honest and to the point

Der Santa,

I hav ben good and bad.
Ples bring me presnts.

Luv,
K

sunday confession

mm got an email from our credit card company.
apparently, someone used it - alot.
and they want to make sure it is not stolen.

someone should probably call and let them know,
that someone is just getting warmed up.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

17 years

i've always loved the
"you'll be my breath should i grow old"
part.

and here we are -
growing old.
together.
happy anniversary, mm.

back blogging

wow.
it's been a while.
i have so much to share with you.

so many drafts!
we sold our house.
we moved 40 (count them) minutes away
from "home" for 40 days.
we closed on the house next door.
we moved in.
i started a job -
pajama mom works!

k started kindergarten.
got a concussion.

i paid for a lost ticket on the pa turnpike
$28.80 people!

everyone had croup.
gymnastics season started.
and soccer.

m got her cast off,
finished physical therapy.

and our carpet is really icky.

but there is a post that has to come first.
a post i wasn't sure i should write.
or could write.
but i did write.
i will post it later today.
then i will fill you in on all the rest.

let the back-blogging begin!
it's good to be back.

mother knows best

today i got to pick out a new washer and dryer.

i'd like to say i researched,
read consumer reports,
made a list and shopped around,
looked high and low for the best deal.

but really i just asked my mom what she has,
and bought the same.

wow.
that only took 30 years to figure out.

my new job

i got a job ya'll!
i'm working at the gym
where my girls take gymnastics.

it goes something like this -

i put the kids on the bus.
i work at the gym all day.
i pick up the kids at school.
and drive back to the gym...
for gymnastics practice.

then -
i get a check from the gym.
i write a check to the gym.

everyday.
forever.
the end.

corrupting kindergarteners

dear kindergarten parents,

when my oldest started kindergarten,
there were some of those kids
in her class.

you know the ones.
the ones with - older siblings.
gah.

they know way too much
about pretty much everything.
they watch those shows.
the ones your kid is not allowed to watch.
they say lots of things they shouldn't.
really loudly.
twice.

they dress really weird,
because they dress themselves.

they don't always brush their hair.

they pick out their own backpacks.

they wear lipgloss,
body spray,
tattoos,
and sometimes,
eyeshadow!

they do their own art projects.
seriously, all by themselves.

their moms don't take any pictures
of them at orientation.
in fact, their moms don't even think
to bring a camera.

please be advised -
they will corrupt your first borns.
they will tell them dora is dumb.
thomas too.
and your child will come home with questions.
lots of questions.

and for that i am sorry.
because k starts kindergarten today.
and she is that kid.
the one with the older siblings.

best of luck to you all.

xo,
pj

in a flash

on friday, we got up early.
we had lots of things to do.
there was a storm coming.
we took our change to the coinstar-thingie
at the grocery store.
we dropped off the cat at the groomers.
the sky was dark,
but we kept going,
we had lots of things to do.

we finished our errands,
settled at home for more packing,
and m read the weather on her ipod.
she loves to do that.
"flash flood warning" she read out loud.
they worried.
i explained the chances of a flash flood
were very slim.
in the afternoon,
the dark skies opened.
i'm not sure i've ever seen it rain that hard.
the kids got their flashlights,
they worried.
i explained the chances of a flash flood
were very slim.

on saturday, we got up early.
mike went to get the moving truck.
a big day.
we loaded the boxes in the garage.
the kids watched a movie.
we were in our own world.
our neighbor stopped over to help.
he told us there was a flash flood
on one of the main roads to the city.
and some people had died.
we were shocked.
we kept packing.

later, he stopped back over.
the people were from here.
our town.
our people.
so sad.

then i got a call.
it was the griffith family.
our town.
our people.
our kids' friends.
my friend.

yesterday, i took my children
to a candlelight vigil at the school.
i wasn't sure they understood.
then i watched m hug her friend,
and comfort her for the loss of
her best friend and neighbor.
i watched g give another child his tissue,
and i cried because i knew they did understand.

on the way home,
they talked about flash floods again,
i started to explain the chances of a flash flood
were very slim, but i just couldn't.

then they asked this question,
"where was God?  why didn't he save them?"
i didn't know how to answer.
still don't.

and i am changed.

life with boys

when m was little
i used to meet her godmother
at the mall a lot.

she has two boys,
one a little older than m.

we would always go to the mall play place.
before we went in she would talk
with her boys.

"look at me,
look at my eyes,
no touching,
no pushing,
no wrestling,
no fake wrestling,
no kicking,
no fake kicking,
no punching,
no fake punching,
no fighting,
no fake fighting,
no running,
no jogging,
no shouting,
no yelling,
no jumping,
just play."

i used to go home and tell mm,
and giggle.
wth?

now i have a boy.
a son.
and i get that speech now.
hell, i GIVE that speech now.
i bow down.

but i still giggle.
a little.

cursed carpet

we take good care of our carpet.
it has been here for 12 years,
and it still looks great.

so, of course,
now that it doesn't
belong to us anymore
we've spilled -

pepsi,
coffee,
arby's sauce,
salsa,
and gatorade.

wow.
good thing we're moving.

33 and 1/3 infinity

i know it's late in the game,
but i just did my mommy math.

three kids means
each kid gets 33.3333333%
of my attention.

and that's only if i'm being fair.
and not trying to do something else.
wow, no wonder i'm insane.

sunday confession

the baby stink bugs
are so cute!
but so gross!

i'm conflicted.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

much older and wiser

"just throw that out, it was only 12 bucks"

"ah, just get a new one, it was only 7 bucks"

"oh toss it, that was like 3 bucks"

"can't we just get a new one later, it was only 20 bucks?"

mm keeps saying,
as we are packing.
oh and i stopped listening after 4,637 bucks.
or so.

i am so on to him.
now he's all - let's get rid of it - we'll get a new one,

but then later he's all - do we really need one?
or - we don't have any money left because
we spent it all on the new house...

i am so much older and wiser this move around.
just pack it, mister.

the dumbest thing i ever heard of

so.
we sold our house.
we ended up with a fair price,
and a tidy little profit
to put down on the house
next door.
and start again.

my neighbor told me that when
she told our other neighbor
what we were up to -

and yes, apparently everyone
in the neighborhood knows
pretty much everything about us,
which is oddly creepy and comforting
at the same time -

our other neighbor said,
"moving next door?
that is the dumbest thing i ever heard of."

ignoring the grammatical nightmare,
i was offended!
how dare she say that!
it's our business what we want to do!
it's our decision!
it's a bigger house!

then.
we started looking around at all this stuff.
17 years of marriage stuff.
three kids with stuff.
and all the stuff in between.
the reality of our great idea has hit.
hard.

so now i think i agree with her.
it pretty much is
the dumbest thing i ever heard...
of.

stay tuned.

summer of sleep

this summer the kids
have finally learned
the fine art of sleeping* in.

