xx

I guess I didn’t thoroughly think through using roman numerals for this year’s nablopomo dates.  What kind of interesting blog visitors will I get when it gets to the 30th?  Hmmm…

We enjoyed a semi-lazy morning and then I went to praise band practice.  I came home to find Timon cleaning the bathroom (and doing an excellent job, I might add).  I went to the grocery store, Timon and the kids went to a puppet show at our local library.  The kids got lunch, I swept and mopped the entire house.  Cleaning is so much easier and less annoying when you’re doing it for a visit with company.  Then it was more laziness.  And then it was dinner time.  And now we’re enjoying a movie before bedtime. 

I do love this kind of day.

xiii

This is Henry.  I like Stella a lot.  She’s a fun dog.  She likes to play with me.  I got my report card on Friday.  I got two Vs, 1 S, and the rest Es.  E is for excellent.  My favorite subject is reading.  Today I checked out of the library In A Dark, Dark Room, Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, Wind Power Whiz Kid, Paul Revere’s Ride, Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge, and Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures in Imperial China.  Last weekend we took the training wheels off my bike and my mommy told me to look straight ahead while I rode and then it worked.  Now I can ride really, really good.

Bye!

vi

Today is gorgeous here in Florida.  It’s only about 60° and sunny.  The kids are napping, Timon is watching The Magnificent Seven, and I’m trying to get some blog posts together while listening to a book on CD.  I slept poorly last night so I am for SURE looking forward to the extra hour we get tonight.  While I was awake from 2:30-5:00am, I read my cousin’s blog post and wept like a baby.  I miss my extended family a lot around the holidays and as the season gets closer, it feels more acute every day.  I think next year is the year to be in Connecticut for Christmas.  We’d better start saving now.

catching up

• 
  
  This morning, Timon brought me towels warm from the dryer for me to use after my shower.  I think I would like this to happen every day of my life.  It was truly luxurious.  I imagine that it’s how people who buy things from the Sky Mall catalog must live.
  
  
• 
  
  Speaking of Sky Mall, my sister and cousin and their sweet babies are coming to visit us next Monday!  I’m so, so happy about this.  The thought of their arrival is almost all that is sustaining me through this week.  That, and warm towels. 
  
  
• 
  
  I realize I didn’t make a clear connection between Sky Mall and my sister and cousin coming to visit just now.  Allow me to explain - You see, usually whenever one of us travels to see the others, we peruse the Sky Mall catalog on the plane, and fold down the corners of pages featuring items we think the others will particularly enjoy.  And by “enjoy”, I mean “find totally ridiculous.”  That little publication never lets us down.  What, you don’t do this when you’re traveling?  Boy, are you missing out.
  
  
• 
  
  The Olympics are KILLING.ME.SOFTLY.WITH.THE.TIRED.  All you people with DVR don’t know how lucky you have it.  I either must stay up thanks to Bob Costas and his teasing me with the major events kept to the very END OF THE BROADCAST, that’s midnight, people; or miss the action entirely and catch up on results the next day via the internets.  Internets aren’t as fun when it comes to the Olympics.  Bob Costas, you are a mean, mean man, with your inexplicably dark hair that used to be blond.  Am I right, dear readers reader?  Am I RIGHT?!
  
  
• 
  
  Speaking of raven-haired Bob, we turned on the tv at 8pm, like faithful little lemmings following Bob to the edge of the CLIFF OF MIDNIGHT (v. v. tired) and saw this:
  
  
  
  I have no words.  Except to say I could use fewer features about polar bears and instead, could you please move the pairs figure skating finals up about an hour, Bob Costas?

fifteenth

We just returned from a wonderful evening with friends – we had an early Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie (and great company).  We’re stuffed!  I was hoping to take a picture of something that would help me post tonight, and so I took a couple shots of our gorgeous and quite tasty turkey.  However, on the way home we saw a sight that only a fortunate few will see in person in their lifetime; one that deserves top billing:

 
Oh, and just for giggles, here’s the turkey:

(I’d much prefer seeing photos of TURKEY, if you all know what I mean!!!  Hurry up, little one!)

ninth

So, I came home for lunch today thinking I'd just find something to take a picture of for today's post and be done with it. When I found the memory card on Saturday I put it on the window-sill so that when I was ready to put it back in the camera I'd know where it was. And guess what, it wasn't there! I called Timon. He told me where it was. Then I ran out of time to photograph something and upload it on our slow computer. And now I'm too lazy.

