Bah Humbug.

I am completely, 100% NOT into the holiday spirit this year. I think it is a combination of my aunt being sick, feeling worried about money, anxious about the state of the world...whatever the reason(s), I am just not feelin' it this year. Usually by this time of year I'm either humming along ahead of schedule (and budget) or else in a bit of a panic about all I need/want to do/spend/buy for a 'perfect' holiday season.

This year I am none of the above. I am almost indifferent. I have bought most of the gifts I intend to buy, but it is going to be a modest spread for the girls (from us, anyway...I know they will be spoiled by grandparents), and I don't even feel upset about it. Usually, I end up buying everything on an elaborate list and then getting 'just a few more' at the last minute. Not happening this year.

I also decided not to send out holiday cards this year. This is a departure from the past several years, where I would start 'staging' the photo op as early as October, and then spend many hours agonizing over photos and layout options, making my list of recipients...

And, this year, unlike all but the two years we lived in Oregon, we will not be celebrating Christmas Eve/Day as we have always - with aunts and uncles and cousins and loads and loads of food. I think that is what has me most down about it this year... so much so that I don't even feel like starting our own new traditions. I could invite family to our house for an elaborate meal, but I just don't feel like it. So, as I told Evan...this year, we're going to be 'real Jews' and spend Christmas Day going to the movies and ordering Chinese takeout. Is it sad that I'm actually looking forward to it?

Drive By Post

I only have a moment, so this is a quickie, but I didn't want to neglect to note the momentous occasion...


Sadie lost her first tooth!

Of course it happened Saturday night while the sitter was with her - I can just add this to the long list of 'firsts' I have not witnessed ;) Anyway, she is pleased as punch with her new gap, and the "whole GREEN dollar" the tooth fairy left.

A picture is forthcoming....

Weekend Update

I want to get back in the habit of doing these, as so much of the memory-making stuff I want to be capturing happens on the weekends. So anyway, this past weekend was nice. Thursday, Eden had a bout of a stomach virus and spent most of the day puking. I have to say, that girl may be feisty and keep me on my toes most of the time, but she is a dream to take care of when sick. No complaints, no whining/crying...just lean over, throw up in her bucket and go back to whatever she was doing. Thankfully, the virus only lasted a day, so our weekend plans weren't impacted.

Saturday we attended Chris and Pearl's birthday(s) party. It was fun to get together with all the high school friends and to see our kids interact. Sadie discovered fluffer nutter sandwiches, and life may never be the same for her again.

Yesterday, Sadie had an all day birthday party to attend, which gave us an opportunity to spend the day with just Eden, which was really nice. We did some shopping and then visited the Popcorn Park Zoo. Of all the animals she saw (lions, tigers, bears, camels, deer...), she seemed to enjoy the sheep the most. Go figure.

Anyway, it was a busy one and it went by very quickly. I'm glad this is a short work week....

So...Plan B.

I've given a lot more thought to the holiday spending issue since I posted the other day. And, I've decided that instead of fretting over how to pay for everything and when, I'm just not going to go all out this year. I've already bought the girls each two things they really will like, and tonight I'll order their shared gift (Dance Dance Revolution). I think I'm just going to get them one more gift each, and call it good. For Hanukkah, I'm reverting back to last year's plan of small things (stickers, cards, markers) each night.

Honestly, writing out that post the other day really did cause me to stop and think about what I was trying to accomplish and why. And, I realized that it was becoming more about what mattered to me (that feeling of providing lots of gifts for the girls to open) than what matters to them (getting a few new toys and having everyone together to celebrate). They are young enough to not have any real expectations about the holidays yet. So, why am I setting myself up for years of buying more than I really should/can afford just so they will have lots of packages to open? They are going to love what I bought them this year, and when they are old enough to start requesting things, I'll be happy to buy them what I can afford. In the meantime, I don't need to go overboard in such a way that I'm needing to worry about how to pay for everything else.

So, with that said, I'm feeling a weight lifted off of my shoulders. This weekend, I will likely finish up the rest of the shopping and not have to worry about it come December. Who knew blogging could be so therapeutic?!?

Sing it with me: Its the most...expensive!...time of the year...

Sure, the holidays are wonderful and I look forward to them, but this year, more than in years past, I'm feeling stressed and pinched about the cost. I'm trying to think about what is different this year - after all, our income is higher than it has been in several years, so you would think it would be less of a pinch this year, no?

I guess it boils down to a few factors:

• Cash and carry. In previous years, I would try to fund most of our holiday expenses with cash, but had no problem falling back on the credit card to cover what I couldn't. I don't do that anymore - my motto is, if I can't pay cash for it, I can't afford it. And, I refuse to dip into savings, either. So, it is causing me to have to really budget out exactly what I plan to spend and when, in relation to our pay periods. I think the fact that I can't buy everything I want right when I want to, is making me feel tense.
• Elevating Hanukkah's Status. At our house, we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah (the former in the weird, Jewish way that my family always did, which involves no tree, but plenty of presents, and a bagel brunch. I know, we're weird). In general, the lion's share of the presents have arrived via Santa at Christmas. For Hanukkah, I would generally get the girls each a small thing for each of the 8 nights. But, Sadie's getting older, and I want her to embrace her Jewishness, too, so I feel like it isn't going to cut it to give her markers or a coloring book as a Hanukkah gift. Since I'm not willing to diminish the present orgy on Christmas day, either, it means that I'm committed to buying more stuff than in years' past.
• Eden's Birthday. Eden's birthday falls in early January. I don't want her to feel shortchanged by broke parents who blew their wad at Hanukkah and Christmas, so I've been trying to set aside money now to fund her party and presents, as well. I actually paid a deposit at the place for her party and already bought her main gift (bedding for her big girl bed she'll be getting from her grandparents), but the balance of the party expense will be due the day of, and I don't want to feel a pinch that week.
• The money pit house. Aside from the usual house repairs and expenses, we've had a nice opportunity pop up, which will be a good thing (cost-saving measure) moving forward, but it translates into an up-front expense. Evan got a hold of a free woodstove insert for the fireplace. Putting this in and burning the endless amounts of wood scraps he accumulates downstairs will be a free way to heat much, if not all, of our house this winter. That said, given that our fireplace has not been functional since the day Evan almost burned the place down when he was renovating it (a story for another entry), there is a lot of work to be done and money to be spent to get they system functional. We just bought huge slabs of bluestone for the facade (we needed to build it up as the woodstove extends five inches out past the brick firebox). They are beautiful and it is going to look stunning, but beauty comes at a price. Then, yesterday, we had the chimney sweep come and clean and inspect the existing ceramic chimney liner to see if it was safe and usable. $109 dollars later and it is none of the above (we suspected as much, but figured it was worth a shot). So, we now need to purchase a metal liner. We've been pricing them out and they run between $600-$800 dollars. Realistically, without dipping into savings, we're not going to have that together until at least February. Which means we won't have the thing functional until early spring, which kind of defeats the cost-saving purpose for this winter. Oh well. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying that at the same time I'm trying to buy holiday and birthday magic for my kids, we're also trying to squirrel money away for other things.
• Total Debt Liberation. The last factor contributing to money woes at our house is my obsession with and determination to, completely eliminate all debt except for our mortgage. We don't have credit card debt anymore (thank goodness!), but between the two of us, we have three student loans and a HEL. I've been following this 'snowball plan' to eliminate it and very aggressively paying it down. It is a great feeling to see it go down, down, down, but at the same time, I'm having a hard time giving myself permission to ease up for a month or two to accommodate other expenses. That's just something I need to work out for myself, I guess.

