OK, it's been a while since I've written, so this is going to be really random and disjointed, and you're just going to have to deal with it.
Tony called me at work the other day, asking me to e-mail him and give him a link or something to the "Mahna, Mahna" song. When I asked him why, he said he had sat down at the computer to check e-mail, and Ari had climbed on his lap, singing, "Mahna, mahna" and saying, "Ready! Ready!"
And on Friday, in the car, completely unprompted, she started singing, "Doo doo, mahna mahna."
Because we needed to leave early in the morning for my cousin's wedding on Saturday, Ari spent the night at Pastor and Dawn's house. I brought her there around bedtime, gave her a quick bath, and laid her down in her Pack-n-Play after singing her a song. When I came out of the room, they asked, "Is she asleep already?"
"No, but she will be soon."
"And she'll sleep through the night?"
"Yeh."
They acted pleasantly surprised by this. I don't know why, but that made me proud for some reason. Not like I really had a lot to do with how well she sleeps, unless you claim that good sleeping habits can be inherited. Maybe my kid doesn't eat, but she is a champion sleeper.
(And for the record, yes, she did sleep through the night, woke at 7, but went back to sleep with minimal coaxing from Dawn, and woke up for good around 8.)
My cousin's wedding was lovely. When the bride came down the aisle, my eyes welled with tears. There are not many things in this world more beautiful than a vibrant young bride, walking down the aisle toward her future husband. And in that same moment, it hit me--it has been nearly 10 years since I was in those shoes. For some reason, this 10-year milestone is just blowing my mind lately.
At the reception, the DJ opened himself up for requests, and Tony requested "Truly, Madly, Deeply." He is too sweet. We didn't get the slow dance I was hoping for (we left before they really started playing the slow-dance-type music), but that song request made up for it.
I am so totally in love with Wonder Bread's new Whole Grain Honey Wheat bread. It is so many kinds of delicious. Along those same lines, I have also been obsessed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lately, which taste even better on this magical new bread.
Yesterday, I finally got around to reading Persepolis, which my mom gave to me months (years?) ago. I loved it. I was an "easy" read, in the sense that I could read it quickly, but not easy because it dealt with some pretty serious subject matter. I highly, highly recommend it. I am already one-quarter of the way through Persepolis 2.
Book description, if you're interested...
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
I was getting Ari ready for church this morning, and as I changed her diaper, she reached out to grab my dress.
Ari: Pretty, pretty.
Me: Yes, Mommy's dress is pretty.
Ari: Pretty Mommy.
Me: *melts*
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Truck-van or van-truck?
Conversation with a toddler (AKA "I thought this only worked in Bugs Bunny cartoons")
Ari: (pointing at a van) Truck!
Me: No, baby, that's a van.
Ari: Truck!
Me: Van.
Ari: Truck!
Me: Fine, it's a truck.
Ari: Van!
Me: *sigh*
Ari: (pointing at a van) Truck!
Me: No, baby, that's a van.
Ari: Truck!
Me: Van.
Ari: Truck!
Me: Fine, it's a truck.
Ari: Van!
Me: *sigh*
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Look out, American Idol
Not much to report except that I fulfilled my "note to self" and got some videos of Ari singing and just generally being cute.
OK, so she doesn't sing in this first one. I was just getting video of her new favorite hobby--jumping off the arm of the couch. And yes, I know she's not really jumping--but that's what she calls it, so we just go with it.
All right, here--success. I got her to sing the "Mahna, Mahna" song with me. Tell me that is not the cutest thing you've ever seen. Seriously. Then I attempted to get her to sing the "doo doo doo-doo doo" part, but had no luck.
Just more video of my unsuccessful attempts to get her to sing the other part.
And that's all. Happy rest-of-the-weekend to you!
OK, so she doesn't sing in this first one. I was just getting video of her new favorite hobby--jumping off the arm of the couch. And yes, I know she's not really jumping--but that's what she calls it, so we just go with it.
All right, here--success. I got her to sing the "Mahna, Mahna" song with me. Tell me that is not the cutest thing you've ever seen. Seriously. Then I attempted to get her to sing the "doo doo doo-doo doo" part, but had no luck.
Just more video of my unsuccessful attempts to get her to sing the other part.
And that's all. Happy rest-of-the-weekend to you!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MRI and A-R-I
As I said in my previous entry, I got my MRI results at my doctor's appointment yesterday, and everything came back normal. (*insert jokes about my brain being "normal"*) Well, except for the fact that there's a touch of sinusitis in my left sinus (no shock there, since it's allergy season) and the bone behind my right ear appears to be slightly inflamed. But since I'm having no pain or symptoms there, my doctor brushed it off. Of course, I'm sure that now I will start imagining all sorts of odd sensations back there. Ahh, the life of a hypochondriac. As far as the rest of the physical, it was all pretty routine. My cholesterol is spectacular, and though my bloodwork showed I have a low blood count, my iron levels and other related things were fine. She wants me to have bloodwork done again in about a month, just to make sure everything is OK. I am one big medical mystery, I guess. Oh, and I also got to have a tetanus shot, which left my arm feeling just fantastic for the rest of the day.
On to the Ari update... I don't think I've written about this before, but if I have, tough luck. She has learned to play peekaboo--in other words, she initiates the game herself. Sometimes she does it at home by hiding behind the vertical blinds by our sliding glass doors (she fits back there perfectly), and sometimes she does it in the car when she gets bored. She says, "Where's Ari?" (though it comes out more like "Uh Ahh-ee?") and waits happily for us to repeat it. Then she'll usually remain hidden (or, if we're in the car, keep her hands over her face) for far too long afterwards. She doesn't quite get that when we say "Where's Ari?", she's supposed to appear and/or yell "Peekaboo!" We'll get there.
She climbed into my lap while I was on the computer the other day, sweetly demanding "movie." I headed on over to YouTube for our 2 "favorites"--They Might Be Giant's "Birdhouse in Your Soul" (she's very excited about the bikes in the video right now) and that Muppet "Mahna, Mahna" song. When we watched the Muppet one, she started singing along--with a high-pitched, melodic "Doo doo" and a slightly-growly "m'na, m'na." And even now, a few days later, if we sing, "Doo doo doo-doo-doo" to her, she'll grin this almost-shy little grin and reply "m'na, m'na," waiting for us to laugh our approval. (Note to self: must get this on video.)
When I had Ari fill out Tony's Father's Day card on Tuesday (yes, I know Father's Day was Sunday--shut up), I got her set up at the coffee table with the card, the envelope, and the first 3 markers I could find. I expected random scribbling, and was ready to jump in should she decide to start coloring the table or her clothes, but she surprised me with how seriously she took it. She chose the orange marker first, and made a giant, but careful scribble on the envelope. Then she solemnly handed the marker to me, took the brown one, and proceeded to color on the little spots of design inside the card, as though she understood the idea of coloring inside lines (notice I said the "idea"--she's not all that great at actually staying inside any lines). I expected I would have to force her to stop coloring at some point (since we were on our way out the door), but she surprised me once again a couple minutes later by methodically handing me each marker, then the card, then then envelope, signaling that she was done.
