There goes our meal ticket...

Fuck....


Today D had her basketball game.

Now Dags is usually like, "really tall"....She has always been "really tall" which when you are two, means you are like 36 inches and OMG, you are "really tall" Now seeing as how she comes from "really tall" parents we aren't "really impressed" that she's *almost* 58 inches tall because whatever, I can still ( usually) kick her butt in b-ball.


So having a "really tall" daughter, you tend to steer her towards " tall girl" sports, like basketball, volleyball, things she could naturally excel at. You also tend to try to avoid things like being a horse jockey or a rhythmic gymnast because A. She will be too tall and B. Those sports are for those who are unable to catch, kick, or dribble a ball ( ie. My son).

So the average 50% 9 year old girl is 53 inches ...Now to me, those extra 5 inches my daughter has *almost* earned and maintained over her peers might as well be 2 feet. She seems THAT much taller and those oh so precious inches count in basketball. This year an opportunity presented itself for her to play on a 4th grade team, instead of playing with a bunch of 3rd grade girls that she was like 6 feet taller than anyways. I jumped at the chance thinking "GAWD, HOPEFULLY she'll be able to at least see eye to eye with like ONE other girl on her team and like NOT be so completely bored she could die..."

Yeah, so apparently there are some BIG changes between 3rd and 4th....just to name a few....

There are...

-real referees

-real penalties for
A. Fouls
B. Traveling
C. Double dribbling

-really crazy parents screaming things like "get your arms up!!" " Guard Your Man!" and " What are you BLIND Ref?"

-really, really tall girls. Like no I am serious. Dagny was taller than many of the girls. But she was very average on the court as far as size went. it waS creepy and a little unnerving to me the mom of the "tall girl" to be so completely out of my league.

Now I realize if you have a "tall girl" you sign her up for "tall girl" sports. And I thought I had a "tall girl" but OMG today when she was matched up with number 5 who was about 6-7 inches taller than her....well OMG I could just see the fear in her eyes....The same fear I felt...."Omg, who the hell is THAT? Doesn't she know who I am? I am Dagny, the tall girl, the queen of the court, the pool, the rink and the field...who the hell is this bitch towering 7 inches above ME? I think I need my mommy." She is so used to being the biggest bad ass, and today she met whole new team of peers that were bigger, faster, stronger and more than ready to put her tiny little white butt in it's place. And wow, were they ever schooled.

So yeah....Today was a rude awakening for Miss D and her short ass high horse....and maybe her mommy too.

Cute Quiz

You are Betty Grable

The ulitmate girl next door You're the perfect girl for most guys Pretty yet approachable. Beautiful yet real.

What Famous Pinup Are You?

I know you THINK you have the best son on earth, but you are WRONG

Last week Jack brought home a book from library. Nothing exciting about that. He has library twice a week. For a year and a half, he has gone to the library, and for a year and half 2x a week, he has brought home books on spiders, iguanas, turtles, tarantulas, cobras, pythons, sharks, lizards, turtles, scorpions, black widows, or dinosaurs.

So this week Dags is sitting at the counter and picks up a book and and says " What the heck is THIS?". I say " Must be Jack's library book." She starts giggling and makes some smart ass older-cooler-more popular remark like " What a dork...Have you SEEN this book?" I say no and she shows it to me....

Jack checked out The Kitchen and let me tell you, it is a REAL page turner....

I looked at it and thought "huh, what the hell did he pick this book out for?" Library is a VERY serious period for 1st grade boys....They all race over to the ANIMALS section to see who can grab the best book on the most FEROCIOUS!, MAN EATING!, LETHAL! Arachnid, reptile, or mammal.....The one who gets the most dangerous is usually crowned the coolest for that day. If you get something like sheep or horses....You are kinda gay. I keep asking him, why he doesn't pick a book on science, or math or something he's actually interested in.....He guffaws me and gives me a "omg momyouaresolame youhavenoideawhatyouaretalkingabout IwillnevergotothepromgetintoHarvardorfindasuitabblewifeifIdidTHAT GAWDhowcouldIhavebeenspawnedfromsomeonesoclueless" look. So the fact that he brought home a book that who's description reads In the old days, the kitchen was the center of family activity. Take a close-up look at the early fireplace, kitchen tools and utensils, and chores. was very very alarming to say the LEAST. I quickly programmed the school counselor's number into my cell phone, because I KNEW we were going to need it.


