Four Molnars

Books books books...

2012-01-27T09:18:00.000-05:00

Mmmm boooks.

I made this mistake but it turned out okay! :D

Goin' Super Bowlin'...

2012-01-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

Go Patriots!!!

We're so excited to be in the Super Bowl again. We're wearing Pats gear all the time. Skyler is especially into it with polls of all the students in her school and making signs that say "Go PATS!" She's gonna love this song that her Aunt Shelle pointed me to. It's been playing on the radio up in the Boston area.

We're goin' Super Bowlin'!!!!

40 Bags of Clutter - the Master Linen Closet

2012-01-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Last night I worked on the master bathroom linen closet. It was hard to take pictures of because it's in a narrow hallway. This is where I keep all things medicine, hair, eye, razor, etc etc. Right now we toss unused towels on the top shelf, all things we sometimes use on the central shelf, and the lower shelves are a jumble of items I don't remember and my empty prescription bottle collection (more on that later). Here's the before:

Can we discuss that I had four FOUR boxes of a hair color I don't even use anymore, I stopped coloring my hair over a year ago. I wonder if I can return those?

Here are the afters:

I got rid of an entire HUGE Target bag full of crap no one uses. The kind of Target bag you might use if you bought two pillows. I have no idea what I was keeping all that old unused stuff for. I do have an issue with hair product. I haven't found one I like since we lived in San Diego and my hair salon had their own product that I L.O.V.E.D., that was eight years ago. So I try and dislike a lot of hair products. Now on to the prescription bottle thing.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia two years ago. I've had a hard time dealing with it and take SO much medication. I saved the bottles for some reason. There were more, orange bottles, cardboard packages, syringes. I couldn't throw most of it out - it was some weird psychological thing about seeing the accumulation of all the medicine I took/take. Anyway, 2011 is on the left and 2010 is on the right. I really thought there were more.

I threw them all away yesterday and it felt good! I'm thankful to this project. Bleh bleh bleh - I'm not going to get all emotional about it, but it was a good thing.

Are you clearing out your closets?

Brace for this...

2012-01-24T15:11:00.000-05:00

It's official. The oldest child is starting his journey with braces. He got spacers this week, partial braces next week, an expander the week after that. I'm guessing that this will be fun for exactly no one. YAY!

I've stalled on the 40 bags of crap project but do still have the momentum. I just need to pick the next target. I did do a mini clean-out of my closet and made these piles for my cousin Jackie who mentioned in the comments that I could deliver my cast-offs to her before they went to the donation pile.

Sure, there were three garbage bags full, but no that didn't make a dent in the problem that is my closet. *sigh*

Which problem areas have you cleaned out lately?

Limitations of a Friendship...

2012-01-23T09:48:00.002-05:00

I have a hypothetical for you and I need some feedback.

Let's say that two guys both do the same job but one of them is employed directly by the "company" and the other is a contractor. Please make the assumption that being employed directly by the company is more beneficial in several ways. Let's say that there is another position coming available in the company that is a higher rank and both guys are interested and qualified. Okay.

So guy who is employed by company tells guy who is contractor that he intends to apply for the job. Guy who is a contractor throws a tantrum saying that guy who works for company isn't a true friend if he goes for that job.

In the work world, would you ever not apply for something that is better for yourself and your family because another employee might apply for it? What are the expected/understood limits of work friendships?

I personally would never expect a work friend or outside of work friend to not try to better himself or his family in deference to me. I'd encourage him/her to apply and expect that we'd keep information to ourselves until another person has made a decision.

How would you feel?

Striking to Support Stop SOPA and Stop PIPA

2012-01-18T09:10:00.002-05:00

Strikey strikey strikey strike.

Take Care of You...

2012-01-17T08:00:00.005-05:00

One of the things that I knew that I wanted to do for myself in 2012 was to have better skin care. I am the fortunate recipient of good genes in this area, but I wasn't doing my part in taking care of things and as I head swiftly in the direction of 40 I felt that this was the time to really start paying attention.

I've always sort of loved products. I'll try anything that another blogger recommends so I had a few things in mind as I started my Christmas shopping. I did Big Daddy the "favor" of buying several things to put in my stocking this year. Aren't I a nice helpful wife? I'll tell you what I'm using now and tell you that my skin looks GOAH-GOUS. If only I were photogenic and could show you, it just won't work though. I've tried. You'll have to trust me.

One of the first things I decided I needed was one of those rotating face scrubbers. I wasn't willing to shell out the big bucks for a sonic one so I chose the one by Olay that also has good reviews. I lurve this thing. I leave it in the shower and use it to wash my face about every other day. So so pleased.

Then, despite my friend Ashley's "meh" review, I ordered Philosophy's Hope in a Jar. I was just determined to try this, I have no idea why. I don't love the scent but it does work really well. My face feels moisturized and it dries in a non pore cloggy way. I probably won't buy it again and will go back to my last favorite which was Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream.

Next I purchased a full sized tube of something I had been given a sample of from Sephora, Too Faced Primed and Poreless Smoothing Face Primer. I love this stuff. Love love love. I wear mineral makeup (from Everyday Minerals) and this face primer helps the mineral make-up stay put all day.

Then I came across some StriVectin - SD eye cream at TJ Maxx for far far less than I have seen it on amazon or in any other store. I only know about StriVectin because my former-supermodel friend Sue mentioned it once and I looked it up and quickly determined it to be out of my price range. But it was Christmas, it was cheap(er) and I bought it. I love it so far but I wouldn't go looking for it at full-price.

One last thing I did for my skin was to purchase some Tarjay brand make-up remover wipes. I know it's very anti-green but really, I am so lazy that I wasn't washing my face at night because it's SO much work to get a face cloth and wash my face and have water run down my arms and whine whine whine. I'm almost too lazy to bother to grab a wipe each night but I manage to do it.

In conclusion, I am washing my face at night with a wipe. I am buffing in the shower with the Olay thingy. I am moisturizing at night and in the morning with the Hope in a Jar. I put Strivectin around my eyes in the morning and use the Too Faced Primer before I put on any make-up. If I can manage to get through the day without rubbing my hands across my face in frustration, I should be looking all right!

Big Daddy, Doin' it Right in 2012...

2012-01-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

I know that I bitch about Big Daddy (he's big and he's the Daddy) on here a lot but he says he's a new man in 2012 and so far he's rocking it!

Last week Matt took special care to get an auto-car starter installed in my little car. I'm a total cold weather weenie and used to have a car starter in the van. I can't describe to you how nice it is to push a button from the warmth inside your house and wait for the frozen windows to clear and know you'll be getting in to a vehicle whose seats are warm and toasty on your tushy. This little luxury is entirely for me because I leave early in the morning and I'm the only one in the car. Thanks honey!

THEN yesterday for no good reason at all, I stayed in bed. I never got up. Matt and the kids delivered all three of my meals to the bedroom. I read books, caught up on shows, and actually watched a movie (which was interrupted three times for kid "emergencies") and enjoyed it. I was even able to direct the hated bedtime routine from my throne while watching The Golden Globes. I told Matt that this delightfully restful/wasteful day made up for one (and only one) of the many many days I have had the flu or some other deathly virus in the past and spent the day like any other, chasing after children and going to work like I usually do.

Thanks Big Daddy! You're doing right!

I'm on a Roll...

2012-01-12T07:52:00.000-05:00

This is known on the list of 40 Bags of Clutter as Kitchen junk drawer 2. This drawer is dangerous. You're just as likely to find a knife as a measuring spoon, and by find I mean cut your finger open. All of our kitchen gadgets go in here. Want to search around for a wine opener? Oh oops you caught your hand on the pizza slicer. Dangerous I tell you.

Exactly 15 minutes later:

Skyler helped me and we even took the whole drawer out and washed the inside. While we're here can I give a woot to one of the products in this drawer? See those two black vegetable peelers in the bottom right of the drawer? Those are OXO Good Grips Swivel Peelers. We got them as a wedding gift when we got married TWELVE years ago. They are still awesome. Twelve years. Best veggie peelers ever.

Where's my pen...

2012-01-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

I just spent a stupid amount of time wondering where my pen went.

ps - you can kind of see where I dyed the ends of my hair pink on Christmas. I really thought it would wash out in a week. Turns out, Manic Panic in fuchsia is a persistent little bitch.

40 Bags of Clutter UPDATE:

2012-01-10T10:23:00.001-05:00

It was 7:55 last night and I was sitting on the living room floor, just home from gymnastics with the littlest, working up the energy for the evening's grand "It's Bedtime" Battle, when my mind wandered to this post that I had written earlier in the day. I immediately thought "Fuuuuuuck!!! What the hell was I thinking? It's the first day and I already hosed that one up."

I looked at the clock again, gave the kids a 10 minute warning, and wondered which of the tasks on my list of 40 I could do the quickest. I decided on the junk drawer in the kitchen and then muttered that it would probably take an hour. Grrrr.

Before (7:55pm):

The only thing I ever look for in there is the nail clippers. They're rarely ever there and I always get my finger pricked because there are 3000 loose push-pins at the bottom of the drawer.

After (8:14pm)

Target bag full of trash and push-pins (who even uses push-pins?):

YAY 2012 ::cheer kick:: !!!!!!

edit: I feel the need to come back and tell you that I didn't just dump the whole drawer into the trash bag. I put away pictures, put lotion where lotion goes, picked push-pins out of my fingertips, found all the pens I can never find... oh I totally threw away the cucumber seeds. I didn't even have a garden last year.

40 Bags of Clutter...

2012-01-09T10:16:00.000-05:00

I'm hot on the trail of a plan that we all know I'm not going to follow-through on but what the hell, I have to keep myself busy and blog about something.

I have been searching Pinterest (which happens to have a shit-tastic search engine) for ideas for the Mud/Laundry room that Matt is building me. Can I get a "SQUUEEEEEEEEEEE" for that? Any who, in typical Amanda fashion, I was off on a tangent in no time and came across someone blogging about the challenge to de-clutter 40 bags of crap in 40 days. I like the idea mostly because I could make a pretty list. I like lists. I like to cross things off. It soothes me. Let me say that I'm doing this with the following caveats: a) I'm not going to do a bag a day or probably finish in 40 days 2) I'm not going for the big trash bag, except for the case of my closet. I am aiming towards the size of a target bag and b) I will probably jump around and clean out and check off as I feel inspired.

Here's my pretty list:

Care to join my no-pressure, probably won't follow through, 40 bags in 40ish days de-clutterization of your house? If you blog about it, post your link below. I want to see what you're de-cluttering. I might have missed something.

Bwok bwok...

2012-01-04T15:27:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

I would have written sooner, but I had to declare a do-over, and in all honesty get in the mood where I didn't want to dive under the blankets and hibernate the remainder of 2012's winter away. Thank you to my dear friend, M, for that. She talked me off the ledge this afternoon, told me to make a list, calmed me down and WHEW. That was close.

I usually look forward to a new year. We wipe the slate clean and go out into the world with a fresh new attitude. I let Matt talk me into a New Year's Eve party which, as you know, gets my anxiety revved into high gear. To make it super awesome, my Mom had a 6:30am flight the next morning. I did it, I went to the party (for a bit), got to bed at a reasonable time, kicked the drive to the airport and back in the ass and spend the next two days just enjoying the inside of my house, games with the kids, movies, books, not going anywhere. And THEN, bright and early on Tuesday morning (10:15), Skyler was diagnosed with the chicken pox. Why yes, she did have the vaccine. Why yes, she was at both a birthday party full of kids and a New Year's Eve party on Saturday. Why yes, I am immuno-compromised. Why yes, the pediatrician did recommend that I "remain distant" from my itching 8 year-old. Oh yup, 2012 was starting off great. Chicken pox notwithstanding, I felt defeated and like my great new start had been jacked out from under me and the same old usual bullshit was piled up where it always is.

