Fall Thoughts

Still not sure what will become of the blog, but still thinking random thoughts so will post as necessary.

* I've picked my yarn back up after about a 6 month hiatus. Life just got too busy and I had too many good books lined up to read. I made a teddy bear for my new niece and am now working on some Christmas presents for the ladies in my family.

* Alex is loving school. Switching schools was the best decision we've made. I'm so proud of him. He's starting to read.

* Now if I can just get him to pass to the next level of swimming. He can't advance until he can swim independently. I'm bribing him with goggles. I really hope it works.

I'm such a dork...

This is a Christmas ornament. It's a pierogi. I love it. I'm Polish, you see. Well, half Polish. My great grandparents came to the US from Poland. I grew up eating polish sausage, pierogi, cabbage, kluski, paczki, and all kinds of other fabulous Polish food on holidays.

My sweet, crazy Polish grandma passed away nearly two years ago. So I ordered this ornament with her in mind. She would think it's silly... but she would love it. I can't WAIT to hang this on my Christmas tree!

Quote of the month

"Mom, how do frogs poop?"

Asked with complete seriousness during dinner last week.
I nearly choked. So did Craig.

I responded, "Just like we do, right out the back. They're just closer to the ground."

Craig and I could not make eye contact after that. We were giggling pretty hard without looking at each other.

Of course, Alex noticed we thought the question was funny. So then he just started saying, "Poop, poop, poop."

Amazing how those little minds work!

A book club first

My book club: Michelle, Therese, author Karen McQuestion, Lisa, and Me

My book club has been going strong for awhile, I believe I've been a part of it for at least 7 years. We had a first at our meeting a couple of weeks ago. THE AUTHOR JOINED US FOR DINNER... IN PERSON!

The book was "A Scattered Life" by Karen McQuestion. Karen could not possibly have been more lovely. I highly recommend checking out her books. She's also got a pretty darned amazing story. She self published her books on Kindle. They did pretty well, so they were picked up by Amazon's new imprint, Amazon Encore! I really enjoyed "A Scattered Life." It's a relationship driven story about three women who's lives intersect in a Wisconsin town. The Wisconsin part is special to me given that it's my adopted home, now. But the setting of this book very much reminded me of my hometown, Galesburg, IL. (If any of you Galesburg folks read the book, tell me if the bookshop doesn't seem like something you would find on Seminary Street!!!)

Any way... I encourage you to check out Karen's books! We spent a lovely couple of hours at dinner with her!

Next up: "The Wishing Trees" by John Shors. (Oh, and he's going to call in for a discussion with us too!! AWESOME!)

It's a Miracle!

Well, actually a few miracles! First, behold! A decent picture of me with my family! FINALLY!
Second, we actually made it to Iowa to visit my brother and his wife. (This picture was taken at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, which is close to their house.) Finally, I'm updating my blog!
I'm still toying with giving up blogging, but for now, I'll post when I feel like I have something to say.

It's been a productive weekend. We swapped the car seats out of our car. The carrier-style car seat was getting too heavy, as Adam is getting so big. He's nine months old this weekend. I stocked up on groceries yesterday and made my list of what I have in the freezer and what I can make with what's on hand. I post this on the fridge so that when I'm stumped for what to make I can at least know what I actually can make without running to the store. Made Italian Beef for dinner last night, then made chocolate chip cookie bars. Delish! Planning to make chili for dinner tonight... that way I shouldn't have to cook all week.

Big week ahead, too. Busy week at work (which seems to be the norm lately), though I have a half day on Monday to take Adam to the doctor. Then Alex starts swimming lessons back up. I have book club this week. So lots going on.

That's the update from here! What's new in your world?

I Love Charleston!

Please enjoy some teeny, tiny pictures of Charleston while I attempt to figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong.

I'm back... sort of.

I've been in a big of a blogging funk lately. I'm going to be honest, I very nearly pulled the plug on blogging all together. It's crazy busy around here at night. I can't blog during the day. I've tried scheduling posts. Excuses, excuses.

Then I felt like I'd run out of things to say. Still not sure if I'm beyond that feeling.

Also, getting kind of tired of putting my business out there for everyone to see. And I HEAVILY edit myself. I just don't like feeling exposed.

So while I ponder these things, please bear with me. I'm going to post pictures from our vacation to Charleston next. After that... who knows! Hope you'll stick with me through these growing pains!

Birthday Love!

Today is my birthday and so far it's been an amazing day. I got up before everyone else to get ready for work. Craig is off this week so no daycare for the boys. Adam did not want to get up this morning so we let him sleep for a bit. I got a kiss from Craig when he woke up. A sleepy, nuk-in-the-mouth grin from Adam when Craig got him up, and big birthday hugs and kisses from Alex. Alex also informed me that I'm not very young, but that's okay.

By noon I had heard from my three book club friends. And an email from one of my oldest friends... one I've known since I was five. I had more than eighty posts on my facebook page.

I got a birthday card and birthday brownies at work. YUM! I didn't have to cook dinner tonight, my boys made me a cake, I got lots of hugs and snuggles tonight... and the phone was ringing off the hook.

I'm truly feeling loved! Thanks everyone!

(p.s. THREE DAYS TO CHARLESTON!!! WOO HOO!!)

Seriously random thoughts

- I never in my life imagined I would be in the minority as a mom who works full time outside the home.

