Letters For Lucas

Morgan's List Of What NOT To Wear To BlogHer

2011-07-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

While I'm still enjoying a little R&R in Hawaii (I'll try not to rub it in), my friend, Morgan of The Little Hen House is here to keep you company.

I'm happy to say that Morgan is a IRL (In Real Life) friend and she is simply darling. Her writing is everything mine isn't; witty, sarcastic and laugh out loud funny.

Morgan is also a mother to two adorable little girls whom Lucas loves spending time with, she raises chickens, writes for several mommy-centric Web sites, shares great advice on blogging, hosts a weekly Dr. Mom feature featuring her own mother and because she doesn't have a TV, spends A LOT of time scouring the Internet for sometimes bizarre and always hilarious items.

The other thing Morgan does really well is Top Ten lists and here is one that she'd like to share with all of us...
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There has been a lot of talk about what to wear to BlogHer ’11 this year, and shoes are no exception. If you’ve ever been to a blog conference before, then you know one thing is for certain: There are going to be many, many bloggers wearing really cute shoes.

If you are shoe-challenged, then have no fear! Sometimes the process of elimination is the best way to decide what to wear. So, here is a list of the Top Ten Shoes You DON’T Want to Wear to BlogHer ’11:

Butt-Toning Sandals:

Because this isn’t the “special” look you want to be going for.

Teeva High Heels:

Just don’t even go there, ok?

High Heel Flip Flops:

There will be people wearing high heels and there will be people wearing flip flops. You can’t have it both ways.

Nike Clogs:

Wear Nikes, wear Crocs, just don’t wear these.

Thigh High Converse:

*sigh*

Pink Leopard Wedge:

The quickest way to take a little black dress from “day” to “street walker”.

Stripper Shoes:

This shouldn’t need any explanation. If it does, I think the conference you are looking for is in Vegas.

Five Finger Running Shoes:

I don’t care how comfortable they are, they just creep me out.

Scary High Heel:

These take the term “spike heel” to another level.

Pony Heels:

There are no words.

I hope that gave you a little direction! Stay away from any of the ten styles above and I can guarantee that you won’t be the worst dressed person in the room. You’re welcome!

I urge you to follow Morgan on Twitter and Facebook and look for her epic posts on hosting a celebrity baby shower, Top Ten Reasons I Suspect My Children Might Be Trying To Kill Me and Celebrity Guest Post: My Summer Plans with everyone's favorite gal pal, Gwynie.

Uncertainty

2011-07-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

Each and every day, I strive to appreciate the wonder, beauty, and whimsy in the small moments, the moments that, when strung together, form a lifetime.

From the moment I read this on the Home page of In These Small Moments, I knew Nicole and I would be friends someday.

Her writing is eloquent, touching and magical. It doesn't matter if she's writing a letter to her daughter's teachers, allowing us a glimpse of the beautiful love she and her husband have for one another, sharing her grief for a father she never knew, or showing us a small moment spent with her son, Nicole writes purely, deeply and from the heart.

I am very honored to have her here today.

Please follow Nicole on Facebook and Twitter and look for her at BlogHer '11, where she and I will most certainly be sharing a ~~glass~~ bottle of wine.
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I’ve known for all of my life that my father was dead.

I was told that he was in Heaven…that he loved me very much and one day I would join him.

I’ve also known for my entire life that my brother was dead…that he was with my father and they were waiting patiently for me.

From a very young age, I felt that tremendous, consuming weight of death.

It became my responsibility to care for my mother and younger brother, as I was petrified of losing them too.

I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t struggle with anxiety…with fear.

My father was dead and fear of losing my mother was truly paralyzing.

My older brother died as an infant, so losing my younger brother wasn’t an irrational fear.

Tonya asked me one day, nearly a year ago, how I will explain my father’s death to my children.

My mother was faced with the choice between telling me the truth, as appropriate to my age, and distracting me with half-truths.

She chose the former.

And I’m not sure if there was a right answer.

For as long as I can remember, I have known bits of the truth that came to form a whole by the time I was a teenager.

I knew that my father’s best friend shot him. Twice. At close range.

And for my entire childhood, death was real.

It lurked behind every car trip.
Behind every scary face.
Around every corner.

I lay in bed at night, nearly every night of my childhood, bargaining with God.

I’ll be a good girl, God…please just don’t take my mother. I have nothing else.

I won’t sass, God.

I will keep my room clean, be nice to my brother.

Just please don’t take them, too.

When my daughter turned two, I felt as though I could breathe a little easier…that she was finally at an age when she could begin to store her memories…just in case.

That’s how I’ve lived my life, gathering small moments and stocking them away, just in case.

So, as my daughter approaches the age where she’s making connections, seeing where she fits into a larger whole, her little wheels are spinning and it won’t be long before she asks me where her grandfather is.

And it will paralyze me.

Because he is dead and I’m not as certain of that Heaven as I once was.

What will I tell my children?
Will I be as honest with them as my mother was with me?
Will I tell them comforting stories of Heaven and being together as a family one day?
Or do I have some other choice that I can’t see in this moment?

As the months since Tonya’s invitation have passed, I hoped that I would reach some conclusion…that the answer would take shape in my mind.

But it hasn’t.

And as more time passes, I’m not certain that there will ever be an easy answer.

A Tot In Tow

2011-07-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

Lucas' first time on an airplane was August 14, 2009. He was just nine weeks old.

Lucas' First Flight! SAN ---> SJC en route to Monterrey.

Thank goodness my mother-in-law was with me to help out because Lucas had a blow out of the yucky disgusting nature (his one of only four EVER) mid-flight and I was stuck in the bathroom with him and left his diaper bag with a clean change of clothes back at my seat. Such a rookie move!

Even so, Lucas was A LOT easier to travel with back then (he used to sleep the entire flight) than he is now.

Since that first flight, I have flown solo to the Bay Area (an hour, 20 gate-to-gate) with Lucas a dozen times to visit my in-laws and Todd and I have taken him to Europe and Australia. At this point, I consider myself an expert at traveling with a tot in tow.

Now, having said that, as we are getting ready for our summer vacation, a week in Hawaii (!!), the thing I'm most stressed about is the flight there and back.

Five hours in a confined space makes me crazy enough, but add an energetic toddler to the mix and it could be a nightmare.

I am not claiming to be an expert on any of this, but here's what usually works for us:

Book your flight for first thing in the morning, when children are usually at their best or around nap or bedtime, in hopes that they will sleep.

Before you even get to the airport, explain where you're going and how you're going to get there. Airports and airplanes can be scary for small children; there are lots of people scurrying about, long lines, loud noises, etc.

Let your child be a part of the packing process. Allow them to pick out a couple of favorite items to bring on the plane in addition to having something stowed away in the suitcase to "meet" them at your destination.

Once at the airport, spend a lot of time walking around. You want to tire your child out and burn off some of that extra energy so they can sit still for some of the flight.

Load up your iPhone, iPod, iPad or other favorite electronic device with photos and videos of your child. Lucas loves seeing footage of himself. Just don't forget to completely charge your device! Many airports have outlets at the gate, so plug in before you board.

Download your child's favorite television show to enjoy mid-flight. Most episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Chuggington and Sesame Street are $1.99 - $2.99 each.

Download tried and true toddler-friendly apps, such as: Talking Tom Cat and Toddler Puzzle Shapes, which are both free and ABC Train and Voice Cards, which range from $.99 - $1.99 each.

Be sure to bring your child's favorite snacks and lots of them. You never know if you might get stuck on the tarmac waiting for a gate or have an unexpected delay before even taking off.

Buy some inexpensive books and toys to introduce to your child during the flight but not all at once, spread them out and don't forget to hold on to a couple of new items for the plane ride home. It's very important that these are items your child hasn't seen before. The Target dollar bins are great for this! Avoid anything that makes noise so as not to disrupt fellow passengers or items that are round, as they may roll down the aisles. I don't like crayons or markers for this reason.

Make sure to pack an extra change of clothes, not only for your tot, but you too! At the very least, a clean t-shirt. Kids get messy, drinks spill and inevitably it all ends up on mom.

It should go without saying, but carry extra diapers. Just before we got on the plane heading to Florence, I forgot to calculate our layover time in Paris and while I know European babies wear diapers too, I panicked fearing we wouldn't have enough or be able to find them, so we scoured LAX looking for a small package. $20 (for 10!) later we were covered.

Airports and airplanes are crawling with germs, so carry Wet-Ones and hand sanitizer and use them frequently while traveling. I wipe down the arm rests, the tray table and hands all through our trip.

And speaking of germs and other yucky stuff, pack a couple of zip-lock bags for soiled clothing in case your child throws up. No one wants to smell that!

In my experience, the ground crew, TSA and flight attendants have always been very helpful. If you need help, just ask! Fellow passengers are typically sympathetic to your situation too, especially if you are traveling with your child alone and will help out if you need them too.

If a flight attendant doesn't offer, be sure to ask for a set of wings and if it's your child's first flight, most airlines have keepsake certificates.

If all of the above fails, go through the SkyMall catalog page by page together and look for pictures of cats and dogs. Trust me on this. And please remember, you aren't ever going to see the people on your flight again, so whatever happens, happens. At least you did it!

I hope these tips help you prepare for your next flight with your child, and if you have any advice to share, let me know!

This is a post that I have been thinking about for a while and just hadn't gotten around to writing, so a big thank you to Jessica of My Time As Mom for sending @camgosha of Bibs & Baubles my way on Twitter the other night seeking advice on traveling with children. I hope you had a great trip.

My Summer Reading List

2011-07-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

Try as I might, I could not get this under four minutes so thank you for watching!

Please let me know if you have questions about my recommendations and definitely share your thoughts too.

In order in which I discussed, my summer reading list includes:

One Amazing Thing - Chitra Divakaruni
Sing You Home - Jodi Picoult
Room - Emma Donoghue
Up From The Blue - Susan Henderson
Incendiary - Chris Cleve
The Writing Circle - Corinne Demas

What are you reading this summer?!

This post is for Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #1 Your summer reading list.

Green Things

2011-07-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

1. Kermit the Frog - the cutest frog I know.

2. Food - kale, Granny Smith apples, green beans, edamame, tea, cucumbers, jalapenos, limes (okay, now I'm thinking about margaritas!)

3. Emeralds - although I prefer sapphires.

4. Ireland - a place on my must visit list.

5. Grass

6. My BFF's eyes

7. The last shirt I purchased:

The Gap Satin-Trim Tank - $29.95

8. Shades - kelly, hunter, camouflage, moss, chartreuse, olive, neon

9. Mother Earth

10. Show me the... No green list would be complete without it ...wait for it... MONEY, moolah, dough, bacon, bucks, bills, dollars or cash!

This post was inspired by Stasha's Monday Listicles, a linky right up my alley!

What I'm Wearing To BlogHer '11

2011-07-23T00:09:00.000-07:00

Last year this time I was bitter about all the BlogHer blog posts and tweets because I wasn't going, so if you aren't able to attend this year or couldn't care less, please bear with me as I share one of my own...

Even though I know it doesn't really matter what I wear to BlogHer '11 or any blogging conference for that matter, I do want to look my best and let's face it, as a stay-at-home mom, I don't get the opportunity to dress up very often.

Plus, I was feeling the pressure when I saw Nichole of In These Small Moments had a Pinterest board dedicated to her BlogHer '11 attire wish list and upon further research discovered she wasn't the only one.

Then I read all three of Morgan's (The Little Hen House) posts, What Not to Wear: The BlogHer '11 Fashion Edition, Weekend Post: More BlogHer '11 Fashion and BlogHer '11 Fashion: For the Curvy Woman and decided it really should matter how I dress for the biggest blogging conference of the year.

Enter: my friend, Nancy of Inside Out, Wardrobe Rehab.

If you missed my post on Tuesday, My Wardrobe Rehab Experience, Nancy helped me go through my closet, buy some new, much needed items and has helped me get geared up for BlogHer '11.

The only requirements I gave Nancy were: I want to be comfortable, especially in the shoe department and I need looks that can take me from day to night.

Here's what we've come up with based solely on what I already had in my closet, in other words, I have NOT purchased anything new to wear to BlogHer '11.