I called all the appropriate people, the parents of the birthday party goers, the school nurse, her teacher, my Rheumatologist, my Mommy. There seems to be a bit of an outbreak in our area, the health department is tracking it (oh goody). My RA doctor was the first to set my mind at ease. He doesn't think it's likely I'll get shingles. Oh tunnel is that a light?

I declared Wednesday, January 4th 2012, a do-over. Happy New Year. Today is the first day of a new year. We're going to get through the chicken pox. We're not going into a death spiral of anxiety and depression. DO YOU HEAR ME 2012? I declare it.

Annual End of Year Questionnaire...

2011-12-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

I suppose I'm making a New Year's Eve habit of this, 2008 , 2009, 2010. I think it's good to have a bit of reflection at the end of each year. It maybe gives you some direction to head in in the morning. I feel somewhat discouraged that each year my bits of reflection point me in the same direction but I never seem to get there. Perhaps I shall reflect on that.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
We took the kids on a cruise to the Bahamas.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any resolutions but I did happen to admit to my therapist (my new bff) that I am a bit of a self-saboteur and tend to make a mess of anything that I proclaim to be my next "thing". So perhaps not wanting to make a resolution at all is a good step?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
YES. Oh, my dearest Amy gave birth to Claire who is the sweetest most perfect baby girl. I still look at her and can't believe that she's here.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
The Bahamas and The Grand Turks

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Sanity? Peace of Mind? Mad money?

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Early July is etched in my memory. We took a big long vacation and Baby Claire was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My biggest achievement I suppose is listening to my gut and finding a new RA doctor. I have to learn to trust me. I trust me where the kids are concerned I don't know why I have self-doubt when it comes to my own self.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmmm.I had sort of a major downward spiral of panic attacks in the early fall. I'm not sure why I see it as a failure but I do feel that my body betrayed me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual Fibromyalgia, RA, anxiety - I'm quite sure I can't handle anything else.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The best? Oh I love showering the kids and Matt with treats during the winter holidays.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Matt's for putting up with me and my crazy moods.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The entire Republican Presidential Hopeful club and that Sandusky perv.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Poof.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Floating in a cerulean blue sea with my family.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
I can honestly say that I don't associate songs with years. I don't usually know who sings what or when they sang it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? meh
b) thinner or fatter? about the same
c) richer or poorer? i have no idea
How's that for inspiring?

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I'd done more day trips with the kids where we weren't connected to any electronics.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worried. It gets me nowhere.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
We spent it quietly, just the four of us. It was a great day. Everyone got up and enjoyed emptying their stockings and then we opened gifts and had a big breakfast. We played with new toys, took naps, and enjoyed each other.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I fell in love with that little Claire.

22. What was your favorite tv show?
I'm such a tv whore. I think my favorite show is House or Big Bang Theory I can't decide. Ooh ooh I have a new favorite too, Homeland.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I've tried to copy what I say to my kids "Hate is an awfully strong word".

24. What was the best book you read?
I think I read 60 books last year and the one that marked my heart was The Invisible Bridge. I still find myself thinking about it at random times. You should read it. It will humble you.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm musically lame. I wouldn't call anything I listen to a discovery.

26. What did you want and get?
I wanted a car starter for my car but didn't say anything to Matt. He thought of it as well and got it for me for Christmas. Thank you honey!

27. What did you want and not get?
A cure. A magic pill. The realization that it could be so much worse and to stop whining...

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
We don't see many films in the theater so the pool of choices is shallow. I got a hearty laugh out of Bridesmaids and No Strings Attached made me feel gooey with love (shut up I know it's lame).

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I don't remember what we did on my birthday - I'm sure Matt and the kids took me out to eat and I'm sure we went to Kan Pai with Mike and Amy. YES. We did go to Kan Pai because that is where the incident for which Amy will never forgive Matt occurred. I turned 29 again.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Comfortable shoes.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
"Do These Pants Button"

32. What kept you sane?
My therapist Kim and .5mg of Alprazolam as needed ;-)

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I became really interested in Steve Jobs and was sad when he passed. I am always interested in Barack Obama. I love me some Bradley Cooper and of course my forever boyfriend Matt Damon.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The right for gays to marry.

35. Who did you miss?
I miss my Dad. Sometimes he's in a dream and he's there and alive and it isn't weird so that's nice.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Claire. This little girl is getting so much attention!!! Who else did I meet this year? I'm trying to think...

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011?
It's okay to push back and say no sometimes. Overwhelming yourself will not make others happy.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I can't think of a song but I copied the following quote onto my calendar for 2012, I want these words to be my inspiration for the new year:
"She turned her can'ts into cans, and her dreams into plans. She listened to her heart above all other voices."

That's about it for 2011. I hope you join in this meme and link your blog posts here.

Smooches,

Happy Festivus...

2011-12-23T19:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Festivus to all my readers. I encourage one and all to air your grievances here.

1. I'll just repeat my grievance from last year that my body is a douche and still haunting me with its pain and swelling and joint Shit. I'm over it.

2. My stupid house won't clean itself for another year.

3. I need more than 24 hours in a day. Id like more sleeping hours and more hours for cooking better meals.

I'm off to participate in the Feats of Strength!!!

Blog Stats for Mom...

2011-12-01T08:00:00.008-05:00

That's a pixel grab of my blog stats from yesterday. My Mom (if she ever finds this blog again) would be so proud to know that that blog post is the #1 Google hit for the search "pierogi in virginia". She'd probably also say "and that's the last time that they were made there" and she'd be right because I don't cook.

Petty Theft...

2011-11-30T09:26:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. Whenever we go to my Mother's house for vacations, when we are leaving I tend to accidentally pack something awesome in my suitcase that technically does not belong to me but once it gets unpacked totally does. I'm a bit of a clepto, only with my Mother, and usually only with things she makes, not things she buys. This visit, she was kind enough to give me the gorgeous teal throw blanket that she knit because I suggested that it was just the perfect color for me. She bought me the same shirt that I borrowed and when I tried on the pants she had just bought herself, she gave me those too. She refused me the lovely velvet gloves that I coveted. The only one of those I would have stolen if denied, was the blanket (I'm so not kidding. That thing would have been in my suitcase under my underwear so fast...I've done it before, I've got a quilt on every bed and couch to prove it). This year I made out like a bandit and this morning I had to call to confess to a crime I didn't even intend to make. It was warm Thanksgiving week so I only wore my coat one time and apparently also wore the coveted velvet gloves and then left them in the pockets. I hadn't worn that coat since and this morning I put it on, looked around for gloves, put my hands in my pockets and said "Yay gloves! Oh SHIT! Oh no no no no no. She's never going to believe me." Matt didn't believe me either. He looked at me and said "Right. You accidentally put them in your pockets." Mom said the same thing when I called. They're lovely gloves and she's coming to visit soon. Perhaps she'll get them back. Perhaps I'll find things missing from my house. This might turn into a fun little game. Too bad I can't steal furniture. I'd totes steal her bed.

Read This...

2011-11-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

I've been reading like crazy over the past week and a half. I've finished four books. For the first time in a long time, I've loved a whole series of books right in a row. I miss the characters when I'm done reading and I wish there were more of them to read.

First up there was "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". This is the story of a nine year old boy and the search for something that belongs to his father after his father dies in one of The World Trade Center buildings. The story deals strongly with the relationship the boy has with his grandmother and her long ago history. I really and enjoyed it and I had no idea, until this morning, that this book was to be released as a movie this winter. I'm really excited to see the characters in movie form. I'm also glad I already read the book first. There's so much unsaid, but written, between the characters that I'm afraid the movie will screw it up.

Then I read "The Story of a Beautiful Girl". I adored this book. I miss the characters. I ached for their story. I wanted to know them. To be vague and brief, it's the story of a young woman in an institution in the 1960s.

Next I read, "The Unwanteds". This is a YA book and was described as a cross between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. I felt like it was more of a cross between The Giver and Harry Potter. I liked it much more than I liked either The Giver or The Hunger Games so I'm hoping that Lisa McMann continues on with this as a series. It didn't consume with me with love the way that Harry Potter did, but I think most kids would enjoy this book.

Yesterday, I finished "Mudbound". This was another book that touched me. I loved all of the characters, even the ones with flaws. I didn't want this book to be over. Clearly, every book needs an end but I wanted more of all of these characters especially Jaime and Ronsel. "Mudbound" is what one of the characters dubs the farm that her husband moves them all to after WWII.

Since I was on a roll, I decided to restart a book that I've started twice but ran out of time because the library doesn't think that it should be at my beck and call. Thinking of what it was going to cost me in late fees, I just decided to buy the book on Kindle. SO, I started the first few words of "The Invisible Bridge", and then the cough syrup took over and I fell asleep. This book gets such good reviews that I'm determined to get into it enough to not let other things distract me. I've got a good hour and half at gymnastics tonight to get a tight hold on it. Wish me luck!

This Morning...

2011-11-10T08:19:00.001-05:00

5:00-5:59am - listened to husband cough himself silly, wait for him to make the connection between coughing uncontrollably and the need for cough syrup.

6:00am - alarm clock goes off. Get up. Ask husband if he has taken his cough syrup recently. Yes. Ask for clarification. 1am. Stumble around house trying to figure out where husband might have consumed cough syrup at 1am, find it in medicine cabinet (interesting). Thrust bottle of cough syrup at husband.

6:10am - Tell children to start getting up. Get in shower.

6:15am - Smallest child comes into bathroom I'm in (there are two other choices) and minutes later starts yelling "MOM, I need toilet paper". I explain that I'm somewhat occupied and wet, could she perhaps look under the sink herself. "Found it!".

6:20am - Finish shower to discover that smallest child left bathroom door open letting in cold air and left the new roll of toilet paper on the floor next to the shower. Yell to child and explain that she is not being a responsible member of the family and look pointedly at the toilet paper "Oh".

6:25am - Shiver and note that husband has stopped coughing uncontrollably. Hmph.

6:25-6:35am - make-up, hair, yelling at children to move it along

6:35-6:40am - get dressed by choosing clothing from various laundry baskets, note that I will be late. Collect all the things. Kiss the children.

6:45am - Leave house.

6:59am - arrive at work. SIGH - the next 8 hours should be relaxing in comparison.

Random Things I Think...

2011-11-07T15:33:00.000-05:00

I'm just going to jump into this one as there isn't really a good lead-up to these particular random thoughts.

Do you have a particular personal policy on choosing your bathroom stalls? I start thinking for example, that at work the large group bathroom has four stalls and we have roughly 100 women who work in the office. If we all each used a random stall each time we went to the restroom, we'd each be exposed to 100% of the other female worker's germs. BUT if the stalls were divided evenly among us, we'd each only be exposed to 25% of the female work population's germs. Think about it.

Also, ever since seeing Vh1s pop-up video of Jewel's Who Will Save Your Soul in which one of the pop-ups claimed that the first stall in a bathroom is the least used and the cleanest, I have whenever it is not obviously messy, chosen the first stall.

Here's the video for your obsessive compulsive enjoyment:

Aren't you glad that you don't live in my brain?

Where Did My Babies Go...

2011-11-01T08:53:00.000-04:00

I'm starting a new phase of parenting and I'm positive that I'm not ready. I'm no longer parenting toddlers and preschoolers which I think I'd gotten pretty rock-starish at, I'm now parenting pre-teens and it's a whole new world.