I don't understand why I don't have thousands of readers, posting interesting tidbits like this.

fourth

GAH. We're only 4 days into NaBloPoMo and I'm already struggling. Here goes nothing:

• Henry tied his own shoes this morning! Just one more thing that will render Timon and me obsolete in a matter of a few more years. Love that boy.
  
  
• Maria's acting so big. Today she's 14 months old and it feels like in the 2 months since her birthday she's matured LIGHT YEARS. She said and signed "shoes" the other day and it was super cute and sweet. Love that girl.
  
  
• I'm still not feeling 100% well. I still have lots of sinus pressure and congestion, plus sore throat and slight cough. If I haven't improved within the next week I will for sure be headed back to the Dr., because I can't think of anything better to do with $80.
  
  
• I'm really wanting a steak dinner right now. (Hi, HONEY!!!)
  
  
• I'm avoiding talking or thinking about the accident right now, and I push those thoughts aside every time they pop up. I've become a very fearful driver and see potential accidents all the time. It's really fun.
  
  
• It's SO nice to walk outside and not feel bodily assaulted by the hot and humid air. It's by no means what I would consider Autumn, but it's tolerable.
  
  
• Anyone watch the series premiere of V last night? I thought it was really cool and that it will be a suitable fill-in for LOST until it comes on, and then after LOST ends this season I can see V taking its place.
  
  
• [A special personal bullet] Amber, thanks for reading! The picture you're looking for is in a post from September 2008... happy hunting! Now, go do your homework and get yourself back to youth group soon! We miss you, too.
  
  
• It was fun a while back to get and give interview questions from and for other bloggers... if anyone's up to it, I'd appreciate it! Let me know in the comments.
  
  
• If any of the non-blogging readers (all 2 of you) want to ask questions for me to answer here, ask away.
  

Firsts

1. Who was your first prom date?
Brian D. I asked him. It wasn't a good time.

2. Do you still talk to your first love?
Talk? No. Occasionally he updates his FB status and I see it, but we don't communicate in any meaningful way.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
Peach Schnapps

4. What was your first job?
I guess it was babysitting, but my first job that required a W-4 form was at the PVGS, recently closed. *shudder*

5. What was your first car?
The first car I drove regularly was a 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, known as "the boat."

6. Who was the first person to text you today?
Timon.

7. Who was the first person you thought of this morning?
Timon.

8. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Coffin.

9. Where did you go on your first flight in a plane?
Arkansas? Texas? Mom, help me out here.

10. Who was your first best friend and do you still talk?
Melanie, and we'll talk someday in heaven, I hope. She and her 3 year old daughter died in a car accident in 2000.

11. Where was your first sleepover?
Either at Melanie's or at Anni's, I imagine.

12. Who was the first person you talked to today?
Maria.

13. Whose wedding were you in for the first time?
Believe it or not, I've only been in one wedding, ever - my sister's, in 2004.

14. What was the first thing you did this morning?
Read a few pages of my book.

15. What was the first concert you went to?
Probably a church concert, or my brother's elementary school band concert. If we're talking a rock concert with famous people, well then it would be Dave Matthews Band in 1996.

16. First tattoo?
Haven't gotten it yet - but SOON. (Yes, Mom - really.)

17. First piercing?
Ears - my auntie took me when I was 8 down to Frank's.

18. First foreign country you went to?
Canada.

19. First movie you remember seeing?
Karate Kid, in the theatre.

20. What state (province) did you first live in?
Connecticut.

21. Who was your first room mate?
My brother, then my sister, then Anne P. at SU.

22. When was your first detention?
I only got one, in 11th grade, for talking back to my gym teacher - a person who did not appreciate sass even a little bit.

