Just some randomness about the kids

1. Sadie has been very into riding her bicycle recently, after basically ignoring it for ages. She is still using training wheels, and probably will be for a while yet, but she has been enjoying taking it out, and even willingly (ok, it took a bit of coaxing, but she did it) got right back on after a spill the other night.

2. Eden now tells me when she has crapped her pants. As if I actually needed her to tell me (you can smell her a mile away). She starts saying "Tinky! Tinky!" which is Edenspeak for "I made a stinky load in my pants, please come change me."

3. Sadie has suddenly gotten over a lot of her finickiness with food. Thank goodness! She is starting to try more things, and dinner has become a lot less stressful.

4. If I haven't mentioned before, Eden has gone totally gaga over the Sesame Street crew. She just lurves "Harney and Dirt" and "Almo". Goes nuts when she sees them. It is very cute.

Yard Update Part II

Here's the follow up to last week's Yard Update on the glorious state of the front yard.

And now the bad news. The backyard is still in much the same state (of chaos) that it was in the last update. Time and money have both been pretty limited recently, so no work has really been done there. That is about to change, though. Next weekend, Evan will be leveling the back and getting the grass planted, if all goes well. I'm really anxious to get at least a small vegetable garden in this year (summer just isn't summer without fresh basil and tomatoes), so hopefully it will be ready for it before too long.

I also feel sorry for our neighbors. They are trying to sell their house, and I can imagine the fact that their property abuts our...meadow... isn't helping matters.

What is going on?

For the past several days, Eden has been fighting bedtime. To the tune of talking, whining, complaining, crying, calling out for me for as much as TWO HOURS after she is put to bed for the night. Then, she's waking really early (for her), regardless of the fact that she is getting to sleep so much later than usual. Evan thinks she's maybe going through a developmental leap, and can't shut her mind off enough to go to sleep. I think maybe the four teeth that she has been working on are bothering her. Either way, it is not fun. I'm starting to dread bedtime, because I know it will be such an ordeal.

This morning, she actually did sleep until almost 7 (though, she didn't finally fall asleep last night until 9), but for other reasons not known to me...Sadie woke ridiculously early (6am, as opposed to her normal 8am).

What is going on with these girls? Spring fever?

Wordless Wednesday - Carnival!

One Low Point of the Weekend

Was realizing that no matter how much I work out, and how good I feel about how I look...and even how confident I feel in the bikini when I'm standing in front of the mirror in my bedroom - the second I get on the beach, all that good feeling goes away. And I'm left with the realization that I'm 35, I've carried two babies and breastfed and looking at me, you can tell.

It is hard to sit on the beach, surrounded by college students, with their perfectly formed, tanned bodies, and not get a complex. I don't know how they do it - I swear, I never looked that good at 18, either. I don't know if they are just made differently these days, or if they're taking things (phentermine, maybe?) to help them look so trim and fit, but either way, they look too good to be sitting next to.

Ok, so you're probably thinking I should stop sitting near the 18 year olds on the beach, right? Well, at the club we go to, where it is full of mothers, it will be just as bad. The place is loaded with the products of plastic surgery...breast implants abound! Lipusuctioned (is that even a word) tushies everywhere you look. And everyone somehow magically starts out the summer already perfectly tanned.

Anyway, it is a bit discouraging. Oh well, at least when I put on my bathing suit, Sadie tells me "Mama! You look se-exy!". Gotta take it where you can get it, right?

Fabu

That's how our weekend was. Such a great start to summer. I have no energy to write about it now, but maybe I'll revisit this entry in a bit (after another cup of coffee) and journal some of what we did.

(Later) Ok, so the weekend highlights...

Friday night we met Sadie's friend Olivia and her family at the Strawberry Carnival (or, as Sadie calls it...the carnivore). The kids had a blast going on the rides and stuffing themselves full of cotton candy and ice cream. Sadie and Livvie went on the roller coaster --sans adults--and Sadie loved it! Eden had her first ride on the merry-go-round, and it was a big hit.

Saturday, Evan took Sadie to her lesson so Eden and I had a quiet morning together, which was nice. My parents came over for a cookout in the afternoon and we watched a very depressing, but good, move--Earth--after the kids went to bed.

Sunday - oh how wonderful to wake up on the Sunday of a three-day weekend and know that you still have two days off ahead of you. And, how even more wonderful to wake up and realize that it is 8:30 a.m. and the kids are still sleeping! After a lazy morning, we went down to the beach. It was a fun time, but I did spend an awful lot of my time trying to keep Eden from running right into the surf. We came home for a late lunch and met up with our friend Jeff. Eden decided she didn't need to nap (ha!), so instead of fighting her on it, we just loaded the kids up into the bike trailer and took a ride around. Eden was asleep in about five minutes...I think Sadie managed to stay away for another 10 or so. Once the kids were asleep, we just rode and rode and showed Jeff around the area. When Sadie woke up, we headed to the beach and hung out there until dinnertime.

Yesterday we went over to my in-laws' house for a BBQ. The kids had a blast and I ate too much. So, all in all, a good day.

I hope this weekend was an omen for what the rest of the summer is going to be...fun, happy, healthy and tiring!

I'll bet you didn't know this about me....

but when I was 12, my best friend's father got us tickets to see The Police in Atlantic City. This was an absolutely huge thing, as they were our favorite band. And, guess what? My parents wouldn't let me go. I begged, pleaded, cried, threatened to hate them forever...all to no avail. They held firm. You know what...23 years later, and I'm still a little bitter about it. I like to refer to the incident as 'The Great Tragedy of 1984.' ;-)

I did see Sting in concert about 12 years ago, and it was a great show. But, sadly, I never did get to see The Police. I have heard that they are getting back together for a new tour, and I'm way excited about it. I'm not sure that I'll make it to see them this time around, either. Although my parents are ok with me going to concerts now ;) the logistical and financial wrangling that has to be done to get an evening out these days makes me think it won't happen.

So, I may have to console myself with the next best thing, which is a copy of the new Police cd. It has all of my favorites on it. Here's the listing of tracks:

Disc: 1 1. Fallout 2. Can't Stand Losing You 3. Next to You 4. Roxanne 5. Truth Hits Everybody 6. Hole in My Life 7. So Lonely 8. Message in a Bottle 9. Reggatta de Blanc 10. Bring on the Night 11. Walking on the Moon 12. Don't Stand So Close to Me 13. Driven to Tears 14. Canary in a Coalmine Disc: 2 1. Do Do Do de da da Da 2. Voices Inside My Head 3. Invisible Sun 4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic 5. Spirits in the Material World 6. Demolition Man 7. Every Breath You Take 8. Synchronicity I 9. Wrapped Around Your Finger 10. Walking in Your Footsteps 11. Synchronicity II 12. King of Pain 13. Murder by Numbers 14. Tea in the Sahara

By posting this entry, I'm actually entering myself in a contest to win a copy of the Police CD. Hopefully, whoever does the deciding will take pity on me for "the great tragedy of 1984" and send me a free copy of the cd.

