SHE LIVES...

I can't believe how fast time is going. 

Today is October 1. That is insanity!

<-- this is Central Park, as seen from the top of the Hearst Building.  I hadn't been to NYC in three years.. went back a couple of weeks ago for work. It was a short trip, and I didn't get to wander my old haunts or see many friends.. but wow. It was great to be there. Great to come back home too. 

Sooo many things I am sure I meant to blog about but have left my head. I do remember I briefly blogged about Mini turning SIX and the Birthday Fairy. Fun times at home and at her party. She finally has the Barbie Convertible she's wanted since LAST year.. the one she can actually drive.. and now she's scared to death of it.  really???

Went to Atlanta last week for work. Went to a Braves game. Where yes, duh, I wore my Sox cap. There was virtually no one at that game. HELLO?? You have a MLB team in your backyard and you don't go to the games? Of course, Turner Field is a ridiculously large stadium, but still.  And it was the playoffs clinching game! and still hardly any fans...

This is me and Janet in Atlanta ---->
at the Viking Test Kitchen. Yes, they did let us have knives. They even let us cook.  Ok, well, SOME of us cooked.  I did attempt to help with chopping and dicing. One of the assist chefs was apparently beyond annoyed at my method of scooping out avacodo.  He stomped on over and lightning fast did all these slices and dices and bam! all good avocado.  In my head I was saying in a not so pleasant tone: look dude. i have had a glass of wine or two so i seriously don't need to be flinging that sharp butcher knife around. PLUS, i am TERRIFIED of avocados ever since my friend nearly amputated her own thumb trying to cut one. So NYAH.   yeah, but ya know, I just smiled at him and said thank you. At which point my team mates (did I mention this was a cooking COMPETITION?) gently told me perhaps i should go join the spirit squad.. which was comprised of those of us with limited cooking ability.

That may or may not have been the point when I impressed the rest of the spirit squad with my stellar playground clapping skills - rembering the words AND motions to... wait for it...
BigMacFiletaFishQuarterPounderFrenchFryIcyCokeBigShakeSundayandApplePIE!

You're singing it in your head and you know it. 

The picture of Mini up there - thats her sporting her new Barbie Headphones. And while you think SHE may be excited about them (a bday gift from her friend Katie)... really that expression on her face? that's how excited I am that she likes them. Now we don't have to be tortured by the Barbie Movie and Makeup Game that Mini has on the iPad.  (wait, what? educational apps? )

 Hannah came to spend the night this weekend. It is as much fun for Eileen as it is for us.  A) we love that she plays and plays while we watch football and B)it is absolutely fascinating to listen to them and watch them. (for once I am NOT being cynical).  They're just so funny, happy. They're blunt and tell it like it is. They have imaginations for which adults would pay ridiculous amounts of cash. I want to capture every single moment on film (or smartphone..) and tell her to just stay as much this way forever as she can...sigh.

<--- this pic? taken with my phone. not too shabby eh?


Yesterday was the first day in weeks that we had NO PLANS. I did get our butts to church. That's something.  Then I came home and made a red sauce. Mainly bc I wanted to make Baked Spaghetti Squash recipe I'd seen on Pinterest.  And I refuse to use jarred sauce. Once that was going, I sat down. And stayed that way for quite a while. And went through roughly seven magazines (all Food Network and Real Simple).. pulling out any and all recipes and/or decor tips that I think I may even come close to making. I have, for years, kept my own binder with such clippings (SHIT. It's like REAL LIFE pinterest. WHY didn't I invent that site????)

Anyway. After spending the day like that, I want to have hours and hours to now make all these yummy looking things. Or at least one a week? 

I'd like to say "yes! that's my goal!" .. but right now.. well I'm content I found a moment to blog!

Cheers friends. Happy Fall!

SIX. Mini is SIX.

Mini is six today. Six years old. In Kindergarten. With an officially loose tooth. 

And I am here to tell you, I have no idea how this happened. Where did six years go already? Where did this spectacular little Mini COME FROM?

Smart. Cute. Great Sense of Humor. Loves school. Loves Barbies and loves to run as fast as she can. Loves to read and listen to music and sing and dance. Loves to talk.  Not sure what more a parent could ask for. Well, maybe a better singing voice, but we can't all be perfect right?

The birthday fairy came to our house and left all these balloons in our hallway (thank you Pinterest). The Birthday Fairy and her husband were up at 5am this morning to blow up these balloons. 

Did you know hanging with your husband at that hour with a helium tank is actually kind of fun? Even better when the slightly confused, and very annoyed, pup joins the fun.  Annoyed because apparently we interrupted her beauty sleep. And confused that her People were sitting on the floor in their bathroom with this tank that kept making really weird noises.