I thought pre-teenness began somewhere around the age of 11 1/2. No, this is not true. Skyler is almost 9 and while she may still act the baby, she's definitely got a bunch of pre-teen going on. Zack is 10 1/2 and we're now well into issues like hair *wink* and deodorant and face cleaning and locking down the internet. I'm learning, slowly.

One issue I'm not a huge fan of is that kids this age are mean. We try to raise nice polite kids but they're constantly exposed to kids who have been parented in a totally different style if you get my drift. Last night when we were getting ready to Trick-or-Treat a child in the neighborhood called Zack fat. Zack can usually fend for himself but he's really really sensitive to being called fat. A third child came and told me and I marched right over to find this kid's mother. I asked the child what he called Zack and he had no problem telling me that he said that he was fat. I asked if it didn't hurt his feelings when someone else called him a name. I found the mother smoking her ciggies and having a beer (klassy), we had words and she ended with yelling at her son "just stay the fuck away from those kids". Lovely. Can you blame the child when he learns from someone like this? She's his primary adult figure. What can you do with that?

I had a long talk with my kids that that child wasn't being taught manners and how to behave and in all likelihood his parents called him names and so that's what he's learned to do. They understood and were, I think, appropriately appalled at the behavior of both mother and son. I think we'll chalk this one up as a learning experience. Heaven forbid we just get some candy and call it a night.

Total System Failure...

2011-10-13T09:02:00.000-04:00

From awesome blogger Hyperbole and a Half

This is how I feel most ~~weeks~~ days...

And We're Off...

2011-10-11T11:01:00.000-04:00

Holiday shopping season has official started here in the land of Molnar. When I see the first gift that gives me inspiration I'm off and running. I'm definitely going to try to keep it all to a minimum this year but you've got to spoil the nieces and nephews and I started with these two books (I'm the aunt that insists on sending books for every occasion):

and

I've already got a crafty plan to go with these books. I've got ideas for two of my three nieces. I have NO ideas for my own kids.

Have you started your shopping? Got any great ideas? I picked up on great idea from Swistle, she recommended grabbing a $10 gift card to Target each time you go through there. This way, by December, you should have enough stock piled to use as gifts for teachers, teacher's helpers, the bus driver, your mail person etc. It's hard to buy them all at the same time, $10 a week seems much easier to swallow and if you don't end up needing them for gifts, you can supplement your own shopping needs. You're Welcome ;-)

Rest Well Steve...

2011-10-06T07:30:00.001-04:00

Steve Jobs passed away yesterday from a long battle with cancer. He inspired so much of what I touch every day in order to get through my day. His genius will be missed.

Steve Jobs

What I'm Watching...

2011-09-22T14:19:00.000-04:00

Oh gosh. I'm running behind. As I noticed my DVR filling up this week I realized that I hadn't done my annual fall season line-up. In case you're dying to read all about all my previous fall tv watching here is 2010, 2009, and 2008.

Before we get started I need to get a few things off of my chest. Earlier this year, Matt made me and TIVO break up. He just couldn't stand the love that we had for each other and demanded him or the TIVO. When I refused to choose, he disconnected sweet TIVO from the television and put him on a shelf in the closet and hooked up a rotten awful Verizon DVR. I hate the new Verizon DVR and I'm pretty sure that it hates me. It makes this buzzing sound that only I can hear. It doesn't record things it thinks I might like to watch. It doesn't make that awesome beeboop sound that I love. It has had to be replaced once causing me to lose everything that I had recorded. I'm not impressed Verizon, not impressed.

Alrighty on to the awesome. These are the shows that made it through from previous years. I have no idea when they are on because the art of digital recording is magic. I'm pretty sure a unicorn that pees rainbows makes it happen.

Already watching:
Big Bang Theory - love love love
Chuck - this one might not make it through. We're losing interest.
Gossip Girl
Two and a Half Men - I love Ashton Kutcher
90210
House
The Mentalist
The Office
The Good Wife
Mike & Molly
Glee - dipped in awesomesauce and covered in sprinkles
Modern Family - I've said this before, if you aren't watching this, you're wrong.
Outsourced

Up for Review:
2 Broke Girls - I really liked the pilot
Allen Gregory - I like the premise, but I have no love for adult cartoons
Free Agents - the pilot was "meh"
Hart of Dixie
Last Man Standing
New Girl - this was cute
Revenge
Ringer
Secret Circle
Suburgatory
Up All Night - the pilot seemed forced and can we dicuss that the Mom character's name is Rheagan and the child is Amy? Who came up with that one? They are wrong. They probably don't watch Modern Family either. I'm rooting for Christina Applegate though.
Whitney

This is what I'll be doing this fall. What about you?

Falling...

2011-09-14T14:58:00.000-04:00

We have successfully completed seven days of the school year and so far Zack is in love with everything school related and Skyler is battling the same old problem of not being able to keep her cute little trap shut. I wrote the teacher an email saying that while I sympathize with her, this has been a Skyler problem since she started talking (the child talks in her sleep) and that I've tried everything. If she's got any ideas on how I can help in the classroom to let me know, otherwise there isn't much I can do. This feels like giving up, but there has got to be a teacher on this earth that can make that child shut her mouth. Good Luck Mrs. Third Grade Teacher, you're going to need it. Skyler's interpretation of the problem is that she's not the worst one. *eye roll* I tried explaining to her that having someone be more wrong than you are does not give you a pass.

Zack's school gives the kids the opportunity to try a strings instrument this year. I wanted less than nothing to do with this. See the thing is, I am not musically inclined. I have no knowledge of a stringed instrument (although I might be able to rock a recorder) and I just saw this as another giant responsibility suck that would mean me yelling at children to practice their noise makers and break my ear drums in the process. Add to that the cost of renting an instrument and you have one grumbly Mommy. Zack soldiered on and he and the instructor decided that he'd do well at learning the bass.


Not my child, not my bass

The reason why this is awesome is that 1. not many children want to play the bass and the school has four so Zack can play theirs without having to rent one. B. This monstrosity is too large to bring home and thus I will not have to hear it or argue with a video game playing child that he should be practicing. 3. He'll probably look pretty cute when I do get to see him at concerts. :D Happy Mommy.

Skyler has moved up another level in her gymnastics classes and we moved them to a weekday as Saturdays are now filled with soccer games. The only day during the week that we don't have something going on in the evenings is Friday and by then I'm so exhausted that I'm not going anywhere anyway.

Welcome to fall, it's never a dull moment!

September First Baybeee.....

2011-09-01T08:15:00.001-04:00

Do you hear that sound? That is the sound of Mothers rejoicing everywhere! It is September 1st baby and that means only ONE thing to me!!!! The kids are going BACK TO SCHOOL! I am going back to a regular schedule. I have my new Erin Condren life planner all loaded up and ready, ridiculously loaded up and they haven't even started yet. I want to party. I want to sing. I want the door not to hit them in the a** on their way to the bustop.

Can I get a Woooohooooo!

Inspiration...

2011-08-31T08:30:00.027-04:00

The end of summer has brought out my crafty side. I read eleventy-three kajillion craft blogs (and by read I mean skim for goodness) and they've all got my creative juices flowing. Usually I don't bother to take pictures of my crafts as the first run is usually a surprise to me if it comes out right and after that I'm bored by it. I'm my own worst enemy I tell you.

Last week I was reading Tatortots & Jello and one of their projects sparked my interest.

I'm not sure what inspired me. The use of canvas? I have a canvas at home that was nagging at my brain from a project gone wrong. I was eager to use it for something else lest I feel bad for having to toss it. The silhouette of the bird? The fun of ripping up little bits of magazines of which I have many that have never even been read? I'm not sure but I liked it.

Sunday morning while Matt and the kids were clearing up broken tree limbs from the back yard I supported them by sitting on the front step Mod Podging bits of ripped up magazine onto the previous project-gone-wrong canvas. I mean I was THERE right? Actually I started by telling Skyler she could help me with a project but she didn't have my vision and soon she was convinced I was downright nuts and wandered off. Oh boy was she sorry later. While the Mod Podge dried I contemplated a stencil. I didn't have anything awesome on hand so I pouted a bit. Then I got the idea that I wanted an "M" but the stencil I had was the wrong size so I traced and cut and let me show you what I came up with. It's all sorts of awesome and oh yes Ms. Skyler came back when she saw me get the paint out. But did I let her help? No Ma'am. You need to stick around for the long haul if you want to play with the good stuff. Mean Mommy.

It's way better in person!

I Declare that it was meant to be...

2011-08-30T10:43:00.001-04:00

I want to share with you one of my favorite blogs in the whole wide world. THE WORLD people. This is huge.

I can't even remember how I found eighteen25 but there were magic sparkles in the air and angels sang when I did. The ladies there find the greatest crafts and things that I have to have. Sometimes they have a tutorial and sometimes there's a giveaway. I'm going to share with you my favorite craft they've shared ever. I made these for the kids' teachers last Winter and they were a huge hit. They are simple craft boxes with dividers inside that you fill with all sorts of teacher treats. The kids have fun decorating the outside and you feel like super mom with very little effort. I can't wait to make these again this year. Zack is in 5th grade which is his last year at his elementory school so I need to leave my mark as Awesome Crafty Mom when really I'm Super Lazy Crabby Mom.

Blog post with instructions here

Now, that ^ is my favorite of the projects that I've seen on eighteen25 but my favorite post of theirs was a contest in which little old me WON something that I had been coveting for awhile. You know how I have quite the collection of personalized silver necklaces? You don't? Well read about that here (after glancing at that link I've realized that my collection has grown by at least three that I can think of). The one item that I coveted for my collection was out of my price range. :(

I wanted a finger print of each of my kids to be set in sterling. These run on average about $100 per fingerprint and I have TWO children. I'm no math whiz but that's right around $200 and their fingers aren't getting any smaller. Well low and behold eighteen25 ran a contest for a designer that sells these and I won a $100 gift certificate. Back to that math, that left me at about $100 I needed to sneak out of our bank account. I hemmed and hawed and sat on it until one day Tina Steinberg ran a bogo (that's buy one get one for you non-shoppers) deal. Hot damn, now we're talking. After all was said and purchased, with shipping and various design choices, I walked away at $40 which is so much easier to sneak out of the checking account. I mean it's 20% of the original cost. How could I not buy it? I think I made the right choice. Don't you?

Shop 'Til My Husband Drops...

2011-08-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

I went on a bit of a shopping bender last week. I just want to show you a couple examples of the awesome that I picked up. And by picked up you know I totally mean the internet because that is the Mecca of shopping (after Tarjay of course).

Have you heard of Snorgtees? Zack and I love this online t-shirt store, it's full of snark and sarcasm and awesome. Zack is known at school for sporting funny t-shirts and so I let him go through this online site and pick a few for back-to-school. This time he chose:

We think they're pretty hysterical. His last choice had something to do with Bacon being awesome which is appropriate for him as he can not only put away an enormous amount of bacon but he also considers himself to be a meat-a-tarian. I think we'll order a few more soon.

*********

THEN on Thursday I texted Matt and said "Can I spend $200?". I completely blame my bloggy friend Kelly because she posted on Facbook that Woot had a deal going for a Refurbished Dyson for $200. I've been jealously eying these forever. My Kirby weighs more than Skyler and how can I expect her to do all the vacuuming if she can't move the damn thing. I sold it by saying that I'd sell the Kirby for $200 (easily) and we'll have super clean floors forever more (hahahahhahhahahaaa). I can't wait to get it. I'm SO excited SQUEEEEEEE!

^ my new bff ^

I'm sure there was more shopping done last week but this was the exciting stuff. Do you love Snorgtees? Do you have a Dyson? Tell me about it!