Its here, its really, finally, here!

Photo credit: Crowds hitting the Belmar Beach, courtesty of the New York Times, May 25th, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com

Summer! The beloved season I wait all year for. Ok, so, by the calendar, summer doesn't officially start for nearly a month, but for all intents and purposes, Memorial Day weekend launches the start of summer. The weather certainly thinks so - it was HOT yesterday! We ended up eating out last night and dined 'al fresco' and it just felt like summer.

It is so beautiful today that I may have to leave work a bit early and head down to the beach for a bit.

We have another busy, busy weekend ahead of us, but all good things--horseback riding, a Strawberry Festival, beach, beach, beach and a couple of cookouts.

I may be scarce for the next few days, so have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Yard Update - Part 1

Given the dichotomic relationship between the status of our front and back yards, it seems fitting to break the update into two parts. Part 1 is a happy, happy, joy, joy update :)

The front yard has really come together nicely this year. All of the hard work Evan put into it last year is really starting to pay off. The lawn looks really good - surprisingly! And, the front beds are starting to flower...the Irises, Impatiens, and Strawberry plants are all currently flowering, and the hydrangea, black-eyed susans and sedum are getting ready for their moment in the spotlight next. Sadie planted a bunch of seeds...nasturtium, sunflowers and zinnia, I think, and they are growing nicely. It will definitely be colorful out there this summer!

My challenge will be to keep it looking fresh and flourishing all summer, instead of having it blow its blossoming load early on. I've signed up for email updates with gardening tips and such from Home Depot. I'm hoping this can serve to remind me about what to do when to get the most life out of the garden this summer. Here's a link, in case you are interested in doing the same:

Calorie Counting, Revisited

Recently, I posted that I was interested in tracking my calories, and was considering buying a calorie counter. Well, frugal one that I am, I think I may start using this free calorie counter site instead.

MyFitnessPal.com not only lets you track your caloric intake, but it also allows you to track what you are burning, too. Obviously, since both are important factors when you are trying to lose weight, this is a good idea. Since I do mostly focus more on making sure I am being active and burning calories, as opposed to restricting my caloric intake, I think this might be more useful for me. Cause, let’s face it…calorie counting isn’t fun.

The tools on the site are free – though, registration is required. Anyway, just another option for those of us trying to manage our weight. Enjoy!

They're Baaaaaaaack

Excerpted from today's Asbury Park Press:

"To call it "the calm before the storm" is to damn it with faint praise. It's more like an annual apocalypse, a 3 1/2-month-long "end of life as we know it" for those who live at or near the Jersey Shore."

Once again, paradise is invaded. The invasion seems to have occurred a little earlier than usual this year (days before the start of Memorial Day weekend), but that's because our area gets infiltrated with religious Syrian Jews. This week is a holiday--Shavout--so they're all out of school and work. Ack. I could go on and on about how annoying it is to have these 'summer people' here, but why waste the energy. They're not going anywhere (just the opposite, in fact...every year there are more and more) so the rest of us will just have to deal with it, until Labor Day.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things That can usually be found in my purse at any given time. 1. My wallet 2. A tube of lipstick 3. Loose change rustling around the bottom 4. Tissues - a few fresh ones, and usually at least one or two used one (tmi, sorry) 5. A couple of cheap pens 6. Some crumpled up receipts for things I bought at least a year ago 7. A diaper (I don't carry a diaper bag, so I just usually throw one in there) 8. My phone 9. A tampon 10. Old grocery lists 11. Dental floss 12. Lifesavers (wild cherry) 13. My iPod

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Plugging this for my friend

My friend Mare (a friend from our Eugene, OR, and later, Boston days) has just released a cd of kids' music, called Daddy's Moonlight Alligator Boat Ride. The songs are really cute and catchy. You can listen to them here.

Check them out!

Wordless Wednesday - How can she be ready for kindergarten already?

Love this

I love the idea that this bank seems to have a conscience. According to the info on their site, Co-operative financial Services has "a customer-led ethical policy." I try to put my dollars toward businesses who conduct themselves well with regard to social issues, even if that means that sometimes I end up paying more (for example, I know I could save a ton of money at Wal-Mart, but I just won't shop there). So, it is nice to see another business following suit. It seems as though they offer competitive rates on their loan products, too, which is great, because, again...sometimes it is really hard to follow the moral high ground when your hard-earned dollars are at stake.

I think, in an ideal world, if more businesses did things like this, the average joe would be more willing to make a statement about what matters to them.

Sweet

Tonight, Sadie bumped herself on the coffee table and was crying, and Eden came over and patted her back and gave her a hug. It is things like this that just melt my heart and make me so glad I have them, and they have eachother. People told me, when I was pregnant with Eden, that as hard as it was to manage more than one child, it was just so priceless to see them interact in a loving way. I completely agree. More than makes up for the bickering and fighting over toys that goes on all the time.

It really just dawned on me this morning

that Sadie only has nine more days of school before she graduates. I cannot wrap my head around this fact. She is going to be done with preschool. I'm not sure if she is totally ready, and I know I sure as heck am not. It does seem as though the years just keep flying by faster and faster.

It is really a neat thing to have two kids...because you can see forwards and backwards, in a way. Watching Sadie get to an age where we can really do fun things together, it makes me excited for the time when Eden will be old enough, too, and we can embark on the next phase in parenting. On the other hand, watching and treasuring Eden's babyness is wonderful, too, and something that I'm not sure I did enough of with Sadie (because I was always anxious about her getting to the 'next' stage).

Anyway, I do feel like graduating pre-school and starting Kindergarten is really the end of an era. I'm looking forward to a last summer with my 'not yet big enough for real school' kiddo before September rolls around and she makes that transition.

edinburgh

When I was about Sadie's age, my family lived for a little while in Edinburgh. I have some very fuzzy memories of our time there - mostly just flashes of images and sensations. I have always wanted to go back and make my abstract memories more tangible.

I found this site that specializes in hotel accommodation in the UK. What I really like about it is that you can focus on specific areas, set a budget and hopefully, book exactly what you are looking for.

They're running a number of online specials right now...who knows? Maybe I will get back to Scotland and get to relive my days there, after all.

some final thoughts for today

did you ever stop and think about how much money you are spending on insuring against disaster? When you really think about it, a lot of energy, money, worry is spent on trying to protect against all of the possible (and, in some cases, inevitable) things that might happen to you in life. There's life insurance (as an aside...shouldn't it be called death insurance?), disability insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, car insurance, trip insurance, homeowners insurance, flood insurance, product replacement insurance, pet health insurance...the list goes on and on.

I know that financial planners advise being protected in the event of (insert catastrophic event), but sometimes, it does seem like a bit much, doesn't it?

Anyway, that's the extent of deep thoughts from me today. Time to head home.

