Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Wordless Wednesday

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007

SoCal Update

Buttercup asked, so...

We are indeed in Southern California. We went to Disneyland on our very first full day in SoCal and for any number of reasons, Buttons didn't enjoy the rides at all. First there was the Tikki Room. She wanted to go outside just as the show was starting. Next, she started to cry after Peter Pan's Flight (my fave). I know what you're thinking, but it was not because she wanted to go on it again. Believe it or not, the worst was the Pooh ride. She was inconsolable after that thing. Those Huffalumps (sp?) sure do scare the bejeezus out of my girl. Why must all the rides in Disney have a scary component? She enjoyed Goofy's house the best. There was the simple slide, a sprinkler, a piano, a sofa and a lack of crowds. Kinda like our home. Hubby watched Buttons while I went on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. They've added Captain Jack Sparrow to that ride. Who knew that animatronics could be so sexy?

Next came Palm Springs. Conference for hubby, relaxation time for Buttons and I. We took it easy and swam in the outdoor heated pool of the hotel. Later that same day we took the infamous tram up the huge mountains and saw snow! Swim by day, snow ball fights at dusk. Pretty cool. So if you're keeping score, Pooh ride earns tears, tram ride earns "more that".

Currently Hubby is getting sinus infection and we may have to cut our trip short because work is getting a little hectic back in the east. I'm coming down with something, but I refuse to let it get to me. We've just arrived in San Diego and it feels good to be in our old stomping grounds. (We lived in here for a couple of years.) Buttons is a little out of sorts but taking everything in and testing the boundaries like crazy. She decided today that she loves Jamba Juice and refused to put it down in the car. Why does it always feel like I'm either saying no all the time or I'm the world's biggest pushover? Maybe it's somewhere in the middle then?

Well, the suitcases won't unpack themselves, so I must be going. Maybe I'll even take some time for knitting.

Of note...It's my "blogiversary" today. Thanks to Viv at My Wooly Nest, I remembered it!


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Friday, January 26, 2007

Friday Weigh-In

It's that time again. Oh how I hate the scales. The sheer torture. The shame. The...uh, what's that Ms. Scale? I lost 2 pounds? I love you. Yeah, my relationship with the scale is like my relationship with my best friend at 6, BFF one day, sworn enemies the next.

Right before stepping on Ms. Scale this morning, I "powdered my nose". Buttons came in, sat down on her potty and offered to read her "recipe book" to me (see red "Ta*get" book in picture). She opened the page and started out with "Once upon a time". She's 2 years old, people! Then she holds my hand like I hold hers at night during story time or when she's going to the potty and is having a hard time 'getting things going'. Next, she lets go of my hand and looks at me seriously and tells me "I have to turn the page Mama". It's kind of silly, but when I read to her at night and I have to let go of her hand to turn the page, I feel a bit sad to break contact. Apparently to compensate I often tell her why I'm letting go of her hand. Uh, I think she gets it.

Well, we are off to Southern California tomorrow. Hubby has a conference and will work at one of his company's locations out there for a couple of days. We get to show Buttons the Pacific Ocean! I'll have to blog about the trip when I return. I don't think I'll be weighing-in next Friday though. I'll read my fellow MILF's progress though!

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Wordless Wednesday 2

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Long time, no blog. (Warning: Very Random.)

I missed the Friday weigh-in , it's almost time for Wordless Wednesday and then I'll be away from the computer for a bit. (Tell you about that later.) So, a few random things...

Buttons has a bit of a cold right now and we're watching Mr. Rogers. Love and miss that man.

P., who taught me how to knit is now teaching a bunch of us toe-up socks. When I first learned how to knit, the idea of knitting socks seemed like crazy talk. Well, I'm enjoying it but I haven't joined the sock knitters cult. Yet. The sock in the picture is made of the Opal Prisma I purchased at Knitters Day Out. The coral color reminds me of watermelon and the white part with the black dots reminds me of the dragon fruit we ate at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China.

Button's language skills are so cool. She's adding "s" to pluralize words like "geese" to make "geeses". Adding "ed" to make something past tense even when it doesn't quite work. I understand this is normal and almost all kids do it, but it's just so awesome and amazing to me. She's also making her own compound words like "recipebook". Makes sense, right? It's a book made of recipes, but she came up with that all on her own since I call it a cookbook.

The yarn diet is going well even when friends pass along great web-sites and announce sales to me. (Yes, friend who reads my blog, I mean you. But I'm so glad you do!) I wish I was this good at saying no to that evil temptress, chocolate.

Oh yes, the weigh-in for my diet. Well, my thoughts on the last weigh-in were right. I didn't earn it. I gained back a pound. The nice part? I was worried it was such a fluke, I would gain it all back. So, while gaining any is bad, I did much better than anticipated. Yeah, didja notice I put this way down towards the bottom of this post? Must get rid of shame along with pounds.

Cecily at and I wasted all that birth control had asked her blog readers for any questions a while back. If you have any, feel free to ask away...