So later on that evening I decided to bring up this "very alarming" event that had taken place in our home with my husband. I say "Wonderful Husband, did you see the book Jack brought home from school?" Knowing full well he would be EQUALLY alarmed, being a boy and all and knowing all about boy rules....He said " I know. But get this........He showed me the book and said 'Dad, I picked this book out from the library for you, because it has some recipes ( cooking over the fire, homemade bread, making butter, a family dinner just to name a few) and I know how much you like cooking, so I thought you might be interested in it"

I was like

"WHAT


DID



YOU



JUST




SAY???"



And he nodded and said " I know, I know" He was just a verklempt and speechless as I was ( and I may have noticed a little tear). His son, his little man stepped outside the potentially psychological life scarring boyhood box, walked over to the HISTORY section picked out a book on COOKING that he thought his DADDY might like, walked up to that librarian with his head held high and checked that damn book out....For his father. How much sweeter could that be?


All I have to say is, Brian....You sure as hell butter churn some butter this weekend. And let your son help.

Serious Sirius

I just activated the satelite radio in my MadCapMiniVan.

Holy Mother of Music

Where the HELL have I been?

OMG, it is unbelievable.

off to go drive around the block 300 more times....

Our weekend was wonderful and very relaxing. We saw a lunch and caught an early movie and then headed to the hotel. After "resting" for a bit, we decided to haunt some of our old haunts....We hit dragonfish and sat at the sushi bar, The Brasseie for jazz and lobster tales The Benson, to sit by the fire and listen to more music and then headed off to Mary's because it is always the perfect way to end an evening. We decide to stay two nights and let the kids come down and join us.

The room was a suite so we had plenty of room. After they arrived we took a big power walk up to Powells where the selected some maze books, then we had lunch and went back to the room. We all went for a pool and a hottub and then retired for an afternoon siesta. The kids' watched The Corpse Bride while their Hungover tired parents slept for a bit. We swam more and then headed to the Managers Reception....aka free drinks for the adults in a room that is adjacent to a game room. We relaxed and watched The SEAHAWKS! game and nibbled on Brie and crackers. After a bit we headed up to dinner ( because really, at that point what we needed was More Food) and half way through his clams, Jack decided to crawl under the table and fall asleep. It was a wonderful weekend.

3 more days of work, and now that I am down to that, I have very itchy feet. Today I left at 4:15 because I thought if I didn't, my head would implode. Getting off when it is daylight and sunny completely reinforced to me that I am making the right decision. I was able to make dinner, do laundry, eat dinner and get to girl scouts in a calm and orderly manner. No more eating a chicken wing over the sink and harping on Dagny to Get Ready! Eat ! Do your homework ! Today she spent a great deal of time at horseback riding cantering. Which is HUGE !! She has cantered a lap or two, but apparently today was a huge turning point. Cantering all over the damn place.

Tomorrow my babe turns 37...Make sure you wish him a Happy Birthday !!

My children,

Currently you two are madly in love with one another. You have been for quite some time now and it is so endearing to watch...Sometimes I even think " maybe Jack WILL make to adolescence !!"

Tonight is your "sleepover" which you two have been planning all week. You have the entire Peanuts collection on DVD and are watching it snuggled up together in you room, on your computer, while eating pizza. It is snuggly and warm and as much as I love you two, I haven't seen hide nor hair of either of you in 2 hours and that has been gooooooooooooood.

Tomorrow we are leaving you two for a 24 hour respite in which your father and I will consume far too many calories and cocktails and lie around in our hotel room big fluffy bathrobes like great big sloths, in between swimming and ordering room service. Your daddy is turning 37 this month and what he wants for his bday is good wine, a good night's sleep, a new chef's knife, and a good hummer. He is a simple man with simple needs....that's why momma married him.

We will see you Sunday for family night...

xoxo

silly mommy

I have mixed emotions about leaving my job. I know I can' stay. It is nearly impossible for me to have that job and effectively parent. I have only been there 6 weeks, but in those weeks, I have really bonded with those kids. Those kids tested me out and tried to power struggle me and trick me into things that weren't allowed ( I learned my lesson quickly) and now they trust me, confide in me, cry to me, pour out their problems to me ( and some of them have many, very real problems) and next week, we have to tell them I am leaving them. Some of them have had many people in their lives leave them, including their own parents. And here I am, yet another trusted adult leaving them again.

