Friday, May 31, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Choosing Joy
To get an extra entry in a contest, I need to post about the contest for my blog readers. Which really seems like a way to lower my chances of winning. But...I don't have that many readers..so click here.
The prize is a $100 Amazon card and a signed copy of Choosing Joy, which sounds like a good read.
The prize is a $100 Amazon card and a signed copy of Choosing Joy, which sounds like a good read.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Hey Batter Batter
The 5yo's first t-ball game was tonight. It is the most adorable thing ever. There are no outs, everyone bats every time, and they go for 5 innings or one hour, whichever comes first. It's too cute not to share.
Lexi T-Ball from Melissa Anderson on Vimeo.
Lexi T-ball - Batter up from Melissa Anderson on Vimeo.
Lexi - T-ball - Catcher from Melissa Anderson on Vimeo.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Loft
She LOVES the bed. She can't wait to come home every day from school and take her friends up there to play and read and hang out. She loves to sleep in it too. I love all the floorspace she has now and her desk fits well enough underneath I think we won't bother building more than a shelf or two in front of it to hold some desk items. It's pretty awesome. I still need to talk her into purging some stuffed animals, but, let's just take this one step at a time.
Yes, the ceiling fan is a problem. We'll be replacing it with a regular light fixture and working out some other fan solution. She has a small clip on fan up on the bed for sleeping (and for ambient noise) but she'll need more airflow in the summer up there, we'll work it out. We also have plans to find an awesome bean bag chair and add some peace sign stencils to the white woodwork, to girlify it a bit :)
And no, I did not know that OP = orgy proof. Check the "How We Got Our Name" section of their site to learn more about that.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Stop growing
This one is just getting too big. Someone is going to have to ask her to SLOW DOWN PLEASE!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Red Hair and IKEA
Wow I am an awful blogger. I've done a lot of organizing around the house, particularly the desk and office areas and I'm trying to be ambitious and organize the girls' closets and such. But after I take the pictures and what not I'm...tired...and lazy..and I haven't written anything about it. Maybe, one of these days when both girls are in school I'll sit down and write a real post. Anyway...I had my hair colored today, a coppery red. I love it.
Over spring break we went up to the Mall of America in Minneapolis and I cannot leave without going to IKEA. My family hates it, but I am nowhere near one, so I have to go when I can. I have been eyeing a new dining room lamp for about eight years now. Red shade, just simple, but nice. The husband bought it for me while we were there and it looks sooooo awesome. So much better than the standard builders light.
I love it so very much. Here's a few more :) The room is long, kitchen runs into dining area, runs into "fireplace room" which I guess is a living room. We read in there, the TV is in the other living room.
Over spring break we went up to the Mall of America in Minneapolis and I cannot leave without going to IKEA. My family hates it, but I am nowhere near one, so I have to go when I can. I have been eyeing a new dining room lamp for about eight years now. Red shade, just simple, but nice. The husband bought it for me while we were there and it looks sooooo awesome. So much better than the standard builders light.
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| Before |
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| After |
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| Before...in the dark apparently |
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| After...still in the dark |
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| Before, from the other direction |
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| After, from the other direction |
Monday, February 25, 2013
Ah kids
Says the 5yo. "Two things are different about daddies. They stand up to pee and they don't wipe"
Same 5yo. "One of my boogers is watching Spongebob, the other one is playing webkinz. "
She's hilarious, but super offended if you laugh.
Same 5yo. "One of my boogers is watching Spongebob, the other one is playing webkinz. "
She's hilarious, but super offended if you laugh.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Motherhood: Pick and Choose
I always find it fun to watch new parents. I know I WAS new at one point, but that doesn't make it any less fun to watch them flail and guess. I try not to offer unsolicited advice or to giggle right in front of them as they hilariously try to reason with their infants. It's fun to watch, the learning curve. But as I thought awhile about motherhood and how it morphs as the kids grow...I realized it's probably still kind of fun to watch me try to parent.
I find there are a lot of things I didn't really know I was signing up for when we made these babies. I wanted cute babies, baby showers, gifts and pampering. It turns out I am not a fan of pregnancy, but I can tolerate it for the gifts and resulting adorable baby.
I did not sign up for children that don't just eat what they're given. I did not sign up to sit at a table with a child that finds out that POT ROAST is for dinner and oh the humanity - cries at the dinner table.
