In the meantime, here's William-san and me this morning:
I just hope William doesn't want to wear the headband to Taekwondo! Happy Halloween everyone!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Show Me the Mommy--Featuring . . . William-san
William was excited to put his costume on at school this morning. I cut up a sheet last night to make his headband. I actually hemmed it by hand. Hopefully nobody will look too closely at it. Seth's costume is still a bit up in the air. Yesterday morning, we had a winner. This morning, he wouldn't wear it. I brought it to school so we'll see if he wears it this afternoon when they all put their costumes on. I'll save the big reveal for my Halloween post, in case he changes his mind, AGAIN!
In the meantime, here's William-san and me this morning:
I just hope William doesn't want to wear the headband to Taekwondo! Happy Halloween everyone!
In the meantime, here's William-san and me this morning:
I just hope William doesn't want to wear the headband to Taekwondo! Happy Halloween everyone!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The End of an Era?
Two nights ago, Seth woke up around 1:30 a.m. screaming and crying. He had had some kind of nightmare, and he trembled as I picked him and sat down to rock with him. After he settled down (and I thought he was asleep), I stood up to put him back in his crib, but he clung to me with a vise-like grip and cried that he didn't want his crib. "Too sca-wee" he repeated over and over. Since William had also woken up to Seth's screaming and had gotten into our bed and gone back to sleep, bringing Seth into our bed wasn't an option. So I made a bed on the floor beside our bed and Seth slept on the floor, William and I slept in our bed, and Ed slept on the couch.
Last night, I tried putting Seth to sleep in his crib again, but he freaked out. He seemed honestly, genuinely scared, so I made a bed on the floor in his room instead. It took him a little while to settle down (after getting up and walking out of his room numerous times) but he finally fell asleep and slept through the night. He woke up at 5:00 a.m. and I couldn't get him to go back to sleep (he probably would have if he had been in his crib), but overall, it wasn't bad.
So it looks like we might be done with the crib! We have a toddler bed shaped like a train that someone gave us, so I guess we'll set it up this weekend and take down his crib. Or we could just keep on letting him sleep on the floor, I guess. I thought about seeing if the boys wanted to share a room, but I think we'll wait until we move. Their bedrooms are pretty small. I'm feeling fortunate that it's just his crib that Seth is afraid of, and not his room. Maybe he's just playing me, but since it's about that time to move out of the crib anyway, we might as well go with it.
Next up--potty training! It's time for that, too. We're going to try booty camp over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Lord knows I've been putting it off. I have no idea how Seth will do, but since he already uses the toilet quite a bit for all of his business, I'm hopeful. Time will tell!
Last night, I tried putting Seth to sleep in his crib again, but he freaked out. He seemed honestly, genuinely scared, so I made a bed on the floor in his room instead. It took him a little while to settle down (after getting up and walking out of his room numerous times) but he finally fell asleep and slept through the night. He woke up at 5:00 a.m. and I couldn't get him to go back to sleep (he probably would have if he had been in his crib), but overall, it wasn't bad.
So it looks like we might be done with the crib! We have a toddler bed shaped like a train that someone gave us, so I guess we'll set it up this weekend and take down his crib. Or we could just keep on letting him sleep on the floor, I guess. I thought about seeing if the boys wanted to share a room, but I think we'll wait until we move. Their bedrooms are pretty small. I'm feeling fortunate that it's just his crib that Seth is afraid of, and not his room. Maybe he's just playing me, but since it's about that time to move out of the crib anyway, we might as well go with it.
Next up--potty training! It's time for that, too. We're going to try booty camp over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Lord knows I've been putting it off. I have no idea how Seth will do, but since he already uses the toilet quite a bit for all of his business, I'm hopeful. Time will tell!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Broken Record and Menu Plan Monday -- October 25
My Monday "weekend reports" are starting to sound like a broken record. "Beautiful weather, family fun, a few chores here and there." I'm not complaining though. On Saturday we went to a pumpkin patch (pictures still on the camera) and on Sunday, we went to Ed's parents. Lots of fun and outside time. Not quite as many chores performed, but they're not going anywhere.
As for last week's meal plan, I followed it to a T. The chicken poppy seed casserole was a bust--neither one of the boys liked it. (It needs something else--maybe rice.) Ed and I managed to eat up the leftovers, though, so no food waste there. We still have some taco meat (both boys ate a whole taco, though, so that was promising) and some pork schnitzel--not sure when that will get eaten. We also brought home almost a whole pizza from the family get-together yesterday, so I was planning on eating that for lunch this week.
At any rate, this week's menu:
Sunday: Pizza (with Ed's family)
Monday: Parmesan fish sticks, salad, dinner rolls (I have skin-on fillets, so I might just adapt this recipe and put the breading on top of the fish and bake it)
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Steak, asparagus, roasted potatoes
Thursday: Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Friday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Saturday: TBD
Hopefully this will be a good week. Last week we had lots of talks with William about showing respect--especially to adults. We are having to ramp it up a notch when it comes to consequences for disrespectful behavior. I have to remind myself that staying calm and being consistent are the keys. Neither one comes easily to me, but I'm working on it. Despite the sassing, William has been a lot of fun lately. He practically bursts with questions ALL THE TIME. And he's absorbing all kinds of information--you can watch his wheels spinning.