The one thing I consider a plus is, I will still be there, many days a week. I will see them in the hall and I hope to come in before my kids get out and stop in and visit my Kindergarteners. When the weather gets nicer, we stay at school and play, and all the aftercare kids come out as well. I can sit with them and listen to them and hear their stories, ask about their spelling tests ( I grade many of them). I keep thinking "if only I could leave at 4:30" or "if I only worked 4 days a week". I keep trying to figure out ways to make it work. But what I hope to do is still be with the kids and go in a couple of times a week....I just won't be getting paid.

FLOAM !!

We recieved our Floam package this weekend.

Floam Rocks.

The Curse Of The Pink Panther

My kids are watching it right now and they think its about the funniest damn thing ever. Movies from the 80's are great.

My beautiful USB

I haven't had a USB for the new camera and I KNOW you've all missed us greatly. So here are some photos of the McSillys.

Photo taken by Dagny, along with her opinion of my pose 

My Tween 

Jack really struggling to stay awake on New Year's Eve 

8 more days

I have 8 more days of work.

4 next week and 4 the week after.

Tonight S and I sat and talked while the kids watched Bill Nye ( they are allowed a movie once a month) I asked when my replacement would come in and what sort of transition we could do. Seems like there won't be one.....I will be gone, and then teacher so and so will show up. Not even a phasing out. If they asked me to stay until they found a suitable replacement, I probably would. But they won't. I feel so sad about abandoning leaving these kids, especially the ones that need me. But this is just not working for mi familia.

Today we got the game schedules for both kids' basketball seasons. I am so looking forward to worrying about stuff like carpools and snacks again.




Next weekend we are celebrating the birth of my husband. Grandma is coming over and he and I will spend the afternoon out, downtown having lunch and seeing a movie. Then we will take a nap at a downtown hotel We will go out and wine and dine and perhaps hook up with friends. He may want to just snuggle. It is up to him. We will wake up and eat and tremendously fattening buffet breakfast, hot tub one last time, and then roll ourselves home. My man is going to be 37....he was a mere 24 when we had our first kiss. Now look at Mr. Sillypants.






B just got home from work. Jack and I were in bed. B says " hey Jack, three day weekend, huh?"

J says " yeah"

B: "you know why?"

J: " yeah, Martin Luther King's Birthday"

B:" You know who he was, right?"

J: " Yeah, before him, if you were black, you and mom couldn't get married"


Two weeks spent on MLK and THAT is what he has taken away from it.

So much to say

It seems like everything is completely out of whack and I can't seem to to reel it all in. We had this relatively "normal" life and then I went and got a job and that just turned everything upside down and inside out. So after two months, I have decide to quit. I told them today and OMG, please let things get back to "normal" around here.

Updates....

Jack went to the one and only pediatric dermatologist in the state of Oregon on Monday and he does in fact have vitiligo . I was completely stunned and really freaked out. Luckily he's naturally white because in darker complexioned people, this disease is debilitating. However, the white patches are spreading and we have no idea how bad it could get. It's been almost a week since his diagnosis and I am a lot calmer about it now. Five days ago I was when I was bawling and crying to my husband that Jack was "never going to get married and we'd have some 42 year old albino living in our basement".

Dagny continues to struggle with school and learning. We discussed Dagny's distractive-ness with her ped at our last check up and after spending an hour with her she agreed that we might be onto something. We have been referred to a specialist and will have her evaluated sometime soon. We met with the principal earlier this week who also gave me that girls tend to be very cyclical with their behavior. In general you have on years and off years....9 and 11 tend to be off years for girls, a lot of social pressure in addition to those being testing years. They are getting so much info shoved down their tiny little necks, it is amazing that they can operate at all. She has been in my room for over an hour crying about how she "feels like she's an orphan, talking to abrick wall, no one loves her" Hormones are beautiful.

More later

A Very Green Sunflower tagged me. If you have seen over 70, you have no life. Copy and paste and number the ones you have seen !!. Plus I need to tag, Charlotte, Miranda, and Carrie......