Wouldn't it be nice to pick and choose exactly how motherhood goes? Here is my list. And I'm not interested in comments about how I should be happy with my children, happy I don't have to deal with X or cope with Y. I KNOW. I am extremely blessed with my girls. They are wonderful, obedient (mostly), caring, fun children and I wouldn't trade them. But..if I'm making the list anyway, I might as well shoot high.
The obvious ones...I want them to be
happy (check)
considerate (mostly?)
eats everything
tries everything
brave but smart (perhaps 50/50 here)
smart (check)
beautiful (check)
excellent sleepers (check)
I don't want...
whiners (oy the whining)
criers (crying on a dime makes me smashy)
afraid of simple things
to give the reproductive/sex talk
I think what I want are cute babies..that morph into super cute toddlers and then into preschoolers and school kids that aren't smarter than me just yet. Then I think I'd like to skip the teenage years because there is so much responsibility with teenagers. For me and for them. Those are the years I have to teach them and try to mold them..without them knowing...into responsible almost adults. It's frightening. I don't ever want to have a birds and bees talk with any child, but I know I'm a few short months from being forced to explain some of the basics to my oldest. I. don't. want. to. She's young, and innocent, and she's anxious and it will set her on edge, I'm sure of it. I want her to have the information and be smart and make good choices (abstinence) but I don't want to have to TELL HER about it :) (I will of course).
It also turns out I don't want my kids to have friends. No no..I want them to have friends..at school, at church, but not in the neighborhood. I don't want to have to keep an eye on what they're doing or wonder what mine are doing at others' houses. I don't want to have to watch out for the bad seeds that try to take advantage. I don't like it, I'm incredibly uncomfortable with it. I can't control those parts and so I'd rather they just didn't exist. I do not get this wish obviously, my oldest is super friendly and has a lot of friends everywhere she goes - which is probably just payback for this irrational wish of mine. She's a great kid, of course she has friends.
Oh well. We cannot pick a choose. We couldn't choose our own parents, so our kids cannot choose theirs. We do the best with what we have and what we're given, and with God's help, they turn out to be sane adults. I'm not worried about my children. I will work hard to raise them right with the help of my family and friends, but I sometimes wish I could just pause and remove some of the hard parts.
I find there are a lot of things I didn't really know I was signing up for when we made these babies. I wanted cute babies, baby showers, gifts and pampering. It turns out I am not a fan of pregnancy, but I can tolerate it for the gifts and resulting adorable baby.
I did not sign up for children that don't just eat what they're given. I did not sign up to sit at a table with a child that finds out that POT ROAST is for dinner and oh the humanity - cries at the dinner table.
Wouldn't it be nice to pick and choose exactly how motherhood goes? Here is my list. And I'm not interested in comments about how I should be happy with my children, happy I don't have to deal with X or cope with Y. I KNOW. I am extremely blessed with my girls. They are wonderful, obedient (mostly), caring, fun children and I wouldn't trade them. But..if I'm making the list anyway, I might as well shoot high.
The obvious ones...I want them to be
happy (check)
considerate (mostly?)
eats everything
tries everything
brave but smart (perhaps 50/50 here)
smart (check)
beautiful (check)
excellent sleepers (check)
I don't want...
whiners (oy the whining)
criers (crying on a dime makes me smashy)
afraid of simple things
to give the reproductive/sex talk
I think what I want are cute babies..that morph into super cute toddlers and then into preschoolers and school kids that aren't smarter than me just yet. Then I think I'd like to skip the teenage years because there is so much responsibility with teenagers. For me and for them. Those are the years I have to teach them and try to mold them..without them knowing...into responsible almost adults. It's frightening. I don't ever want to have a birds and bees talk with any child, but I know I'm a few short months from being forced to explain some of the basics to my oldest. I. don't. want. to. She's young, and innocent, and she's anxious and it will set her on edge, I'm sure of it. I want her to have the information and be smart and make good choices (abstinence) but I don't want to have to TELL HER about it :) (I will of course).