DAY 1: Striped CAbi blazer, light green Ann Taylor Loft blouse, Ann Taylor Loft tailored jeans with tan (both Aldo) wedges (haven't decided which pair yet).

DAY 2: Red Ann Taylor Loft blouse, black-and-white floral A-line Ann Taylor Loft skirt with black wedge.

DAY 3: Ann Taylor Loft grey stripe seersucker pants and matching blazer (or white cardigan from The Gap) and navy Ann Taylor Loft blouse with TBD shoes. I am bound and determined to find a pair of silver flats!

NIGHT 3: Same seersucker pants as above or white trousers and hot pink tank from Old Navy with silver heels.

All outfits are subject to change and yes, I am aware that NIGHTS 1 and 2 are missing. A girl's gotta have some secrets.

If you're going to BlogHer '11 too, please let me know, I'd love to meet you and in the meantime, please visit Nancy's Inside Out, Wardrobe Rehab’s Website/blog, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

This Is Just The Beginning...

2011-07-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

In less than two weeks Lucas will be attending preschool. It's crazy, I know! How did he get to be such a big boy? I feel like we just brought him home from the hospital, swaddled him and were protecting his head, but like it or not, here we are getting ready for his first day of school.

I am really excited for all the new things Lucas is going experience and learn, expert direction he is going to receive, friends he's going to make and fun he is going to have. I loved school and I hope he does to!

Child's Full Name

Address

Parent's Names

Signature

I just read, filled in the blanks and signed more than a dozen pieces of paper with my son's new school's insignia prominently placed at the top of each page.

Physician's Name

Known Allergies

Diet Pattern

Signature

While easy to answer these questions about my son, his habits and his health, each one made me a little sadder than the last. He's only two.

In Case of an Emergency Contact

Nap Schedule

Parent's Evaluation of Child's Personality

Signature

So many signatures.

I feel like it's time, I agreed it was time, but now that we are just days away, I'm second guessing myself. Are we doing the right thing by sending Lucas to preschool?

Field Trip Permission Slip

Children's Disaster/Earthquake Kit

Permission to Photograph

Parent Handbook

For so long, it's been me and Lucas, Monday through Saturday, 8 - 10 hours a day. Day in and day out.

Just us.

I know I'm only giving him up nine hours a week, but it feels like so much more than that. This feels like it's just the beginning of him being pulled away from me...

...and I'm going to miss him.

Simple Things

2011-07-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

a little me time
a lot of us time
a vase full of bright cherry sunflowers
a book I can't put down
a full moon
a colorful garden
a round trip ticket
a wink
a front porch light
a letter in the mailbox
a promise kept
a secret shared
a child's contagious laughter
a perfect souffle
a wishing well
a meaningful kiss
a quiet moment
a kind gesture
a new friend
a car wash
a door being held open
a discount
a green light
a brilliant sunset
a warm welcome
a pair of worn in slippers
a smaller size
a new episode
a great opportunity
a hotdog at a baseball game
a catchy tune
a clean set of sheets
a walk along the beach
a ladybug
a brighter shade
a chance encounter
a change for the better
a hand to hold
a view from the top
a wagging tail on a puppy
a Ferris wheel
a fresh perspective
a full-bodied Cabernet
a familiar touch
a pile of leaves
a second chance
along hot shower
a fresh manicure
a visit to the zoo
a smile

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 1.) The simple things...

My Latest Obsession

2011-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend, Lisa, whom I had the pleasure of lunching with last week, I have been introduced to one of the most delicious (non alcoholic) drinks I have ever tasted.

And I'm not just being dramatic.

Since the juice cleanse my husband and I did in February (you can read all about it here), I have grown to love tea. I despise coffee, so I'm not one to frequent Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Peet's or any other coffee chain, but I've been six times since last Tuesday. At $3.75 a pop, this could get expensive.

If you haven't tasted it, run, don't walk to your favorite local barista and get yourself an Iced Chai Tea Latte (with Vanilla) on the double! You can thank me later.

This post is for Wordful Wednesdays and if you want to link up and see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Project Alicia.

My Wardrobe Rehab Experience

2011-07-19T00:05:00.000-07:00

On a typical day, here's how you'll find me dressed:

The unofficial official stay-at-home mom uniform: yoga pants, sports bra, tank top and sneakers. Despite how unglamorous this outfit is, I stand behind it; versatile, functional, comfy.

Last October, I wrote a post called What Not To Wear, where I lamented about the awful state of my closet and my need for an overhaul. In my post I mentioned my friend, Nancy, the best-dressed, most stylish person I know.

Nine months ago, Nancy was contemplating the idea of starting her own personal stylist business. Well, she's done it and I was lucky enough to be one of her first ~~projects~~ clients!

With a closet full of every size under the sun, clothes that didn't go with my SAHM lifestyle and client meetings, date nights and blog conferences that I longed to "dress up" for, I needed some major help. In other words, I was in need of some style of my own.

Nancy's company, Inside Out, Wardrobe Rehab entails a three-phase process: 1) Closet Overhaul, 2) Shopping and 3) Putting It All Together. My experience spanned from March - July and honestly, I've never felt or dressed better.

1) Closet Overhaul was my favorite part. I love purging! It was so great having someone there with me as I tried on articles of clothing that have been in my closet for far too long and getting a second set of (honest) eyes to confirm that it was time to let go. I ended up donating nearly 50 items!

2) The Shopping phase was the most difficult for me because I'm not a big fan of clothes shopping in general and it was difficult for me to see what Nancy was seeing with some of the selections, but I trusted her and ended with some fabulous pieces that are timeless and will last forever.

3) Putting It All Together consisted of just that; creating complete outfits with what I already had in my wardrobe paired with my newly purchased items.

Here are a couple of my new looks:

Thank you for helping me bring my inner fashionista out, Nancy!

Among many of the fashion tips and tricks Nancy taught me, my four best take-aways were:

Find a good tailor! All pockets can be sewn shut or removed completely and pants can (and often times should) be hemmed.
I look really good in bright colors, something I would have normally avoided.
A blazer and a necklace can do wonders for any outfit.
Nancy is awesome! Well, actually I already knew this, but her business, professionalism and fashion sense are amazing and I know, if she can help me, she can help anyone with their own wardrobe rehab.

If you have any questions about the clothes pictured above or my experience, feel free to ask.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on some of the outfits Nancy has helped me put together for BlogHer '11... God bless her!

And meanwhile, please check out Inside Out, Wardrobe Rehab’s Website/blog, follow her on Twitter and Facebook for great fashion tips and advice on everything from finding the perfect dress to wear to a wedding, dressing for an interview and packing for your summer vacation.

10 Words I Could Live Without

2011-07-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

These words make me cringe. They are negative, give me the creeps or just sound awful to my ears and therefore I avoid them at all costs!

1. mistake - This word always makes me think of a thick, juicy steak. Stupid, right? But why use 'mistake' when 'boo-boo' is so much more fun to say? Try it.

2. corny - You'll never hear this word come out of my mouth. Ew.

3. moist - I think this is on everyone's words to avoid list and if it isn't, it should be. Double ew.

4. cheesy - See above. Although, if I can't think of anything better, I'm WAY more likely to say 'cheesy' than 'corny'.

5. mine & no - Living with a toddler, I hear both all day every day.

6. folks - 'People', 'parents', even 'peeps' all sound so much more... civilized.

7. cancer - I hate everything about this word and all the heartache it brings.

8. denied - What a dreadful, sad word, especially when read in red and in stamp form. :(

9. crappy - I can definitely be heard saying 'crap', but 'crappy' is not a word I enjoy.

10. pooped - As in being tired. Why not just say, "I'm tired."?

This post was inspired by Stasha's Monday Listicles, a linky right up my alley!

I Smell A Bully

2011-07-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Lucas is barely two years old and is still trying to grasp the concept of sharing. He's got a long way to go, but for his age, he does really well.

Unless, he's being pushed too far and then, just like you or I, he loses it.

Yesterday, his Mommy lost it.

We were at Barnes & Noble and Lucas was vying for a place at the train table and a train to play with and every time he got his hands on one, another boy, an older boy would snatch it from him.

I bit my tongue the first three times as I nonchalantly looked around for the boy's mother and helped Lucas find another train and told him he would get a turn with the one he really wanted soon.

The older boy kept Lucas and two other younger children from using an entire side of the table and at one point (and this was utterly shocking to me) pushed my son out of his way.

No "excuse me", no "I'm sorry". Just a push.

The look in Lucas' eyes was one of bewilderment and asked what did I do wrong?.

Grabby? Possessive? Rude? Where was this kid's manners? Better question, where was this kid's parents?

I smell a bully.

At one point, little three-year-old, Emma walked around the older boy to get to a section of the train table he wasn't hogging and he exclaimed that she "hit" him.

She didn't touch him. Her mom and I were right there the entire time.

Trying to set a good example, Emma's mom had her apologize to the boy and also explained that her daughter was only three and didn't mean to touch him. With that she asked how old he was.

Six.

Six? Six years old and acting like this?

Shortly thereafter, the boy went for another train from Lucas and that was it. My poor son had had it and so had I!

I got in the six year old's face and said, "You are not being nice. That is the fourth time you have taken a train from my son. Where is your mother?"

We didn't stick around long enough to meet the mother, as Lucas, having been pushed to his limit had a complete melt down. I scooped him up, calmed him down and we went to another section of the store.

I really didn't want to be that mom, the one that flees, avoids confrontation, but let's face it sometimes it's just easier when you know you're never going to run into that six year old or his mother again.

I know I can't protect my son from every bully or uncomfortable situation and I'm not proud of the way this scenario played out.

On the other hand, it's not my job to discipline someone else's child when their parent is no where to be seen, is it? What did I do wrong? How do you handle situations like this?

Show Me Something I've Never Seen Before

2011-07-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

Show me something I've never seen before; a treasured photograph of your grandparents or a handkerchief your father wore in his lapel.

Take me somewhere I've never been; a place where the land meets the sea, the breeze is cool and your mind calms.

Introduce me to the friend you've known the longest, a dish at your favorite restaurant and a book you stayed up all night reading.

Feed me tales and sweet memories of your childhood.

Walk me through the details of your wedding day right up to the moment, with hope glistening in your eyes and your voice trembling you said, "I do".

Sing me the same soothing lullaby night after night; the one that helps ease my fears and dream vividly.

Tell me a secret and I promise to keep it safe in my heart forever.

Let me make mistakes and learn as I go, no matter how difficult it may be for you to witness.

Treat me with kindness and respect all the days of your life.

Read me a page from the journal you kept as a child so that I might have a glimpse of the dreams you had as a young girl.

Teach me the lyrics to your favorite song and whenever I hear it I'll feel closer to you even if we are miles apart.

Protect me, as best you can, from negativity, bullies and cars that drive down our street much too fast.

Help me see the good in people, root for the underdog and learn to forgive by building compassion in my heart and in my soul.

Cradle me in your arms while you smooth out my hair and tenderly run your fingers down my back.

Guide me through life as though you were my tour guide, exposing me to places near and far but always emphasizing the importance of home.

Look me in the eyes when you have bad news to share or we toast to those no longer with us.

Remind me, despite my flaws, how special I am and I'll do the same for you.

Comfort me with your words of love, honesty and praise.

Show me something I've never seen before, mom.

This post was featured on Natalie's blog, Mommy of a Monster, in her weekly feature, Monster Likes #26 on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Two Weeks From Today

2011-07-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

I can't wait!

Two weeks from today, we are going to be in...

And yes, Lucas is coming too.

Happy happy! Joy joy!

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 5.) On a piece of paper write down something that makes you happy...take a photo of your paper and voilà...there's your post.

In The In Box

2011-07-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time ~~trying to stay~~ staying up on my e-mail. And by that I mean, what we all do: respond, put off responding, organize into files or finding more satisfaction than is probably allowed by hitting the delete button.

If you're a mom, a blogger and a Twitter addict, like me, I don't have to tell you how downright daunting a full In Box can be. What with all the newsletters, blog subscriptions, blog comments and back and forth with family and friends, it's enough to make your eyes pop right out of your head. And now, Twitter e-mails me responses to my Tweets (anyone know how to cancel that, by the way?) It's all a bit too much for me some days.