(1) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(2) Grease
(3) Pirates of the Caribbean
() Boondock Saints
() The Mexican
(4) Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
() Neverending Story
() Blazing Saddles
(5) Airplane

Section 1: 6

() The Princess Bride
( ) Young Frankenstein
(6) AnchorMan: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
(7) Napoleon Dynamit
( ) Saw
( ) White Noise
(8 ) White Oleander
(9) Anger Management
(10) 50 First Dates
( ) Jason X

Section 2: 5

(11) Scream
() Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
() Scary Movie
()Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
(12) American Pie
()American Pie 2
( )American Wedding
(13) Harry Potter

Section 3: 4

(14) Harry Potter 2
(15) Harry Potter 3
( )Harry Potter 4
()Resident Evil I
( )Resident Evil 2
(16) The Wedding Singer
( )Little Black Book
() the village
() Donnie Darko
(17 ) Lilo & Stitch

Section 4: 4

(18) Finding Nemo
(19 ) Finding Neverland
( ) 13 Ghosts
() Signs
(20) The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() White Chicks
(21) Butterfly Effect
() Thirteen Going on 30
(22) I, Robot

Section 5: 4

( 23) Dodgeball:
( ) Universal Soldier
(24) A Series Of Unfortunate Events ( best movie EVER)
(25) Along Came Polly
() Deep Impact
(26) KingPin
(27) Never Been Kissed
(28) Meet The Parents
(29) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights

Section 6: 5

(30)A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) the Lizzie McGuire Movie
( )Passport to Paris
(31) Dumb & Dumber
() Dumb & Dumberer
() Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
(32) Halloween
(33) The Ring

Section 7: 7

()The Ring 2
() Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
( ) Practical magic
() Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
() From Hell
( ) Hellboy
() Secret Window
(34) I Am Sam
(35) The Whole Nine Yards

Section 8: 2

() The Day After Tomorrow
() Child's Play
() Bride of Chucky
() Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
() Gothika
(36) Nightmare on Elm Street
(37) Sixteen Candles
( ) Coach Carter
() Bad Boys

Section 9: 7

( )Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
(38) se7en
() Oceans eleven
( ) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Identity
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
() Predator I
() Predator II

Section 10: 1

(39) Independence Day
(40) Cujo
(41 ) A Bronx Tale
( )Darkness Falls
(42) Christine
(43) ET
(44)Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss' daughter.
(45 ) Maid in Manhattan
( ) Frailty

Section 11: 4

( ) Best Bet
(46 ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
() She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(47) Sideways
() Mars Attacks
() Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(48) Forrest Gump
() Big Trouble in Little China

Section 12: 6

() X-Men
() X-2
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(49) Catch Me If You Can
() The Others
(50) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(51) Cruel Intentions
()The Hot Chick

Section 13: 7

( ) Swimfan
(52) Miracle
(53) Old School
(54) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
() Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
() Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
() Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
()Walk to Remember
( ) Boogeyman

Section 14: 5

(55 ) Hitch
(56) The Fifth Element
() Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace
()Star Wars Episode II Attack of The Clones
() Star Wars Episode III Revenge of The Sith
() Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope
(57) Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
(58) Star Wars Episode VI Return of The Jedi
() Troop Beverly Hills
( ) Swimming with Sharks

Section 15: 8

(58 ) Air Force One
( ) For Richer or Poorer
( 60) Trainspotting
( ) People Under the Stairs
(61) Blue Velvet
(62) Sound of Music
() Parent Trap 1
() Parent Trap 2
( ) The Burbs
() The Terminator

Section 16: 4

( ) Empire Records
() SLC Punk
(63) Meet Joe Black
(64 ) Nightmare Before Christmas
(65) The Silence of the Lambs
( ) Sleepy Hollow
() I Heart Huckabees
( ) 24 Hour Party People
( ) Blood In Blood Out
(66) The Virgin Suicides
( ) Battle Royale



66 !!

The 12 year old in me...

Today I did this awful, terrible thing that makes me so worried about the sanity of my children being spawned form such childish, juvenile parents.


I was driving down this very busy road. Two lanes of traffic heading my way. I am sure you've heard about all the Rain the West Coast has been getting and how we are all about to slide right into the Pacific Ocean. So the streets are flooded and all. I am driving with Just Jack in back. I am in the lane closest to the curb. I am headed down a hill where there is this HUGE lake of water built up at the bottom. As I approach, I notice there are two pedestrians walking down the street. I think " oh, I should switch lanes so is don't completely drown them"



But then, for some God knows what reason, I think..."hee hee hee.....oh man, this is too good to be true" It was all just so perfect, the timing, the enormous puddle, the speed I was going, the proximity of the couple TO the puddle.....I thought " Silly, when was the last time you have played an awesome practical joke on some complete and total random stranger ?" I remember cruising downtown with Dingus and his Wife 20 freaking years ago...And his favorite joke would be to shout out to people" Hey, Hey ...You dropped something" and the hysteria we would plunge into watching people search around behind them looking for their dropped item. Good times...