8:30!
9:00!
9:30!

pure bliss,
a mother's dream come true!

until.
until 11:00 - pm!
and they are still awake!!!

dang.

*except for vacation when
they got up at 6:00 everyday.
wth?
grrr west coast time.

sunday confession

someone is coming to see our house,
for the fourth time.

and while i am thrilled at the idea
someone wants to see our house
that many times,
and likes it so much...

do i really have to clean it for him again?

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

wordless wednesday

lake tahoe

in a snap

in a snap
we found our way
to children's hospital -
fast

in a snap
we learned about
growth plates

in a snap
we watched our daughter
get an iv,
x-rays,
anesthesia,
a bright blue cast
for her wrist

in a snap
we saw what she is made of
and she is amazing

in a snap
we worried about the worst,
we paced every inch of the floor,
i even cried,
a little

in a snap
we were grateful for doctors,
nurses,
the nice juice cart lady

in a snap
we were thankful
for friends,
family,
coaches,
kind strangers

in a snap
we realized
how lucky we are
indeed

the tenth year

one new bike
two lost teeth
three harry potter books
four beautiful seasons
five dollar footlongs
six sides of the trouble dice
seven new friends
eight gymnastics meets
nine point one on bars
ten crackle-polished toes

it has been quite a year.
happy birthday to m, the big 1-0.

castles in the sand

everyday you go out,
you pick a spot.

you get started,
building the castles.

some days,
it is easy,
relaxing even.

you notice all the details,
the warmth of the sun,
the cool of the breeze,
the feel of the sand.

other days,
waves crash into the castles,
knocking them down,
piece by piece,
over and over.

and then you don't notice any details,
you are just trying to protect the castles.
help them stay together.
safe.

yet you still try,
everyday,
you build.

sometimes you listen to passersby,
use wet sand,
move up the beach a bit,
build moats.

sometimes you don't listen to passersby,
you build your own way,
right or wrong,
or sometimes oh-so wrong.

but on those other days,
the days when you build right,
and desperately try to remember for tomorrow,
it is worth it.

worth all the time,
the energy,
the worry,
the hassle,
all the crazy.

totally worth it.

happy fourth!

new at 11 - party girl finally crashes

crazy eight

dear g,

you are eight!
i have something to tell you.
you may already know this,
but i am a tomboy.

when i was little,
i loved -
bikes,
blue jeans,
basketball,
creeks,
bugs,
frogs,
salamanders,
rocks,
and old bottle caps.

forts,
cap guns,
matchbox cars,
baseball cards,
pocket knives,
war games,
legos,
comic books,
star wars,
and superman.

i still do.

so, on your birthday,
i just want you to know
how fun it is to have a boy.

i thank my lucky stars for you,
today and everyday.

happy birthday, g-money.
xo,
mom

men never change

i was sitting in the waiting room
at the doctor's office.

a frail old woman appeared
from my right,
she shuffled to the desk,
and talked to the nurse
for a moment
about a procedure.

her just-as-frail husband followed her.
she leaned on him.
he held her up.
he helped her to her seat.
he got back up and
listened to the instructions
from the nurse.

then they sat together in the waiting room.
i sat behind them.
she lay her head on his shoulder,
and whispered,
"another mammogram?"

he whispered,
"yes, they want to make sure the
cancer is gone."

she whispered,
"so they just want to squeeze me again?"

and then he leaned over and whispered to her,
something i cannot repeat,
but lord, it almost made me blush,
and then they both giggled like teenagers.

and doesn't it just goes to show,
that men never change.
how lucky, lucky for us.

sunday confession

in the dressing room...

this skirt is so cute,
i love the colors,
it's the perfect length for me,
wait, what's this?
pockets?
why are they down so low?
(reaching down to knees)
why would there be low pockets?
(seconds tick)
you'd have to pull it up
really far to have the pockets
in the right place.
(quick steve urkel impression)
gah!
it's a mini-dress!
(pull up to proper position)
a tube top mini-dress!
at least the pockets make sense now.
dang.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

the heart of a gymnast

"she doesn't really look like a gymnast, does she?"
people have said to me, more than once.

she has long, thin legs.
her feet are almost the same size as mine.
she is nine.
she will be tall, no doubt,
as her father towers over us all.
her torso is long as well.
she gets that from me.
her arms are thin.

you are right, she doesn't "look" like a gymnast.

but her hands are calloused,
rough from bar work.
her wrists are weathered from her trusty grips.
and do not be fooled by those thin arms.
they are strong.
so strong.

her toes are long enough to wrap
around the sides of the beam,
they keep her in balance.
they too are rough from turn after turn.
and those long, thin legs?
when they are straight, with toes pointed,
the line she makes is gorgeous.
simply gorgeous.

her drive,
her desire,
her will,
her passion,
to practice,
to push herself,
to succeed.
this is inside her heart.
inside her mind.

so, yeah, you could say that
she doesn't "look" like a gymnast.
but then again -
perhaps you are not looking hard enough.

sunday confession

yesterday we took the kids
to the legofest in pittsburgh.

we had an absolute blast.
and by we, i mean, me too.

it's good to know i'm not
completely grown-up -
yet.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

a night out

"my boss asked if we wanted to go
to the urban garden party,
but i told him no thanks."

"you wha?
where?
why would you do that?"

"some outdoor party
at a museum,
you have to dress up,
there's food and stuff,
i don't know,
it sounded like fun,
but we'd have to get
a baby-sitter, blah, blah."

"you mean we finally get to go
on a date, out with other
grown-ups, eat real food,
wear nice clothes, see art,
and hire the sitter for
something other than walking
around best buy,
and you said no thanks,
just like that?"

"yep."