Especially when I've neglected it.

I like for there to be less than 18 e-mails in my In Box, that way with the size I have my browser set to I can still see the very last one. It's the last e-mail my father ever sent me.

Beyond 18 and his gets pushed down too far.

It's not even a great e-mail.

The subject is sox and addresses but it was sent four days before he and my mother died so I will keep forever.

So strange that I'll never receive another e-mail from my father, but there he is, in my In Box every day. Right there with Groupon notices, Vlog Talk Weekly Prompts and tips on how to get your toddler to eat more veggies.

Just knowing it's there comforts me somehow.

Except when I forget about it and then upon discovering it, my brain malfunctions for half a second and leads me to believe it's a new e-mail from him.

Side By Side

2011-07-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

It wasn't the sunniest of summer days on Saturday when we spent a few hours as a family at the beach.

Lucas, as aforementioned, LOVES the water, so his dad and I were shocked and amazed when he sat still and played with the sand and watched the waves go back and forth for almost an hour.

I captured this photo and didn't even notice that the seagull was in the shot, but I love it.

The seagull and those two boys.

Sunny or not, it was the perfect day.

This post is for Wordful Wednesdays and if you want to link up and see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Project Alicia.

Rockin' The Baby

2011-07-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last month, Shell (Things I Can't Say) created the Rockin' The Baby Bump blog hop and this month, she's at it again with Rockin' the Baby.

I had so much fun looking through literally thousands of photos of Lucas trying to find the perfect ones to share and while I was at I realized a few things: I have an adorable child whom I adore, I definitely rock the baby and I take entirely TOO MANY PHOTOS!

This photo was taken exactly two years ago today: July 11, 2009 Lucas was one month old.


My parents backyard: October 25, 2009. Lucas was four months old.


Florence, Italy - November 23, 2009. Lucas was five months old.

The night Lucas started crawling: March 25, 2010. Lucas is nine months old.

May 27, 2010 - Lucas is almost one year old!

I'm happy with the toddler/preschooler Lucas is. Beyond happy, but I do miss the baby he once was.

Need your baby fix? Go check out the more than 70 (and growing) participates in Rockin' The Baby!

Top 10 Things I Don't Miss About Working

2011-07-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that I had a life before I became a mother, but I did! I really did.

I worked in marketing in Corporate America for 12 years, which seems like eons ago now.

Some days I miss it and others, you couldn't pay enough to go back to work.

In no particular order, here are the Top 10 Things I DON'T Miss About Working:

1. The Attire. Coordinates, cardigans, suits, panty hose and shoes that hurt my feet. Daily.

2. The Meetings/Meetings About Meetings. Generating so many great ideas but having way to implement them due to lack of interest, resources and/or budget, so let's schedule another meeting! Hours upon hours of time I'll never get back. Sigh.

3. Corporate-isms. Annoying phrases such as: think tank, ROI, the bottom line and synergy come to mind.

4. The commute. No matter how great the stereo system is in your car, sitting in traffic is the worst time-sucker EVER! Way worse than Twitter.

5. Deadlines. Marketing is a very deadline driven and there are a lot of moving parts and pieces. Herding them all together due to some of the slackers I worked with was no fun.

6. Corporate Politics. The paperwork, policies and hoops you have to jump through - essentially all the crap that gets in the way of being able to do your job.

7. Voice Mail. Creating your own greeting, remembering to change it when you're out of the office, leaving voice mails for others and collecting your own. I cursed that little blinking red light every day.

8. Water Cooler Talk. While I appreciated the social aspect of office chit chat I often couldn't help thinking I needed to be back at my desk working.

9. That One Guy (Or Gal). You know the one I'm talking about, the one that stinks up the break room with their microwavable lunch, the one that has horrendous breath, the one won't look at your eyes when he talks to you, but your chest, the one that has to compliment you every single day in a really creepy way. Ew.

10. Stress Level. Um... see above.

If I had to do it all over, I'd definitely find a way to work from home.

Oh, wait... turns out I do report to a three foot boss. And with that, I better get back to work.

This post was inspired by Stasha's Monday Listicles, a linky right up my alley!

Ty Alexander Salon

2011-07-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I mentioned an opportunity that came up while I was on a routine visit to my hair salon.

I have created a blog for Ty Alexander Salon I am proud to announce that it is now LIVE!

Ty Alexander Salon just celebrated their one year anniversary and they finally have an online presence.

I have followed my colorist, Laura and stylist, Stephany around from salon to salon over the years and I am thrilled that Stephany and her husband, Ty finally opened their own place!

I'm also thrilled that they asked me to help them with their blog. It has been a great experience working with a client again and writing about something other than my two year old.

Please check out the Ty Alexander Salon, share your feedback and if you are in the Southern California/Orange County area, book an appointment.

I'm In A Blog Time Out

2011-07-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a few days but that's not for lack of subject matter, I've just really been busy! I think I'm also still recovering from our Fourth of July weekend. Please tell me I'm not alone.

We spent Sunday night at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village en route to Santa Barbara and while I did a lot of this:

Lucas and Daddy did a lot of this:

I ~~think~~ know I got the better deal.

Nothing makes Lucas happier than being in the water. He has no fear jumping in or being completely submerged.

And as if all the pool water play wasn't tiring enough, we both took turns doing this:

Like us, Lucas LOVES hotels, especially running up and down the hallways.

Once we got to Santa Barbara, there was more water, A LOT more water, sun and s'mores!

A big thank you to Paul & Maia for inviting us to share their July 4th! I wish I could have captured a good photo of all the kids together. They had a blast.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

P.S. I'm not really in a time out. For more on what's been keeping be away from my blog, keep reading...

Noise Level: An Apology

2011-07-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

If your house is anything like ours, activity begins early. Typically just right of 6 AM, thanks to a 3 foot tall morning person.

Lucky for me, my husband starts his day then too, allowing me the luxury of sleeping in. And by "sleeping in", I mean 8:00 most days. I'm spoiled, I know.

Todd wakes up to the sounds of "Daddy!" and repeated beckoning, which leads to forceful demanding pleads to play cars and trains, "eat something", "Mickey show" and/or "read to me".

We have a small house with wood floors so noises of all kinds, voices and the sounds of temper tantrums, which inevitably lead to time-outs carry throughout.

I've grown accustomed to the daybreak racket and can (for the most part) sleep through it, but I always feel bad when my sister (or any guests for that matter) stay the night.

I'd like to make a public apology here and now to Leah and any and all guests we ever have in our home. If you stay over, I can guarantee you two things: a lovely visit filled with ~~good~~ cheap wine and conversation and in the morning, lots of noise! Consider yourself warned.

We appreciate your understanding. I suppose if we all slept 10+ hours we'd be raring to go with the sun too.

Well, maybe.

A Strange Encounter

2011-07-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Indpendence Day!

A few weeks ago, I bamboozled Lucas into going to the park by way of the bank, thus taking the very l o n g way to the park so that I could get in some exercise.

While we were standing in line at the bank, he started fussing. In other words, he was on to me and wanted nothing more than to get out of the stroller and create some sort of havoc. To calm him down and keep him put, I gave him my iPhone.

This practice is normally a last resort and used mostly at restaurants so that his dad and I can finish our meal in peace and down our adult beverages with a small amount of dignity.

I have several toddler friendly apps on my phone; Voice Cards, Talking Tom, Toddler Puzzle Shapes and ABC Train, just to name a few. I also have "emergency" episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba and Sesame Street and a playlist devoted to Lucas' favorite tunes.

At any rate, he knows his way around an iPhone, without too much input or instruction from me. I don't know how he knows, he just does, so I wasn't too surprised when the middle aged gentleman in front of us asked me how old Lucas was. After I told him, he responded with shock and awe that someone so young could use the device so well. I laughed it off.

Lucas and I carried on a conversation about the shapes in the puzzle he was working on and I reiterated nine more times that we would eventually make it to the park when the man blurted out the most bizarre thing: "Daycare kid?"

I was a bit taken aback and it took me a good 30 seconds to reply, "No, I stay at home with him", to which the man had nothing to say. No further insight into his strange question at all.

I'm still confused.

Up until now, I've been able to avoid any sort of Mommy vs. Mommy or Mommy vs. stranger who may or may not be a Mommy run-in, not that I would call this a run-in per say, but it was certainly one of the first out in public Mommy moments I've had that has stayed with me. I haven't been able to shake this exchange for some reason. Why is that?

What did he mean by "daycare kid"?

What do you think? I would love to get your take.

P.S. If you have a favorite toddler app, please let me know!

There's More To Me Than My Blog

2011-07-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

I talked to a friend recently with whom I hadn't spoken to in a while and mid-conversation, when we had reached the part when I was all up to date on the current events of her life and it was time for her to ask about me, she said, "I already know everything that's going on with you, I read your blog.".

"Oh." And with that, the call was pretty much over.

Here's what I should have said:

"Um, no you don't and why would you think that anyway?"

This is not the first time I've heard this.

And this is not the first time the comment has ~~irked me~~ hurt my feelings.

I'll be the first to admit that I share a lot here, but I don't blog about everything!

Some things are meant to be private. And I've learned that the hard way a couple of times.

There are lots of topics that I refuse to discuss here. I will never share details of my marriage, my sex life, my struggle to have a second child, my relationship with my sister (again), my ex-husband (again) or basically anything else that could potentially hurt a relationship that is important to me or be used against me in a court of law.

I'm a social networking butterfly and communicate regularly with a lot of people via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Skype, instant messages through Scrabble and Words With Friends, texts, the rare phone call and if I'm really lucky, in person. Every once in a while it would be nice if the people I knew in real life would ask me about me instead of assuming they've read it all on my blog.

Just saying.

If you're a blogger, does this ever happen to you?

Tackling Disneyland On My Own

2011-07-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

If you had told me a year ago, heck, yesterday that I would take Lucas to Disneyland by myself someday, I would have told you, you were absolutely nuts.

But, I did it!

I even braved the crowds on a day before a holiday weekend.

Now, who's nuts?

What can I say? I'm glutton for punishment.

Actually, it was housekeeper day and I needed a big outing to keep us out of the house for a few hours.

Lucas did great and despite the nearly 90 degree heat and I did pretty great too, if I do say so myself.

We were on the tram and heading for the park at 9:30, where upon arrival, went straight to "It's a Small World", which Lucas claims to be his "favorite" ride now. It'll be a few days before I get that @#$% song out of my head...

We hung out with Mickey & friends in Toon Town for nearly an hour, otherwise known as spent time stalking Goofy and then enjoyed a nice lunch together in Tomorrow Land, that only set us back $14.00 - shocker!

We watched the Disneyland Marching Band perform, strolled through Critter Country and met Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore, rode the "Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" for the first time (which is perfect for toddlers, by the way), toured the entire park on the Disneyland Railroad (a given with a "choo choo" lover in tow) and were back in the comfort of our air conditioned car just in time for nap time.

I was very apprehensive about tackling Disneyland on my own; couldn't fathom juggling Lucas, stroller, bag, long lines, heat and not to mention, my patience level, but every time I seem to worry like this, Lucas ends up pleasantly surprising me.

There were no melt downs, he kept his hat on, ate everything I put in front of him and got in the stroller when asked. It was the perfect outing!

And bonus... he's out for a while and my house is sparkling clean. :)

Project Smile - June

2011-06-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

Proof that my June was magical.

While celebrating Lucas' second birthday, my 39th and Father's Day, welcoming three cichlids into our family and breaking in a new pair of sneakers, enjoying a fun overnight in Palm Springs with my girlfriends, I was gently reminded by my sweet son on a walk around our neighborhood how important it is to stop and smell the roses every once in a while.

I'm also proud to share that we got Lucas completely off of bottles in June.

It was a great month!

To see what had me smiling in May, click here and to link up and share your own month of joy, please visit Kristi of Live and Love out Loud.

I Just Look Like I Exercise All The Time

2011-06-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

This post is for Jessica (My Time As Mom), Kate (Mommy Monologues) and Elena's (Mommy is in Timeout) meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #3 Your favorite outfit and why.