This is NOT to start the whole mom's at home vs. mom's at work debate. All mom's work. And being a stay-at-home mom IS a full time job. I fully believe that and support that. I also know that some mom's who stay home ALSO work from home. A dear friend of mine teaches online and scores essays.

I'm just continually amazed at the number of mom's I encounter who are able to stay home with their kids. I wish I could. It's just not financially viable... and believe me, I've done the math! Just met a bunch of mom's from Alex's new school next year. They all stay home. They seemed shocked that I had two kids and worked full time. Not in a judgmental way. In a truly amazed "How do you do it?" way. I have the same amazement. "How do YOU do it?"

- I hate the word ROBUST.

It makes me feel violent. I honestly want to punch someone/something when I hear it used. I have a new manager who says it at least twice a day. I want to buy him a thesaurus.

- Much as I don't want to admit it... I'm turning into one of those "I don't have time to blog" bloggers lately.

I just can't keep up. Writing, reading, or commenting. I'm trying to read, catch up and leave a comment when I can. But if this is the best I can do, so be it. I'm not out for fame and fortune. I'm fully aware that I'm not going to be "discovered" as the fresh new voice in writing so someone can make crappy books out of my blog and even crappier blog-to-big screen movies. It's not gonna happen. The sooner most bloggers accept that the better. Write for yourself.

- Speaking of writing... I got an email from my old University this week talking about their Summer Writer's Workshops. -Sigh- Someday.

- I hate it when you realize that you' think you're better friends with someone than you actually are.
That's been happening to me a lot lately. It hurts. It makes me feel insecure and lonely. It just generally sucks.

- I am NOT doing a good job with running.
I want to run at least one or two 5Ks this year, but my training is seriously lacking. I mean, how can I get into good running condition when I barely average 1 run a week. I'm just so tired all the time. Getting up at oh-dark-hundred to put in three miles just doesn't seem attractive right now. Not to mention all the rain we've been having. I've got the goal of running Race for the Cure at the end of September. I'd like to find another one to run before then.

- Crocheting and reading are also luxuries I haven't had much time for.

- Alex has got to be one of the coolest kids I know.
He's sweet. Sensitive. Caring. Dotes on his baby brother. Isn't half bad at T-Ball. Is passionate about Legos and Star Wars. Is a decent singer. I'm glad we're pals.

- Adam's personality is starting to come out.
He has found his voice and isn't afraid to make a little noise. His expressions and the way he emphasizes his noises with his arms and fists just cracks me up!

- My brain is already on vacation in Charleston, S.C.
Hopefully it will send me a postcard with some good travel tips.

Cool Contest... Even Cooler that my friends group could win!

Vote for my friends' theater group on Facebook! The Top 200 organizations can win $20,000 or more!

I'm trying to help some friends of mine win a grant for their theater company. They are located in Chicago and they do really fun, quirky shows. They did a live-action version of Scooby Doo two years before the movie hit theaters. Karate Kid the Musical, Evil Dead the Musical, and Cubicle - an Office Space Musical are just a few of the shows they have staged over the past 10 years. Chase bank is running a contest on Facebook to give small non-profits a shot at some big time money. The contest wraps up in 4 days. If you could take the time to read their story below, click on the link, and vote for them, it would mean a lot! All it takes is a couple of clicks and you could help them win more than $20,000! They need as many votes as possible to break into the top 200.

Their company is called New Millenium Theatre and it's located in Chicago. Check it out!

Click on this link to vote for them.
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/364230107-new-millennium-theatre-company?src=charity-details-wall-post-self

Happy Birthday Alex!

My big boy celebrated his golden birthday this year... turning 5 on July 5th! I can't believe Alex is 5. I can't believe how much like me he is... from his love of books, Legos, Star Wars and stuffed animals to his flair for the dramatic and tendency toward temper tantrums. I love this kid so much!

This year we went with a baseball cake (kind of hard to top last year's R2-D2 cake, but I tried!) which was really fun to make. I may have to invest in one of these ball-shaped cake pans. I got a lot of great ideas while making the baseball. And I'm sure once I make a couple, decorating will be a lot easier.
This was just one of the many fun, super cool presents he got. It was a very Star Wars / Iron Man / Toy Story Birthday!
This weekend we'll do the friend party... he's taking two friends to see Toy Story 3. FUN!

I think Adam's got the right idea...

Happy Friday! Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

This is what I'm thinking about right now...

Hurricane Alex.

I live with Hurricane Alex, but there's an actual Hurricane named Alex swirling around right now.
Yes, hurricanes are horrible, dangerous storms. No, my Hurricane Alex is not horrible and dangerous.

I wish I still worked in TV news, if only to have one of my graphic designer buddies Photoshop Alex into the eye of the hurricane... and possibly make an animation out of it. At the very least, I would make a poster for his room!

-sigh-

I miss my TV toys.

Anyone out there willing to do me a Photoshop favor????

Oh my goodness, we're actually planning a vacation!

Craig and I are cruising toward our 10th wedding anniversary. Hard to believe. While we're not taking a cruise to some exotic location, getting a hut in the South Pacific, or jetting off to Europe, we did want to do something special to mark this occasion. After much discussion, narrowing down of locations, and debating what we wanted out of this trip... we have settled on a destination!

Charleston, South Carolina here we come!