Anyway, in light of all of the above, I'm feeling pinched this year and will probably breathe a sigh of relief if the kids love their presents and we still have a roof over our heads and food on our table come January 31st.

• 
  

Catching up, pt 3 - Maryland

We took another trip down to Maryland 2 weekends ago - this time to celebrate Kayleigh's 2nd birthday :)

It was a fun, albeit short, trip. Alyssa and Jim threw a great party (love me those sweet and sour meatballs), and the littlest girls (K and E) seemed to start to connect this visit. The drive down and back was a breeze, and after the whirlwind that was Disney, the kids seemed pretty much unphased by traveling, eating and sleeping on a different schedule, and going to sleep in an unfamiliar (though, they both remembered our 'guest suite' ;) as soon as they saw it) place. I guess it really is a sign that they are growing up, and that we are maturing as a family. It is awfully nice not to be so chained to the naps, diapers, crib, and regimented meal times that have defined us for the better part of the past six years.

Catching up, pt 2 - Halloween!

Right on the heels of our Disney trip came Halloween. The girls had a great time hitting up the neighbors for candy, and it was a hoot to see Eden running along with the group. Big change from last year when she rode in a stroller!

Take a look at my scary, scary ghouls, I mean girls.

Catching up on our life for the past month, pt 1 - Back from Disney

Well, we survived! The trip was a ton of fun, but also pretty exhausting. The kids had a blast, though, and that's really all that matters to me. The resort we stayed at was really spectacular - in fact, I would say the pool there was as much of an attraction for the girls as Magic Kingdom. We spent two days at the park (MK) and really got to do just about everything we wanted, I think. Highlights:

-Meeting the characters (especially Cinderella and crew at our dinner with them)
-Watching Eden give Pooh and Tigger the biggest, most sincere and heartfelt hugs when she met them.
-Peter Pan's Flight - we all loved that ride, and did it multiple times.
-Ditto on Small World (what can I say, we're not thrill seekers).
-Sadie's Bippity Boppity Boutique makeover.
-Dinner at Boma - arguably the best meal we had the whole week.

All in all, it was a great trip, and it has really inspired me to save for, and prioritize family vacations.

"MoMEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want you to rock me!"

That was the not so sweet music that regaled me last night from a little after 2am on for about 35 minutes. Over the course of the past few months, Eden's occasional waking in the night has increased, first to a couple or few times a week, until finally, in the past two weeks, it has become a nightly event. She has been sick (sinus infection), so I have indulged it, going in and soothing her. However, last night was the night we threw her to the wolves, so to speak.

When she called for me at 2, I poked my head in the room and told her it was time to go back to sleep. She cried that she wanted me to rock her, and I told her no. I covered her back up and walked out. Boy, she didn't like that too much! She spent the better part of the next 35 minutes screaming for me, angrily, before giving up and going back to sleep. Unbelievably, Sadie slept through the entire event.

I'm hopeful that this is the start of better nights for us, because I really, really need me some sleep!

Fall Fun

I haven't been very good at updating lately, I guess because things have just been humming along normally - nothing that has felt particularly noteworthy. I have to keep reminding myself that what seems normal and not-noteworthy now is exactly what I set out to document when I began this journa. So, here goes.

We hosted some fall fun at our house this weekend....a pumpkin-carving party for the neighborhood kids (and parents). The kids carved and/or painted pumpkins and gorged on donuts, caramel apples, and cupcakes while the adults enjoyed hot cider spiked with apple brandy - fun for all! We had about 20+ kids of all ages - it was a lot of fun. It was Amelia's birthday, Marie brought a pinata and called the whole event her birthday party (I like how that woman thinks!). So, the kids were all sugared up and wild. Once it got dark, we all headed over to the neighbor's yard, where he had set up a giant outdoor projection screen. We lit the jack-o-lanterns, munched on kid food (pizza bagels and popcorn) and watched Tim Burton's, The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was truly a great time. I've said it before, and you know I can't pass up on the opportunity to say it again....

Wait for it....

We have the BEST neighborhood!

The kids didn't get to bed until past nine, and it took us quite a while to clean up the yard and get the house back in order, so I didn't get to bed until way later than I would have liked. Eden decided it would be a good idea to wake up in the night last night, so needless to say, I'm sleepy today. But overall it was a great day and worth every sleepy moment today.

Need to update

Just wanted to update on recent happenings with the kids. Sadie's school year seems to be off to a great start. There are some really nice kids in her class, and overall, she seems at ease, which is a great relief to me. We attended the first birthday party of the year and it was really nice to get to see her interact with the kids. I'm pleased to say that she really jumped right in and was very comfortable. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that she didn't cling to Abby - in fact, she spent much of the time talking with another classmate and didn't seem in the least worried about where Abby was. This is good. As thrilled as I am with the friendship with Abby, I know how girls can be and I keep stressing to Sadie that she needs to be open to friendships with other girls and not so dependent on just one friend.

Speaking of birthday parties - Sadie's 'birthday week of festivities' wrapped up on Sunday with a trip to American Girl Place. What an adorable place. Sadie and Eden (and, yes, Mommy and Daddy) really enjoyed the 'fancy' restaurant, and had fun browsing the store. We spent a bit of time walking around NYC afterwards, and overall it was just a great day.

As for Eden, what can I say? She has been unbelievably adorable lately, even if the tantrums and freshness continue. I know I shouldn't laugh when she says things like "shush! Shut out!" to me, but Eden being naughty is awfully hard to resist. She has this imaginary friend, Una (Oona?) who she talks about all the time. We're probably making some grave mistake by encouraging it, but again, it is just very cute to hear what goes on in her head. All the lead up to Sadie's birthday has Eden jonesing in a big way for her own. She tells anyone who will listen that her birthday is in January, and she's going to have a party and wear a crown and have a cake with Belle (from Beauty and Beast) on it.

She is also outgrowing some of her most adorable misarticulations, which is bittersweet. She no longer calls her friend Joseph "Jofess" and she repeatedly tells me "I don't say Opiseye anymore..I say Octopus!" Thankfully, she still mangles a few words like Leyow (yellow) and asketti (spaghetti) so I get to relish the baby talk for a bit longer. At Cindy's, she is learning to write her name and, miraculously, poop on the potty.

We will be moving Eden to a big girl bed this winter and saying goodbye to the crib forever. at some point in the next few months, I will be buying the last pack of diapers for our household. When "Madagascar 2" comes out next month, we plan to take both kids - this will mark Eden's first trip to the movies, and the end of man-on-man parenting, where one of us does 'big kid' stuff with Sadie while the other entertains Eden.

It is an interesting place to be in the parenthood journey - kind of at the crossroads where we are starting to leave babyhood and all its trappings behind, and look ahead to just parenting kids.

I do feel like I was able to cherish Eden's babyhood a bit more than I did the first time around, because I knew how quickly it would pass, though there is a part of me that is sad to see it end. Mostly, though, I'm looking forward to what lies ahead.

I couldn't resist

The Very Good Taste's Omivore's 100

Here are the instructions:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you've eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

And here's my list....

The VGT Omnivore's Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (I've had carpacio, which I believe is the same thing?!?)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses (I had to look this up, and I'm pretty sure I haven't had it, though I have enjoyed many a pungent, unpasterized cheese!)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans ( one of my favorite meals)
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (yes to the congac, but no to the cigar)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal (in my dreams... or maybe my nightmares)
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth $60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala (mmmmmm....)
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin (never again, though...)
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald�s Big Mac Meal (
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (not with gin, no...)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads (no, but I came *this close* to ordering them recently...they're on my list to try)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake (
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (nasturtium!)
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (never! amazing...)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (I can't even be in the same room as one, let alone have one on my plate. No thanks!)