On to the Ari update... I don't think I've written about this before, but if I have, tough luck. She has learned to play peekaboo--in other words, she initiates the game herself. Sometimes she does it at home by hiding behind the vertical blinds by our sliding glass doors (she fits back there perfectly), and sometimes she does it in the car when she gets bored. She says, "Where's Ari?" (though it comes out more like "Uh Ahh-ee?") and waits happily for us to repeat it. Then she'll usually remain hidden (or, if we're in the car, keep her hands over her face) for far too long afterwards. She doesn't quite get that when we say "Where's Ari?", she's supposed to appear and/or yell "Peekaboo!" We'll get there.
She climbed into my lap while I was on the computer the other day, sweetly demanding "movie." I headed on over to YouTube for our 2 "favorites"--They Might Be Giant's "Birdhouse in Your Soul" (she's very excited about the bikes in the video right now) and that Muppet "Mahna, Mahna" song. When we watched the Muppet one, she started singing along--with a high-pitched, melodic "Doo doo" and a slightly-growly "m'na, m'na." And even now, a few days later, if we sing, "Doo doo doo-doo-doo" to her, she'll grin this almost-shy little grin and reply "m'na, m'na," waiting for us to laugh our approval. (Note to self: must get this on video.)
When I had Ari fill out Tony's Father's Day card on Tuesday (yes, I know Father's Day was Sunday--shut up), I got her set up at the coffee table with the card, the envelope, and the first 3 markers I could find. I expected random scribbling, and was ready to jump in should she decide to start coloring the table or her clothes, but she surprised me with how seriously she took it. She chose the orange marker first, and made a giant, but careful scribble on the envelope. Then she solemnly handed the marker to me, took the brown one, and proceeded to color on the little spots of design inside the card, as though she understood the idea of coloring inside lines (notice I said the "idea"--she's not all that great at actually staying inside any lines). I expected I would have to force her to stop coloring at some point (since we were on our way out the door), but she surprised me once again a couple minutes later by methodically handing me each marker, then the card, then then envelope, signaling that she was done.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The worst wife in the world (among other things)
How to feel like the worst wife in the world (in 5 easy steps!):
1. Buy 2 lovely, thoughtful Father's Day cards for your husband (one from you and one from your daughter) the day before Father's Day.
2. Upon arriving at home, hide the cards in a clever spot so that he won't find them, intending to fill them out later.
3. A few hours later, completely forget about the cards.
4. Wish your husband a Happy Father's Day the next morning, without letting that remind you of the hidden cards.
5. Go through the rest of the day as normal.
If you follow these steps carefully, then the end result should be the following conversation, held shortly after midnight on Father's Day:
Tony: (tentatively) Uh, I'm not trying to be stupid here, but... did you forget to get me Father's Day cards from you and Ari?
Me: Crap! (realizing that might be interpreted as a "yes") I mean, yes I did get you cards, but I hid them away so you wouldn't find them and forgot all about them.
And... scene. Congratulations--you now feel like the worst wife in the world.
In other news...
1. I had my MRI of my braaaaaain on Saturday morning. I was cool, calm and collected right up until I got inside the machine--then, I could feel my heart pounding and my body stiffening (though I think the reason I tensed up was because I was trying so hard to hold still as instructed). It wasn't because I'm claustrophobic or anything--I think it was because once the machine started, it hit me how powerful the thing is. The technician told me I didn't have to take off my rings, but once the machine started, I could feel the pulse of the machine in my rings--it was a weird vibration. I asked her if that was OK/normal, and she replied that it was fine but I could take my rings off if it bothered me. I opted to leave them on. By the time we were done, I had a killer headache--fully stress-related, I'm sure.
It's weird, because there are times when I don't stress out mentally, per se, but yet my body has a physical reaction that I am powerless to stop. It reminded me of childbirth classes, when they were trying to teach us to breathe, use a focal point, blah blah blah. I was so bad at it, because my brain is just not wired that way--I can't "trick" my body into relaxing, and the whole concept if going to a "happy place" is just laughable to me. It simply doesn't work for me. Which probably explains why I am such a huge sissy about pain--I have no defense against it.
Anyway, got my MRI results today (which you already know about, if you read the Twitter feed in the sidebar), and they were normal. So... woo hoo and stuff.
2. We hung out at a friend's house yesterday evening, and somehow we ended up watching "Rent." It was the first time I've seen the entire movie since I saw the play on Broadway, so I spent most of the time noticing the differences between the 2. But I still enjoyed getting to see the movie again. Tony and I snuggled on the couch, and during the particularly emotional scenes/songs, he would gently kiss me on the head. It's amazing how even the littlest gestures like that can mean so much.
3. Clever little me set the DVR to record the Tony Awards last night, and when I got home, even though it was late, I couldn't resist watching a bit. There were 2 performances I knew about, from reading online--The Lion King (which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on Broadway) and a tribute to Rent, featuring the current and original cast (since it is ending its Broadway run in September). The show opened with the opening scene from The Lion King--the famous "Circle of Life" song. It gave me chills, just like it did the first time I saw it live. The "Rent" tribute was toward the end. Anthony Rapp (original Mark) introduced the segment. The current cast did a clip from "La Vie Boheme" and then the original cast came out. Several of them spoke and then they all sang--what else?--"Seasons of Love."
1. Buy 2 lovely, thoughtful Father's Day cards for your husband (one from you and one from your daughter) the day before Father's Day.
2. Upon arriving at home, hide the cards in a clever spot so that he won't find them, intending to fill them out later.
3. A few hours later, completely forget about the cards.
4. Wish your husband a Happy Father's Day the next morning, without letting that remind you of the hidden cards.
5. Go through the rest of the day as normal.
If you follow these steps carefully, then the end result should be the following conversation, held shortly after midnight on Father's Day:
Tony: (tentatively) Uh, I'm not trying to be stupid here, but... did you forget to get me Father's Day cards from you and Ari?
Me: Crap! (realizing that might be interpreted as a "yes") I mean, yes I did get you cards, but I hid them away so you wouldn't find them and forgot all about them.
And... scene. Congratulations--you now feel like the worst wife in the world.
In other news...
1. I had my MRI of my braaaaaain on Saturday morning. I was cool, calm and collected right up until I got inside the machine--then, I could feel my heart pounding and my body stiffening (though I think the reason I tensed up was because I was trying so hard to hold still as instructed). It wasn't because I'm claustrophobic or anything--I think it was because once the machine started, it hit me how powerful the thing is. The technician told me I didn't have to take off my rings, but once the machine started, I could feel the pulse of the machine in my rings--it was a weird vibration. I asked her if that was OK/normal, and she replied that it was fine but I could take my rings off if it bothered me. I opted to leave them on. By the time we were done, I had a killer headache--fully stress-related, I'm sure.
It's weird, because there are times when I don't stress out mentally, per se, but yet my body has a physical reaction that I am powerless to stop. It reminded me of childbirth classes, when they were trying to teach us to breathe, use a focal point, blah blah blah. I was so bad at it, because my brain is just not wired that way--I can't "trick" my body into relaxing, and the whole concept if going to a "happy place" is just laughable to me. It simply doesn't work for me. Which probably explains why I am such a huge sissy about pain--I have no defense against it.
Anyway, got my MRI results today (which you already know about, if you read the Twitter feed in the sidebar), and they were normal. So... woo hoo and stuff.
