirt, and the laughs (c'mon, this is *me* we're talking about here). And hopefully share the fruits - er, vegetables - of my labor.

Oh man...here we go...

Friday Laundry Adventures

2010-04-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

Ah, Fridays. My newly dubbed Laundry Day. Some of you may think this is depressing, but I enjoy doing laundry. Even more so when I can take a couple hours out of my morning and get all the loads done at the laundromat.

(side note: we did our budget for April and looked at the monthly cost of taking our laundry to the laundromat. My goodness, it's a lot of money! It doesn't seem like much at the time, but it really adds up!)

Fortunately, I found a laundromat that's nearby, in good working order, and barely has any patrons on Friday mornings. I'm ~~selfish~~ ~~antisocial~~ cool like that.

The first time we showed up, the laundry attendant came over to us with a small basket full of toys. Peanut's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and she said quietly under her breath, "wow."

These toys aren't anything special. A lot of them seem to be happy meal toys from various establishments, but by Peanut's reaction you'd think I just gave her the keys to a toy store.

Now that we've been going to this laundromat on a regular basis, she has developed her "favorites" from the toy bin. Let's look at the cast of characters (pardon the photos, but these were taken with my phone under the wonderful fluorescent lighting):

By far, one of Peanut's favorite toys. This toy car has taken many a journey across plastic chairs, washers, and occasionally off-roads on the buttons of the soda machine.

Another car. Not as big and impressive as the first, but this little guy can CRUISE! Often seen on adventures with the one pictured below.

This is the creepiest choice, but she loves it all the same. I get what it is supposed to be [Padme in a royal cruiser (I think? Forgive me if I botched my Star Wars vehicle labeling)], but it's a bobblehead. In a space ship with wheels. No matter...Peanut uses this as her "Super Why!" vehicle.
"Super readers...to the RESCUE!"

And no adventure would be complete without a ragtag group of heroes! I give you...
Angry Man!
Condescending Military Guy! (*pat* *pat* "that's OK Spidey...you tried your best")
and....
Spider Man!

And where does this group hang out in between daring adventures?

On the bible, of course.

When the last item is folded and we are ready to go, Peanut and I put the toys back in the bin and return them to the attendant. Once handed off, I am given this face in protest:

"Mama...I don't wanna GO!"

Though today was different. I think she has figured out we will come back next week (at least until we have a washer of our own).

A short post

2010-03-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

What we did this morning:

What do you think the dirt smudge on her shirt means?

A. She's having fun playing "gardener" and asking for more water for her "wah can"
B. She tasted the fruits of her labor...even if it was only the dirt she was digging in
C. Water + dirt = fun mess
D. All the above

* * * * *
The kid is awake from her nap. Time to go play outside some more!

When saving money on a store brand was not worth it

2010-03-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

This post was in no way dramatized. These are real events, real thoughts, real action.

Some things that must be said:

1. I adore the CrockPot Lady's recipes - Rotisserie Style Chicken is one of my favorites.
2. I have the memory span of a goldfish.
3. I don't cook very often.

Ok, now that those are established, let's continue with the story...

The first time I made this chicken recipe, I bought a Purdue brand whole chicken. Skinning the chicken was gross and cringe-inducing, but I made it through (the CrockPot Lady recommends this step. It takes a while, but it's worth it).
--
Fast forward to a week ago. While perusing the meat section in our grocery store, I saw whole chicken on sale and thought, "man, I could really go for some of that rotisserie style chicken again." It was store brand, but I thought that wouldn't matter. Oh man, was I ever wrong.

Now, on to last Friday. Peanut just went down for a nap and I had a cutting board, the chicken, and a sharp knife at the ready.

I open up the plastic and remove the little goodie bag of gizzards from the inside. I double-checked to make sure there was nothing else in there. I happened upon an appendage of some sort. I freed it from its enclosure and mentally screamed (the kid is sleeping, remember),
"EWWW! This chicken has a penis!"

I quickly surmised that this was, in fact, the neck (that'd be one hung chicken, I tell ya...)

Now, how do I go about removing the neck? With the Purdue chicken, this was removed for me and neatly placed in the gizzard bag. I've never encountered this problem before. Due to my hands being saturated in raw chicken grossness, I couldn't turn to my trusty intarwebz for instruction. So, I guessed and cut off what I thought was appropriate.

Back to skinning...

It was pretty routine at this point, though I found this chicken to have quite a bit more ~~junk in the trunk~~ fat than the Purdue chicken.

Once I was close to done, I decided to look the chicken over and be sure it was pretty clean. I glanced on the inside toward the bottom (which could have been the top at this point...who knows) and I noticed a section of darkness. Another gasp and internal screaming, "this chicken still has ORGANS attached? SERIOUSLY?!"* Again, the Purdue chicken had this removed.

I just wanted to be done. I wasn't sure how to get rid of said organs, so I completely cut that part out - spine and all. In my flurry of cutting, I nicked my finger with the knife (no surprise there). A minuscule cut, but it still hurt.

Now I really went into panic mode. I'm furiously trying to be done with this gawdforsaken chicken and now I have salmonella coursing through my veins via the cut on my finger!**

I scrubbed my hands no less than 3 times with antibacterial soap, threw on a temporary band-aid, and got to work on the seasoning. After throwing the bird into the Crock Pot, I cleaned up and hopped into a scalding hot shower (because at the time that made total sense). Though not before sending the following text message to ShankRabbit:

I went all Silence of the Lambs on the whole chicken. You can't unsee what I have seen. ((shudder)) Time for a hot shower...or cigarette...or both.

When all was said and done, I had 3 sections of chicken left - the breast/wings/remainder of back and two thigh/leg sections. It may have been in pieces, but the chicken still tasted just as good as the last time I made it.

Let's hope I remember all this the next time I get a craving for rotisserie chicken.
____________

* I did a little online searching and found out these still-attached organs were its kidneys. Ewwww.
** I'm a wee bit dramatic in situations like this. Can you tell?

Coffee Conundrum

2010-03-29T05:00:00.001-05:00

Wrote this last week during one particularly intense headache. Couldn't think clearly enough to hit "publish post." You'll see why...

Typically, coffee fits into my routine like this:

8 - 8:30am: household is awake and getting ready for the day. We all grab breakfast. I enjoy half of my first cup of coffee (the other half is either enjoyed in the car later or dumped out/warmed up in the microwave because it got cold).

9 - 9:30am: we drop ShankRabbit off at work and it's time for me to run errands with Peanut.

10am - 11am: Home (arrival depends on what errands need to be done). If I do have the luxury of a second cup, it is consumed during Peanut's play time.

On the days we happen to get up later, I don't have time to make coffee before we head out the door. This pushes my coffee intake until after we get home from errands. With all the hustle and bustle of the afternoon, I don't have a chance to actually make coffee until after 1pm. At this point, the headache has already set in.

This is a critical moment in my decision making. Do I make a pot of coffee just to kill the headache that rocks my brain (subsequently drinking more than I need and go to bed later than usual)? Do I pop some Advil and take a nap (this doesn't guarantee the disappearance of the headache. It just means I don't have to deal with it for a couple hours)?

I haven't quite figured out what to do. And here I sit with a nasty headache and no coffee in my system. This is a baaaaad time to try and make decisions.

Do you have any ideas?

P.S. No need for recommendations of Red Bull or similar substances. I can't stand the stuff.
And if you say I should switch to decaf, I'll pummel you.

A....clip-and-a-miss!

2010-03-26T00:00:00.002-05:00

I've mentioned many times how I should not be allowed to handle sharp objects (I've mentioned this before, very briefly). Accident prone is quite an understatement.

Peanut and I went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather on Monday. She took charge of the sidewalk chalk while I donned gardening gloves and went to work on our flower beds.* I wasn't sure what to clear out, so I pretty much ~~made it look like I was being productive~~ clipped dead plants and gently raked up leaves (as the new plants have already broken ground).

Look, mama...soil. shovel. It's really not that complicated.

I was making quick work of the dead plants with my gardening shears (inner monologue: Lalalala clip clip clip lalala hey look, I'm gardening!). I cleared up the brush and put away my tools. It wasn't until I took my gloves off that I noticed a "vent" in the thumb of one of my gloves.

I had clipped the thumb tip right off. If it wasn't for a slightly larger pair of gloves, I'm confident there would have been blood. Lots of blood.

For all the times a sharp object has met my finger(s), I'm thankful this one proved to be a near-miss.**

____________

* - the previous owners were into perennials. Score 1 for the incompetent gardener!
** - When telling this story to ShankRabbit (I mentioned a "funny" incident with the gardening shears), he immediately sighed and said, "now what did you do?!"
I tell ya, my injuries are legendary!

Census. Cultural Background. Panic.

2010-03-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

I love filling out forms. I don't know why, but any time I have the opportunity to fill one out, I jump at the chance (4 patient information forms, front and back, in a doctor's office? OK!). So imagine my glee when we received our 2010 census form.

I was disappointed when I looked over the form. I thought there would be more to fill out than name, address, age and race of each person in my household...but that was it.

That wasn't going to kill my buzz though. I still had a form to fill out!

As I happily filled in information and made neat little X's in the appropriate boxes, I screeched to a halt when I reached the "race" portion in my section.

Such a simple question, not so simple an answer...at least for me.

I have a very mixed background, but the main ones are Sicilian (at least 25%, if not more), African American (25%) and Native American (not sure exactly how much - I'm pretty sure it's not 25%, but could be close).

Now I know when they say "Caucasian," this could describe Sicilian...so I was covered there. But do I make an X in the box next to African-American? And if I fill in the box next to American Indian (is that even a PC term?) they ask you to name your "enrolled or principal tribe." Uh...I'm not official with a card or anything, I just know it's in my background. Do I put an X next to "other" and make up some craaaazy new name for my mixed heritage, like Cablinasian (except, you know, with my races...so it'd be like Cablinducilian...or something)?

((sigh))

So, after much deliberation, I put an X next to Caucasian and an X next to African American.

Alright...moving on. Next up: Peanut.

...

Geez oh Pete! What do I put for HER?!

(Another tense deliberation)

I left her portion with just an X next to Caucasian.

* * * * *

I'm sure I will leave some census person confused when they read:

Head of household: Caucasian
Spouse: Caucasian and African American
Biological child: Caucasian

Yep. That's us.

I'm too young for hot flashes

2010-03-22T16:19:00.004-05:00

It was nearly 8:30am. I was cuddled on my side of the bed, amazed that the kid wasn't awake yet and loving every moment of half-sleeping in. Just when I thought I could drift back off to sleep, ShankRabbit rolled over and cuddled up next to me. No...let me clarify...he draped himself over me.

He was trying to be sweet and lovey. I get that. And for a while I used to enjoy that all the time. I am usually cold and he is usually warm. It worked out perfect.
But now, to the woman whose internal temperature gauge is forever broken (thanks to housing and birthing a child), this loving gesture turned into me feeling like I was thrown into a kiln. In less than a minute, I had to throw the covers off. About 2 minutes after that I shrugged him off and began the "getting up" process (which includes checking my phone for emails, twitter, etc).

ShankRabbit sits up and says, "I just don't get you. One day you're all 'why do you just jump out of bed and not looooooove me?' (true. I did say this) and the next you're all 'my emails and twitter friends are SO much more important than you.'"

I responded, "you're 1,000 degrees! I felt like I was being baked from the inside. I couldn't take it!"

In a compromise (and a half-apology) I put my phone down, rolled over and rested my head on his chest. He accepted this gesture by putting his arm around me. Fiery kiln instantly ensued and I had to hop up.

Hey, at least I tried.

I suck at putting 2 and 2 together

2010-03-15T12:10:00.008-05:00

Just a couple days ago, ShankRabbit and I were praising the brilliance of Alton Brown while enjoying his Praline Bacon. I decided to drink a glass of orange juice to balance the guilt of not eating anything else for breakfast. Maybe I had a half piece of toast...I don't know...I can't remember anything past the BROWN SUGAR AND PECAN-CRUSTED BACON! Seriously! Go make it now!

Anyway, that's not what this post is about. I just get a little carried away by bacon. Mmmmm...bacon....

So, my stomach felt a little funny later in the day. Knowing that my grease intake may have been a little more than usual, I made sure my food choices were much healthier after that.

Next day, enjoyed a small glass of OJ with my breakfast. Same funny stomach feeling. "Oooh, so maybe it's the orange juice." ShankRabbit is not having any problems with it, so I know it must be me (really...orange juice is doing me in?! Whatever!).

We visit our local Sam's Club later in the day and ~~spend a fortune~~ save money on our necessities. One of our purchases? Emergen-C. A family go-to for ~~hangovers~~ keeping our immune systems in tip-top shape. If you've never heard of it, all you need to know for the sake of this story is that it's like drinking a bazillion glasses of orange juice. That's a direct calculation.

I find this stuff quite yummy, so I prepare a couple glasses for myself and ShankRabbit before he hops on a plane to attend a fantastically geeky conference with some coworkers.

All is well (or so I thought). This morning, my throat felt scratchy. Not wanting to succumb to sickness while the hubby is away, I down a glass of Emergen-C with my breakfast.

If you haven't been keeping track, I now have over 2 bazillion glasses of OJ in my system.

Now let's talk about what my digestive system must have been thinking. The first glass of OJ was like a little kid tapping on her shoulder saying "mom mom mom MOM MOM MAMA!" repeatedly. She gets irritated. The second glass of OJ - same situation, a little more irritated. The 2 bazillion glasses of OJ is like a country full of 2 year olds- in dire teething pain - trying to get her attention in the same way but adding a little screaming, wailing, and tugging on her shirt. She was having none of that and unleashed her ultimate fury.