* NEWS FLASH *

2011-08-02T07:41:00.001-04:00

There just might be something to this evening exercise thing. Last night I took the kids to the local spot for evening walking and exercise. They were excited to get out of the house, I was nervous for the whining and the temperature, it was hovering around 95*. I made them agree that we would walk first and then they could play on the brand new play structure which was gleaming in the distance.

We walked. I walked. Skyler whined and talked and whined. Zack kept up behind me and reminded Sky why she shouldn't be whining. I basically refused to talk to them. I just kept trucking on. The further I got the less likely that she could break me down and snap a nerve. It was hot, sweat streaming down your back hot. We got around the loop and they could see the brand new enormous play structure. Their interests sparked and off they went. I sat recovering from my pounding, over-heated brain.

When it was time to leave, the kids were agreeable and both kept thanking me for thinking of coming there. They didn't fight (as much) that evening, ate their dinner, and went to bed at a decent time. It was a sweaty miracle.

I'm not sure what to make of all this. Could exercise possibly be good for you?

Petty Problems...

2011-08-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

I haven't bitched about nothing lately, you're due.

There's this clerk at my local Target (aka Mecca) who drives me bananas. I try to avoid him but our schedules must be synced because he always seems to be there (YES I go to Target too much. They now sell groceries so BUH-BYE mean old Wally-World). Do you want to know why he bugs me so much? I'll tell you, oh yes I will. EVERY time he starts to ring my order he says "Is this everything?". Not at the end of ringing it up like "oh do you have any coupons?", NO, at the beginning. I just want to say "No dumbass, I thought I'd load up the counter here and then go finish my shopping, can you wait?" Last night, I finished unloading my cart and stood at the credit card thingamajiggy. The entire belt was filled with my order, there were three order dividers if needed, and he says "All the way to the end?". YES those are my f-ing items, ALL THE WAY TO THE END. How about you keep beeping items until you see a divider or you see another person put items down. I can't fathom how this is his job for at least a year if my memory serves, and he hasn't figured out how to determine where one order ends and another begins.

I'm clearly testy having been alone with my children for 10 days but really. EVERY time I go there.

Renewed...

2011-07-21T14:06:00.000-04:00

I think maybe it's possible that my hiatus might be over. I keep feeling the desire to write, to share, but I'm also hesitant to commit to the idea that the blog is here, waiting to be written all the time. Let's set that aside for the moment.

Most recently, we

WENT TO THE BAHAMAS!

The weather was that ^ color for realz. It was to die for. I wanted to float in that water fo-ever. I wanted to lay in the shallow water, on powder soft sand and sift for shells for hours. I did do that, but I wanted to do it for more hours over more days over more months. It was delightful.

(matt and Mom)

(me and Sky)

(Sky and Zack)

(Lighthouse in Nassau for Matt's Mom)

(ZACK)

(Me and Zack parasailing)

(Matt and Sky parasailing)

Four Molnars is on Hiatus...

2011-05-11T10:07:00.000-04:00

I'm just not feeling it lately guys. Consider the blog on hiatus. I'll be back when I find my blogging mojo.

Smooches,

More of a Warning than a Review...

2011-04-22T08:00:00.026-04:00

I just finished reading The Lying Tongue by Andrew Wilson.

From Goodreads:

Fresh from finishing university in England, Adam Woods arrives in Venice to begin a new chapter in his life. He soon secures employment as the personal assistant of Gordon Crace — a famous expatriate novelist who makes his home in a dank and crumbling palazzo, surrounded by fabulous works of art, piles of unanswered correspondence and the memories of his former literary glory.

Before long Adam becomes indispensable to the feeble Crace, and he finds himself at once drawn to and repelled by his elderly employer's brilliant mind and eccentric habits. As Adam comes to learn more about the scandal that brought Crace to Venice years ago, he realizes he has stumbled upon the raw material that could launch his own literary career and makes a bold decision: He will secretly write the famous author's biography. But outsmarting Crace is easier said than done, and the two soon find themselves locked in a bitter contest over the right to determine how the story of Crace's life will end. Against the haunting backdrop of the serene city, the two men engage in a ruthless game of cat and mouse that builds to a breathtaking and unexpected conclusion.

I had to force myself to continue reading this book. There was nothing inherent in the characters that drew you to them, that made you sympathize with their plight. The were seedy swarthy lying murderous men playing on each other's weaknesses and falling for their own. Even if you could get past the less than enjoyable characters you can't enjoy the book. It has fits and starts and bits of different story lines that might have been interesting in their own right but as a whole, mashed together, leave you feeling that you didn't get the full story of anything.

I'm giving this book 1 star.

Agita...

2011-04-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

I'm having one of those days. You know those days? The kind that make your mascara dewy for no single reason, but all together it seems like a lot?

It's Monday. I have a chest cold that won't decide what to do with itself so it's just sort of junky without being productive. It's Spring Break which means that my kids are constantly on the verge of being booooooorrrrrrred. My Big Boy is turning 10 this week. TEN. That right there is enough to make me cry (a couple of times). Mr. I'm-Going-To-Be-Ten just changed his mind on what he wants for his birthday and I'm left feeling like I don't have something worthy of the big ONE OH. Easter is coming and my kids so enjoyed the scavenger hunt I set up last year that they have demanded another one. Can't I just huck a few eggs behind couch cushions and call it good? I volunteered for something that I am feeling overwhelmed with. It will be fine eventually but TODAY I feel overwhelmed. We just committed to doing something big BIG this summer and I'm all stomach twisty about it.

This is the kind of day that makes me want to go hide under my covers. I'm trying to be better about that though. *SIGH*

I'll get through it. Right?

Scandalous Monarchs and Resilient Dressmakers ...

2011-04-14T11:28:00.002-04:00

I think Fridays are good days for book reviews, this Friday is anyway.

Last week I read The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

The life Kamila Sidiqi had known changed overnight when the Taliban seized control of the city of Kabul. After receiving a teaching degree during the civil war—a rare achievement for any Afghan woman—Kamila was subsequently banned from school and confined to her home. When her father and brother were forced to flee the city, Kamila became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own.

This book was excellent. I give it 4 stars.
---------

I'm currently reading Behind the Palace Doors by Michael Farquhar.

Beleaguered by scandal, betrayed by faithless spouses, bedeviled by ambitious children, the kings and queens of Great Britain have been many things, but they have never been dull. Some sacrificed everything for love, while others met a cruel fate at the edge of an axman’s blade. From the truth behind the supposed madness of King George to Queen Victoria’s surprisingly daring taste in sculpture, Behind the Palace Doors ventures beyond the rumors to tell the unvarnished history of Britain’s monarchs, highlighting the unique mix of tragedy, comedy, romance, heroism, and incompetence that has made the British throne a seat of such unparalleled fascination.

I'm really enjoying this one but it's not something I'd bother to pass around so I'm going to give it 3 stars.

What are you reading?

Open Letter to Spring...

2011-04-14T08:28:00.000-04:00

Dear Spring,

I know I begged for you to arrive. I couldn't wait for the warm temps and the pretty flowers. I had happy thoughts of flowering trees, bunnies, chicks, and short-sleeve shirts not covered with wool sweaters. I conveniently forgot about the never ending rain and the pollen and the humidity.

I will admit that I have been cursing you of late. My car is a dusty shade of spring green, I can't open the windows at the house because it's both too polleny outside AND too humid, my kids haven't played a soccer game in weeks. We'll be making games up well into 100* temps.

Where is the Spring of my dreams? Is the warm dry weather, open windows, and kids frolicking outside until just before bedtime a figment of my imagination? Must we pay before we play?

Is it really necessary that something like this picture should strike fear in my heart?

Please end your reign of terror now. I promise to forget the misery by next year.

Love and Smooches,

Oh the HORROR...

2011-04-14T08:11:00.003-04:00

Look for the Stirrups...

2011-04-13T09:04:00.000-04:00

I have to share this with you. I laughed so hard I cried. I LOVE when a comedian cracks himself up.

Bounce...

2011-04-07T15:07:00.000-04:00

Every once in awhile I let you guys know about a product that I really like and I'm going to grace you with another one of my suggestions today.

A few (six?) months ago I had a coupon (maybe) for a Bounce Dryer Bar. I usually just buy the store brand of dryer sheets and toss one in each dryer load. I'm usually not that thrilled with the results but didn't care to put much effort into it. Anyhoo, I attached the Bounce Dryer Bar onto the inside of my dryer and have loved the results. I was happy and enjoyed the smell but again didn't think too much about it.

The other day I was pulling towels out of the dryer and they were still warm and they smelled SO.GOOD. I looked at the dryer bar and realized it had been in there for quite a while, like maybe two months. I looked at the package and it said that each dryer bar lasts two to three months. And I swear to you that months later your dryer items still smell fantastic. I'm loving it.

I find it necessary to say that I am in no way associated with Bounce. Bounce doesn't know I exist. I was not compensated in any way for loving the Bounce Dryer Bar

Round She Goes...

2011-04-04T15:51:00.000-04:00

Do you remember when you were a little girl and you used to cartwheel all the time? Round and round and round?

Skyler has been taking gymnastics at a great local gym since December. Her main mode of transportation right now is the cartwheel and attempted round-off. I hear "Mom watch this" roughly 42,000 times per day. She was recently moved up a level and her coach is a little firmer with them. I thought this would discourage her but it just makes her try harder. I'm so proud.

I tried to show Sky my mad cartwheeling skills the other day - she said "Mom, don't do that, you're going to hurt yourself." Even the kids know I lack the ability to do anything physical without needing surgery afterward.

If you’d like to make a call, please hang up and dial again...

2011-03-30T10:35:00.000-04:00

We recently switched internet/cable providers and in the package deal we could get a home phone, all of it for less than what the current provider was charging us. We've been a cell-phone-only household for years now but the kids are getting older and want to call their friends and have a number for their friends to call that does not ring to their mother's purse which she has to find and "oops the call went to voicemail". So we ordered the phone. The kids are happy. The kids' friends are happy. It's all a beautiful thing. Except, after months of having the damn phone I finally tried to use it and I literally couldn't figure it out. I started by dialing 9 like I do at work, that clearly wasn't going to get me anywhere and led to a moment of confusion. Then I tried to dial direct but the phone kept yelling at me to enter the area code. I tried that and well...it just didn't get me through. I had to go in search of my cell phone and just dial like I usually do "speed dial 2".

I can usually adopt new technology but apparently I can't go backwards!

Pinworms...

2011-03-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

Pinworms. Are they some sort of sick cosmic joke that no one online (who isn't selling an herbal supplement) talks about? I can't even really bring myself to discuss it with you all too much for fear that you'll never read my blog again. Let's just say that if it were up to the parents of the male persuasion this little bit of parenting horror would never be diagnosed. Why is it always the Moms who get asked "can you look at my butt?"

Save me.

3 Soccer Schedules, I'm Not the Only One Writing About It...

2011-03-23T08:34:00.000-04:00

My friend Michelle sent me this article saying "this made me think of you"

3 kids' soccer schedules = logistical nightmare

Holy crap - I had a moment of wondering if I had actually written the article.

Things are Looking Up...

2011-03-22T11:04:00.000-04:00

I wasn't going to say anything out loud because the Universe seems to want to jack me up whenever I start to feel good, but I figure you guys need an update.