It also turns out I don't want my kids to have friends. No no..I want them to have friends..at school, at church, but not in the neighborhood. I don't want to have to keep an eye on what they're doing or wonder what mine are doing at others' houses. I don't want to have to watch out for the bad seeds that try to take advantage. I don't like it, I'm incredibly uncomfortable with it. I can't control those parts and so I'd rather they just didn't exist. I do not get this wish obviously, my oldest is super friendly and has a lot of friends everywhere she goes - which is probably just payback for this irrational wish of mine. She's a great kid, of course she has friends.
Oh well. We cannot pick a choose. We couldn't choose our own parents, so our kids cannot choose theirs. We do the best with what we have and what we're given, and with God's help, they turn out to be sane adults. I'm not worried about my children. I will work hard to raise them right with the help of my family and friends, but I sometimes wish I could just pause and remove some of the hard parts.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Paper Hoarder
I am a paper hoarder. Generally I pride myself on not hoarding anything. We regularly purge the toys, and books, and computer paraphernalia. I collect the kids' art throughout the year, and then photograph it all for a photo book and throw it away. Yay for me. As it turns out, I hoard paper. Records, receipts, statements, you name it, if its on paper, I hoard it.
I've been converting us to being as paperless as possible lately. Particularly in our bills and household paperwork areas. The husband bought me a new laserjet printer which is awesome AND a Fuji ScanSnap iX500 which is even more awesome. So I've been bringing up our paper files from the basement file cabinet, up to the desk, sorting and scanning. Deciding to scan and keep only 2 years of past bills (water, gas,electric etc) meant I threw away PILES of paper. We bought a new car yesterday (traded in a less-new angry-making car) and when I was looking for the service papers on it, just in case they wanted it or found it helpful, I came across receipts I had kept for our old cars. Specifically a receipt (tires I think?) from 1999 for my 1988 Plymouth Horizon. As well as a receipt from the husbands 1989? Firebird (also tires I think). Those cars are...like three cars ago for us. Why would I still have these papers? So I am enjoying even more all the sorting and scanning and throwing away (shredding) of all this paper. It's super fun because I like the organizational aspects of it, and because its cleaning without using any real elbow grease.
I have some pictures of the file cabinet and my terrible bill organizer on the desk as well as the piles of paper I'm creating for shredding. I'll post about it again, with pictures, when I get through it all.
Hello. My name is Melissa and I WAS a paper hoarder.
I've been converting us to being as paperless as possible lately. Particularly in our bills and household paperwork areas. The husband bought me a new laserjet printer which is awesome AND a Fuji ScanSnap iX500 which is even more awesome. So I've been bringing up our paper files from the basement file cabinet, up to the desk, sorting and scanning. Deciding to scan and keep only 2 years of past bills (water, gas,electric etc) meant I threw away PILES of paper. We bought a new car yesterday (traded in a less-new angry-making car) and when I was looking for the service papers on it, just in case they wanted it or found it helpful, I came across receipts I had kept for our old cars. Specifically a receipt (tires I think?) from 1999 for my 1988 Plymouth Horizon. As well as a receipt from the husbands 1989? Firebird (also tires I think). Those cars are...like three cars ago for us. Why would I still have these papers? So I am enjoying even more all the sorting and scanning and throwing away (shredding) of all this paper. It's super fun because I like the organizational aspects of it, and because its cleaning without using any real elbow grease.
I have some pictures of the file cabinet and my terrible bill organizer on the desk as well as the piles of paper I'm creating for shredding. I'll post about it again, with pictures, when I get through it all.
Hello. My name is Melissa and I WAS a paper hoarder.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Scandal and Ambition
So before you get too interested. I'm not involved in a scandal...please. I hardly ever leave the house.
I'm fully addicted to the show Scandal on ABC though. I'm seriously considering recording it regularly so I don't have to wait until it shows up on the ABCPlayer on the iPad to watch it while I'm on the treadmill. That's some good TV right there. And then last night I watched Castle (also on the abcplayer on the ipad) and saw Abby from Scandal on Castle. Worlds colliding. Awesomeness. Love both those shows. I love Scandal enough to record it and watch it faster than during my runs..but Castle is perfect for treadmill watching so I'll leave that one there. #scandal
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I didn't make any resolutions of course, because I hate to set myself up for failures. But I did get back on the treadmill regularly and I'm counting calories. It's paying off, I'm down about four pounds so far. I was a bit too ambitious though.I jumped on the treadmill whole hog and tried running. My knee was not too pleased. So I had to scale it back. Now I'm easing back into it. I am doing the treadmill preset programs - specifically the Weight Loss 400 calorie program. It makes me walk fast, walk uphill, jog a little and I'm not touching it for now. January is my easing-into-it month. February might be also. After that I'll start bumping up the speeds and working on redoing the Couch to 5k program. #ambition
See..scandalous ambition could have been the title too. Just trickery to make you read my mindless drivel. Ha!