2. We hung out at a friend's house yesterday evening, and somehow we ended up watching "Rent." It was the first time I've seen the entire movie since I saw the play on Broadway, so I spent most of the time noticing the differences between the 2. But I still enjoyed getting to see the movie again. Tony and I snuggled on the couch, and during the particularly emotional scenes/songs, he would gently kiss me on the head. It's amazing how even the littlest gestures like that can mean so much.
3. Clever little me set the DVR to record the Tony Awards last night, and when I got home, even though it was late, I couldn't resist watching a bit. There were 2 performances I knew about, from reading online--The Lion King (which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on Broadway) and a tribute to Rent, featuring the current and original cast (since it is ending its Broadway run in September). The show opened with the opening scene from The Lion King--the famous "Circle of Life" song. It gave me chills, just like it did the first time I saw it live. The "Rent" tribute was toward the end. Anthony Rapp (original Mark) introduced the segment. The current cast did a clip from "La Vie Boheme" and then the original cast came out. Several of them spoke and then they all sang--what else?--"Seasons of Love."
Friday, June 13, 2008
Hey, it's Friday the 13th. Awesome.
I just realized that Sunday is Father's Day and I have yet to buy Tony a card. We got cards for our own fathers a couple days ago, but I couldn't pick out anything for Tony with him right beside me. I actually need to get 2 cards, I suppose--one from me and one from Ari. I'm of the mindset that it's silly for a child to "give"' cards to people when the child is too young to pick the card out or even know what's going on, but since I got a card from "Ari" on Mother's Day, I should probably follow suit with Father's Day.
Tomorrow I'm having my MRI, bright and early at 9 AM. (I know that's not all that early in the grand scheme of things, but on My Only Day To Sleep In, it is. Hmm, maybe I can catch a little extra sleep during the MRI. Don't laugh--you'd be surprised how easily I can fall asleep, despite loud noises and such.) Anyway, it's going to be an MRI of my braaaaaaaain ( <-- you have to read that word in a mad-scientist voice). Should be a fun experience. Maybe I'll even blog about it.
Tonight I have a girls' night planned with Dawn, since our husbands will be occupied with a church men's activity. There was talk of getting ice cream for dinner, and of taking a walk, which will completely cancel out the ice cream. Sounds like a perfect plan to me.
Well, let me close by talking about my cute kid. She is starting to make little "sentences" by stringing together words she knows. It's basically just a few nouns thrown together, but you can easily understand what she's trying to tell you. For example, yesterday she said to the babysitter, "Mary... Ari... water." She was in the pool at the time, so she wanted Mary to know she was in the water. (Oh, and a side note--yes, she has finally figured out that her name is "Ari" not "You.") She still speaks jibberish sometimes, but more and more, we are starting to follow her train of thought.
She also uses her power of speaking to "tattle." For example, if I tell her no and have to use a sharp tone with her, she'll start up the fake cry, run to Tony, and sob, "Moooooommy," as though she wants to tell him what an awful person I am. It's pretty amusing, actually.
When she wakes up in the mornings, she calls out "Hi" as loudly as she can. If that gets no response, she'll try adding a name. "Hi, Daddy." And if there's still no response, she'll try "Hi, Mommy." She doesn't get upset--she just raises her voice little by little. And if there's still no reply, she'll usually find a way to amuse herself with the toys in her crib, humming and talking to herself until someone comes to get her. I love that she wakes up so cheerful. But, like I've said before, I'm sure I'd be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed if I were getting 10-12 hours of sleep a night.
We have a plant out back and she helps Tony water it. He fills an old Dasani bottle with water, and she carries it oh-so-carefully outside, and then much-less-carefully dumps it on the plant. And she is terribly proud of herself for being Daddy's little helper.
She still loves the playground, and has learned a new skill--how to hang by her arms. The big slide has a "frame" around it, with openings so that kids can have something to grab on to when they're getting ready to go down. Ari grabs the uppermost part with her hands, pulls up her legs, and just dangles there. She did it last night a little more forcefully, and swung pretty hard. Then, Tony said, "I'm going to get you," which, as you know, sends most toddlers into a shrieking frenzy as they attempt to escape. Ari did her hanging thing again, except this time, as she swung forward, she let go (on purpose), plopped down hard on the slide, and slid all the way down. And of course, she was giggling the entire time. She's going to be a daredevil, that one.
I think I've mentioned before that she's started singing, and we can tell it's the ABC song. There's also a song that Tony sings to her, and she sings with him. It starts off with the words "La dee doh, la dee doh da day," and she can sing that part almost perfectly. I watched her do it last night right before bed, her head snuggled on to his shoulder as she belted out the words, as though she was trying to outsing him.
That's all I've got off the top of my head. Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! May today be your lucky day. (No, seriously. 13 is a lucky number in my family, not unlucky, so get over your negative superstitions and have yourself a fantabulous day.)
Tomorrow I'm having my MRI, bright and early at 9 AM. (I know that's not all that early in the grand scheme of things, but on My Only Day To Sleep In, it is. Hmm, maybe I can catch a little extra sleep during the MRI. Don't laugh--you'd be surprised how easily I can fall asleep, despite loud noises and such.) Anyway, it's going to be an MRI of my braaaaaaaain ( <-- you have to read that word in a mad-scientist voice). Should be a fun experience. Maybe I'll even blog about it.
Tonight I have a girls' night planned with Dawn, since our husbands will be occupied with a church men's activity. There was talk of getting ice cream for dinner, and of taking a walk, which will completely cancel out the ice cream. Sounds like a perfect plan to me.
Well, let me close by talking about my cute kid. She is starting to make little "sentences" by stringing together words she knows. It's basically just a few nouns thrown together, but you can easily understand what she's trying to tell you. For example, yesterday she said to the babysitter, "Mary... Ari... water." She was in the pool at the time, so she wanted Mary to know she was in the water. (Oh, and a side note--yes, she has finally figured out that her name is "Ari" not "You.") She still speaks jibberish sometimes, but more and more, we are starting to follow her train of thought.
She also uses her power of speaking to "tattle." For example, if I tell her no and have to use a sharp tone with her, she'll start up the fake cry, run to Tony, and sob, "Moooooommy," as though she wants to tell him what an awful person I am. It's pretty amusing, actually.
When she wakes up in the mornings, she calls out "Hi" as loudly as she can. If that gets no response, she'll try adding a name. "Hi, Daddy." And if there's still no response, she'll try "Hi, Mommy." She doesn't get upset--she just raises her voice little by little. And if there's still no reply, she'll usually find a way to amuse herself with the toys in her crib, humming and talking to herself until someone comes to get her. I love that she wakes up so cheerful. But, like I've said before, I'm sure I'd be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed if I were getting 10-12 hours of sleep a night.
We have a plant out back and she helps Tony water it. He fills an old Dasani bottle with water, and she carries it oh-so-carefully outside, and then much-less-carefully dumps it on the plant. And she is terribly proud of herself for being Daddy's little helper.
She still loves the playground, and has learned a new skill--how to hang by her arms. The big slide has a "frame" around it, with openings so that kids can have something to grab on to when they're getting ready to go down. Ari grabs the uppermost part with her hands, pulls up her legs, and just dangles there. She did it last night a little more forcefully, and swung pretty hard. Then, Tony said, "I'm going to get you," which, as you know, sends most toddlers into a shrieking frenzy as they attempt to escape. Ari did her hanging thing again, except this time, as she swung forward, she let go (on purpose), plopped down hard on the slide, and slid all the way down. And of course, she was giggling the entire time. She's going to be a daredevil, that one.