Weekend Update

yes, you might find these terribly boring, and figure that you really don't need to know the small details of our weekend. if you do, I'm just going to give you a big ole Bronx cheer. Remember, aside from keeping friends and family updated with things and bringing in some blogging for $$ cash, the primary purpose of this blog - above all others-is to serve as a 'memory keeper' for me. So, you're just going to have to bear with me and my memories. Either that or go read something else ;)

Anyway, the weekend recap, bullet style:

• Sadie's lesson was awesome on Saturday. She even went off lead and got the pony to turn in a circle. That "I'm so proud of myself" look on her face was priceless. It was exactly what I was hoping for when I signed her up.
• Shrek 3 was...eh. A cute movie, for sure, but not nearly as good as either of the first two. Sadie enjoyed it, though, and it was nice to have some 'just the two of us' time.
• Matan's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's. Sadie seemed to enjoy herself (well, when she wasn't crying about one thing or another), and it was good to catch up with some of the other moms. On our way to the party, Sadie had asked if her party could be there, and I said yes. On the way out, I asked if she still wanted her party at CEC's and she said "no, I think it would be better at home." What can I say? The kid isn't easily impressed.
• A beautiful family bike ride capped off the weekend. We stopped by to see my aunt and uncle, and coincidentally, their next door neighbor's, who have two girls (14 and 11, I think) had just gotten a box of ballet costumes together to give to Sadie. She, of course, had to try each and every one on, and perform for all of us. We put a tutu on Eden and she got a kick out of 'dancing' along with Sadie.
• We walked down to my aunt's beach and let the kids run around in the sand. And the surf (Eden! that little stinker is fast!). Eden got such a kick out of the waves lapping at her feet. Last summer she was still so little and just basically slept or hung out on the blanket. so this is really going to be her first 'beach season'. She is going to have a blast.
  

Before we go any further

I just need to know if you'll still respect me in the morning if we end up buying one of these----->

Because, it is a very real possibility. Evan wants something he can haul wood and furniture around in, and I want something we can use as a family car (and relegate the Saturn as a commuter and quick trips around town car).

I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'....

Credit and Debt

So now, of course, in light of my post below, I've got credit and debt on the mind. I really, really, hate having debt of any sort. I know I am kind of old school in my line of thinking, and having taken some business and finance courses, I understand the value of 'leveraging debt'... I just don't have the stomach for it with regard to my personal finances.

In my mind, debt such as a mortgage is, of course, necessary (and smart, as compared to renting). That said, I do actually try to send a little extra when we can towards our principle, just cause I'm neurotic like that. Debt in the form of a car loan = sometimes necessary, but never really smart, in my mind. After all, a car is only going to depreciate in value, and it is no fun to be paying for something that is no longer nice or new (or, sometimes, even functional anymore). However, my biggest fear/aversion/disdain is held for credit card debt. So much so, that we don't even use credit cards...we just use our debit card as one, when needed. I know that by doing this, we are missing out on some of the perks of using credit, such as the cash back or airline miles and stuff that you can accumulate from cards with rewards. But, that's ok.

I know of so many people who just live off of credit cards, and while many can and do manage it just fine, and pay off their balances each month, many more don't. Part of the problem, of course, is personal responsibility and self-control. Here's some tips on how not to succumb to plastic fever. But, I also think that the credit card companies are also, in part, to blame for the rising numbers of credit problems and bankruptcies. For one thing, it is too easy to get a credit card, IMO. I can't tell you how many offers we get in the mail each day. As if that wasn't enough, this article talks about how some companies are doing more than just sending offers...they are actually opening accounts and sending cards to people who haven't even applied for the credit.

Anyway, I guess given that we need to have two vehicles, and we don't have the cash to just buy them outright, we're going to be joining the legions of people who have this kind of debt. Someone, anyone, tell me something to make me feel better about it....

Crap

Evan just called me a bit ago to say that he thinks his truck may have taken its final journey. He thinks the transmission is done. We both drive really old (his is an '85, mine is a '96) cars, and even though it would be nice to drive a new one, we have relished the fact that we have no car payments to make. Well, I think that may be about to change. Obviously, when you drive really old cars, you know that you are operating on borrowed time, and every single morning that our cars start up and take us where we need to go, we've kind of counted it as just a bonus.

I guess we're going car shopping tonight.

I'll take any and all suggestions about car shopping. I have no idea what we're even going to look for. I'd like something fuel-efficient, but I'm guessing Evan wants something big enough to haul loads of stuff around.

Also...what is the smartest thing to do with regard to financing? A loan from the dealer? A car loan from our bank? A home equity line of credit?

The next iPod I buy

I have only had my mini for a little less than a year, and I'm already eyeing up the next one I'm going to get. The mini is great, and I still have tons of space left on it, but I kind of have my eye on one of the 80 gb ones. I recently learned that it is possible to use an iPod video converter to store and view dvds on my iPod (I know...everyone else has probably known this forever...I'm always a little behind on these things). I think something like this would really come in handy, especially when traveling with the kids. I'm already trying to think of what to get or bring for the three hour car ride to Maryland in two weeks. Since the iPod generally comes with us everywhere anyway, it would be awesome just to be able to load up Cinderella or Shrek without having to pack a lot of extra stuff.

Further evidence to support the fact...

....that I shouldn't leave the house before I've had a cup of coffee. I was so proud of myself Saturday. Instead of trying aimlessly to fall back asleep after I woke at 5:30 (my new wake up time these days, for reasons that are infuriatingly beyond me), I decided just to get up, throw on some clothes and hit the supermarket when it opened at 6. The store has a Dunkin Donuts right in it, so I figured I'd get a cup first thing once I got there.

First of all...what a fabulous time to shop. I had the entire place to myself, and I have to say, it was so...enjoyable...just taking my time, sipping my cup of coffee and getting our weeks' worth of groceries. IT was great, and I was so pleased with myself as I cruised up to the checkout...line doesn't quite seem the right word, since I was the only customer in sight. Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was only 6:45, I would be back home by 7, likely before anyone else in the house was even up.

Well. That little fantasy ended the moment my purchases were rung up and I realized that I couldn't find the ATM card. I couldn't imagine what could have happened to it...I had just had it at the ATM machine when I got cash out to buy my cup of coffee. Wait a minute! Holy crap! I went tearing back to the machine as I realized that I had LEFT THE CARD IN IT after I got my cash. My card, of course, was nowhere to be found. The sympathetic cashier assured me that the machine 'probably sucked it back in when you didn't grab it', but, somehow, that didn't make me feel a whole lot better.

Anyway, back in the car by 7, racing to the house to get my checkbook (so I could head back to the store and pay for the groceries), while on the phone with customer service at Bank of America to report it lost.

Long story short, by the time I got back home with groceries, there was barely enough time to unpack them before having to shovel some breakfast in Sadie and get Eden dressed before we left for the riding lesson. So much for my peaceful morning.

Anyway, the ordeal hasn't soured me on the idea of getting the grocery trip out of the way very (very!) first thing in the mornings, but I think I'll take the extra 5 minutes to brew a cup of coffee before I leave the house next time.