You are smarter than I, dear reader. I'm sure you would have figured this out after glass two. I didn't figure this out until about an hour ago, when my digestive system said "hey numbskull...DON'T DRINK ORANGE JUICE! CAPICHE?!"

Yep. I get it now. Thanks for the punch in the face.

You want more...what?

2010-03-10T11:10:00.005-06:00

Waaay back in the day (OK, like 1.5 years ago), we were trying to find healthy, tasty, baby-friendly finger food options for Peanut. We were avoiding products with gluten until her first birthday, so the choices were rather limited. We happened upon something called Veggie Booty.

Observe:

photo courtesy of amazon.com.

It's perfect - gluten-free and full of veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli, and carrots. The texture is just like a cheesy poof, but better.
The veggie flavor is not too common around these parts (the cheese ones are made with "Wisconsin aged cheddar," so of course that's the one you find everywhere), but we've found a few places that always carry them.

Peanut LOVES them...and has ever since that first bag entered our household. Given any snack option in our house (no longer restricted to gluten-free), she will always choose these. We've tried the other flavors, but the family favorite is Veggie (even ShankRabbit gobbles these up).

[back to the point of this post]

Peanut is at an age where she verbally truncates her requests. For example, if she wants string cheese, she'll just ask for cheese (and is very clear with her displeasure if you pull the wrong cheese out of the fridge). If she wants a banana, she'll ask for a nana. Basically, asking for whatever the last word (or portion of the word) that comes out of your mouth.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

So, Veggie Booty...

"More booty?"

Uh...

At times, it sounds like she says "more buoy?" but she is working very hard on perfecting her pronunciation. 99% of the time her t's are crystal clear. I've tried changing the name to "veggie puffs" or "veggie nummies," but no such luck.

Someday soon I'm sure we'll be in a large, public place and she'll announce "more booty?" And in true toddler fashion, if it's not provided in .005 seconds, she'll repeat her request louder and clearer, "MORE BOOOOOTY?"

And what will my response be? "You mean, 'more booty, please.'"

House thoughts (not the TV show)

2010-02-22T22:01:00.005-06:00

We will be closing on our first home in about 60 hours. We will be moving into said house in about 118 hours.*

.whoa.

* * * * *

ShankRabbit and I spent this past weekend packing, sorting, organizing, packing, laughing, packing. This state of "half-moving" that we are living in has made for one emotionally-fragile Peanut ~~and mama~~. Throw in some serious teething and you've got a barrel of fun.

Not really.

Our daughter has made it known that in this time of boxed-up chaos, any teeny tiny change in her routine will send her into meltdown mode.
(see: Bedtime routine. ShankRabbit skipped over the short game of tag they play every night and went straight to story time. The world ended.)

* * * * *

I've had my issues with this house we are currently renting, (you can get an idea here) but I'm sure going to miss it. Every time I feel the least bit emotional about moving (this is the only home our daughter has ever known WAAAAHHHH...) I think of all the positives of the new place (um, hello FINISHED BASEMENT!).

So far, it's working.

* * * * *

Confession time: 95% of our bathroom items are packed up. This includes replacement cartridges for my razor (and the scary Cheapo Razors of Death. I'll tell you all about that another time). The one that is currently on my razor has seen better days. I'd probably get a closer shave with a spork.

Thank goodness it's winter. No one** has to be subjected to my hirsute chicken legs.

* * * * *

And with those pleasant thoughts, I bid you good night.

___________
* - please don't hold me to those numbers. My math is not the greatest.
** - aside from my poor husband.

Crazy is normal for me

2010-02-01T23:40:00.003-06:00

Lots of stuff floating around in my head recently - some of those items, in no particular order:

1. A House of Our Own: we put an offer on a house. Offer was accepted. Loan application well on its way. Closing date set.
OhgawdIfeellikeI'mgoingtovomit

2. My cousin's send-off party is Saturday. He's going to join the ranks of the United States Marine Corps. Military service is common in our family, but hasn't come up in our generation. He's the first. My little cousin...well, not so little anymore. I don't think my brain can process this properly. He's old enough? Seriously?! It seems like just yesterday we were watching Barney together.
Againwiththevommyfeeling

Here he is with his sister in '96 or so. I'd show you a pic of him now, but he'd probably stop speaking to me if he knew I posted it on my blog. So, I'm using my favorite one of them as kids. Muhahahaha!

3. I had a very rare snowball of anxiety clobber me a couple weeks ago that I couldn't shake before bed (oddly, not related to either of the items mentioned above).

Lesstalkylessvommyplease

* * * * *

I have this weird thing going on with a few of my toes. After ruling out poor shoe choice and bug bites, I turned to my trusty intarwebz to see what this could be. It left me with more questions than answers. ShankRabbit is convinced I have "the gout" (said in a very crotchety, old-man voice). Thanks for making me feel SO much younger, dear husband.

I'm convinced my second toes are protesting any and all shoes. They are the longest of the bunch - why do they have to be scrunched while the other toes get ample space to move around? Equal rights for ALL TOES!

...

...

Wow. I started this post talking about my moments of crazy and end with anthropomorphizing my toes.

This would be a good place to stop before any more crazy comes out.

(Let's hope the next month brings better topics of discussion)

It's starts early

2010-01-08T01:04:00.006-06:00

I have a more meaningful post in the works about my experience the last 3 months, but it still needs some tweaking (a.k.a. I got a little long winded). Instead, I want to share a couple of funny tidbits from ShankRabbit during this time.

#1. This was one of his Facebook status messages:
There's so much of me that I see in her. Yet she thinks she can get away with using my tricks. I don't think so, sweetcheeks. Now go eat your toast or I'll throw you in the snow.

#2. An excerpt from an IM chat we were having. I really don't know how to set this up other than saying she's my kid - through and through.
-----
ShankRabbit:
I sit down with Peanut this morning in front of the open fridge
and I pull out the juice pitcher and the milk.
"Peanut... which one would you like... milk or juice?"
....
....
(.... = baby decisions)
"ju"
Okay...
As i'm putting the milk back, "no no no no..... mill"
um... okay... "you want milk?"
"OKAY!"
as i'm putting the juice back, "no no no no.... ju"
Grrr
"so you want juice?.. not milk? just juice?"
....
"ju. OKAY!"
So I'm putting the milk back and she smiles at me... "no no no .... mill"
So i said to her, "look... keep this up and I'm mixing them... then who will be smiling? huh? daddy will, that's who."
She looks at me with her frowny face... "no. mill."
and she let me put the juice back and pour her milk.
The end

I'm baaaaack!

2010-01-06T09:19:00.004-06:00

I'm finally shaking the lazy dust off from the holidays. My last day at work was the 28th and I was as lazy as I could be* until this past Monday. ShankRabbit threw a curve ball at me on Friday when he got such a bad headache that he spent all day and night Friday and most of Saturday holed up in our room with the shades drawn and the door shut.
He rarely gets headaches - and never had a migraine before - so I am ordering him to the doctor (under the guise of him needing a physical anyway. If it was an appointment just for this headache he would never go).

* * * * *

It's official - we will be (hopefully**) buying our first home in a couple months. I've been looking at houses online for months now, but this is the real deal. You know, with loan people and real estate agents and such.

So...wish us luck!

* * * * *

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that Peanut is continuing to grow like a weed - both physically and developmentally. My favorite at the moment: she grabs my hand and says " 'mon...go walk?" [translation: C'mon. Let's go for a walk] and leads me to whatever she wants at the moment. 90% of the time it's for a cookie or cracker. Ah, she's so my child.

* * * * *

We're supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow on Thursday. I don't have much money to offer, but I'd be willing to make some awesome baked goods for anyone that would like to shovel / snow blow our driveway for me (ShankRabbit will not be here to do it). Any takers?

* * * * *

Time for coffee, y'all. I'm not making any promises, but I'm hoping my blog posts become a regular thing again. Wouldn't that be nice?
____________________
* - I'm the mom of a toddler. "Lazy" doesn't have the same definition as it did when I was single.
** - I'm sure things will go as planned, but I don't like to assume...lest Fate punches me in the face.

Children's books

2009-12-20T08:04:00.005-06:00

- Part two in my series of favorite things -
(Tangent: Why does Julie Andrews sing about whiskers on kittens? I never understood how that could be a favorite thing...I mean, they're just whiskers. Other animals have them as well. ((sigh)) The pointless things that occupy my brain)

Everyone has a favorite children's book or author. Sometimes from our own childhood, other times from what we read our children.
This post highlights a current favorite in our household (and has been for almost a year now). The pidgeon books by Mo Willems.

We currently own:

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
(I dare you to read this one at bedtime and NOT yawn when the pigeon does)

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!

My one word review of these: hysterical.

There's just something about the way he writes and the emotional expression of the characters that takes the book beyond a kid's story.

Seriously. The next time you are in your local bookstore or library (*ahem* ...we all know how I feel about ours), stop by the children's section and check one of these out.

Perfectly Paper - Handmade Flowers

2009-11-19T15:35:00.001-06:00

I hate to put a disclaimer, but I must: I was in no way compensated/persuaded/asked to do this post. I just wanted to share something amazing with my readers, 'k?

A friend of mine from high school recently started her own business, Perfectly Paper - Handmade Flowers. At first I read her description and thought, "oh, paper flowers...whatev," thinking they'd be something like the tissue paper flowers we used to make in school...but then I took a look at her product and my jaw dropped.

Take a look at this photo and tell me I'm wrong.

I have never seen hand-painted paper roses look so realistic in my entire life. I wish she was doing this three years ago so I could have bought my wedding bouquet from her. The whole reason I didn't go with more flowers for my wedding was because of the waste - you spend a ton of money on something that dies a few days later. And you all know how I feel about things that are handmade!

Take a look at her website or her Etsy site. In addition to the amazing flowers you'll see her new line of greeting cards.

(Seriously...what can't this girl do?)

A series...

2009-11-19T14:52:00.005-06:00

I will be doing a series of posts of people/places/things that I want to highlight for whatever reason.

Why? Just because. My life is not all that exciting right now (get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, spend a little time with the hubby and kid, kid goes to bed, get stuff ready for the next day, go to sleep) and there just so many other things I want to talk about that have nothing to do with my day-to-day life. This is a blog about randomness, right?

So, here it goes. I will post my first random highlight today...like, in 5 minutes. Ready...set...go!

Dust is a good thing, right?

2009-11-05T10:12:00.003-06:00

It comes as no surprise to me that my last post was almost a month ago. The last month has been crazy, lovely, stressful, fun, emotionally trying, tiresome...you know, the usual.

Happenings in our household:

Lots and lots of sickness for everyone
Work. Work. And more work.
Trying to handle the ever-changing mood of Peanut - teeth, major routine change, and missing daddy and mommy create chaos of the unfun variety.
Doubting decisions one minute, then fulling embracing them the next.

I'm hoping to have some Halloween photos posted soon, but the child is having a dance party right now. I never pass up a dance party.

Fall

2009-10-06T14:54:00.010-05:00

There is just something so distracting about fall. Once the air starts getting cooler, I think "oh crap winter is almost here!" and I try to spend as much time outside as I can. This chick was not meant for cold weather (but I suck it up because I don't like the creepy-crawlies you guys got in the south. Give me wind chills and snow any day over a bug bigger than a quarter).

And that is why I haven't been around much. Well, that and booking our lives full of weddings, birthdays, garage sales and other commitments. August and September were a blur.

* * * * *
I will be starting work soon.* I am equal parts excited and frantic right now. I feel like there's so much to do before then. Same crazy feeling I get with the onset of fall, except with more sleepless nights and tension headaches.

In an effort to remain in one piece, I'm exercising my organizational skills. I have collected a bunch of slow cooker recipes** so we won't become regular customers of our local restaurants.
Hmm...that comment may lead one to think that I do all the cooking around here. I really don't - ShankRabbit takes on 95% of the cooking duties (voluntarily, mind you. He loves to do it). So really this recipe preparation is to ensure I don't have to cook after getting home from work. And that I can soak up as much Peanut time as I can before she heads to bed less than 2 hours later. Really, it's something I should have been doing eons ago.

* * * * *
My child is fun. Have I mentioned that before? Yes, there are wonderful moments with a baby and yadda yadda yadda...but now she's such a blast! She may have her dramatic moments of life not being fair (hey, if I can't play hopscotch with the DVDs, neither can you!)...but she's so much fun to be around. We have dance parties and color and cuddle and chase each other around the house. And when all is said and done and she's been tucked in for the night, not more than a couple hours goes by where I find I miss her.

How can you not miss this face?

Note: Give the child food and she'll let you do whatever to her hair.

This was taken at our garage sale last weekend. It's the beginning of October and we've already had to break out the winter coats. ShankRabbit, however, was running around in a cordoroy blazer and/or just his t-shirt. And I'm the one that's been getting sick. Grr...

She understands the concept of smiling for pictures. Here she is saying "cheese!"...or in her words "Theeeeeese!" As you can see she's starting to develop her mom's signature "hooknose" smile - hopefully she doesn't actually have a hooknose later in life. It's not pretty.

_____________________

* I just got word that A (the lady whose maternity leave I'm covering) went into labor early yesterday morning (30+ days early. Yikes!). I really should be starting work NOW, but since I can't leave the child at home, I have to wait until her official first day of daycare. Could you imagine the absolute brain-chaos I'd be experiencing if I had to start right now?