I think I've mentioned before that she's started singing, and we can tell it's the ABC song. There's also a song that Tony sings to her, and she sings with him. It starts off with the words "La dee doh, la dee doh da day," and she can sing that part almost perfectly. I watched her do it last night right before bed, her head snuggled on to his shoulder as she belted out the words, as though she was trying to outsing him.
That's all I've got off the top of my head. Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! May today be your lucky day. (No, seriously. 13 is a lucky number in my family, not unlucky, so get over your negative superstitions and have yourself a fantabulous day.)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
6-question survey
A short survey is always a good diversion...
What were you doing ten years ago?
10 years ago was 1998... more specifically, June 1998. I was 21 years old and less than 2 months away from my wedding (August 1). Tony was living in the same state as me at the time (doing an internship), so we got to see plenty of each other during that summer.
What are five things on your to-do list today?
1. Call to schedule an MRI. (Done. I just had to list something that was already done.)
2. Check Target out for invitations for Ari's birthday party. (Since I'm a total dope and didn't do this when I was there last night.)
3. Work out. (Preferably outside, since the heat wave has [finally] broken.)
4. Snuggle with Tony and Ari. (Possibly at the same time, since Ari loves to join the snuggle-fest when she sees me and Tony cuddling.)
5. Take a shower. (Taking showers at night makes my life so much easier in the morning.)
Name some snacks you enjoy.
Cheez-Its. Ice cream. Pretzels. Ice cream. Chocolate. Ice cream. Pineapple. Ice cream. Baked Cheetos. (Did I mention ice cream yet?)
Name the places you've lived.
Well, it's a pretty short list (only 4 places), so let's throw in places I've visited, too. (And I'm only counting places where I've actually spent at least one night--not just places I've driven through or had an airline layover in or anything like that.)
In the good old USA: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia... (OK, I think we can pretty much just say "every state on the East Coast")... Alabama, Ohio, Florida, California, Mississippi, Louisiana.
In Canada: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island.
Elsewhere: Iran. (I was only 2 or 3, so don't ask me to tell you anything cool about it.)
What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
(I should add that these are not in order of priority, and these are not necessarily the only things I would do. These are just the first 5 things that popped into my head.)
1. Go see any and every Broadway show I want to, in New York City. (Where else?)
2. Buy a house. (Maybe 2 or 3 or 10.)
3. Buy a new car. (Or 2 or 3 or 10.)
4. Go on a cruise. (Because I am thoroughly convinced that I am going to totally love the one I'm going on in a few months.)
5. Give money to my church and to charities.
Name some people you want to know more about.
Myself. (Oooh--deep.) And also? You. Yes, YOU, right there. Go on--tell me something wacky or cool or stupid or fascinating about yourself--something I don't already know. That is an order. Go.
What were you doing ten years ago?
10 years ago was 1998... more specifically, June 1998. I was 21 years old and less than 2 months away from my wedding (August 1). Tony was living in the same state as me at the time (doing an internship), so we got to see plenty of each other during that summer.
What are five things on your to-do list today?
1. Call to schedule an MRI. (Done. I just had to list something that was already done.)
2. Check Target out for invitations for Ari's birthday party. (Since I'm a total dope and didn't do this when I was there last night.)
3. Work out. (Preferably outside, since the heat wave has [finally] broken.)
4. Snuggle with Tony and Ari. (Possibly at the same time, since Ari loves to join the snuggle-fest when she sees me and Tony cuddling.)
5. Take a shower. (Taking showers at night makes my life so much easier in the morning.)
Name some snacks you enjoy.
Cheez-Its. Ice cream. Pretzels. Ice cream. Chocolate. Ice cream. Pineapple. Ice cream. Baked Cheetos. (Did I mention ice cream yet?)
Name the places you've lived.
Well, it's a pretty short list (only 4 places), so let's throw in places I've visited, too. (And I'm only counting places where I've actually spent at least one night--not just places I've driven through or had an airline layover in or anything like that.)
In the good old USA: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia... (OK, I think we can pretty much just say "every state on the East Coast")... Alabama, Ohio, Florida, California, Mississippi, Louisiana.
In Canada: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island.
Elsewhere: Iran. (I was only 2 or 3, so don't ask me to tell you anything cool about it.)
What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
(I should add that these are not in order of priority, and these are not necessarily the only things I would do. These are just the first 5 things that popped into my head.)
1. Go see any and every Broadway show I want to, in New York City. (Where else?)
2. Buy a house. (Maybe 2 or 3 or 10.)
3. Buy a new car. (Or 2 or 3 or 10.)
4. Go on a cruise. (Because I am thoroughly convinced that I am going to totally love the one I'm going on in a few months.)
5. Give money to my church and to charities.
Name some people you want to know more about.
Myself. (Oooh--deep.) And also? You. Yes, YOU, right there. Go on--tell me something wacky or cool or stupid or fascinating about yourself--something I don't already know. That is an order. Go.
Monday, June 9, 2008
The happenings
(Cute pics of Ari and me when I was Ari's age, in previous entry.)
As usual, my weekend was fairly busy. I barely got to sleep in on Saturday because I had to bring my cookies and brownies to our church's Blood Drive/Bake Sale, which started at 8. And of course I couldn't drop off food and not give blood, so I soon found myself lying quietly on a table, trying not to think about the needle in my arm. I think this actually might be the first time I've ever donated blood. When Tony and I lived in Florida, we used to donate plasma because you could get paid for it, and we were poor newlyweds. But this is the first time I've given all blood. (When you donate plasma, they suck out the blood, run it through a centrifuge, take out the plasma, and return the rest of the blood to you, along with a bunch of saline at the end to make up for the lost fluids.)
Saturday afternoon, we took Ari to the mall to let her play, since it was too unbelievably hot to let her play outside. (I was out with her around 10 AM, and even then, it was getting miserable.) While there, we stopped by my old Disney Store, and saw a huge sign proclaiming "Last 1 Days!" (It had obviously been a countdown-style sign.) I cornered my old boss, Alta, and sure enough, it truly was their last day. She had originally told me they'd be around until the end of June, but she got a call last week telling her, "Oh, by the way, the 7th will be your last day." Tony and I found a few good bargains, and said our goodbyes to Alta. I'm sure I'll run across her again (I heard she has 3 good offers from other stores in the mall), but you never know. It was a little bit heartbreaking to walk out the door for the final time.
After coming home from the mall, I sneaked away to the library while Ari napped. I haven't been there since... well, the last time I was there was to get the 7th Harry Potter book, but I called and asked them to hold it, so I literally walked in, got it, and walked out. I took my time perusing the stacks, just relishing the idea of being surrounded by so many books. I have loved reading ever since I was a little girl (enthusiastically participating in summer reading contests), but sadly, it's a hobby that has fallen to the wayside in the past several years, and most especially since having Ari. It makes me sad to think that I've let other things distract me from something I loved so much, so this trip to the library was the first step in resurrecting my beloved hobby.