I've been seeing a new doctor who is a bit of an arrogant jerk but I'm letting that one slide because so far I am agreeing with his opinion. He isn't convinced that I have RA and helped me to look at my previous records and see that too. Last year I was so sick and wanting answers that I was willing to believe the little signs and not realize that they didn't amount to much. Cryptic no? ANYWAY. New doc had me go off of all the chemotherapy I was taking and for the first time in over a year, I don't have that hazy foggy feeling like when you have the flu. I'm taking a ton of vitamins. I am trying a Fibromyalgia drug that I think might actually be working. I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, I've got my Soccer Mom cape on full-time now. I didn't even get a break for winter. Skyler is in gymnastics. Even Matt is playing soccer in an adult league. We've got something going on every day and it's delightful.

I spend most of those practices sitting on the sidelines chatting with friends and working on crochet project after crochet project. I've become addicted to Ravelry. I blame my friend Yarn for introducing me to that particular awesome time-suck.

I'm still reading a lot (see my Goodreads lists over there ---------> on the sidebar). I usually give myself a goal of reading 50 books a year. I rocked it last year at over 60 but I'm way behind this year. I haven't been including crochet books but maybe I should. Hmmm. Have you read any of my recent reads? There are a few great ones I'd recommend. Sarah's Key was fantastic as was When We Were Strangers. Do you have any recommendations for me?

I'm hoping that my year-long funk is working its way out of my life and that I'll feel like gabbing more.

Talk soon,
*smooches*

It's All About the Music...

2011-03-09T11:41:00.001-05:00

You're all familiar with that little movie called Twilight and its sequels New Moon and Eclipse? Entertaining right? Do you remember while you were watching the movies that the soundtrack was pretty fantastic? WELL, do I have the giveaway for you. I have been given not one, but TWO copies of Music Videos and Performances from The Twilight Saga Soundtracks, Vol. 1 to give away.

Before you get all "ZOMG EDWARD" or "That Movie was SO Lame" let me tell you... the disk consists of the music videos of the songs that made up the soundtrack to the Twilight Saga. It does not actually have any parts of the movie in it, just a fantastic collection of music videos and live performances. Get it?

So if you'd love this excellent collection of music or know someone who would love you FOREVAh if you gifted this to them (I mean who doesn't need a little more Death Cab for Cutie in their lives), answer the following questions in the comments section below:

1. Click here and look at the list of artists on this disk and tell me which one might be your favorite. I"ll also list them way down at the bottom of this post in case you have trouble finding them on Amazon.

2. And just for giggles Team Edward or Team Jacob?

For a second entry, follow my blog and mention it in the comments. Please do this in a separate post so it counts as your second entry.

I'll choose a winner via the Random Number Generator on Monday March 14. That winner can choose the Blu-ray or the DVD. Then I will choose a second place winner who will get the other disk. Good Luck!

***********

Muse, Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)
Paramore, Decode
Death Cab For Cutie, Meet Me On The Equinox
Cee-Lo Green, What Part Of Forever
Anya Marina, Satellite Heart
MUTEMATH, Spotlight
Lupe Fiasco, Solar Midnite
Editors, No Sound But The Wind
The Magic Numbers & Amadou & Mariam, All I Believe In
Collective Soul, Tremble For My Beloved
Eastern Conference Champions, A Million Miles An Hour
Metric, Eclipse (All Yours)
Fanfarlo, Atlas
Iron & Wine, Flightless Bird
Sia, My Love
Bon Iver & St. Vincent, Roslyn
Sea Wolf, The Violet Hour
The Black Ghosts, Full Moon
Hurricane Bells, Monsters
O.A.R., Love Is Worth The Fall
Debussy, Clair De Lune
Verdi, La Traviata

Giveaway Coming Soon...

2011-03-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready to host a giveaway right here. Check back. I'm hoping to post it by tomorrow!

Funk...

2011-02-16T14:32:00.001-05:00

{insert apologies for being gone so long here}

Yesterday afternoon I composed (in my head) a witty snarky post all about my recent medical issues and how being mis-diagnosed is a real bitch and looky it wasn't THIS all along it was really THIS and now I'm going to be cured and live happily ever after and then another test result came back as ambiguous so I dove down into a pit of tears and despair and can't even get beyond the feeling of being sorry for myself today.

I'm sure that none of THAT makes a whole lot of sense but just know that I'm not feeling any better than I did a year ago and I'm seeing a new doctor and he's not convinced of anything and most surely not convinced that I should have taken a year's worth of chemotherapy drugs and is sucking my blood and running a million tests and nothing is making that "DING DING DING" sound that I so desperately want to hear.

So if you happen to know me IRL and see me curled up in the fetal position rocking and sucking my thumb, it's self-defense. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take... then again other people have it so much worse. I can't even be happy with my self-pity.

This Wouldn't Be Embarrassing If I Didn't Tell You... Updated

2011-01-21T11:09:00.002-05:00

I don't usually work on Fridays but I took last Monday off so I decided to make up some time. The good part about Fridays is that we can wear jeans. This week, I get up earlier than the fam and have been creeping around getting dressed in the dark. So I do all the morning stuff, hair, make-up, get dressed... I leave the house and drive away. It's cold out and I forgot my gloves, so to warm the non-driving hand I stick it between my legs and realize "I WORE THE JEANS WITH THE ALMOST HOLES". I had to calculate, be late to work or have the potential to walk around with my fleshy thighs hanging out of the soon-to-be holes in my pants. I drove on.

When I got to work I hit up our building manager for a roll of duct tape. Oh yes I did.

Okay fine. My thigh flesh is not going to pop out today but do you have any idea what duct tape feels like stuck to your inner thighs? It is not enjoyable. It is also awkward to attempt to un-stick it every time you get up from your desk. If my coworkers didn't already think I was crazy I'm sure today is helping to seal the deal.

**Update**
Do you write an update at the top or the bottom of a post? Huffington Post writes theirs at the top. If I haven't read the article yet this is annoying as you get new information about something you haven't yet read. If I've already read the article, it's nice to not have to scan for an update. Hmmm?

ANYWAY, duct tape is not exactly comfortable on the inner thigh area. It sticks and chafes. I lasted until lunch time when I needed to stop at Target anyway and so I grabbed some athletic tape. HALLELUJAH we have a winner and I've spent way too much time thinking about this today. I should have just turned around and changed my damn jeans.

***

All Time Most Read Post...

2011-01-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

My all-time most read post is from January of 2009. It wasn't the most read that day or that month. It is my most read post everyday. I still get 20-30 hits per day for that one single post. It amuses me because I so remember that day and how glowy and warm I felt that my little baby had the smahts and enjoyed showing them to me. She's still a smarty pants and desperately wants to be a teacher (or a designer, or a teacher who designs, or a designer who teaches).

Here it is:

Next Week Calculus

2011 Off to a Slow Start...

2011-01-20T10:46:00.000-05:00

Dear Bloggy Readers (do I have any readers anymore? hello?),

The holidays kicked my ass and writing seemed like an overwhelming task to me. It still seems overwhelming but I fear I'll lose my voice if I don't put words to screen soon. Do you even care to hear what's been going on lately?

Christmas was different for us in that we stayed home this year, no traveling. It was actually pretty enjoyable. Once we passed the date at which I could successfully mail packages to arrive on Christmas all the stress was gone. It was just the four of us and it was good.

We had a fantastic surprise on Christmas Day. Our dear friends Mike & Amy discovered that they were pregnant and gave us the good news. They were previously told by doctors that it would never ever happen for them. They adopted three years ago and were going happily along when Amy began feeling sick and couldn't figure out why. Weren't they surprised? This is me getting the news. That's shock and tears...

No sooner was Christmas over, I was packing up my bags and heading to my Mom's house for two weeks. She was to have ankle surgery and needed some help. My whole family was a bit nervous as I've never left them for that long. Matt's an awesome Daddy but he's never been on his own that long. My Mom was nervous about her surgery. It was all very emotional.

Mom's surgery went well but she was in major denial about what the recovery was going to be like. There were three foggy days in the hospital and then we had to try to manage on our own at home. Each day of not being able to do things on her own got Mom a bit more frustrated. The first week was about the surgery, the second was getting control of the mind tricks that go on when you're bored. It's frustrating and not enjoyable at all to experience. The idea that we'd all like to spend a month or three on our couch in our jammies is nice, but in reality it's a pain in the ass.

The kids and hubby fared well and after that first week of emotion were just fine. We talked several times per day via Skype. We even did homework together. Technology certainly made being apart so much easier. Getting to see each other's faces each day was a huge help.

I got to enjoy (ha ha) a true New England blizzard which I hadn't seen in years. We got two feet of snow in one day. It was insane and I refused to even go near the doors, forget go out there in that white cold wet stuff. Mom and I sat inside by the fire and crocheted and knitted.

So now I'm home and the kids and husband are happy and I'm worried about my Mom being stuck at home. She's a bad patient - wanting to do too much. We're starting a new year. Matt's back in school starting another semester. He's also coaching both kids' indoor soccer teams. Skyler does gymnastics with so much enthusiasm we all wonder why she hasn't been there for years. You think it's too much to take on until you see their smiling faces and you feel that warm glow of doing something that makes your kid so so happy. As usual, I'm trailing behind them all as support person. I organize their activities, make sure they have the right gear, check their homework, and boost their spirits. GOOOOO TEAM!

Airing of Grievances...

2010-12-23T14:56:00.001-05:00

Per the tradition of Festivus, I will be airing my grievances.

Grievance #1 - I'm tired of being a sick person. RA really kicked my ass in 2010 and I don't see an end in site. My family is tired of it to the point where the kids actually roll their eyes when I say I'm going to lie down. Bronchitis has been living in my lungs for the past month. I'm actually tired of the act of coughing. Can 2011 bring me some good health oh pretty pretty please?

Grievance #2 - this one is petty but it's stuck in my craw. Have you noticed that bags of Nestle toll house chocolate chips have gone down from 12oz to 11oz. Oh yes they have. I was wondering what they did with the traditional recipe on the outside of the package and found that the sneaky bastards just adjusted the recipe measurements too. I use one full bag to make Amanda Rocks (if you don't know what these are you are sorry and don't even know it) and if we're going to keep wacking an ounce off the package size I'm going to have to start using more than one package per batch and that's just bullshit.

Grievance #3 - I'm still battling the hold that soda has on me. I'm doing okay but I certainly haven't kicked it. I can't imagine what kicking crack would be like.

Grievance #4 - My house continues to refuse to clean itself.

I think that's good for now. I feel better already. Do you have any grievances to air?

I'd Like to Use a Mobil Shout-Out...

2010-12-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

One night last week we had a whole bunch of errands to run with the kids in tow and Zack was in desperate need of a study session of the capitals of the south-eastern states. As the evening got later, Zack got more fidgety and whiny that he wasn't going to have time to study. All of a sudden, Matt stops the car, flashes the inside lights and booms "Welcome to CASH CAB". He then created an entire game show centered around trivia of the southern states. We all had so much fun and learned a whole bunch. The kids and I won $1800. Sometimes you've got to get creative to get in all the things you have to do!!

Thoughtful or Future Stalker...

2010-12-07T09:52:00.000-05:00

I need to hear from my teacher friends today. Skyler loves her new teacher. Love loves loves her. Not enough to not talk during class, but she loves her. We've been a bit craft crazy at our house this month. Everything that I make, Skyler makes one too and she brings it in to her teacher. If I have candy canes, or special Holiday treats out she brings one to her teacher. If we have flowers blooming on the trees, she brings one for her teacher. She asked me to email her teacher while we were on vacation to tell her that she missed her. It's all really sweet and well-intentioned but I have to wonder if teachers start to get overwhelmed with an over-enthusiastic student like Skyler. Am I raising a future stalker here?

Thanksgiving Vacation In Pictures minus "The One"...

2010-12-06T09:04:00.000-05:00

Christmas Card Dilemma...