Six Years Ago

Dear Sadie,

Six years ago today, I looked down at that tiny sleeping face, and tried to imagine the whole lifetime of things I would need to protect you from. I remember being simultaneously overjoyed and terrified at the prospect of raising this helpless baby. And to think, I really had no idea the amount of joy and pride and love you would bring me, nor did I really understand the levels of irritation, frustration, and hurt I could also feel - for and from you. I don't know how I couldn't have felt the vast emptiness in my life before you filled it...yet somehow, I didn't.

It's been a wild ride, Sadiebug...and I couldn't love you more if I tried. Six years have passed in what feels like a fraction of that time...somehow those long, sleepless nights which I thought would last forever, are such a distant memory that it is almost as though they never happened.

I walked behind you and Abby on the way to school this morning, I looked at you with your enormous (to you) backpack on and listened to you chirp to your best friend about the cupcakes you guys were going to be eating in school in honor of YOUR birthday, and was almost overcome with emotion and the knowledge that as fast as the past six years have gone, the next will fly by even faster.

I think tonight I'll linger just a little longer at bedtime and read you an extra story because unlike six years ago, I am now fully aware of just how fleeting and precious this time is, and how soon it will be gone.

Happy Birthday, Big Girl.

Spectacular

The weekend was really great, overall. Highlights:

• Sadie's birthday party! I think we found just the right formula this year (just a few friends, dinner out and then back to the house for make your own sundaes and presents). She was so happy and comfortable, and it seems like everyone had a great time. As a bonus - my house wasn't trashed (woot!) and it didn't really cost much more than if the four of us had just gone out for dinner (double woot!).
• Sadie's big day in NYC. Her grandparents took her in to see Mary Poppins, which she loved. My MIL said the look on her (Sadie's) face when the lights dimmed and the orchestra drumming started was just priceless.
• A gorgeous beach day! At this time of year, any days spent on the beach are precious, so yesterday was a nice treat. It was beastly hot and humid at our house, but there was a great breeze at the beach, and the water was perfect. Eden, my mom and I had a nice 'girls day' out there.
• The Oyster Fest in Asbury Park. Even though we got there too late for oysters, we enjoyed good food, good beer and great music. It was great to see the city buzzing with people out enjoying themselves. Definitely a good time.

All in all, a great weekend.

Friday Five

Five things I'm thankful for today:

1. It's Friday! Sadie has made it through her first full week of school with less than expected tears and drama.
2. That I mustered the energy at 9pm last night to hit the supermarket for two weeks' worth of groceries, so I don't have to spend any part of the weekend dealing with it.
3. Sadie's birthday gift arrived last night. I'll get it wrapped up while she is out over the weekend.
4. The thirty minutes of cuddling Eden gave me first thing this morning - what a great way to start the day.
5. That all five kids on the invite list can make it to Sadie's party tomorrow night.
   

Block Party!

Yesterday, our neighborhood held its block party. The event was originally scheduled for Saturday, but the rainy weather forced us to postpone. I have to admit that I was somewhat bummed to have to leave the beach early yesterday for it, and not totally looking forward to it. It ended up being a really good time. I know I have devoted more than one post to extolling the awesomeness of our neighborhood, but I just have to do it again. Our n'hood rocks! I can't really describe the feeling I had watching my girls run around with the posse of about 20 kids (ages 11 and under) having the time of their lives. I hope these are memories that they will carry with them when they think of their childhood.

As for the adults - we had fun, too! I ate way too much, and probably drank too much, too (the white wine, sprite, triple sec, and peach schnaps 'punch' went down just a little too easily). It was great to just sit and talk and not really have to worry/focus on where the kids were, since everyone's yard was part of the party.

We're already planning the next event - pumpkin carving at our house, followed by outdoor movies at another neighbors' place. I love living in Mayberry.

Tick Tock...Tick Tock

today may very well be the longest day ever. ever.

we dropped a crying Sadie off at her first day of first grade this morning. While I tell myself that she most likely stopped sobbing as soon as she got into her classroom and saw that her best friend was there, I guess I won't really know for sure until the end of the day, will I?

My anthem for Summer 2008

You didn't think I'd really let summer end without getting a little nostalgic and emotional, did you? Go ahead, click and listen. You know you want to.

2+2=more than 4, sometimes.

Due to different wants/interests and obligations, we spent a fair bit of time as duads, rather than a family of four this weekend. Specifically, yesterday we split apart intentionally. Evan took Sadie out to Longstreet Farm to participate in the potato harvest, and Eden and I headed to the beach. I have to say, I think the girls were happier for it. They each seemed to appreciate the one-on-one time with us, and they seemed happier to be with eachother when they were. Every weekend, we make such an effort to have "family" time, and the reality of that is that it ends up being compromise time for one or both of the kids, as they aren't on the same wavelength yet with what they can/want to do.

Evan and I were talking about it this morning and debriefing about it and we decided that we are going to try to do more of that for parts of the weekend. Time together as an entire family is still a priority, so I don't see that going away any time soon, but I think we're going to try to spend part of one of the weekend days split up, alternating which child we have. anyway, that's my random thought for this Monday morning.

on the downslide...

It is Thursday, noon, of my first full week back at work since late June. It is safe to say, I'm going to make it, after all ;)

Being back at work has been...fine, I guess. Actually being here has certainly been fine. It is everything else that has taken some getting used to again. Menu planning. Running errands at lunch or in the evening. Packing lunches. Waking Sadie. Getting the girls dressed, fed, and out the door on a schedule. Squeezing my summer stretched feet back into work-appropriate shoes. Showering first thing in the morning, instead of after the beach. Blowdrying my hair. Wearing makeup.

Perhaps the biggest adjustment is apportioning my/our free time. It is so easy to get used to having loads of it, so that planning things to do is a happy diversion. After a week at work, I'm looking forward to just relaxing, hitting the beach, and trying to recapture a bit of that 'endless summer' feeling of vacation. Unfortunately, that isn't in the stars for us, at least not this weekend. Because I have a hard time saying no, and because I really want to do the things we get invited to, I have managed to overschedule us for the next three or four days.

Tonight we're meeting friends for "Jazz in the Park" in Red Bank. Saturday we are going to a friend's surprise 40th birthday party down near Philly. Sunday evening we're going to a cookout up at my mom's house because my aunt and uncle and cousins are coming down. We've just been invited to a pool party up in NoNJ for Sunday afternoon. If we go to that, we'll have no beach time at all...I'm sure I'll be wiped out by the time I'm back here Monday morning. Oh, and did I mention that I'm going to a neighborhood GNO event Monday night?!?!? sigh. It was so much easier when 'every day was Saturday'.

such is the plight of us worker bees, I suppose.

Catching Up

Wow - a ten day lapse in posting...possibly a new record for me. In my defense, I've been, well, busy. All good things - Evan's birthday celebration(s), visits from family and friends, and a trip to Utah.

Summer wrapped up for me, more or less, last night. Yes, technically, there are still a few weeks left of the unofficial summer season, and a few weeks on top of that for the official season. But for me, summer means lazy mornings, beach-filled days, and late - thrown together with a spontaneous grocery store run on the way home from the beach - dinners. Today marks my first day back on a full-time schedule at work, so I bid goodbye to the above and declared MY summer more or less over.

No complaints, it has been a great one. In the words (IM) of my sister-in-law:

you carpe'd the summer, for sure.

Yeah, I really, really did.