Determination Followed By Glee

2011-06-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

Time after time, Lucas took each careful step up the ladders at the park, only to thoroughly enjoy the ride down the slides.

It was brilliant to watch.

Each of these shots was taken with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone, using Ina's 1969 film and Jimmy lens, no flash.

This post is for Alicia's Wordless Wednesdays.

A Preschooler?!

2011-06-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

I no longer have a toddler.

At two years old, Lucas is considered a preschooler. According to Gerber that is; who identify a preschooler as:

Runs well without falling
Chews more skillfully and efficiently
Mastering the use of spoon and fork
Sits in booster seat or child seat at family meals

Check, check, check and check.

But a preschooler? I can't get my head wrapped around it yet, even though in just one short month, Lucas will be attending preschool three morning a week.

I am so excited for him! I truly cannot wait for him to learn more than I feel I could ever teach him; wonderful and amazing things, beyond basic manners, nursery rhymes, numbers, colors, shapes and the alphabet. I'm excited for him to increase his social skills and come home and tell his dad and I all about his day. There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to love school.

But a preschooler! How did that happen?

I suppose it was inevitable. Lucas is in a "big boy" bed, off bottles (FINALLY!), can carry on a complete and coherent conversation, has a great sense of humor and is becoming more terrific than terrible (most days). Plus, he's curious about everything and loves learning. School is next natural stage.

When asked if he's a baby, Lucas will be the first one to tell you, "no, big boy". But, if it's all the same to him, he will always be my baby.

Two Places At Once

2011-06-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today is a very big day for me! I am in two places at once....

I'm hanging out with Devan at Accustomed to Chaos talking about Letters For Lucas and blogging in general

AND

I'm in Jessica's (Four Plus an Angel) Hot Seat!

Please stop by and to say hi! These are both wonderful women and fun features. Check them out.

Reflections On 39 Years

2011-06-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday and in my 39 short years on this planet, I have...

1. moved 27 times.
2. owned five cars.
3. ran a 1/2 marathon.
4. sky dived in Tucson, Arizona and scuba dived in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
5. learned that money can't buy happiness, but it can make things a little easier.
6. graduated from college.
7. been fired from, laid off and quit three different jobs.
8. learned that everything in moderation is the best way to live.
9. been a bridesmaid four times and a bride twice.
10. attended approximately 39 concerts (15 of which were Dave Matthews shows).
11. learned that change is unavoidable.
12. been on a road trip (15+ hours round trip) by myself.
13. broken my collar bone.
14. been in five car accidents (three of which were my fault).
15. gotten three tattoos (and want at least one more).
16. walked 180 miles in three 3-Day Walks for breast cancer research.
17. thrown a surprise party.
18. climbed the pyramids, hiked into the Grand Canyon, kissed at the top of the Eiffel Tower and walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
19. realized that family, no matter how often you see one another is important.
20. learned that you can get grey hair and acne at the same time. Unfair and annoying, but true.
21. won a sewing contest in the third grade, the leading role in a school play when I was a Senior in high school, a customer service award once I started working and two giveaways from blogs I read.
22. never had to be bailed out of jail.
23. learned that home is where the heart is.
24. swam with dolphins in Mexico and zip-lined in Costa Rica.
25. been the first one to apologize and the first one to walk away.
26. learned that music really can save your mortal soul.
27. discovered that asking for help is not a weakness, but a strength.
28. called 911 twice (not for Lucas, thank goodness!)
29. collected more books than I'll ever be able to read.
30. watched every single episode of Sex & the City, Alias and Grey's Anatomy.
31. attended the Grammy's and Emmy's.
32. learned that a vast majority of people can be worn over with a smile and a little kindness.
33. been blessed with the best friends a girl could ask for.
34. only wanted the very best for my sister, Leah.
35. never missed my parents more than I do today, except maybe tomorrow.
36. had more perfect moments than one person should be allowed.
37. made a baby with a man I admire, love and respect.
38. never tired of hearing "Mommy".
39. a lot more living to do and tons more to learn.

Here's looking forward to the next 39 years!

Searching For Peace

2011-06-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Even though she hadn't had a decent night's sleep in days, she woke up before the sun.

There were no more international calls to make or receive; all the details had been handled to the best of her ability, knowledge and strength.

The photos and music had been carefully selected and the difficult but necessary phone calls made.

She bought a new black dress that she knew would hang in her closet forever but only be worn once.

The obituary had been written and ran in the newspaper the previous day. She will always wonder how there can be a word limit when describing a person's life. Let alone two. How do you convey all the wonderful qualities about someone and list the reasons why they will be missed in 300 words or less?

This morning she would do something life affirming.

She wanted a chance to forget for a while; to do something that she would do any given day so as to feel the slightest bit normal.

A walk through a beautiful canyon. She would immerse herself in abundant wildlife, get lost in hillsides resplendent with palo verde trees, graceful groves of ocotillo and prickly pear cactus.

She wanted to be surrounded by life, to fill her eyesight with nature and growth so that her dark and broken heart may heal someday.

Today was a day to remember, mourn and begin searching for peace.

This post is fiction and was written for The Red Dress Club's writing assignment, Red Writing Hood. This week's prompt: Write a 300 word piece using the following word for inspiration: LIFE. Constructive criticism is welcome.

Jet Setter

2011-06-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Voluptuous and simple - the world is larger than one had thought. - Denise Levertov

I grew up overseas so I have been fortunate to see a lot of the world, but there are still places I want to visit.

Topping my list right now, in the order of which they may be visited, are:

Palm Springs - I know, I know, I was just there (read all about my recent trip here) and it's only 90 minutes from my front door, but I am craving some consistent sunlight, lounging by the pool with the latest celebrity gossip magazines, a good book and yummy cocktails with cool names like "The Julie"; and some alone time with my husband. For the record, all the other destinations on my list will include Lucas.

Vancouver, Canada - My husband spent nine months in Vancouver several years ago and has always spoken so highly of his experience, the scenery, the accessibility to nature and outdoor activities and the people. The way he talks about it makes me want to go!

Greece - Ever since I saw Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Mama Mia, I have wanted to go to Greece. All terrible movies, but the stark contrast between the gorgeous blue Mediterranean sea and white buildings, the rich history and authentic sadziki are all very alluring.

My list of "must see" destinations is never ending... Croatia, the Galapagos, Ireland and Tokyo are high on the list too.

I would also love to take Lucas on an African safari one day. There's nothing else on earth like being within 30 feet of an elephant, lion, zebra or giraffe. To date, that has been my favorite trip.

Where do you want to go?

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 4.) A country you would like to visit.

Mas Cerveza, Por Favor!

2011-06-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

And you thought I was going to pour a glass of wine, didn't you?

This post is for Jessica (My Time As Mom), Kate (Mommy Monologues) and Elena's (Mommy is in Timeout) meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #2. How to make your favorite summer drink.

I'm A Celebrity Look-Alike

2011-06-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

My friend, Morgan from The Little Hen House is the mastermind behind the latest blog-hop and since I played along with I was a Senior Hottie and Rockin' the Baby Bump, I thought why not?

Here is I'm a Celebrity Look-Alike... what do you think? See any resemblance?

My father used to mail me photos ripped out of magazines of Sigourney Weaver with her jawline, cheekbones or smile circled with a note attached saying something like, I see it, do you? or There's definitely a resemblance, but you are much prettier. Aw...

I have one friend that has always told me that she thinks I look like Elizabeth Hurley.

Don't laugh! I don't see it either, however, I do appreciate the compliment.

Another friend makes Blake Lively comparisons.

I wish!

And recently, someone put a link on my Facebook wall saying Kate Middleton was my doppelganger.

Hmmm.... maybe? Maybe not. What do you think?

Do people tell you you look like someone famous? If so, link up here and join in on the fun, even if you think they're crazy!

Speaking of crazy, this is my 600th post!

Things Overheard At The Park

2011-06-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

20 Things I've Overheard (or said repetitively) at the Park:

1. "Please don't throw sand."
2. "Be still so I can put sunscreen on you."
3. "I'm going to have to call you back."
4. "You need to share."
5. "I said, 'no throwing sand!'."
6. "Stop right where you are, that's the street!"
7. "Be careful!"
8. "Shake it off, you're okay."
9. "Those aren't your snacks."

10. "No, we didn't bring Goldfish, we have Bunnies".
11. "How many times do I have to ask you to stop throwing sand?"
12. "Sand is not for eating."

13. "I'm sorry, I didn't bring Goldfish, we have Bunnies."
14. "Great, did you poop?"
15. "Slides are for going down, not up."

16. "Wait your turn."
17. "Say, 'excuse me'."

18. "STOP THROWING SAND!! You can get a Time Out anywhere, you know?!"

19. "Someone's going to need a bath tonight."

20. "Okay, that's it! Nap time, let's go home!"

This post was featured on Natalie's blog, Mommy of a Monster, in her weekly feature, Monster Likes #24 on Saturday, June 25, 2011.

Empty

2011-06-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Lucas has only been to my parents house one time.

Given the circumstances, once is enough.

He was almost five months old and it was a trip made out of necessity. There was much work to be done.

He'll never even remember the six days we spent in Tucson and for that I am grateful.

We were there almost a week and each day proved more difficult than the previous. Thoughts of what should have been swirled my mind and consumed me with grief.

My parents house had been cleared of all the knick knacks and furniture, books, clothing, linens, pots and pans; cleared of all of the items that make a house a home.

There was a fresh coat of paint of the walls that used to adorn family photos and souvenirs from around the world. Now the walls are scarce and a boring egg shell white.

Some of my favorite photos of us were taken in the backyard during that trip. The desert always makes for a beautiful backdrop with it's sun kissed purple majestic mountains and our blue eyes against the Arizona sky.

Lucas saw his first cactus on that trip. He had a bath in the kitchen sink and played on the bed my parents used to share.His laughter filled the halls and lifted our spirits because he didn't know any better.

Never had I dreamed of being in that house with my son without my parents there too.

Aside from all the things that are missing, the house is void of all the warmth, light and love it once held. Cherished memories that I can recall in an instant of Christmas mornings, chocolate chip cookies cooling on the kitchen counters, family debates around the kitchen table and countless summer bar-be-ques.

This was one trip that should have been the first of many.

The house is empty now, it's occupants have been gone for over three years.

There is still some work to be done, but I don't know that I can ever take Lucas back to that house again.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I overheard my husband tell someone that being/becoming a parent is mostly about the person you choose to do it with. It's one of the nicest compliments I have ever received.

If in fact he meant he choose correctly by choosing me. Hmmm... maybe I should have asked for clarification.

Well, I know I sure did.

I am so grateful to have such a wonderful, understanding husband that has more patience than anyone I have ever met and has embraced parenthood with so much love and joy that it makes my heart swell.

It has been such a thrill to watch Todd become a father and a really good one at that. Lucas is lucky to have such a sweet Daddy and role model.

Happy Father's Day to Todd and to all the hardworking, supportive and loving fathers out there.

101 Things To Do With Your Toddler

2011-06-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

I first saw this list on Pinterest and then the blog, Counting On Me and Lucas and I are slowly but surely working our way through it.

If you're ever at a loss for what to do with your tot, and who hasn't been, surely you will find something that you both can enjoy. 101 is my favorite. :)

Color
Blow Bubbles
Play Hide-and-Seek
Peek-a-Boo
Play Chase
Do Finger-plays
Sing a song
Collect rocks in a basket
Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
Go for a Walk
Make a Car out of a Box
Read a book
Go to the park
Finger-paint
Play with Play-Dough
Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
Play the shell and pea game
Dance to music
Download games for toddlers from the Internet
Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)
Put on a puppet show
Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
Make a Horseshoe game
Make a Shape Puzzle
Play paper basketball
Run through a Sprinkler
Play with a bucket of water and a sponge
Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
Play with a kazoo
Wash windows together
Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
Brush each other's teeth
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
Make a playhouse out of a large box
Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a Smelling Hunt
Frost cookies
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
Play hide and seek together - trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
Have a splash party together in the bathtub
Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
Make and try on paper hats
Give a piggy-back ride
Play "Horsey"
Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
Play tug-of-war with a blanket
Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
Make a camera and go on a Safari
Play games with frozen juice lids
Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives - let your child talk too
String large beads onto or along a shoelace
Squirt each other with squirt bottles
Glue shapes onto paper
Make sock puppets
Make paper puppets
Fill an old purse with toys
Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
Act out a story from a book
Walk on a balance beam - use a 2x4 placed on the ground
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!
Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
Do the Hokey Pokey
Make a super-hero costume out of household items
Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
Make a shoebox train for stuffed animals
Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)
Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
Learn numbers from a deck of cards
Play the matching game with a deck of cards
Make a domino chain
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
Make a nature collage
Mirror each other
Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
TAKE A NAP!