"tell him you changed your mind!"

so we went.
to the urban garden party.
and it was incredible!

some of the highlights -

figs wrapped in bacon!
goat cheese and craisin sandwiches
hummus
biodegradable water bottles
don't get me started on the desserts
coffee bar

belly dancers with live snakes
marilyn monroe on stilts
king kong
tarzan
gangsters
nurses
sailors
starlets
marx brothers
audrey hepburn
carmen miranda(s)

we also got to walk around the museum,
which was really different and fun.
and the gift shop was cool too.

the best part of the night for us was
andrew and andrew,
the djs.
they dj-ed with their ipads.
we loved them!

all in all, a great night out.
i'm so glad mm suggested it.

p.s.  did i mention the figs? 
wrapped in bacon?

the changing of the earrings

k can officially change her earrings
after six weeks of cleaning them
three times
two times
one time everyday.

she is relentless.
change in the morning,
change in the afternoon,
change at night,
"stars to match the stars, mom!"

change one to one color,
change the other to another color,
"to match my outfit, mom!"

i'm all for it -
except i am the one doing all the work.
she is afraid to change them herself.
it's going to be a long summer.

p.s. not to mention the fact
i once went three years without
changing my earrings at all.

sunday confession

we keep buying little
chocolate bars for s'mores.

but SOMEONE
keeps eating them.
all.

ahem.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

keeping house

so.
i have to keep the house clean.
hahahahahaha.

things i have learned
while having my house on the market.

1.  dust.  i really think dust is out to get me.
2.  bathrooms.  lock them.  except for one.
3.  crumbs.  eat in the kitchen.  at the counter.
4.  furniture.  don't sit on it.
5.  laundry.  do a load.  put away a load.  repeat.
6.  towels.  hide them.
7.  beds.  make them up.  yourself.
8.  dust.  again.
9.  declutter.  i don't even know what is in the garage.

that's it for now.
oh, and it's only been one day.
yes, i will be completely insane soon.
the end.

p.s.  funny all the headlines say,
"worse than the great depression,
worst housing market ever."
lol.

dear, well, everyone

dear, well, everyone,

burnout tees are see-through.
as in we can see, well, everything.
and we notice.
and then we can't look you in the face.

so please oh please, for the love of trees,
always wear tanks under your burnout tees.

xo,
pj

sunday confession

i have more drafts about our house
than any other topic.

i have written about
how i hate our house,
how i love our house,
how our house is too small,
how our house is perfect,
how our house is ugly,
how our house is beautiful.

how my kids don't have their own rooms,
how it's okay that my kids don't have their own rooms,
how we need an office,
a guest room,
a eat-in kitchen,
and how not having those things is okay too.
the list is endless really.
but i've never published them.

we have almost moved a million times,
we look at houses online daily,
but we never go for it.
we don't want to change schools,
we love our neighborhood,
we will make do.
mostly it's because i'm scared.
scared to change.

on thursday, our next door neighbors
said they are moving.
they gave us first dibs.
i developed an ulcer.

we looked at the house,
we loved the house,
i developed chest pains.

on friday we called the realtor.
we got our financial ducks in a row.
the realtor looked at both houses on saturday.
i think two clumps of my hair fell out.

today she called and said,
"can you have your house ready for someone to look -
tomorrow?"
i had trouble breathing.

we cleaned and scoured and decluttered.
i almost cried four times.
once because i really don't want to pack all this junk.
once because most all my memories are here.
once because my kids are sad to move.
and once because i am kind of excited to have more space.

but it would be so much more exciting
if we sold this house first.
and that is why i think i have hives.
gulp.

what's your sunday confession? 
the confessional is open.

welcome back happy

have you ever watched someone
lose their happy?

but it happened so slowly,
over time,
that you didn't really, truly notice that much?
until you really couldn't tell the difference anymore?

but then after a while, the happy appeared again,
radiating all around him?
and you suddenly realized
how utterly unhappy he must have been
for so long?

it is a revelation, i tell ya.
and all i can say is,
welcome back happy.

memorial day

we still miss you.

the horse poop post - a rant

we live in a neighborhood.
i call it the suburbs.
others call it the country.
we are surrounded by farmland.
some of the farms are vacant.
and some of them are occupied.

when we drive anywhere,
we pass cows, horses, chickens, pigs,
emus, pheasants, ducks, and farm dogs.
by pass i mean - try not to run over.

sometimes, the stable hands
ride the horses on the road.
in our neighborhood.
they say they want the horses
to get used to the feel of the road,
and the sound of the cars.
i get that.

but they poop.
a lot.
on the road.
the road my kids ride their bikes on.
the road we take walks on.
the road i drive my car on -
through the poop -
onto my tires -
and into my garage.

it is large poop,
stinky poop,
and rain-doesn't-wash-it-away poop.

so i just wonder,
since there is a law to
pick up the dog poop,
is there a law to
pick up the horse poop?

ok - rant over.
this post sponsored by the word - poop.

well, i survived, barely





sunday confession

"mom!  i need a band-aid!"
"ok, here's a spongebob one."

"don't we have any others?"
"um, others?  how about hello kitty?"
"no thanks."

"littlest pet shop, princess, dora, camo, fairy, or rainbow?"
"ugh, don't we have any plain ones?"
"plain?!?"
"you know, mom, a regular one!"

"you mean like mickey?"
"no, just a plain band-aid!"

and. my. heart. breaks.
end scene.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

cooking with tang

ok, so yes the graduation was yesterday.

but let's talk food for a minute.
in particular, the fruit dip
i had at the graduation party.

awesome-ness.
citrus-y, light, yummy, etc.
i could not stop.
i never search out people and ask for recipes,
but i searched this mom out.
i tracked her down,
and begged her for the recipe.

best fruit dip ever
8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
7-ounce jar of marshmallow cream
1 1/2 teaspoons tang (or to taste)

yes, i said tang!
i couldn't believe it either.
so good, try it sometime!
like now!

graduation post to follow soon.

not so wordless wednesday



k's first preschool graduation




































k graduates from preschool tomorrow.
but today, let's tell a story.
a story from her past.
a story about her first preschool graduation.
m's preschool graduation.

she was about six months old.
g was two.
m was four.

we got up at the crack of dawn.
and got ready for hours.
everyone looked perfect.
and i mean perfect.

k wore the cutest sailor dress you have ever seen.
a gift from one of my mom's friends.
cutest. dress. ever.

we packed everyone up and headed over
to the preschool.
mm took m and g inside to get ready.
m went with her class.
mm and g scoped out the perfect seat.
in the front.

i loaded k in the frontpack.
we walked into the building.
k pooped.

all up her back.
all down her legs.
all over me.
all over the frontpack.

i was not prepared for this.
at all.

i had a diaper and some wipes.
that's it.
i was prepared to be gone for an hour
and then be back at home.

we went into the bathroom,
i started to clean her up.
i started to clean myself up.
mm called me.
i may or may not have cursed into the phone.
most likely.

i lined the frontpack with paper towels.
i put her back in,
with a diaper but no clothes.
no cute little sailor dress.
we walked into the auditorium.
and sat, yes, in the front.

that's when i looked down and noticed -
the sunburn.
yes, on my six month old naked child.
because who thinks of sunscreen in may?
no one, that's who.

so here is a picture of her first graduation.
and here's hoping tomorrow -
there are no poop stories.
fingers crossed.

sunday confession

mm and i rarely argue.
if ever.
we i whine and complain,
b*tch and moan,
but rarely argue.

anyhoo,
k's preschool graduation is this week.

one of us wants
the big kids to attend.

one of us does not.

one of us is right, obviously.
one of us is wrong, unavoidably.

what say you?