They didn't have all the books on my list, but I left with 3--Ella Enchanted (which I had to go into the "Teen" section to find), Election (I enjoyed the movie, so thought I would check out the book), and The Kite Runner (one of those "everyone is reading it so I might as well too" books). I know--quite the variety, huh? I was really hoping to get my hands on Neil Gaiman's Stardust since I adored the movie, but it wasn't on the shelf and I forgot to ask. I finished Ella Enchanted yesterday (so different from the movie, but in a good way--I was nearly in tears toward the end [I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale]), and started Election (much more, uh, "detailed" than the movie so far, which is, uh, interesting). I can't even explain how giddy I was when I returned home on Saturday, clutching these books and grinning like a little kid.
I should mention that the catalyst for all this was an old friend who sent me an invitation to join Goodreads. I checked it out, and was instantly hooked. Basically, it's a site where you can post lists of all the books you've read, what you're currently reading, and what you want to read--plus you can post your own reviews and ratings, etc. I'm constantly thinking of books I want to read (like when I see a movie that I know was based on a book) and then just as quickly forgetting all about them, so now that I have an organized place to keep a "to-read" list, I'm hoping I can remember what I want to read.
Speaking of books and movies, we saw "Prince Caspian" last night. It was pretty good, but there was a lot of unfamiliar stuff in it, which made me think it either deviated a lot from the book, or I just need to re-read the book because I've forgotten a lot. I'm thinking it's the latter, because the first movie was pretty true to the book. Now I want to re-read the whole series, again, because that's how much I love those books.
While at the theater, I saw a poster for "The Happening" which is M. Night Shyamalan's newest movie. (And now you may all marvel at my clever, clever entry title.) It actually opens this Friday, which surprised me, because this is the first I've heard of it. I must be out of the loop. Anyway, that is definitely going on my "must-see" movie list. I absolutely adore Shyamalan--I think he is a gifted storyteller and I have loved all of his movies. So don't even try criticizing him to me, because I am blinded by love. The man can do no wrong in my eyes. Even though I'm not a scary-movie person, I will willingly ignore my fears for a Shyamalan movie.
And that was pretty much my weekend. Thrilling, I know. Now it's back to work, though I can't complain. I get to sit in A/C all day--which is especially important in the middle of this heat wave we're having. We have A/C at home, but you know how it is--you have to let the dogs out, or run out to your car to get something, or go to the grocery store. At least at work, I can stay put, inside, for 8 1/2 hours. Of course, I'm dreading climbing into my miserably-hot car at the end of the day, but that's still hours away.
As usual, my weekend was fairly busy. I barely got to sleep in on Saturday because I had to bring my cookies and brownies to our church's Blood Drive/Bake Sale, which started at 8. And of course I couldn't drop off food and not give blood, so I soon found myself lying quietly on a table, trying not to think about the needle in my arm. I think this actually might be the first time I've ever donated blood. When Tony and I lived in Florida, we used to donate plasma because you could get paid for it, and we were poor newlyweds. But this is the first time I've given all blood. (When you donate plasma, they suck out the blood, run it through a centrifuge, take out the plasma, and return the rest of the blood to you, along with a bunch of saline at the end to make up for the lost fluids.)
Saturday afternoon, we took Ari to the mall to let her play, since it was too unbelievably hot to let her play outside. (I was out with her around 10 AM, and even then, it was getting miserable.) While there, we stopped by my old Disney Store, and saw a huge sign proclaiming "Last 1 Days!" (It had obviously been a countdown-style sign.) I cornered my old boss, Alta, and sure enough, it truly was their last day. She had originally told me they'd be around until the end of June, but she got a call last week telling her, "Oh, by the way, the 7th will be your last day." Tony and I found a few good bargains, and said our goodbyes to Alta. I'm sure I'll run across her again (I heard she has 3 good offers from other stores in the mall), but you never know. It was a little bit heartbreaking to walk out the door for the final time.
After coming home from the mall, I sneaked away to the library while Ari napped. I haven't been there since... well, the last time I was there was to get the 7th Harry Potter book, but I called and asked them to hold it, so I literally walked in, got it, and walked out. I took my time perusing the stacks, just relishing the idea of being surrounded by so many books. I have loved reading ever since I was a little girl (enthusiastically participating in summer reading contests), but sadly, it's a hobby that has fallen to the wayside in the past several years, and most especially since having Ari. It makes me sad to think that I've let other things distract me from something I loved so much, so this trip to the library was the first step in resurrecting my beloved hobby.
They didn't have all the books on my list, but I left with 3--Ella Enchanted (which I had to go into the "Teen" section to find), Election (I enjoyed the movie, so thought I would check out the book), and The Kite Runner (one of those "everyone is reading it so I might as well too" books). I know--quite the variety, huh? I was really hoping to get my hands on Neil Gaiman's Stardust since I adored the movie, but it wasn't on the shelf and I forgot to ask. I finished Ella Enchanted yesterday (so different from the movie, but in a good way--I was nearly in tears toward the end [I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale]), and started Election (much more, uh, "detailed" than the movie so far, which is, uh, interesting). I can't even explain how giddy I was when I returned home on Saturday, clutching these books and grinning like a little kid.
I should mention that the catalyst for all this was an old friend who sent me an invitation to join Goodreads. I checked it out, and was instantly hooked. Basically, it's a site where you can post lists of all the books you've read, what you're currently reading, and what you want to read--plus you can post your own reviews and ratings, etc. I'm constantly thinking of books I want to read (like when I see a movie that I know was based on a book) and then just as quickly forgetting all about them, so now that I have an organized place to keep a "to-read" list, I'm hoping I can remember what I want to read.
Speaking of books and movies, we saw "Prince Caspian" last night. It was pretty good, but there was a lot of unfamiliar stuff in it, which made me think it either deviated a lot from the book, or I just need to re-read the book because I've forgotten a lot. I'm thinking it's the latter, because the first movie was pretty true to the book. Now I want to re-read the whole series, again, because that's how much I love those books.
While at the theater, I saw a poster for "The Happening" which is M. Night Shyamalan's newest movie. (And now you may all marvel at my clever, clever entry title.) It actually opens this Friday, which surprised me, because this is the first I've heard of it. I must be out of the loop. Anyway, that is definitely going on my "must-see" movie list. I absolutely adore Shyamalan--I think he is a gifted storyteller and I have loved all of his movies. So don't even try criticizing him to me, because I am blinded by love. The man can do no wrong in my eyes. Even though I'm not a scary-movie person, I will willingly ignore my fears for a Shyamalan movie.
And that was pretty much my weekend. Thrilling, I know. Now it's back to work, though I can't complain. I get to sit in A/C all day--which is especially important in the middle of this heat wave we're having. We have A/C at home, but you know how it is--you have to let the dogs out, or run out to your car to get something, or go to the grocery store. At least at work, I can stay put, inside, for 8 1/2 hours. Of course, I'm dreading climbing into my miserably-hot car at the end of the day, but that's still hours away.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Like mother, like daughter
I've been holding off posting these pictures because I really wanted to see if I could find someone with a color scanner to scan these into a computer for me. But now that it's been almost 2 months, I decided, forget it, I'll just take a picture and see how it comes out. Sure, it's not the greatest, but you'll get the idea.
Below is the Mother's Day gift I received from my mom. She took 2 pictures of Ari and 2 pictures of me when I was about Ari's age, and made a collage. See?