The ones in bold, we've done or do on a regular basis. Have fun!

GNO

2011-06-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

I have always been blessed to have a lot of friends in my life. Some of whom I would call as close as family ~ wonderful women that I confide in, trust, enjoy spending time with and without whom, I don't know where or who I'd be.
I have friends from high school, friends from college, single friends, divorced friends, mommy friends, friends I gained through my first marriage, friends that I gained through my second marriage, colleagues that became friends, neighbors that became friends and one very dear friend, Sophie that lives clear across the globe.

I also have a ton of friends that I have never even met (yet), thanks to blogging and Twitter. :)

My core group of friends consists of five women I see on a regular basis... for play dates with our children, walks without them, lunch, happy hours, dinners and the occasional overnight ~~escapes~~ get-aways.

My friends and I like to celebrate each others birthdays in big ways, usually involving a trip. My husband always gives me a hard time about it, but if we didn't, there's a chance I never would have met him. More on that in a later post...

Anyway, my last girl's night out was last weekend, on an overnight in Palm Springs! We celebrating Lisa's birthday, my beautiful underwater friend above. In fact, all the photos used in this post were taken over the weekend.

We did what all good friends do; laughed, drank, ate a lot of mini cupcakes, talked about our kids, our jobs, our families, our spouses, or lack there of and had a great time. I'm already looking forward to our group's next birthday... mine!

Apart from my friends, I've even luckier that my husband understands how important my friendships are.

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 1.) Girls Night Out! Describe the last time you got to hang out with your friends. What stops you from doing this more often?

Mannequin

2011-06-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

I loved sneaking up on this encounter.

What a brave boy!

This post is for Wordless Wednesdays and if you want to link up, or see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Alicia at Project Alicia. This week, she is sharing photos of her daughter's cool new "tattoo".

Rockin' The Bump

2011-06-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

I loved being pregnant. Every. single. minute.
Of course, I had the perfect pregnancy. No morning sickness, no heart burn, no swollen ankles. It was strange, wonderful and amazing to feel and watch my body grow. And grow. And grow.

At times, especially towards the end of the 40 weeks I felt HUGE, but for the most part I was strong and beautiful.

I can't wait to do it again soon. Here's hoping the second time around is as great as the first (she says with nervous laughter).

As part of Shell's, Things I Can't Say: Rockin' The Baby Bump Link Up, here are some of my favorite pregnant shots.

New Year's Eve, 2009 - 16 weeks

Canyon Ranch trip, February 18, 2009 - 23 weeks

Pregnancy Photo Shoot, March 29, 2009 - 29 weeks

My favorite! - 29 weeks

Our "babymoon", May 25, 2009. Just 10 days before I delivered! - 37 weeks

Pet Peeves

2011-06-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, a pet peeve is described as a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.

Mine are ever changing but this week, these five top the list:

This post is for Jessica (My Time As Mom), Kate (Mommy Monologues) and Elena's (Mommy is in Timeout) meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #2: pet peeves (submitted by Multitasking Mumma).

Ready For More!

2011-06-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

Motherhood is no laughing matter. Okay, sometimes an eruption of giggles is what gets me through the day, but it is the hardest job I have ever had.

It's difficult to communicate with a toddler that thinks climbing on furniture, darting into traffic and throwing his food on the floor is the funniest thing he's ever done.

There are times when all I can do is count down to the moment Daddy gets home because what I know what Lucas and I both really need is a break from one another.

There are entire days that suck.

There are full weeks that suck.

Last week was one of those weeks for me.

Lucas refused to nap for three days in a row and I was at my wits end. I know our days of naps are numbered, but when you couple no naps with a feisty, overactive child and a mom ready to throw in the towel, bad things can happen.

I was ready to take the first 40+ hour/week job offered to me and never look back. It got that bad.

There is only so much Play-doh, Yo Gabba Gabba, cars, trains and visits to the park one mommy can handle. Not to mention the messes. Or yelling.

There's only so much this too will pass, it's just a phase, he's only two years old, you're doing a good job pep talks that I can give myself.

There's only so much.

I even had my sister here for two days to help out, but I think that almost made things worse.

At any rate, it's a new week, I'm feeling much better (stronger) and I'm back to learning How To Really Love Motherhood.

I found the above on Pinterest last night and it really resonated with me. For as frustrating as motherhood can be, it's also amazing and wonderful and I do (mostly) love every minute.

In other words, I was able to unwind this weekend and now, I am ready for more!

Vision Board

2011-06-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

You know from my vlog, My Three Favorite Magazines that I am a magazine junkie.

In the past, I have subscribed to just about everything on the newsstand and nowadays I collect my magazines from a variety of places (I'll never reveal my sources!). I devour them from cover to cover, save articles that I want to re-read, share with others or might need some day. My might need someday pile is ridiculous!

Ever since I was in high school, I have used magazines to make collages. I would painstakingly remove the ring from my notebooks and cover the covers in photos I liked (think Guess ads and cute and furry puppies) and then used contact paper to protect them and then put the rings back on. It was quite the process, but it was a lot of fun for me. I covered notebooks for all my friends. And, of course, I saved my favorites:As a teenager the walls of my bedroom were always plastered in Tiger Beat pull out posters and advertisements from magazines. This was my room circa 1990:Surprisingly, the one thing I never made was a vision board.

What's a vision board you ask?

A vision board is typically a poster-size board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve cut out of magazines. Right up my alley...

The idea behind a vision board is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation and your life changes to match those images and those desires. Worth a shot, right?

In my women's group this week, we all sat around a table covered with glue sticks, scissors and heaps of magazines and let our subconscious minds take over.

Here's what I ended up with:

I still have some blank space but there are lots of inspiring words (calm, breathe, dream), peaceful images (hammock on the beach, cocktails poolside), photos of places I'd like to visit (Greece) or return to someday (Paris and New York) and people I hope to meet (Dave Matthews). What?! It could happen. All of it!

I'll keep you updated on the progress and hope you'll consider making one for yourself. Or if you have already created a vision board, maybe it's time to update it?

I'm Not Done

2011-06-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

For last week's Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, I wrote 11 six word memoirs. I couldn't stop at just one. To read them all, click here.

This week's writing assignment is to elaborate. Rather than bombard you with 11 explanations, I have selected one:

I'm still a work in progress.

It's very simple really.

I am not the same person that I was ten years ago, five years ago or even one year ago, in large part thanks to maturity, motherhood, devastating losses and some wonderful people I am thankful to have met along the way.

I am constantly evolving and growing and experiencing new thoughts and ideas (sometimes reluctantly), and getting better. I'm not done.

I meet new people all the time and try to expose myself to equal parts comfort and culture. There is a lot more of the world I look forward to seeing. I'm not done.

I have internal demons and I am my own worst enemy. I've learned just about everything the hard way. I'm proud, stubborn, love having the last word and have a difficult time relaxing. I have few regrets, wish I was more patient, struggle daily with trying to live in the moment. I have been known to drink too much, swear too much and be a real bitch when I don't get my way. I am working on all of the above and I'm not done.

I love my family and friends beyond measure and take pride in my home, my word and compassion for others. I'm not done.

Some of my core morals and values are the same as they ever were, but with age I'm finding that I'm more open and (a bit) more flexible to other view points. I'm thirsty for knowledge and have a immense curiosity for the world around me.

I'm not done.

I'm not done learning, growing, creating, believing, feeling, listening, dancing, dreaming, reading, sitting, swimming, exploring, sweating, smiling, hoping, loving, living, being.

I'm not done.

I'm still a work in progress.

"I am a work in progress, dressed in the fabric of a world unfolding, offering me intricate patterns of questions, rhythms that never come clean, and strengths that you still haven't seen." -Ani DiFranco

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 1.) Last week you chose a six word memoir to share…this week elaborate. Tell us the story or thought process behind the sentence you wrote.

A Birthday Bonanza

2011-06-07T22:32:00.000-07:00

We had a super spectacular weekend celebrating Lucas' second birthday. From a Newport Beach Harbor Duffy boat ride with his grandparents on Friday night to a fun Thomas the train party on Saturday, and then Disneyland on Monday with Mommy and Daddy, it was a birthday bonanza!

I'll spare you all the details and instead share some favorite photos:I think a highlight for Lucas, apart from the "yummy yummy cupcakes" was meeting his two idols, Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen at California Adventure! Next to Thomas, they are his favorite characters.There was a moment during Lucas' birthday party, when he looked around and listed everyone and everything present, including the bounce house and all the Thomas balloons and the chocolate cupcake in his hands and had a happy grin from ear to ear. As our friend, Andrew pointed out, he was clearly having a moment of gratitude.

I agree.

Our special weekend wasn't lost on any of us.

Happy Birthday, precious boy.

This post is for Wordful Wednesdays and if you want to link up and see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Project Alicia.

Annoying Toys

2011-06-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

As long as they keep him happy, busy and out of my hair, he can keep them.

For now.

This post is for Jessica (My Time As Mom), Kate (Mommy Monologues) and Elena's (Mommy is in Timeout) meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #1: A toy your child plays with that drives you up the wall and why.

Back To Life

2011-06-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

The party was Saturday, but today is the *actual* day and we while we are celebrating at Disneyland, I've asked my sister to keep you company!

It's been a while since aunt Leah made an appearance on Letters For Lucas and it's nice to have her back with a sweet message of love.

Today is Lucas’ 2^nd birthday and I couldn’t be more proud and happy to be his aunt. Never ever would I have thought that it would be possible to love him more now then I did the day he was born, but somehow I truly do. He warms my heart and makes me forget my worries every single time I see him and no one else has ever been able to do that.

On the day he was born, June 6th, just two short years ago, my very sad heart began to heal. Losing my parents literally shattered my world and broke my heart, but that moment that I first laid eyes on Lucas in the hospital, my heart instantly started to repair itself. This is really the best way for me to describe what it’s like having him in my life.

Lucas brought me back to life.

His birth was like a sign thrown at me, making me realize that life goes on and there are new people to love -- a new person to love that my parents would have loved this much right along with me. It showed me that I indeed have the capacity to unconditionally love someone again as much as I loved my parents. I often wonder how I’ll possibly love my own children as much as I love Lucas.

Do I have enough love like this for a husband one day? Where does love come from? How can a heart possibly hold it? Does Lucas have any idea how much I love him and that when I’m sad, all I have to do is think of him and I suddenly feel better? Does Lucas understand love enough now to love me back?

I hope so.

Happy Birthday to my one and only Lucas. May this year be full of more adventures and more happiness then your heart can handle. You’ve already given me all that and more these past two years.

Love,
Aunt Leah
XOXOWithout a doubt, Leah. Lucas knows how much you love him and loves you right back. Ten fold.

Leah has her own blog, LA 'n' LA and is now on Twitter too!

These Are Days

2011-06-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we are celebrating Lucas' second birthday with a small party complete with family, friends, Thomas the Train, cupcakes and a bounce house.

It's hard to believe my baby is already two! Where does the time go? Everyone said, "it goes by fast" and they were so right.

This little boy is the light of my life and I can't imagine the last 24 months without him.

He is smart and funny and kind and teaches me more than I'll ever be able to teach him. He is patient with me and enriches my life in ways I never knew possible.

If you have a couple of minutes to spare, here is a slide show of some of my favorite photos of my sweet boy over the last two years.