OK, so here I am and the little Imp in me says go for it. I do not switch lanes and instead, I take that damn puddle head on full force and completely spray the shit out of the two teenagers walking down the street. I look in my rear view and am ASTOUNDED at the fabulous response. They are STUNNED...Standing there like "OMG are you KIDDING me? " And I am just up front, patting myself on the back thinking " Hell ya, the old biddy's still got it"


And then I hear...."Mom, Mom, Mom....Do you know what you just did? Mom...Those people, you splashed them and they got all wet !!"

and I think "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight Oh shit......Right, you're here aren't you?" OK, huh? Think. Okay play dumb or fess up?

and since my son is a comic genius...I go with...

" THAT my dear is called a practical joke and those people are going to tell 45 other people what happened to them and all I did was spray a little water on them, which is like the CLASSIC practical joke, and you know, that opportunity only presents itself once or twice and you just HAVE to seize it because GAWD it's funny."

and then we both started laughing. And it was just so BONDING and all...


I love my boy

Weird things about 3rd grade girls

My dd is very into cutting out pictures from magazines of either A. cute boys or B. cool girls ( Jessica Simpson seems to be her favorite, which hello? I am so thankful it's not skanky Spears) and making those collage thing-ys on her wall. What frightens me is, I remember doing the same thing. But was I nine? Absolutely. I think I was younger than nine as my first obsession was Barry Manilow, and I was like 6. And a paying member of his fan club thank you very much. Watching my daughter turn her room into some tweenager shrine is not only side splittingly funny, but absolutely delightful watching her *blossom* .





Nine year old girl speak is scarey. My dd and one of her BFF were having this discussion about a girl in their class who is starting to develop da' boobies. It went something like this

Girl #1 " She is TOTALLY about to get her period"

Girl #2 " I know TOTALLY. Have you seen her boobs?? I bet she is TOTALLY about to get her period"

Me: "Ahem, LADIES....JUST because someone is getting shooblies, which btw, you two will be getting PRETTY soon, does NOT mean she's getting her period. Now zip it !!"

Which of course resulted in much whispering in the back seat.





The word "sweet".

Only not like

" Hey, we are going ice skating"

( response) " Sweet !"

It is more like this

" Hey, we are going ice skating"

( response in Jeff Spicoli's voice) " sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet"

F*ing NERVE GRATING

I have the most wonderful children.....EVER

So today was a little crazy. Lots o' running around coupled with the beginning of cookie sales which requires us to hit the streets at 9 AM, banging on people's doors, greeting them in their curlers and bathrobes....Not pretty

Anyhoo, lots of running around, classes, birthday parties, basketball practice. We get home and I am a little edgy. I make dinner, try to get the house picked up, blah blah, blah. I am short with the kids, snapping about stoopid crap. I say "bedtime" ( at like 6:50) We head up and I am getting undressed, taking out my contacts, etc. My kids come in and say "Mom, how about a backrub?" I bark out something like "nogetthehelloutofherenomorechildrenplease" My oldest insists...."Mom, seriously, I think it will make you feel better". Now for a 9 year old, my daughter gives a serious mean ass backrub. And her foot and calf rubs? OMG are too die for.

I sip my wine and say " You know? What the hell." They jump up and down with delight at the fact that they are LUCKY enough to massage my old decrepit fat body. I have a sudden blip that in a very short time this is something I will be BEGGING them to do without gagging and I sure as shit better enjoy every minute of it.

So they get all their lotions and get all prepared. They tag team me.....One takes the back and one takes the feet. Then they switch, then they do my arms and hands. I know they are only 7 and 9 but they are some bad ass masseuses and OMG when they double team me it is like a $400 dollar massage. After 40 minutes ( seriously, 40 minutes ) I tell them "Enough, time for bed you wonderful little angels you..."

But they are not finished....They decide to "clean my room". They then take my order for breakfast in bed tomorrow. I have ordered two eggs, hashbrowns, bacon and a mimosa. Jack said to me "You sooooo have to tell your girlfriends about this....They are going to be so jealous !! Oh, I mean not your (airquote) girlfriends ( airquote) but your friends who are girls, because you know what girlfriend means...."

And I stopped him and said "yes, yes, I got it my love. Go to bed, you wonderful little boy, who is going to grow up into the greatest man ever giving his wife fantabulous massages and breakfast in bed." You know, with a mimosa..