Not only was it an incredibly meaningful gift, but it also marked the first time I have ever--EVER--seen myself in Ari. I mean, sure, I've seen pictures of myself as a baby/toddler, but to see them right next to Ari's pictures made it all click for me. Especially these 2, where we have almost the same expression.
Unreal, isn't it? The only difference is that our hair and eye color are totally different. It's like she's a lighter version of me.
So thanks again, Mom, for a gift that I will treasure forever.
Below is the Mother's Day gift I received from my mom. She took 2 pictures of Ari and 2 pictures of me when I was about Ari's age, and made a collage. See?
Not only was it an incredibly meaningful gift, but it also marked the first time I have ever--EVER--seen myself in Ari. I mean, sure, I've seen pictures of myself as a baby/toddler, but to see them right next to Ari's pictures made it all click for me. Especially these 2, where we have almost the same expression.
Unreal, isn't it? The only difference is that our hair and eye color are totally different. It's like she's a lighter version of me.
So thanks again, Mom, for a gift that I will treasure forever.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Un Jour En La Vie De Sara (Part 2)
NOTE: If you haven't read Part 1 yet, you probably should. I mean, it's only logical...
. . . When we last left off, our heroine was just arriving home after a long day of work . . .
Oh, before I continue, let me clarify something from the last entry. I said a 10-hour workday is not typical for me, but never explained why I was working 10 hours. I came in late on Monday and rather than use up sick time, I was attempting to make up for it. And I needed to leave early for a doctor appointment on Thursday, too. Also, I only intended to work one extra hour yesterday, but due to my extreme lack of math skills, I worked an extra half-hour on top of that hour without realizing it. So none of this, "Oh, poor Sara, working 10 hours." I brought it on myself. Anyway, back to my day...
When I opened the door, the Welcoming Committee was there to greet me. (They are easily distracted...)
So I'm thinking now might be a good time for dinner... hmm, decisions, decisions...
Eh, screw dinner--I've got the house to myself (Tony and Ari are at the mall), so I'm going to take advantage of having no husband or kid to entertain and go for a walk all by my little old self. Here I am in all my workout-clothes glory...
So I go for a 30-minute walk, and when I get home, I realize I hadn't let the dogs out. In order to get to the back door, I had to stumble through this disaster. Can you tell that a toddler lives here? A toddler who has to get out every. single. toy... every. single. day.
I let the dogs out to do their business. They don't seem to mind having their pictures taken.
By now, it's about 7:30, and dinner sounds like a really good idea. Invigorated by my walk, I make the healthy choice. (And I figure it makes up for my less-than-healthy breakfast, right?) But, alas, I soon discover we have no milk. Look at my sad, dry little Mini-Wheats.
So it's off to the grocery store. I would have taken pictures, but you've already seen a picture of my car, so that would be kind of redundant. I return home with my milk, and all is well with the univer-- Hey! Where did that candy bar come from?!
I settle down with my dinner at one of my favorite spots in the house--my computer--and begin working on the previous entry, expecting Tony and Ari to be home any second (since it's now 8 PM, which is Ari's bedtime).
Then I get a call from Tony, who tells me they're still at the mall, and Ari's having a blast and not acting at all tired, and apparently they have no intention of coming home anytime soon. So I am still home alone--and this is just another example of why this is not a typical day.
Tony and Ari finally shuffled in the door around 9 PM. The dogs were there to greet them as well.
I told Ari it was time to go night-night, and this was her response. OK, Miss Literal.
She gave Daddy a hug goodnight, and then we headed upstairs.
This is Ari "brushing her teeth." Yeah, notice how the toothbrush is most certainly not in her mouth.
After brushing her teeth (yes, I intervened), we went in her room, and this is what she did. And she just stood there like that, grinning up at me. Tony keeps saying he wants to enroll her in a gymnastics class when she's a bit older, and I'm thinking he's on to something.
And just in case you think she's just way too cute, here's a picture guaranteed to gross you out. Yes, she's doing just what you think she's doing--picking her toe jam. (At least she's not eating it. This time.)
Ready to go night-night. (Look how tired she looks.)
After she went to bed, I got on the computer and spent a bunch of time putzing around with these pictures. I watched the end of a CSI episode with Tony, and then finally got off my butt to get ready for tomorrow. I picked out (and ironed) my outfit for tomorrow...
... and took my drugs (Claritin and birth control).
*ahem* What? I needed a bedtime snack. Oh, hush--I only had a couple bites.
And then it was off to bed. Don't ask what time I went to bed--you don't want to know.
So, I should probably have some grand closing line, but I don't, so... um... The End.
. . . When we last left off, our heroine was just arriving home after a long day of work . . .
Oh, before I continue, let me clarify something from the last entry. I said a 10-hour workday is not typical for me, but never explained why I was working 10 hours. I came in late on Monday and rather than use up sick time, I was attempting to make up for it. And I needed to leave early for a doctor appointment on Thursday, too. Also, I only intended to work one extra hour yesterday, but due to my extreme lack of math skills, I worked an extra half-hour on top of that hour without realizing it. So none of this, "Oh, poor Sara, working 10 hours." I brought it on myself. Anyway, back to my day...
When I opened the door, the Welcoming Committee was there to greet me. (They are easily distracted...)
So I'm thinking now might be a good time for dinner... hmm, decisions, decisions...
Eh, screw dinner--I've got the house to myself (Tony and Ari are at the mall), so I'm going to take advantage of having no husband or kid to entertain and go for a walk all by my little old self. Here I am in all my workout-clothes glory...
So I go for a 30-minute walk, and when I get home, I realize I hadn't let the dogs out. In order to get to the back door, I had to stumble through this disaster. Can you tell that a toddler lives here? A toddler who has to get out every. single. toy... every. single. day.
I let the dogs out to do their business. They don't seem to mind having their pictures taken.
By now, it's about 7:30, and dinner sounds like a really good idea. Invigorated by my walk, I make the healthy choice. (And I figure it makes up for my less-than-healthy breakfast, right?) But, alas, I soon discover we have no milk. Look at my sad, dry little Mini-Wheats.
So it's off to the grocery store. I would have taken pictures, but you've already seen a picture of my car, so that would be kind of redundant. I return home with my milk, and all is well with the univer-- Hey! Where did that candy bar come from?!
I settle down with my dinner at one of my favorite spots in the house--my computer--and begin working on the previous entry, expecting Tony and Ari to be home any second (since it's now 8 PM, which is Ari's bedtime).
Then I get a call from Tony, who tells me they're still at the mall, and Ari's having a blast and not acting at all tired, and apparently they have no intention of coming home anytime soon. So I am still home alone--and this is just another example of why this is not a typical day.
Tony and Ari finally shuffled in the door around 9 PM. The dogs were there to greet them as well.
I told Ari it was time to go night-night, and this was her response. OK, Miss Literal.
She gave Daddy a hug goodnight, and then we headed upstairs.
This is Ari "brushing her teeth." Yeah, notice how the toothbrush is most certainly not in her mouth.
After brushing her teeth (yes, I intervened), we went in her room, and this is what she did. And she just stood there like that, grinning up at me. Tony keeps saying he wants to enroll her in a gymnastics class when she's a bit older, and I'm thinking he's on to something.
And just in case you think she's just way too cute, here's a picture guaranteed to gross you out. Yes, she's doing just what you think she's doing--picking her toe jam. (At least she's not eating it. This time.)