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

wordless wednesday

old friends always know just what to send.
(not that i'm calling you old, rj)

 

happy unmother's day

it is monday morning.
no one got out of bed on time.
note to self - stop pressing snooze.

no one got dressed on time.
no one ate breakfast on time.

m and g sprinted to the bus stop.
wonder if they have lunch money?
ah well.
note to self - find lunch money.

i loaded the dishwasher,
started her up,
along with the washer.
with the first of five loads from a weekend of
soccer, communions, dress clothes, and guests.

i showered in 32.2 seconds.
loaded up k for school,
along with the cat.
vet day.
hopefully he won't notice bear's whisker trim,
courtesy of k.
yes, snip-snip, and they were gone.
all of them.
note to self - put scissors up higher.

dropped off k at school,
forgot her backpack.
dang.
note to self - remember backpack.

headed over to vet's office.
bear puked in his cat carrier.
note to self - stop driving like a madwoman.
he apparently gets car sick - who knew?
he did NOT like this situation.
neither did i.

pulled over,
let cat out,
cleaned up cat puke with several
napkins from various fast-food places,
along with the last of my anti-bacterial wipes.
note to self - buy more anti-bacterial wipes.
stuffed all used napkins and wipes into kid's cup
from my mother's day dinner out.
note to self - clean out car.

arrived at vet's office.
covered with cat hair -
bear rode the rest of the way on my lap howling.

listened as vet explained new flea medicine options.
note to self - remember this!
forgot everything he said as soon as i walked out of the room.
thankful he didn't seem to notice the missing whiskers.

arrived home to drop off cat.
started another load of laundry.

it is not even 10am yet,
but mother's day is over, people.
with a vengeance.

happy mother's day

guest poet, m.

You stand out in a crowd.
The best mom in the world.
Food is great.
Shelter's cozy.
Helping me with homework,
giving me advice.
Great sense of style,
and awesome clothes.
I love you,
and you love me.

first communion

happy day, my son.
you should wear a tie more often.
just kidding.

dear 17-year-old self

dear 17-year-old self,

put on the freaking sunscreen.
just do it.
yes, it takes forever.
wah.

do not lie and tell your mother
that you put on sunscreen
when you in fact did not.
put on the freaking sunscreen.

do not use baby oil as suntan lotion.
even if your friends do.
or crisco oil.
yes, i am telling you, crisco oil
as suntan lotion may be the
stupidest idea you will ever dream up.
for real.

do not burn yourself because
you think it will turn into a tan.
do not go to the tanning bed
because you get a summer job
at an office where all the other
ladies go tanning everyday at lunch.
you are smarter than that.

put sunscreen on your face.
because one day,
one day soon,
you will have a spot removed,
and by removed,
i mean,
SHAVED OFF OF YOUR FACE
AND THEN LASERED.
and you will have to wait two weeks
to find out if you have ruined
your skin forever.

and it will be a long two weeks.
so.
just wear the freaking sunscreen, mkay?

xo,
pj
aka your 39-year-old self

p.s.  please read this to your 11-year-old brother.

sometimes procrastination works

for weeks now
our dryer has been broken.

i mean, it works,
but it doesn't turn off.
ever.
it just keeps drying and drying.
if you close the door it starts
all on its own.
but if you leave it open the cat
will sleep there.

so eventually i learned
to unplug the dryer
after folding the clothes.
close the door,
and then it couldn't run.

after a while i got the routine down nicely,
but we talked a lot about getting a new dryer,
as this one had the potential to burn our house down.

then, over the weekend,
it was fixed.
magically.
no more problems.
i guess sometimes procrastination works.

please don't tell me if you still think it has the
potential to burn our house down...

~fingers in ears lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala~

sunday confession

when i was dating mm,
i visited his house in buffalo several times.
one of the things i remember
was their color-coded socks.
each family member had a different
color thread,
sewn on the end of each sock.

at the time, i thought this was a little weird,
(although i appreciate the type a-ness immensely)
i mean, how could you not know which socks
belonged to which kid?

and now,
i have three kids of my own.
plus me and mm.

i totally get it!
our socks all look the same!
same black sport socks,
same gray sport socks,
same white everyday socks!
all approximately the same size!
it takes a ph.d. to sort them!
it is not unusual to have 35 pairs
or more in the laundry basket!

so the questions i ask are
where is my thread?
who can sew?

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

gray area

me -
"my hair is starting to turn gray."

my new hair stylist -
"your hair is not bad at all! 
i only see a couple."

love her.
so honest.

minutes later,
she finishes up the back
and moves slowly around my right side.

my new hair stylist -
"OH MY GOODNESS! 
you are right!
you do have tons of grays,
they are all around your face!"

okay, maybe too honest.

wordless wednesday

new earrings.
to go with the new holes in her ears.

jagoff

today i went to get my new license picture.
i fixed my hair,
and i put on make-up.

i sat in the chair and the friendly dmv man
took my picture.

then he said,
"oh, we'd better take another one,
'cause in this one you look like coach cowher!"

i'm pretty sure this is why people flip out
at the dmv.

jagoff.

five things i learned this easter

1.  hyacinths make me stuffy.
2.  hyacinths make me puffy.
3.  hyacinths make me sneeze.
4.  hyacinths make me wheeze.
5.  hyacinths are evil.

happy earth day

there is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
there is a rapture on the lonely shore,
there is society, where none intrudes,
by the deep sea, and music in its roar:
i love not man the less, but nature more.