The trip to Utah, incidentally, was really nice. Not as exciting as the last conference I attended
but an amazing resort, an interesting conference topic, and a good opportunity for some 'me' time (working out, reading, soaking in the hot tub). I missed the kids like crazy, though, and it was great to get back to them. I'm really excited that the next time I have to travel for work, they'll be coming (Orlando).

Anyway, jumping back to the original topic, we had a great long weekend to cap off my summer o' fun. Beautiful beach days, each and every one. Saturday night I met my college friends for dinner at Ruby Foo's. It was so much fun to catch up with them (hadn't seen them since Lyd's baby shower in December). Yesterday, we hosted friends from MA (Jay and Joyce). It is always nice to have them in town because it kind of forces us to get out and do some of the touristy things. In addition to the beach, we headed out to dinner and then to the boardwalk in AP for a dusk stroll, which involved an incredible rising of the full moon, soft-serve ice cream, and a stop at the playground.

So here I am today, trying to get my head back in the game as far as work goes. I guess sitting her blogging isn't necessarily furthering that goal, so it is time to sign off and get some work done. I'll be posting more regularly now, I'm sure.

Big and Brave

Those are the two words that I think could sum up Sadie's transformation this summer. I swear, the changes and growth she has made in the past year are second only to the momentous development of her first year of life.

This year, she has learned to read, learned to separate easily from me (thank god!), learned to have and be a friend (yay for Abby!), she is in the process of learning to ride a bicycle, and she has taught herself to swim. The kid who screamed any time I tried to rinse her hair in the bath is now trying to learn to dive, and happily jumps in to the pool 'face first'!

Her latest demonstration of perseverance and bravery? Check it out:

She got her ears pierced! She was so brave, too, and now she couldn't be more pleased with herself and her new earrings.

There are days when I lament how quickly my children are growing and changing, but overall, it is so fun and exciting to watch them become their 'big kid' selves, too.

Oh Yeah

Guess what we finally got around to doing? We put up a clothes line outside. I'm so psyched. We kind of hemmed and hawed about it for a while, wondered whether it was 'acceptable' for our neighborhood and then finally just decided we didn't give a crap.

Evan put together a ladder-like structure in a sunny spot on the deck, hidden from view from the entire neighborhood (except for the people directly behind us). The girls are loving helping me hang out the clothes and then pull them down when they "magically dry" while we are out for the day. So far, I've figured that on days I don't have to work, I can get a load out there by 8 a.m. and it dries in time for me to get a second load out at 10 a.m. before we leave the house for our day's activities. On days that I have to work, I'm likely to only get one load dried per day, but I figure it is better than nothing. I am still using the dryer for jeans, towels and my 'delicates' as well as on rainy days (I pretty much do one to two loads of laundry a day, so I can't afford to wait out a rainy day), but I figure every little bit helps.

Monday on the Brain

This week, I was off on Monday and Tuesday, instead of my normal Tuesday and Wednesday, so I'm all sorts of screwed up today. I was all set to sit down and blog my usual "Monday Recap", but, er...it's Wednesday, for crying out loud. This changes everything! So, instead of looking back, I think I'll blog about a few things on the horizon. You know, really shake things up a bit ;)

• Friday night we're hitting the town fair The girls are really looking forward to it, and to be honest, so am I.
  
• Saturday, we'll be celebrating Evan's birthday - 41! Yikes, how can I possibly be married to someone so old, when I'm just such a young thing myself?!?!? Jeff and Anonda and Evan's sister are joining us to celebrate. We're going for dinner here and then for drinks here. Should be a fun night. And yes, I'm fully aware that we are violating my self-imposed rule of not repeating a restaurant, but it was Evan's choice, and who am I to deny the birthday boy his restaurant pick?
  
• Sunday, I leave for a few days away at a conference. I am looking forward to it, as I think it will be a good time and a good conference, as well as a chance to visit somewhere new. But, I am also feeling pangs about missing Evan and the girls. Of course, any time I have to fly alone, I have all kinds of crazy anxiety about what if something should happen to me...but I'm trying to just set those thoughts aside and focus on what a good trip it should be.
  
• I get back on Wednesday night (late) and then I'll have my last two summer days off (Thursday and Friday) before I have to return to a full time schedule - wah! I can't complain, it has been a great summer and I don't feel that I was shortchanged out of anything I hoped to have (beautiful weather, plenty of beach days, enough alone time to keep me sane), but I always do feel sad at this time of year.

Anyway, I should probably get some actual work done, so that's it for now.

A breath of fresh air

This post is a departure from the usual kid-oriented topics...

I was downloading some pictures off of my camera and came across this one, which Sadie must have snapped.

It made me think that it was time to blaaaag a bit about the state of our yard.

Probably the biggest reason I haven't posted any recent updates on the yard projects is because, well, there are none. The yard is actually, dare I say it...done. Or, as done as a yard ever is to people who like to garden (meaning, there's always going to be projects we want to take on). This picture is of the front walkway. With the exception of the impatiens (in the foreground), everything else is either a perennial or a self-seeding annual, so aside from a bit of weeding, there was nothing to do but watch the stuff grow and bloom. There's lots of other things out front that didn't make it into this picture (lilys, irises, hydrangea, decorative grasses...). The front yard really looks awesome, and we get tons of compliments on it from people passing by all the time.

The backyard, too, looks great. The deck is finished and full of containers of flowers and herbs. The yard actually boasts a lawn, a vegetable garden and an herb garden (both of which are being devoured by a groundhog, btw). It has been such a pleasure to enjoy it this year, after going without a usable back yard for so long. We often eat dinner out there, and on the mornings when I manage to get up and out and showered before Eden wakes, I love having my coffee outside, too. I'm considering buying a firepit once they go on clearance so we can enjoy some fall evenings out there. We are also shopping for fences, as we plan to fence the backyard in so that Buddy can stretch his legs out there, so I guess there is a project in the hopper.

Next year, we plan to take on the side yard. It is a shame we have neglected it thus far, as it is street facing, but it just hasn't been a priority. We did do some cleaning up and defined a bed, and Evan built a rock wall, so it is looking ok. The plan for next year is to just fill in the bed and reseed the lawn there (right now we are, in the words of my landscaper brother, "cultivating moss"). Nothing too major, and hopefully, once that is done, aside from the normal grass-cutting, weeding, and seasonal pruning, this part of the yard will chug along as effortlessly as the rest of it.

Update

Well, my theory was incorrect. Last night, I gave Eden a healthy dose of advil and hour before bedtime. It made not a single difference. She still was impossible to deal with for the last half hour or so before bed, and getting her to bed was the usual disaster. She did sleep all night and until 7 (middle of the road time for her to wake up), but she usually does that anyway.

I'm really so, so tired of the nighttime routine. I think it is time to take drastic action and just let her cry scream it out at night. I hate the thought of doing it, and at this point, because of her age and how long this has been going on, I know it isn't going to be the simple 2-3 night fix it might have been six months ago. But really, I know it has to be done. We'll all be happier for it in the long run.

I have a theory (more of a desperate glimmer of hope, actually)

That Eden's crabby-ass ways and sleep issues of the past few months (fights going down at night and up too early in the a.m., with the occasional night-waking thrown in to keep us on our toes) are all tied to teething. For some reason, I had thought she was done...I thought she had the 2 year molars (not that I actually really bothered to look, I guess). I even have ignored the weeks of shoving a hand in the back of her mouth, or written it off as just another weird, gross habit/phase she was going through.