Check this Out

I think this is pretty cool: TripWiser - social trip planner for the USA and Canada. You can use this site to view and build itineraries based on the experiences of other people. They have the trips broken down into categories (e.g., Family, Couples, Budget, Adventure...and so on). You can select a trip to view, and then customize it to make it your own. Pretty convenient for busy people, I think. The interface is really easy to use, too. Lots of drag and drop functionality, which I really like. Definitely bookmark this one to keep accessible when you're planning your next trip.

Busy Weekend

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. The weather isn't supposed to cooperate, but most of our stuff is indoors, anyway. Tomorrow morning, Sadie has her lesson. I'm bringing Eden with us, so hopefully, chaos won't ensue with her and a barn full of horses. Anyway, that ends up eating up the entire morning (almost 3 hours, including the travel there and back).

I'm going to try to recruit my mom into watching Eden so that the three of us can go see Shrek 3, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm SO excited to see it. Currently, she's nursing my dad back to health, after his surgery to fix a hernia, so I'll have to see if she's up for it.

Sunday, Sadie's best friend from Pre-K, Matan, is having his 5th birthday party. The party is at Chuck E. Cheese. It should be a lot of fun (for them. Me? I'll probably need a glass of wine and/or a couple of tylenol afterwards).

Of course, in between all of this, we'll have to figure out how and when to run errands and clean the house. So, I'm sure it will be Sunday night before I know it.

I think I Need One of These

A food calorie counter.

In light of yesterday's admission (about eating two lunches - plus a whole host of things I didn't list out), I think I do need to start paying closer attention to how much food I'm putting in my body. I mean, I'm exercising a lot, and I know that this is really the best and healthiest way to stay fit, but I think if I really want to be bathing suit ready in just a few more weeks (eek!), then working out is only half the battle.

In the past, I have done the work of tracking, and it really was an eye-opener as far as how much I was really eating. And, just by tracking, I found that I would consequently eat a bit less. So, I may look into buying one of these. Seems like it would come in handy. It works like a calculator, and it calculates the calories, fat, and carbs in tons of prepared and home-cooked foods. If I get it, I'll post and let you know how it is working for me.

Movie Review: Delicatessen

I won't kid you...this movie is fuh-reeky...really very strange, and not for the faint of heart. About a third of the way into it, I was regretting the choice and thinking it was just too weird and disturbing for me. But then, having made that decision that I didn't like it, something funny happened...I stopped overanalyzing it and just started enjoying it. Very quirky, for sure, and pretty dark (I mean, is cannabilism ever a light topic?), but also really funny and entertaining. By the time the credits rolled, I was sorry it was over.

So, if you're in the mood for something different, check it out. There are subtitles, but the plot is so engrossing that after a bit, you don't even notice that you're reading them.

I ingested...

a scary amount of food today. I don't know what's up, but I've been famished all day. I came into work, ate my breakfast (cottage cheese and strawberries, how healthy!) and then immediately polished off my lunch. So, of course at lunch, I had to eat something else.

I feel like a lump.

I need to get to the gym again tonight.

If I had mad money

I would definitely buy us a vacation property somewhere. Preferably, somewhere warm to escapeat least part of the northeast winters. And, nothing too fancy, either (I mean, fancy isn't bad, but not totally necessary). I think if I were willing to buy outside of the U.S. and the more popular vacation destinations (Carribbean, Mexico, Spain, Italy), there are good deals to be had. You can get a 3 bedroom North Cyprus Property with a pool for less than $100k.

Imagine jetting off to the Mediterranean the minute the frost hits in NJ?

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I wouldn't want to live without ok, so of course I could continue living without the following, but life would be a little harder, less fun, less interesting. Oh, and I didn't bother stating the obvious stuff, like running water and heat and all that. In no particular order: 1. My iPod 2. Coffee, first thing in the morning 3. Aveda Anti-Humectant Pomade 4. Mapquest 5. Love 6. Sushi 7. A good, supportive jog bra 8. SPF 30+ sunblock 9. Avocados 10. Comfy pajama bottoms 11. Flip flops 12. A close girl friend 13. Hugs and smiles from my kids

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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I am insanely excited for this to be released on Friday

Need to do this more often

Last night, it was still so warm out, that after we got the kids to bed, Evan and I just sat on the front steps and talked and enjoyed the beautiful evening. It was so peaceful. The breeze was still really warm and the mosquitos never found us. We ended up being out there for a couple of hours, just listening to the sounds of the neighborhood.

It was definitely one of those 'stop and smell the roses' kind of things. Something we should really do more often.

Wordless Wednesday

The ladies of the house.

Question about Posting Video

ok, I should probably know how to do this, but I don't. I want to upload video from my digital video camera...it records to a super 8 cassette, I think. Anyone know how to do this? I believe I probably have a USB enabled cord to connect the camera to my PC (I'll have to look), but then, does the entire tape's worth of content have to be moved over? Are there specific editing programs that I can use to get it into manageable clips?

I'm clueless.

Free Stuff

Anyone who knows me, knows I do like me some free stuff. Half the time, I get or take free stuff regardless of whether I need it or not - I mean, hey! Its free! But, I did stumble upon a great free stuff deal that's actually useful. For the next two days, you can get free ecards and printable greeting cards at AmericanGreetings.com. So, the free ecard part - eh, not so exciting, because there are several sites where you can get those. But, I think the free printable stuff is pretty cool. I love getting cards in the mail (just ask my wonderful sister in law who made my day with a Mother's Day card last week), and I like sending them, too, since I know it is such a simple way to brighten someone's day.

Anyway, this promotion is only good until May 17th, so check it out soon.

Weather

It is crazy warm here...mid 80's and so, so windy! So, the effect is like this weird, hot wind. Strange, indeed.

I considered getting my bike at lunch and riding back, but between the hot wind and all of the pollen swirling around which is making my eyes itch and water like crazy, I thought better of it.

Lower Your Car Payment

Do you have a car payment? Thankfully, we don't. I guess that's one plus to driving really old cars. Every now and then I get the bug to just suck it up and take on a car payment and drive a vehicle built in this decade, but I always chicken out. I know a lot of people who end up regretting that car payment they have to make each month. Anyway, if you are one of those people, you might be interested in finding a way to have lower car payments. If so, be sure to check out Rate Genius as an option for doing so.

ISO: New Couches

One of these days, we're going to get around to finishing our den. Finishing as in painting, getting window treatments, and replacing the furniture. Yeah, the room (otherwise known as the toy room) has had little to no attention since we moved in. We basically carpeted it, slapped on some primer (because we couldn't decide what color we wanted in there) and got a couple of hand-me down couches for it. It does serve its purpose well...the kids are allowed bring juice boxes and crackers in there and climb all over the furnture (a no-no in our more put together and formal living room). When we've entertained, its a great room to dump all the kids into and not worry too much about anything. Yes, there have been some spills and a few crayon 'incidents', but overall, no major problems.

But, I'm starting to think about actually doing something with the room. And, aside from painting, I think the big thing that I'd like to do is put different couches in there. The couches we have are nice, good quality pieces...but, they're just not my style. For one thing, theupholstery really has me stumped as far as what color to paint the walls. The have sort of a Southwestern print to them, and a dark green background. Not my taste at all, though that's what you get when you get hand-me downs. I remember when we bought our living room set - what a thrill it was to go and pick out exactly what we wanted. What a novel concept for us!