23. When was your first kiss?
Colin D. on the band trip to NYC in 7th grade.

24. What is one thing you would learn, given the chance?
To play piano, for real this time.

25. Who will be the next person to post this?
I have no idea. I can't imagine I have many readers left!

champs

Thanks, Ladies! Congrats on title #6!

keywords

I haven't looked at my Google searches recently - but boy am I glad I did! Here are three choice ways people found my blog in the month of February:

"looking for valentine noco noco mickey"
WHAT?!

"maresi tomei at the oscars"
Why yes, I was at the Oscars. And I looked AMAZING!

"what is the meaning of name frennie"
Uh, I'm pretty sure it's not a real name. Henry made it up for his soon-to-be-born cousin. But hey, last I heard Kat & Phil hadn't come up with final name decisions yet, so there's still time to make Frennie their choice! Vote in the poll to the right! I'm sure Phil will take your opinions v. seriously!

interview, amy edition

Soooo, Amy came through with some whopper interview questions that I'm happy to answer for all of you. She writes killer Lost reviews every Thursday, and if you watch Lost you should totally check out her blog!

1. If you were auditioning for American Idol and had one chance to prove yourself with a lasting first impression, what song would you sing?
Protest To Praise, by Downhere. It's my favorite song of all time and it lays great in my range. And if I did a good enough job, maybe the country would start to realize how awesome Downhere is.

2. Is it difficult to balance your work and personal/family life, when they are so closely intertwined in your case?
I've set some pretty good boundaries at work so that I don't fall victim to the common challenges facing youth pastors - not spending enough time at home is the number one reason why those in youth ministry end up leaving that work. But you're right - sometimes I see very little difference between work and personal/family life. Living across the street in a church-owned home doesn't help. But I'm not unhappy with the balance. I sometimes wish I was a stay-at-home mom, and other times I look forward to when Maria's in full-time childcare so that I can more easily focus on my job.

3. What is your favorite way to spend a lazy Saturday morning?
Sleeping in (or waking up and then falling back asleep - how delicious!), reading a good book, and not having someone with the wiggles laying beside me.

4. Please recite from memory (no cheating, not that you need to) three favorite lines from the Princess Bride.
How can I possibly narrow it to three?!? SIGH. Ok, I'll try.
a) "Do you want me to send you back to where you were?!? UNEMPLOYED, in GREENLAND?!?"
b) "Give us the gatekey." "I... have no gatekey." "Fezzik, tear his arms off." "Oh, you mean this gatekey."
c) "It's probably some local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise at night... through eel-infested waters."

5. If you had just one entire day free of responsibilities and limitations (Timon and the kids are otherwise occupied; unlimited money and resources at your disposal), where would you go and how would you spend the day?
I'd fly somewhere north, go for a walk in the snow with my friends Chad and Emily, eat a delicious lunch and have a nap while on the plane to pick up Kat and Amy, fly back to a remote beach and lay out all afternoon while playing board games, go out to dinner and then get into my comfortable bed with my kids and husband to read stories before falling asleep into a deep, deep slumber.

6. What's the most challenging thing about being mom to two kids, rather than just one? The most rewarding thing?
The most challenging thing is realizing that we're starting over with all the skills Henry's acquired over the past nearly 5 years... feeding herself, potty training, self-dressing, etc. We had gotten REALLY lazy since Henry had gotten so independent. The most rewarding thing? Watching another little person that Timon and I brought into the world grow and change. And I'm SO glad to have a daughter and a son.

7. Name one person, outside of your family, who had a part in shaping you into the person you are today.
Chad. He befriended us and encouraged me in my walk with God, supported me as a youth volunteer, and left me a job opening. He also makes me think and laugh - two of my favorite things.

8. You've won a $1000 shopping spree to the store of your choosing. What store do you choose?
Probably Target. You can get like everything there!

9. When are you moving northward and can it please be within a maximum two hour drive from Jersey City? Thanks.
As soon as I can.