But last night, she woke in the night (her second time in two weeks) and was just awake from 2-3:30. She was obviously tired, but couldn't settle herself back down. This morning, in a bleary-eyed moment of genius, I actually took a peek in the back of her mouth. What did I see? 2 lower molars that are halfway through, with a lot of swollen gum tissue around both of them. So obviously, teeth are coming, and probably have been coming for some time now. The top looked a little puffy as well, but no obvious signs of teeth yet.

I feel really stupid for not thinking of teething at any point over the past several weeks as I have complained endlessly of how "impossible" Eden has been. I'm not entirely sure that everything can be attributed to teething, as she slept at her grandparents' house the other night and went down without a peep and slept late, too. But, I do think that some of the behavioral stuff must be tied to her discomfort. Oh well. Tonight, I'm dosing her with some advil before bed and hoping for the best.

Potty Training (or maybe not)

for quite a while now, Eden has been showing some of the signs of readiness to toilet train. I have been willfully ignoring those signs, as I really feel that until a child is completely and totally ready, potty training is just too much work. Call me lazy, I just don't want to deal with running to the toilet every 15 minutes and cleaning up accidents. We waited until just a hair shy of age three to do it with Sadie, and it was a breeze, so all along, I have been assuming we would do the same with Eden. For some reason, I veered from that plan and got her started yesterday. More on that in a moment, but first, an answer to why I strayed from my instincts on this one...

When we were doing this with Sadie, we were really on our own. Living hours away from family meant that even though we didn't have the benefit of the extra hands, we also didn't have the onus of the unsolicited advice. The fact that she wasn't toilet trained never really came up in the weekly phone calls. the only other person involved with her daily life was her babysitter, Ana, who was a big proponent of waiting until they are ready, so no pressure there. With Eden, it has been very different. Don't get me wrong, 99% of it has been wonderful, having so many people who love her involved in her upbringing. But, that said, there have also been a lot of comments from family and friends and a babysitter with a different ideology on toilet training that she was 'ready.' And so, I caved.

Now, having caved, I decided to approach it the same way I did with Sadie. I simply told her in the morning that today she was wearing big girl undies, and she needed to tell me when she had to go.




She does look cute in those big spanky training undies, doesn't she?

Anyway, within 10 minutes of putting them on, she soaked herself (and the couch). this seemed to be a bit of an 'aha' moment for her, as that was the only time all day that she was caught unaware. That said, I spent the better part of the day asking her if she needed to go, helping her get the undies on or off, and changing her when she didn't quite make it in time.

If I hadn't successfully trained one child already and seen how easy it could be when they are ready, I might have fooled myself into thinking we were making good progress. However, by 5pm, I was fried. She had gone through a half a dozen pairs of underwear, and it seemed that every time I turned around she was yelling "I have to go pee on the potty!" in a panicked voice. So, I've decided to back off for a while. I'm not ready to work this hard, and she clearly doesn't yet have the physical control. I would imagine we could do this routine for 2 months or so and then she would be trained, or I could wait two months and try again and it will go a lot more easily. I'm opting to wait.

She was pretty upset when I put her back in a diaper last night, but I calmly and cheerfully told her we'd try again 'real soon.' She did call out to use the potty first thing when she woke up this morning, so I know her heart is in to it, which is a good thing. Once mine is, I think we'll be all set. So, here's to a few more weeks or months of Huggies.

Darn.

I was really hoping to post the video I took of Sadie swimming this weekend, but the keeper of the firewire cord in our office is out sick today, and I can't find the darn thing. Oh well, I guess I'll try for Thursday.

In the meantime, maybe I should upload a cute photo of you-know-who:
This way, it will lessen the sting of the $300 we just spent at the vet, in addition to all of the floor mopping and 5am walking we've been doing as he battles some sort of GI...ick. He's on an abx now, so hopefully we he gets some relief soon.

Speaking of needing relief, it is still ridiculously hot here. Our a/c has just been whirring continuously for days. I'm probably going to have a heart attack when the electric bill arrives. Between unexpected vet bills and crazazy electric bills, I may never get those new tires my car desperately needs.

In other weekend news, we have stuck to our (my?) plan of eating at five new (to us) restaurants before returning to one of our regular places (we were in a rut). Saturday night we took the girls to Mama Chuch's, which I've eyed up for the entire time we've lived here, but had never visited. It was really good, and the girls enjoyed their meal, and so it is nice to have another option to throw into the mix when thinking about going out. So that brings us to three "new" places under our belts - Mama Chuch's, Taka, and Casa Solar ... and we're slated to use a gift certificate and go to Le Bistro Fandy next week. Not bad for a couple of dirty stay-ins, eh?

Tomorrow I've got three of my friends and their kids joining us at the beach - should be a bit chaotic, but hopefully fun. And on Wednesday, we'll go up and see my parents, who are arriving back from their vacation. The girls (Eden, particularly) have really missed them, so it will be good to reunite.

Quiet Friday

I'm back in the office today after a nice several days off. Highlights of the past few days:

--hot, hot, humid weather.
--a dolphin sighting at the beach!
--Watching a hawk sit in the tree in our front yard, and then swoop down and snatch up a squirrel - who knew we lived in such a zoological paradise?
--a girls' night out with some friends from high school - lots of fun and lots of fun reminiscing.
--Watching Sadie continue to build confidence and improve with swimming (I am definitely going to capture it on video tomorrow).
--Enjoying Eden. I hate to jinx it by saying typing it out, but I think we may have crossed the peak as far as her terrible two's. She still has plenty of 'moments', but overall, I think she is sliding into an easier phase, which is such a welcome change.

That's about all there is to report. Our days are pretty much one and the same, it seems, but in a good way.

Goals.

Yesterday, Sadie completely surprised and blew me away by putting her face in the water and paddling several feet across the pool. This kid, who is somewhat terrified of the water, and who despite two years of weekly swim lessons, sinks like a rock the moment her feet hit the water, decided that she was going to teach herself to swim. And she's doing it. At the beginning of the summer, she and I talked about how I really wanted her to learn to swim and to ride a bike this summer. We talked about how those could be goals that she worked toward. To be honest, I really didn't hold out much hope on the swimming goal, and I figured if she learned to ride a bike, we'd call it a successful summer.

Besides being immensely proud of her progress, it has made me think a bit about where I stand with the goals I set for myself for the summer. After all, the summer is nearly half over (wah!). I had basically set one significant goal for myself, and that was to enjoy--really, truly enjoy--the time off with the girls. to stop myself from getting hung up on 'getting stuff done' at the expense of making memories. This time is so precious and fleeting and before I know it, they won't want to spend entire days with me. A year ago, I think it fair to say that I wasn't making the most of my time off with them and I made a promise to myself that this year would be different. And you know what? It is! It really, truly has been pretty great so far.

In part, I have just adjusted my expectations about what having a day off means, and that has helped. So that means that my floors are filthy, my laundry is piled up higher than can humanly be tackled at this point, and dinner is often whatever is easiest to throw together. We get out and to the beach when we get there, rather than me being on a clock all the time and rushing the girls constantly. We stay until we feel like leaving rather than rushing home for naps or so I can run errands.

The other contributing factor has been my attempts at 'options for spontaneity'. Each week, I scan the community pages to see what is going on in the area (last week it was a children's theartre production of Rapunzel and a free outdoor showing of E.T.). I don't tell the kids about any of these things, and more or less at the last minute, if the fancy strikes me, I suggest something and we go. If the ice cream truck comes by 10 minutes before bedtime (which it has the infuriating habit of doing), sometimes I let the kids run out in their pajamas and partake. Again, this goes back to not having grand expectations about things. Going to see E.T. was a lot of fun for all of us, but by 10pm, Eden was done and we left, long before the movie ended.