We're going next month... what I need is suggestions on places to eat and where to stay. We'll probably use Priceline or Hotwire, but I'm open to specific suggestion or suggestions of what part of the area would be good. Also... any thoughts on whether we ought to rent a car? I'm thinking we should.

Very excited!!!!

T-Ball Time!

I've crossed a new bridge in parenting... I'm now a sports parent! Alex started t-ball last week. The kids on his team are 4 and 5 years old. He's the second shortest kid on his team... comes by that honestly as neither Craig nor myself are all that tall. At this age, it's all about learning the skills and rules. No outs. Everyone bats every inning. They only take one base at a time. Games only last an hour. He did have an advantage over the other kids... he's had a tee since last summer and he's gotten pretty good at hitting. I'm proud to say he was the first kid up to bat in his game. He smacked the ball really hard on his first swing, and would have had an in-the-park homerun had the no-run rule not been enforced. Yes, I'm bragging. He had a blast and so did we... even the wee one!

Strawberry Time!

My strawberries have gone nuts again this year, thanks to tons of rain and heat. Unfortunately all that rain has led to much of the crop rotting on the ground before I could pick it. I will probably be able to get one batch of jam out of this year's crop.

My struggle with strawberries is... I'm the only one in the family who really likes them. So I start to get burned out on eating them after a bit. The jam was a big hit last year... I made two batches of freezer jam. We're still eating on it and my mom is always happy to take some.

This year, I was determined to get Alex to try strawberries. Alex, being distinctly my child, is a picky eater. I gave my mother fits growing up, refusing to eat so many things it would take weeks to list it all here. I have outgrown this picky-ness quite well, I think. Alex is coming around. I insisted that he stop saying "I hate that!" about foods he hasn't tried. Instead, he's supposed to say "I've never tried that." It's actually working, and I've gotten him to try a few new foods over the past month or so. I figured we'd give strawberries a shot since I knew we'd have a lot of them.

He wanted to help me pick the strawberries and I told him he could, but he would have to eat a strawberry. He said, "I won't eat a strawberry, but I would try a strawberry smoothie."

Alright! I have an entire smoothie cookbook. And I only make healthy smoothies, so I was THRILLED!

Tonight was the night. He pronounced the smoothie "So delicious!"

Here's the recipe:

2-3 cups whole strawberries
1 banana
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup plain low-fat or fat free yogurt
Ice if desired

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Makes about 3 good sized smoothies.

The Wait is Over

I saw "Sex and the City 2" yesterday! I made up my mind that I was going to see it opening weekend because I completely missed the first one in theaters. I have loved this series since the beginning. The clothes, the fashion, the friends... oh, and the hot guys they dated! I have seen every episode at least twice. In fact, I own seasons 1-5. (I'm so obsessed that I have the first season on VHS, and want to get it on DVD.) I still need to get both parts of season 6 so I can have the whole series. I ended up going with a girl from work. We had a great time. I wanted to dress up, but we were going to the 1130 AM show on Sunday, so that might have been a bit much. I did, however, make sure to wear my most fabulous shoes.I went in to the movie with very low expectations. The first one was good fun. The reviews for this one have been mostly bad. My thoughts?

It was way too long, to begin with. At 2 hours 20 minutes, it was just too much. Story wise, I like the more serious problems the ladies faced (challenges of motherhood, putting sparkle back in your relationship, etc), I thought the trip to Abu Dhabi was just a bit too out there. Fabulous to look at and it was a fun romp, but just out of left field.

Edited to add: How could I forget... my other beef was that all the men except Big were basically accessories. We didn't see nearly enough of Harry, Steve, Stanford, Anthony, and even Smith. I do admit, Aiden was gorgeous as always, but each of those guys was on screen for less than 10 minutes! You mean to tell me Miranda and Charlotte wouldn't have had to discuss the "drop everything and go to Abu Dhabi" trip??

I did enjoy the conversation between Charlotte and Miranda about motherhood. That was very real... I know I could relate. Especially when Charlotte said "It's really hard. And I have help? How do women do it without help." Then they raised their drinks and said "To them." I loved that scene!

I'm glad I went. I hope if they do a third, they find a way to get the movie somewhere between the first and the second content wise. I'm interested to hear from other fans of the show. What did you think? Or are you even going to see it?

Catching up, Again

So Adam is nearly 6 months old. He's been very busy since my last update.




So far he's:
- Sleeping through the night . YES!





- Sort of rolling over back to front. he did it once, but mostly gets to his side and then just lays there.

- Started solid foods. Rice cereal and bananas so far. Hoping to add a veggie this weekend, then keep adding one of each over the next few weeks.

- Laughing hysterically at his big brother. It's so cute. Adam's face just lights up when Alex is around.

Mom the Mediator

Add mediator to my list of responsibilities as a mom.

No, Alex and Adam aren't having fights yet. Alex is still enamored of his little brother and I hope to keep things that way for awhile.

This mediation session was for Alex and....


wait for it...


Lou, the sock monkey.

Apparently Alex and Lou the sock monkey have not been getting along.

For over a week, Lou was face down on the floor in a corner of Alex's room.

I never know the rhyme or reason for the placement of certain stuffed toys in Alex's bedroom.
I figure there is some sort of heirarchy, but I don't plan to try to figure it out.

Last night, I picked Lou up and tried to put him back on Alex's bed.

"No, Mom. He's in trouble."

"Why?"

"He's not very nice to me. He's not my friend anymore."