Seth, meanwhile, is playing with toys more and more. He's really into reading, too, and he's branching out with his book selections. He tends to want to read the same books over and over and over, and he sticks to simpler stories with big, bright illustrations. He also likes to "read" to me, and has several books memorized, including his favorite, Brown Bear, Brown Bear. He and William fight all the time, but they play together all the time, too. This morning, they turned my closet into a space ship and they happily played together in there with the door closed for 20 minutes. It's fun to hear them talking and giggling together.
Overall, things are good. Still working on the exercise thing, but I haven't given up. I'm still not entirely sure what the boys will be dressing up as on Halloween, but I'm sure we'll figure it out. We have no set plans again for the weekend, but I'm sure pumpkin carving and pie baking will be a part of it. I'm already looking forward to it!
As for last week's meal plan, I followed it to a T. The chicken poppy seed casserole was a bust--neither one of the boys liked it. (It needs something else--maybe rice.) Ed and I managed to eat up the leftovers, though, so no food waste there. We still have some taco meat (both boys ate a whole taco, though, so that was promising) and some pork schnitzel--not sure when that will get eaten. We also brought home almost a whole pizza from the family get-together yesterday, so I was planning on eating that for lunch this week.
At any rate, this week's menu:
Sunday: Pizza (with Ed's family)
Monday: Parmesan fish sticks, salad, dinner rolls (I have skin-on fillets, so I might just adapt this recipe and put the breading on top of the fish and bake it)
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Steak, asparagus, roasted potatoes
Thursday: Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Friday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Saturday: TBD
Hopefully this will be a good week. Last week we had lots of talks with William about showing respect--especially to adults. We are having to ramp it up a notch when it comes to consequences for disrespectful behavior. I have to remind myself that staying calm and being consistent are the keys. Neither one comes easily to me, but I'm working on it. Despite the sassing, William has been a lot of fun lately. He practically bursts with questions ALL THE TIME. And he's absorbing all kinds of information--you can watch his wheels spinning.
Seth, meanwhile, is playing with toys more and more. He's really into reading, too, and he's branching out with his book selections. He tends to want to read the same books over and over and over, and he sticks to simpler stories with big, bright illustrations. He also likes to "read" to me, and has several books memorized, including his favorite, Brown Bear, Brown Bear. He and William fight all the time, but they play together all the time, too. This morning, they turned my closet into a space ship and they happily played together in there with the door closed for 20 minutes. It's fun to hear them talking and giggling together.
Overall, things are good. Still working on the exercise thing, but I haven't given up. I'm still not entirely sure what the boys will be dressing up as on Halloween, but I'm sure we'll figure it out. We have no set plans again for the weekend, but I'm sure pumpkin carving and pie baking will be a part of it. I'm already looking forward to it!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Show Me the Mommy--Courtesy of Seth
Seth took this picture of William and me last week. It's the best I could do!
To see more Mommies, visit Laura. Happy Friday!
To see more Mommies, visit Laura. Happy Friday!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Time Versus Money
I often struggle with figuring out what is worth the investment of my time versus the investment of my money. As a full time, work-outside-the-home mom, convenience goes a long, long way towards maintaining sanity. But convenience comes with a price. I love the idea of not paying for things that I can do myself, and the idea of from-scratch (especially when it comes to cooking). I love the idea of being frugal and thrifty. But time is such a commodity.
I clean my own house instead of hiring a cleaning service. I've discovered that we can survive with my haphazard cleaning techniques--a little here, a little there, throw-a-party-when-I-really-need-to-clean. (Lowering my standards of cleanliness has also helped immensely.)
I also cook at home and try to do as much "from scratch" cooking as I can. I enjoy cooking, and I know it's cheaper and healthier (depending on what I cook) in the long run than eating out and convenience foods. But there are still lots of corners that I cut in cooking that I could put a little more effort into, and maybe I would if I had more time.
For example, I often buy dinner rolls that I throw in the freezer. They're around $3 for a bag of 6 or 7 rolls. That's expensive! I know I could make my own rolls for a fraction of the cost, and they'd be much healthier. It's just a matter of working it into my routine. I make homemade waffles now instead of buying Eggo waffles. I use white whole wheat flour and organic, cage-free eggs and organic milk, so they're definitely way healthier. And now that I'm used to making them, it takes very little time and effort. So I just need to do the same with the dinner rolls. I even have a bread machine, so I doubt it would even take much time. It's just a matter of making the effort.
So what conveniences do you buy? And what do you think is worth the time and effort? If money was not an issue, what would you outsource?
I clean my own house instead of hiring a cleaning service. I've discovered that we can survive with my haphazard cleaning techniques--a little here, a little there, throw-a-party-when-I-really-need-to-clean. (Lowering my standards of cleanliness has also helped immensely.)
I also cook at home and try to do as much "from scratch" cooking as I can. I enjoy cooking, and I know it's cheaper and healthier (depending on what I cook) in the long run than eating out and convenience foods. But there are still lots of corners that I cut in cooking that I could put a little more effort into, and maybe I would if I had more time.
