Happy Halloween, y'all


Well it seems as though Tabby's first Halloween was a success. She wore her costume without much fuss, ate a tiny bit of her pumpkin dinner and fell asleep in her high chair. She had gone most of the day without a nap. We had a very nice evening with my parents and sister. I cooked the halloween supper but this time in individual sized pumpkins which have a nicer flavor and are cute besides. Matt did two darling pumpkins and we had loads of trick-or-treaters. Continue reading “Happy Halloween, y'all”

Open Letters

Dear Grocery Store Manager,
Funny story, but true: when I go to your store, I'm there to do my grocery shopping. I'm not there to buy Entertainment Books, sign petitions presented to me by skinny guys with less-than-stellar personal hygiene or take a survey about my preferences on cleaning products. I suggest that you revise your policies on these third party vendors using your business as their place of business or I will have to revise my policy on visiting your store.

Thanks,
me

Dear Local Equestrians,
As a dog owner, I am looked at as little better than a card-carrying Nazi should my pooch decide to do his bizness on the sidewalk and I am unprepared to properly dispose of it. How you horse people are getting away with this, I do not know, especially since your animal's excrement covers a much larger percentage of the sidewalk than mine and is no less offensive to the olfactory senses. I've got little problem with this when we're out on the hiking trails, but I really think it's just common courtesy to make sure your horse does not blanket the neighborhood sidewalks with its scat. Don't you think?

luv,
me

ps. Don't tell me it's too hard. I've seen those diaper things on horses in parades. Buy one.

Dear Ultra-sketchy Magazine Sellers,
Did you know that you're not legally bound to answer your door should you be home and someone comes to call? I agree, it might seem rude, but frankly, you people show up altogether too often in our neighborhood and I'm sick of your pushy/rude sales tactics. I am gratified beyond all reason that you managed to escape your gang and your crack addiction, but that does not make me want to buy magazines from you. So the next time you show up at my door and continue to knock on the door and ring my doorbell and this lasts for more than say … 1 minute, I am calling the cops. My dog *really* doesn't like you guys and frankly, that tells me something.

luv,
me

Being a Mommy


I've been a mommy now for almost 8 months, more when you count my time before Tabby was born. I've been a working mom for almost 6 months of that period (note: I do not say “working mom” to trivialize what it is that so-called “stay at home moms” do, I just say it to differentiate!). I like to think that I've gotten my juggling act together in that time period … more or less. Sure, the house, while clean, is generally cluttered (though this is mostly, in my opinion, due to lack of space, not effort!) and plenty of items on my to-do list that once would have been handled within hours or days seem to take much longer, but generally, I've worked it out. I stay at home with Tabby on Mondays so we get a bit of extra time. And I hit the road running early the rest of the week and work late or work from home to make up my Monday. I feel like I've got it pretty good, still contributing to my family's income and spending good time with my baby girl. No doubt it's sometimes a hard row to hoe, but y'know … that's how life is.

Anyhoo, one thing I'd never thought of before deciding upon this path was that I wouldn't be able to do some of the normal “mommy things.” No mommy-and-me classes. No mommy groups. They all meet during the day while I'm working. Of course this makes sense, but it is a little frustrating. To be fair, there are one or two “working moms” groups that meet in the evenings or on weekends, but none in my area. Any one of them would be a good 30-45 minute drive for me in normal traffic (not rush-hour!) and let's get real. That just ain't happening on a week-night. So I'm thinking of starting my own group. This is sort of terrifying for me since I am not big with that sort of thing. I'm an OK leader if I've gotta do it, but it's nothing I ever seek out. Now we'll see if A) I'm brave enough and B) I can find the time to get it all together. Any advice is appreciated.

Under a Rock, Like Always

I'm not big on joining. At all. This whole social networking thing has been going on pretty much without me. Until now. Yesterday I got an IM from an old friend from college who I'd lost track of asking me to join Facebook. Geez that's a time sucker.

Anyhoo, actually lots of people from college and high school that I knew. It makes all that crap seem like AGES ago. Not that I didn't have fun or whatever, it just seems like a very long time ago. So weird to see all of these faces. So do I have to become “friends” with these people to see their profile thingy? And where the heck is the friend who invited me. He's disappeared again. Can't find him. What gives?!?!

Excuse me!!!