"What happened."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Do you need me to have a talk with Lou?"

So I sat Mr. Lou Sock Monkey on my lap, and talked to him. Lou felt very bad about being mean to Alex. He even cried a little.

Lou managed to apologize to Alex, and after a few high fives and hugs, Lou was back in his coveted spot. Right next to Alex under the covers, his little sock monkey face peeking out.

Apparently the talk worked. It's been a week now since the chat and Alex reported to me last night that I didn't need to have any more talks with Lou because he was being good.

Success!

Hitting My Stride...

I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride in a number of ways.

Work is going great. Despite an interesting few weeks with a new manager, the work part of it is going really well. I'm excited about the projects I've been assigned to and really looking forward to how we're going to top ourselves as a team, because we had a great year last year.

Adam has slept through the night for the past week. Hopefully not cursing it. Alex has been doing pretty well too. Both boys had trips to the doctor last week. Alex had a sinus infection that was so bad it was causing him headaches and stomachaches. And I took Adam in on Friday with the tell-tale signs of pink eye and the very beginnings of an ear infection. So they are both on antibiotics and well on the mend.

It was a gorgeous day here today, so I laced up my shoes and went for a run. It's the first time I've run outside in over a year. I've been running at the Y when I can, usually while Alex has swimming. I'm hoping to get in some sort of decent condition so I can hit a few 5Ks this summer. I'm not there yet. So we'll see how it goes. It really felt good.

I hope the weather stays nice... it's been awfully cold the last week. But I'm hoping that we've turned the corner to spring. And I hope that both the weather and I can stay on the sunny path for awhile!

Book Club Review - "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

It been awhile since I blogged about a book, but now that my Book Club has met and discussed our last pick, I finally can post about it.

Run, do not walk, to your favorite book store to get "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. Or if you are a library person, go put your name on the waiting list at your local library branch. Yes, I already know there will be waiting list. No I am not psychic. The book is that good and word about it spreading like wildfire.

Set in Mississippi in the sixties, it's the story of a young woman named "Skeeter" and the relationships she has with her parents, her friends, and the hired help who work not only for her family but for most of the families in her hometown. Skeeter has gone away to college and come back with a much broader view of the world than her sheltered friends. Her friends that went away to college only went there to find men or bide time until they were married. When Skeeter returns to her home she is shocked to find that her mother has fired the housekeeper who helped to raise Skeeter.

She is also shocked at the way her friends treat their "help." They have hired these African-American women to raise and care for their children and their families, yet the way the "help" are treated is abominable in most cases. One of Skeeter's friends, Hilly, is on a mission to make is a requirement that all homes that have African-American help build separate bathrooms outside their homes. Skeeter is appalled. She ends up befriending one friends maid, Aibeleen. This friendship will change the course of the lives of both women. Skeeter decides to interview as many of the Black maids as she can about their experiences working for the white women of the town. Their experiences are all unique and vastly different, but certainly the experience was eye-opening for Skeeter. It is eye-opening for the reader as well.

This book is Stockett's first... and I hope she is able to continue crafting such brilliant stories. I could not put this book down. These characters made me feel such a range of emotions... I think that's the mark of a good writer. Even the characters who made me mad... I still wanted to know what happened to them. I actually found myself slowing down toward the end of the book because I did not want it to end.

This was by far one of the best books I've read in the last 10 years. I highly highly recommend it!

Another Easter Recipe

Here's another recipe from my non-traditional Easter dinner. This is a family favorite!

Layered Strawberry Jello Salad

2 (3 oz) pkgs Strawberry Jello
2 small pkgs frozen strawberries
2 medium bananas
1/2 pt. sour cream
powdered sugar to sweeten

(this is prepared in a 9 inch square Tupperware container)
Dissolve 1 box jello in 1 cup hot water. Add 1 pkg of frozen strawberries and stir. Place in refrigerator till set. Slice bananas thin and layer on top of jello. Mix powdered sugar into sour cream until just sweet to taste. Spread sour cream as the next layer. Let chill for an hour. Repeat jello layer as above. Chill till set. Slice and serve!

First Brewers Game - And 4 Months Old

Adam passed the 4 month mark on April 11. To celebrate, we went to our first Brewers game. It was Brewers vs. Cardinals, so really, Alex and Adam couldn't lose. (For the record, I'm a Brewers Fan. Craig and I agree on the Bears and Bulls. Craig likes the Cardinals, so the boys cheer for both Brewers and Cardinals. And I get to have the college team influence... with the Hawkeyes.) So we got Adam suited up in his itty bitty Brewers gear.A kind Brewers fan offered to take a family picture for us outside of Miller Park. If you haven't been to a game here, I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful stadium-- really a great stadium to take kids to.
Adam was cheering on the Brewers! He was very comfy in the Baby Bjorn... but was holding on for dear life to my fingers. He fell asleep in the second inning. One of the bonuses of working for a company that sponsors the Brewers is discounted tickets. We're hoping to take more advantage of that this season. We only went to two games last year... well, I went to two. I think Alex and Craig hit a few more than I did.
Another family picture. I've found these are few and far-between lately. I'm trying harder to get pictures of all of us. Also wanting more pictures with one of us and the boys... not just the boys. We made it through the 8th inning, then had to leave. The Brewers almost blew it, but they managed to hang on and win 8-7. It was a very exciting game. Best of all, the boys had a great time!