So, I've been looking at home furniture sites to get some ideas. And, I'm leaning toward replacing our living room furniture with something new, and putting the LR couches in the den. When we bought them, we didn't have a separate den, so our living room was our main sitting area. For that reason, we purposely bought a material that would hold up well to lots of use. And, it has. But since this house has the extra room, our living room really has become our 'adult entertaining' area, and could, I think, hold up to more formal furniture. I'm thinking about something like this:

More on the Yard

nothing very exciting to report as far as progress in the back (it still looks like a disaster back there), but the front is coming along really nicely. Over the weekend, we finished up the beds that line the front walk and did some edging to tidy everything up.

We have a ton of things that people have given us from their own gardens (neighbors, coworkers, my mom), so I guess we're taking a bit of a Stone Soup approach to our beds, rather than really planning out what we want and where. I think it is going to look great, though. I'll post some pix when things start blooming.

This should be included in your 'taking home your newborn' goody bag from the hospital

An otoscope. Don't you think? Any parent whose child has been plagued by even one ear infection develops this sort of 'maybe its an ear infection' paranoia anytime their child sniffles, coughs, puts their hand up anywhere remotely near the side of their head, wakes in the night, refuses a cup or bottle, etc. I am certainly guilty of it. Not only am I guilty of it in my own babies, but I have even put the idea in my sister-in-law's head (and her baby has never even had an ear infection).

Friends of Evan's son has had so many ear infections that they actually bought an otoscope to save themselves countless trips to the pediatrician for ear checks. I'm not sure they even know how to use it, but hey...owning the darn thing is half the battle, right?

Remember when Katie Holmes was pregnant and the rumor surfaced that Tom Cruise had bought an ultrasound machine? Well, owning medical equipment is not just for the rich and famous. Apparently, you can buy all sort of medical supplies and equipment online. Everything from stretchers to scrubs to a littman stethoscope. They all can be ordered online. Ok, so except for the otoscope, I can't really see that I would need any other supply, but hey, its nice to know it is available.

Need to hit the Gym

It has been days since I've had any sort of workout. Last week's schedule was so hectic with various lunchtime activities that I was only able to make it to the gym once, and ride my bike in to work once. I can feel the difference already. I'm not sleeping so well, and I've been in a lousy mood for days.

So, I already put Evan on notice. Tonight, after I get Eden down (7ish), I'm heading to the gym.

Car Insurance

I've been meaning to call around to a few different companies and get a car insurance quote for us. When we moved here, I just basically took the easiest way out and opened up new policies with the company that had insured us back in Massachusetts. I had assumed that the rates across companies would be pretty similar. But, car insurance rates are a hot topic here in Jersey, in no small part due to the fact that New Jersey boasts the highest car insurance premium rates in the country.* And, I'm learning that the rates actually can vary pretty significantly from company to company.

Given that, I have a list of companies I want to look into, including Geico, New Jersey Manufacturers (I've heard really good things about them), Allstate, and Liberty Mutual. If anyone has any other recommendations, please pass them along.

*according to a survey compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners

Things to Do in NYC

I have a friend who is going to be visiting New York for the very first time. She asked me about different things to do, and other than a bunch of recommendations for places to eat and window shop, I kind of drew a blank. How crazy that I've lived in the NYC suburbs for 17 of my 35 years, and I have yet to do a lot of the touristy things? We probably only go in a few times a year, and almost always just either go to friends' or relatives' homes, or meet out at a restaurant.

So, I had to think about the tourist attractions I've visited in the city. I've been to the Statue of Liberty and seen the tree at Rockefeller Plaza, been to a few Broadway shows and the Met and the Frick, and eaten in Chinatown. Walked around the Village and been to events at Madison Square Garden. I think I've even been to a game at Yankee Stadium (years and years ago). Last summer, I scored some free tickets to a Comedy Central taping, so we went up for that, and had dinner out afterwards. So, I'm not entirely unfamiliar with things to do, but I was looking at a New York ticket broker website, and I realized how many things there are to do that I hadn't even realized were out there.

I think I'm going to try to motivate us to go in a little more often and do more 'structured activities' when we do. I think Sadie and Eden would get a real kick out of many of the things to do.

The Lesson

Sadie's first horseback riding lesson was a huge success. She really enjoyed it. She's already looking forward to seeing her horse again next Saturday.

In other weekend news, Evan, Sadie and my dad treated me to some weeding and planting in the front yard.



Eden took up her usual command and oversaw the activities from the comfort of the house.

The Beach

Spent a bit of time at the beach this weekend, and it got me really excited for summer to arrive. The beach is my absolute favorite place to be. I love the smell of the air, the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand on my feet. And even though I have the beach right at my doorstep, basically, whenever I think about going away to an ideal vacation spot, places that involve the beach, like Hawaii, the Outer Banks, the Carribbean, always come to mind.

Anyway, 'beach season' seems to have started here already, and I'm looking forward to a lot of sandy days!

Are You a Pet Person?

In my heart, I am definitely a pet person. I can never resist scratching a dog behind the ears or giving a cat a little petting whenever I encounter one. It has been a little more than three years since our dog died, and I really miss having one around. At heart, I am such a dog lover.

In my head, however, not so much. Everytime Evan and I bounce around the idea of getting a dog, I can't help but think about all of the details that make pet ownership...well, work. The dog itself is wonderful, its the dog supplies that must be bought, the dog hair that must be swept, vacuumed and picked off of everything, the responsibility of having an extra being to care for...one who wakes you up early for a walk (gah! we finally got the kids trained to sleep in a bit, for crying out loud), the stinky nasty food that must be doled out, the poop that must be scooped, the fleas that must be treated.

Maybe when the kids are older, I'll reconsider, but for now, I'm happy to consider myself an 'admirer or dogs (as in other people's dogs)', rather than a 'pet person.

Yes, My Saturday Nights are Something to Envy

...because I'm sitting here, looking through my list of pay to blog assignments, trying to figure out how to work the word peptide into a post, so that I can link to it. No, I'm not kidding. First of all, I had to figure out what a peptide even is (thank you, Wikipedia). Once I got a working definition, I became even more clueless as to how to strike up an interesting post that might casually touch upon the word. Somehow, it just didn't seem like I could slip it in, unnoticed, between the details of Sadie's riding lesson (a huge success! But, I'll save the details for another post) and an update of the status of our yard or a recap of the weekend. Hmmmm....horses, kids, flower beds, peptide, beach, Mother's Day -- not so smooth, right? It kind of reminds me of the 'one of these things is not like the others...one of these things just doesn't belong' skit on Sesame Street.

So, in lieu of trying to be subtle, I'm just putting it out there. Peptide, peptide, peptide. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Weigh to Go!