** I sufficiently scoured the CrockPot Lady's archives for yumminess and I could use a few more ideas. Have any recipes to share?

Pie!

2009-09-17T15:30:00.001-05:00

I do not recall ever making a true* pie before. You know - cutting cold butter into flour, making pretty edges on the crust, prepping the filling, etc.
I love a good piece of homemade apple pie, but I would never attempt to make it myself. No culinary desire to do so. Until this past weekend...

I asked ShankRabbit what kind of dessert he would like for his birthday.

"Pecan pie. Man, I LOVE pecan pie," he said, practically drooling.
My look of confusion must have signaled further explanation.
"It's my dad's fault - it's his favorite as well. Wait...you didn't know my favorite pie is pecan?"

I've known this man for 9 years, been married to him for almost 3, and I would have never guessed pecan pie as his favorite. The only pie I've ever seen him consume was pumpkin (this man makes a kick-butt pumpkin pie, I must say).

My first thought was "maybe I could find a pre-made GF pecan pie?" Before you laugh at me, there is a place in Pewaukee known as Molly's Gluten-Free Bakery. They make excellent GF bakery items (I have a great story about this place, but I'll save it for a later post). Unfortunately, I was not within in their 2 day notice time frame and didn't see "pecan pie" on their list...so I was definitely stuck making my own.

If you have never attempted baking something gluten free, try it sometime. It will humble you. Bland and brittle are just two words that describe the majority of my GF baking attempts.

After a lengthy online search, I settled on combining this GF basic pie crust recipe (from Glutenfreeda.com) with this pecan filling recipe (from Pillsbury.com)

So, I was set to make the pie...except there was a catch. We were having dinner with friends (and their parents) that night, so I had to finish baking it there.

...

Did you catch that? Not only was I bringing them a GF pecan pie that I had never tried before, but I had to finish baking it in someone else's kitchen (a.k.a. an oven I was not familiar with).

[Cue minor freak out]

After I calmed down a bit, I figured, "hey, if this pie sucks, at least we'll have a funny story to tell" and I would have a great blog post.

Pie was eventually baked and consumed...with delight. I've never had pecan pie before so I can't give a true comparison, but I can tell you that it did not taste GF at all. It was darn tasty.

There were quite a few people at dinner that night, so the pie servings were pretty small. I decided to make another pecan pie a few days later...you know, to see if I could make it just as good.

My stomach says yes.

____________________
* Our Thanksgiving Pumpkin pies don't count because we use a simple cereal pie crust. Very easy, very yummy.

Homemade refrigerator pickles

2009-08-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a couple weeks since I made my own refrigerator pickles. And I can say, after consuming a few spears, that I am now ready to share with you the recipe I used and my (rather painful) experience.

I love love love pickles (dill, garlic, spicy...I'm game. As long as they are not sweet. Get that crap away from me). I happened upon a beautiful batch at the farmer's market and thought, "hmm...how hard could it be to make my own?" I mustered up some adventurous spirit, grabbed several pickling cucumbers (and fresh dill) and began my recipe search.

I thought this recipe sounded the best for what I wanted - just a simple, easy to prepare dill pickle. I didn't want to mess with all the canning intricacies, so the "refrigerator" version was perfect. After reviewing ingredients, I had almost everything on hand except for mason jars and pickling spice mix (you can buy this pre-made. I thought it would be a safe bet for a first-time pickler).

Easy...right?

Well, the pickling spice mix proved to be an endangered species. According to some knowledgeable pickle-making people, this stuff sells out early in the season and isn't restocked in the grocery stores.

Alright, a little bump in the road but nothing I couldn't handle. I would make my own spice mix (as provided in the recipe) and go from there.

On a warm, Wednesday afternoon, after putting Peanut down for her nap (both important points to the story), I got to work. Here is the recipe in its entirety (my comments are in red italics).

Refrigerator Pickle Spice Mix Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
½ cup sugar
½ cup kosher salt
⅔ cup fresh dill weed (packed tight)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon peppercorns

Combine the spices together just before making pickles.

Refrigerator Pickle Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
3 cups white vinegar
Pickling spice mix listed above

Sterilize your pickle jars by boiling them in hot water for 10 minutes.
I ran the jars and their lids through the dishwasher. This seemed to work just fine for my purposes.

Wash the cucumbers, and then soak them in an ice water bath for two hours.
Not wanting to wait 2 whole hours, I buried them in a lot of ice - and a little water - and cut the time down to one hour. After two hours of soaking, slice the pickles into either quarters or in slices, depending on how you like them. I wasn't sure which to go with, so I did a couple whole pickles, some spears and some slices. All in all, a total of 5 (big) pickles.

Bring 3 cups of vinegar to a slow boil in a glass or coated metal pot (do not use a metal pot, as it will react with the vinegar) and add spice mix listed above. Mix well.
It was a warm day, so the A/C was on. What does this mean? A/C on, windows closed...and dear jebus, it was the wrong thing to do. If you learn anything from me ever in your life, please note that VENTILATION IS ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND. Boiling vinegar is one thing, but adding mustard seeds, peppercorns and dill...Instant.Searing. Eye. Pain. It's like chopping up a fresh onion - except you pour the onion juice directly into your eyes. Yeah...that kind of pain.
And Peanut was sound asleep and far away from the toxic fumes. So, no worries there.

Pack the cucumbers into the jars as tightly as you can (yes, pack 'em in there as best you can. They will float), and then pour the simmering pickling mix into the jars on top of the pickles. Cover the jars, and let the jars rest for a few hours, until the pickles reach room temperature. Then, put them in the refrigerator, and leave them for one week before eating them. I'm very impatient and didn't think I'd make it a whole week without cracking a jar open, but by Saturday I had forgotten all about them. It wasn't until the next Thursday that I remembered and ran to our spare fridge to try them out. See what happens when a Mom Of Very Little Memory makes pickles?

(sorry about photo quality...taken with my cell phone)

(and that dark spot is a big hunk of dill. I think next time I'll put that part in the jar first, then the pickles)

* * * * *

I am stating for the record that I could have made some mistakes while prepping this batch. Heck, I was half-blind most of the day. So, you may get an entirely different type of pickle out of this recipe. Who knows. But I will say my batch are not mild pickles. Fortunately, I like the sour punch-you-in-the-face flavor these pickles have, so it all turned out OK for me.

Thank you, Chex

2009-08-27T11:57:00.006-05:00

I am in the process of writing up a recipe post about homemade refrigerator pickles (for those that follow me on twitter, this is old news). In the meantime, I thought I'd share a picture of what I woke up to yesterday morning:

8 boxes of Chex cereal (8th one not pictured as it is on the counter, already opened).

Why do we have so many boxes?

1. Buy 8 boxes of General Mills cereal, get $10 off and 2 coupons for free gallons of milk ($3.25 value each).
2. Up until recently, only their Rice Chex were gluten free. Now, they offer Honey Nut, Chocolate, and Strawberry Chex...all gluten free. For my husband who is stuck eating bland cereal all the time*, this is a major breakthrough.

So, we'll be eating a lot of cereal in the days to come (I've been told that a bowl of Chocolate Chex makes a nice dessert option).

___________________

* Yes, there are flavorful gluten-free options out there for cereal, but they require a trip to the health food store and cost more. It's nice to have a mainstream option.

Vent...AHOY!

2009-08-20T15:26:00.005-05:00

There's nothing I want more than to vent about the experience I just had and name names. But a) I don't want to get involved in some crazy defamation lawsuit and b)I don't feel I should give them free press (even if it is bad). So, here is my experience with a certain car facility whose repair shop we use because it is part of our warranty.

I just spent 2 hours waiting for a car repair. 2 hours for something they told me would take 30-45 minutes. 2 hours of waiting for the lone technician to come back from lunch (a half hour after my appt time), take the 30 minutes to replace the damaged seatbelt, and then wait for our warranty's approval...and approval I ALREADY spent 2 hours waiting for a few weeks ago. So, for those keeping score, that's 4 hours invested in a repair that took all of 30 minutes.

I won't fault the technician. He was the only one into today (the other called off) and he had a repair that ran late, hence the late lunch. I've been in a similar situation at work before. Totally cool. But for Pete's sake, how hard is it for someone to make a quick phone call to me and say, "hey...we know you have a 1pm appointment, but here's what's going on." Give me the opportunity to reschedule.
No...the receptionist says, "I didn't know that the mechanic went on lunch until just now...[blah de blah explains the situation] so I don't expect him back until closer to 2pm." Did I mention I had been waiting for quite a bit at this point?

I am partly at fault for not voicing my anger at the wait the first time. Maybe they just didn't understand how upsetting it is to sit around a waiting room with a 1.5 year old to be told "yep, it's covered under the warranty. Let's get the part ordered and have you come back in."

Why, I ask, did I have to sit there to be told it was going to be approved? Doesn't anyone know how to use a telephone?!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

A few weeks goes by, anger subsides. I am quickly reintroduced to Anger today when I am told (after noticing my car sitting in front of the window all by its lonesome - a good 30 minutes after I was told the technician would start working on it) the repair is done...but now they are waiting on an approval from the warranty company so they can close the ticket.

You have got to be kidding me.

I think my aura of Anger must have carried over to the other workers, because along comes Mr. Consultant...giving me an "update." I use that term loosely because not more than 5 minutes before I went to the receptionist myself to figure out why my car was sitting there and I couldn't take it home.

It is now nearing the 2 hour mark. I am about to raise a good deal of hell in this place. I've done all I can to entertain and feed the child, but there is no denying she is well overdue for a nap. I just want to pay and go home.

Finally, Mr. Consultant calls me over and says that he'll settle up my bill for me with a manual receipt...since, you know, I had been waiting there for so long and they had already received the approval once before.

Ok...hang on a second. You mean to tell me you could have done this manual receipt an HOUR ago?!

[I swear I felt steam shoot out of my ears]

Upon discussing my displeasure with this whole situation, Mr. Consultant tries to justify today's wait with "well, if we don't get the approval, the mechanic doesn't get paid."

YOU.ALREADY.GOT.THE.APPROVAL! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

* * * * *

OK.

I'm done.

I'm home, child is napping, and I'm listening to the soothing sounds of Joshua Radin.

Serenity NOW!

Ridin' the waves...

2009-08-18T14:21:00.004-05:00

I'm usually one who embraces change. However, this time around the change that is happening is huge and throws my head into an angry sea of mixed emotions. And when my brain is swimming, I need to talk...or blog.

After taking the first 3 months of Peanut's life just to be with her, I returned to the work force part-time. Once Christmas hit (and with that, our awesome childcare) we decided I should be the stay-at-home parent.

Now, after nearly a year of 24/7 mom time, I will be working outside of the home again - full time (ok, so it's not 100% definite yet, but it's pretty close). If it weren't for the specific opportunity I've been presented, I wouldn't have given it a thought...so don't think this is something we HAVE to do.

Peanut is a toddler now. She is growing increasingly independent, she loves being social and would benefit from a group setting. Also, ShankRabbit will be dropping her off and picking her up from daycare each day, so she will get a lot more one-on-one time with daddy, which is awesome.

There are just so many positives to this new situation that the "other stuff" seems so insignificant...but they are still there. I won't even list them because I don't want to dwell.

((sigh))

I just have to come to grips with letting my "baby" go...letting her grow and develop into the lovely child she is quickly becoming. Just yesterday she learned how to carefully dip her french fry in ketchup and take a bite (after a few rounds of just licking the ketchup off, she figured it out). We visited a potential daycare facility this afternoon and she was there only 5 minutes before she wanted nothing to do with us and ran off to play with the toys and other kids.

It's hard for me, but I think when all is said and done I'll be more happy than sad.

* * * * *

In other big news, our best friends (one of which was Peanut's nanny for a while) are moving 6 hours away in a couple weeks. My thoughts? LALALALALALALALA...I CAN'T HEAR YOU! Yeah, I'm taking the adult approach to this other big change...

Random stuff

2009-08-13T14:29:00.004-05:00

I'm all hopped up on productivity, so I thought I'd write a blog post (no, my BFF is not instructing me to write a post...nope, not at all)

First, I'd like to tell you all about the beautiful start to my morning. In half-consciousness, I hear a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP (annoying yet? Because it sure was annoying the heck out of me). First thought - am I dreaming? No. Second thought - phone alarm? I certainly didn't set one and it was just after 7am - too early for ShankRabbit to wake up. Third thought - Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detector? Ohholyjebus, I'M AWAKE I'M AWAKE! Turns out, that wasn't the source. There's nothing like a little jolt of adrenaline to get your butt out of bed.

After about an ETERNITY (morning speak for 2 minutes or so), the beeping stopped. Followed shortly thereafter by the sweet, dulcet tones of a jackhammer.
(I later figured out that the beeping must have been the reversing sound of their work truck.)

This was all forgiven when I spied the guy manning the jackhammer do Michael Jackson-like moves trying to evade a bee. Quite comical.

After dropping the dear husband off at work, I took the long way to get on the highway. I wait at the light for it to turn green. I proceed into the intersection, ready to make a left hand turn, and I am greeted with the sounds of screeching tires and smoke to my left. Apparently, Mr. Pays-no-attention-to-the-road was about to speed right on through the red light...right into my van (well, technically, he would clipped the back end of a different car first, then me). I was very proud that the only thing to come out of my mouth was a very loud "OH CRAP!" I tend to go for more, uh...colorful words in the car.