Catching Up With... Easter

We had a great Easter weekend. My parents came up for the weekend. I got out of work early and we had some fantastic early spring weather. Alex and Adam posed for a great picture.
We even managed to get a family shot. I hope eventually we'll get a picture of the four of us where I don't look like I'm going to crack from stress!
The weather was even nice enough for us to have our Easter egg hunt outside. Rather nice considering the last two Easter's here in Wisconsin have included snow on the ground. (Note Alex's new shoes. He says they make him run super fast. I may have to look into a pair for myself. Maybe that will help me bump up my running speed.)
He had a blast looking for the eggs. I had a blast deviling the eggs and eating them up. The remnants of Easter are in a giant bowl on top of the fridge. We ended up with WAY too much Easter candy. Darn you, Reese's and your pastel wrapped peanut butter cups, eggs, and pieces. The jelly beans and peeps didn't help much either. It's almost gone now, thank goodness.

Life is getting in the way!

Ridiculously overwhelmed with work right now. But it's great to have so much to do! Job security you know!

I am woefully behind in posting and reading blogs. Adam is now 4 months old and I don't even know what pictures to post. Hopefully will get to that one night this week.

Things I'm looking forward to this week:

Tonight- Running while Alex is at swimming
Thursday - Book club with my book club babes
Any night - Snuggling with Adam
Friday - Pizza and movie night with my boys
Saturday- Hoping to have a friend and her family over for dinner and a break while they prepare to move.

As far as work goes, I'll be glad when Earth day is over. I'm getting tired of pitching Green stories to reporters who are already swamped with information they are not going to use. I've had a few big wins locally, but I can't wait to get back to my regularly scheduled programs!

Here's hoping I find a half hour to get caught up on blogs and posting!

Fellow Bloggie Friend's Giveaway

A fellow blogger, Thauna, is holding a giveaway on her site... it's very cool and I encourage you all to enter and check out her stuff.

Description from her site:
Win an Intro to Essential Oils Kit!!! The oils in this kit are simply YUMMY!!!
The perfect kit for beginners, the Intro to Essential Oils kit includes an introductory audio CD and booklet highlighting the uses of essential oils, and a 5 ml bottle of doTERRA's CPTG® Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint essential oils. The stunning presentation box also includes suggested uses of the included oils providing you with an immediate experience of the life-changing benefits of essential oils.
$26.67 retail


http://www.doterraconnection.com/2010/04/giveaway.html

Broccoli Slaw Salad

This is one of my "go-to" recipes. It's easy. It's tasty. It's a crowd pleaser. It also makes a bunch and tastes just as good the next day.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 packages beef ramen noodles - reserve seasoning packets
1 pkg broccoli slaw
1 15oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds

In a 1 quart resealable bag, mix sugar, oil, and vinegar. Add seasoning packets from ramen noodles. Dump in broccoli slaw, toss well. Break up one package of ramen noodles and add to bag. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Add remaining ingredients and toss well just before serving.

My Non-Traditional Easter Dinner - Which May Just Become Tradition

The weather was great this weekend, so I settled on grilling out for Easter dinner. I cooked up a storm, but it was well worth it. Here's a look at the menu... I'll try to post some of the recipes this week.

Steak
Cheesey Potatoes
Deviled Eggs
Asparagus
Broccoli Slaw Salad
Strawberry Jello Salad

I ate myself silly. And now we have all the sides leftover to eat on during the week.
Thanks for all the suggestions!

The Suggestion Box Is Open - Easter Dinner

Does anyone have suggestions or ideas for Easter dinner that does not involve ham or turkey?

I'm looking for traditional or non-traditional here... ham and turkey just aren't doing it for me this year.

Post a comment or email me! Thanks!

Time for a Change

Doing some spring cleaning in real life and on the blog.
Hope you like my new look/layout! Got it from LeeLou Blogs again!
Check the site out!

Hope to have more posts next week!

Have a great weekend!

I'm Weird About Books

I collect books. Not rare editions. Not classics or specific bindings. Just books.

I joined a site called GoodReads, where you can keep track of what you read.
Through this site, I discovered that I read anywhere from 30-40 books a year... sometimes more.

I have always loved reading. Since I was a kid. I was the kid that always wanted to order
20 books from the book orders in school. And if I saved up my pocket change/allowance/babysitting money, I often did get all the books I wanted from the book order.

My parents never discouraged this obsession. I would spend hours arranging
books on my bookshelves. Sometimes alpha by author. Sometimes by size. Always grouping the books from the same author together. Always keeping books that were part of a series on the same shelf. I dreamed of running a bookstore or a library of my own.

I loved reading so much I majored in it in college.

I'm only slightly kidding here. I majored in English. I have (most of) the books to prove it too. And I've started a half-hearted attempt to read or re-read some of those books. I read so many books for my English major that I don't even remember reading some of them. I've re-read two Jane Austen books now, both books I didn't think I finished the first go-round, only to find notes in my handwriting in the margins all the way through the book.

As I've gotten older I've tried to keep this obsession in check. I have actually sold books to Half-Price Books. I have joined a book swap site Bookmooch.com to capitalize on some of the books I know I will never read again... books that were total duds. But I still love to have my books. My own copies. I dream of a room with wall to wall bookshelves to display my collection on.

I'm not one of those people who can just buy a book, and pass it on to someone else. Once I buy a book, it's mine forever. I love that feeling.