Ready to go night-night. (Look how tired she looks.)
After she went to bed, I got on the computer and spent a bunch of time putzing around with these pictures. I watched the end of a CSI episode with Tony, and then finally got off my butt to get ready for tomorrow. I picked out (and ironed) my outfit for tomorrow...
... and took my drugs (Claritin and birth control).
*ahem* What? I needed a bedtime snack. Oh, hush--I only had a couple bites.
And then it was off to bed. Don't ask what time I went to bed--you don't want to know.
So, I should probably have some grand closing line, but I don't, so... um... The End.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Un Jour En La Vie De Sara (Part 1)
(^ Pardon my French. Har har.)
I decided yesterday morning to begin working on a "Day in the Life" type of entry. Usually the point of projects like that is to show what a typical day is like. But how was I supposed to know at 6 AM that it was going to be a non-typical day? So I present to you...
A (Not-So-Typical) Day in the Life Sara
(Also, I'm going to have to split this into 2 parts, due to the overabundance of pictures. You understand.)
At approximately 6 AM, my day begins. I am so not a morning person. (Yes, this photo is a recreation of actual events, because I am not coherent enough when I first roll out of bed to manage a camera. So the yawn is totally fake. But the part about me not being a morning person? Totally true.)
My stomach was feeling "blech" so I grudgingly took some Tums (I hate those things).
Oh, look at the time. I must make haste. (No--I'm not covered in lint. My mirror is that dirty. Ew.)
I say a silent goodbye to the sleeping husband (and Ivan too, I suppose)...
... and a silent goodbye to the sleeping babe.
I gather up my work bag, my cell, and my ever-so-fancy lunch bag...
...and I trudge through the rain to my car. (Why did I even bother straightening my hair?)
In case you were wondering what time it was, here you go. I normally leave around 7, but I was trying to get in early today. (Oh, and also--this is my lovely new stereo, courtesy of Tony who now wishes he had put it in his car and given me his old one. Too bad, sucker...)
Ahh, the breakfast of champions. (And also note the little note reminding me to get gas later.)
About one hour later (7:45 AM for the math-challenged), I am at my desk. Yes, I know I have way too much "The Office" paraphernalia decorating my desk. (Actually, you can't really tell that from this picture. But trust me--between the calendar and bunches of magnets, I do.) And I also need to update my pictures.
This entry is brought to you in part by Crystal Light. (What can I say--I'm not a coffee drinker, but I need my caffeine.)
There's a window behind my desk so with one quick swivel of my chair, I have a lovely view. (Well, when it's not a gross, rainy day anyway...)
OK, folks, I have to get to work (and stop taking pictures before people get here), so farewell for now.
*Insert Muzak and a 10-hour workday (minus a half-hour for lunch, of course, as required by law) here*
(Again, I don't normally work more than 8 hours. Remember how I said this was a less-than-typical day? Yeah. Just you wait.)
10 hours later...
So now it's 5:45 PM and I'm getting ready to drive home. And why is my hair in a ponytail now, you ask? Because I went for an afternoon walk, and my hair + humidity = grossness. You know those Garnier Nutrisse commercials where it shows the girl with sleek, shiny hair, and she dips her toe into a pool and her hair suddenly turns into a frizzy puffball? I'm here to tell you that is not an exaggeration.
I remembered to get gas. Hooray. The sad thing is, this is actually a pretty decent price around here right now. *sigh*
I'm home now and hey, check it out! No, this is not the picture you saw previously--this is 6:45 PM, not AM. I took this picture just as I pulled into my parking spot--and the previous one was taken just before I pulled out of my spot. I couldn't have planned this if I tried.
So what awaits our heroine as she walks in the door? Tune in next time to find out.
I decided yesterday morning to begin working on a "Day in the Life" type of entry. Usually the point of projects like that is to show what a typical day is like. But how was I supposed to know at 6 AM that it was going to be a non-typical day? So I present to you...
A (Not-So-Typical) Day in the Life Sara
(Also, I'm going to have to split this into 2 parts, due to the overabundance of pictures. You understand.)
At approximately 6 AM, my day begins. I am so not a morning person. (Yes, this photo is a recreation of actual events, because I am not coherent enough when I first roll out of bed to manage a camera. So the yawn is totally fake. But the part about me not being a morning person? Totally true.)
My stomach was feeling "blech" so I grudgingly took some Tums (I hate those things).
Oh, look at the time. I must make haste. (No--I'm not covered in lint. My mirror is that dirty. Ew.)
I say a silent goodbye to the sleeping husband (and Ivan too, I suppose)...
... and a silent goodbye to the sleeping babe.
I gather up my work bag, my cell, and my ever-so-fancy lunch bag...
...and I trudge through the rain to my car. (Why did I even bother straightening my hair?)
In case you were wondering what time it was, here you go. I normally leave around 7, but I was trying to get in early today. (Oh, and also--this is my lovely new stereo, courtesy of Tony who now wishes he had put it in his car and given me his old one. Too bad, sucker...)
Ahh, the breakfast of champions. (And also note the little note reminding me to get gas later.)
About one hour later (7:45 AM for the math-challenged), I am at my desk. Yes, I know I have way too much "The Office" paraphernalia decorating my desk. (Actually, you can't really tell that from this picture. But trust me--between the calendar and bunches of magnets, I do.) And I also need to update my pictures.
This entry is brought to you in part by Crystal Light. (What can I say--I'm not a coffee drinker, but I need my caffeine.)
There's a window behind my desk so with one quick swivel of my chair, I have a lovely view. (Well, when it's not a gross, rainy day anyway...)
OK, folks, I have to get to work (and stop taking pictures before people get here), so farewell for now.
*Insert Muzak and a 10-hour workday (minus a half-hour for lunch, of course, as required by law) here*
(Again, I don't normally work more than 8 hours. Remember how I said this was a less-than-typical day? Yeah. Just you wait.)
10 hours later...
So now it's 5:45 PM and I'm getting ready to drive home. And why is my hair in a ponytail now, you ask? Because I went for an afternoon walk, and my hair + humidity = grossness. You know those Garnier Nutrisse commercials where it shows the girl with sleek, shiny hair, and she dips her toe into a pool and her hair suddenly turns into a frizzy puffball? I'm here to tell you that is not an exaggeration.
I remembered to get gas. Hooray. The sad thing is, this is actually a pretty decent price around here right now. *sigh*
I'm home now and hey, check it out! No, this is not the picture you saw previously--this is 6:45 PM, not AM. I took this picture just as I pulled into my parking spot--and the previous one was taken just before I pulled out of my spot. I couldn't have planned this if I tried.
So what awaits our heroine as she walks in the door? Tune in next time to find out.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Lovebursts
Not much to report here in Sara-land. Life has been pretty ordinary lately.
Anyone watching "Last Comic Standing" on NBC? I absolutely love that show--not only because it's good old-fashioned reality TV (one of life's best guilty pleasures) but also because... well, who doesn't love a show that makes them laugh? Plus this year, the talent scouts in each city are celebrity comedians themselves. For example, in last week's episode, Angela and Ocsar from "The Office" were the talent scouts. So that's just an extra reason to watch and enjoy.