2010-12-01T14:36:00.001-05:00

I wasn't in the mood for Christmas cards this year. I had no ideas and no pictures that I felt were going to make the cut. I had decided to scrap the whole thing for the first time EVER!

When I packed for our Thanksgiving trip I must have had something in the back of my mind because on Thanksgiving Day we were all dressed in similar colors. I called an emergency Christmas Card Picture Taking Time Out and forced my family to smile nice for the camera. One person in the family who shall not be named was less than cooperative and forced me to have to hunt the internet for software to swap heads on pictures. Can I just tell you how awesome and easy Microsoft Cloud is? You just choose the two pictures you want, it asks you which heads you like best and it does all the work for you. AWE.SOME.

SO. There will be Christmas Cards. I had them designed and ordered within an hour of taking the picture. It didn't hurt that Zazzle was having a 70% off Thanksgiving sale. I hated to cheat on my old favorite Shutterfly but it was a difference of about $40. That pays for postage. We'll see how long it takes me to send them out. I'm seriously up to my eyeballs in baby hats.

In other Christmas Card news, my friend Tammy won my annual race for First Christmas Card Received. Ashley of Peters Party of 5 usually wins but Tammy was local and on the ball this year. If only there were a prize. Hmmm. I'll think of something. Also, this is a good idea for next year. Someone remind me in November huh?

TSA Makes My Day...

2010-12-01T08:42:00.000-05:00

We traveled over Thanksgiving and I won't tell you that I wasn't worried about the whole TSA pat-down bs. I personally do not care if an x-ray type pic of me is plastered in Times Square. My main concerns were, dickheads who made a big deal about it, the kids, and me being exposed to high radiation. I'm immuno-compromised so extra radiation is a no-no.

On the trip up we had nothing to worry about. Our local airport doesn't use the big new scanning machines and we flew so early in the morning that there were hardly any other people to make a big deal about anything. There was the usual excitement of travel and getting to see family.

On the way back we had the post-holiday blahs and were starting out in Boston so I just expected there to be trouble. As we were standing in line I still hadn't decided if I was going to refuse the body scan. I couldn't decide if the extra radiation was enough of a problem to make a fuss. There were extra TSA agents giving instructions and making travel seem a lot more serious than ever before. The one shouting instructions kept saying "You may be asked to go through an additional body scan" and I couldn't actually see that anyone was going through it with their hands up. We did the usual take everything out of your bag that is electronic and I had so much crap with me (laptop, itouch, phone, kindle, kids' ds) that some guy jumped in front of me thinking he was Mr. Fast and then got yelled at for not taking off his watch and belt. I just gave him my patented look of disdain as I politely waited for HIM. And then we were on the other side. No scan, no body cavity invasion. I'm not sure what their parameters for using the body scan were but we didn't fit them. Perhaps harried mother of two traveling like a pack-mule isn't exactly what they are looking for.

No Longer Looking Like Justin Bieber...

2010-11-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

Last evening Zack asked me to check his hair because it's been itchy the past two days. I thought he probably just needed to use dandruff shampoo because this kid has the thickest hair I've ever seen and he still occasionally gets cradle cap-ish-ness. So I got him under a good bright light and raked through his hair and just as I was about to declare it dry scalp I saw something teeny move. I would now call myself a de-lousing expert with PTSD from Skyler's Great Lice Infestation of Spring 2010 and I wasn't happy to see this little guy. He was small enough that I doubt he had much time to lay eggs and I hadn't seen any while I was checking but Zack and I quickly agreed that a head shaving was the way to go. He's got very Justin Bieber-esque hair so this was going to be traumatic. He was more than happy to let it go when he was thinking about bugs but as soon as he looked in the mirror he was more than a little traumatized. Going from a very very full head of hair to NONE was a shocker. We added some now-kept-on-hand lice shampoo for good measure and called it done.

WELL, this morning the face in the mirror was another shock for the boy and he was in TEARS at having to go to school and let his friends see such a big change. I tried to talk him down off the ledge by reminding him that his good friends wouldn't make fun of him for a hair change. No go. I tried telling him that he's had this same haircut before. He's painted his hair bright cherry red before. He's had a mohawk before. No go. There were rivers of tears running down his face. Now this child would have let this go on forever so I had to just slap a hat on his head, pull his sweatshirt hood up, and drag him across the lawn to the neighbor's house so I could get to work.

I emailed his teacher and haven't heard back. I'm thinking they would have called me by now if he'd taken the jump off the ledge. The thing is that he's got very nice friends and he's very well liked at school, a leader if you will. I wasn't the least big concerned and he said that HE would never make fun of a friend about their hair, so really I don't think he has anything to worry about. I'm hoping he comes home without the need for extensive therapy.

Being a Mom is hard sometimes, especially when they tell you that you've ruined their life. Oh if he only knew, the middle and high school years are ahead of us, I have only just begun to ruin his life.

PS - yay for facebook. I posted that he had lice and another soccer mom checked her kid, he's got it too. We may have an epidemic on our hands.

Lots of Warm Little Heads...

2010-11-02T14:32:00.000-04:00

I know. I know. I'm a total blog slacker. I've been sort of busy lately.

About a month ago I made an owl hat for my nephew.

And then I made one for a friend:

And then another friend was looking for a monkey sock hat:

Then I found a cute picture of a Very Hungry Caterpillar hat and thought I could make one of those:

So I made two

And then I made my niece an owl hat:

And then someone asked if I could make a lady bug:

And now, I kid you not, I have a list of fifteen other hats to make. I also went to the Rally to Restore Sanity this weekend. 1. It was awesome. 2. I crocheted on the train. I'll post pics of that later. In the meantime, I'm off to make hats. It's a good thing I spend a ridiculous amount of time at soccer practice!

How Was YOUR Day...

2010-10-20T08:28:00.000-04:00

Sometimes your kids do something that reflects on you and tells you that you're doing it right and your heart swells and you know that all those arguments and repeating the same thing over and over and over is working. It's getting through.

Last March, for our anniversary, the kids stayed at our friends Rick & Carrie's house overnight while we went away for the weekend. Just this week another mutual friend relayed to me that Zack was so polite and had such a big heart that Carrie shared it with her.

Carrie works crazy hours. Apparently she came in in the evening and Zack asked how her day was, said she looked tired and should sit down, and then complimented her hair. What a love.

This stems from way back when I used to pick the kids up from school/daycare everyday and they would immediately start in on me with the whining and the "I want..." and the begging to be taken somewhere or given some thing. I lost it one afternoon and snapped "You KNOW, it would be NICE if before you start whining at me about things that you want you asked 'Mommy, how was your day?'" This has stuck with both of them. Apparently when your head spins around the kids pay attention. Zack will sometimes run up to me in the afternoon with "Mom, I need to get *abrupt pause* How was your day? Oh good. Mom, I need to get poster board for my project that's due tomorrow".

My friend Ashley would call this a paycheck.

We'll Get You Out...

2010-10-19T07:58:00.000-04:00

Matt and I came upon something interesting while sitting in our local Starbucks this past Sunday morning. We fully admit that we have trouble minding our own business and usually spend more time eavesdropping on other conversations than having our own.

At the table next to us were three men. One of them was attempting to sell the other two on prepaid legal services. Now, many corporations offer this for their employees. The sell is usually encouraging people to prepare a legal Will, a Power of Attorney, maybe help with an adoption. Not here, oh no. THIS guy was selling prepaid attorney services for thugs. I don't want to judge, but the two guys he was speaking to looked like they might have been in the position to need a lawyer in the middle of the night and that's just the sell this guy was using "When you get arrested in the middle of the night, and you've got your lawyer on call, you're going to spend less time in jail. We'll get you out right away, sometimes all it takes is a phone call."

At first I was all hanging mouth open at the fact that there is a market for this, and then I was impressed at Mr. Legal Services that he's just getting in there before the other guy. I mean if two thugs are going to pay a lawyer, he might as well get them before they do the crime. Then he can be sure they'll call HIM when they get arrested.

How disturbing is it that this is a thing?

Aware of the Pink...

2010-10-13T15:51:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday I happened into the living room while Matt was watching some football game. I'm not certain which one but I vaguely remember Skyler speaking of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders so maybe it was Dallas. I looked at the television for a minute and said to Matt "Hey, I think something is wrong with the color on the tv. Everything red looks pink." He rolled his eyes at me like he always does if I bother to attempt to understand anything on television during a sporting event and pointed out that it WAS pink and that they were supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month. I watched for a minute more, looking at all the things that were pink, cleats, gloves, hats, t-shirts, cups, towels. You name an item on the sideline of a football game and they had it in pink.

Here's where I'm going to get on a soapbox. Just think for a moment about all the money that they spent this month to change all of those items to pink. Everything had to be purchased/created anew, in pink. And then they claimed that they were supporting breast cancer. Really? I'm just guessing but I'd estimate that most people are aware of breast cancer and all of the money spent on all those pink cleats would have been better spent as a donation to breast cancer research. Maybe someone is going to come here and argue that the NFL DOES donate to breast cancer research. It's possible. They could have. I didn't research it. But they could have donated even more. Much much more.

Retail Therapy...

2010-10-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

The wife of one of my coworkers works for Gymboree. Once in awhile she'll give me a coupon with a really great discount. This weekend it was 50% off which was so good that I went to the mall twice.

Skyler is now looking super cute in the following:

And Zack got this shirt to match his sister's dress (look for it in winter pictures coming your way soon)

I get ridiculously excited when buying cute clothes for my kiddos!

Gone Crazy...

2010-10-06T10:02:00.000-04:00

Do you ever get home in the afternoon, take one look at your child and think "oh, 8:00 cannot get here fast enough"? Skyler had that look about her yesterday afternoon. I was on the phone when I pulled in the driveway. I was talking to my mother. I said "hey kids, do you want to say 'hi' to Grammy?" Zack said yes and had a nice chat. Then he made the gross mistake of asking Skyler if she wanted to talk to Grammy. The little banshee starting screaming "No. NOoooo. I don't WANT to talk to Grammy!!" as though Grammy were going to poison her through the phone or some such nonsense. Zack and I looked at each other and I'm sure both decided that it was going to be a long night. As I was hanging up the phone she started screeching from the kitchen "MOMMY I'm SORRY I didn't mean to drop it." She was in a way oversensitive mood and I was sure it was spilled milk but nope, it was a bottle of nail polish. Long night indeed.

I got that cleaned up and went upstairs to call Matt and inform him that since I got three hours of sleep the night before and his daughter had gone crazy that I was going to bed and that he'd better be home quickly. He says "are you about to get your period?" I said "I'M not the one that's crazy here" and he made some complaint that she acts crazy and emotional when I do. Lovely. That's just what we need, two crazy women in the house.

Hopefully things will be better today!

Do You See All Those Pigs Flying Around Out There...

2010-10-04T17:20:00.000-04:00

Skyler: Mom! This big girl on the bus said I was so sweet that she wanted to adopt me as her little sister.

*quietly from the other room*
Zack: I would be sad.

Still Missing...

2010-10-04T07:38:00.000-04:00

Still Missing

Are you looking for a good book that is full of suspense and has a good twist at the end? Here you go. I read it yesterday while I was fostering this chest cold. I'm itching to tell you more, but that will ruin it. You've got to just read it on your own. Let me know what you think when you do read it!

Famous Sleepovers...

2010-09-28T15:39:00.000-04:00

Me: Montana is maybe going to sleep over Saturday night.

Sky: Montana who?

Me: How many Montanas do you know?

The kids: TWO

Me: Montana your cousin and Montana who?