For example, I often buy dinner rolls that I throw in the freezer. They're around $3 for a bag of 6 or 7 rolls. That's expensive! I know I could make my own rolls for a fraction of the cost, and they'd be much healthier. It's just a matter of working it into my routine. I make homemade waffles now instead of buying Eggo waffles. I use white whole wheat flour and organic, cage-free eggs and organic milk, so they're definitely way healthier. And now that I'm used to making them, it takes very little time and effort. So I just need to do the same with the dinner rolls. I even have a bread machine, so I doubt it would even take much time. It's just a matter of making the effort.
So what conveniences do you buy? And what do you think is worth the time and effort? If money was not an issue, what would you outsource?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Randomness
- When I got to school today to pick up the boys, William's teacher said, "Don't be alarmed by his face. He found a pen during rest time." He had drawn all over his face with a green marker. Luckily, it came off in the bathtub. I'd like to pursue what happened, though, because that's really not the kind of thing William normally does. Seth, definitely. But William, not so much. I'm thinking a friend may be involved.
- Also when I got to school today, William's class was just lining up to go outside. William begged me to wait so he could play outside, and since I was early, I said okay. Seth played, too, and they had fun. But when we finally hit the road, traffic was so bad that we didn't get home until almost 6:30.
- We ate waffles, sausage, and fruit instead of the poppy seed chicken casserole. We'll have the chicken tomorrow night.
- Last night I watched the Duets episode of Glee (on Hulu). It's the first time I've watched a full episode and I really liked it. Do NOT tell my mother in law, though. She loves that show and Ed and I make fun of her for watching it and buying the CDs. I guess I'm now a closet Glee fan.
- I have pictures from the picnic:
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| Too cool for school, checking out the kids playing with the parachute |
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| No caption needed. Awwww! |
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| Knight face painting |
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| Seth being his usual cooperative self when posing for pictures |
- Can't think of much else to blog about. And anyway, I want to watch the rest of the Glee episode I was watching last night!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Weekend Blur
Our weekend consisted of:
Taekwondo (William got his yellow striped belt!)
vacuuming
bathroom cleaning
quick lunch date for Ed and Me
laundry
library
playing
grocery store
Taekwondo picnic, parachute play, 3-legged race, balloon toss, playground playing, face painting
car naps
playing outside
We had gorgeous weather and lots of family time. What more could you ask for? The Taekwondo picnic was probably the highlight. William finally found a little girl that he knew from his class and they spent the rest of the picnic together. He told me later that the little girl wouldn't do the things that he wanted to do. I told him he should get used to that.
In between all the activities, I planned this week's menu.
Sunday: Spaghetti (for Ed and me), chicken nuggets (for the boys), broccoli
Monday: Pork tenderloin (marinated in balsamic vinaigrette dressing), asparagus, roasted potatoes
Tuesday: Poppy seed chicken casserole, broccoli, dinner rolls
Wednesday: Pork Schnitzel, green beans/spinach salad, corn bread
Thursday: Breakfast for dinner or pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits
I did a little better with the food waste last week. We had some leftover roast beef that I knew wasn't going to get eaten, but I didn't have the ingredients to make a pot pie or shepherd's pie with it. So instead I cut it up into small pieces and put it in a freezer bag for the freezer. I'm not sure if it will freeze well, but I thought maybe I'd try a pot pie or shepherd's pie next week. I'm pretty sure William won't eat it, and Ed doesn't really like either option. But Seth will probably eat it, and you never know with William. Plus I can always eat it for lunch all week. I also shredded a leftover chicken breast and put that in the freezer, which I'll use for the poppy seed chicken casserole. (Another thing that William probably won't eat, but you never know.) I'm trying to plan more meals based on leftovers when I know we'll have them, and also to make meals that will probably have leftovers earlier in the week, so I can eat them for lunch. This week, for example, I have two pork tenderloins (they usually come two in a package) so I'll roast one tonight, and the other one I'll slice up and pound thin and use that for Wednesday night.
Anyway, another Monday, another week. Time is flying! This is the time of year that things always seem to get crazy. But for some strange reason, I'm really looking forward to it all this year. Of course, I might not be singing the same song in another month. But for now, things look good.
Taekwondo (William got his yellow striped belt!)
vacuuming
bathroom cleaning
quick lunch date for Ed and Me
laundry
library
playing
grocery store
Taekwondo picnic, parachute play, 3-legged race, balloon toss, playground playing, face painting
car naps
playing outside
We had gorgeous weather and lots of family time. What more could you ask for? The Taekwondo picnic was probably the highlight. William finally found a little girl that he knew from his class and they spent the rest of the picnic together. He told me later that the little girl wouldn't do the things that he wanted to do. I told him he should get used to that.
In between all the activities, I planned this week's menu.