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Wordless Wednesday

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Six Pack


Well, it's meme time again. I was tagged by Marsha and will now finally post 6 weird things about me.

1. After unpacking groceries out of a plastic bag, I roll up the bag tightly and twist it onto itself, not unlike a hank of yarn. I do reuse the plastic bags and this reduces storage space needed. My friend Beth told me this one needed to be on the list.

2. Although not a vegetarian, I really don't like meat on my pizza or sub/hoagie sandwich.

3. When I get a new cd, I have to listen to each song for about 30 seconds until I've heard a little of each song before I can listen to the whole thing.

4. I don't mind needles, going to the dentist or the gynecologist. None are things I seek out and "enjoy" but they give me no anxiety. Used to be freaked out a bit by all three. For various reasons, I outgrew it.

5. I am the worst sports player ever. Ever. Really.

6. I play Sims 2 and I get really addicted to making houses and decorating them.

Oh, I could go on, but there's my six pack. By the way... tag, you're it. Just post a comment and let me know so I can come and read your six pack!

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Friday, January 12, 2007

6 Pounds. But...


I don't feel I earned it. Today is the first Future M.I.L.F. weigh-in. I weighed myself last night just to brace myself for the scale. 6 pounds dropped. How, you say? That's the thing. I'm not quite sure. I drank a huge amount of water. I tried to eat sensibly, but failed more times than I'd like to think about. And then there's chocolate, aka "Cocoa Crack". What is it about that stuff?

I was more conscious of what I put in my mouth, but sometimes getting ready to diet (yes, yes, lifestyle change if you prefer) makes me very hungry. I feel deprived and then I feel like a squirrel getting ready for the winter. What is this feeling of deprivation? I think if I could get rid of that squirrely feeling, I'd be much better at this dieting thing. I've been trying to decide the path in which to lose this weight. I've been to meetings where you "watch" your "weight" with others. I like the comaraderie and I think it's a fairly balanced plan but the meetings never seem to be convenient and I haven't been able to stay on it for the long haul. A close family member has lost quite a few pounds on "a weight loss system out of Southern California". There are nutritionists. There is the liquid diet. I will find my way soon to a plan.

So, yes I'm happy about losing 6 pounds, but I can't ride this wave and pretend like doing next to nothing will get results every week. My family, friends and my new bloggy pals are very supportive. My playgroup posse is behind me all the way. I have a daughter that needs to know how to eat right and stay fit. I have many tools. Please, please, please let me use the tools, support and motivation. I can do without the guilt though. That just fuels the desire for more cocoa crack.

P.S. It's "National Delurking Week", so give me a shout out in the comments especially if you haven't before! (Yeah, I know the blogoshpere is starting to be like Hallm*rk, a new holiday everytime you turn around.)

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Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Extraordinarily Long Comment on Friends Blog...

Gina at The Mirthful Menagerie had a post about putting a moratorium on yarn and other extraneous purchases because she is looking to buy a house and found one she loves. (Yeah, Gina!) I wanted to post a comment and it became very long. Then, for some reason I decided to share the post with y'all. It made me laugh. You can laugh with me or at me, but I hope you get a chuckle as well. Also, stop by Gina's place. She's fun.

A little history. Gina, Marsha, and I will frequently post the word verification at the end of our comments on each other's blogs. Hubby is into World of Warcraft. There is a knitting group in our area that Gina attends currently. (Hopefully even after a potential move.) And without further ado...

Oh yarn mistress, we will miss the vicarious yarn purchase, but we understand the need to stop for a while. Congrats on the possible house. Will cross fingers and send good vibes your way. (But will cross one less finger if you say you can't come to the knitting group!)

Um, Hubby wants the link to the Warcraft shirt.


Word verification: wuciyh
Pronunciation: wookieyah

Definition: a Wookie cheer


1st word verification failed
.
2nd Word verification: ajcsuc
Pronunciation: adjecsuck

Definition: Adjective for describing things that suck.

Sample sentence: Word verifications ajcsuc.


(I also have word verification on my blog, so I am in no way dissing you.)

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Saturday, January 06, 2007

Taco Bell Slip and Slide

Warning: Although this post contains a nice message at the end, if your gag reflex is easily triggered, this post isn't for you.

Shortly after Hubby and I married, we moved about 8 hours from our family and had to rely solely on each other for all of our needs. Early on after this move, I was very sick with bronchitis*, but finally feeling hungry and Hubby was kind enough to fetch me dinner from T.B. We ate. He went upstairs to do some homework (for grad school) and I had a coughing fit. It wouldn't stop. My eyes felt like they were popping, my throat hurt and then there was my stomach. That Burrito Supreme and the Mexi-melt I enjoyed just an hour earlier was now deciding to leave my body. I knew I would never make it to the bathroom upstairs, so I fled to the kitchen. (I figured the sink can be cleaned and we had a disposal.) Our place was very small, but I didn't make it to the sink. I made it into the kitchen, lost it on the floor and then... wait for it... slipped and fell in the vomit. At some point Hubby heard either my sobbing, my coughing, or the loud thud and came running. And do you know what that sweet man did for me? He took me upstairs while I finished the job, asked me if I needed anything, told me to go take a shower and rest. Yup, he cleaned up the kitchen too. The wedding was great, the honeymoon sweet, but a man who will clean up something that nasty for you says true love.