The kids: HANNAH MONTANA (in their best duh Mom voices)

Me: Yes. Hannah Montana is coming to sleep over Saturday night. Who wants to give up their room for her?

Couple of knuckle heads, I'm telling you!

Creepy or Resourceful...

2010-09-27T08:59:00.000-04:00

I did my good PTA member volunteer duty at Zack's school on Friday evening. It was the annual bingo night. This is a crowd favorite and for the first time in years we had a packed house. There wasn't a seat available in the whole room. I was put on popcorn bagging duty and oh my Jon Stewart was it hot in there.

I was working with another Mom who just moved to the area. We got to chatting, we had a lot in common, and were enjoying each others' company and I was starting to think, "hey maybe we could be friends". (quit laughing people who know I don't make friends easily). Things got a little hectic while we were cleaning up and the next thing I knew she was gone. I only got her first name. I didn't get her kids names although I know their teachers.

Do you think a note to the teacher saying "Hey can I have the contact info for one of your students? I don't know WHICH student, but lets hope that only one of them has a Mom named Jane." she would think that was weird? Yeah me too.

Maybe we'll both be haunting the halls at Fall Fest.

Dedication...

2010-09-22T07:25:00.000-04:00

Background: Zack used his own money to purchase a used (good spending tip) blue tooth for his Xbox 360. The blue tooth is used so he can interact with the friends he links up with to play games in groups.

Zack: Mom, if I walk away, really far will my blue tooth disconnect. Like, will it only connect if it's close.

Me: Yup. It will lose connection as you get further and further away from where it is connecting.

Zack: Okay so is your bathroom really far away? Or is that close?

Me: ZACK! Were you talking on the blue tooth WHILE you were going to the bathroom?

Zack: I really really had to go and I was playing with J. He covered my men while I was going but then the blue tooth went fuzzy and disconnected.

Me: PLEASE do not talk on the blue tooth or the phone or anything else while you are going to the bathroom. No one wants to be a part of that.

Sniff...

2010-09-15T15:52:00.002-04:00

We walked into Skyler's school's open house last night, her little friend walks up to her, sniffs, and says "You

smell like vanilla...and sugar".

Sky had gotten into my perfume right before we left *eye roll*. She was wearing Pink Sugar.

Girlfriend must be a Super Smeller.

The Birth of an Athlete...

2010-09-14T08:13:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again (it feels like it's always that time of year). Zack is playing on his first advanced soccer team. The first game went a little like this (he's the goal keeper in yellow):

He was a beast and spent the whole game blocking and punting, blocking and punting. We were so incredibly proud of him. Not just because he played very well but because all of a sudden he has this enormous soccer drive/heart. He can't wait to get to practice every day. He never complains about drills or running or if practice runs an extra hour long (ahem Coach Matt I'm looking at you). He is excited just to play which is new for him. He used to be interested because he got to see his friends and to be a part of the team, but actually putting forth physical effort? No.

It didn't matter one iota to me (or to him really) that they lost on Saturday. I was insanely proud that he went out there and gave it his all, which I don't think he's actually done before. I felt like I was watching an athlete being born.

Owie...

2010-09-08T15:02:00.000-04:00

I'm not going to bore you with the details of my seven hour ER visit on Sunday. Okay okay, I'll give you the diagnosis. Ovarian cyst with a side order of chemo rash (Do not enter the term "rash" into google images. I'm warning you).

It's clear from this latest incident that my body hates me. It's making a game of coming up with painful conditions to test my mettle. I'm just about ready to fold. I'm living on little pills that take away the pain and make the details of life a little fuzzy until I can see my regular doc on Friday.

Apparently when I complained about getting constant sinus infections my body said "Okay bitch, let's kick it up a notch".

I'd like to go back to the sinus infections now. Please?

It Doesn't Matter How You Spell It...

2010-08-31T15:41:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, a ~~thirty-six~~ twenty-nine year old woman found her first gray hair. And then she cried.

The End.

Breaking Up is Hard To Do...

2010-08-31T08:32:00.000-04:00

Dear Coca-Cola,

I love you so much but I just don't think we're right for each other anymore. You bring out the chubby side of me and it's just got to stop. I'll always fondly remember our times together. This hurts me more than it hurts you so please be understanding and don't make this hard on either of us. Please don't worry that I'll be batting for the other team, Pepsi, I'm going for water. Water brings out the best in me and that's really what I need right now.

I'll love you forever. Smooches,

Milk Shortage...

2010-08-26T10:50:00.001-04:00

Tuesday afternoon, Zack and I went to run a few errands that included getting milk because we were almost out. Cut to dinner last night, Skyler sets the table and says "We're almost out of milk". I look in the refrigerator because I JUST bought milk the night before and it wasn't the same label as the one she took out. Hmmm. Where'd the new one go? Zack and I both looked funny at each other and asked "Did you bring it in?". Guess where I found the gallon of milk? Yup. In the trunk of my car. Yuck. We each thought that the other had grabbed the last bag.

Fine, so I tell them to save what's left of the milk that's there for breakfast and to drink apple juice or water with dinner. We're half-way through eating and Skyler suddenly needs to "look in the fridge for something". So Matt and I are watching her wondering what she's up to. We see her squat down and through the crack in the door Matt can see her drinking from the milk jug. She was SNEAKING milk. HA! She cracks me up. Any other time she could have all the milk she wanted and now because she'll definitely want it for cereal she feels that she needs to sneak it. The best part was that she came back to the table with a milk mustache.

I can't complain about a kid who loves her milk

PS - I'm going to mention this way down here so as not to make a big deal which will surely jinx me. Today (so far) is my third day without soda.

My Continued Love Affair with Tivo...

2010-08-25T09:41:00.001-04:00

The kids are getting ready to go back to school. Soccer has started. The temperatures have dropped way way down to the 80s. You know what all that means? It's time for my third annual Fall Line-Up Review.

I've already checked tvguide.com for the fall schedule and I'm ready. Once again I'll have to deploy a little bit of strategy on Monday nights but I think I can do it. I'm up to the challenge and Matt doesn't use his dvr to its fullest potential.

Monday
8:00 - House, Chuck, & 90210 <---problem area
9:00 - Two and a Half Men and Gossip Girl
9:30 - Mike & Molly *

Tuesday
8:00 - No Ordinary Family *
8:00 - Glee
9:00 - Raising Hope*
9:00 - Running Wilde *

Wednesday
9:00 - Modern Family (if you aren't watching this you're wrong)
9:30 - Cougar Town
10:00 - The Defenders*

Thursday
8:00 - Big Bang Theory
8:30 - S#*! My Dad Says*
9:00 - The Office
9:30 - Outsourced
10:00 - Private Practice
10:00 - The Mentalist

Friday
8:00 - Who Do You Think You Are?

Sunday
9:00 - Undercover Boss
9:00 - Desperate Housewives

The * indicates a new show and I have my doubts about every one of them. I'll give them a one or two show trial and then weed them out. I can't wait to have a good backlog of shows on my Tivo for a rainy Saturday afternoon. I have a feeling my book consumption is about to take a nose-dive. I've read 50 books already this year so I'm ready for some mind candy.

What are you watching?

Star Wars...

2010-08-24T13:07:00.000-04:00

Matt has found that keeping the soccer team motivated through practice is easier if he promises them a few games of Star Wars at the end of practice. Last night they were having so much fun that the parents decided to get involved. We played parents against kids and had so much fun. And AND I was victorious in the first game. Me! HAHA!

There are variations to the rules. The way we play is for all the kids (blue balls) to line up at one end of a rectangle marked with cones. The coaches (red balls) line up on the sides. The kids have to dribble their ball through the rectangle and reach the other side without getting hit by one of the coaches balls and without their own ball being hit. I'm pretty sure I was just flying under the radar, but I got across four times without being attacked. We were laughing (and breathing) SO hard.

All of the parents and kids had a great time. I'll have to bring sneakers next week. I first tried barefoot but experienced foot assault by crab grass so had to run in flip flops. As usual, I'm an accident waiting to happen.

Eavesdropper...

2010-08-23T14:34:00.001-04:00

You know how some people have a voice that you can't help but hear even if you're trying not to listen to their conversation?

I was running errands at lunch time today and I overhear some kid/man/boy saying the following:

"So when the police got there I said to them 'I watch a lot of Law & Order so I know that this technically wasn't breaking and entering'."

Oy. Can you even imagine what was going on there? I bet the police officer was thrilled to get the opinion of Mr. Law-&-Order-Watcher. I'm sure that made all the difference in the world in that conversation. Ha!

Even when I don't mean to listen I hear the crazy...

A Book Recommendation From Skyler...

2010-08-19T08:30:00.000-04:00

Willow

We've taken this book out from the library several times. The illustrations are gorgeous and the message is heart warming. The last time we read it we spent more time looking at each page than actually reading the words. Skyler closed the book, looked at the front for a minute and said "Mommy, these pictures are so pretty that this book should have a medal on it". I'm assuming she was speaking of a Caldecott seal and had to agree with her.

Another Reason Why Being a Woman Sucks and Unnecessary Medical Testing...

2010-08-17T08:28:00.000-04:00

I frequently hear anecdotes about insurance companies denying patients treatment and/or payment based on their whim or bottom line or the weather report that day. Medical offices are no different. They have patients do unnecessary tests to make up for what the insurance companies don't pay for. We patients are stuck in the middle so we've got to know what we're doing.

I'll start my little story by saying, everything is fine, all my tests came out normal.

On Friday I had to have an endometrial biopsy with a sonohystogram (least enjoyable procedure I've had that I can remember). The doc was looking for fibroids. So I arrive at the doctor's office and have the test, it's horrible, blah blah blah. I check out at the front desk and as I'm walking down the hall to the elevator a staff member comes chasing me down the hallway. She asks if I left a sample for a pregnancy test. I make a face and say "what for?". She says they should have asked me to do it before the procedure and could I come back inside? I say no that I have an IUD and the doctor was just all up in my business I'm sure they would have figured it out while they were in there. I leave. I get down the street and my cell phone starts blasting away. I'm talking to Matt so I don't answer it. After the third interruption I'm annoyed and click over. The office wants me to come back for the pregnancy test. " Please! It's Office Procedure." I said "No. If you want one because you should have done it before an EMB then it's too late, you already screwed up. If you want one because it's office procedure, I'm clearly not pregnant, and your procedure is flawed and I'm not participating. Good Bye."

This is a huge practice and yes I'm sure they do need to have policies and procedures to keep things running smoothly. I just don't think that every test is necessary for every patient and chasing one down in the hallway to complete one that is no longer necessary just to cover your own ass in the must-follow-office-procedure game is insanity and speaks to the direction the whole field is heading.

/blog entry from atop soap box

Beep BEEP BEEP BEEP...

2010-08-16T08:27:00.001-04:00

Do you ever start a day being jerked awake by some horrible beeping noise and then staring at the offending object bleeping away at you while you wonder "WHAT is that and how do I turn it off?" and then fumble with the various buttons smacking at them until it it just stops. And then you sort of catch on that hey, that's an alarm clock and it was set to wake me up but it can't really be 6:00am yet can it? And THEN you realize that with all your smacking at the clock you've ruined the saving grace that is the nine minutes of snooze?

Yeah, so Good Morning!

It's Almost Time...

2010-08-15T17:44:00.002-04:00

This is how I'm feeling lately:

How to Sound Like a Woman...

2010-08-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

Skyler has this pair of shoes that have little girl heals on them. She calls them that, "my heals", not her dress shoes, or dress-up shoes, or fancy shoes, "my heels".

So she's walking across a tiled floor the other day, hears her very grown-up click click click, and says "Mommy, I sound like a real woman!".