Sunday: Spaghetti (for Ed and me), chicken nuggets (for the boys), broccoli
Monday: Pork tenderloin (marinated in balsamic vinaigrette dressing), asparagus, roasted potatoes
Tuesday: Poppy seed chicken casserole, broccoli, dinner rolls
Wednesday: Pork Schnitzel, green beans/spinach salad, corn bread
Thursday: Breakfast for dinner or pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits
I did a little better with the food waste last week. We had some leftover roast beef that I knew wasn't going to get eaten, but I didn't have the ingredients to make a pot pie or shepherd's pie with it. So instead I cut it up into small pieces and put it in a freezer bag for the freezer. I'm not sure if it will freeze well, but I thought maybe I'd try a pot pie or shepherd's pie next week. I'm pretty sure William won't eat it, and Ed doesn't really like either option. But Seth will probably eat it, and you never know with William. Plus I can always eat it for lunch all week. I also shredded a leftover chicken breast and put that in the freezer, which I'll use for the poppy seed chicken casserole. (Another thing that William probably won't eat, but you never know.) I'm trying to plan more meals based on leftovers when I know we'll have them, and also to make meals that will probably have leftovers earlier in the week, so I can eat them for lunch. This week, for example, I have two pork tenderloins (they usually come two in a package) so I'll roast one tonight, and the other one I'll slice up and pound thin and use that for Wednesday night.
Anyway, another Monday, another week. Time is flying! This is the time of year that things always seem to get crazy. But for some strange reason, I'm really looking forward to it all this year. Of course, I might not be singing the same song in another month. But for now, things look good.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Show Me the Mommy--Vegas Edition
Last night, I got William to take a few pictures of Ed and me, since I have about as many pictures of the two of us as I have of just me. He took some funny ones, which I meant to download onto my computer and use today. But alas, I got tired and went to sleep. So instead, today's Show Me the Mommy moment comes from our weekend in Vegas, courtesy of Laura (again!). (Even though most of you who read this blog have already seen it!)
Pretty funny, huh?
In other news, life is good but moving fast. Seth has suckered me into sitting in the comfy rocking chair in his room for a few minutes while he goes to sleep each night. And of course, a "few minutes" turns into a half-hour snooze. I've been doing it because it's kind of relaxing, but once I've dozed off, there's no motivation to get back to doing my evening chores. I've also been reading The Girl Who Played with Fire, so it's pretty easy to crawl into bed and read and go to sleep without even opening my computer at night.
Other than that, the boys are good. Seth had to get tested for lead and TB this week (it's a requirement for DC schools and day care centers), so we had an appointment on Tuesday afternoon and had to go back yesterday afternoon. Luckily, he only had to get his finger pricked, rather than a blood draw. He did great during the finger prick, but not so great for the TB test. But it was all over quickly.
William will be testing for his yellow-striped belt in Taekwondo tomorrow. He has to memorize the student creed. He knows it, but I'm wondering if he'll freeze up when he has to recite it. He actually recited it for his class yesterday, so I think he'll do fine. The awesome part is that during class, they bring the kids forward who get new belts and everyone claps for them. So cute!
That's about it. No complaints. No feeling overwhelmed. Still struggling with food waste and exercise. (Gillian and I had a falling out, but I think we'll make amends this weekend and start over.) William has been all over the map with Halloween costumes. First he wanted to be a skeleton, then Michael Jackson, then Iron Man, then an army guy. I think I've convinced him to be the Karate Kid, though. Which is great since we already have the costume! When I ask Seth what he wants to be for Halloween, he says, "Nothing!" But William asked him if he wanted to be the Karate Kid, too. And he said yes. So that should be easy enough. It would be nice to have that decision all wrapped up.
And despite myself, I"m getting totally excited about Christmas! I know, I know. Halloween isn't even here yet. But I can't help it! What can I say--William and Seth love to sing Jingle Bells!
Pretty funny, huh?
In other news, life is good but moving fast. Seth has suckered me into sitting in the comfy rocking chair in his room for a few minutes while he goes to sleep each night. And of course, a "few minutes" turns into a half-hour snooze. I've been doing it because it's kind of relaxing, but once I've dozed off, there's no motivation to get back to doing my evening chores. I've also been reading The Girl Who Played with Fire, so it's pretty easy to crawl into bed and read and go to sleep without even opening my computer at night.
Other than that, the boys are good. Seth had to get tested for lead and TB this week (it's a requirement for DC schools and day care centers), so we had an appointment on Tuesday afternoon and had to go back yesterday afternoon. Luckily, he only had to get his finger pricked, rather than a blood draw. He did great during the finger prick, but not so great for the TB test. But it was all over quickly.
William will be testing for his yellow-striped belt in Taekwondo tomorrow. He has to memorize the student creed. He knows it, but I'm wondering if he'll freeze up when he has to recite it. He actually recited it for his class yesterday, so I think he'll do fine. The awesome part is that during class, they bring the kids forward who get new belts and everyone claps for them. So cute!
That's about it. No complaints. No feeling overwhelmed. Still struggling with food waste and exercise. (Gillian and I had a falling out, but I think we'll make amends this weekend and start over.) William has been all over the map with Halloween costumes. First he wanted to be a skeleton, then Michael Jackson, then Iron Man, then an army guy. I think I've convinced him to be the Karate Kid, though. Which is great since we already have the costume! When I ask Seth what he wants to be for Halloween, he says, "Nothing!" But William asked him if he wanted to be the Karate Kid, too. And he said yes. So that should be easy enough. It would be nice to have that decision all wrapped up.