I'm fully addicted to the show Scandal on ABC though. I'm seriously considering recording it regularly so I don't have to wait until it shows up on the ABCPlayer on the iPad to watch it while I'm on the treadmill. That's some good TV right there. And then last night I watched Castle (also on the abcplayer on the ipad) and saw Abby from Scandal on Castle. Worlds colliding. Awesomeness. Love both those shows. I love Scandal enough to record it and watch it faster than during my runs..but Castle is perfect for treadmill watching so I'll leave that one there. #scandal
------------------------
I didn't make any resolutions of course, because I hate to set myself up for failures. But I did get back on the treadmill regularly and I'm counting calories. It's paying off, I'm down about four pounds so far. I was a bit too ambitious though.I jumped on the treadmill whole hog and tried running. My knee was not too pleased. So I had to scale it back. Now I'm easing back into it. I am doing the treadmill preset programs - specifically the Weight Loss 400 calorie program. It makes me walk fast, walk uphill, jog a little and I'm not touching it for now. January is my easing-into-it month. February might be also. After that I'll start bumping up the speeds and working on redoing the Couch to 5k program. #ambition
See..scandalous ambition could have been the title too. Just trickery to make you read my mindless drivel. Ha!
Monday, January 14, 2013
I'm just so lazy
Hey. Not me, this isn't about me. This time.
We decided to go to Applebees for dinner Sunday night. End the weekend well, eat well, not clean up after ourselves. So I told the girls we're going.
The 10yo exclaims "OH MAN! I wish I'd charged my iPod ! It's dead."
I say "why don't you charge it right away, when it dies, take it up to your charger, plug it in".
She says "Because I'm just so lazy!"
Ha. There you have it. At least she admits how lazy she is.
The 10yo exclaims "OH MAN! I wish I'd charged my iPod ! It's dead."
I say "why don't you charge it right away, when it dies, take it up to your charger, plug it in".
She says "Because I'm just so lazy!"
Ha. There you have it. At least she admits how lazy she is.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Resolutions
I don't like resolutions. I only feel like a giant failure when I screw them up. So I'm not going to commit to anything this year. Except myself maybe. I resolve to consider what I'm doing, when I'm doing it. To think through decisions, and perhaps that will help me make better ones. I feel like today is my last hurrah. I have been eating ALL THE THINGS this holiday season and I stopped running on the treadmill in November. I needed a break, so I took one. And I let myself off the hook for all of it. The not running, the eating all the things, the pie, the cookies, all the foods. But I'm always right back here when it's almost over. I'm a bit sorry for that break. I don't feel the best, I know I don't look the best and I'm ready to get it back. I hope getting back physically gets me back mentally. I guess we'll find out.
So...to copy everyone else, who copies Linda...
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
A day trip by motorcycle. Does that even count? It's not like its fancy or anything. But I hadn't done it before, and I'm looking forward to it again.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions - see above. If I had, it's highly unlikely I'd have kept them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! My sister in law had a beautiful baby girl the day before my birthday. She's fantastic. We met her in person over Christmas and she's a great baby.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. I think we're waiting to leave the country again for another 5 years or so, when the girls are old enough to self-care, but can stay with the grandparents.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Money? Who doesn't want more money. I'm not saying we had none, or wanted for anything, but I'd just like my financial plans to work out as planned for once.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Probably this holiday season, we met the new baby, and my youngest lost her first two teeth. It feels so early for her, but she's only 5, she's still in preschool. The in-laws moved to town in November also, which is pretty freaking awesome.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I have no achievements, I'm feeling very mediocre about this year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
An incident at a water park. No big deal, but it gives me nightmares. And I generally didn't excel at anything, which feels like failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes I guess so. My left knee now requires a stupid brace so I can use the treadmill or run in a 5k. I also somehow pulled something in my upper left back that refuses to heal. I feel 85% certain its a deep muscle pull, but you'd think after 2 months it'd be at least a little better. Maybe it is, either that or I'm just used to it now.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My bedroom furniture..with the new motorcycle taking a close 2nd. I also sort of got into an organizational groove this year, so I bought a lot of things to help organize the house and all our crap - which is pretty awesome.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage (4 years to go), Video games, Motorcycles
13. What did you get really excited about?
My bedroom furniture. I'm a real grown up now.
14. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Hmmm, this is a good question. I guess maybe The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" maybe. I feel like there was a lot of songs I liked this year, just can't pinpoint.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? The same I think. I fluctuate, but I'm generally happy.
– thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter.
– richer or poorer? About the same I think.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Not sweating the little stuff, or not sweating that I get very little help with it without specifically asking which defeats the purpose of getting help...gah. Nevermind.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Being so impatient with the kids. Sometimes I reach that point of OMG I CANNOT TAKE THIS way too fast.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve was madness, spent with the in-laws and a troupe of in-law invaders. Christmas day we woke up at home, in our own beds, had a great morning with gifts and breakfast. Then we headed over to my dad's for more gifts and easy food and a relaxing afternoon.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
This is tough. I like so many. Grey's Anatomy? No wait, maybe Rizzoli & Isles. No wait - The Voice. Definitely The Voice. I love that show.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
No favorites, but I did read quite a few. I also sorted out our bookshelves, donated a bunch and I have a pile I need to read so I can just donate them as well.
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
Isn't this a duplicate question? I enjoyed The Band Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, and a bunch of other stuff. I listen to XM Radio in the car, and CDs I own at home..so I don't get much new music.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Twilight Breaking Dawn part 1 - does that count. I don't think I have a favorite otherwise. I'm waiting for RedBox to watch the 2nd part. EDITED: I'm a liar. Pitch Perfect was my favorite movie of the year. I loved that movie, and I think I need to get the soundtrack too!
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We waited for pictures and a name announcement for my new niece. She was born the day before. I turned 36.
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Magically winning the lottery without playing, losing weight when I ate pie and didn't exercise. This question is stupid.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Try not to look like a frumpy mom. Try to choose trendy outfits that work on my body. I may or may not have succeeded.
26. What kept you sane?
Video games and wine. We discovered a new winery thanks to some friends and have finally found a sweet red wine we can put away like grown ups. And video games like Gears of War 3 and Black Ops 2 let me get my aggression out in a healthy way. It's healthy. shhhh.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012
I doubt I learned anything. I already know I eat to mask my emotions. I already know I don't say what I should say when I should say it. I already know I let things fester. I already know what I should probably be doing about my weight/fitness/health. I'll get to it I guess.
Having answered those..I don't know how I feel about this whole thing. I intend to exercise again. Starting tomorrow. I intend to make better food choices. Starting tomorrow. I CAN do this. I WILL. I don't need some official resolution to do so and I'd rather not feel like a loser if I fall behind in my goals.
So...to copy everyone else, who copies Linda...
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
A day trip by motorcycle. Does that even count? It's not like its fancy or anything. But I hadn't done it before, and I'm looking forward to it again.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions - see above. If I had, it's highly unlikely I'd have kept them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! My sister in law had a beautiful baby girl the day before my birthday. She's fantastic. We met her in person over Christmas and she's a great baby.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. I think we're waiting to leave the country again for another 5 years or so, when the girls are old enough to self-care, but can stay with the grandparents.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Money? Who doesn't want more money. I'm not saying we had none, or wanted for anything, but I'd just like my financial plans to work out as planned for once.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Probably this holiday season, we met the new baby, and my youngest lost her first two teeth. It feels so early for her, but she's only 5, she's still in preschool. The in-laws moved to town in November also, which is pretty freaking awesome.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I have no achievements, I'm feeling very mediocre about this year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
An incident at a water park. No big deal, but it gives me nightmares. And I generally didn't excel at anything, which feels like failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes I guess so. My left knee now requires a stupid brace so I can use the treadmill or run in a 5k. I also somehow pulled something in my upper left back that refuses to heal. I feel 85% certain its a deep muscle pull, but you'd think after 2 months it'd be at least a little better. Maybe it is, either that or I'm just used to it now.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My bedroom furniture..with the new motorcycle taking a close 2nd. I also sort of got into an organizational groove this year, so I bought a lot of things to help organize the house and all our crap - which is pretty awesome.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage (4 years to go), Video games, Motorcycles
13. What did you get really excited about?
My bedroom furniture. I'm a real grown up now.
14. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Hmmm, this is a good question. I guess maybe The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" maybe. I feel like there was a lot of songs I liked this year, just can't pinpoint.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? The same I think. I fluctuate, but I'm generally happy.
– thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter.
– richer or poorer? About the same I think.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Not sweating the little stuff, or not sweating that I get very little help with it without specifically asking which defeats the purpose of getting help...gah. Nevermind.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Being so impatient with the kids. Sometimes I reach that point of OMG I CANNOT TAKE THIS way too fast.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve was madness, spent with the in-laws and a troupe of in-law invaders. Christmas day we woke up at home, in our own beds, had a great morning with gifts and breakfast. Then we headed over to my dad's for more gifts and easy food and a relaxing afternoon.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
This is tough. I like so many. Grey's Anatomy? No wait, maybe Rizzoli & Isles. No wait - The Voice. Definitely The Voice. I love that show.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
No favorites, but I did read quite a few. I also sorted out our bookshelves, donated a bunch and I have a pile I need to read so I can just donate them as well.
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
Isn't this a duplicate question? I enjoyed The Band Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, and a bunch of other stuff. I listen to XM Radio in the car, and CDs I own at home..so I don't get much new music.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Twilight Breaking Dawn part 1 - does that count. I don't think I have a favorite otherwise. I'm waiting for RedBox to watch the 2nd part. EDITED: I'm a liar. Pitch Perfect was my favorite movie of the year. I loved that movie, and I think I need to get the soundtrack too!
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We waited for pictures and a name announcement for my new niece. She was born the day before. I turned 36.
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Magically winning the lottery without playing, losing weight when I ate pie and didn't exercise. This question is stupid.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Try not to look like a frumpy mom. Try to choose trendy outfits that work on my body. I may or may not have succeeded.
26. What kept you sane?
Video games and wine. We discovered a new winery thanks to some friends and have finally found a sweet red wine we can put away like grown ups. And video games like Gears of War 3 and Black Ops 2 let me get my aggression out in a healthy way. It's healthy. shhhh.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012
I doubt I learned anything. I already know I eat to mask my emotions. I already know I don't say what I should say when I should say it. I already know I let things fester. I already know what I should probably be doing about my weight/fitness/health. I'll get to it I guess.
Having answered those..I don't know how I feel about this whole thing. I intend to exercise again. Starting tomorrow. I intend to make better food choices. Starting tomorrow. I CAN do this. I WILL. I don't need some official resolution to do so and I'd rather not feel like a loser if I fall behind in my goals.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Slacker
Wow. It's been awhile I guess. I sometimes get ideas for a blog post, but it turns out I'm pretty lazy. Finding time to sit down and write it, find a photo maybe, be funny and charming. Gah. Too much work. So the blog sits. Sorry.
November 1st the great grandparents moved close to town. They were in Illinois, about 3 hours from us, and now they're about 15 minutes away in an assisted living retirement place. It's pretty awesome. I can't tell you how much the girls hated driving 3 hours to see them, and we didn't do it very often. Now we see them all the time, as often as we want and it's so easy to pop out there if they need something or to pick them up and bring them over for a holiday or a visit or whatever. They love it there too, they have their own apartment and space and they brought their dog with them. There is a nursing staff keeping on top of the diabetes involved which is great because he can't slack off or they'll get on him about it, so it's better for them as well. It's pretty awesome.