She's too much!

New Hampshire...

2010-08-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

While in New England last week I was introduced to the awesome that is the New Hampshire parody of Jay Z's New York. Every word of it is true. I can't stop watching the video. I'm told that the local New Hampshire radio stations play it often.

I think it's hysterical and thought that all my friends who have left New England but still call it home, would get a kick out of it!

Enjoy

World Wide Visitors...

2010-08-05T15:22:00.000-04:00

I was just checking out my visitor stats. I think it's cool how many visitors I get from different countries. This is a recent snapshot. Cool huh?

Some of my Favorite Pairings...

2010-08-04T10:03:00.001-04:00

Bake Me a Cake I Can Eat...

2010-08-03T20:52:00.000-04:00

So cake art. Help me to understand the phenomenon. I get oddly mesmerized watching shows like Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, and Ultimate Cake Wars. I sit fascinated as they create these works of art out of cake and rice crispy treats but in the end all I think is that it must taste horrible. They manipulate the ingredients via hand for days. There's all kinds of super human effort to keep these creations together. Sure they look cool but what's the point? Shouldn't a cake just taste good?

Literary Love...

2010-08-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

I read four books while I was on vacation and I'm surprised to say that I enjoyed them all.

First was The Scent of Rain and Lightning. I gave it four stars. I enjoyed the story but felt like it could have been told better. The meat of the story was told more as the build-up/back story. Enjoyable still. I'll look for another book by this author.

Next up was The Night Fairy. I came by this title via some sort of list on the Huffington Post book page. I can't remember what the list was but the book popped up on my library holds list so I read it. It was such a sweet little story. It's something I can see reading to a child if that child is calm enough to enjoy a story without lots of pictures to be read to them. There are some beautiful illustrations, but certainly not as many as a child would expect.

Next was The Lion. I've been on the wait-list for this one. I'm a big fan of Nelson DeMille's early works but not a super huge fan of his newer stuff, I still run right out and read it when it comes out though This particular character, John Corey, has shown up in a few of his other books and is a sarcastic smart ass, he makes for a fast-paced enjoyable read. Definitely perfect for a summer vacation.

Last there was Water for Elephants. I resisted reading this book for along time. Even the cover turned me off. Nothing about the circus, or elephants for that matter, interests me at all. Everyone I spoke to loved it. They all said that my dislike of circus related writing wouldn't matter and they were oh so right. I give this book five stars and I didn't technically read it. I wasn't sure I'd love it so I picked it up in audio form to listen to during my twelve hour solo drive to Massachusetts. As it turned out, Matt ended up driving with me and when I mentioned with excitement that we could enjoy an audio book together he mentioned something about me riding on the roof or hell freezing over or something like that. WELL. He fell asleep and I figured I'd pass the time by putting in the first cd and I think Mr. Anti-Audio-Book was hooked before I was. He was so enthralled that he got a little upset with me around 12am when I needed something a little peppier to keep me from falling asleep while driving the last hour through the rain. Matt hasn't gotten to finish it yet but he's already interested in other books on tape. Have I found key to getting him to enjoy my passion for books?

Ms. Sassy Pants read Beezus and Ramona.

I Have So Many Vacation Photos to Share...

2010-08-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

Vacation...

2010-07-18T19:42:00.000-04:00

I put my babies on an airplane on Saturday. It was exciting and nerve wracking for Zack and I. Skyler couldn't get on the plane fast enough and Matt was celebrating. The airline put all the unaccompanied minors next to each other in the back of the plane and apparently they had a grand old time and made a bunch of new friends. I'm so happy it was an easy fun trip - now we can do it again, often.

Zack and Sky are already enjoying their vacation and are living it up with all their cousins at the beach. Because some of our family lives in California, this is the first time that they've had all of their cousins in the same place at the same time. It's unlikely to happen again soon so although we are jealous, Matt and I are thrilled that they're there for it.

Zack is in the center holding Matt's brother Ben's daughter Chloe, Chloe's brothers are Noah and Bryce. Skyler is standing behind Matt's sister Jessica's daughter Madison.

My brother Tim's daughter Nadia is on the left, with Madison, Skyler, Zack and Noah.

Zack LOVES Chloe like no other. He couldn't wait to see her again and tells her she is his favorite little cousin.

Family ROCKS!

Family Time...

2010-07-17T10:40:00.000-04:00

We played until the kids were crying of boredom and Daddy owned everything. FUN!

The Noise in my Head...

2010-07-15T13:27:00.001-04:00

I'm all spun up this afternoon and I don't even know how to explain it well enough to give the subject a good rant. I'll start by saying "DAMN DRUG COMPANIES!"

One of the medications I take is via injection. It comes in a 20ml vial. I take one 6ml injection per week.

One brand of the medication adds a preservative to the vial so that I can use the vial after it's been opened. This way I get three doses out of each vial (20/6 = 3.33333), thus each refill is good for three months.

Another brand of the medication does NOT add a preservative to the vial. Once it is opened you have to throw it away. So I get ONE dose out of the same size vial and then have to throw the rest away making each refill good for ONE month.

Thankfully this particular drug is cheap (to me), just my $5.00 copay. But what if I didn't have insurance? It would be a financial hardship to be paying three times as much and having to throw away medication. It's flipping ridiculous. And before anyone tells me to always request the one with the preservative, I'll tell you it's frequently on back-order which I'm sure is some sort of financial conspiracy. Whenever I go to the pharmacy I never know whether I'm going to get one month's worth of prescription or three.

I've been inside my head fuming about this for over an hour now and I have nothing constructive as a solution. Drug companies are douche-tastic. I feel sorry for people who are sick and don't have medical insurance. I hate waste. I worry about all the people who don't understand this stuff and probably jack up their medication and get financially screwed over it. *big sigh*

AND PS - it makes my hair fall out. Stupid medication.

/rant

Be Colorful...

2010-07-14T13:57:00.000-04:00

I came across this ad in a magazine and thought "Holy crap! Have they been following Skyler around and using her as their muse?"! It's her right down to the socks (except that she'd have two different ones on). I can't even imagine what sort of trauma her creative energy would go through if she had to wear a uniform.

My Mom Would Say This is TMI...

2010-07-13T14:11:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you regret saying certain things to your kids, like when you hear that information repeated to their friends in an out-of-context type of way.

Last night Skyler had her little friend over for dinner where she informed her that I had a doctor check my vagina. Now I'm not even going to discuss the fact that this other child is nine years old and didn't know what a vagina was, I'll just focus on the fact that my daughter is giving my medical updates to the neighbors. I'd much rather she discuss my Remicade infusions but, well, at least she knows what she's talking about. She'll be fully informed when SHE gets to go for her yearly girly bits check-up.

Since she's telling the neighbors I'll tell YOU that I finally, after three tries, found a decent doctor and can stop searching and procrastinating. It's no fun going in the first place, but when you hate your doctor, you just find a thousand reasons not to. While I loved the doctor, I did not love when the nurse asked if I had had my first mammogram yet. Turning over-35 sucks in a whole new way. YAY!

Crafty Girl...

2010-07-12T10:41:00.000-04:00

Skyler received a bracelet-making kit as a prize for best hula hooper at a birthday party this weekend and spent the better part of that evening begging me to show her how to make bracelets. I wasn't in the mood, but this child is a craftaholic so I gave in, flipped through the guide, and suddenly remembered how fun making friendship bracelets was as a kid. I never had much patience for super intricate designs so I chose the easiest one I could remember to teach her. We used some of the basic thread from her kit while I got my groove back and then I decided to fully commit and we went hunting for the three boxes of cross-stitch floss I had stashed in the garage.

Zack quickly started begging for a bracelet and then Skyler wanted to know how to do it herself (up until then she was happily watching me make a bracelet for her). The kids had fun pulling out their favorite colors and the better Skyler got at it (she's a natural) the longer her list of bracelet recipients got. I think she has plans to stick me in a friendship bracelet making sweatshop.

Skyler's first creation which she sweetly bestowed up on me and my keychain.

One of my own creations that I was allowed to keep because it was too big for anyone Sky had on her list.

I have no intentions of showing her the crazy patterns you can make these things into. She'd never let me see the light of day if she knew...

My Brain is Melting...

2010-07-07T17:00:00.000-04:00

I know that the last thing you want to listen to right now is me bitching about how hot it is but Oh Em Gee. I can't take it anymore. I call uncle. Out. I'm done.

This is the temperature inside my car today:

The temperature outside my car is only slightly lower:

The treatment we're getting from Mother Nature is inhumane. She's clearly punishing us for something. Did I blog a bitchy post about the weather being too cold back in April? I probably did. She's all "Cold huh? Take THAT Bitch!" I'm sorry Mother Nature. You win. Now can we please take it under 90. I'm going to have to sell a child to pay for my electric bill this month. Which one do you think is worth more? We're only a couple of weeks into summer.

Interesting Tid-Bit...

2010-07-07T08:58:00.001-04:00

I was addressing a postcard this morning and as I affixed my stamp I began to wonder about the postage. I slap a 44¢ stamp on there and my postman takes it to the post office and does some sort of magic and it arrives in, say France. I pay the USPS 44¢ but what does France get out of the deal to deliver it to it's recipient? I'm quite sure their postal service doesn't work for free. And what does ours get when someone sends ME a postcard? These thoughts tumble around in my head. I like to know how things work.

So I googled it and came across this very informative, albeit dated, article. The United Nations is involved in the whole process. They've got it all worked out. We only usually hear about them when we illegally declare war on foreign countries and defy the Geneva Convention but apparently they worry about my postcards too.

Interesting!

Distracted...

2010-07-03T19:15:00.000-04:00

Today I am full of thoughts of this that happened one year ago. I think we're all doing okay. It's just... hard... you know?

I Need a Bubble...

2010-07-02T08:02:00.000-04:00

I learned last night that it's best for me and anyone else around me that I permanently refrain from doing anything physical whatsoever. Walking might even be too much for me.

Yesterday evening we took the kids to the local water park. We had purchased season tickets as a gift to the kids but we hadn't gotten to go yet. It was the perfect afternoon. The weather was warm but not humid. The first "cool" day we've had in weeks. The park was closing in two hours which is the perfect amount of time for me. It was just the right conditions.

It took me exactly one hour to hurt myself bad enough to have me sobbing. I can't even manage not to get hurt in WATER. With hundreds of non-hurt, some, very tiny children around me. I think my body hates me.

The entire family ended up on a group of slides where you sit on a mat. Skyler went ahead of me on this slide. I started down and was having a grand old time when I whipped around a corner, whacked my head and my bad shoulder HARD against the side of the slide. When I tipped over I lost my mat and suddenly Skyler was right in front of me. I was terrified I was going to crash into her so I was trying to slow myself down. I dumped into the pool mat-less and holding onto my shoulder which felt like it had been ripped apart and immediately started sobbing. I scared the crap out of the teeny lifeguard. I told her that I was fine. Got out and sat on a bench and just sobbed envisioning surgery and the guts of my shoulder being torn to threads. It hurt to touch it. Matt sat with me for a long time. The kids kept going up and down the slide of death (which is in reality safe for toddlers) while I cried.

That was the end of fun at the water park for me. I took on the roll of watcher of fun. When we got home I discovered that my shoulder joint is mostly fine. I have an enormous bruise on the outside and the skin is tender to the touch. I think it will eventually be fine. I'm probably also concussed but a whack to the side of the head is probably good for me at this point.

I got a lot of teasing about just trying to find myself a good nursing home and calling it a life. I mean if I can't hack the water park for one hour, I probably shouldn't be driving a car :-) Maybe a permanent dressing of bubble wrap will do the trick?