10 Who is your favorite character on LOST? It's Sayid, isn't it? ISN'T IT?!?
No. While I do love Sayid and his ability to break someone's neck with his bare feet, my favorite character is Desmond, or as I like to call him, Jesus-Desmond. (The same actor played Jesus in The Gospel of John.)

interview

So, like 7 minutes after I emailed my cousin to suggest we interview each other for our blogs because WAH WAH WAH I'm not blog-popular enough to get interviewed by anyone else WAH WAH, I got an email from Jen with some interview questions. So, here they are, with my answers.

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? (Your present location is ineligible.)
Nowhere specific, but I'd really like to live somewhere with 4 distinct seasons, with my extended family living exactly 45 minutes away.

2. If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would that be? And yes, I realize that is nearly the same question as the first question, but for me, I think the answers would be different. If your answers are different, why? And if they aren't different, feel free to say"duh, Jen."
My answers are different. Because it's not really a vacation if you live there all the time, right? I'd like to see Australia, and New Zealand, and Hawaii, and Africa, but first I'd really like to travel the US via luxury RV, stopping anywhere I felt like it to see how gorgeous and interesting this country is. Wanna come?

3. I have it on good authority that you recently met up with some bloggers in real life. Am I as awesome in person as I appear online? No, I'm joking, don't answer that. What was the biggest surprise between their online personalities and their real life ones?
Well, yes, you are as awesome. This might seem strange, but the biggest surprise was the way yours, Barb's, and Farah's voices sound when you talk. As I read your words and look at your pictures, I imagine your voices reading them. Barb's wasn't that off how I imagined it, but yours and Farah's were TOTALLY different than I expected. Yours was lower and Farah's was higher than my imaginary voices for you.

4. What is the biggest difference between Henry as a baby and Maria as a baby?
Well, they are very similar in their looks and in their basic temperament. I think there was a difference in me as a mother, for sure - I was only barely confident with what I was doing with Henry, and much more sure of things for Maria. Of course I've forgotten a LOT of Henry's babyhood, not being good about writing things down (no blog back then!). And Henry had been in daycare for nearly 3 months by the time he was Maria's age. I don't know - does that answer things? OH- here's something specific - I started cereal with Henry at about 3 months, and I seem to remember him opening his mouth right away and eating it with no trouble. Maria still puts up a fight and has trouble eating it, which is frustrating.

5. If you had to choose, would you rather be an astronaut or a deep sea diver?
Well, both of those things would require me to be in confined spaces for extended periods; and as a claustrophobic person neither option sounds terribly appealing. But in terms of what I'd want to see more of and explore, I guess I'd rather go into space.

Good questions, Jen! If anyone wants to interview me some more, or be interviewed BY me, leave a comment and we'll get right on that!

let me explain.

Posting will probably be sparse for a while - our computer at home was out in the cold with a wet head and has gotten a virus (one-a them trojan horsey thingers), rendering it useless because we don't want to get online whilst it is sick. Good thing all our photos, iTunes library, and my blog book aren't saved on it... oh crap, I forgot. They ARE saved on it. Wish us luck in recovery.

So, here's what's been happening:

• I listed my oboe on eBay on Monday, and to my delight I was contacted by my former oboe teacher from here and he wanted to buy it to bring back to a poor student in the Ukraine, from whence he came. I shipped it this morning! I am now oboe-less for the first time in 15 years. The money will go towards a shiny new DSLR camera, unless... (keep reading)
  
  
• I was getting things ready to give our tax preparer tomorrow (he's a church member) and in looking at my W-2, realized that I had ZERO federal taxes taken out of my pay ALL YEAR LONG. Listen to Auntie Maresi, and make sure this doesn't happen to you. I hope this is because I make so little money that the payroll software thinks I won't owe any taxes. I also hope that if the payroll software is wrong, having a second dependent child will offset the error. And we can say farewell to our plans to buy a Sleep Number Bed!
  
  
• Maria is trying her best to roll over. Not front to back like normal babies but back to front. She still doesn't want to eat cereal or lay on her stomach. But she is sleeping really well at night and is altogether adorable, so I give her a pass on the cereal. FOR NOW.
  