Unfortunately YouTube copyright infringement laws prevented me from using the song I wanted: These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs, so I've included the lyrics here:

These are the days
These are days you’ll remember
Never before and never since, I promise
Will the whole world be warm as this
And as you feel it,
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you

These are days that you’ll remember
When May is rushing over you
With desire to be part of the miracles
You see in every hour
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you are touched
By something that will grow and bloom in you

These are days
These are the days you might fill
With laughter until you break
These days you might feel
A shaft of light
Make its way across your face
And when you do
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It's true
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking
To you, to you

These are definitely the days and I'm grateful for each and every one.

Happy Birthday, Lucas!

Six Word Memoirs

2011-06-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Traveled the world. Motherhood best adventure.

Me, stress? It's my middle name.

Increasing patience level is extremely difficult.

Life. One mess after another. Literally.

It doesn't get better than this.

Anxiously anticipating this time next year.

Constant state of missing someone dear.

Another day, another carton of milk.

Thinking of the end and smiling.

Thank you for loving me, Todd.

I'm still a work in progress.

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 1.) Six Word Memoir: Write about a significant time in your life in just six words. Of course I couldn't just have one...

Project Smile - May

2011-05-31T17:10:00.000-07:00

Another month has come and gone and while I found many reasons to grumble, it was also a very smile-worthy month!

This month, instead of listing something for each day, I'm going to share just the highlights and lots of photos.

May 1 - A beautiful day for baseball, Dodger dogs, cold beer and catching up with old friends.May 4 - A delightful afternoon with the Dalai Lama.

May 6 - Beach day!May 8 - Mother's Day. How did I get so lucky to be this boy's mommy? May 13 - Spending a perfect day with Lucas.May 14 - Birthday celebrations, margaritas and good friends.May 15 - Lucas meets Mickey Mouse for the first time!May 17 - Date night = a movie in the theater. Thanks, Leah!

May 18 - Pancake day.May 20 - A trip to see grandma and grandpa.May 22 - Cousin love.May 24 - Eight years ago today, Todd and I went on our first date.

May 26 - A mommies only dinner.

May 29 - It's Memorial Day weekend and we're happy Daddy's got the day off.May 30 - I found a bathing suit.

May 31 - Signed Lucas up for more swim lessons, enrolled him in a summer school program, scanned photos, made calls, ran errands, lunched with a friend, sent three overdue e-mails, wrote three blog posts and played a lot of cars and choo choos. It was a very productive day!

What made you happy this month?

To see what had me smiling in April, click here and to link up and share your own month of joy, please visit Kristi of Live and Love out Loud.

SAHM

2011-05-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

The other day, I read (and re-tweeted) two lists: 10 Things Never to Say to a Stay-at-Home Mom and 10 Things Never to Say to a Working Mom and both lists got me thinking about my SAHM role.

It's been almost two years since I became a stay-at-home mom and honestly, I'm still getting used to it.

Sure, I have somewhat of a schedule: music class on Mondays, tumble class on Wednesdays, nanny help for a few hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a free-for-all Friday. No matter what, we get out of the house. For my sanity, just as much as Lucas'.

I like to say I'm a stay-at-home mom, that does anything but stay at home.

Apart from the classes, we have passes to Legoland, Disneyland and the zoo. There are also weekly visits to parks, libraries, toy stores, pet stores, book stores and Daddy's office. When we're not out and about, we've got a host of in-door activities, but if given the option, I'd rather be out! At home, there's the Internet, TV, laundry and other chores. Plus, some days it feels like the walls are coming in on us.

If I was stuck inside all day every day, I would certainly lose my mind. So while I don't have meetings to attend or a closet full of suits to wear anymore, I plan, I schedule, I organize, I manage, I orchestrate, I clean, I cook (sort of), I live for nap time, me time and date nights all while staying at home. Whatever that means...

Slowly but surely, I'm learning to embrace being a SAHM, but I'd be lying if I said that didn't spend a lot of time day dreaming about returning to work full time.

On one hand, I can't imagine having anyone else spend as much time with Lucas as I get to or allowing them to be such an active participate in his growth and development. I do realize how lucky I am that I am his primary care giver, but on the other hand, there are days that I would give my right arm to have a 7:30 meeting and drop him off somewhere along the way.

It's an age-old argument, but as I see it, being a mom, stay at home or not, is hard work. No matter where you do it from.

For some, returning to work is a financial necessity and not a choice. I get that. And when I think about being a SAHM in those terms, I know I'm one of the fortunate ones.

Are you at stay-at-home mom? If so, is it by choice? Do you miss working?

I've Earned This Pouch

2011-05-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend is the official/non-official kick off to summer.

Summer means lots of time spent outdoors, which translates to shorts, tank tops, flip flops and [insert shutter here] bathing suits.

Like most women, I hate shopping for a new bathing suit, but with an ever changing body, Lucas' swimming lessons and an upcoming trip to Hawaii (!), it was time to bite the bullet...

It was also time to face the fact that I can no longer pull off a string bikini. Not that I ever could very well, but thanks to my post pregnancy body, (now almost two years old) it'll never happen.

Sigh.

Two hours and 19 suits in a variety of colors and styles later, (I am NOT exaggerating, I actually counted!) I came home with not one, but two suits.

Go me!

I went with a demure one piece tank with perfectly positioned ruching and a practical tankini halter, just like my mother used to wear.

Oh well. I've earned this pouch, I made a baby for God's sake!

A big special thank you to Maggie at Everything But Water. Her patience and honesty were very much appreciated.

And before anyone asks, there will be no photos.

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Memorial Day!

Left Behind

2011-05-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's not an exclusive club.

Anyone can join and often do when they least expect it.

Dues are paid in tears.

The moment you lose someone close to you, the very instant you learn of their deaths, you immediately become a lifetime member of a group you never wanted to be associated with.

You are one of the ones left behind.

You now have a kinship and a bond with fellow suffers of grief and loss whether you like it or not.

It doesn't matter if you lose and an aunt, grandmother, best friend or father, you now "get" it. Or, at least have the ability to understand a little better what other "members" of this grief stricken club are going through. You can empathize in a way few can.

When you lose someone, other people's losses are harder on you. In part because it conjures up your own loss and because you know what they are going through. You know that kind of pain.

I learned yesterday that my cousin's son, Zach died.

He shot himself for reasons that are still unclear to me, as well as the rest of our family.

I never met Zach. I regret that, not because he's gone now, but because he was family.

I know two things about death: it's final and a parent should never outlive their child.

My heart aches for Zach's mother and father.

2011-05-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

This was absolutely the last time was going to do this. The final time she would ever put herself at risk. She'd been lucky up until now. Very lucky.

But, there were so many things she wanted. How could she give it up when merely entering the department store made her heart beat faster and her forehead perspire.

She did it for the rush.

She did it for the goods.

The racks and racks of beautiful designer clothing were too tempting. All her life she'd worn hand-me-downs. Not anymore.

She dreamed of owning a rainbow of make-up and perfume that smelled like money and now she did.

Which section should she hit today?

The shoe department was bustling and shoes were easy. All you had to do was keep walking.... straight out the front door.

The allure of the jewelry counter was as sparkly and shiny as ever. If that dizzy blond was working today, that would be a cinch too.

Keep your cool. You've done this dozens of times.

She gotten away with it before, in fact nothing she was wearing was paid for. She was slowly filling her closets with cashmere and silk and her ears, wrists and neck donned diamonds and other precious gems.

She wanted more.

"Sir, do you have these in red in 7 1/2?"

"Right away, miss."

And there was nothing standing in her way today.

As soon as the salesman walked away, she let out a deep breath and thought, You've got to be kidding, $715 for a pair of shoes?! It would take me 10 shifts to make that much dough.

"Here you go, I brought them in gray too."

"Wonderful, thank you. I'll just take them for a little stroll."

"Very well, I'll be here when you get back."

As soon as she slipped them on her feet and made sure that the sales clerk was a "safe" distance away, she casually picked up her over sized handbag and turned on her heel.

Keep your cool. You've done this a million times.

She walked right past the handbags and scarves and finally saw sunlight through the large glass door.

You're almost there. This will be the last time. Just keep walking, you're scot-free.

Heavy footsteps.

"Excuse me, Miss? Miss? Excuse me, do you have something you'd like to pay for?"

She was wrong.

This post is fiction and was written for The Red Dress Club's writing assignment, Red Writing Hood. This week's prompt: Write a short piece that begins with the words, “This was absolutely the last time” and ends with “She was wrong." Constructive criticism is welcome.

I Was A Senior Hottie

2011-05-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

With graduation season upon us, Liz of a belle, a bean & a chicago dog came up with the most awesome idea of revisiting our past by digging up our favorite Senior moments. :)

Or, in my case... Senior Sourpuss:
This photo went out with my graduation announcement. Really! What was I thinking/doing?
Love the cheesy cityscape background. By the way, I actually wore the same exact dress to my BFF's rockin' 40th birthday party this past February. For more on that (lots of fun 80's photos), go here).
Graduation day. No cap or gown. I attended a small boarding school in northern Arizona and the tradition was for the girls to wear white dresses and guys wore suits and ties.

Wait a minute...

Could it be... is that a smile?
As a side note: I loved every minute of high school, especially my senior year. I was full of hope and promise, had a great boyfriend, tons of friends and was on my way to college. The world was all mine. So, even if it didn't show on my face, it was a happy, happy time.

Also? I'm still trying to find my Glamour Shots.

The Trouble With Trash

2011-05-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

I don't recall having that many chores as a child, other than keeping my room clean; making sure my bed was made each morning and toys and things were off the floor and put away at the end of each day.

When I got to high school, it was all about keeping my grades above average and being home by curfew, a rule I consistently broke.

I do recall getting in trouble a lot, especially this one time I was on trash duty.

I loathed this task.

Don't let anyone tell you different, trash is nasty, stinky, smelly and gross and trash duty sucks!

My job was to gather the trash from all rooms in our home and take it to the dumpster, usually just outside our house, but when I was sever years old, we lived in a cul-du-sac and the dumpster was (for some strange reason) several houses away. Maybe it was a communal bin or something?

I dreaded making the trek every single time I was faced with it.

Instead of making the complete walk, I found a short cut in the form of a neighbor's storage shed half way between our house and the actual place the garbage was to go.

As you can imagine, it wasn't long before my parents were notified of my dirty deed.

And not long after that, there was yelling and tears and then there was me on my hands and knees picking up every last take out container with food remnants, balled up piece of paper, yogurt container, banana peel, cans with liquid still inside, nail clippings, used Kleenex, Q-Tips and other unmentionables, chewed gum, egg shells, packaging, yuck, muck and every other disgusting item you can think of that we discard.

You see, while everything was bagged, it wasn't tied shut. This was in the days before drawstring.

I threw up twice and I'm quite sure I wasn't allowed sugar cereal or able watch The Donnie & Marie Show for at least a month.

I still hate dealing with trash.

This post is for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt #1.) Write about a time you got in BIG trouble as a kid.

I'm A New Recruit!

2011-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Today I'm proud to be at Sluiter Nation and tickled to be Kate's latest recruit!

Come read about a store I loathe just a little more now due to a recent visit. It's a good one.

I cried.

I'll give you a hint, it's NOT Target, but they do have a popular baby registry.

My Three Favorite Magazines

2011-05-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

This post is for Jessica (My Time As Mom), Kate (Mommy Monologues) and Elena's (Mommy is in a Timeout) meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #1: Show us your 3 favorite magazines and tell us what you like about them.

There Will Be Tears

2011-05-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

I have been watching since 1991.

I have laughed, cried, jumped for joy, believed, been inspired, yelled at the television, fast forwarded, re-watched, rewound, discussed with friends, read the books, bought the products, lusted after, learned, wondered, rolled my eyes and felt better about myself all thanks to a guest I welcomed with open arms into my home every day.

Relatable, smart, funny, and an excellent interviewer, Oprah is more than just a talk show host, face of a magazine, cable network and radio mogul, philanthropist, or one of Forbes' most powerful and not to mention wealthiest people, she is an institution.

She makes me believe that if we ever do meet in real life, we could be friends. Her public struggles make her human and her giving heart makes her a saint.

Tomorrow, after 25 years, the final Oprah Winfrey Show will air.