Tony shared a sweet story with me last night. He said he went in the bathroom to get his sandals (yeh, don't ask me why he keeps shoes in the bathroom) yesterday, and found them already clasped shut. Since Ari's new favorite hobby is latching straps together (like the straps on her highchair and stroller), he knew it was Ari who had done it. And he said it made him smile. OK, I know that sounds like a stupid story, but you fellow parents know what I mean, right? Every so often, you come across a little "reminder" that you have a little one sharing your life, and you have a little warm-and-fuzzy moment in your heart. I once read someone who described them as "lovebursts" and I love that term. It seems to perfectly describe the feeling--just a little burst of happiness in your soul.
Oooh, here, let me quote that author--he says it much more beautifully than I do. (This is from He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado.)
LET’S TALK for a minute about lovebursts.
You’ve witnessed sunbursts: sunlight shafting into a shadowed forest. You’ve seen starbursts: shots of light soaring through a night sky. And you’ve heard powerbursts: raw energy booming in the silence. And you’ve felt lovebursts. You may not have called them such, but you’ve felt them.
Lovebursts. Spontaneous affection. Tender moments of radiant love. Ignited devotion. Explosions of tenderness.
May I illustrate?
You and your husband are at a party. One of those stand-in-the-living-room-and-talk-and-eat parties. You are visiting with some women, and your husband is across the room in a circle of men. The topic in your group is husbands, and the collective opinion is negative. The women complain about the amount of golf, dirty socks, and late nights at work. But you’re silent. You say little because you have little to say. The guy you married isn’t perfect, but he isn’t a pain either. In fact, compared to these guys, he sounds pretty special. He’s changed more than his share of diapers, and his golf clubs haven’t come down out of the attic since the last baby was born. You look across the room at your husband and smile at the way he tugs at the tie you convinced him to wear. Still as handsome as the day you met. A bit paunchier and balder perhaps, but you don’t see that. All you see is the man who stole your heart. And all of a sudden you’d go to China in a rowboat to tell him how glad you are that he did.
That’s a loveburst.
Here is another.
It’s been a while since you held a baby. It’s been a while since you were near a baby. But now you’re alone with the baby. Your kids dropped him off at the house for the evening, and your wife ran to the store to get some milk, and now ifs just you and your grandson. He’s only a few days old and wrapped tighter than the cigars you gave your friends. As you cradle him in your arms, you realize this is the first time the two of you have been alone. With all the fanfare and friends at the hospital, you haven’t shared a private moment--till now. So you sit in your big chair and turn him so you can see his face. You ponder the future, his future: first steps, first kiss, football, college. You wonder what it’s going to be like being a kid in a world where hurt seems to linger on every corner.
As you look into the little eyes and nose that came from the other side of the family, it hits you. Out of nowhere comes a bolt of devotion. You’re suddenly aware that hell itself would have to get past you to get to this one who carries your name. “It’s gonna be all right,” you hear yourself pledge to the sleeping boy. “What ever happens, just remember I’m here. It’s gonna be all right.” . . .
That’s what lovebursts do. They remind you about what matters. A telegram delivered to the back door of the familiar, telling you to treasure the treasure you’ve got while you’ve got it. A whisper from an angel, or someone who sounds like one, reminding you that what you have is greater than what you want and that what is urgent is not always what matters.
All right, now I'm getting all verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves.
Monday, June 2, 2008
2 for the price of 1
We had a very summery thunderstorm blow through on Saturday--the kind where the air is almost unbearably humid leading up to the storm, then the sky turns odd shades of gray, green and yellow, and then the storm arrives in all its glory, punctuated with lightning and thunder.
When it was over, we were left with this gift--not one, but two rainbows.
They seemed to go on forever.
Trust me when I say that these pictures do them no justice. I keep feeling like the colors are off in the pictures, but then I remember that the sky really was that color when I took the pics. And you can see a sliver of sunlight shining on the tops of the buildings. It was freakishly beautiful.
I feel like I should tell you a bit about Ari, since it's been a while. Tony loves to chase and wrestle with her, and he always says, "I'm gonna get you!" So Ari has started saying, "Getchoo!" when she wants someone to chase her.
She also likes to hide behind the hanging blinds by our sliding glass door (she's the perfect size to fit behind them) and holler, "Ari, Ari" (since we always say, "Where's Ari?"). Then she'll pop out and yell, "Boo!" (her lazy version of "peekaboo").
She likes to recite the names of things she knows--she'll just randomly start pointing at and identifying everything around her, as though she's trying to show off. "Chair. Book. Blueberries. Watermelon. Mommy. Daddy. Sasha. Ivan. Stroller. Remote."
She has also started singing, and we're pretty sure it's the alphabet song. She doesn't know all the letters yet, but she has the basic tune down, and you can hear a letter or 2 every once in a while.
She knows the names of lots of our friends, and better yet, she knows which names go together. For example, if we start talking to her about Ty-Ty (her little friend Tyler), she'll start saying Molly (his sister), Brandon (his dad) and Kerry (his mom). She also associated Tony's 2 friends Greg and Wayne together, since they usually both come over to our house at the same time.
She's going to be 23 months old tomorrow, which means we can start the one-month countdown to her 2nd birthday. (I'm kidding--I'm not really going to count it down.) That also means we have to start planning her party. We've already decided it will be July 5--yes, it's Fourth of July weekend, but it's really the only time that works for us, so that's what we're going with. I think if people know far enough in advance, it won't be a problem. Which means I need to get my butt in gear even more and start working on invitations.
When it was over, we were left with this gift--not one, but two rainbows.
They seemed to go on forever.
Trust me when I say that these pictures do them no justice. I keep feeling like the colors are off in the pictures, but then I remember that the sky really was that color when I took the pics. And you can see a sliver of sunlight shining on the tops of the buildings. It was freakishly beautiful.
I feel like I should tell you a bit about Ari, since it's been a while. Tony loves to chase and wrestle with her, and he always says, "I'm gonna get you!" So Ari has started saying, "Getchoo!" when she wants someone to chase her.
She also likes to hide behind the hanging blinds by our sliding glass door (she's the perfect size to fit behind them) and holler, "Ari, Ari" (since we always say, "Where's Ari?"). Then she'll pop out and yell, "Boo!" (her lazy version of "peekaboo").
She likes to recite the names of things she knows--she'll just randomly start pointing at and identifying everything around her, as though she's trying to show off. "Chair. Book. Blueberries. Watermelon. Mommy. Daddy. Sasha. Ivan. Stroller. Remote."
She has also started singing, and we're pretty sure it's the alphabet song. She doesn't know all the letters yet, but she has the basic tune down, and you can hear a letter or 2 every once in a while.
She knows the names of lots of our friends, and better yet, she knows which names go together. For example, if we start talking to her about Ty-Ty (her little friend Tyler), she'll start saying Molly (his sister), Brandon (his dad) and Kerry (his mom). She also associated Tony's 2 friends Greg and Wayne together, since they usually both come over to our house at the same time.
She's going to be 23 months old tomorrow, which means we can start the one-month countdown to her 2nd birthday. (I'm kidding--I'm not really going to count it down.) That also means we have to start planning her party. We've already decided it will be July 5--yes, it's Fourth of July weekend, but it's really the only time that works for us, so that's what we're going with. I think if people know far enough in advance, it won't be a problem. Which means I need to get my butt in gear even more and start working on invitations.
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