First, the news you're all waiting for...the diagnosis. Eden has a sinus infection. Again. Bleh. Seems as though she has grown out of the ear infections and into the sinus infections. Anyway, she was so sleepy and lethargic that the standard hour long wait at our pediatrican's office didn't even seem too bad this time. Speaking of the hour long wait...one silver lining to sitting for a very long time in the doctor's office is that I had the opportunity to weigh myself. I haven't done so since early February.

Drumroll, please.

I'm excited to say that all the bike riding and going to the gym is finally starting to pay off! I lost four lbs.! Ok, I know that's not a huge amount, but since I was only trying to lose 8...I'm halfway there! And, best of all, I did it without dieting or Slimfast or ephedra or taking up smoking or having my mouth sewn shut ;-) It is 100% from exercising. Which makes me happy, because that will be the easiest to maintain.

Ok, that's all. You can go about your day now.

Quiet Friday

I'm home today with Eden, who is running a fever. We'll be heading into the doctor in a bit, but for now, she's napping and I'm enjoying the rare sensation of being in a totally quiet house.

My Luurvely Lunch Date

Isn't she adorable?

This is Sophia, my niece. We waited a very long time for Sophia to join our family, and she was so worth the wait. I hope we 'do lunch' again very soon!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things about Deborah 1. My favorite color is blue 2. I still keep in touch with my best friends from high school 3. I watch reruns of "Dawson's Creek" on the sly 4. I bite my nails 5. I am a Pisces 6. I spend waaayy too much time reading blogs 7. I like my toasted marshmallows completely charred 8. I dance around the house and sing along to the radio when I think no one is looking 9. I am grossed out by mayonnaise and milk 10. Sometimes I skip to the end of a book, see how it ends, and then go back and read it sequentially 11. I am terrified of flying 12. I have never been in anyone's wedding party. The year I was pregnant with Sadie, I was asked, and had to decline, two requests. 13. I like my showers scaldingly hot

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Pay Per Post

I have been doing blog advertising for a number of companies, but I started out with Pay Per Post. I have to say, this has been probably the easiest company to earn from. There are a number of things I like about it. I think the feature that really sets them apart from the others has been how quickly they review posts and give feedback. I joined just a couple of months ago, and the experience has been uniformly positive. The majority of posts I've done for them have been accepted immediately. I did have one that was initially rejected. The email message that I got was prompt, explained what the issue was, and told me what to do to fix it. I was then able to get it accepted within the hour. Definitely a plus.

I mentioned in an earlier posting that Sadie is going to be taking horseback riding lessons. I'm thrilled she'll be doing it, but let me tell you...of all the activities we could have chosen, this one seems to be the most expensive! So, it has been nice to have some 'extra' money coming in for stuff like that. Pay Per Post has tons of opportunities, so it is really nice to know that if I need to earn a little extra for something, I can easily do it.

Since I've been doing this pay for blogging thing, I've also discovered there's a whole community of people doing it, too. Meeting interesting people is always a plus!

Wordless Wednesday - Sadie's First Trip to the Salon

Listening

The other evening, I was listening to my favorite radio station and they were interviewing someone I had never heard of...but he mentioned being inspired by the music of Steven Delopoulos. Hmmm...I thought. I went to school with a Steve Delopoulos...short, little curly-headed Greek kid. I remember him always running after the school bus...perpetually late...books and papers always scattering everywhere. Anyway, I was intrigued...could it be the same person?

Didn't take but a quick trip down Google Avenue to see that it IS the one and the same. Apparently, he made it somewhat big in the Christian music scene, with a band called Burlap to Cashmere. He has since branched out on his own, in a genre I would describe as contemporary folk pop ;-) iTunes calls it Rock, but what do they know?

Anyway, feeling that an old school aquaintance was certainly worth $.99, I downloaded a song. Listened, then downloaded another. And another. It is really good! If you're looking for something new, check him out on iTunes. The album is called Me Died Blue, and
my personal pics for the best tracks: Seasons and Mediterranean Waters.

Vegetarian Recipes

do you have any good ones? I've been trying to plan more vegetarian meals, but it is hard. Eden can't tolerate dairy, so anything with cheese or milk or those oh-so-convenient 'cream of...' soups are out. We try to limit our red meat consumption to once a week, and we have chicken and fish and ground turkey in some incarnation once a week each, as well. So that leaves three nights a week of vegetarian meals. I find that we make the same things over and over. Our staples are:

Pasta
Bean burritos
Curried vegetables and rice
Boca burgers
Asian-style tofu stir fry

So, if you have any good dairy-free vegetarian recipes, pass them along.

Lists and Plans

I know it is only Tuesday, but I've already started listing out all the things I need to get done/take care of this weekend. I think the hardest part of being a working mom is fitting in the darn errands.

I could use my lunch hour, but, I guess I'm selfish in that I would rather use that time to go to the gym, or walk the boardwalk, or scoot home and get my bike and ride back to work.

Immediately after work, I'm all about getting home as soon as possible, since the girls are down for the night on the early side. There's dinner and clean-up and baths and stories to squeeze in to about a two hour window as it is.

Once the girls are in bed, it is often too late for much in the way of running errands. I might head over to the library to return a book, or run to the grocery store for a quick pickup of a couple of things, but nothing too ambitious.

So, I try to pack it all in on the weekends. Sometimes my mom comes over and watches the girls and I am able to take care of a ton of things in pretty short order. But most of the time, I have the kids with me. I hate to have them spend their entire Saturday morning doing boring errands, so I try to intersperse errands with fun activities throughout the day. We might head to the grocery store, then unpack the groceries and go the park. Or, we run to the bank on our way out to lunch. The result is that the five things I need to do that should only take at most two hours, end up getting prolonged and stretched out over an entire day.

And, now that our Saturday mornings are going to be taken up I'm going to have to figure out when to get things done. So, the fact that I'm making lists and planning bright and early on a Tuesday morning doesn't seem so strange, after all.

Bug

So, I have this love-hate relationship with horror movies. I love, love, love that nervous, almost sick to your stomach feeling that you get when you are anticipating something really creepy about to happen. At the same time, I usually end up hiding my head at the last minute, and not actually watching what happens!

Anyway, I'm pretty excited for the new bug movie starring Ashley Judd. First of all, I really like Ashley Judd, and she's usually really good in scary movies (Kiss the Girls, for example). Secondly, there's nothing quite like sitting in a dark theatre, with your date (in this case, Evan will hold the title) and practically wetting your pants with nervousness over the impending scene.

Bug opens in theatres at the end of this month. We'll be planning an anniversary 'date' in the beginning of June, so along with dinner, we might try to see this one.

Watch the trailer

ISO Reviews and Recommendations

First - has anyone read this, or anything by Cormac McCarthy? I think he wrote 'All the Pretty Horses.'

I saw this book at the supermarket the other night, and thought Evan would like it. It seems right up his alley. However, I was too cheap to pay the $14.95 hardcover price. Our local library doesn't have it yet, so now I'm rethinking my reluctance to buy it.

If you've read it, give me a review.