  
• Henry went to the Planetarium last night with Timon and acted like he owned the place. He also calls Antiques Roadshow "Show and Tell". In the next month or so, I will have to register him for KIND. ER. GARTEN. WHAT the WHAT?!?
  
  
• Frennie (my sister's baby!) is coming soon, and I'm getting SO excited. Will Frennie be a boy or a girl? Let's guess here, since my sister doesn't have a blog to put up her own poll. Look to your right, and vote!
  

a contest for you

Okay, so I'm reading a book last night, and I stumble upon what might be, nay, IS one of my favorite quotations of all time:

"Suffice it to say that, since these pages are intended to celebrate the heroes of my life, in the interest of honesty and candor, it's incumbent on me to make clear that Barry Manilow is not remotely one of them."

If you can correctly guess the author of those words, you will receive a major award. Not really, but I will be very impressed!

bizzaro

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking in our hall closet for something when I ran across this box of pop-up poinsettia cards I'd bought last January at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. They look like this:

I loved them when I saw them in the store, and bought them without a second thought. When I found them again I took one out of the box and turned it over - there I saw the artist's name on the back, and it was the name of a girl I knew in high school! Mary Beth Cryan is a very, very talented artist and a lovely person who I've been so glad to get back in touch with. Her dad is an AMAZING photographer and has been taking the most gorgeous pictures of children and families for quite some time. Don't believe me?

That's yours truly, photographed by Paul Cryan circa 1983. What happened to THAT stunningly beautiful child? The world may never know.

twenty eight

Today, I am 31 years old. I woke up this morning and after nursing Maria had birthday cards and a gift in bed, then breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice made for me. After a lazy morning we went for a walk at a nature park with some friends, saw a couple of gators and 2 armadillos (seriously!). We came home and got out the Christmas decorations, put up quite a few things and realized we need new lights this year. You know those things don't last forever. Kind of like being 30, it doesn't last forever. We stuffed ourselves on Chinese food, brownies and ice cream while watching the best Christmas movie ever made. I'm in my Christmas flannel pajamas and am waiting for Maria to eat for the last time tonight. A thoroughly delicious birthday, in every sense of the word.

twenty four

I'd like to just say that posting daily is becoming more difficult... and so you will be subjected to more pointless drivel about yours truly. Feel free to click away if you've had enough about me.

1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? Sure, but only good quality stuff. Call me crazy, but if you're going to be eating cheese that's already moldy on purpose, it had better be fresh.

2. Favorite late night snack? Breyer's Coffee ice cream

3. Do you own a gun? No, never, never, never, ever.

4. What’s your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty coffee shop? Peppermint Mocha

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Depends on why I'm there!

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think that they are delicious.

7. Favorite Christmas song? Classic: Silent Night. Modern: How Many Kings, by downhere.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? a big glass of juice.

9. Can you do push-ups? HAH!

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring.

11. Favorite hobby? who has time for hobbies? (besides blogging, that is.)

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Probably. There are only a few things that can truly hold my attention.

13. What’s one trait that you hate about yourself? Laziness.

14. The last disease you contracted? I don't know, maybe a cold? That's not really a disease, though.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. Well, what am I thinking? I'm not really thinking of anything except what I'm typing. Wish Maria would stay asleep for a while like she did yesterday.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, Crystal Light, Hot Chocolate

17. Current worry right now? I hope Henry doesn't have his hopes too high for tons of new toys at Christmas - we're really paring down this year.

18. Current hate right now? I hate how much hate there is in the world.

19. Favorite place to be? On the dock at Mason Lake, WI.

20. How did you ring in the New Year? I may have been asleep.

21. Like to travel? Yes, I do!

22. Do you own slippers? Yes.

23. What color shirt are you wearing? Green.

24. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I've never tried!