Although my morning is not something I'd like to recreate, I'm more awake now that if I drank a whole pot of coffee. Let's give it up for adrenaline!

* * * * *

Joshua Radin just came up on my Pandora station. I'm happy-dancing in my seat right now.

* * * * *

I took Peanut to the Westown farmer's market yesterday. In addition to chasing pigeons and stopping to watch a juggler perform, she got a chance to bust-a-move to some live music. It was a lot more fun of a farmer's market than I'm used to - though my usual stop has more of a selection.
If it wasn't for the sticky heat and evil eyes from other mommys (apparently I was sitting a little too close to this mommy-groupmember's unmanned stroller. Hey lady, if you're going whisper and shoot glares for getting too close to your purse, then here's a thought: put it over your freaking shoulder and not hanging off the handle of your stroller! Didn't anyone ever tell you that if you make that face too much it might stay that way? Perpetually angry gofer is not a good look on you), we would have stayed longer.

* * * * *

Big, big changes around the corner. Lots of stuff to think about that I'm sure I'll share with you all soon.

Definitions from a Catholic dictionary

2009-08-11T12:39:00.005-05:00

I'm going to bypass an actual "what I've been up to" post, because...well, there is an office/workspace to be cleaned with my name on it. And if I don't clean the space, I can't sew. And I'm so excited about my next projects I literally skipped to the car after purchasing the necessary tools. Fortunately, I could pass the skipping off as "entertaining my daughter" so I didn't look so much like a freak. You know, more than normal.

So, in honor of bypassing a real update, I thought I'd share a little religious humor I found in an old email-

Definitions from a Catholic Dictionary

Amen: The only part of a prayer that everyone knows
Bulletin: Your receipt for attending Mass
Hymn: A song of praise, usually sung in a key three octaves higher than that of the congregation's range
Choir: A group of people whose singing allows the rest of the congregation to lip-sync
Holy Water: A liquid whose chemical composition is H2OLY
Incense: Holy smoke!
Jesuits: An order of priests known for their ability to find colleges with good basketball teams
Jonah: The original "JAWS" story
Justice: When kids have kids of their own
Kyrie: The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognize besides gyros and baklava
Magi: The most famous trio to attend a baby shower
Manger:
1. Where Mary gave birth to Jesus because Joseph wasn't covered by an HMO
2. The Bible's way of showing us that holiday travel has always been rough
Pew: A medieval torture device still found in Catholic churches
Procession: The ceremonial formation at the beginning of Mass consisting of altar servers, the celebrant, and the late parishioners looking for seats
Recessional: The ceremonial procession at the conclusion of Mass - led by parishioners trying to beat the crowd to the parking lot
Recessional Hymn: The last song at Mass, often sung a little more quietly, since most of the people have already left
Relics: People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually know when to sit, kneel and stand without prompt
Ten Commandments: The most important Top Ten list not given by David Letterman
Ushers: the only people in the parish who don't know the seating capacity of a pew

It's all about perspective

2009-07-31T16:37:00.004-05:00

Our 15 month checkup for Peanut was rather uneventful. Yeah, she got a few shots at the end, but nothing her binky and a sticker couldn't soothe.
(and for those interested in her percentile range, it goes as follows - weight: 75%, height: 80%, head circumference: 95-97%...all still trending the same as it did when she was 2 months old. We gots a big kid!)

As I was sitting with the doctor discussing her current milestones, Peanut ran around the exam room, chatting away. She stopped me at one point and asked, "how many words does she know?! I think I've heard at least half a dozen!" I said, "I guess we've never really counted them before...uh [trying to think quickly] 15-20, maybe? Who knows." She responded with "wow, we expect about 3-5 words at this point. So, I don't think I need to tell you that she's doing really well. She's at a 2 year old level with her vocabulary."

Now, I am not saying this to rub it in anyone's face. I had to share this because...well, before this appointment we were a little concerned about her vocabulary. Not enough to send up red flags, but we thought she should be farther along. We had no idea where a 15 month old was supposed to "be" as we don't read those milestone charts you are bombarded with when you have a kid. We know if there was anything to be concerned about, the pediatrician would be quick to let us know.

Once this was brought to my attention, I started thinking about our daily interactions. And it hit me - she really does talk a lot (with and without purpose. She still babbles like the crazy cat lady on the Simpsons, but uses words all the time). A few examples:

While running around the house, "Da Daaaa! Weh are yoooou?"
When asked what she would like for lunch, "Hmmm...(goes to fridge and waits for you to open it up) - hot dog!"
Upon hearing a crying baby down the hall in the doctor's office: "Awww, baby..."
My personal favorite: When she wants up, she'll say "up!" When she wants down, she'll say, "up down!"

We have full conversations. She tells me what she wants and doesn't want. She understands what we tell her and will respond accordingly.

When you live it everyday, you just don't notice...

I need sewing help!

2009-07-29T14:37:00.002-05:00

Ok, I'm bringing my request to the masses...maybe you (or someone you know) can answer?

As you know, I have a very basic (but very nice) Kenmore Mini Ultra. And I'm asking it to do a very simple task: sew on knit and jersey fabrics.

My sewing machine does not like it. AT ALL. It skips stitches, eats the fabric, moans like a dying whale...

I have tried every goshdarned combination of solutions to (what seems like) a very simple problem - ball point needles, changing tension, interfacing, synthetic thread...nothing is working.

Can anyone help?

I get it...I'm not a young'un anymore

2009-07-28T12:03:00.006-05:00

I went out last night. Normally, not something I would consider notable...except when I go out in Chicago. At 9:30pm. And lose track of time. And have to drive home afterward.

I'm exhausted, but surprisingly alert. I hope to have a ~~big freakin' nap~~ post up later detailing the events of last night.

Oh, in addition to my obvious sleep deprivation, Peanut has a doctor's appointment today and will receive her 15 month shots (shot? Shots? I'm not sure how many. All I know is that MMR is on the list. Fun times). For the first time in her life, daddy won't be there to ~~hold her down~~ hold her hand while she gets her shots. That part will be played by the understudy - me.

And here we go...

A question

2009-07-24T11:16:00.004-05:00

Short and simple:

For the last couple years, ShankRabbit's shaving cream came from H2O+ (the body butter is amazing! Works well to curb pregnancy itchy skin). This was the only product that did not irritate his sensitive skin (and it smelled good - an important factor for me). Sadly, they have discontinued this product...so we are on the search again.

Do you have any recommendations? Preferably something that costs less than a lobotomy.

Thanks!

Random Wednesday

2009-07-22T11:32:00.007-05:00

The past few weeks have been...life.
I don't know how else to describe them other that. There have been ups (how can you not enjoy a perfect sunny day?), there have been downs...but that's life. You know?

* * * * *
I woke up this morning to the wonderful sounds of Peanut who, upon seeing me round the corner, took out her binky just long enough to sign for "food." A whole banana, a piece of toast, and half a bowl of cereal (adult-size...as this was originally my breakfast) later, she was finally full. A mere 2 hours later, she wanted a snack. Hmm...can we say growth spurt?

* * * * *
I wrote up a post about someone I was not very happy with...but in the end, decided not to publish it (I'm certainly glad I got it out...even if no one will read it). Since I don't want to leave you wondering who is ruffling my feathers (it's not an easy feat), I will share this little bit with my readers...
My father's side of the family INVENTED manipulation and guilt trips. I can hear one comin' a mile away. So, if your intention is to have me emotionally check-out with you and doubt your words/actions, then by all means...send one my way. I'll point to center field and knock it out of the park every time.

* * * * *
I had very painful deja-vu this morning. I was just sitting on our couch, sipping my coffee, watching Sesame Street with Peanut when I shifted my position ever-so-slightly - resulting in throwing out my neck/back. Again. Same time of day, same situation, same debilitating pain.

* * * * *
To all the people getting ready for BlogHer: I wish everyone good weather and safe travels.

A word tour of our home

2009-07-17T15:23:00.005-05:00

"Hi, welcome to our home! We're so glad you could join us. Here, let me take your coat.
If you would, please leave your shoes by the door. It's not that we're clean freaks - Peanut loves to eat soil and any interesting finds on the floor. Thanks.

Would you like a tour?

This is our living room. No, we do not decorate with Tupperware containers and measuring spoons. Our child just loves to play with those. Be mindful of where you sit - you don't want a kitchen utensil where the sun don't shine! Hahahaha...heh...wooo...moving on.

This would be our dining room. I know that most dining rooms have...oh, what do you call it...furniture in them. But we're minimalists. We like to think the absence of furniture in here will make our house seem bigger. In reality, it provides more floor space for Peanut to leave her toys. And for us to have dance parties. Who needs to eat?

And now we have made our way into the kitchen. We spend most of our time in this room, as you can see by the dishes and stuff on the counter.
Isn't our fridge "festive?" Peanut loves to decorate the fridge with handprints and slobber. Oh, and take note of which letters of the alphabet are on the fridge - the other 22 will be underfoot during this tour. Think of it like a scavenger hunt!

We can skip our rooms and the bathroom. The only thing of interest in any of those is our family photo - which can be found on the floor of the bathroom. Our daughter has quite the design sense, doesn't she?

Oh, you're leaving so soon? But you haven't seen our toy-riddled TV room yet! Well, if you must, you must...

Thanks for stopping by! "

A cop out

2009-07-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's not that I've been lacking material for blogging, I just lack the motivation. I get 1/2-3/4 of the way through a post and I put it on the shelf for later. I run out of steam and can't seem to get the post right where I want it.

So, while I've spent the last hour technically blogging, you are going to get this meme post ...because it's a heck of a lot more interesting than the drivel I just wrote. Trust me.

Movie Meme

1. A movie that made you laugh: The first one off the top of my head would be Drop Dead Gorgeous. Stupid, yes...but funny.

2. A movie that made you cry: So, so many...but again, the first to come to mind is What Dreams May Come. I think I cried from beginning to end.

3. A movie you loved when you were a child: The Little Mermaid. I used to watch the VHS tape at least 4 times a day when I was little. Kids these days don't know what it's like to wait for something to rewind. Excruciating for an 8 year old, I tell ya.

4. A movie you’ve seen more than once: A lot.

5. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it: Oy. George of the Jungle (with Brendan Frasier). Mostly because of this dance scene (starts at about 5:10 into the clip). If you're not into seeing half-naked dancing men...then don't click.

6. One movie you hated: I can't think of any that I said I absolutely hated...maybe Mr. Wrong. That was just weird.

7. One movie that scared you: The Grudge. I hate scary movies. I don't know what I was thinking.

8. One movie that bored you: Darjeeling Limited. We turned it off about a third of the way through the movie. Apparently, we stopped it just as it was getting good. I have yet to try this movie again.

9. One movie that made you happy: Enchanted

10. One movie that made you miserable: Well, any movie that makes me cry a majority of the time will do that (see answer to number 2). Although there was a movie I didn't make it through because I was an emotional wreck - Fluke.

11. One movie you weren’t brave enough to see: 90% of scary movies

12. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with: I can't say I've fallen in love with a character. There are times I get so swept up in a performance that I care about them for the couple of hours they are on my screen, but no "falling in love."

13. The last movie you saw: ((checking netflix history)) That would be Forgetting Sarah Marshall. A lot funnier than anticipated.

14. The next movie you hope to see: the newest Harry Potter

How nature made me cry

2009-07-10T09:00:00.001-05:00

The minivan story will be up soon...I have to wait for someone *cough, cough* ShankRabbit *cough* to finish writing. In the meantime, here is my story about nature:

It was a typical Wednesday. I had just dropped off ShankRabbit at work, and Peanut and I were heading back home. A few miles away from the house I remembered that I wanted to stop by the bank. I decided to take Highway 100 all the way there (for those non-Milwaukeeans, Hwy 100 is a six lane road. Fairly busy any time of the day). Oddly, not a lot of traffic on the road, "Cool!" I thought. As we were coming up over a bridge, I notice a few cars had stopped or slowed down. I then spied a mother duck and her (8-10?) ducklings crossing the road. They were already in the far right lane (and I was in the middle) so I was able to pass them with no incident. But, my heart got the better of me and I pulled into the right lane, just ahead of them, and turned on my blinkers. A guy in a pick-up truck did the same thing, only he stayed behind the group. So, between our two vehicles, the ducks would be safe.

There was only one other problem - about 5 of the ducklings were unable to make the jump from the road up to the sidewalk. I got out and tried to offer them a makeshift ramp (a book I found in the car), but they were too scared of me. So, I sat in my car and waited. It took about 5 minutes, but they found a crack in the curb they could leap through, rejoining their mother and the other ducklings. SUCCESS! Now, they were all safely on the sidewalk, but next to a (typically) really busy road, about to head over a large bridge. Oy.

Knowing that this mama duck was looking for a nearby water source (and not knowing how close that would be, or how many other streets she'd have to cross) I called the Wisconsin Humane Society's wildlife rescue department and explained the situation. They agreed to look into it.

Now, you're probably thinking, "how did this make you cry?"

Well, just as I was about to leave the spot where I stopped (thank goodness traffic was fairly non-existent), I noticed something in the middle of the road - a duckling that wasn't quite fast enough for traffic, lying in the middle of the street. Mutilated by the continual passing of cars.

Something about seeing that dead duckling, after helping the others, just made my heart sink.

Thanks nature, for making me cry.