*Bronchitis is my sworn enemy after being a part of my life at least once or twice a year since I was like 7. The only good thing it's ever done for me is curb my appetite, as this post has done as well.

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Oops on the first day!




All these posts about Christmas and I forgot to "weigh in" on one of my resolutions. (This one comes every year by the way.) I've joined with Lotta at Mom-O-Matic to be a Future M.I.L.F. What does M.I.L.F. mean? In an empowering sense, it's about losing weight and feelin' sexy. For a more accurate definition look here. (Trust me, don't Go*gle it!) Yes, it's not pretty, but it's humorous and dieting is just not that funny in general. So, yesterday was the first weigh-in and I forgot to do it. After this post, the bathroom scale is calling me.

The rules are to follow the program of your choice, post every Friday on progress including weight lost, and have a witness for that scale time. Apparently, 2 year olds can be a witness, but I'm not waking her at 1:30 in the morning. You'll have to trust me on this one.

I've been on Weight W*atchers before and it's worked for me, but going to the meetings with Buttons was a difficult task. Yeah, yeah, rationalization is a wicked witch in the game of weight loss. So, I don't really have a plan, but I'm diving in now. Hopefully the water is warm. Although, I like my drinking water to be ice cold and the big girls know it's all about drinking the water. Like 300 oz. per day, right? Ok, just seems that way. Wish me luck and feel free to send nice advice.

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Friday, January 05, 2007

Last Christmas Post?




Things about Buttons and Christmas...







~Santa did not come to our house. Buttons commisioned her Uncle G. to go get the gifts from the jolly old elf. She did think we should give Santa some coffee though.

~When the big Santa gift reveal happened she was pretty non-plussed by the new table and easel for her. However, the goldfish crackers in her stocking couldn't be beat. (This is a rare treat in our house.)

~It took 2 days for her to open gifts. Yes, there were too many. However, she just didn't have the fervor that I sort of expected. (Expectations, huh?)

~When we would ask Buttons what she wanted for Christmas, only one thing was ever said: "stroller" (for her dolls). So, after we opened a few presents she looked around, became a bit wistful and made a question out of one word..."stroller?" It was like she was saying "I only asked for one thing and you're giving me all this other stuff."

~She feared Tickle Me Elmo and Red, the Fraggle (Red) my brother gave her. "I no like Fraggles." "I no like Elmo anymore!" Her fave gifts? A shopping cart, a play sushi set, a playdough play set and all the books she received.

~The scary part was I thought during Christmas we had really entered the terrible 2's, but as soon as we were back into our routine this week my angel came back to stay. I'm certain I had a taste of what the teen years will be though. Where did she learn the phrase "leave me alone"? I no like that phrase anymore!

Note to self : Next year... less stuff, more meaning. More hand-mades as well.

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Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Yes, I know it's over but...


I wasn't able to post too much during the holiday season and there are things I want to remember and savor about the holidays. So, pardon me while I bore you with a few post-Christmas posts.

Our friends Rocco and Rita went here with us and we had a wonderful time. We actually went on December 30th and there were still people celebrating the lights and the beauty of the holidays after the holidaze.

For late December, it was pretty balmy and Hubby and I reminisced about the beauty of this place when it snows. However, seeing Buttons get excited about the lights, purse her sweet lips and exclaim "oooh, lights Mama, lights Mama" is better than any snow fall.

We wandered around outside, went inside to look at the decorated theme trees and the huge poinsettias and then grabbed some hot cocoa. We listened to carolers, saw sculptures made of sugar and like anything related to Christmas, we fought the crowds. Oh, there were the dancing waters that Buttons feared too.

One of the really nice parts of this trip was seeing Rocco and Rita. They've been very busy with job stuff and haven't had much of a break. As you may recall, they have been getting ready to adopt and they are currently waiting for an adoption to happen with Vietnam. Even though they are still in for a bit of a wait I can tell they seem relieved. You know, I've been through infertility and all of its ugliness, but I can tell you that I've forgotten (repressed?) a good deal of it. I find myself talking about Buttons ALL THE TIME, even with people who are where I was before kids. So, for everyone out there who is in the pain of infertility and has to listen to everyone else about their kids, I'm sorry. There are many reasons I can give you for talking about our children, but I think sometimes "I'm sorry" is about the best thing you can say. Period. Rocco and Rita still come and see us (thank you) and I tried hard this time to steer the conversation to other things. I mean, there are other things besides kids. Yes, I know there are.


For instance, one could talk about how much rambling I did in this post and came to a completely different ending than intended. Now you know how my brain works. Yup, Hubby often wonders how I get from point A to point B. I like to try for point B, but I usually take a detour to point G and then wind up at point T. Yeah, he's a good guy to put up with my silliness.

This is your brain. This is your brain after holidays. This is Homer Simpson's brain.

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