November 17th we moved the in-laws into their new house. It is a beautiful ranch style home with three bedrooms and two baths and a full unfinished basement. It's really wonderful. I love all the choices they made for finishes and now I'm so jealous I have started plotting how to upgrade my own home :) It is so nice to be able to pop over there now - they're only 4 minutes away, less than 2 miles. Previously they were 2 hours away. The girls LOVE this new drive to see Grandma and Grandpa. LOVE IT. So the 17th we got up early, took the girls to my dad's house for the morning and we headed to their old city to load up the moving trucks (actually moving boys did that) and head back here. We got in the car at 930 to head out of town and we passed my father in law in the first truck about 10 minutes outside of their old city. We got to the storage place, I got into the driver seat of our truck, the husband got into the other moving truck and we headed directly back home. It was the fastest we've ever taken that trip. Then we sort of watched the movers unload and helped direct. The 5yo wasn't feeling well, so it turns out I took a sick kid to my dads and she threw up (mostly snot) about five times while she was there. She has a really weak stomach, so a cold = vomit, nearly every time. She was mostly recovered by Sunday and we helped settle the in-laws into their home more. Moving furniture, assembling beds and arranging their basement a little bit so it was another usable space. It's really really nice and we couldn't be more pleased that they're hear. Since then, they've called a couple times to borrow something (a lot of their things are still in boxes and kind of hard to find) and they say whenever we have a minute to bring it by. It literally only takes 4 minutes (it'd be less without stoplights and signs or traffic) so we always just pop over there for what they need. I think they're not used to that, but it's huge for us, we love that part. The whole point of them moving here was to be closer, see us more..pop in. It's pretty awesome.
Thanksgiving was a whirlwind. Since all our family is all in town now it's easy to schedule and figure out what we're doing when. So we had Thanksgiving with the in-laws, great grandparents at an aunt-in-law's house. It was great food and visiting and we got to Skype with my sister in law and see that squishy baby she's got. It was a great day, and we were home before dinner time. That's both a bonus and a drawback. Bonus because we had time to start on our Christmas shopping plans but a drawback because we had no leftover turkey. Friday we headed over to my brother's for another Thanksgiving. Their new house is nice and big and the kids can run off and play and we can hardly hear them. We played pictionary and catchphrase and it was a pretty great day. Saturday and Sunday we caught up on things around the hose and tried to pin down our Christmas gift plans. Ideally we wanted to be all done with the shopping by early December.
We succeeded mostly. We've only got to find a couple more gifts for the girls, pickup something for my nephew and new neice and figure out stockings. We've got a date planned for this Friday to leave the girls with the in-laws OVERNIGHT and finish up our shopping, have dinner and a night of our own. I hope nothing gets in the way of that. It seems like every time we plan something without the girls..it gets interrupted by puke or something. So I'm really hopeful we can do this. It's just an overnight and Christmas shopping, but I could really use that.
I'm looking forward to Christmas. My sister in law is coming for nearly a week and bringing that squishy baby girl and I cannot wait to see her in person and get some squeezes. It'll be so much fun to hang out with them and to have everyone so near by and avoid the inevitable driving they end up doing when people are spread out. This way we can gather at my in-laws easily throughout the holiday and get our fill of each other. It's going to be awesome.
In unrelated news I have this odd pain in my upper back. Sort of below my shoulder blade, but it feels more...inside. I'm terrible at explaining it and I blame it on sleeping on a MyPillow that was too fat for me for a week. It feels kinda like there's a little bouncy ball in there..and so if I just sit normal, it's fine. If I reach for my nightstand light..or breathe super deep, or sneeze, gah the sneezes...it feels like the bouncy ball doesn't fit anymore and it hurts a bit. I convince myself that its a muscle pull most likely..most of the time. I dunno. I saw a chiropractor who called it weird and I'm not sure it's really that big of a deal or worth seeing an MD so they can say 'yup, muscle pull'. So, I dunno..it seems pretty ok right now, so I'm just going to live with it for a bit. If it's a muscle pull it'll eventually improve...right. How long is eventually..that's the question I guess.
November 1st the great grandparents moved close to town. They were in Illinois, about 3 hours from us, and now they're about 15 minutes away in an assisted living retirement place. It's pretty awesome. I can't tell you how much the girls hated driving 3 hours to see them, and we didn't do it very often. Now we see them all the time, as often as we want and it's so easy to pop out there if they need something or to pick them up and bring them over for a holiday or a visit or whatever. They love it there too, they have their own apartment and space and they brought their dog with them. There is a nursing staff keeping on top of the diabetes involved which is great because he can't slack off or they'll get on him about it, so it's better for them as well. It's pretty awesome.