Confession time: I keep Tabby's “binky” in my cleaveage sometimes. It's convenient and clean and when we're just popping into a store real quickly and I don't want to carry her diaper bag or her bucket (carrier), that's where it goes. I figure it's probably a lot cleaner than my purse or pocket.

Anyhoo, so the other day I ran into Michaels real quick to pick up the t'shirt paint. It was one of those days where I was just running around like a chicken with my head cut off. So so so much to do and so little time. I was wearing a scoop-neck top. Nothing tight or revealing. I just don't do that. And while I was standing in line, this woman says to me, “I've never seen anyone keep a bink there!?!” Taken aback, I say, “Um yea, well it's a very convenient spot.”

But really, what the hell?!? First of all, lady, why are you looking down my shirt?!? Second of all, why are you chatting me up about what you see? Would it be appropriate to say, “I see you have a nice pair of breasts, there.” or “I rather like that polka-dotted bra you've got on.”??!?! Um. NO.

I swear. Weirdos everywhere.

Freezer Paper Turns Plain into Exciting!


Newsflash, people. I actually did a project. Strange, but true. This weekend, while watching the Donkeys Broncos actually win for a change (thanks to another last second field-goal by Jason Elam), I cut out a couple of freezer paper stencils and decorated the cheap-o tote bags that I bought at Hobby Lobby for $2/each. BTW, do you see the bluish outlines around the owl? That's cuz my felt-tip pen bled through. It made a kind of nice effect, but I opted for pencil when I traced the other one.

I found the two stencils I used on the web and made another one which hasn't been completed just yet. I kept running into this stencil, featuring W as our “worst president.” This may or may not be true, however it is sort of cliche by this point. So as an ode to this concept, I'm considering doing a stencil of William Howard Taft as our “Phattest President.” But perhaps only I (and those I explain this to) would get it. Of course, maybe that's part of the charm.

Some Freezer-Paper Stencil Links:
* loads of great stencils
* and a few more
* flickr pool with what others have created
* good directions
* more good directions

Busy Busy

It's been crazy busy around here. Here's why:
* New baby born on Thursday, been spending copious amounts of time visiting him in the hospital
* Had to make logo onesie for Tabby so she could attend company breakfast meting with me (imperative!)
* Preparations for aforementioned meeting
* Fabulously fun movie night with mom and sis
* Picking up much-missed husband at airport
* Trip to dog park for very neglected dog and his friend
* Lovely visit with Grandma
* Grocery shopping (or how I spend $150 at Target EVERY WEEK)
* Cleaning of still piggy house (why can I just not get ahead right now?!)
* Snow storm (this just makes things slower, I swear)
* Everyone in our house (except Loki) has a head cold

What is going on?

It's so quiet around here, y'all! Does everyone have bloggy ennui? Everyone busy?? Blah. Oh, and fair warning, this is going to be a rambly, incoherent sort of post.

I'm doing the single mommy thing 'til Sat. morning when Matt gets back from TN. This will, apparently, include taking Tabby with me to my company's quarterly early morning breakfast meeting since her sitter doesn't start work 'til 7. It was my boss's idea. Hehe.

I saw these things on LJC's site. I think what I like most about them is that I can toss them in the dishwasher to get clean. Easy like paper towels, but reusable. That's pretty great. Now I just have to make a trip to Wild Oats (like Whole Foods, but smaller) to pick some of them up. Along with s'more almond milk and some organic frozen squash. I have many lists.

I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my second honorary nephew, the son of our best friends. He is due to be born sometime t'day by cesarean. Now I am just hoping that 230985 emergency C-sections don't crop up last minute. Tabby and I are going down there after work.

Continue reading “What is going on?”

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

After a long, heroically fought battle, Matt's grandma, the irrepressible MamaNick, passed away early Tuesday. She was an amazing woman who I had the privelege of knowing for just a few short years. But she always impressed me as very strong, mind, body, and spirit and incredibly devoted to her family. She is survived by four sons, 12 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. She will be missed sorely by her family and many friends.

This photo is one of the only ones we have of her with Tabby, from our first visit to Nashville after Tabby was born, back in May. It is sad that Tabby will not get a chance to get to know this very special great grandma. But we are lucky to have photos, memories, and great stories.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace, MamaNick.