So overall, I am really happy with how I'm doing on this one. Last year at this time, I had my doubts about whether or not any of us were truly enjoying the summer. This year, I have no doubt whatsoever that we all are.

Roots and Branches

We went to see the fireworks in the OT on Thursday night and were really pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. I was expecting an overwhelming crowd, tons of mosquitos, and a less than impressive firework show. What we found was a huge crowd, but plenty of space for people to move about and 'set up camp', no bugs (amazing!), and a really impressive firework display. I think we'll plan to see them there every year from now on, instead of fighting traffic and parking woes at the beach or in Red Bank.

What struck me most about this excursion, though, was how many familiar people we ran into. The realtor who sold us our house, parents and kids we know from daycare, the girl who occaisionally babysits our girls, our neighbors, friends from the beach, parents and kids from the J...it seemed as though every time we turned around, we were bumping into someone we knew. Of course, having both grown up in the area, we have a lot of 'roots' here, but all of the people we ran into were people that we have met only since we moved to town. So, I feel like after nearly three years here, we have really started to sprout 'branches', too. It feels good to have a community connection.

On (not) Napping

When it comes to napping, I want to have my cake and eat it, too. That is...on days when we are out and about and having fun, I hate to curtail the activities and hurry home for Eden's nap. But on rainy days, or days when I've just had it, I love to have that 2-3 hour break in the day.

Anyway, I have been toying with the idea of seeing if Eden could do without her nap when it suits me, and I was bolstered by our experience last Saturday. The icing on the cake has been the nightly battle to get her to bed at a 'reasonable' hour. Come 9pm and she's still up most nights, which is getting tiresome for me. So anyway, the past two days, I simply have not planned for her to nap. Tuesday, we stayed at the beach all day and she did great, even though she was clearly sleepy for a bit in the afternoon. Yesterday, she fell asleep at 11:45 in the car on the way back from the spray park. I let her sleep in the driveway until 12:30 and then woke her and we headed to the beach. Again, she was sleepy, but she held her stuff together all afternoon (she did sit sleepily in my lap for a while and just stare at the ocean, which is very unlike her). Both nights, she went straight to bed at 7 and slept soundly all night long until her normal waking time, which was really nice.

It is funny how different every child is. Sadie had to forgo her naps when she started nursery school (age 3), and it was a very difficult adjustment, and she usually ended up either melting down completely or falling asleep at 5pm each day for months until she got used to it.

So, my takeaway(s) from this experiment is this:
--Eden can deal, pretty easily, with skipping her nap when it suits me.
--She is still obviously tired enough in the afternoon to nap on any given day.
--2-3 hour naps are probably too long anymore, unless I'm specifically planning for her to be up late that night.

She is with my mom today, and my mom has instructions to nap her for as long as she wants (my guess is she'll sleep 3 hours), since we're going to the fireworks tonight. I think (hope!) that by having her nap at least every couple of days, she won't fall out of the habit.

So Far, So Good.

Last week was my first week on my modified summer schedule (working 2 days a week). It was a great week, and if it is any indication as to how the rest of the summer is going to play out, I am thrilled.

Though the forecast has called for the chance of thunderstorms almost every day for the past week or so, the weather gods are clearly smiling on us, as the rain, on the days that it did actually come, always seemed to happen moments after we've left the beach to head home for naptime, or, better yet, on the 2 days that I actually had to come in to the office ;)

The beach has been proving, once again, to have some magical ability to quell both the girls' desire to bicker as well as my own tendency to lose my shit with them, and we've had a whole bunch of really fun, relaxing days there.

Even so, I decided this summer that I would be sending Eden to Cindy's one extra day each week so that I could have a day with Sadie. She puts up with a lot when Eden is around (being limited as to what we can do and when), so I wanted her to get a day each week that was predicated by her wishes entirely. So, Friday was the first of these days, and we had an awesome time. We dropped Eden off at Cindy's, and immediately drove north so we could see the dolphins. What a special treat! We sat and watched for quite a while and then headed out do breakfast. After breakfast we hit the beach and ended up staying the entire day, until it was time for horseback riding lessons. I hadn't had a chance to see Sadie ride in a while (Evan normally takes her), so it was great to see how much she has improved. She has graduated to small horses (from ponies) and is clearly the most advanced rider in her group. After riding, we met Evan and Eden out for dinner at the Lake House, which is a great summer evening destination. We sat outside and managed to finish our meal, pay the bill and make it back to the car before the evening storm blew in (those weather gods, again). The girls (Sadie, especially) were pooped from the long day and we actually got them to bed at a decent hour. Which was a good thing, because once they were in bed, we immediately began prepping for....

The neighborhood breakfast we hosted bright and early Saturday morning :-) That was a roaring success, and about 50 people showed up. The food and company were both great and it was fun to show off the house and yard to a neighborhood full of people who last toured the house during the open house when it was on the market (and in a sorry state of neglect and disrepair).

The gathering ended at about 11, and Evan and I spent the next hour or so cleaning up, breaking down tables, putting food away. Then it was time to get ready to head off to S and L's house for their son's 2nd birthday party. We spent the the rest of the day there, and the kids had an absolute blast. Eden skipped her nap entirely and did just fine with it, which is good to know we can have some flexibility this summer. We headed home in the early evening, and once again, had two very sleepy kids in bed nice and early. I think I passed out by 9pm myself.

Sunday morning, Sadie woke up and said "what are we doing today? NOT another party, right? I'm still pooped from yesterday" (that's my girl). To her (and my) relief, we had nothing on tap except for chilaxin. We spent most of the day at the beach and capped off the weekend with a nice dinner with Evan's parents.

So, I'm back in the office today, kind of wiped from the weekend, but enjoying the quiet. I have a ton to get done, so hopefully, I'll knock it out quickly before I leave. I may not be back blogging until after the holiday weekend, so Happy Fourth, everyone!

Another Milestone

Yesterday my big girl graduated from kindergarten! It doesn't seem so long ago that we walked her into her very first day there. She has grown up so much this past year that it is almost hard to remember the shy little girl who used to cry every day when I dropped her off at preschool. She now runs ahead with barely a backward glance or wave goodbye when I take her there. She now reads, and writes in a journal, and identifies patterns and counts using tally marks and all sorts of things that underpin the learning journey. I'm so proud of her. As for Sadie? She's pretty nonchalant about being a big first grader...she's really just looking forward to a summer of hanging out, playing with friends, going to the beach and sleeping in. Really...who could blame her?

I think I'm rubbing off on him!

I did a bunch of rework on Evan's site this week (yeah, yeah...it has been slow at work), so if you get a chance, check out the newly designed gallery page(s). Anyway, I was showing E what I had done and he said, "I think it would be cool if we could have an area that I could update regularly with pictures and blurbs about things that I'm working on. So that customers could see the progress all along." Ok, so he knows all about this blog and how I use it (uh...to update regularly with pictures and blurbs about the things that matter to me), yet somehow, the word blog escaped him when making his request. But, I knew what he meant ;)

Anyway, I took that idea and ran with it and spent this morning learning Wordpress (which...sshhh...don't tell Google...but I think I (heart) it just a bit more than I do Blogger) and getting his blog set up. So, no content yet, but if you use a feedreader, you can add Carving out a Living to your list and he should have something up there this week. Of course if you aren't one of the half dozen people who have/are actually paying him to make something for you, you might not find the updates so...illuminating. But, chances are, if you read this blog, you know us and love us, so throw a little bit of the love his way, too, k?

Hot.