Patience

2009-07-02T17:09:00.003-05:00

I am working on a new blog layout, so in the meantime you may see some wonky lookin' stuff. Sorry.

(and let me state for the record that I hate all the unnecessary spacing Blogger adds above and below photos. Ugh!)

DIY car seat strap covers

2009-07-01T20:59:00.025-05:00

My child has a wonderful car seat. Unfortunately, the straps irritate the side of her neck when she falls asleep (especially if she's wearing a tank top or short sleeve shirt). I knew I needed to do something before we spend 6+ hours in the car on Friday.

Now, some brilliant person has already created the concept of the "car seat strap cover," but what fun is buying some when you can make your own?

Here are my instructions on how to Make Your Own Car Seat Strap Covers
I apologize ahead of time for some of the photos...my camera battery died in the middle of production and I had to use my phone for the rest.

You will need:
fabric - I chose a soft "minky" fabric for the outside and a plain ol' boring cotton fabric for the inside.
Velcro
(optional) Batting or some other stuffing-type material (polyfil, cotton, scrap fabric, the neighbor's cat...)

1. Measure your car seat straps above the clip, length and width (IMPORTANT: be sure the clip is in the appropriate place your child wears it. You do not want the cover impeding the proper use of the car seat straps).

My strap width was about 1.75" - I rounded this up to 2" (I call this the "Isabella factor" - gives me room to make a mistake with no real harm to the project) and added an extra inch to accommodate the Velcro.

On the length - I added only a 1/2" to accommodate the seams (no room for error on this one - yipe!)

No, I did not embroider some weird arrow motif on her seat belt. Those arrows indicate where to measure.

2. If your fabric has an obvious directionality (like this ~~godforsaken~~ lovely choice I made), decide which way you want it to lay as a final product. Also, it is a good idea to do test runs on a scrap piece of fabric to figure out the correct tension for this project (if your machine does this automatically...then I hate you).

3. Cut out 2 pieces of the cover fabric and 2 pieces of the underside fabric.

See that pizza cutter-looking thing? That's my new rotary cutter. *swoon*

4. Pin fabric, right sides together and sew, leaving an opening on one side (for turning).

Who uses a white pin on white fabric? Really...

5. Clip the corners (it will make the corners less clumpy) and turn your fabric right side out.

Now, onto velcro...

6a. Attach Velcro pieces to each of the long sides (on the underside fabric).

To each his own when it comes to exactly how to attach the Velcro...if you've got a tried and true way to do it, then go for it. I personally did a basting stitch down the middle (red arrow) then went back and stitched around the outside (removing the basting afterward).

Note: I decided to put the Velcro in such a way so when closed it would be more like a clam-shell around the belt and not looped around to the underside of the belt. I didn't want unnecessary bulk under the belt, both for safety and comfort reasons.

Ah, my seam ripper. We have such a love-hate relationship, as you will see later on.

6b. Remember when I told you to do a scrap test for tension? Well, I didn't (do as I say, not as I do). It took three tries and a lot of hand cranking to get that ~~friggin'~~ lovely Velcro attached to the project.

(Behold! The Blur of Frustration!)

(Everyone, this is Betty. Betty - everyone)

6c. Don't get in a fight with your seam ripper. He will always win.

Ow.

7. Originally, I decided against doing any kind of filling because the fabric was plush enough not to need it. However, I thought a thin layer of batting might make things a little more comfy for the slumbering child. So, this part is completely optional - especially if you are using a wonderfully soft, plush fabric for the outside.

Note: I did not secure the batting to the project in any way. Yes, I realize the "afterthought" batting will eventually shift and clump after washing a few times. I can always open it up, replace it, and tack it down in some way. No biggie.
(Eeeew. My nails look gross. Gotta do something about that...)

8. Stitch the openings closed.

9. Hey look...the *grumble, grumble* Velcro works!

10. All done and ready to use!

A preview of posts to come

2009-07-01T19:32:00.003-05:00

A list is needed. There is just so much ready to come flying out of my brain:

- A tutorial (of sorts) on car seat strap covers

- How aesthetics ruined my wrist forever

- People and their words (or - How a Punch in the Face Wouldn't Be Enough...)

- My true thoughts on having another one

Tools of the trade

2009-06-29T12:13:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to formulate a complete thought about my new purchase, but it keeps coming out like...

OMGI'mflippin'excitedgotnewsewingtoolsWEEEEE!

Translation: Went to the fabric store yesterday. Got a rotary cutter, mat and ruler. It's a relatively inexpensive purchase, but it makes such a difference. Seriously. I don't know why I didn't get one sooner.

Ahhh...I love it.

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm buried under a pile of perfectly cut pieces of fabric (or I've been horribly injured in a drinking-and-quilting accident...which is more plausible).

Something has been bothering me

2009-06-28T05:00:00.001-05:00

When I first created this blog, I made the decision to allow "anonymous" comments. My thinking was that anyone (in particular family and friends) could leave comments on my blog posts without having to create a Google account, if they didn't already have one. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. The couple of anonymous (which I shall keep in quotes because, really... you are never anonymous online) comments I have received were from people who felt it necessary to spew their ignorance on my site. So, even though ShankRabbit loves responding to these "anonymous" comments (and I loved reading it), I've decided to get rid of this option.

So, in a completely related tangent/rant, here I go...

If you are going to make a comment - whether online or in real life -

Own what you say

Plain and simple.

Some additional thoughts:

- I welcome other people's opinions. Many times I learn a great deal about the topic at hand through the other person's words...other times I discover more about my side of the argument. All I ask is for you to be educated about what you say - do your homework.

- I hate the phrase "no offense." Plain and simple: If you didn't mean it, you wouldn't have said it. And if you inadvertently offended someone with your words: a) apologize and b) choose your words better next time.

phew.

That feels better. Now, onward!

That is one ugly rainbow

2009-06-27T08:30:00.001-05:00

It may not be pretty, but it's true...
(thank you for sharing the link, Scriptor Senex)

Your rainbow is intensely shaded brown, yellow, and white.

What is says about you: You are a deep thinking person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure. You're good at getting people to like you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Cake or death?

2009-06-26T14:04:00.005-05:00

I've talked before about my general dislike for any kind of bug in the house. We had our issue with spiders, silverfish (though, if it's anything like last summer, this will only get worse), and the occasional odd bug here and there. It's an old house, what can ya do?

My husband, the keeper of my sanity and "do it yourself-er" extraordinaire, got a pest control product for me us last weekend. We have yet to try it out, but I'll let you know how it works.

So, while I'm daydreaming about someday being able to relax in our TV room and not have a silverfish fall on me (ew. ew. EW!), I notice a strange dead spot in the landscaping on the side of the house. At first we thought it was damaged from the bad rainstorm we had a week or so ago, but upon further inspection, it's an ant colony. A LARGE ant colony.

After surveying the rest of the property (it's not big, so it didn't take long), we noticed at least three other areas of the yard where the little buggers have destroyed the grass and set up shop.

Now, I've said before that I don't mind bugs when they stay on their own turf (read: outside)...but this is excessive. They are destroying the lawn and creating more work for me in trying to keep Peanut from smashing and playing with ants (good thing she hasn't taken to eating them...yet...).

I asked the Google gods how I could get rid of an ant problem without going chemical-crazy. Of course, it returned a lot of answers. I'm not sure how effective these are, but here are a couple I found interesting:

- Sprinkle grits or Cream of Wheat around their colony. They will eat it and eventually die of starvation (it expands and they can't digest it).

- Pour a few gallons of boiling water directly over the colony.

Geez. I'm not trying to extract top secret information from them; I just want them to leave. Do I have to resort to torture?

I know, I know, they are just ants. But doesn't this seem...extreme? I guess it's better than sprinkling chemical death on their abode. And I'm sure politely asking them to take their business elsewhere won't work either. Though, maybe if I asked the queen herself...

Quick Thursday Update

2009-06-25T14:25:00.003-05:00

Me - still injured
Daughter - napping
Husband - working from home (because of injured wife)

I'll update more when I can move a bit more.

I spoke too soon

2009-06-24T10:45:00.004-05:00

How many times have you said or thought:

I spoke too soon...

Situations like this happen WAY too often for me.

Case in point: I posted a picture on Twitter of my wrist brace with the statement "how I spell relief" (old repetitive motion injury + caring for 2 children yesterday = P.A.I.N.). I was sitting in our TV room thinking how wonderful this new wrist brace is and how I am feeling pretty good today (even with a crappy night of sleep). And here is where the phrase comes in...

because at that very moment, after merely shifting my position on the couch, I wrenched my neck so bad that I crumbled to the floor. The pain began at the base of my skull and radiated down my arm (of course the same one with the wrist brace on it...because the wrist issue wasn't enough already).

After ~~the tears subsided~~ a couple minutes, I called the "King of All Remedies" (also known as ShankRabbit) and asked him what I should do to fix this. He gave me a list of things to do and told me to call him if it doesn't get any better.

So here I sit - well-stretched, medicated, hydrated, 'vitamined' with a heating pad on my neck.

And I'm going to keep my mouth shut.

____________________________

And this footnote is for the brother-in-law: please shower your wife with thanks from me. The homemade heating pad she gave me for Christmas is my new best friend.

Maybe my thumb isn't so green after all...

2009-06-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ugh.

Remember this post where I updated you on the progress of my first attempt with growing herbs? I was hopeful, excited, proud...

Well, I'm sad to say they all bit the dust. The first to go was the oregano (well, it was never really there) followed closely by the basil. I even bought another envelope of basil seeds and tried again. No go.
Today, I decided to toss in the towel on the cilantro and chives. There are sprouts, but they didn't get much farther than that.

Chives - they want to go back in the soil

Emo cilantro

Maybe I should just visit our local farmer's market and get seedlings. That way I'm only responsible for keeping it alive...no seed work required.

It's what you say...

2009-06-18T11:58:00.007-05:00

I was lying in bed, wide awake, listening to the hacking sounds of my husband. I had several thoughts cross my mind -

It's been well over a week and this cough isn't getting any better. I know he's a stubborn butthead and thinks his immune system will work this one out, but it's taking too long. It's 5am and I want to go back to sleep. Should I say something? He's due for a physical anyway. It's really important I word what I say in just the * right * way. Saying "GO TO THE DOCTOR ALREADY!" might come off as harsh. Hmm...

I mulled over my exact words for at least 15 minutes (remember, it's 5am. I'm not too bright this early in the morning).

I lean over and gently rub his back. Then I say, "Babe, I love you..."

((awww))

"...but your coughing is annoying. Please go to the doctor."

Eh? Pretty good, huh?

Moral of the story: If you say something nice, throwing a "but" in the sentence negates the niceness. Or so I'm told.
____________________

This led to him feeling guilty for being sick and acting snarky and slightly defensive this morning. Hmm...wonder why.
Though, he did agree to go to the doctor...just to shut me up.

Hair

2009-06-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

For those that don't follow me on Twitter (if you don't, just do it already - I'll even provide the link to make it easy on you. Here ya go!), you may not have heard about Peanut's "nap hair."

Our child started off with a basic fuzzhead. Observe:

It took shape as a beautiful, naturally swooped 'do:

We thought for sure her hair would be sparse for a long time, but out of nowhere her hair started to grow. A lot. We've now got a crazy little mane going...and you know what? I adore it! The best part is what we call her "nap hair."

Recipe for hair goodness: add one tablespoon of heatbox child to a heap of crazy sleep antics. Let bake for 2-3 hours. Voila!

I am not amused.

Now, at first I was calling her "Flock of Seagulls" girl. But, after reviewing their photos, like this one...

I realize I did not do my daughter's hair justice. It would be better described as the lovechild of Rick Astley and Lyle Lovett's hair. Am I wrong?

Or all three? ((shudder))

And what does mom do when Peanut wants to drape a scarf on her head? Tie it on and take pictures, of course!

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match..."

I just have to get this off my chest

2009-06-17T13:37:00.005-05:00

If you are not in the mood for a ranty, crazy post...then you can skip this.

Rant in the first:

I was just about to read Peanut a book before nap time when my cell phone rings. Some Chicago number I didn't recognize popped up...so I decided to ignore it and continue on with the naptime routine. Just as I'm putting Peanut in her crib, my cell rings again. Same number. I run out of the bedroom to answer it.

It is a general rule in our family that if you call 2 or more times in a row, it's really important.

Caller: "Hi, this is Lola from [some weird company name having to do with products]. Is this Stitch?"
Me: "Um, no...you have the wrong number."
Caller: "Is this [recites phone number]."
Me: "Yes, but I'm not Stitch."
Caller: "OK then. Good bye."

After I hang up the phone, I notice I have a new voicemail. Lo and behold, Lola left a message...for Stitch.

So, not only did Lola not listen to the voicemail greeting (where I clearly state my name) but she proceeded to call right back to see if I would pick up.

Normally, not an issue...except when my child is about to go down from a nap and the sound of my cell phone makes her jump up (she thinks daddy is calling).

Rant in the second:

I could go on for pages about my beef with "stupid drivers." Be thankful that I am sparing you from this. I will only touch on what's bothering me right now -

1. If you are in the left lane of a multi-lane freeway and are not paying attention to where you need to exit...please don't cut off three (busy) lanes of traffic because you are friggin' idiots (yes, plural. More than one person decided to do this in front of me today). I have a child in the car and God help you if you hit me.