But lately I've gone looking for books that I know I own... that I know I haven't swapped or sold. Where are these books?

Then it occurs to me... I've been loaning books to friends and family members. Most of the time, these friends are really great about borrowing books. They read them and return them right away. My family members? Well, at least I know where they keep my books. I've actually taken books my sister has borrowed and never read off the shelf at her house if I know she won't ever get to it. She's got a couple of bags full of my books. And I can hound my family members
to get them back.

Other friends are truly great friends, but they still have copies of my books that they borrowed YEARS after I loaned them to them. They keep saying "Oh, I'll get it to you." But it never happens. If you lost my book, replace it! If you're not going to read it in the next 6 months, give it back. If you've already read it, for the love of God return it. I guess it's my own fault. I love talking books with friends. I've been in a book club for seven years. So I never thought twice about loaning them to people, because I thought everyone was like me. I thought other people valued books the way I do.

I worry about my books. I take really good care of them. I want them to look good when I get that wall-to-wall bookshelf to display them on. It's sad, but I feel like my books are a part of my life. Each one corresponds to a particular time frame. I read them for specific reasons, whether for book club, as a distraction, to help me through an emotion. They are brain food for me. Each one nourishing in a different way... some fill the basic needs and others are purely dessert.
I love to share these things with others, but I'm not getting them back. And it makes me sad.

There's an old saying... "Lend only those books you wish never to see again."
I guess I need to stop lending books. Because I want to see all my books again.

p.s. This post is not targeted at anyone specific. many of my friends have borrowed books from me. plenty of them have returned them in a timely fashion. But there's about 10 really good books of mine floating around out there, that I'd like to get back. and I'm worried that I'll never see them again.

Guess Who's Three Months Old??

This cheerful little guy is three months old today! I can't believe it! Time is going so fast. So far he's a good sleeper, a good eater, and every bit as cute as his big brother was at this age.

Catching a snooze with Dad.

This one was actually taken today... three months old!

Go Bears! (Gotta get him wearing the right team and colors young. It's going to be tough enough having them grow up in Packers country.)

Excuses, Excuses

Holy moley has it been busy around here! I can't believe it's been over a week since I've posted anything. Rest assured things are fine here... just insanely busy both at work and at home.

Glad for the busy-ness at work because it means I have job security. Always a good thing!

Glad for the busy-ness at home because that means everyone is healthy and happy!

Adam is closing in on three months. I swear, I don't know where the time has gone. I'll try to post some new pictures soon.

Alex is my sweet, sensitive guy. He's doing so great in school right now and I'm so proud of him.

Craig and I are managing to stay sane now that I'm back to work. No easy task!

That's it for now. I promise I'll try to get back into a more regular posting schedule!

I have a new favorite song.

It's called "Just Breathe."
A song off of Pearl Jam's latest album. I absolutely love it.
Eddie Vedder's voice is both haunting and soothing at the same time.
Check it out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7RYQ8Wa0

Craig is a HUGE Pearl Jam fan. I've always liked them and have been lucky enough to see them in concert. (It was at Alpine Valley here in WI. Amazing venue if you ever get a chance to see a show there. Jimmy Buffett and Dave Matthews Band play there usually once a year... but I digress.) I have to get this and some other music loaded onto the MP3 player... soon!

I admit it... I like the Winter Olympics

A lot of people... particularly some of my TV news friends... have been dogging on the Winter Olympics. I have to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Winter Olympics coverage! I guess you could say I'm a bit of an Olympics geek. I remember watching the games as a kid... and loving it even back then.

I got teary eyed when Joannie Rochette, the Canadian skater whose mom died, gave the performance of a lifetime on Tuesday. Though honestly, I could do with a little less Scott Hamilton on commentary. He's obviously a skating legend and has his own amazing story, but he was all over the emotional map... nearly exploding each time someone landed a jump and nearly breaking down after Rochette's skate. I don't want to take anything away from him, I've seen him skate and he's amazing... but perhaps dial it down a notch for the commentary.

I loved watching Lindsay Vonn win her gold medal. I was in awe of Shaun White's amazing snowboard performance. I LOVED both ski cross and snowboard cross. Those athletes have to be a little crazy, but it looks like so much fun! And while I've heard people say biathlon is boring... you have to admire the ability of those skiers... I mean come on! Cross country skiing is rough... but then to have to shoot at and hit itty bitty targets... when your arm and leg muscles are burning and shaking?? That takes skill people! I can admire that! And you only get to see this every 4 years unless you truly follow that sport.

I think the many of the Winter Olympics sports are cool. Skeleton, luge, bobsled, downhill skiing, curling, speedskating, ski jumping... these sports only get world-wide attention during an Olympics year so it's fun to watch. I wish for once in my life I knew what it was like to be really good at a sport.

I've enjoyed NBCs coverage in the evening as well. I do like Bob Costas. And Mary Carillo's Canadian adventures have been fun to watch. I am probably a little biased. Four years ago when I was still working as a news producer, I was pulled off my daily show to produce our station's version of "The Olympic Zone." It was a half-hour show dedicated to the Olympics... during the Torino games. I had so much fun doing that show! And Wisconsin has so many Olympic connections it's insane. Many speedskaters train at the Petit National Ice Center here... including the amazing Shani Davis. Others have at the very least raced here. Curling and hockey are other sports where there are Wisconsin connections. I absolutely loved it. And I worked for an NBC station for 8 years... so I saw my fair share of Olympics coverage during that time: two winter games in SLC and Torino, and two summer games - Sydney and Athens. (I really wish Chicago had won the Olympics bid... oh well!)