It is steamy, steamy hot here. So much so that the schools are closing early. We spent the better part of the weekend either at the beach or in the air-conditioned house, as doing anything else was made unbearable by the heat.

We did set up the girls' kiddie pool yesterday morning so they could take a 'dip'.


As you can see, they loved it, and don't seem bothered by the heat. Eden did decide at some point that Buddy had the right idea and decided heading inside to lay on the cool tile floor and pant was just the ticket.



Another highlight of the weekend was that we celebrated our tenth anniversary! I can't believe it has been 10 years...it really has gone by so quickly. Anyway, we had a great dinner out at a new (to us) place in Belmar, and than capped the evening off with a lovely walk on the boardwalk.

Sadie was playing with my camera this weekend, snapping pictures of random things, and I thought this one was apropos, given the occasion.

An Old Friend

This is the first year in my memory where I can say that summer seems to have just kind of sneaked up on me. Usually, I start pining for it sometime after the new year and work myself into an excited frenzy about it by early April. I don't know if it is because we had a very mild winter, or if perhaps it is because the older I get, the faster life seems to just whiz by, but for whatever reason, I feel as though in the past few months, I've had a moment every few weeks where I think "I can't believe it's April already!" or "Memorial Day weekend is next week?!?!?" before I am drawn, inevitably, back down into the busy, chaotic buzz that is our daily lives, only to be caught offguard by the passing of time once again a few weeks later.

That was a pretty lengthy introduction to announce that summer seems to be here, in full swing, ready or not. The weather seems to have finally shed the rainy, cool act it was carrying around for much of the spring in favor of sunny, 80 degree days. The not quite ready for the beach bodies (mine included!)--untanned and still carrying a bit of that winter weight--have made their way back to the beach. Sunscreen and a swim diaper have repositioned themselves as permanent items in my purse. Sand is finding itself in all sorts of places it shouldn't be once again (I think it was close to November last year before I stopped finding bits of sand here and there in the house and car). The car is being ditched in favor of the bikes whenever possible. Popsicles, roasted marshmallows, and treats from the ice cream truck (which makes a very noisy loop through our neighborhood each night at just about the time I would normally consider corralling the kids inside to get ready for bed) have become daily staples of our diets once again. The lingering evening daylight has made me discard the normal bedtimes with abandon, and the girls can be found running around the neighborhood backyards well past what any sane parent would consider a 'reasonable hour.'

It is glorious, I tell you. I may not have been pining for summer this year, but having it back has made me realize that I should have been, all along! Here's to June, July, and August!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

Reasons why I am in a splendid mood right now:

I just got out of an all day (2 days, actually) training, and will be heading home in an hour.

It is Friday. And this is a three day weekend.

It is a glorious, gorgeous, perfect late spring day out - and promises more of the same throughout the long weekend.

We've got good things planned for the weekend - a trip to Six Flags, a local Strawberry Festival, the beach, and 2 cookouts.

How could I be anything but happy?!?!?

This independence thing needs a little work.

This morning, moments before we were to leave the house, I sent Eden to her room to retrieve her shoes and put them on. She is all about doing everything "by MYSELF!" these days, and usually pitches a fit if you try to help her. So, putting on her shoes is one of the safe activities that I am more than happy to let her tackle herself, even if it means it takes a lot longer.

Well, she's in her room for several minutes, when finally she calls out "Can you help me?" I walked into her room, fully expecting to see her working on the straps to her shoes. Nope. She was standing there, naked from the waist down, several baby wipes in her hand, and a poopy diaper strewn across the room. "I have poop all over my butt. Can you help me, please?" she asked, while I stood there, horrified and practically retching. 15 minutes later, she and the room were cleaned up, Evan was on his way to rent a steam cleaner, and we were finally on our way to daycare. Not the best start to the day.

I'm all for encouraging her independence (really, what choice do I have?), but I'm thinking it is either time to think about potty training, or time to start putting her back in onesies (to keep the diaper inaccessible).

no new posts lately

I've been slack on the updating front. No good reason, I guess, just busy.

Anyway, lots of stuff going on here. Bulleted version:

• Had a great weekend and mother's day celebration(s). In years passed, I've been disappointed in the actual day, in spite of Evan making a concerted effort to 'do something you would like to do'. This year, I actually took him up on that offer and did what I REALLY wanted to do...spend some time alone! I know that seems the antithesis of what the day is supposed to be about, but it worked for me. For the record, the actual day (Sunday) was spent with the family. It was the day before that I got lots of much-needed and very rejuvenating 'me' time, as well as some time just with Evan. Heavenly!
• Our veggie garden is finally in! I can't wait to reap the fruits of our--make that Evan's--labor later this summer.
• Speaking of the backyard, it really looks fabulous. I have to get out there tonight and get some pictures to post. the whole project took a long time (a year, actually!), but just in the last two weeks has it all seemed to just come together and be buttoned up nicely. The deck is wonderful, the house is most of the way painted, the yard is somewhat luxurious, and the gardens will (hopefully) be productive. Years ago, I helped our friend Jeff paint his living room. At the time, he was living in a rental with a bunch of guys, and the place had that 'college students/renters live here' look to it. So, in a weekend, we fixed up just one room and the transformation was phenomenal. I remember Jeff saying "wow! it looks like normal people live here!" That sentiment is exactly how I feel when I view our yard now. It no longer looks like a house/yard in need of help, or a project in progress. It just looks like a yard, and a nice one at that. Finally!
• After years of suffering through sinus troubles, I finally did something about it and went to see an ENT. It has been 10 days, and I'm on to the 2nd antibiotic, still with little improvement. But, I'm hopeful. He took a culture and identified the bacteria that is growing in there (hence the abx change mid-stream), so I am optimistic that I am finally going to be able to beat this thing. And, though I am still sniffly and congested and enjoying that lovely residual cough, the worst of the sinus pain is gone, and those lovely dark bruised circles that have graced my undereye area for years now are mostly gone. So, as I said, I'm hopeful...
• Speaking of sinus meds, the ones I am on render me sleepless. I wonder how many nights I can go with little to no sleep before I just crash? It feels oddly different than those sleepless nights in early parenting...I guess it is the 'speed' in the decongestants, but I'm oddly peppy and alert, with lots of energy. Strange all around.
• I've been good about hitting the gym lately, in spite of the crappy sinuses. I looked at a calendar and realized time is running out to get in bathing suit shape, so that got my butt moving. In addition to cardio, I've added some weight training to my routine. It's nice to feel sore after a workout! Hope it is doing something.

Anyway, that's all the news that is fit to print from this end...

File these under Recent Cuteness

A few days ago, I had mentioned to Sadie that she might have a future as a personal stylist, as she really has an eye for fashion. Last night she asked me which eye was her 'fashion eye'.

We have a real Ethel Merman on our hands, I think. Eden just loves to sing, and has a knack for picking up songs quickly (I would say she has a musical ear, but she might wonder which one...). Recent performances have included a very loud rendition of the first two verses as well as the chorus of "The Rainbow Connection." I'm sorry, I don't believe there is anything cuter than hearing "Rainbows are bishons! an only iddushions! Rainbows have nuthin to hiiiiide..." from a toddler's mouth.

Uber Planning? check!

I just got off the phone with Disney reservations. Today is my 180 day window to make what are known in Disney-speak at ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations). Yes, that is correct - I made dining reservations six months in advance. I may be a freak, but apparently, I'm not the only one, as my motivation for calling this early was at the urging of other Disney-goers...