25. Can you whistle? Yes.

26. Favorite singer/band? This is no mystery - downhere and John Kelly.

27. Could you ever make it 39 days on the show Survivor? Um, only if the location was Survivor: Manhattan Four Seasons.

28. What songs do you sing in the shower? Oh, whatever's in my head that minute.

29. Favorite girl’s names? Maria, Ruby, Rosalie, Nellie

30. Favorite boy’s name? Henry, Noah, Mason, Nate

31. What’s in your pocket right now? Lint.

32. Last thing that made you laugh? Maria being all cute and stuff.

33. Like your job? Sure!

34. Do you love where you live? Not really.

35. How many TVs do you have in your house? One.

36. Who is your loudest friend? Stan.

37. Do you drive the speed limit or speed? Um...

38. Does someone have a crush on you? Not that I know of.

39. What is your favorite book? Fiction: The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant. Non-Fiction: The Holy Bible.

40. What is your favorite candy? Take Five

41. Favorite Sports Team? Tampa Bay Rays

42. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Sleeping. And there's no such thing as 12 AM last NIGHT. AM = Morning, people.

43. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up today? WHAT THE WHAT?

twenty two

Here's the after shot - not too much different, is it? What were you expecting?

twenty one

I know I've been posting earlier than this every day, but it was a full day. Maria's squawking to be milked, so I have to keep it short. I haven't gotten a haircut in well over a year, until today. Here's before:

Check back tomorrow for the after shot. I'm not the only one who got their hair cut today, either. Doesn't she look cute!

nineteen

Last week the youth wrote questions on little slips of paper. Here's all the ones I got asking about me and my answers to them. Notes to explain stuff are in { }s. (Hi, Amber! Thanks for reading! Now, go do your homework!)

1. “How many somersaults can you do in a row?”

In the water, probably 2 or 3. On land, probably only one, but I will spare you the demonstration. {Unlike the time I attempted to demonstrate a pushup when I was heavily pregnant with Henry. Remember that one, Chad? Ridiculous. But it might explain this.}

2. “Where were you born?”

I was born in Hartford, Connecticut.

3. “What’s your favorite ice cream?”

Breyer’s Coffee

4. “How do you feel about kitties?”

I can take or leave kitties. Not really a huge fan, but I’m not steering into them with my car, either.

5. “Why do you love us?” {meaning the youth}

Because I know that God created you, that he loves you, and that you are worthy of love. I also know that many of you feel unloved by a lot of the people in your lives, and I want to try to cancel out at least some of those negative feelings. I am SO glad at least one of you feels loved by me, and I want you all to know that I really, really do love you. Even when you act like idiots. {see example here}

6. “How many children do you have?” and “Do you think you would have another Baby?”

I have two children, Henry who’s four and a half, and Maria who’s two and a half months. I don’t think our family is complete yet, but it will be a while before we have another baby.

7. “Why did you decide to paint the walls green and blue?”

I think the colors that the youth, Matt, and I chose are very soothing. Plus they’re much more interesting than white and gray, like they were before. {talking about the youth room here}

8. “When are you getting your tattoo?”

Probably in a couple of months. I am committed to getting one, on my left wrist, of a laurel wreath and a cross for Victory in Jesus. {I told myself if I gave birth naturally I'd get a tattoo, and told the kids about it.}

9. “Have you ever dyed your hair a funky color?”

Yes, if you count sort of purple as funky. Nothing like Aubrey though. {Aubrey is a youth group member who frequently bleaches her hair white and then lays pink, purple, or green over top. It's SO cool, seriously; it's like the brightest color you've ever seen.}

10. “What is the most outrageous thing you have done?”

I haven’t done much that’s outrageous. Unless you count that time I skydived onto the peak of Mount Everest and then had to climb down without a jacket. That was crazy. {I never really did that.} {Also, I'm exceptionally boring.}

11. “If you could turn back time to relive a good moment what moment would it be?”

Oh, there’s SO many. Probably any time that I’ve had a really good laugh. I’d love to relive some of the funniest times when I was in college, I’d love to remember more clearly Henry’s babyhood. I wish I could relive my wedding day. Also, the first time I heard Mack {one of the youth} imitate Bill Cosby.