You better believe there will be tears.

I will miss her daily visits.

There's A Time & Place

2011-05-23T00:10:00.000-07:00

In Target the other day I overheard an interesting (for lack of a better word) side of a conversation.

A woman on her phone was saying very loudly from the next aisle, to presumably her mother or best friend the following:

"...we don't even sleep in the same bedroom anymore."

"...we don't talk, we don't touch, we don't do anything."

Then she laughed hysterically. Presumably to keep from crying?

"...I just hope to walk away as friends, if that's even possible at this point."

Depressing, right?

That's not even the worst part.

When she turned the corner to come down the aisle I was on, I discovered she was pushing not one, but two children in her cart.

Both looked to be a lot older than Lucas.

Children are so impressionable. I wonder what their home life is like?

How could she be to cavalier about her relationship with presumably her husband? How could she subject these children, whether her own or not, to such intimate details of her relationship?

It made me sad.

I have been through a divorce and it's no fun. I thank my lucky stars every day that my ex and I did not have children together. I can't even imagine putting them through something like that. I know couples break up every day and make it work for the best of all involved, but children often don't really have a say, do they?

Celebrating Taming Insanity

2011-05-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Please join me in wishing Kristin (AKA KLZ) of Taming Insanity a very happy five year anniversary!

Today I'm over at her place sharing one of my favorite things about being a mother... milestones.

Comments are off so there's no pressure, just stop by and read and if you don't know already know Kristin, (are you living under a rock?) this is your chance.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Top 10 Reasons I'd Rather Work Out At Home

2011-05-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

10. Even though by virtue of the name alone, my gym is suppose to be open 24 hours a day, it turns out, it actually isn't. Who knew?

9. The clocks on the walls are usually wrong, which just pisses me off.

8. There is no soap in the soap dispensers in the women's locker room or at least never at the sink or shower I choose.

7. There is often a wait to use a machine and then once I get on one...

6. There is a 20 minute limit (when staff is trolling the floors).

5. The competition factor. The person on the machine next to me always seems to want to turn our workout into a race. I see you looking over at my incline level and raise yours.

4. Flying sweat. Bring a towel, people!

3. It's hot, sticky and stinky. Especially on a Tuesday at 1:05 PM.

2. Loud talkers. I've had to practically blow out my eardrums by turning my iPod up so loud just to drown out the conversations going on around me. It's not homecoming, it's a gym! Exchange numbers and call each other later.

And the #1 reason I'd rather work out at home than go to the gym...

It is swarming with too many beautifully toned, physically fit bodies. I mean, really? Why are you here?

Meet my home gym...

...I promise not to stray again anytime soon.

Bedtime

2011-05-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Another recovered post from last week. Yay!

This little booger was up until after 10:00 last night!
Here he is watching TV with Mom, while Daddy works on his computer.

Hoping NOT to have a repeat tonight.

This post is for Wordless Wednesdays and if you want to link up, or see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Alicia at Project Alicia. This week, she is sharing photos of her beautiful daughter.

Put On A Little Make-Up

2011-05-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is a lot harder than it looks! Not going from no make-up to make-up but vlogging. Go easy on me....

This post is for Jessica's (My Time As Mom) new meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt I chose was #2: What is your makeup routine? Show us (inspired by Daily Dose of Sugar Mama)

If you missed my first vlog, it has been restored and can be found here: The Next Generation In Blogging?

I lost all my comments last week, so leave some love and please tell me that I've gotten a little bit better this week.

Thanks for your help, Leah!

The Next Generation In Blogging?

2011-05-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

This post was actually created and published last week BEFORE the blogapocalypse, where Blogger went dark for more than 24 hours.

Here goes nothing! My very first attempt at vlogging...

This post is for Jessica's (My Time As Mom) new meme, Vlog Talk. The prompt was: Introduce yourself, what is your blog about, how long have you been doing it, have you ever vlogged before, if so – what has your experience been with vlogging.

What Does Being A Mother Mean?

2011-05-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

What does being a mother mean?

Sometimes it's...

...going weeks without shaving your legs.

...staying up half the night to nurse a little one's fever.

...exercising at 10 o'clock at night.

...showering at 11 o'clock at night.

...worrying about absolutely everything, yet somehow knowing that you're doing okay.

...making a batch of mac 'n' cheese because you know that's what your tot will eat.

...sitting through another episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, The Backyardigans, Thomas & Friends and/or Cars.

...fighting off the guilt of wanting to spend a few moments alone.

...realizing that you're responsible for this keeping this little boy happy, healthy, safe and entertained.

...cleaning up mess after mess after mess all. day. long.

...tender kisses, hugs, cuddles and story time!

...getting hit in the face with a toy because your toddler is still learning to control his anger.

...listening to incessant whining, crying and carrying on because that same toddler isn't getting what they want.

...trying to stay present for every single moment you have with this incredible little person because you know in the blink of an eye he won't need you like he does today.

...looking through photos of your son, long after he's gone to bed and kind of wishing he'd wake up.

...teaching right from wrong, manners, morals and how to be a good person.

...spending a lot of time cross-legged on the floor playing with cars, puzzles, blocks and stuffed animals.

...giggling at the funny words and phrases that come out of not only your son's mouth ("mommy poos too?") but also your own ("please don't lick the floor").

...sacrificing who you once were and allowing yourself to become someone you were always meant to be.

...loving someone like you've never loved anyone.

What does being a mother mean?

I never thought motherhood was so many little things rolled into one big enormous wonderful role.

It's everything.

In Blogapocalypse Recovery Mode

2011-05-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

While I am still trying to recover from last week's blogapocalypse, where Blogger went dark for more than 24 hours and I lost not one, but TWO posts and two drafts (I AM SO MOVING TO WORDPRESS!!), please visit me at Jessica's place.

Jessica's blog, My Time as Mom as become one of my favorites and I am so grateful that we connected on Twitter. I don't even mind that she kicks my ass in almost every. single. Scrabble game we play.

Okay, so, it's getting a little annoying.

Nevertheless, I'm thrilled that she asked me to guest post for her today about Lucas' big 2nd birthday, so please stop by and say hello and be sure to wish her little monster a very happy 2nd birthday too!

2011-05-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

First it was MySpace, then Facebook, followed by Twitter and now, my new latest obsession is ~ drum roll, please.... Pinterest.

What is Pinterest you ask?

Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can create collections of things you love and "follow" collections created by people with great taste.

People use Pinterest to collect and share all sorts of things — wedding inspiration, favorite T-shirts, DJ equipment. You name it, people are pinning it.

We know you have great taste in something. Our mission is to make Pinterest the best place for you to share your taste with the world.

Over the last week I have spent HOURS on this site pinning favorites faces, places, products, pretty things, quotes, gift ideas, and items on my lust after list.

Things like:

Anything goes and the best part is that every image links back to original source/site for more information.

What an awesome idea and a HUGE wonderful waste of time. If you pin, come find me!

An Adorable Dinner

2011-05-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

I don't cook.

Not even a little bit.

I burned rice the other night.

Who does that?!

Me apparently.

I make the same New Year's resolution every year to make at least one dinner a month. So far so good....

Although, I think I owe my family four dinners.

I've said it before (here and here), if it weren't for my husband I'd be living on cereal, turkey sandwiches, PB&Js, pasta, bag salad and cottage cheese. In other words, I can do kid food.

Sort of.

Lucas has been on a bit of a hunger strike lately and wanting only macaroni and cheese and cookies. Which honestly doesn't sound too bad too me, however, in an effort to expand his (and my) horizons (and because my husband was out for dinner with a friend), I made him a turkey and cheese quesadilla last night, rolled it and cut it so that it resembled a pin wheel. The bite sized pieces were so adorable I should have taken a photo. I thought for sure I had a hit on my hands.

He took one bite, promptly spit it out and asked for cookies. When I said no and tried again and again and again, he ran down the hall to his bedroom slammed the door and had a fit.

And here I thought that was 15 year old girl behavior?

About 17 minutes later, in other words, the length of time it takes to make a box of Annie's Homegrown mac & cheese, he returned to the kitchen, sat down and had three bowls!

Geez, so much for an adorable dinner, huh?

I did throw in peas.

What did I have for dinner you wonder? And a Coors Light.

What do you feed your picky eater?

It's The Little Things

2011-05-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

I used to keep a gratitude journal and then I stopped for some reason.

It's good to stop and reflect.

I should start that again.

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately and all the things in my life that make me happy and bring me such joy.

My son, husband, sister, friendships and iPhone certainly top the list, but it's not always about the big things, the people in our lives; it's the little things too. And there are countless little things that make my heart smile.

My in-laws sent me a book called Good Things Great and Small for Mother's Day and the timing couldn't be more perfect. It is full of lists of everyday seemingly mundane things to be thankful for.

It has inspired me to come up with my own list:

Highlighters, pulling up and seeing the front porch light on, a gentle breeze that lifts bubbles into the air that light up a child's eyes, the flip side of my pillow, going days without wearing an ounce of make-up, a public restroom just when I need it most, hearing birds chirp and airplanes flying overhead simultaneously, being able to jump on the treadmill at 10:00 at night if I want to, fresh squeezed orange juice, a full tank of gas and endless possibilities.

I know I bitch and complain a lot, but my life is so very full and I am blessed. Amidst all the chaos, frustration, sorrow and trying times, I have a lot to be thankful for.

What about you, what are you grateful for?

Self Help You'll Never Find In A Book

2011-05-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

Two heads are better than one. - John Heywood

Every two weeks for several months now, I have been meeting with a small group of women that I have grown to respect, admire, come to rely on and find incredibly helpful in achieving my personal goals.

Ironically, we all have marketing backgrounds, but not one of us work a 40+ hour week desk job anymore. We are in various stages of career transition, trying to get our own businesses off the ground or are stay-at-home-moms (yours truly) with a hobby that has become a passion.

Our group is small and we may not have a catchy name, mascot or matching T-shirts...yet, but what we do have is invaluable.

We all possess obtainable entrepreneurial goals for ourselves and support one another by holding each other accountable for various action items that will help us reach these goals.

We encourage one another to keep our vision(s) in mind as we brainstorm, collaborate, share past experiences and current contacts.

It was through this group that I finally accepted that I am a writer and not just a "mommy blogger" and that I would like to find a freelance writing position.

Just three weeks ago, I started working with the owners of a local hair salon to help build their brand, Website and blog. This is the first of many clients, I hope!

Women rule and I am very thankful to be a part of this group.

Do you belong to a similar group or organization? If so, how has it helped you?

Just Perfect

2011-05-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

Between the flowers (sunflowers are my favorite),
the waffle breakfast (complete with crispy bacon),
a visit to the spa
and some quality time with family and friends (especially this little guy),my mother's day was just perfect.

I hope yours was too!

Maximum Love

2011-05-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of listening to the Dalai Lama speak about compassion and positive thinking.

The Buddhist leader, wearing his traditional red and orange robes and a UC Irvine Anteaters visor cracked himself up more than once as he shared his message of peace and understanding. He explained that the problem we face with unhappiness is of our own creation, fed by too much stress, worry and frustration. He said we need a calm mind to see reality clearly.

According to the Dalai Lama, the goal of education should be to “develop sensible, compassionate leaders who are realistic and warmhearted.” He also stressed the importance of respect for all religions – and nonbelievers as well – which elicited cheers from the crowd of almost 5000 people.

When asked by a UC Irvine student how to obtain world peace, he fondly recalled his own mother being very kindhearted and said that "family has the real responsibility for making the world a better place and that we should make our homes a warm atmosphere, pay attention and provide maximum love, affection and compassion to our children". I love this, believe it wholeheartedly and I'm going to put it on my refrigerator.

What a delightful afternoon.

I Am A Real Housewife Of Orange County

2011-05-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

I live in Orange County so I come in contact with the type of women on the television show, The Real Housewives of Orange County on almost a daily basis. It's usually when they are perched behind the wheel of their fresh off the assembly line Mercedes Benz.

These women are wealthy beyond belief, flashy, live in excess, completely phony, constantly in search of companionship and are terrible drivers!