2. Solid white lines in a construction area mean STAY IN YOUR LANE, DUMB@SS!

[photo (minus text) courtesy of Washington State Dept. of Transportation]

Rant in the third:

If you, the cashier, are ringing up my items and I tell you that something you just scanned was incorrect according to the sale display...DO NOT show me the price tag and say, "but the price tag says $5." Yes, genius...I saw that. But the 10-foot ad above it said $3.50. To further solidify why you are employee of the month, you gave me one heck of a look and an audible sigh after asking "do you want me to have someone check that price for you?" and I said yes (let me add, the store was dead). You don't even have to move from your station. You flip a switch, someone comes over and checks on the item for you.
Really?
Save the 'tude for someone else.

((sigh))

Thank you for letting me get that out. I've been having a great day, but there are just some people...

I can't call it "giving up"

2009-06-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

For those that don't know me, I can be one stubborn sonofa' (shut yo' mouth!).

The term "give up" doesn't enter my vocabulary.* Ever. It just doesn't.

So, while loading Peanut into her carseat on Tuesday after our last stop in the "errand" train (drop ShankRabbit off at work, return CDs to library, mail project #2 for Craft Hope and the recall pieces), I happened to glance down at what I was wearing - baseball cap, glasses, no makeup, old t-shirt, my red "Guard" hoodie, jeans (the ones with the safety-pinned zipper) and beat-up flip flops. That's when it really hit me. I won't call it "giving up" as a) I don't use that term, remember? and b) I still have some clothing standards (e.g. I will never leave the house in pajama pants)...but...I've fallen into frumpydom.

When I was pregnant...heck, well before that even, I swore to myself this wouldn't happen. I was never a fashionista, but I made sure I was somewhat presentable on a daily basis. Now...well, now I'm just kind of "meh" looking.

ShankRabbit and I had a pretty good discussion about this. And we came to the conclusion that I'm not necessarily clueless about how to dress well, I just don't have the items to do so.

So, now that my body is pretty close to where I want it to be (I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight, but apparently I left my @ss in the delivery room, because I can't find it), I can start investing in staple wardrobe pieces...and go from there.

We'll just see how this goes.

Here is the frumpy me (I can't believe I'm actually posting photographic proof of this):

Back in the day, when I "tried":

Were you expecting a serious, "good" photo of me? BAHAHA. I just had to post this psychotic-looking photo from our honeymoon that I found in our archives.
___________________________

* I'm sure ShankRabbit would jump at the chance to say I "gave up" when it came to driving his MINI (stick shift). I know how to drive manual...but the power behind his car scared me. So I rarely ever drove it.

Cute baby attack!

2009-06-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law bought this dress for Peanut a while back. Unfortunately, it never really fit (elastic midsection = uncomfortable fit for Buddha belly), but I decided to have her wear it for a few photos...just so we had photographic proof how cute she looked in it (before packing it up in a storage bin):

Have a great weekend everyone!

I guess I should be flattered...

2009-06-11T18:33:00.003-05:00

...but I'm not.

Doorbell rings. It takes me a while to answer the door (I was upstairs with Peanut). Mr. Door-to-door Salesman, who was halfway down the stairs, turns around and sees me with Peanut on my hip and says "hey...are your parents home?"

Calendars and popcorn

2009-06-10T14:30:00.002-05:00

Just a short post thanking Blogger for being my calendar.

I had to call our insurance company regarding an incorrect bill we just received. I could not remember when I got my MRI done (even though they have my file pulled up, apparently they need specific dates).
I couldn't find it on our fridge calendar, my purse calendar, or our Google calendar (you'd think with all these calendars I would have found it). Thankfully, I wrote a post about it - on April 23rd.

---

In other news...have you ever heard of coffee popcorn? Not coffee-flavored popcorn...this:

I found this "popcorn" in our new bag of java today. Just sitting on top of the other beans...all weird like.

So odd...

Kenmore Mini Ultra

2009-06-08T16:54:00.004-05:00

I'm posting this meme for the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog. So, if you really don't want to read all about my lovely sewing machine, then skip this post.

Photo courtesy of Sears.com. You think I'd take a picture of my sewing table? BAHAHAHAHA!

What brand and model do you have?
Kenmore Mini Ultra

How long have you had it?
About 3 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I think I bought it on sale at Sears for $50-$80.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Clothing, stuffed animals/dolls, bags/purses, baby gifts (bibs, blankets, burp cloths), baby shoes

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew about 3-4 hours every other day. I would say it gets a moderate amount of wear and tear, but I maintain it pretty well.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I like my machine. It's very easy to use and small in size. Her name is Betty. :)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
All of the basic features of any machine - a good amount of stitches, easy to use, etc. Nothing fancy.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Nope.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
There is nothing super exciting to tell about it...other than I got it because I wanted to make my own veil for my wedding.
Oh, and I once thought it was possessed when I would turn it on and it would start sewing right away (turns out my fabric bin was on the pedal).

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Definitely. It is a great sewing machine for beginners or for anyone who is looking for a straight-forward, "no frills" machine.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
I think it's very important to look for a machine that is going to suit your specific needs, not just go out and buy one because it has all the bells and whistles.

It was originally about repurposing...

2009-06-05T14:00:00.001-05:00

ShankRabbit and I love to "repurpose." For example, when I had to take a scissors to our recalled pack n' play, I tried to think of other ways to use the residual materials (as long as it was not for baby-supporting purposes, as apparently this version failed at). Here are a couple of our projects -

I made Peanut a pair of soft-soled shoes out of an old pair of jeans:

Look at those chubby baby legs!

(the pattern for these awesome, relatively easy baby shoes can be found here).

**Note: I whipped these up really quick because I needed a good multi-purpose shoe. They aren't pretty, but they work (and we have since added puffy paint "treads" to the bottoms for a non-slip grip).

ShankRabbit made a headboard for our bed out of two small nightstands:

(as you can see, there is barely any room for walking next to the bed, let alone a nightstand)

And since I'm showing you a picture of our headboard, allow me to explain a few things:

1. That "lock" box houses my jewelry. Nothing of importance in there since the most expensive items I own are on me 24/7. So, if there is anyone out there reading who thinks they are going to hit pay dirt by breaking in and stealing this box...you are sorely mistaken. Unless you like name necklaces from 8th grade and several pairs of $1 earrings...

2. Yes, that is a cribbage board in the middle section. ShankRabbit and I like to play a game or two if we go to bed earlier than normal (I know...we're one EXCITING married couple, I tell ya!).

3. My side of the bed houses the "Babyproofing Bible," an InStyle magazine, and a homemade heating pad. ShankRabbit's side has all of our DS games, a devotion book, and the Bible.

4. Eventually, I would like to outfit this with doors in (Plexiglass? Acrylic?) some form of plastic sheeting that will slide across. I will have ShankRabbit run some lights and you've got one heckuva lighting and (hidden) storage option...or at least the pipe dream is there.

So, I realize that I meant to cover how much we love to repurpose and yadda yadda yadda...but since I've gone into depth about our headboard (and felt the need to explain everything), I wonder -

What's on your headboard/nightstand?

NOT Oreo crumbs

2009-06-04T05:00:00.001-05:00

We were in the midst of making dinner (in last night's case, warming up leftovers) and Peanut was HUNGRY. Since it was going to take all of 30 seconds to warm up her dinner, we didn't give her any "appetizers" to tide her over. She whined a bit and then wandered off into the living room (not unusual).

When she came back in the kitchen, she seemed a little too calm. That's when I noticed something on her chin...a tiny spec of dirt.

what the...?

Peanut ate dirt. From a houseplant.

While I give her props for being resourceful ("Hey, I'm hungry. Let's see what grub I can scrounge up"), that's just...eeeeew.

---
ShankRabbit and I discussed the "weird" stuff we used to eat as kids.

He ate sand and dirt, but never paste (he was afraid it would glue his insides together). I preferred ants (for a very brief moment in time), the yellow flowers off clover plants, and violets.

So, I'm curious...did you ever eat anything out of the ordinary?

Revisiting childhood with an artichoke

2009-06-03T05:00:00.002-05:00

When ShankRabbit and I married, he assumed the title of "Chef" and I the "Baker." This arrangement suited us well. He can look at a few ingredients and throw together an amazing dinner. I, on the other hand, need planning, measurements, order (if only you understood how much I truly enjoy leveling off a cup of flour...).

Now that I am the one at home all day, meal preparation is quickly becoming more of my responsibility. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy cooking...as long as I have a very explicit recipe. Give me a bunch of ingredients and say "have at it!" and I'd either curl up in the fetal position on the kitchen floor or pelt you with said items. Or both. Though I'm sure my aim from the floor would be pretty poor.

(ShankRabbit's domain will forever and always be the grill. I know how it works and what to do...but it still scares the bejeebies out of me)

Last night I decided to try my hand at a childhood favorite - stuffed artichokes. My Sicilian great-grandmother used to make these for us quite a bit and I honestly haven't had one since (well over 15 years ago).

After a lengthy internet search, I deduced that the recipes are relatively the same. So, I melded my favorite ones and got to work.

I won't bore you with the recipe I created, but I will say that it was quite yummy (and thanks again to my hero, The CrockPot Lady, I was able to "set it and forget it" in my crock pot). And for anyone attempting to cook these on your own, here are some things to know:

1. I knew to trim the tips off the leaves, but I didn't know why...until I punctured my finger on one. Apparently, artichokes have thorns (they seem to be sharper the farther in you go).

2. When the directions say "tap the top of the artichoke to spread the leaves," they mean turn the artichoke upside down and smack it against the countertop. Seriously. The wider apart the leaves, the more stuffing you can shove in between (and the more yummy).

This right before it was cooked. They didn't hang around long enough for me to get an "after" photo.

That first taste was just as delicious as I remembered it. While I was ~~inhaling~~ eating, I couldn't help but think fondly about my great-grandmother and how much I miss her (she was 98 years old when she passed in 1999). She was an amazing lady.

A couple photos

2009-05-28T12:14:00.008-05:00

Happy Thursday, everyone!

I'll spare you the long post I just wrote. It seemed a little too whiny for my liking. So, I leave you with a couple photos from last weekend:

Hmm...which would go better with my hummus - milk or water?

C'mon guys...let's go to the park!

Eau de Doggie

2009-05-26T13:00:00.000-05:00

For the next week, we have a full house. Meet our 2 furry house guests, Dante and Capri:

(Dante kept trying to kiss me while taking his photo, hence the blurriness)

I love animals, especially dogs. But the first 24 hours of herding dogs and a one year old make me thankful that this is temporary. Too many small beings dancing around my legs...I'm just waiting to fall over.

* * * * *

Herb update: Sprout city!

Basil

Chives

Cilantro / Coriander

Oregano

I'm sad to say I don't think the oregano will do well. Maybe the seeds are slow to germinate (though that's hard to imagine...the seeds were the size of dust particles)? I'm just happy our basil and cilantro look promising. These are the ones I'm most excited about.

Have you ever wanted to be a cartoon character?

2009-05-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

...even for just a few minutes, so you could see what it's like to do whatever, whenever without the real world consequences? Like, running full speed off a cliff, stopping mid-air only to raise your "YIPE!" sign, and then plummet to the ground...escaping with mild dizziness - illustrated by stars and chirping birds?

That random bit of brain-puke was what I came up with when presenting myself with this question, "how do I get my readers to laugh and possibly not remember that I haven't posted in a couple days?"

* * * * *

I don't think I need to say I have been busy. If I wasn't, I'd probably post 1, 2, 10 times on this blog.

Our best friends, A&B (also known as "Auntie B" and "Uncle White Brows") had their little girl on Tuesday. Auntie B was induced Sunday night...and by Monday night they decided to give her a break because it wasn't taking. Tuesday morning brought Round Two and by 10:35pm the baby (finally!) made her way into the world.

Oh, and a side note to anyone who has to spend time in a waiting room with a young child/children : be prepared for everything. Bring several snacks (of different varieties, because chances are your child will refuse the first three options), lots of beverages (including the milk you assumed you could just purchase at the cafeteria, only to learn that it closes earlier than you thought), various games/movies/distractions, and a contraption in some form that allows you to strap sleepy/whiny/clingy child to you while you walk around. A consistent 22 pounds on your arm seems exponentially heavier as time passes.

* * * * *
This picture is specifically for Sandra -

The view from our kitchen window

I love spring.

* * * * *
Here are the herbs, day 4. Sitting on the edge of ShankRabbit's desk. So far, so good (I think):

* * * * *

We dismantled our rarely-used-for-dining table right before Peanut's birthday (extra space, FTW!). I like not having it in the way, but we end up either eating dinner in our TV room or sitting on the floor of the kitchen (which sounds odd, but for some reason everyone sits on the floor of our kitchen. Considerably well-scrubbed, if you don't mind potting soil). And anyway, we're sit-on-the-floor type people...we love a casual, intimate atmosphere. It's like a picnic, only in your house.

I have been mulling over this situation in my head for a long time. The occasional meal in the TV room is fine...but I don't want to be that family that only converses during commericals (and with DVR, that length of time is about 10 seconds). And I love our kitchen dining, but I fear Peanut will insist on sitting on the floor wherever we go.

My light bulb moment? Remembering this:

(courtesy of istockphoto, obviously)

A traditional Japanese dining set-up.

How fun would this be to have in our dining room? Oooh! I think a Moroccan set-up might be fun too!

Ok, enough rambling. It's hotter than blazes in this office and I have a cold glass of ~~beer~~ juice calling my name.