So, here's what I booked:

Dinner our first night at Ohana. This reservation was selected not so much for the food as much as for the fact that it is supposed to be a fun venue for kids, plus the beach outside the hotel (Polynesian) is a prime location for watching the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. Seems like a perfect, somewhat low-key start to our odyssey.

I also booked Sadie for a princess makeover. Yeah, yeah, I know...puke! But, she'll love it and I know that her 'all things princess' days are probably starting to wane, so why not indulge?!?

Immediately following that, we'll head over for dinner with Cinderella. Again, maybe not MY first choice of things to do, but it's all about the kids, right?

So, those are taken care of. The only other thing(s) I need to do are buy tickets to the Halloween event (Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party) and book a rental car.

Evan thinks I am insane for all this advance planning, but what does he know? ;)

Beauties in Bloom

This Makes Me Happy

We got new neighbors (diagonally behind us) a couple of months ago, and back in February, she (single mom, Carolyn) held an open house/come meet cocktail party. It was a lot of fun, and I learned that Carolyn has a six year old daughter (Abby), also in kindergarten. So, we exchanged numbers and said we had to get them together. But, given that we are both working moms, it just hadn't happened. Well, I guess Sadie and Abby took matters into their own hands, and spying each other across the backyards, they got together.

So, they now have gotten together several times after school to play. Not formal 'playdates', just that easy, running back and forth between our house and theirs, kind of playing. I love it. This is exactly the kind of friendship that I have been wanting Sadie to find. I have tried to foster it with Amelia, but honestly, until either of them are allowed to cross the street and walk four houses down the road, it isn't happening. There are a lot of kids around the right age in the neighborhood, so I know in the future, her options will expand, but for now, I'm just so happy that a little girl moved in behind us.

I pulled the trigger.

I did something this morning that I have been deliberating about for over a year. I finally accessed money from our home equity line of credit and paid off all the balances on our revolving credit accounts, and then subsequently closed all of those accounts. As I said, this is something I've been thinking about doing, but have hesitated because every fiber of my being told me that it is a terrible idea to secure unsecured debt with our home. Reading about all of the foreclosures happening only reinforced that sentiment.

That said, why did I finally do it? Well, I simply decided that it was stupid to be paying 19% interest (in some cases) on debt when we could be paying 5.5%. We don't use credit cards, haven't in nearly two years, yet we're still paying them off at those high rates. I also thought long and hard about where we stand as far as equity, as so much of what I am reading about the current foreclosure crisis can be attributed to people treating their homes as if they were ATM machines. Even given the current climate of reduced home values, we are fortunate to have substantial equity in our home (thanks to selling our MA home in a seller's market) - so, while using the HEL funds does deplete some of that equity, I am comfortable with where that leaves us. The fact is, this is debt that we already have accrued, NOT a decision to take on MORE debt to finance something frivolous.

The current plan is to throw all of the money we were paying out to the various cc companies at the HEL and have it paid off in three years, while continuing to operate on a 'cash and carry' basis. Provided nothing too catastrophic occurs (a big if, of course), I feel like we'll be on track to be where we want to be within the next few years, especially as certain financial obligations (daycare and student loans) are eliminated from our ledger. I have to say, for as much as I went back and forth on this and worried about it, it felt awfully good to send off those checks and 'please close...' letters. It feels good to do something concrete and to feel like we have a plan.

Hope I didn't just make a huge mistake!!!!

Pix of Hair, Redux

So, I really hated that picture I posted yesterday of my new 'do. So, here's another round - I think I've got the hang of styling it down now.


front - ignore the very dark circles under my eyes...



Back - kicky, isn't it?!?!

Random Stuff.

As the pictures below show, we had a really nice weekend. Friday night, I joined the LADEEZ from my neighborhood at a chance auction and dinner to benefit the elementary school. Guess what I won? Tickets to Disney!!!! How awesome is that? This really helps defray a big part of the expense of the trip. We will still need to buy a 1 day ticket for Sadie, but we are talking 1/5 the cost I expected to pay for all of our tickets. In addition, I won a five piece set of luggage. I can't say that we desperately needed it, but we will definitely use it instead of kind of throwing together the random single pieces we already have. So anyway, that was one highlight of the weekend.

Another highlight was buying chairs for the dining room. I'm so happy with how it came out, and we got a great deal on the chairs. Seriously, I'm such a dork that I actually spent about an hour last night, just sitting and admiring it. It really transforms the look of the house as you enter it. Though Sadie will surely miss her dance floor, it definitely is an improvement. In a word (or three!), it looks...complete. done. furnished. Can't wait to have people over now.

We also got a ton of yard work (mowing and weeding) done, in between the raindrops on Saturday. We remulched the front beds and got everything ready for planting. Hopefully, we'll find some time next weekend to do that.

Yesterday we took a trip to the Liberty Science Center. What an awesome museum. Loads of great exhibits, and very interactive. I think the most amazing thing about it was that each and every exhibit had something that was interesting to Evan and me, as well as the girls. Not an easy thing to design.

So, all in all, a full weekend. I got almost nothing done as far as housework, but I suppose the world won't end if I fall behind on the laundary or vacuuming.

it won't, right?

The last few days, in pictures

First up, 'the haircut'. I don't love it, but I don't hate it, either. I will say that this isn't such a great photo of it, but I just had my coworker snap one quickly.




Next up, the dining room! I definitely LOVE this, and cannot wait to entertain.

Followed by some pictures from our excursion to the Liberty Science Center yesterday (a great trip, btw!).

Love me some of this...

I'm picking Sadie up at lunchtime on OUR bike for a ride in style to kindergarten. She's so excited!

In other news of today, I'm getting my hair cut and colored today, and am leaning toward a drastic change. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

I'm excited!

I've been waiting, oh so impatiently, for one of my favorite authors - Jhumpa Lahiri to come out with a new one. It has arrived. I'm off to Borders after work to snag myself a copy. Honestly, is there any better feeling in the world than cracking open that first page of what you know if going to be an awesome read?

There's always a silver lining

I am sitting here reflecting on the really great weekend that is drawing to a close. It was full of the things that I enjoy the most - beautiful weather, activity, down time, and family. In spite of an iffy weather forecast, Saturday turned out to be a gem of a day. We got to try out our kick ass new trail a bike, and it is a huge hit. We did a nine mile ride, and Sadie pedaled almost the entire way. I couldn't see her but Evan said she had an enormous grin on her face the entire time. We also hit a great playground down in Spring Lake and enjoyed lunch out at Sadie's new favorite, Schneider's. During our bike ride, we took a brief break and stopped in to visit my aunt and uncle. I hadn't seen them since February (my bad), so it was good to catch up. Saturday night, we had my parents over for dinner.

Today was, true to forecast, cold and crappy out. But, it was the perfect day to catch up on laundry, vacuum, organize the toy shelves in the den, go grocery shopping and bake brownies. All things that needed to be done (well, I guess we didn't really need the brownies...), and so it is good to know that the week is going to start on an organized foot. We went over to Jen and Jason's for dinner, and the girls were all adorable together. At the end of the evening, Eden and Sophia went to hug and kiss goodbye, and the sight of each of them puckering up and leaning in was hilarious. I'm really looking forward to the two of them spending lots of time together this summer, as they are pretty darn cute together.

Anyway, as I sit here thinking about what a nice weekend we had, I'm remembering that this weekend was the original date we had planned on for our 'couples only' trip to the tropics. And, while the thought of lying on a beach somewhere and enjoying quiet time with Evan is pretty appealing, I'm not sure that it would give me the same warm, fuzzy, and satisfied feeling that my decidedly NOT couples only weekend does. If I were there, now, I wouldn't have had this wonderful weekend here.