Alex, while not quite as enthusiastic as I am about the games, has also enjoyed the Olympics. He really liked ski jumping and the snowboard events. He even liked figure skating! But I hope it opens his eye to sports other than the ones you usually think of... basketball, football, soccer, baseball.

What about you? Do you love or hate the Olympics? Which sport(s) fascinate you?

Desperately Seeking Routine

I've survived my second week back to work. Whew. It hasn't been easy. It's a very busy time at work. I feel like I'm running non-stop there. Then there's the after work rush. What used to take me 25 minutes now takes me at least an hour. I live 15 minutes from where I work. But picking up two kids at two different daycares with two different bags o'junk to carry. Blech.

But we're slowly falling into a routine. Adam slept better this week... which means I slept better. Alex is just doing great with adjusting to big brother-dom. We're all adjusting. Monday nights mean swimming for Alex. And that means at least 25 minutes of running. YES! Hoping to figure out at least one or two more days when I can run. If winter ever ends, I might try getting up to run outside in the morning. (Yes, I heard the audible gasp from every person who KNOWS that I am not a morning person.) But I miss running. It helps me clear my head.

Dinnertime hasn't been too crazy yet. I have yet to dive into the frozen dinners that my mom and Craig's mom left for us right after I had Adam. I will probably use one next week. I'm also planning to take advantage of one of my favorite work perks -- take and bake pizza. Seriously, you can go to our cafeteria, place an order for a made-to-order take and bake pizza, and pick it up after work. Good pizza reasonable price. Doesn't get much easier!

I'm really glad it's the weekend. I want to finish my bookclub book. Get some cleaning up done around here. Maybe crochet a little bit. Weekends are the best. More time to just enjoy being together. To just breathe.

Because I Can't Figure Out What Else to Post...

... and because I'm not feeling particularly creative, here are some more pictures of Adam. Enjoy!
We figured out that propping him up in the corner of his crib gives a much better angle on his adorable face than plopping him in the bouncy seat.

I love this one! Look at those eyes and eyelashes!

Fun With Yarn

I have a new favorite yarn project... little animals. I found these two free patterns online through Lion Brand Yarn. These pictures are in reverse order (I can't figure out why blogger does this to me). The most recent critter is the blue bear for Alex. He loves it! He saw me making these critters for other people and requested one of his own. So of course I had to oblige!

This is the same pattern, done with a pale pink yarn. The color did not photograph well. I'm struggling with squaring up the faces. But I think it gives them character. This little bear went to a blogger friend Ashley, who had a baby girl a few weeks ago.

This is a puppy I made for another blogger friend, Shawna, who had a baby girl last fall. It's dressed in Pittsburgh Steelers/Pirates colors!

This little puppy was made for my friend Therese... who welcomed beautiful baby Alexandria in September.

And this is the first puppy, made for my friend Zenna's baby boy, Logan. Logan was born two weeks before Adam. And Zenna and I have been friends since kindergarten. Too cool!

The thing I love about these little guys is they are pretty easy. You have to do a lot of counting, but they go together fairly fast. I've figured out that I'm much better with small projects. Blankets are too ambitious. If it takes me more than a few weeks to finish, there's a good chance I'll get bored. I've got one other critter pattern I want to try... maybe that will be for Adam. Otherwise, I'll be making him a bear as well!

some more pictures

i've got a baby in one hand, a dog who is scared of the fire in the fireplace hiding behind me, and a 4 year old running laps around the coffee table. just your typical Sunday night! Can't type very well as a result, in the meantime, enjoy some recent Adam pictures!

Back to Work Update

Monday, my first day back went great. Everything timed out perfectly. I was able to pump three times while I was at work to get Adam on track for bottles. Craig got off at a decent time and picked Alex up from his daycare, so I only had to pick up Adam. Took Alex to swimming, it really couldn’t have gone better.
(*Note: I am attempting to continue breastfeeding. My love/hate relationship with breast feeding will likely be another post altogether.)

Tuesday
NIGHTMARE. Adam got up twice in the early morning hours – once to eat, once to cry. Everyone was slow to get moving. I had to try to pump before I went to work. Was only able to pump twice at work, mainly because I actually have a lot of work to do.

The daycare pick up was stressful. I got out of work a few minutes late. Made it to Alex’s daycare only to find that he has (once again) lost a mitten. No time to search the daycare for it, lest we be late to pick up Adam at his daycare.
(*Note: yes the boys go to different daycares. Adam goes to Alex’s old daycare, a place that we LOVE. Alex goes to the daycare across from his school, which is merely convenient. This summer, they will both go to the same daycare.)

Zipped over to Adam’s daycare, at which point my bladder feels like it’s going to burst. Got both boys back in the car and to quote Homer Simpson… D’OH!!!! Gas tank is nearly on empty. Stop at the gas station to fill up.

Once we’re home, it’s a mad dash to get in the house… do I nurse Adam or do I pump? Wait, Alex needs his dinner first. Yay, Daddy’s Home! I need to go to the bathroom before I have an accident. Darn it Shadow… why did you have to puke? At least it was on the linoleum. Give Alex his dinner, sit down to nurse Adam. Sigh. Another fun day in the life of this working mom.