~lord byron

bunny liaison

for future reference.

on saturday m made a list for the easter bunny.
it looked a little like a christmas list to me,
but i kept quiet.

she put her list in a folder and went to bed.
she also wrote a note to the tooth fairy.
and put it under her pillow.
did the tooth fairy know the easter bunny?
could she tell him what she wanted for easter?
you know, relay the message?

when she woke up the note was gone.
and in its place was her list.
from the folder.
we can therefore deduce (deduct?) that
the tooth fairy read the list
and delivered the message to the easter bunny.
case closed.

but then.
the "other two" got wind of this occurrence.
(happenstance?)
they immediately got busy writing their lists.
both looked a little like christmas lists to me,
but i kept quiet.
they schemed and hoped and wheeled and dealed,
and begged m to put their lists under her pillow last night.
along with yet another note explaining the situation.

we told them we weren't sure if the tooth fairy
did indeed know the easter bunny personally,
or if she would even be out checking
again for teeth so soon.
or she might be busy and not enjoy being
the easter bunny's bitch liaison.

no, we were assured, she delivered for m,
she would do it for them as well.
she wouldn't mind a bit.
duh, obviously.

and sure enough,
this morning the note was gone,
and their lists were moved from under m's pillow,
to the breakfast table.
much excitement followed.

so to sum up -
the tooth fairy knows the easter bunny -
they are great friends -
and apparently don't mind helping each other -
checking for teeth or delivering baskets/messages,
as needed, interchangeably.
every night.

and i can only speculate,
but the tooth fairy must be completely exhausted
all from digging a large hole trying to help a bunny out.

friday funny

doctor lady -
"any issues?"

me -
"well, sometimes i get
really bad pms
and i am
reaaallyy grouchy,
with major headaches
and body aches."

doctor lady -
"do you take anything?"

me -
"oh yes, the same thing i've
always taken,
teen midol."

doctor lady -
"um, pj, you aren't a teen anymore."

me -
blink, blink, blink.
does not compute.

39 cds

there are many reasons i love mm.
as y'all already know.
he cleans, he is a great dad,
he cleans, he makes me laugh,
he cleans, he goes to the grocery store,
he cleans, he is cute,
did i mention he cleans?

here are 39 more reasons why
i fell in love with him,
and, yes, he actually owns all of these cds.
for real.
and there are so many others,
but i'll just have to save those for next year.

def leppard
foreigner
bad company
boston
led zeppelin
air supply
10,000 maniacs
dave matthews
neil young
the outfield
duran duran
genesis
reo speedwagon
barenaked ladies
the goo goo dolls
don henley
green day
bush
38 special
the steve miller band
the tragically hip
rage against the machine
beastie boys
triumph
yes
van halen
gin blossoms
guns and roses
rusted root
steely dan
gordon lightfoot
meatloaf
asia
enya
pearl jam
ac/dc
the police
journey
stone temple pilots

happy birthday mm!

your pennsylvania state sixth place bars dynamo

your number six bar worker -
in the whole state.
yay m!

birthday wisdom

"you don't go backward!
and i think 35 for a woman is a big thing.
i remember when i was a little girl looking up
at my mother at 35 doing her hair in the mirror,
and i thought, 'my mother has never been more beautiful.'
she had years of wisdom you can't erase.
and now i feel the same way when i look in the mirror.
you can't pretend you are an ingenue.
you can't pretend you are wide-eyed and innocent.
it's on your face!
it's in your body.
it's in your voice."
reese witherspoon

happy birthday to me.
i'm not 35.
but that's close enough.

i surrender

reese's white peanut butter eggs.

i surrender.

sunday confession

today g got some new underwear.
gray,
black,
and white.

no more...
power rangers,
pokemon,
pirates of the caribbean,
g.i. joe,
or wolverine.

i'm honestly going to miss all those guys.
sigh.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

from sue

sometimes i get cards from my mom's friend sue.
they always come at just the right time.
and they always make me smile.
thank you, sue!

tell-tale toothbrush

this morning i spied a toothbrush
on the floor.
i won't tell who it belongs to.

did i -

a.  scream, "grody!" and throw it out?
b.  start a pot of boiling water to sanitize toothbrush?
c.  hold toothbrush under hot running tap water for 30 seconds?
d.  rinse toothbrush off quickly and throw it in the drawer?
e.  pick up toothbrush and place it on the sink?
f.   walk right by leaving toothbrush alone?

i'll never tell.
thump, thump. 
thump, thump.

never a wish better than this

**update**  4/4,
doing well.

**update** 4/1,
mm visited with her,
she is doing, "very well."

**update** 3/31,
she has made it
through surgery.

mm is in nyc.
with his gramma hanu.
she is 95-ish.
but she will tell you she is 29.
or 43.
depending on the day.

i will be here taking care of the kids.
as long as i need to.
and i will not whine or complain.
because she is 95-ish,
and i am not.

she is in the hospital.
she needs a new heart valve.
she is very feisty.

please keep her in your thoughts.
for a moment.

sunday confession

last night some friends called.
they were having a pool party today
for their youngest.
they had some cancellations,
and did we want to bring the kids
to the party?

our kids LOVE to swim.
especially in the winter.
at a hotel.
ooh-la-la.

but we said no.
mm is not spontaneous.
at all.
it was too much trouble.
trying to watch three kids in the pool.
and we had so much to do today.
so much work, cleaning,
organizing for the week.

we should call them back
and let them know.
no way.

then a thought popped into my head.
if we had just one kid -
would we have said yes?
the answer was yes.
we both agreed that we would have
no problem if it was just one kid.

how fair is that?
not at all!
it's not their fault
there are three of them!

so we said yes.
and we went to the party.
the kids had a blast.
swimming, sliding, splashing, playing.
they had cake and even got treat bags.
it was a wonderful way to spend a sunday.

and to think we almost said no.

have you ever said no
because it was too much trouble
to say yes?