Brian and I had a big Talk last night. I am not sure where we ended or if we came to any conclusions but, we aren't sure if the whole "working" thing is worth it. It turns out that I actually did stuff in the hours between 2 and 6 PM. And not only is it hard on him and I , it's disruptive to the kids. All of our schedules are out of whack, and its hard us all walking in the door at six and trying to get a lot of homework done, a decent dinner made, baths and showers taken, children tucked in and then any sort of adult time squeezed in around 10 (if I am awake).

Today both kids have spelling tests and neither one of them are ready. And I feel like it's All My Fault. We used to come home and do homework, take baths, relax, put on jammies. When daddy came home, we'd have dinner, we'd take turns reading for an hour to the kids by the fire. Or we'd dance to music. We'd play games. Now we are yelling at them to "Hurry Up!... Get The Homework Done !...Eat !!...Go To Bed !!"

Part of me thinks "well, this is life, this is reality." How long were the kids going to live in their bubble with their unhurried schedules meandering through life? Sleeping in, getting chauffeured to and from school, eating breakfast in the car and having a ready made healthy afterschool snack awaiting them in the car upon their arrival . Enjoying the calmness of classical music instead of the harshness of the bus, or aftercare.

I am not sure which was is reality.


Anyhoo...

Basketball season starts this week. Tonight will kick off for the first time ever, a few months of the kids and I getting home after daddy on Friday nights. I always have had this weird "date" in my head. I knew that at some point, the kids would have activities that would be scheduled at night and that eventually our day would extend past 6 PM. SO the date has arrived. We probably won't be home until sometime after 8 ( hopefully). Practice is at a school down 26 which is a highway we all try to avoid like the plague because it is Congested. Especially on a Friday night. So we will try to tackle that tonight, and every Friday night for the next 2 months. You know, After I Get Off Work.

Tomorrow D is going to try out a musical theater class with her buddy Ben and then she has a birthday party while Jack has his basketball practice and I have managed a carpool so I don't have to be two places at once, and so hopefully our Saturday will be over around 5:30. How's that for a run on day sentence? And oh yeah, Girl Scout Cookie sales start tomorrow morning as well, So I guess we will be up and out going door to door at 9 AM, because By God this year my Girl Scout is Determined to get the stuffed puppy, which will require her to sell 500 boxes. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy them from anyone else other than MY Girl Scout. Got it? Because she will hurt you. I am serious.

OK enough whining for one day....

We had a most wonderful New Year's here at home. Early in the day, the kids and I went shopping and got all the stuff daddy needed to make a most delicous dinner. We then hit the video store and rented a million movies. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching them all snuggled in, waiting for daddy to get home. When he finally arrived around , we lit a fire danced to really loud music and "partied" the way only 9 and 7 years old can. For dinner daddy prepared filet mignon with Dungeness crab and bernaise sauce, rigatoni in a parm, cream and bacon sauce, and fresh snow peas. It was, as usual, delicous. We played Blokus until midnight where Jack kept laying his head down on the table and falling asleep inbetween his turns. At midnight, we turned on Dick Clark, counted down, and then ran outside to watch fireworks and bang pots and pans. At 12:05, Jack was sound asleep. I can't imagine a better way to ring in the New Year.

OK, that said, not only am I going to make New Year's Resolutions, I am going to make them PUBLIC. Hopefully, this will make me accountable and I will actually have to try and stick to them past Jan 12th.

1. Eat better. No big diet or anything. I will try to eat "less" and make better food choices.

2. Exercise. I was on such a roll last year. I was running 7 miles and I was lifting weights. In December I developed a pulled groin muscle that never seemed to heal and then in February my sinuses flared and also seemed to never heal. Since then, I never went back. I am not trying to run a marathon in 2006, but I do need to start moving again. I am going to try and become more active in 3 ways.
a. start walking and slowly jogging
b. sign up for a class I have found 2x a week
c. try to get to the pool once a week

Hopefully by varying my workouts, I won't get bored and quit. I am going to start a workout journal as well, which I have never done. I am hoping that way I will see changes which will motivate me to continue

3. Budget.My.Money. This is a BIG one for me, probably my scariest and the one I feel I am most likely to fail at. If I do mess up, I can't quit. I have to keep going. This is probably (although I could be wrong) the one and only thing my husband would change about me.

4. Knit more



Wish me luck...