Which brings me to today…
Today is Ash Wednesday. I’m not giving something up. I’m going to try to be more positive to everyone around me. Less negative talk. More encouragement to myself, my family, and others. I will be more patient with everyone… especially my family and most importantly with myself. I’ll be heading to get ashes at church after work tonight.

Today started off great. I know we just need to get into a routine, but I’ve had a day where everything worked and a day where everything didn’t. At least now I have a baseline…

Oh… and one of these days I promise I will post more pictures of the kids. I just don’t have time right now.

Guilty Pleasure TV

One of the worst parts of maternity leave is discovering new guilty pleasures on television.
Thank you to Bravo, TLC, and E! for the fantasitc bunch of junk to which I am now addicted.

Shear Genius

Tabatha's Salon Takeover

What Not To Wear

Keeping up with the Kardashians

I have caught myself DVRing some of these if I have to run an errand or if they are on while I'm in the shower. Pathetic, isn't it? I have tried to break myself of some of these shows... it will get better when I go back to work. I actually had to stop watching "A Baby Story" because it was making me cry.

Oh, and I finally got caught up on one of my HBO faves... Big Love. That one is not such a guilty pleasure, it's just a darn good show!

Dear Target-

Dear Target-

Let me start off by saying you are my favorite discount store. Love you for that! You recently renovated the store near my house... and it's even more fabulous than it was before.
But I have to say, I've been disappointed on a couple of recent trips. Here's why:

1. No plain white socks for babies under six months. Seriously? Plain white socks are a wardrobe staple at any age. They don't go with every outfit, but you need to have them. I needed plain white socks - without any colored trim, no cute little rubber treads in the shape of stars/pawprints/rockets/footballs, not blue, not pink, not coordinating with another outfit. Plain white. The kid needed socks to wear with his baptism outfit. Why would you have your plain white socks start at 6-12 months?

2. 4 adorable baby girl - pink photo albums... AND NOT ONE BABY BOY ONE??? Again, seriously? Apparently the moms of little boys simply don't desire gender specific photo albums. Don't get me wrong, the cute little cartoon animal album I got is fine... but those baby girl ones were adorable. I'm jealous. How hard would it have been to make the exact same album in baby blue?

And lest you think I didn't ask if either of these items was available, I did. The employees I asked were very nice, but they said if there wasn't even a label on the display for these items, they weren't offered. Come on now!!! I expect more from you Target! I know you can do better than this!

Love, Me

My Final Week At Home...

So this is my last week of maternity leave. I'm really sad that it's coming to an end. I have loved being mom 24-7. Just mom. Not super-working-mom-who-has-to-juggle-it-all. Just mom.
Adam and I have bonded well. I will miss holding him during the quiet hours of the day. I will miss picking Alex up from school. I will miss having dinner ready by the time Craig gets home from work. I will even miss Shadow attacking the mail as the mail carrier slides it through the slot... and her incessant barking as the mail truck leaves the area.

This week will be filled with trying to finish things like putting photos in photo albums, sorting through clothes in my closet, and just drinking in every last minute with my boys.

One thing I am looking forward too is getting back on the treadmill. Literally. That is a sentence I never thought I would type or utter. I can't wait to start running again. Alex will have swimming lessons every Monday night for the next 4 months or so... and that means I'll have at least one day a week where I'm guaranteed a run. I just need to figure out how working out will fit into my schedule. I'm sure that will come eventually.

This is not me complaining about having to go back to work. I have accepted the fact that I have to be a working mom. I just wish I could have a little more time with my new little guy. I hope this next week goes slow. Very Slow.

Burning questions

1. Does playing with Adam on the baby gym count as a workout?

2. What kind of sadistic person designed nursing bras? The ladies should face forward, not each one off to its respective side.

3. If oatmeal increases milk production, does eating oatmeal chocolate chip/butterscotch chip cookies count? Especially if I eat a lot of them?

4. This one is semi-serious... when I go back to work, I plan on trying to pump milk a couple times during the day. Should I wear a nursing bra (blech) or can I go back to regular bras?

5. Will I ever get into a routine with these kids???

Baptism Day!

Adam was baptized on Sunday in the same church I attended growing up. Craig and I were married in this church and Alex was also baptized there. Oh, and the priest who performed our wedding also baptized both boys. It was really special to carry on that tradition in my hometown.
Here's the first official picture of all four of us. It only took us about 2 months to get a picture of all of us, but at least we have one now... and it's not too bad!

Here's a picture of us with the godparents... our sister-in-law Sarah (she's married to Craig's brother Brian) and my brother Mike.

I can't get over the number of boys in this family. This is Alex with all four of his cousins (the little blonde guy belongs to Brian and Sarah... the others are my sister's kids). 5 boys grandchildren on my side of the family. No girls yet. YET. We need more estrogen...

Here's Alex and Nathan having a snack. They are only about 18 months apart in age and they are great pals!

The weekend also marked the first time Adam got to meet Uncle Mike and Aunt Jen. Obviously Adam got along very well with Uncle Mike. Sadly, I just now realized I did not get a picture of Adam with both Mike and Jen in it. (Mental note for next time... also need to check to see if anyone else got a picture with Mike, Jen and Adam.) It was also great for me to point out to Alex that he needs to be nice to his little brother... because someday his little brother may be bigger than him!