Miscellaneous Monday

2009-05-18T09:59:00.005-05:00

(how often do you see the word "miscellaneous" spelled out in its entirety? Not often enough, I say!)

1. We are awaiting the arrival of our best friends' baby. B had to be induced...so here is to hoping things go smoothly. ShankRabbit left his cell phone (a fancy schmancy new Blackberry Storm) turned up last night, so every time it made a sound, I jumped up thinking, "BABY?!"

1b. I also got one of those fancy schmancy phones (thank you, buy one get one free!). I *heart* it so far.

2. I spent a good portion of yesterday in a cleaning frenzy. Unfortunately, all of my hard work only resulted in getting two rooms done - Peanut's bedroom and the kitchen. That's what I get for wanting to scrub the floors on my hands and knees.

3. Supplies were purchased for growing our own herbs (basil, cilantro, chives, oregano). We wanted to get it all set up last night, but had to wait until Peanut was in bed. Since we had the soil, we decided to re-pot our houseplants as well. It was too dark and chilly outside for my taste, so I thought it would be a good idea to work in the kitchen. You know, on the floor I scrubbed.

I am a bright one, I am (I blame the margaritas).

FAIL

2009-05-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our family is entertaining the idea of going on vacation this year...to somewhere other than our usual destinations. I spent a good portion of my day looking at possible vacation rentals. This required A LOT of website visiting.

Here's a hint to anyone selling their vacation rental (heck, selling ANYTHING) online - if your website sucks, you suck.

...

Ok, not really. But understand that it is 2009 and there is no excuse for having a website that looks like it was created at the dawn of the internet.

Example (name of town edited out of courtesy. I'm sure it's a great place...they just have dolts advertising it):

Figure 1

Figure 2

There are just so many things wrong with this site (the background...my god, the background!), I am not sure I'd have enough space to detail it all. Let's talk about a few of my favorite parts, shall we?

Figure 1
* "Spring Fling Deal" - I think the color combination just made me throw up a little in my mouth

* "Less, less fog, less crowded!" - Not just less fog, but LESS less fog. Fog is practically non-existent here. Alert the media!

Figure 2
* Look at the very right side of the picture. See where my scroll bar is positioned? This home page was by far the L O N G E S T I have ever encountered.

* "Sshhhh...'[town] Best Kept Secret!" - first you tell me to be quiet and then you yell? Make up your mind!

* "not to winding" - just....UGH! ((facepalm))

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks for letting me share this eyesore with you.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

2009-05-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Mr. Clean,

How are you? I am sorry I haven't paid your Magic Eraser product much attention. We had a great run of me using it at every opportunity, but then life happened. I kept forgetting to buy more, so I used what I had on hand - cleanser and paper towels. Out of sight, out of mind.

I was then seduced by other "eco-friendly" options and thought they would clean anything and everything. Our first few dates were great...but then, as with any relationship, I got to know the REAL product (though I'm still a fan of baking soda for scrubbing the sink. Sorry).

My Rowenta "wouldn't-have-spent-this-much-if-it-wasn't-for-a-gift-certificate" iron was in serious trouble. It had terrible buildup that wouldn't come off. When ironing an article of clothing, it would stick to said spot. I took a picture of it for your reference:

Clothes don't iron themselves, so I had to find a solution. I checked the trusty intarwebz and someone mentioned using the Magic Eraser. So, I went to work.

A lot of elbow grease and 20 minutes later, I was impressed. Your product went above and beyond, Mr. Clean. Not only did it remove ALL of the residue, but there were no scratches or marks left behind. It's like it was never there in the first place.

I'm so sorry I didn't turn to you sooner. I'll never let it happen again.

Hoping you forgive me,

Isabella

____________________

1. The "Before" photo mysteriously disappeared. Obviously, this one is doctored. The cows are in the correct placement of where the actual buildup was.
I would also like to state for the record that I do not condone ironing cows.

2. I was not given any sort of compensation for this review. I just tell it like it is.

The creepy crawlies

2009-05-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

Bugs. *shudder*

I hate bugs.

Let me clarify - I hate bugs in the house. If they are outside and doing their bug thing...all is good. Once they crawl their way into my house - MY DOMAIN - they are playing a serious game of roulette with their lives.

Tonight I found 3 spiders in the span of 5 minutes:
1. Washed hands in the bathroom sink - spider hanging out on the drain (didn't need hubby to kill that one. Nothing a little soapy water and a good dose of Listerine couldn't solve)
2. Walked into our bedroom and noticed one on the ceiling on MY side of the bed
3. On my way to call ShankRabbit for spider removal and saw one creeping his way across our kitchen ceiling.

Over the last week, I can't tell you how many spiders I've found in our house. I don't know where they are coming from, but they must have all been from the same spidey nest - they look exactly the same (same color and same size).

Before you get all "equal rights for BUGS!" on me (I like to think there are some bug advocates out there. Everyone else has one), I have every right to despise them. I spent a good deal of my childhood in a basement apartment in Chicago. You couldn't go a couple days without getting some sort of bug bite (usually a spider). I vividly remember waking up one morning to a spider bite on my eyelid that caused my eye to swell shut.

I've causually mentioned it to ShankRabbit before, but now I'm strongly suggesting it (because I know he'll read this): exterminator.

I have no words...

2009-05-12T10:51:00.003-05:00

Kayleigh Anne Freeman

June 23, 2008 - May 11, 2009

Any sand paper for my brain? Please and thank you.

2009-05-12T05:00:00.001-05:00

As is true with most of my recent blogging attempts, I sit here with nothing on my screen as another two drafts sit in the queue waiting to be completed (for anyone keeping track, that's seven unfinished posts).

Why am I so lost for words tonight? I have the most ridiculous song stuck in my head.

Michael Bolton's cover of "P.Y.T."

Why me?

So all I can think of is him and this song. I swear, if if any part of my dream tonight includes him, I'm going to punch someone in the face (I haven't decided who. I was going to say "I'd personally punch HIM in the face" but I don't want to be blamed if it actually happened. Love ya, Bolty! Um...not really, but I don't think I'd have any reason to punch you in the face).

- - - -

Interesting story about Michael Bolton. The night of my wedding, I had arranged for my foster parents to stay in one of the presidential suites at the hotel (same location as the reception...and also where I worked at the time). A few days prior to their arrival, I was informed that they would be moved to the other suite (a little smaller, but not much different). I found out it was reserved for Michael Bolton. My foster parents joked that they were going to knock on his door and ask him to come sing at my reception.

(though I was opposed to it at the time...imagine if he did. It would have made for a much better story than the one I just told you)

See what happens when you get an awful cover song stuck in your head?

Why Friday is lame

2009-05-08T00:14:00.005-05:00

I have five posts in the works. Yes...I said five. Here are my reasons for not posting them:

Post #1: I am missing the photos for this post. I was just informed that one of the photos is lost and gone forever, so I have to get creative. Creativity is not dancing at my doorstep right now.

Post #2: This post requires a certain amount of rant-ability to be completed. Ranty fell asleep a while ago. I am left with complacent, glue-sniffing Isabella. (I'm not really a glue-sniffer...just thought I'd clarify)

Post #3: This is more of an informative post and I can't seem to make it sound...well, not boring. Seriously. You'd fall asleep quicker than...quicker than...
apparently Wordsmith went to bed with Ranty. Thanks, guys! Couldn't wait 15 more minutes for my post to be done, could you?!

Post #4: This wacked out (yet funny in my head) post requires props. I have yet to finish those.

Post #5: I think this will be Monday's post. I just have to remember to take pictures tomorrow.

Now you know why I sit here unsure of what to post. I have material, I just can't use it yet. So, you get this instead. A post about not having a post.

Lame FTW!

Music for kids

2009-05-07T10:17:00.003-05:00

Peanut and I stopped by the library yesterday. No, not to crash story time...I was looking for some CDs.

My children's songs repertoire is vast, but that requires remembering them. Right now, I have been singing Peanut the extent of an EP: Itsy Bitsy Spider; If All The Raindrops...; ABCs; If You're Happy and You Know It. I know there are others floating around in my brain, I just need a little help remembering them. Enter: children's songs CDs.

I've spent a lot of time with children in my life - cousins, foster siblings, babysitting, etc. I am very aware that these CDs can be hit or miss. Fortunately, our local library has quite the selection of said CDs. I was able to find everything from Veggie Tales to Radiohead for babies (providing the link so you'd know I'm not making this up).

I selected a Disney Collection CD (I have listened to this one before. Very good), Toddler Tunes (not sure how I feel about this one yet), and a Sunday school songs CD.*

I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions I'd really appreciate it (NO Raffi, please).

__________________

* - ShankRabbit has asked me a couple times to sing little kid Christian songs to Peanut. One problem: I never learned them. I can hum through "Jesus Loves Me" and maybe sing a few lines of "Arky Arky"...but that's where it ends. So, I am hoping this CD is decent enough to learn the songs.

Attn: Jean

2009-05-06T13:51:00.002-05:00

Jean Inez, if you are reading this, please comment on this post or email me at jenniferisabella (at) gmail (dot) com with an email address (for the craft giveaway). The one provided in the comments of that post didn't work...the email was returned.

Thanks!

Just a photo

2009-05-06T12:26:00.003-05:00

I was in the middle of writing a post and couldn't find one of the photos I needed to include (I have a feeling someone emptied out the camera's memory card on his computer but didn't put it on our server. Hmm...). So, you are getting this cop-out post instead - Peanut falling asleep with Bernie (our friend's Italian Greyhound):

"Whatever you do Bernie, don't fart. kthx."

Random Tuesday

2009-05-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

* * * * *

As I've said many times before, Peanut loves to dance. The following video was on Sesame Street today:

Courtesy of DanceJam.com

If I was able to get a good video of her dancing to this, I would post it...but as true with any other situation, when you finally have the camera out, the video-worthy stuff stops. Just try to picture a 1 year old doing her version of stepping. Friggin' hilarious.

* * * * *

I found that I have a lot of moments where I don't put 2 and 2 together. Seriously.
For instance, when someone would offer me mayo for my burger, I'd make a face and turn my nose up at it. It didn't occur to me that the burgers I enjoy from fast food restaurants have mayo on them. Once this fact finally penetrated my feeble brain (read: a few weeks ago), I started adding mayo to my burgers. Man, is it yummy.

* * * * *

We have added another item to the "things I cannot touch around the house" list: super glue.
Long story short - our iron has a crack in its plastic shell (preventing the proper use of the steam and self-clean options). Instead of using epoxy like ShankRabbit suggested, I tried super glue. Let's just say I was more successful at gluing the iron to my finger than fixing the problem.

Note to other super glue users: keep acetone nail polish remover on hand.

* * * * *

We are going to be a one-car family soon. If you haven't read ShankRabbit's post yet (if you don't read his blog yet, you should. Get over there now!), we decided to sell his 2005 MINI Cooper S. Very bittersweet for all of us.

Today was a test run of us driving him to work. All was good until he said goodbye and walked into his office building. Peanut is used to daddy leaving the house for work, not watching him walk into a building. I had a very sad baby on my hands...until she located her binky and her stuffed monkey. Only if sad moments were as easily managed as an adult.

I'm not cool enough for this club

2009-05-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, I was perusing our local community newsletter and noticed an announcement for story time at the library (specifically for ages 6 months - 2 years old). Wanting to get out of the house and be more social, I thought this sounded like a great idea.
The first day of story time arrived and I made sure Peanut and I were out the door with ample time to spare. I went up to the children's section of the library and asked the librarian where the story time took place. She mentioned finding my name on a list. Uh...was I supposed to call ahead and reserve a spot? Yes.

When I returned home, I double-checked the announcement in the newsletter. Nowhere did it say to call ahead. I was baffled. This was a story time for a very specific age group on Monday mornings - you mean to tell me they have SO many people wanting to take part in this that they have to have reservations?!

Fast forward one month. The new newsletter arrives with the same information. I immediately picked up the phone and called the library.

Guess what? They didn't have any more spots. Completely full.

I hung up the phone, seriously ticked off. We just received the newsletter that day. This means for their list to fill up so quickly, the following had to happen:

1. People who have attended story time before get first priority
2. They were taking names down well before the newsletter published
3. It's a cover for a book-obsessed cult and I'm just not their type

The solution: Continue enjoying story time at home.

Anyone been in the same boat?

2009-05-01T15:55:00.004-05:00

I am about to talk about my child and poo. If you'd rather not read about it, then skip over this post. Warning has been issued.

---

Peanut is super-stopped up (like, when changing her diaper I can actually see the poo ready to come out...it's just not moving). With the introduction of cow's milk a week or so ago, this is something to be expected...but not to this extent. I've gotten several ideas on what to do from my pediatrician's office (their staff is absolutely amazing, by the way), but it's heart-wrenching to see her shake and cry in pain when she tries to poo...with no end result.

It's no surprise that she is all out of sorts right now.

We have a list of things to try, so I'm not short of ideas (e.g. watering down her milk, eliminating all other dairy products, up the fiber, straight prune juice in addition to her usual pureed prune intake, pedialax...), I just want to know who else can sympathize. I could really use the "hey, I've been there" comments right now.

Fatherhood Friday: Do you know how to respond?

2009-05-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

Peanut gets excited about food. If she's really hungry (which seems to be quite often...I swear we feed her!), she is quick to shove food in her mouth before chewing. Combine that with drinking water too fast and we've got one choking-prone kid. Nothing serious, mind you...just a simple "hack hack hack" and she's right as rain.