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

dear potential employer

dear potential employer,

in the fall k will go to kindergarten.
kid three in school, yo.
this means i am ready to go back to work!
part-time.
between the hours of 9am and 2pm.
ok, 9:30am.
with an hour for lunch.

i'd rather not work on fridays.
or weekends.
oh and if the kids are off from school,
i won't be able to make it.
ditto if someone is sick.
two-hour delays could be a problem as well.
i really don't want to work on holidays either.

so just to wrap up -
barely part-time,
extremely flexible,
and also - if i could work from home
in my pajamas
that would be so awesome.

see you soon!
xo,
pj

gas princess

wednesday confession -
i don't pump gas.

ever.

when i was a teenager
gas magically appeared in my car.
i suspect my father,
but i can't be sure.

when i got married,
mm took over.
whenever i drive my car,
the gas is just - there.
i know.
i am a total gas princess.

i don't pay attention to gas stations.
unless they serve hot dogs. 
with slaw.
or those pretzel/nacho cheese combos.
i also don't pay much attention to
those little signs with the prices posted.
i have only filled my tank a handful of times.
and when i do - i get really grouchy about it.
i am not even kidding.

so today, i braved the gas station
for the first time in forever.

and even though i am a total gas princess,
i am thinking $68.05 is a bit much for a tank of gas, no?

wow, perhaps i should venture out of the castle more often.

fifth wheel

mm was sick first.
he worked from home on a monday!
completely unprecedented.

g caught it next.
i may or may not have sent him to school anyway.
ahem.

around the same time k got sick.
she missed three days of school.

and then, it was m's turn.
she lounged around for the weekend,
and missed school on monday.

so i basically played nurse for two straight weeks.
and now that i'm starting to feel crappy,
i can't get any sympathy from these people.
and i don't think my contract allows for sick days.

avacado-a-go-go

in the fall sometime i saw
a friend
slice up an avocado
and eat it -
plain.

i silently thought - ew.
gah.
and ack.
plus other weird words.

then i got to thinking.
i do like guacamole.
a lot.
and i've had avocado slices
on bacon cheeseburgers
once or twice.
but plain?
nope.

so i bought one.
and i scooped it out,
sliced it up,
and ate it.
it was - delicious.
yummy.
and fabulous.
plus other good words.

months later i am still hooked on avocados.
and i've almost gotten mm hooked as well.
almost.

they are particularly good -
with chips and salsa.
with tortilla soup.
mixed with greek yogurt.
on a turkey sandwich.

or - just plain - so weird.

and i also have some swampland in florida to sell you

wall of despair

the wall guy -
"do you see these other walls in your neighborhood?
your wall will NOT look like those walls.
your wall will NOT sink, crack, or lean."

me -
"great!
sign us up!"

sunday confession

after seven, yes seven, years,
we have made our last preschool payment.
forever.

and in a few short months the explorer will be ours.
no more car payment!

oh the possibilities!

so, obviously,
when we got the dodge inspected,
the mechanic* said,
"it's time to start looking for another car."

something about brake lines,
rusting, or breaking, or something.
how important are brake lines, really?

dang.  just dang.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

*but then he totally passed it for inspection - wth?

banana bob

at our local shop and save
there is the coolest guy -
banana bob.

if the kids see him and say hello,
he will give them a banana.
with a sticker on it that says,
"banana bob" -
his signature.

k is all over this,

"did you know that bananas
have vitamins and miner-wals?"

"banana bob says so."

"banana bob says bananas
are a heal-fffy food."

"did you know the banana
peel protects the banana?"

"that's what banana bob told me."

why yes, i do know these facts.
and i've been telling you this stuff for years.
so has your father.
but it apparently doesn't mean squash
until banana bob says it.

so, banana bob, hats off to you, man.
you're all right with me.

that's my girl

the little kids and i watched
pirates of the caribbean
while mm and m were away.

i debated because the skeletons
are a little creepy,
but i figured i could fast forward
if i needed to.
(turns out we didn't make it that far,
might finish it this weekend)

g asked a million questions,
i had to pause it several times
to answer all the -
"who's that?"
"what?"
"why?"

k was pretty quiet.
until the sword fight scene
in the blacksmith shop.

she leaned over and whispered,
"he is really cute."

i whispered back,
"who?"

"will turner."

that's my girl!
but that's my legolas.
ahem.

underworld trivia

flip on tv to find...
underworld: rise of the lycans.
oh joy.
(this is sarcasm)

mm - "have we seen this one?"
me - "looks really familiar."

mm - "i don't think we have."
me - "aren't they all the same?"

mm - "this is the third one."
me - "yeah we haven't seen it then."

mm - "wonder why we never watched it?"
me - "because it doesn't have kate beckinsale."

mm - "hey, you're right, it doesn't."
me - "seriously, why even bother to watch a movie
if it doesn't have kate beckinsale?"

mm - "exactly."

the end.

sunday confession

i keep having these dreams.
gymnastics dreams.
except i'm the gymnast.

i'm at a meet.
i'm not really that nervous, surprisingly.
at one point i did observe
that i hadn't practiced the vault,
in oh, 25 years or so,
so it might be kind of difficult
to get over on the first try...

aside from the fact that
if this were an actual meet,
there would be a million things
for me to be nervous about,
not the least of which would be all the
shaving that would be necessary for
me to get into a leotard,
how i might look in said leotard,
and the minor fact that i am old,
some would say that this dream
really means that i am living vicariously
through my daughter and her gymnastics career.

and to those people i say,
"WELL, DUH!"

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

wordless wednesday



note to self -
next winter, put the flower pots in the garage
like your mother done told you.

 

sweet weekend



hello, darlin'.



this weekend m had a gymnastics meet in hershey, pa.
last season we would have taken the whole family,
stayed in the same tiny hotel room,
got ready,
checked out,
sat at the meet,
and drove home,
all together.

oh, how we have learned since then!

this time, m and i went together,
just the two of us.
and it was wonderful!

(aside from the tiny guilt i have about telling the little kids
that chocolate world was closed.
forever.
or something like that.
i know.)

anyway, we spent the night at the hotel,
got up, got ready, and went to chocolate world.
which apparently is open year 'round.
oops.

then we went to the meet.
and i sat as close to mary lou retton my gymnast as i could get.
i stared at mary lou retton my gymnast the whole time.
i ate whatever mary lou retton was eating i wanted.
i took lots of pictures of mary lou retton my gymnast.
i wasn't freaky or stalkerish nervous at all.

and then.  then.
the awards.

i took a hundred pictures of kerri strug my gymnast getting her medals.
second on vault, third on bars!