Next, we finally got around to watching Babel. Definitely enjoyed it (though, not as much as Crash, which is the movie it is constantly compared to). My Netflix queue is getting shorter as we make our way through it, so ISO suggestions for movies to add to it. I'll watch almost anything, except for action-adventures. So, give me suggestions?

Online Coupons and Deals

So...if you like to save money, raise your hand.

Right, I figured you all would. ;-)

I found this site, CouponChief.com, which publishes tons of online coupons to national retailers daily. Basically, the site aggregates all of the online specials out there, in one location for users to browse. What a cool concept!

I was pretty psyched to see that there are offers for some of my favorite stores, including Coupons for The Gap and Zappos.

I have a friend who is always emailing me links to these deals, and I used to wonder how she had so much time to comb the web looking for them. I think I'm on to her secret now.

Anyway, if you're in the market to buy...well, almost anything, definitely check out CouponChief.com first. You might just find a great deal.

Again with the Yard...

We had such a productive weekend, as far as the yard goes. Saturday morning, bright and early, Evan, his friend Paul and my father-in-law got out there and started ripping up the old, delapidated deck. The work seemed to go pretty quickly and easily for them. Probably because, as Evan says, "destroying stuff is fun." By noon, the deck was off and most of the building material that couldn't be salvaged was loaded into Evan's truck, ready to go to the dump.

So, now we are left with a bit more of a disaster back there, but within the next week or so, Evan is going to rent a machine and level out the yard. Then, we'll get a load of topsoil delivered, spread that out and plant some grass. Our current plan is to leave it like that until later in the summer when we can afford to buy the material for the new deck. Evan has decided to use Ipe
for it, which is quite a bit more expensive than we had originally budgeted for. So, we'll be deckless for a bit longer.

As an aside...Eden was completely mesmerized by the whole demolition project. She sat in front of the kitch windows, eating her crackers and watching her Daddy work, for well over an hour.


Yesterday, Eden blessed us with a three hour nap in the afternoon, and Sadie cooperated by mostly entertaining herself outside, so Evan and I got a ton done in the front. We got the bed along the front walkway tidied, and Sadie and Evan planted some flower seeds there, as well. We mowed the lawn, transplanted some hydrangeas, and tore out a very unsightly row of stragly azaleas bushes along the driveway. It is really looking pretty good out there!

Other weekend updates, bullet style:

• Had a great playdate with Sadie's friend Olivia, and her mom and baby sister
• Sadie and I had a girls afternoon, with a trip up to the Short Hills mall to meet my friend Cara
• Above trip did result in my first ever car accident. I got rear-ended (in my father-in-law's car, no less) while stopped at a light.
• Had a nice dinner with my parents last night - they brought Sadie this book, "The Kissing Hand" to help her with the crying at school in the morning issue. It worked like a charm this morning :-)
  

This is Obnoxious, Right?

So, some of the neighborhood kids use our backyard as a cut-through from the school bus stop to neighborhoods...somewhere on the other side of our house. No biggie. I don't love it, but I can live with it. Until we moved in last year, our house was the 'lemon' in the neighborhood, and sat vacant for months and the backyard is still a disaster, so I could see why it is the obvious choice for a shortcut.

Well, this morning, I looked out the kitchen window and saw, not only a kid cutting through, but HIS MOTHER was with him. And then, five minutes later, after the bus picked up the waiting lot, the mother walked back through our yard. Tell me I'm not overreacting...that is totally inappropriate, right? An adult should have enough common sense and courtesy to not walk through other people's property...shouldn't they?

Also, as an aside...anyone have suggestions for preventing kids from walking through the yard? As I said, I don't care much right now, but we're going to be leveling and seeding the yard, and footsteps will not be welcome then. No budget (or desire) for a fence. Thoughts?

The Ride

A coworker asked me yesterday "where's your car?" as he saw me wheeling my bike out of the office. When I told him it was at home, he then asked "so...you're just riding to work for the fun of it?" This is a guy (kid, really) who is 24, not married, no kids...so I just said "yeah, just for the fun of it" rather than try to explain what that glorious 25 minute bike ride home from work means to me.

The minute I am out of the office door and on the bike, I enter some sort of limbo state, wherein, I'm no longer a worker bee, answering to anyone, and not yet again a Mama...answering to everyone.

As I cruise across campus headed toward Larchwood Ave., I can feel all of the thoughts about deadlines, or annoying faculty members, or pesky code that I just can't quite get right just sort of melt away.

On Larchwood, I focus on the feeling of my legs working, warming up. On my breathing. On the sound of the wind rushing past my ears. I look at the enormous houses, each one a little grander than the next and the perfectly-manicured lawns. I notice the 'Rainbow Direct' playscapes in the backyards, that largely remain untouched by the youngest inhabitants of these McMansions.

Turning onto Berger Ave., my nostrils are filled with the supersweet scent of the blooming trees and bushes. I am warmed up by now, and the ride is just so enjoyable.

I reach Norwood Ave., and marvel, as I do almost each time I pass through, at what a strange place it is. A bizarre mix of Beverly Hills and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. High end boutiques line the streets, interspersed with Kosher restaurants, and these ultra-hip, frummers
pop in and out of their double-parked, idling, BMWs and Escalades like busy squirrels on an autumn day. This stretch of ride is the least relaxed, for me, as I'm constantly aware of the possibility of a car door opening or a cell-phone gabbing driver not noticing me.

When I at last turn off the busy street and back onto the quiet side streets, I let myself relax once again. I wind through the quieter, back streets and admire the Spanish-style architecture that dominates the landscape. Again, the sweet smell of springtime blossoming greets me, though this time it is almost overpowering.

As I cruise through downtown Allenhurst, I think about the sense of community that I have to this place, even though we have only lived here a year. I pass by the art gallery that my neighbor owns, and the salon where my sister-in-law works and the coffee and pastry shop that has become our 'go to' place for treats. I look to the left and take a last look at the ocean, two blocks down, before turning westward, for the final stretch of the ride.

Winding through the ultra-quiet streets that hug the lake, I spot a number of pairs of geese doing their goose thing. The chirping of the birds is more noticeable now that there are no other noises to disguise them.

I make the last turn and can see our home. I cross Wickapecko and the neighborhood, in an instant, becomes more modest.

As I turn up our driveway, I see two little faces peering out the window. The little one, not yet articulate enough to announce my arrival, is waving her hands and shrieking. I can read the lips of the bigger one..."Mama's home! Mama's home!" The joy in their faces is palpable. The joy in my heart is indescribable.

Mama's home. Indeed.

I think I need a real hobby

I'm a little *too* excited that I now have rank. Page rank, that is. After hovering at zero for months, my page rank has jumped to a 2.

Time to get a life...no?

PageRank™ (as defined by Motive Glossary):

PageRank is Google’s ranking software that calculates the relevance of a webpage to the search keywords entered. The software analyses both the number of incoming links and the ‘quality’ of the referring webpage to generate a relative measurement between 0 (low-relevance) and 10 (high-relevance). (The ‘quality’ of the referring webpage is an abstract measure of how authoritative it is on the subject matter.)