The best part of THAT whole experience.. Gracie was totally in awe/confusion etc about this balloon thing. Kept perking up her ears, cocking her head - the normal dog speak for "WHAT? HUH?"

You guys know this girl can't pass a helium tank without inhaling a bit and well, talking.  Which I did at 5am this morning. Which Gracie did not like. She kind of froze, cocked her head, and BARKED. What did you do to my mommy's voice!? I am certain that was the thought in her little dog brain.  Alas, that was it for me and the fun talk. As if the dog had woken up the kid this would have been one unhappy Birthday Fairy. 

Bill's birthday was last week. This birthday fairy apparently can't get organized enough to handle two birthdays in 7 days.. so all she did for poor Bill was make him a cake,... two days late.  But The Birthday Fairy and Mini DID sing to him.  And let me tell you, we are guuud singers. 

Ok. I have loads to tell. Trips to NYC and Eileen with friends and School Uniform Stores and brushes with the paparazzi.  But friends. That has to wait a day or two, as soon as a brief moment becomes available for me to write more! 

Until then Happy Friday!

Handling Mommy

<---  Look at her. Does she look almost six?  Or does she look almost 11? She was just chilling out on the porch watching Rugrats while we watched football.  You'll note she has the choice spot on the porch too. Stinker.

Tonight when I got home, she came out to the car to greet me. I handed her my shoes to carry in (those would be the heels I had kicked off after my 2pm meeting - happily welcoming the trusted flip-flops).  So as she's walking in and I'm gathering the rest of my load from the Sherpa (aka back floor boards) - I see her sort of stuggling with shoes and propping screen door open.  

Me: You got it Monkey? I can help, hold on. 
E:  No Mommy --- I've got you handled. 
Me: freeze in half standing position with computer bag half up to my shoulder...to myself saying did i hear that child? i'm being HANDLED?
Me:  (outloud) do what? you have me HANDLED?!
E: once she's recovered from doubled over hysterical laughing, while smoothly handling shoes and propping door and oh so smoothly entering the house - "yep. thats' what i said Momma." 

Dude. I just got showed up by my apparently uber cool kid. 

<--- Ok - so take note of this photo.   This was Monday Morning of the Three Day Labor Day Weekend (sidebar: can we please please please pass a law requiring mandatory 3day weekends every 5weeks?...).  We woke to super dreary rainy icky gloomy weather.  She'd come down to cuddle, and even after Bill and I had made our groggy way into the kitchen, she'd opted to hang out with MORE Rugrats.  After some time, I wandered back into the bedroom to find her like this. She'd cocooned herself into the covers and propped up the iPad. Amusing. Or Cute. Maybe a little frightening?

<--- OK, so now this picture. This was later Monday afternoon. The day had brightened considerably, but still had that lingering threat of some rain.   Eileen had been playing outside with R from next door and another boy from down the street.  R's mom was outside so that was cool.  Eileen popped in to see if she could go to other boy's house to play hide and seek. I told her no, not because I am evil mom - but because 1) other boy's parents are NEVER EVER outside keeping an eye on 8 year old boy and his 6year old sister.  2) their house is much closer to the busy cross street than ours. and 3) well, I said so.  She just shrugged her shoulders and said "oh, ok. Can I ride my big wheel in the driveway?"  

thats one of those moments when I am torn between wondering how on earth we are lucky enough to have a little girl who asks before she does ANYTHING and more often than not doesn't argue if she doesn't get her way.... OR.. I sit there thinking - oh shit. yet another sign of the certain hell that is coming our way during the tween and teen years. 

So I went outside with her to hang out while she rode around. I got bored and dug out the sidewalk chalk. Dabbled in my 1988 art skills and wrote Eileen's name in BUBBLE LETTERS. 

Tell me people - why is there no BUBBLE LETTER font? Seriously? 

Anyway. She drew that umbrella you see up there.  I'm serious. She really did. I am fairly certain that if I were to draw an umbrella, it wouldn't look that good. 

The shot of Eileen cuddled in bed with iPad and the shot of her umbrella loaded in to my photo stream back to back. Taken roughly 8 hours apart.  At that point I guess I had a deep thought.. because as much as technology has advanced, and as completely normal as toddlers working the remote and smart phones have become..  little girls (and their mommy's) still just want to play with chalk. 

Because, you see.. I hadn't planned on capturing the chalk doodles with my camera. But Eileen wanted me to.  She was afraid the rain would wash them away and she didn't want to lose her drawings. 

Proof (at least to me) that as much as things change.. even more they stay the same.