November 17th we moved the in-laws into their new house. It is a beautiful ranch style home with three bedrooms and two baths and a full unfinished basement. It's really wonderful. I love all the choices they made for finishes and now I'm so jealous I have started plotting how to upgrade my own home :) It is so nice to be able to pop over there now - they're only 4 minutes away, less than 2 miles. Previously they were 2 hours away. The girls LOVE this new drive to see Grandma and Grandpa. LOVE IT. So the 17th we got up early, took the girls to my dad's house for the morning and we headed to their old city to load up the moving trucks (actually moving boys did that) and head back here. We got in the car at 930 to head out of town and we passed my father in law in the first truck about 10 minutes outside of their old city. We got to the storage place, I got into the driver seat of our truck, the husband got into the other moving truck and we headed directly back home. It was the fastest we've ever taken that trip. Then we sort of watched the movers unload and helped direct. The 5yo wasn't feeling well, so it turns out I took a sick kid to my dads and she threw up (mostly snot) about five times while she was there. She has a really weak stomach, so a cold = vomit, nearly every time. She was mostly recovered by Sunday and we helped settle the in-laws into their home more. Moving furniture, assembling beds and arranging their basement a little bit so it was another usable space. It's really really nice and we couldn't be more pleased that they're hear. Since then, they've called a couple times to borrow something (a lot of their things are still in boxes and kind of hard to find) and they say whenever we have a minute to bring it by. It literally only takes 4 minutes (it'd be less without stoplights and signs or traffic) so we always just pop over there for what they need. I think they're not used to that, but it's huge for us, we love that part. The whole point of them moving here was to be closer, see us more..pop in. It's pretty awesome.
Thanksgiving was a whirlwind. Since all our family is all in town now it's easy to schedule and figure out what we're doing when. So we had Thanksgiving with the in-laws, great grandparents at an aunt-in-law's house. It was great food and visiting and we got to Skype with my sister in law and see that squishy baby she's got. It was a great day, and we were home before dinner time. That's both a bonus and a drawback. Bonus because we had time to start on our Christmas shopping plans but a drawback because we had no leftover turkey. Friday we headed over to my brother's for another Thanksgiving. Their new house is nice and big and the kids can run off and play and we can hardly hear them. We played pictionary and catchphrase and it was a pretty great day. Saturday and Sunday we caught up on things around the hose and tried to pin down our Christmas gift plans. Ideally we wanted to be all done with the shopping by early December.
We succeeded mostly. We've only got to find a couple more gifts for the girls, pickup something for my nephew and new neice and figure out stockings. We've got a date planned for this Friday to leave the girls with the in-laws OVERNIGHT and finish up our shopping, have dinner and a night of our own. I hope nothing gets in the way of that. It seems like every time we plan something without the girls..it gets interrupted by puke or something. So I'm really hopeful we can do this. It's just an overnight and Christmas shopping, but I could really use that.
I'm looking forward to Christmas. My sister in law is coming for nearly a week and bringing that squishy baby girl and I cannot wait to see her in person and get some squeezes. It'll be so much fun to hang out with them and to have everyone so near by and avoid the inevitable driving they end up doing when people are spread out. This way we can gather at my in-laws easily throughout the holiday and get our fill of each other. It's going to be awesome.
In unrelated news I have this odd pain in my upper back. Sort of below my shoulder blade, but it feels more...inside. I'm terrible at explaining it and I blame it on sleeping on a MyPillow that was too fat for me for a week. It feels kinda like there's a little bouncy ball in there..and so if I just sit normal, it's fine. If I reach for my nightstand light..or breathe super deep, or sneeze, gah the sneezes...it feels like the bouncy ball doesn't fit anymore and it hurts a bit. I convince myself that its a muscle pull most likely..most of the time. I dunno. I saw a chiropractor who called it weird and I'm not sure it's really that big of a deal or worth seeing an MD so they can say 'yup, muscle pull'. So, I dunno..it seems pretty ok right now, so I'm just going to live with it for a bit. If it's a muscle pull it'll eventually improve...right. How long is eventually..that's the question I guess.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Holiday Cards
So I picked and ordered Holiday cards for us tonight. I am soooo on top of Christmas this year. Go me! :) Here's a preview of the card...and I should get a bonus $10 off my next order by showing this! Yay!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
TEN. TEN!
This is what TEN looks like. She was born TEN years ago, at 6:08 am weighing in at 8lbs 6oz..see that. 8-06 at 6-08... She's smart and beautiful and caring and sensitive and loves soccer and her friends and school. She's fantastic. We'll have a small party tonight with just us because she has church group (Awanas) and then Saturday she's having a party with her friends followed by a party for family. It's gonna be super fun.
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