10 reasons why I could not be a real housewife from any county:

1. I don't believe in plastic surgery. I've earned the wrinkles around my eyes, thankyouverymuch. Oh, and while we're on the subject of plastic surgery, they're real and they're spectacular.

2. I can't walk in stilettos to save my life. If I could, they'd probably lead me to a horrific death down a flight of stairs.

3. I don't know any rock stars or pro baseball players, nor do I particularly care to. Okay, well, maybe I'd like to meet Dave Matthews ...swoon...

4. I'm not a fake blond with god-awful roots. With all that money, you'd think they'd be able to keep those covered up.

5. I don't have a designer handbag for every day of the week.

6. I truly enjoy shopping at Target.

7. I fly coach and usually accompanied by a toddler on my lap. Good times.

8. My SVU is really a glorified car. And it's a hybrid because I care about the environment not just because it's trendy.

9. I have a farmer's tan instead of a golden brown hue evenly covering my entire body.

10. I don't decorate my child. Lucas has never had hair products in his hair nor does he wear designer clothes. My husband would shoot me first!

Come to think of it, these are probably all the reasons why I'll never be friends with Gwyneth Paltrow either. At least I'm not the only one!

Sigh.

I live in Orange County and I'm a housewife, so I hues that makes me a *real* housewife of Orange County. BUT, I'm the flip flop and yoga pants wearing, rolling around in the park with my son, play date scheduling, three days of unwashed hair-type instead of the television variety.

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, Prompt 5.) 10 reasons why you could not be a real housewife from any county.

Naming Sawyer

2011-05-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

Jessica was kind enough to have me guest post for her last week (Visit from a Friend), so this week I am returning the favor. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

If you don't know Jessica there is no time like the present. She is the mother of an autistic teenager, gave birth to triplets and lost one and then had a son that is nearly Lucas' age. Her blog, Four Plus an Angel is beautiful, heartbreaking and inspirational. I'm honored to call her my friend and her writing, her story never ceases to move me.

And so, without further adieu, here she is sharing how she and her husband came up with their son's name.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since I have my fingers and toes crossed that Tonya will need to pick a baby name some day very soon I thought it would be a perfect subject for my guest post…

My husband and I do not have an easy time agreeing on baby names. Before I got pregnant I had pictured us lovingly laying at opposite ends of the couch, reading off baby names to each other as he rubbed my swollen feet, dreaming of our future child.

He likes classic, typical, ten-million-kids-have-that-name names and I like different, cute, the-only-kid-in-the-class-with-that-name names. By our fifth child the name discussions just about sent me into preterm labor.

I had all kinds of rules in my head. The name could not begin with the same letter as any of our other children. It had to have the same style and feel as the others and it could not, when put with our last name, sound several consonants off from any celebrity. He had one rule. His son or daughter could not be named after any of his previous students. My husband has been a principal for years.

We were screwed.

I used my strategy that has worked well in the past called “hold out until things get intense and then he will give in” and it worked beautifully.

There I was lying on the operating room table with my child’s future in my hands and I picked my dream name.

“Sawyer” he would be.

But here, and only here (because my husband has no idea another blog in the world exists outside my own) I will say, I might have been wrong. I LOVE my son’s name and think it fits him perfectly but there is a chance “basic Joe” may have been the way to go.

See, I don’t really enjoy unsolicited comments, especially when they are about my children and most definitely, when they stop me in my tracks while trying to grocery shop with kids climbing on my head.

For some reason saying “Sawyer” in public has drawn out more comments than pretending I can sing country music and naming him Apple.

I now know that there was a character on Lost named Sawyer. The majority of Sawyer’s devoted fans have stopped me to let me know. Also, apparently there are lots of girls/dogs/streets/last names/ex-boyfriend’s goldfish named Sawyer. And, believe it or not, Sawyer can be mispronounced as SAW-YER (think the tool + “you” with a strong southern accent).

How did this happen? I thought I picked a fool-proof name. I believe I have come to understand that there is no such thing.

Either way, I am sticking to my opinion that I love my little guy’s name and would not change my mind even if he hadn’t already been wearing it in the world for almost two years now.

I will, however, be picking his teachers by class list. I am determined to enroll him with Apple, Sunday and Blue so that his name does not provoke a single comment about the plane that crashed and left him stranded on an island for six straight years of a wildly popular television show that was watched by everyone except for his parents.

I urge you to follow Jessica on Twitter and Facebook and look for her posts, If My Kids Could Blog, because it's hilarious, Sick Day, in which she puts this whole motherhood thing into perspective and her weekly feature, The Hot Seat.

A Fine Mess

2011-05-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't come undone.

I was in shock for sure and completely devastated, but I didn't lose my shit.

I couldn't.

I couldn't come unglued.

I had a younger sister to consider.

I had a younger sister that had just lost her parents and if I thought I was too young at 35 to be going through this, she was definitely too young at 23.

Not to mention, there was so much to be done.

So many decisions that needed to be made right away. There were phone calls to make, e-mails to send, notes to take, questions to ask, the repatriation of their bodies, a funeral home to select, urns to chose, a service to prepare for, documents, signatures, lawyers, and then ultimately, homes to clear out and an estate to settle.

I didn't make any of tough decisions alone. Thankfully, I had my husband and my sister by my side, but it still felt like I was the one in charge.

My emotions could wait.

I thought I could delay my grieving process just a little longer.

Of course, I was wrong, so....

Four days after the memorial service, I returned to work in search of normalcy. Almost a year later I quit my job and discovered a new normal all together.

In the year that followed my parents deaths, I exercised like a maniac, which made me feel stronger physically. It also created endorphins that made me feel better mentally. Today, I'm an endorphin junkie!

I talk about my loss with anyone that will listen in a honest and open way.

I seek help in the form of a grief counselor or a glass of wine at the end of a particularly rough day, but have never turned to antidepressants.

I work through and with my sadness.

I cry.

I go through photos and momentous and remember.

I write.

A lot.

I could have curled up in a little ball and shut the world out, I could have let this tragic loss break me, but I made a conscious decision not to. It hurt like hell, but I chose to put one foot in front of the other and just keep living.

Some may say I've pushed my grief aside in an effort to avoid it or that I have compartmentalized it; placing it neatly on a shelf to address at another time, but I assure you I DEAL with it every day. It's always there.

It is definitely a long and arduous process but I have learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be and I am very proud of the way I have navigated through such uncharted territories, especially considering I became a mother in middle of all of it.

This post is for The Red Dress Club's writing assignment, RemebeRED. This week's prompt was: Tell the story (without any trivialization or modesty) of something in your life that you are proud of.

Ten Years Later

2011-05-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

I had a different post prepared for today, but in light of recent activity, I'm posting this instead....

On September 11, 2001, I was driving to work listening to the Mark & Brian show on the radio when I first heard about the planes hitting the Twin Towers.

I was riveted.

I was scared.

My first thought was that this had to be a cruel joke. Next, I thought of my parents and sister, who were living in Yangon, Myanmar at the time. Did they know? Were they safe? Would they be evacuated?

I didn't know if I should turn around and go home or continue on my way to work.

I went into work because surely this was a mistake. A terrible mistake. A hoax.

It wasn't.

No one got any work done that day. We were all huddled together and glued to computer screens and the televisions set up in the break rooms.

The footage that kept playing over and over was like something out of a movie. People plummeting to their deaths and smoke and ash and debris.

Nearly 3000 innocent lives were taken that day.

It was a very somber time in our nation's history.

That was nearly ten years ago.

Yesterday, Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda and the man responsible for the September 11 attacks was killed by United States Navy SEALs.

Normally, I avoid political talk like the plague.

I'm not a big fan of heated discussions, but I do have strong opinions about a women's right to choice, teaching religion in our public schools, the right to bare arms, heath care reform and taxes.

I am proud to be an American and I am proud of our armed forces. I appreciate every freedom I have as an American citizen and I vote.

The killing of bin Laden has been weighting heavily on my mind today.

On one hand, I truly hope that anyone that suffered a loss ten years ago due to the September 11 attacks feels a bit more peace today, but on the other hand, I can't help but pose the question: now what?

Has justice really been served?

I don't believe the "eye for an eye" principle works.

Our nation has been at war for 10 years! Does finding and slaying bin Laden mean our troops get to come home?

Is it morally wrong to celebrate the assassination of bin Laden in such a festive and patriotic way? Should we celebrate the death of anyone?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but they are worth asking and they are on my mind today.

The Vatican released this statement this morning and while I also like to avoid discussions about religion, it really helped me realize the confliction I am feeling about the death of bin Laden.

“Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose.

Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

I wish our nation and our world peace.

What do you think of Osama bin Laden's death?

Project Smile - April

2011-04-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

Don't count the days, make the days count. ~ Muhammad Ali

It was another month full of many many reasons to smile:

1st - A friend that goes (comes) the distance... literally. Thanks for a lovely play date, Sally.
2nd - Lucas slept in his big boy bed for the first time!
3rd - Family visitors. No, really!
4th - Disneyland fun and a toddler that was on his most excellent behavior.
5th - A relaxing visit to the nail salon with my sister-in-law and nieces.
6th - Lucas turns 22 months... where's the pause button?
7th - A visit with my dear friend, Suzy who I wish I saw more often.
8th - The sun was out just long enough for some outdoor play.
9th - Pizza. Funny how this favorite ends up on every one of my Project Smile lists!
10th - A nice long walk to clear my head and just breathe.
11th - Legoland - just the two of us.
12th - A couple of hours at the hair salon and a new opportunity!
13th- A sick baby means a day spent in pjs in front of the TV.
14th - Helping out a friend with her children while her husband is away on business.
15th - Mother/son lunch dates, a visit with the Easter Bunny #1 and a slew of new Spring clothes from Gymboree (for once I remembered to use my coupons!!).
16th - A long car ride with a quiet tot. Bliss!
17th - Meeting and riding Thomas the Train followed by an adults only lunch at The Ivy. Thanks, aunt Leah!
18th - Meeting Easter Bunny #2, decorating cookies, an egg hunt and a train ride.
19th - A super productive day that had nothing to do with laundry.
20th - A night out on the town.
21th - I got myself a job (of sorts)! More on this later...
22nd - Bounce house play date in our backyard, 90 minutes on the treadmill, girl's night out and trying out a new restaurant.
23rd - A toddler-free weekend... lunch with good friends and their babies, a movie in the theater and having the house to myself.
24th - Easter blessings and chocolate yumminess.
25th - Staying in touch with friends from high school and seeing our children play together.
26th - A guest post on Four Plus an Angel that I am very proud of. Thanks, again for having me, Jessica.
27th - Catching up with my husband over margaritas on a date night.
28th - Spending some time alone with my sister.
29th - Housekeepers. Love me the smell of Pine-sol and Windex.
30th - A good old fashioned PB&J with a glass of milk. And no, this wasn't Lucas' lunch, it was mine!

What made you happy this month?

To see why I was smiling in March, click here and to link up and share your own month of simple pleasures, please visit Kristi of Live and Love out Loud.

Happily Ever After

2011-04-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

I was nine years old.

Giddy with excitement over the gorgeous dress, the 25 foot train, the jewels, the beautiful cathedral, the cascading bouquet of flowers, the 3,500 guests, the pageantry, the glass carriage, the fairy tale.

A prince and a princess.

On July 29, 1981 along with an estimated 750 million other people, I sat glued to the television in an airport (probably on a layover some where returning to Karachi, Pakistan from being on summer holidays in the states) watching the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

I'm 38 years old now and just as giddy about happily ever afters and fairy tales.

If you need me today, I will be watching Kate Middleton marry Prince William.

I'm excited, but I won't be setting my alarm for 3 AM, thanks to TiVo!

I Did It!

2011-04-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

I finally did something today that I have been putting off for months!

With my husband's encouragement, I drove the car to a building I have passed countless times.

It's exactly six minutes from our house.

I parked.

I took a deep breath and entered the building.

I met the director.

I asked a lot of questions. One of which, the answer made me bring home a pamphlet and schedule a tour.

The question: "Does my son need to be potty-trained to attend your pre-school?"

The answer: "No, we potty train for you."

Music to my ears.

Lucas will be two in June and by Fall maybe a student. :)