Horseback Riding Lessons

I just signed Sadie up for an introductory lesson at a local stable. I'm so excited! The stable runs an "Itty Bitty Program" for kids ages 3-7. It is a two hour lesson, per week. 1/2 hour is to tack up, 1 hour of saddle time, and a 1/2 hour of after-ride stuff that has to be done (no clue what this is, as I've only been on a horse twice in my life). I was a little hesitant to just sign her up for the lessons, because I want to make sure she's going to have the attention span and interest for two hours at a pop each week, before I fully commit to lessons. But, I do think she is going to love it.

Perfect Gift for the Mom in Your Life

Right now, when you sign up for a new Cingular Wireless account, you can get a free cell phone. You get a pink RAZR -- you also get a free Bluetooth Headset with it. This is such a good deal. I actually am kicking myself because I just got a new account and phone a couple of weeks ago. I wish I had known this deal was coming down the pike. Anyway, it would make a great gift idea for Mother's Day, don't you think? Long after flowers have died and candy has been eaten, YOUR mom can be stylin' with her very cool phone.

I know I'm feeling a bit stumped about what to get my mom for the big day. And, for those of you who like to leave it to the last minute, they are offering free 2-Day FedEx delivery.

So, even if you already have an account, but are in the market for a new phone, check out Wirefly. They have tons of great phones and some really good deals that you most likely won't get at your local phone retailer.

This deal runs until May 11th (just two days shy of the Mother's Day), so be sure to check it out.

Thursday Thirteen

Apparently, in the blogsphere, different days have themes (e.g., Wordless Wednesday, Supahstar Saturday...). Today, is Thursday Thirteen. Anyway, I'm sure I'm supposed to be adhering to some topic or something, but I'm going to make it my own. So, for today's Thursday Thirteen, I'm simply going to post thirteen interesting, and not-so interesting things going on in my life on this fine Thursday. Brace yourselves ;)

1. We registered Sadie for Kindergarten this morning.
2. I rode my bike into work - it was such a nice ride (perfect temperature, no traffic), and a great way to start the workday.
3. I'm wearing zebra-print shoes today, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I wish I could be one of those people who just wear anything with confidence, but it is so hard for me.
4. This morning I started the final weaning of Eden off the bottle. We dropped her morning bottle, and once that is done, we'll work on the last one, the before bed bottle. I'm so sad about it.
5. Last night we got a ton of plants for one of our front beds, so this evening, we're going to try to get them in the ground.
6. Sadie picked some flowers to bring in to one of her good (boy) friends at school. When we got there, he announced "Sadie! I brought you a flower!" I think something is blossoming between those two...
7. Speaking of young love...I think Eden has a thing for Ernie from Sesame Street. I swear she gets all flirty with the TV whenever he comes on.
8. I post on a parenting message board (have since I was pregnant with Sadie) and we are a very tight group over there. Recently, I've noticed that someone I always got along really well with is giving me the cold shoulder (as in, not responding to any thread I post). It is bumming me out, and I'm not really sure what I did to tick her off. I hate Internet drama...for whatever reason, it always seems so much more overblown than real-life relationships.
9. I scheduled another playdate for Sadie with her friend, Olivia. I'm excited about it because a: playdates are always fun for Sadie, and b: I really like Olivia's mom...so it is nice to get together.
10. I have to buy a birthday present for a 5 year old boy. I have no idea what little boys like. The few times he's been to our house for a playdate, he's been very interested in playing with Sadie's Barbie dolls...I'm guessing it is best to just keep that one our little secret, though.
11. The latch on our dishwasher seems to have broken. I have a load of clean dishes trapped in there! The darn thing is only a year old, too. Aggravating.
12. I'm having lunch out, today, at a place right on the boardwalk. I love living at the shore. :-)
13. We have had Babel at our house for almost three weeks. Each night, we say we're going to watch it, and each night, something else comes up. So, I'm putting this out there publicly...TONIGHT we are going to watch the darn movie. Really.
    

Better than Expected

The shots are administered, the tears have been dried, the bellies are full of nasty fast food, the little one is napping, the big one is back at school, and the mom is relieved. Phew!

Unhappy Visit = Happy Meal

In a little bit, I need to leave work and go pick up both girls and take them for their well visits. they are both getting shots today, so it isn't going to be pretty. Actually, Eden is likely to not really notice/care, if her 12 month appointment is any indicator. But Sadie will notice and care. And cry and whine. And recoil from the nurse as if she is a man-eating shark.

I will be bribing her to cooperate by dangling a rare and coveted trip to McDonald's afterwards. Truthfully, though, I'm sure I'll still have to basically pin her down, screaming, for the shot. And, we'll still go to McD's afterwards.

My mom is meeting me at the dr.'s office, to help by holding Eden while I'm wrestling with Sadie. It takes a village, I tell you....

So Good

Ever since we left Boston, I've been complaining about the lack of good Indian food in this area. Apparently, a bit north of here, there's a huge Indian population, and tons of restaurants and food markets. But, since going out to eat without the kids in tow is a rare occurence, I'm not about to drive 35 minutes for a restaurant.

So, I've been looking for a good store-bought substitute for Indian cooking. The other night, we made Chicken Tikka Masala, using Patak's sauce, and doctoring it up a bit with added ginger and cilantro.

Two thumbs up. It was so good! I'm not sure if it would hold up to a good restaurant version of the meal, but it was tasty. Kind of like how Gardenburgers are really good, provided you're not expecting to taste a juicy hamburger when you bite into one, you know? My only complaint was that the sodium content was super high, but that seems to be the case with processed foods. I figure that 99% of what we cook and eat is made from scratch, so the occaisional sodium-laden meal won't kill us. Anyway, Patak's makes a whole line of products and both our local grocery stores carry lots of them, so we'll definitely be trying out some others.

There's Something for Everyone, Online

I guess the Internet really is a buyer's marketplace. My father, who can barely (and grudgingly) manage email has no use for the Internet. When I try to tell him all of the things he can do more efficiently online (check the weather report, make travel plans, buy movie tickets, read a variety of international news sources), he usually tells me he prefers to do things 'the traditional way.'

Well, I think I've found something you can't do the traditional way....have a cyber affair. Sure, everyone knows that people meet and cheat online all the time, but there is actually a business created to facilitate it. Talk about a niche market! Not the meeting part, but the cheating part. That's what I'm finding so over-the-top about this concept...anyway, something for everyone, I suppose.

It does make me seriously consider dropping our Internet service at home, though. Wonder if I should tell my dad about this service next time I'm having one of our "progress is good" debates?!?! :snicker

Disclosure

now that I know that people I know are actually reading this thing, I do feel the need to disclose the fact that some of my posts are sponsored. That is, I get paid to post and link to other sites. For the most part, I try to accept sponsored opportunities that match my interests, so it may not always be obvious to a reader which is a sponsored post. However, sometimes, I'm going to be less discerning about the opportunities I take (hey, that trip to WDW is going to cost money, you know!), so consider yourself warned.