A couple weeks ago, after playing for a bit in the living room, it was time for lunch. I set Peanut in her high chair and placed several pieces of cheese in front of her. As usual, she started shoveling the food in her mouth as fast as she could. Though this time her coughs were actual gags. She spit the cheese from her mouth and tried one piece at a time. Same thing happened. I was concerned...how could one small piece of food make her gag like that? So, as I'm standing there trying to figure out what is going on it happens. She wasn't gagging...and wasn't breathing. Peanut was full on choking.

I'm not sure what the time lapse was between realizing what was happening and having her facedown on my arm in the infant Heimlich position, but I can safely assume it was mere seconds. I only had to hit her back 2-3 times before the obstruction fell out of her mouth. She started coughing and crying (sweet, sweet music to my ears!).

This, my friends, is the safety seal off a bottle of lotion (folded in half). She must have shoved it in her mouth while we were playing on the floor (not sure how it got into the living room, it should have been in the trash). My guess is that every time she tried to swallow a piece of cheese, this would get caught at the back of her throat...until it finally lodged itself in place. I would have never guessed that something so small and innocent looking could be so dangerous.

Afterward, I cradled Peanut in my arms on the kitchen floor in a state of mild shock and relief. Once comforted (both of us), it was understandable that she didn't want to eat lunch anymore. It took a good 10 minutes for her to go back to being her happy-go-lucky (very hungry) self.

Why did I tell you this story? Awareness. I was a lifeguard for several years and was trained to respond to all types of situations. I never once thought that I'd have to use any of this on my own child.

So, please...if you are not CPR/first aid certified, do it. You owe it to yourself and your family. In the meantime, read this article. It gives you the basics on what to do if you are ever put in a situation where the Heimlich or CPR is necessary.

Random #21

2009-04-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

I need to lighten the mood around here, people. It is time to bring out the big guns - Random Thursday!
--
I was in the bathroom washing my hands when I heard a "clip clop" noise entering Peanut's bedroom from the kitchen (her bedroom is right off the bathroom). When I saw what she was doing I burst into laughter...and let her continue what she was doing so I could get the camera ready:

What are those, you ask? The caps to her bottles. She ~~pulled everything off the shelf~~ got a couple from the bottle shelf and was using them to crawl. I was amused and impressed at the same time. I mean, this could be her future:

I drew an arrow indicating what I was talking about...in case you thought I was referring to the uber-creepy cheetah (while a very talented performer, that animal in the Broadway version of "The Lion King" gave me the bejeebees. I think it was the way he moved).

* * * * *

I could do a whole post of pictures from Peanut's birthday, but I'm sure you wouldn't be all that interested in them (since I'd probably blur out the faces of anyone that was not ShankRabbit, Peanut or myself). I do want to take a moment to talk about the AWESOMENESS of our friend who did the cake and cupcakes for the party. She went over and above expectations - both in taste (I shed a tear when I ate the last cupcake) and presentation. All we asked for were cupcakes and a small cake with a "spring" theme. Here's the magic she created:

Those big cupcakes are flower-shaped! With white chocolate butterflies (and the letter "A" - Peanut's real first initial)!

I spent a long time staring at this cake - before, during and after the party. The details are insane! The first (and only) thing Peanut was interested in eating off this cake were the tomatoes. Funny. It was almost as if she knew it was too pretty to eat...though being sick could have had something to do with it.

So, if the cake decorator superwoman is reading this right now - thank you thank you thank you!

* * * * *

When was the last time you smiled this big?

Swings = huge hit.

I'm not broken...

2009-04-28T17:08:00.003-05:00

Well, not really.

Results: I either have endometriosis or hemmoragic cysts (ShankRabbit said, "so, your uterus has hemmorhoids?!" Uh, no...not quite).
Since my medical profile and symptoms don't line up perfectly with either, they can't say I have one for sure...but they are pretty confident it is one of these and there is no cause for alarm.

Whew.

All is good.

And I'd like to send a big thank you for all your well wishes and prayers. It really meant a lot to me.

Not for me...

2009-04-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

This post is for Kayleigh.

There are a plethora of blogs out there that chronicle the journey of premature babies. The parents (and other family members) of these fragile little ones fill these blogs with words of love, inspiration, courage, and faith. I've happened upon several of these, but no blog caught my attention like that of Kayleigh Anne Freeman.

Right now, my heart breaks for this family. Kayleigh, who has spent the 10 months of her life in the NICU, had surgery a short time ago and is not recovering well. Not too long ago they were happily talking about finally bringing their baby home. Now those conversations have been replaced with ones of how best to spend the remaining days of her life.

I don't know what to say...other than please send a prayer or two their way.

* * * * *

There is a song bouncing around in my head while I write this post. Maybe because, ultimately, I am confused as to why things are the way they are for Kayleigh right now.

So, instead of my usual "Dance Party" entry, I offer a song dedication to the Freemans:

"Downside Up" by Peter Gabriel

MRI fun

2009-04-26T21:47:00.005-05:00

The MRI was...well, uneventful. Spending over 30 minutes laying completely still is anything but an action-packed adventure. A couple of the ways I entertained myself:

1. Made up songs to the backbeat of the MRI's thuds and screeches.
2. Pretended I was on the set of a TV show. Unfortunately, no hot "I play a doctor on TV" types...just the Dr. Wilson lookalike technician.

The technician said that the contrast they injected was clear, so it wouldn't have any effects on me. Darn it all! I was hoping I could truthfully say "I pee rainbows."

Yes, I'm that lame.

Text color - I'm going all out. For real.

So, results expected Tuesday afternoon.

Medical Mystery Tour

2009-04-23T05:00:00.001-05:00

I'm a pretty open person. I will not hesitate to talk about my past, especially if I know the person(s) I am speaking with may benefit in some way from hearing my story. However, talking about medical stuff - especially when I (or any doctors, for that matter) don't have concrete answers - isn't something I do. I try to make it seem like everything is OK, when in reality my brain is going a million miles a minute. And because medical professionals can't give me the answers I'm looking for (without further testing - which does not guarantee an answer anyway), I'm stuck.

I hate that I'm writing this to the blogosphere right now. As silly as it sounds, I'm comfortable admitting imperfections in parenting and my craptastic ability to handle relationships with family/friends, but not with something I can't control - my health.

Now, before you get all worry-wart on me...whatever is going on doesn't seem to be serious at all. It's just a bunch of unanswered questions.

So, I am off to an MRI today. I was instructed to remove any piercings (I have 50...I'm hardcore like that) and wear comfortable clothing. I guess I'll put the Manolos aside for another day.
(sad attempt at humor...moving on)

Test results will be discussed Tuesday afternoon. Let's hope they have a better answer than "um...we're not really sure what that is..." as the radiologist told me after my ultrasound a couple weeks ago.

Recycling and Earth Day

2009-04-22T10:00:00.002-05:00

It seems cheap to link someone else's post as "your" post for the day. Originally, it was going to be my post...but I handed it off to ShankRabbit. Why?

1. He was a little more, uh, emotional about this topic than me.
2. I knew he'd make it more enjoyable to read than I ever could.

So, if you want to know what happened with the garbage/recycling mix-up from yesterday, read ShankRabbit's post. You'll be glad you did.

* * * * *

I don't know why the Earth Dayists (or is it Earth Dayans?) don't use an earth worm as the focal point of their marketing campaign. Yes, it is called "Earth Day" and they use an image of the Earth, but that's too expected. Earth worms are the true heroes. Their bodies are the perfect recycling plant (no worries of layoffs in there!). Cartoon drawings of worms can be rather cute:

See?

I bet that book is printed on recycled paper.

Did you know that earth worms are hermaphrodites (no awkward humping poses shown on the Discovery Channel that you'd have to explain to the kids)? They just slither past each other...like they are sharing a worm hug. Aww.

So, during your Earth Day festivities, hug a tree, pick up a piece of trash, and salute the earth worm.

(No, I am not under the influence of some legal or illegal substance. This post was encouraged by a Call Me Cate challenge).

Shots, crafts and garbage guilt

2009-04-21T11:41:00.009-05:00

I was thinking of what to title this post and I have to share with you my train of thought -

I could call it "Shots." Though, that could imply alcoholic shots. Too bad immunizations aren't as fun as those. The next time I'm at the doctor and have to get a shot, I should ask for a whiskey chaser.

Yes, I am truly an odd bird. No need to remind me.

* * * * *

Today is Peanut's ~~12 month~~ 1 year* check-up. Shots are on the docket. Typically, she handles these pretty well, but with her recent sickness, who knows what the next couple days will bring. Let's hope a small dose of Tylenol beforehand helps out.

* * * * *

I have a new button on the left side of my blog for Craft Hope. What is it? "Craft Hope is a faith-based, love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those less fortunate. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world."

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time to breathe, let alone craft...but this community really calls to me. Even if you think you are not "crafty," they provide easy-to-follow tutorials.

Don't worry, my five blogger friends waiting for crafts. You have not been forgotten and I already have your projects in the works.

* * * * *

At Peanut's party, we put out a blue plastic recycling bag for all of the soda cans and bottles. We failed to put a sign on it (and failed to provide an equally large garbage bag). Therefore, our recycling bag was used for garbage AND recycling. Hey, at least it matched our party decor.
Am I weird for feeling guilty about throwing all that away? Or how about peering out the window at the garbage man to see if he has a disapproving look or comment?

____________

* - Shankrabbit and I decided once Peanut reached a year, we would say her age in years instead of months. We've come across so many people that will say their child is something like "29 months old." You're not telling someone how old your child is, you are giving them a math problem.

My swingset story

2009-04-20T15:00:00.000-05:00

I was a young'un - maybe 9 or 10. My brother (we'll call him "T") and I were playing in the backyard of my Aunt M's and Uncle J's house. They lived in a quiet little suburban neighborhood on a cul-de-sac. Compared to the north side of Chicago (where we lived), this area was beautiful and clean.

Aside from the odd apple-producing tree in the backyard, there was a metal swing set that, I believe, came with the house. It was basic - two swings (interchangeable with a pull-up bar), monkey bars, and a slide. That was how you rolled back in the day - no tree houses, ramps or rock-climbing walls like they have now.

One afternoon, T and I were running around when we heard a loud, deep dog bark. We knew immediately who's dog this was - the corner neighbor owned a Rottweiler that would bark and snap at us when we passed on our bikes heading to the park. But something wasn't right about this bark. It was too close.

That's when we saw the dog on the street. We panicked. We knew the dog was on its way to get us. T was closest to the house, so he immediately ran indoors. I was on the other side of the yard...and knew there was no way I'd make it inside before the dog entered the backyard. So, I hastily made my way to the top of the slide...hoping he didn't know how to climb up.

I remember a lot of screaming and crying atop the slide, with the dog barking and snarling at the base (he made it pretty far up the slide just by standing on his hind legs). I remember seeing my brother, horror-stricken and helpless, watching me from the door.

I don't remember what made the dog go away - was it the owner's call? Who knows. But I will always be grateful for that metal swing set.

I am sharing this story with you for two reasons:
1. I plan on sharing little bits and pieces about my memories of this house and my aunt and uncle (and their kids). This is a good place to start - get the bad memory out of the way.

2. There is a big spring contest over at Dad Blogs. You write a blog post and reference their giveaway and you can possibly win this:

A fully-loaded wooden swingset from Kid's Creations. Valued at $5,000!
And if that wasn't enough, they are throwing in a Canon PowerShot SD 1100.

Though this swingset won't protect Peanut from big, scary dogs (that wall would certainly do her in), it would still be a blast for us her to play on.

So, If you happen to check this giveaway out, please mention my name.

Weekend review

2009-04-20T09:32:00.008-05:00

We are back and made it through Saturday. Fortunately, Mother Nature was smiling on us and we got a 70+ degree day with lots of sunshine. For a Midwest April, this is amazing (Sunday was 45 and rainy, if that says anything)!

For my reference, a few important notes for next year:

1. Don't do favors
2. If your child touches your face with cake hands, make sure husband checks your face before pictures are taken (after reviewing our photos, it looks like I have chocolate snot. Greeeeat...I'm sure several other people got the same shot).
3. Make sure the time of the party doesn't interfere with nap time...especially with a sick child. She wasn't miserable - but not her usual smiling self.

I am not amused.

This little bundle of teething sickness decided that the day of her first birthday (Sunday) was the perfect time to start walking and feeding herself with a spoon. However, the continuation of doing either of these is on her OWN time...no amount of coaxing can get her to do it when you want her to (good thing we got the first steps on video).

* * * * *

Dance Party Time!
(Have no idea what I'm referring to?...read the bottom of this post)

Artist/Band: The Pointer Sisters
Song Title: Jump
Kid-friendly?: Yes

And here is a great scene of Hugh Grant dancing to this song (as the Prime Minister in the movie "Love Actually." If you haven't seen this movie. Go watch it right now. Seriously)

Sickness. It's what's for breakfast.

2009-04-17T10:05:00.005-05:00

Nothing is worse than having a sick family member in your household. This time Peanut is the victim - fever, sneezing, coughing...not fun. Let's hope whatever this is (we're thinking it's teething-related. Man, do I hope s0) clears up by her party on Saturday.

Though there is nothing funny about being sick...we did have a funny moment this morning. During breakfast, Peanut sneezed and cleared every last Rice Krispie off her high chair tray. Good thing she was pretty much done.

* * * * *

Wish us luck for Saturday's party. Looking at the list of things that have to be done...we're gonna need it!