And despite myself, I"m getting totally excited about Christmas! I know, I know. Halloween isn't even here yet. But I can't help it! What can I say--William and Seth love to sing Jingle Bells!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Weekend Report and Menu Plan Monday -- October 11
Today is the last day of a three-day weekend and it has been beyond gorgeous. We did not have too much planned for the weekend, other than taekwondo and a birthday party on Saturday, but we managed to pack in a lot of activities. On Friday night, we met Ed at a local pizza place for an impromptu dinner. The boys did really well, which isn't always the case at restaurants. After taekwondo on Saturday morning, we went to a local truck touch and the boys had a great time. There was a monster truck, a fire engine with aeriel lift, a skid steer loader, a little gator truck, a motorcycle, a cement mixer, a school bus, two different utility trucks with cherry pickers, a dump truck, a UPS truck, and more. After several hours at the truck touch, we headed home so Seth could take a short nap before the birthday party at Pump It Up. By Saturday night, I was completely worn out (Ed got the day off since he had daddy duty all weekend last weekend while I was in Vegas), but it was a good day. On Sunday morning, the boys went with me to the grocery store and then came home to help Ed with yard work. Then we headed to a local park on the water to enjoy the beautiful weather. The boys loved watching boats go in and out of the water on the boat ramp. Seth got so excited every time he saw a truck pulling a boat. Then the boys played on the playground for a while and then we went down to the "beach" where they rent kayaks and canoes and rowboats and the boys played in the sand and threw rocks in the water.
Today has not been quite as exciting. After doing lots of chores this morning, I finally herded the boys into the car and we dropped clothes off at the drycleaners and then went to Barnes and Noble. William LOVES going there and wants me to read every story he lays his hands on. Good times! On the way home, Seth fell asleep in the car and I transfered him to his room. Meanwhile, I let William watch a video, and he fell asleep, too! So I got about an hour and a half of blissful peace and quiet.
On Sunday morning before I headed to the grocery store, I quickly figured out a menu for the week. I'm getting pretty used to planning menus on the fly!
Sunday: Grilled Salmon, broccoli, roasted potatoes, and dinner rolls
Monday: Roast beef, rice, salad, dinner rolls
Tuesday: Grilled chicken breasts, green beans, corn bread muffins
Wednesday: French dip sandwiches, fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries) (Using leftover roast beef)
Thursday: Quesadillas (made with leftover chicken breasts)
Friday: Leftover smorgasborg
Saturday: Pork tenderloin, sides TBD (We ended up having spaghetti on Saturday night and again on Sunday night, and saved the pork tenderloin for Monday night.)
Friday, October 08, 2010
Show Me the Mommy!
My "Show Me the Mommy" moment this morning was provided by LauraC herself! Laura, Jon, and the boys spent the night at our house last night and got to see us in all our morning-scramble glory. I'm glad she has two boys and understands what "loud" means. LOL. I just saw her a few days ago, but it was great to see her again, and especially Nate and Alex. I made Laura take a quick photo of me and the boys, and I meant to try to get a photo of Laura and me, and also the boys together. But, yeah, that didn't happen. I got distracted. Stupid morning scramble. Laura and her family are on their way to the Warrior Dash, with a pit stop at the Air and Space Museum, which I hope they enjoy.
In the meantime, I'll post this picture from this morning:
To Laura, Joanna, and Maria--I hope you guys kick ASS at the Warrior Dash! I'm so sorry I can't be there, but I'm there in spirit.
In the meantime, I'll post this picture from this morning:
To Laura, Joanna, and Maria--I hope you guys kick ASS at the Warrior Dash! I'm so sorry I can't be there, but I'm there in spirit.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Vegas, Baby!
I can't believe it's already Thursday and I haven't gotten around to blogging yet. The proverbial shit seems to have hit the fan for just about everyone coming home from Vegas, and I think we've all felt consumed by life for the past few days. But I'm one of the lucky ones--I got off pretty easy. I took the red-eye home on Sunday night, leaving Vegas at 11:30 p.m. and arriving in Baltimore at 9:15 a.m. (after a plane change in Milwaukee). My plan was to go to work, but who was I kidding? I felt like crap and I looked worse, so I went home and tried to take a nap. I dozed a little and then left to pick up the boys at 3:30. I got a call on my way to school from Seth's teacher--Seth had a fever. When I got to school, he was so pathetic. He was lying on his cot and when he saw me, he just started crying. He didn't even sit up. Not the welcome home I imagined.
I scooped him up and got William (who DID give me an awesome welcome home, I'm-so-happy-to-see-you hug) and we went home. On the way home, Seth threw up all over himself. Oh joy! The funniest part of the ride home was when William--after watching Seth throw up--said, "You know what we had for lunch today, Mommy?" I had a pretty good idea. LOL.