"remember to eat your wheaties!"

















such a sweet weekend.
chocolate and two three of my favorite athletes.
i shall be in a sugar coma for weeks to come.

sunday confession

a week in review...

monday - a rare day of nothing to do
tuesday - mm out to dinner with work friends, m has gymnastics
wednesday - boys go to penguins game, girls hang at home
thursday - mm scores a ticket to wvu/pitt game, m has gymnastics
friday - m and i leave for a meet in hershey, pa
saturday - chocolate world, meet, drive home, mm is sick!
sunday - mm is still sick, birthday party

mm spent the whole day on the couch,
every hour or so he would jolt awake and say,
"i'm fine, i'm getting up soon."
then fall back to sleep.
poor guy.

i am completely exhausted!
and i thought the hotel would be like a spa, but i didn't sleep a wink.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

*update* - k sick now.

playaway

i stumbled upon these
at our local library.

http://www.playaway.com/

pre-loaded digital audio books!
just check them out,
plug in your earbuds,
and listen!

they are great for car rides.

the kids are hooked,
hard.

go try 'em out!
you won't be disappointed.

slim jims

i bought mm some slim jims
the other day.

"i got you some slim jims."
"yeah, i saw those, i like beef jerky better."

"there's a difference?"
"yeah."

"you ate them in college!"
"i know, i just like beef jerky better."

whatever.
so i ate them.
all 16 of them.
hey, i'm no meat snack snob.

sunday confession

i didn't blog about it the first time it happened.
or the second time.
or the third time.

but after the fourth time,
i've got to confess.

i go upstairs,
get out a pot or pan,
put it on the stove,
turn on the gas,
start heating water
or butter.

put the pasta in for spaghetti,
or the bread for grilled cheese.

then i - walk away.
to get something,
or put something away.

then i get sidetracked.
and then i start thinking,
"i should really get dinner ready,
hmm, what should we have?
i know, we'll have mac and cheese."

so i walk into the kitchen,
see that dinner is already started,
and i'm really surprised because,
i can't remember at all!

i'm slowly losing it folks.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

give peace a chance

m is obsessed with peace signs.
well, they are everywhere,
it's kind of hard not to be.

she has peace signs on
every article of clothing,
even leotards,
every school supply,
even pencils,
they are all over her room,
and the whole house!

so i was making conversation with the
(insert popular girls' clothing store here)
clerk as i was checking out,
with yet another peace sign item,
"oh man, i can't wait until peace signs go out of style."

she stared at me like i had fourteen heads,
"how could you say that?  i would hope that peace will never be out of style!"

dang hippies.

v-day trash pickin'

it's valentine's day.
obviously a perfect day for spying
a dresser on the curb
and bringing it home.

a 1940s art deco dresser,
with the mirror, (!)
just like my grandparents had in their guest room
when i was a little girl.

so i loaded it up.
even though we have no room for it.
and it's pretty beat up.
oh and, mm hates old furniture.
a lot.

but there are dovetails, (!)
and the knobs are gorgeous.

will we keep it?
stay tuned...

happy valentine's!
hope you get loads of chocolate - tomorrow!

shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen, and wrong.

"m says my hair is turning brown."
k said this morning.

"yes, it does look a little darker,
but i'm sure it will lighten up again
this summer."
i said.

"NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!!"
she shouted.

"what are you shouting about?"
"i want brown hair!"
"but why?  your blonde hair is so pretty!"

"m's hair is brown,
g's hair is brown,
daddy's hair is brown,
YOUR hair is brown,
and THEN I GET STUCK WITH THIS!!!"
she points at her head.

oh good lord.

another puke post

list of foods i will not eat because
i've puked them up...

mushrooms
orange juice
cinnamon gum -
(it's a schnapps thing, don't ask)
angel hair pasta
pad thai

g came home from school yesterday,
"mom, my stomach hurts."

"oh, eat dinner you'll feel better."
denial.

"no, it really hurts."

"maybe go to the bathroom?"
more denial.

needless to say,
he didn't eat.
but he did start puking.
every hour.
all.night.long.

i don't do puke.
i won't be holding your hair.
i'll be at the door asking if you are okay.
from afar.

i felt so bad for him,
i didn't even get that upset that he
couldn't hit the trash can by his bed
to.save.his.life.

so we put down bath mats and towels,
changed sheets every hour.
washed sheets every hour.
around 3am he realized he wasn't going to school.
that made him smile.
a little.

anyhow, point of the story?
there is one, i think?
oh yeah,
i won't be eating hot dogs again anytime soon.
and i don't think g will either.

sunday confession

sunday confession -
superbowl edition...

sometime in the fourth quarter,
as green bay scored the last points,
mm realized -
if pittsburgh scored a touchdown -
he would acquire $1000.

but then the steelers would win...

i have never seen him so conflicted in his life.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

slow day

today i refilled all
of the soap dispensers
in our house.

the end.

the pj 500

well, as you have no doubtly noticed,
(is doubtly a word?)
i've been dragging my feet with the whole 500 thing.
part of me doesn't believe i've actually written 500 posts.
that nobody has read!
ha.

i've come a long way since i started,
i don't wear my pajamas in public anymore.
very often.
ahem.

my kids are older now,
they can do things for themselves.
not everything,
but enough.

i have to admit,
i started slacking.
not teaching as much,
figuring they have heard it before.
they already know the rules.
so i relaxed.
a lot.
probably too much, truth be told.

i've read some books,
i've knitted,
i've took some time for myself,
because i convinced myself i deserved it,
and i do!

but not quite yet.
they aren't completely independent yet.
they still need me.
i still have a lot to teach them.

so tell me -
what did you like about the last 500 posts?
de-lurk yourselves!
let me know which direction to head for the next 500.
because i'm clearly slacking.
but i still feel like i have a lot to say.
maybe i can say it in my blue jeans?

sunday confession

pee happens.

this weekend one of the kids
made another one of the kids
laugh so hard -
he/she peed his/her pants.

(i'll not name said pee-er,
as some teachers read this blog)

in 4.2 seconds i thought all of the following...

a.  did pee get on the couch?
b.  did pee get on the carpet?
c.  come on, was it really that funny?
d.  seriously - one of my kids
made his/her sibling
laugh so hard
he/she peed his/her pants?
how cool is that?!?
e.  ok - pee did not get on the couch.
f.   ok - pee did not get on the carpet.
g.  it is kind of funny.
h.  those who live in glass houses...

so - i laughed too.
but not so hard that i peed my pants.
well, maybe a little.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

poker night

tonight is poker night.

a few years ago this meant,
mm would leave for the evening,
and i would start a project.

painting the pantry,
a closet,
the powder room,
or filling in nail holes,
so i could re-paint the main bathroom,
you guessed it,
the next poker night.

i would crank up the broadway tunes,
tape up a storm,
and roll away.

nowadays poker night means,
mm leaves for the evening,
and i immediately crash.
enjoying 12-14 hours of sleep.

i heart poker night.
but my how times have changed.

butter



paaar-kaaay.

















me-
"hey, honey, could you help me, i can't find the butter."
mm-
"i was going to make pancakes, but i don't think we have enough butter."
mm-
"do we have any yogurts left?  the butter is blocking my view."
me-
"could you stop on your way home from work and get some butter?"

then we laugh hysterically and the kids stare at us.
apparently, we are easily amused in this house.

transcending

i stopped by the pediatrician's office
to drop off k's kindergarten forms.
the last kid.
stop it.

i handed over the forms,
and explained what i needed.

"well, we will need a self-addressed stamped envelope."
"you mean, like THIS ONE i have in my purse?"
ka-pow!
on the counter, lady!

"also, the fee for filling out a form is $5."
"and that is why i have CASH in my pocket!"
ka-boom!
exact change too!

take that doctor's office!
looks like i'm not so crazy after all!
ka-chow!
hahahahahahaha!

who says you can't teach an old mom
new tricks?

sunday confession

k was singing in the tub.
i love it when she does this,
because she doesn't think anyone can hear her.
too cute.

but then, this tune floats down the hallway...

"there's a place downtown,
where the freaks all come around.
it's a hole in the wall.
it's a dirty free for all.
take it off."

huh.
somehow kesha
doesn't sound quite as catchy
when my five year old sings it.
who knew?
might be time to delete some songs from the ipod.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

weekly photos

this week's theme, water.
next week's theme, books.

paint water.  yummy.



no ken, i mean it, i can't go out tonight,
i have to wash my hair!




moving

mm says if the steelers
win the superbowl -
we are moving.

all i have to say is,
i really think he's serious.

sunday confession

we went to church today.

k leaned on one side of me
and made a TON of noise with
color wonder markers.
noise i didn't even know was possible.

g leaned on the other side of me,
that boy is getting heavy!
he quietly complained that he.was.bored.
47 bajillion times.

so as i knelt to pray,
a familiar song popped into my head...

"s.o.s.  please someone help me."

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

weekly photos

this week's theme, neat.
next week's theme, water.



the clean before the storm.



clean.  well, my side is anyway.

warm fuzzy

k, in the car,
passing the cemetery,

"oh look, some guy died today."

"wha??"

"see over there that blue thing
covering the dead guy."

"oh yeah, i do see that."

"did you know jesus died,
and we will see him in heaven?
and christmas is his birthday?"

"yes."

"do you think when i die,
i'll still celebrate my birthday?"

"yes."

"maybe me and jesus can have our
birthday party together."

"that would be nice."

"m and g will be dead already,
so they can come to the party too."

"uh, i suppose, what about me and daddy?"

"SURE, YOU GUYS WILL BE LONG GONE BY THEN."

sunday confession

i am a fruit ninja.
yeah, i said it.

what's your sunday confession?
the confessional is open.

weekly photos

i recently joined a weekly photo group.
hopefully, this will inspire me to take more photos.
and inspire mm to gift me with that nikon for my b-day.
he was apparently still uninspired as of christmastime.
ahem.

this week's assignment...
mess.

the wii fit board sat vacant for so long,
squatters arrived.

from the manual...
instruction #1 -
do not put together on carpet.
instruction #2 -
do not open all bags at once.

next week's assignment -
clean.

looking back on 2010

when i caught this post by waspy girl,
i knew it was something i wanted to try...

i am not normally a resolution person,
i usually make a couple,
but i don't really enforce them
once january is over.
sad, but there it is.

what was one goal you accomplished in 2010?
i sweet talked mm into a new kitten.
i didn't want the kids to grow up without a pet.
weird, i know.
it turned out to be a great decision,
but could have easily gone the other way.
as a rule, mm does not like cats,
but he seems to like this one.
goal!

what is your favorite memory of 2010?
disney. 
i had GIANT expectations. 
and GIANT fears. 
would we have fun? 
would we get it all done? 
would we stay sane? 
we did, and we loved it. 
pretty much every moment,
except this one time, in the animal kingdom, when everyone was really hot and tired,
oh and this other time at hollywood studios, when everyone was really hot and tired...

what is your least favorite memory of 2010?
millie, a close friend of mm's family, passed away.
from a car accident,
as she was driving home from mailing her holiday cards!?!
it is still mind-numbing.
and her card is hanging upstairs.

what was the best trip you took in 2010?
i know. 
you think i'm going to say disney. 
but, wait, no!
i went to my parents' house with the kids over the summer.
for a whole week, not once, but twice. 
a definite highlight.

what was your favorite purchase in 2010?
iphone 4. 
for the record, i was totally against it.

what was the best book you read in 2010?
i recently started lemony snicket's "unfortunate events" series.
m and i are reading them together.
highly entertaining.

also, a few of the "wizard of oz" series.
and "the girl with the dragon tattoo" series.

"the taking" by dean koontz,
i couldn't put it down.

so many books,
so little time.

what changed about you in 2010?
i realized that i am ready to go back to work.
part-time.
k will be starting kindergarten in the fall,
and i am kind of excited to see what's out there.
imagine, conversations, with grownups!

what made you cry in 2010?
m turning 9.
g turning 7.
k turning, gulp, 5.
it was all completely awful.

what is one home project you accomplished in 2010?
we didn't do too many home projects,
but we did repaint our upstairs main living area
(dining room, living room, hall, foyer)
the same color. 
yes, almost the exact same color as before,
just scrubbable satin this time instead of flat,
which i HAD to have when we moved in.
three kids later, i just don't know what i was thinking, really.

best meal of 2010?
we have a ladies' group that meets
at a different restaurant every month.
so i have had many, many good meals,
right here in pittsburgh.
there are so many great places
right in my own backyard.

paris 66.
i had the pissladiere (pizza, but way better)
and a salad.
scrumptious.

yo rita's.
best taco i ever ate.
and a warm salad.
awesome-ness.

zaiaka indian restaurant.
yummy chana masala.
extremely close to my house.
many takeout nights.

mccormick and schmick's.
seafood.
i actually went with mm this time.
it cost a small car payment,
but worth it, i think?

what made you want to scream in 2010?
the kids pushing their boundaries, hard.
emerging attitudes.
i'll be honest, i did some screaming in 2010.

what was your verse of 2010?
be still, and know that i am God (psalm 46:10)
i said this over and over in my head a lot.

what does your list look like?
i'd love to see.
thank you, waspy girl!