Once we were home, I got Seth cleaned up and he went to sleep in his crib. Then I cleaned up the car seat and did a load of laundry. Seth woke up a while later and threw up again, but he was okay for the rest of the night. I stayed home on Tuesday and Seth only had a fever in the morning. Later in the afternoon, William started coughing. And coughing. And coughing. That night, he started wheezing. Ed stayed home with the boys on Wednesday and took them to the doctor. Seth is fine now and William just has to do nebulizer treatments a few times a day. He was barely wheezing when he went to the doctor, so that was good. Both boys are back to school today, I'm at work, and all is well.
So now--the good stuff: Vegas! The trip was awesome. The company was amazing. We ate fantastic food and laughed until our cheeks hurt. Friday night for me began late--Bridget and I arrived on the same plane from Atlanta and were met by Laura, Joanna, Lindsay, and Jenn at the airport. We went to In and Out Burger (Yum!) and then headed to the hotel where we met up with Julie, Desi, Heidi, Rita, and Tenaya. Drinks and talking and much giggling ensued. It really felt like we had all known each other for years. (Maybe because we have!) Saturday was the cabana day. The cabana was by the pool, but that was completely irrelevant for us. We drank, talked more, laughed and laughed, ate, drank, talked more, and laughed some more. Not even a crazy thunder storm could drive us apart! We simply closed the cabana curtains, asked the waiter for clean drinks, and kept right on talking. Saturday night was dinner at Lotus of Siam--a fantastic Thai restaurant located off the strip. Heidi (the local) suggested that the group have the waiter bring out a bunch of different recommended entrees for everyone to share. Jenn, Joanna, and I opted for some old standbys, but everything was fantastic.
Saturday night was our true taste of Vegas nightlife--after hours at Tao. I wasn't drunk enough to truly enjoy it, but I'm so glad I got to experience it for a little while. It was amusing and reminded me of my much younger days when I first moved to DC and went to clubs and bars every weekend. Good times! After a good night's sleep, we met up for brunch at Bouchon on Sunday morning. And OH.MY.GOD. it was so delicious. The BEST waffles I have ever had! After brunch we headed outside and walked along the strip. We walked around some other hotels and casinos, we watched the fountain show at the Bellagio, I got a makeup consult at the MAC counter, Joanna picked up a gift for Andy. Even though we walked a ton, it was relaxing. After resting at the hotel, we got ready for our dinner at Aquaknox--an awesome seafood restaurant. It was delicious! I ate an entire bucket of mussels by myself and loved every bite. Lindsay picked a fantastic Pinot Grigio and the company was, of course, the best part of dinner. (Besdies the fact that Joanna, Jenn, and I all ordered the same thing AGAIN!) After dinner, I had to say my goodbyes and head for the airport. The rest of the girls planned to go out and do a little gambling. Did anyone win???
So now that you know what we did all weekend, here are my thoughts about this amazing group of women that I am so privileged to know:
I'll start with Julie and Laura--the women that I already knew IRL. It was so awesome to see Julie again. She looks fantastic! Seattle really agrees with her. Julie is so smart and funny and thoughtful. I could hang out with her for hours and never grow tired of talking to her. She makes me feel like I'm an interesting person (which is quite a stretch! LOL) and she is so comfortable to be around.
And Laura--the glue that holds us all together! You know how some people are the-glass-is-half-full people? Well Laura is a the-glass-is-overflowing kind of person--the most positive and uplifting person I know. When the experts say you should surround yourself with people who inspire you to be a better person, they were talking about Laura. I've never been with Laura around a big group before, though, and I have to say that she was much quieter than I expected. She lets everyone else talk and tends to sit back and enjoy the company. Kind of a new twist!
Laura mentioned that last year in New York, Rita was Lindsay's girl crush. Well Desi would definitely by mine for Vegas. She has an awesome, self-deprecating sense of humor. And yet she is so confident and charming. She cracked me up the whole time I was in Vegas and I instantly felt so comfortable with her.You can tell she is an awesome mom--the kind that doesn't take crap and lays down the law. Can't wait to hang out with her again!
Heidi was the one I knew the least, and the one who surprised me the most. She is so freakin' cool. She's hip but super down to earth and obviously super smart. She is the kind of mother that I want to be. I admire her so much because she has started a full-time grad school program with 3 kids at home. If that isn't awesome, what is?
Speaking of awesome, there is Jenn. She is organized and put-together, And yet she is so laid back and easy going and easy to talk to. Jenn is super thoughtful, too. I had mentioned wanting to go to a MAC counter to have a makeup consultation, and Jenn went out of her way to make sure that happened for me. It really meant a lot to me, and it's a small example of how Jenn takes care of her friends!
Joanna is as funny in real life as she is on her blog. She is a story-teller and she might be the most stubborn person I've ever met. She has such an amazing sense of self that I truly admire. I can't wait to see her again and think I might have to make a special trip to Philly just so I can hear more of her hysterical stories.
Lindsay is the one with whom I spent the least amount of time, which bums me out because I really really wanted to get to know her better. She is in real life as she appears on her blog--sweet, good-natured, always taking care of everyone. She is also beautiful and taller than I expected. She has the warmest smile and makes everyone feel special. I want to room with her at our next girls' weekend! (Or at least sit by her during a meal!)
Bridget has the best sense of humor of anyone I know. She has had to deal with so much crap, and yet she does so with so much grace. She is a true Southern lady--poised and fashionable (which is an understatement), strong and independent, completely charming!
Rita can be summed up with one word: Passion. She is passionate about everything--food, her boys, work, life. I love the way she describes food and I definitely think she should have her own cooking show. America would fall in love with her!
And Tenaya, who I didn't know at all before this weekend since she doesn't blog. But now I'm really wishing she would blog! She is so smart and seems so "California" to me. Gorgeous and stylish and down to earth and intelligent and funny--the whole package. She's on the board at her kids' school, too, and I realized we probably have more in common than I ever imagined. I would love to meet up with her again!
In short, I had an awesome time in Vegas--a whole weekend of chatting, laughing, eating, relaxing, and even a little bit of sleeping. I came home wanting to be a better mom and a better wife and feeling so very fortunate that I had the opportunity to bond with such amazing women. Can't wait 'till next year!
I scooped him up and got William (who DID give me an awesome welcome home, I'm-so-happy-to-see-you hug) and we went home. On the way home, Seth threw up all over himself. Oh joy! The funniest part of the ride home was when William--after watching Seth throw up--said, "You know what we had for lunch today, Mommy?" I had a pretty good idea. LOL.
Once we were home, I got Seth cleaned up and he went to sleep in his crib. Then I cleaned up the car seat and did a load of laundry. Seth woke up a while later and threw up again, but he was okay for the rest of the night. I stayed home on Tuesday and Seth only had a fever in the morning. Later in the afternoon, William started coughing. And coughing. And coughing. That night, he started wheezing. Ed stayed home with the boys on Wednesday and took them to the doctor. Seth is fine now and William just has to do nebulizer treatments a few times a day. He was barely wheezing when he went to the doctor, so that was good. Both boys are back to school today, I'm at work, and all is well.
So now--the good stuff: Vegas! The trip was awesome. The company was amazing. We ate fantastic food and laughed until our cheeks hurt. Friday night for me began late--Bridget and I arrived on the same plane from Atlanta and were met by Laura, Joanna, Lindsay, and Jenn at the airport. We went to In and Out Burger (Yum!) and then headed to the hotel where we met up with Julie, Desi, Heidi, Rita, and Tenaya. Drinks and talking and much giggling ensued. It really felt like we had all known each other for years. (Maybe because we have!) Saturday was the cabana day. The cabana was by the pool, but that was completely irrelevant for us. We drank, talked more, laughed and laughed, ate, drank, talked more, and laughed some more. Not even a crazy thunder storm could drive us apart! We simply closed the cabana curtains, asked the waiter for clean drinks, and kept right on talking. Saturday night was dinner at Lotus of Siam--a fantastic Thai restaurant located off the strip. Heidi (the local) suggested that the group have the waiter bring out a bunch of different recommended entrees for everyone to share. Jenn, Joanna, and I opted for some old standbys, but everything was fantastic.
Saturday night was our true taste of Vegas nightlife--after hours at Tao. I wasn't drunk enough to truly enjoy it, but I'm so glad I got to experience it for a little while. It was amusing and reminded me of my much younger days when I first moved to DC and went to clubs and bars every weekend. Good times! After a good night's sleep, we met up for brunch at Bouchon on Sunday morning. And OH.MY.GOD. it was so delicious. The BEST waffles I have ever had! After brunch we headed outside and walked along the strip. We walked around some other hotels and casinos, we watched the fountain show at the Bellagio, I got a makeup consult at the MAC counter, Joanna picked up a gift for Andy. Even though we walked a ton, it was relaxing. After resting at the hotel, we got ready for our dinner at Aquaknox--an awesome seafood restaurant. It was delicious! I ate an entire bucket of mussels by myself and loved every bite. Lindsay picked a fantastic Pinot Grigio and the company was, of course, the best part of dinner. (Besdies the fact that Joanna, Jenn, and I all ordered the same thing AGAIN!) After dinner, I had to say my goodbyes and head for the airport. The rest of the girls planned to go out and do a little gambling. Did anyone win???
So now that you know what we did all weekend, here are my thoughts about this amazing group of women that I am so privileged to know:
I'll start with Julie and Laura--the women that I already knew IRL. It was so awesome to see Julie again. She looks fantastic! Seattle really agrees with her. Julie is so smart and funny and thoughtful. I could hang out with her for hours and never grow tired of talking to her. She makes me feel like I'm an interesting person (which is quite a stretch! LOL) and she is so comfortable to be around.
And Laura--the glue that holds us all together! You know how some people are the-glass-is-half-full people? Well Laura is a the-glass-is-overflowing kind of person--the most positive and uplifting person I know. When the experts say you should surround yourself with people who inspire you to be a better person, they were talking about Laura. I've never been with Laura around a big group before, though, and I have to say that she was much quieter than I expected. She lets everyone else talk and tends to sit back and enjoy the company. Kind of a new twist!
Laura mentioned that last year in New York, Rita was Lindsay's girl crush. Well Desi would definitely by mine for Vegas. She has an awesome, self-deprecating sense of humor. And yet she is so confident and charming. She cracked me up the whole time I was in Vegas and I instantly felt so comfortable with her.You can tell she is an awesome mom--the kind that doesn't take crap and lays down the law. Can't wait to hang out with her again!
Heidi was the one I knew the least, and the one who surprised me the most. She is so freakin' cool. She's hip but super down to earth and obviously super smart. She is the kind of mother that I want to be. I admire her so much because she has started a full-time grad school program with 3 kids at home. If that isn't awesome, what is?
Speaking of awesome, there is Jenn. She is organized and put-together, And yet she is so laid back and easy going and easy to talk to. Jenn is super thoughtful, too. I had mentioned wanting to go to a MAC counter to have a makeup consultation, and Jenn went out of her way to make sure that happened for me. It really meant a lot to me, and it's a small example of how Jenn takes care of her friends!
Joanna is as funny in real life as she is on her blog. She is a story-teller and she might be the most stubborn person I've ever met. She has such an amazing sense of self that I truly admire. I can't wait to see her again and think I might have to make a special trip to Philly just so I can hear more of her hysterical stories.
Lindsay is the one with whom I spent the least amount of time, which bums me out because I really really wanted to get to know her better. She is in real life as she appears on her blog--sweet, good-natured, always taking care of everyone. She is also beautiful and taller than I expected. She has the warmest smile and makes everyone feel special. I want to room with her at our next girls' weekend! (Or at least sit by her during a meal!)
Bridget has the best sense of humor of anyone I know. She has had to deal with so much crap, and yet she does so with so much grace. She is a true Southern lady--poised and fashionable (which is an understatement), strong and independent, completely charming!
Rita can be summed up with one word: Passion. She is passionate about everything--food, her boys, work, life. I love the way she describes food and I definitely think she should have her own cooking show. America would fall in love with her!
And Tenaya, who I didn't know at all before this weekend since she doesn't blog. But now I'm really wishing she would blog! She is so smart and seems so "California" to me. Gorgeous and stylish and down to earth and intelligent and funny--the whole package. She's on the board at her kids' school, too, and I realized we probably have more in common than I ever imagined. I would love to meet up with her again!
In short, I had an awesome time in Vegas--a whole weekend of chatting, laughing, eating, relaxing, and even a little bit of sleeping. I came home wanting to be a better mom and a better wife and feeling so very fortunate that I had the opportunity to bond with such amazing women. Can't wait 'till next year!
Friday, October 01, 2010
Rocking the Working Mommy Gig
As a full-time mom who works outside the home, with a husband who also works full time outside the home, it's REALLY hard to take care of personal things like haircuts and clothes shopping. Because they're not really necessities, they're relegated to things I do sparingly, and even then, either hurriedly or late at night, after the kids are asleep. I usually try to fit haircuts in during the work day, but since I only work an 8.5 hour day, that can be tricky.
Yesterday, however, I was on fire! With only one day to go before Vegas, I managed to go clothes shopping, grocery shopping, and get my haircut, all between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., in a tropical storm-induced torrential downpour. And that was after I got home and cooked a steak and asparagus dinner and then bathed the boys and put them to bed. On top of that I packed, and was in bed at 11:00 p.m. Of course, I didn't spend any time with Ed, but he's being all pissy about me leaving him alone with the boys for two days, so that was probably just as well.
So now I'm all set. I dropped the boys off at school but didn't even get decent hugs goodbye. They were both like, "Whatever, Mom." They can't wait for Ed to pick them up today because they get to drink chocolate milk boxes on the way home from school, instead of the apple juice that they normally get with me. Go figure. So in honor of "Show Me the Momma," I"ll post these pictures from last weekend, when we visited the Natural History Museum.
I tried to get a picture of both of them with me, but they're not the most cooperative boys. (Ahem--Seth!) So this will do. In the meantime, in a few short hours, I'll be meeting up with Laura, Julie, Jenn, Joanna, Bridget, Desi, Heidi, Rita, and Lindsay. I can't wait!
Yesterday, however, I was on fire! With only one day to go before Vegas, I managed to go clothes shopping, grocery shopping, and get my haircut, all between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., in a tropical storm-induced torrential downpour. And that was after I got home and cooked a steak and asparagus dinner and then bathed the boys and put them to bed. On top of that I packed, and was in bed at 11:00 p.m. Of course, I didn't spend any time with Ed, but he's being all pissy about me leaving him alone with the boys for two days, so that was probably just as well.
So now I'm all set. I dropped the boys off at school but didn't even get decent hugs goodbye. They were both like, "Whatever, Mom." They can't wait for Ed to pick them up today because they get to drink chocolate milk boxes on the way home from school, instead of the apple juice that they normally get with me. Go figure. So in honor of "Show Me the Momma," I"ll post these pictures from last weekend, when we visited the Natural History Museum.
I tried to get a picture of both of them with me, but they're not the most cooperative boys. (Ahem--Seth!) So this will do. In the meantime, in a few short hours, I'll be meeting up with Laura, Julie, Jenn, Joanna, Bridget, Desi, Heidi, Rita, and Lindsay. I can't wait!
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